News

Class 8 project presentation evening

Gather this Friday 2 November from 6pm to take in the the beautiful presentation tables in Maam Gamambiya (the school hall), followed by the students presenting their achievements from 6:30pm. The Year 8 students have been working hard during the last few terms. Each individual has chosen a topic that they were interested in or felt that they would like to learn more about. Here is the list of projects for this year: Lydia - animal tracking and rescue Joey - motorbike restoration Sienna - yoga teacher training Aaliyah - vegetarian cooking and gardening Lily - tiny house building Freya - writing…

Why Steiner Students Knit

Knitting has been gathering a lot of attention lately by crafters and scientists alike. It turns out knitting and handwork provides a host of brain and wellbeing benefits to people of all ages. For students, in particular, knitting provides an essential learning medium. A child who is knitting a hat or a toy kitten sees their will transformed into art. They see their focused, detailed work turn into something beautiful and purpose filled. They experience how the conceptual becomes concrete. This is why Waldorf education founder, Rudolf Steiner, lectured on the importance of handwork for students just under 100 years…

Drawing is the best way to learn, even if you’re no Leonardo da Vinci

By Anne Quito “I just can’t draw.” It’s a refrain most adults say when confronted with a blank piece of paper. Something happens in our teenage years that makes most of us shy away from drawing, fretting that our draftsmanship skills aren’t up to par, and leaving it to the “artists” among us. But we’ve been thinking about drawing all wrong, says the design historian D.B. Dowd. In his illuminating new book, titled Stick Figures: Drawing as a Human Practice, Dowd argues that putting a pencil to paper shouldn’t be about making art at all. “We have misfiled the significance of drawing because…

Living Classroom and Spring Festival 2018

A snap shot into ‘lifelong learning’… “Education is not a preparation for life; education is life itself.” ~ John Dewey Since 2011, at the Autumn and Spring Festival Days, Chrysalis opens each classroom to parents and/or grandparents so they can visit their child’s class and take part in the lesson of the day. This innovative and exciting idea came from an inspiration of one of our teachers when she invited her parents to take part in the morning lesson. Parents that took part were able to participate in the morning activities with their children and get a better grasp of…

Investing in Innovative Smart Energy Solution backed with DPE Funding

As families continue to grapple with rising electricity prices and the extremes in weather changes making habitable spaces harder to keep comfortable, Chrysalis School has partnered with local renewable energy engineering firm, Enesol, and the NSW Department of Planning and Environment to address the needs of its increasing student numbers and growing demand on the electricity grid. After over 35 years of Steiner education in the Thora Valley, west of Bellingen, on the mid north coast of NSW, Chrysalis is now the third biggest school in the Bellingen Shire. The geographical setting of Chrysalis is unique, and the same might…

Early Childhood Programs Open Day

We are encouraging any families interested in our Playgroups, Morning Star and also River Song Kindergartens to attend our Open Day and/or Information Evening to learn more about our Early Childhood Program and all that we offer for your children. Come along and meet other like-minded families and our teachers as well.

Annual Strings Concert 2018

With many soloists, duets and small group performances last Wednesday, there was no shortage of musical talent on show in the jam-packed school hall! The students impressed friends and family with their dedication to practice and their coming together as one in ensembles! A selection of photos are below.

Third Wheel Collective visiting Chrysalis

We are thrilled that an American touring anthroposophically based theatre duo, known as the Third Wheel Collective, will be conducting performances and workshops with the entire school (including College) this Thursday Aug 23rd and Friday Aug 24th - working with curriculum themes appropriate to each year and focusing on speech, movement and drama.

Athletics Carnival with Casuarina 2018

What great athletes we have at Chrysalis and Casuarina! It was so wonderful at the Athletics Carnival last Friday to see the students really striving to do their best and to see the Chrysalis and Casuarina students mixing and participating together. A big thank you to Class 8 for running the carnival so efficiently and to all the parent helpers for coming. Your efforts were greatly appreciated.

Class 6 Canberra and Snow camp 2018

Chrysalis would like to acknowledge the Australian Government funding provided by the Parliaments and Civics Education Rebate (PACER) to assist our Class 6 students to visit the Australian War Memorial tour, Museum of Australian Democracy, and Parliament house on their recent trip to Canberra. Students from the class undertook an education tour of the national capital, as well as visiting Mt Stromlo Observatory and Questacon. They were given the opportunity to participate in a variety of educational programs with a focus on Australia’s history, culture, heritage and democracy. The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as…