News

Suicide prevention courses within the Bellingen Shire

Lifeline has been asked by the Bellingen Neighbourhood Centre to present a couple suicide prevention courses within the Bellingen Shire. Thankfully these courses are at no cost. safeTALK: is a half-day alertness workshop that prepares anyone over the age of 15, regardless of prior experience or training, to become a suicide-alert helper. Most people with thoughts of suicide don’t truly want to die, but are struggling with the pain in their lives. Through their words and actions, they invite help to stay alive. safeTALK-trained helpers can recognize these invitations and take action by connecting them with life-saving intervention resources, such…

Lots of Socks Day 2020

World Down Syndrome Day celebrate with Chrysalis on Monday 23rd March Chrysalis is participating in the international campaign of Lots Of Socks for World Down Syndrome Day again this year. We encourage all children and teachers to wear some brightly coloured, long or mismatched socks to school in celebration of diversity and inclusion. Activities are planned to learn about and appreciate every person’s uniqueness and to understand more about Down syndrome. Perhaps it’s time to buy some new socks for Autumn or borrow and swap to make a pair of wild socks, please think ahead and have some snazzy socks…

Class 6 to 8 Transition camp 2020

The Class 6, 7 and 8 students and staff embarked on a multi-day adventure to Cascade Environmental Education Centre. This camp provides the students with many team-building exercises, as well as inward reflective time for them, designed to create harmony across the years. This year the students communed with a 1,500 year old brush box tree, engaged in composting workshops, snake-wrangling, nature mandala envisioning and creating, as many other team-building games!

Chrysalis Harvest Festival 2020

Thora Campus celebrations The School has decided to cancel this coming Thursday 19th March Harvest Festival celebration as well as next Wednesday 25th March Morning Star Harvest Festival. The teachers will be looking to recognise this ritual within the classroom and will liaise separately with their parents on any special arrangements that may involve their participation. We very much regret this cancellation and any inconvenience caused, however, we hope you appreciate our desire to keep our Community safe.  

School Bus Flashing Lights Campaign

[video width="1920" height="1080" mp4="https://chrysalis.nsw.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/School_Bus_Flashing_Lights_Campaign_Video.mp4"][/video] Did you know that by law you must slow down to 40km/h when bus lights are flashing? As our students start the 2020 school year, the NSW Government and your local school bus operator Busways are reminding parents, teachers and other motorists about this law which is designed to keep our kids safe. Lights begin to flash when the bus stops and the doors open, and they keep flashing for 20 seconds after the doors close. Children are most at risk in the minutes after they get off the bus as the can be unpredictable in…

Student Residential Address Collection 2020

The Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment will shortly be undertaking the 2020 Student Residential Address Collection. As a parent/guardian you do not need to provide any information directly to the department. The only thing you need to do is ensure your address details are up-to-date with our school. If you need to update your child’s/ children’s residential address details, please contact the School office BEFORE next Monday 17th February. We will provide the department with de-identified address information for all of our students’ families. This means we will provide addresses but no student names. The Statement of…

Head, Heart, Hands: Reflections on Steiner Education in Australia 1957-2020

Steiner Education Australia is excited to be involved with the Australian National Museum of Education exhibition on Steiner education in Australia 1957-2020. The exhibition, which is housed in the University of Canberra Library Exhibition Space, opens at 9am on February 24th and runs until March 27th. The official opening is on Friday March 6th at 4.30 pm. There will be a book launch at the official opening of Dr Tom Stehlik’s new book Waldorf Schools and the History of Steiner Education: an International View of 100 Years. It would be wonderful to see as many people there as possible to…

Seeds for a new social understanding

A talk by Seth Jordan, visiting New York-based Anthroposophical social science expert - at the Children’s Centre, 1 Elliot Close, North Bellingen, at 4pm on Saturday February 1st At the beginning of the 20th century Rudolf Steiner did extensive ground-breaking research into the living nature of society and social life. This research has inspired countless important initiatives around the world, and yet the larger significance of this research has yet to find its full expression in the world. In this talk we will explore the many different aspects of social life that he illuminated and how these different approaches all…

Class Plays Deepen Learning

By Ben Linstrom Every year, there is a time when each class in grades 1 through 8 stops the regular routine of main lesson blocks and immerses in preparation for a class play. It is an essential part of Waldorf education that we call pedagogical drama, because the plays specifically relate to the content of the Waldorf curriculum through the grades. For students, this is when what they’re learning truly comes to life for them. It may be historical or cultural, and it relates to what they have been learning in the classroom during main lesson. Routine and rhythm are important for our main…

Finish of the Chrysalis School Year 2019

A letter to parents and staff We are so sorry that this year has come to such an abrupt end.  Closing the School would have caused you considerable disruption and we want to assure you that such a decision is not taken lightly.  Some classes have been able to conduct activities away from School but limited resources and direct impacts to staff have meant we could not provide alternatives for everyone. As we write this message, the fires continue at the headwaters of the Bellinger and Kalang valleys and our thoughts remain focused on those under continuing threat.  At this…