Shearwater

Terms and Events

Term Dates for 2013

Term 1 : Tuesday 29th January – Friday 12th  April

Good Friday – 29th March

Easter Monday – 1st April

Term 2 : Tuesday 30th April – Friday 28th June

Queens Birthday – Monday 10th June

Winter Festival – June 21st (Pupil Free day)

Term 3 : Tuesday 23rd July – Friday 20th September

Labor Day Public Holiday – Monday 7th Oct

Term 4 : Wednesday 9th October – Friday 13th December

Pupil Free Day 22nd November

Open Day – Sat 23rd November

Term Dates for 2012

( Australia Day 26th January)

Term 1 – Tuesday 31^st January – Thursday 5^th April

                 (Easter – 6,7,8,9th April)

Term 2 – Monday 23^rd April  - Friday 22^nd June

(Anzac Day Wed 25th April)

(Queens Birthday 11^th June)

Term 3 – Tuesday 17^th July  - Friday 21^st September

                 (Labour Day 1^st October)

Term 4 – Monday 8^th October  - Wednesday 12^th December

Pupil Free days 2012

Term 1  – Monday 30^th January

Term 2  – Winter Solstice 20th June

Term 3  – Monday 16^th July

Term 4  – Friday 16^th November

The Year’s events:

Bush Dance – Term 1

An evening of multi-cultural Bush Dance from around the world, performed by the Primary classes. This festive foot-stomping, toe-hopping, come along and dance together marathon is accompanied by a teachers’ band and is a fundraiser event.

Swimming Carnivals – Term 1
The Carnival, a compulsory school event for classes 4 to 10, is also an enriching and enjoyable occasion at Mullumbimby Pool. In the late afternoon and evening: swimming under the stars, sharing a meal, families cheering each other on… There are water events for every age group and something for the adults.

Winter Solstice Celebrations – Term 2
The whole School community comes together to celebrate the rebirth of the light and life with the passing of the Winter Solstice. This is a highlight of the year, a time to witness and share in the passing of the old year into the new. The festival commences at 5.00pm and all students are expected to attend. The school day is pupil free while staff prepare for the event.

Sports Day – Term 3
Sports Day is a day of athletics and games held early in Term 3.

Pet Day – Late Term 3
A special day for the Primary School on which children bring in their pets and other animals. Displays, demonstrations, parades and award presentations are the order of a festive day.

UNPLUGGED – Term 3
Brings together students from Years 7 – 12 in a series of solo and ensemble performances. It gives younger students the opportunity to perform (often for the first time) in public, and senior students the chance to ‘warm up’ prior to their HSC exam performances. This concert will showcase a diverse array of music.

Wearable Arts Performance Event – Term 4
Held early in Term 4, this is one of the School’s major cultural events involving senior students, staff and the wider community. (For more information please check our Performing Arts website).

Open Day – Term 4
A comprehensive exhibition of the childrens’ work is held in Term 4. On this day the School is open to the public. Teachers and staff are available to discuss Steiner Education and the children’s’ work with existing and prospective parents.

Summer Festival of Plays – Term 4
Riding on the expansive wings of summer all classes work towards the production of end of year plays. Written and produced by their teachers, who draw on the content of the four terms of the Learning Program, the plays are a living culmination of the year’s work.
The play schedule is issued in Term 4. Friends and family are warmly invited to attend.

Field Excursions – all year
Day trips and Class trips take place every year. They are an integral part of the students’ education, and are NOT optional. They are an important component of the learning program, giving the students the opportunity of experiencing first hand the content of their lessons. For example the Class 1 & 2 Local Geography lessons happen during overnight camps, while Marine Biology, Coastal Geography and Australian History may be complemented by a field trip to the Great Barrier Reef.

In the High School, the trips also take on an important personal development aspect with challenging activities, e.g. white-water safety, canoeing and abseiling, and longer excursions to more distant locations.

Students are expected to take on personal and group responsibilities and are expected to work and contribute to being part of a team.

All field trips and outings are subject to the audit and review of the Field Trip Committee.

Field trip destinations (examples, and may change):
Kindy: Overnight Camp in the Local Area

Class 1: Overnight Camp in the Local Area

Class 2: Mt Warning Area, Fingal Head, Woody Head

Class 3: Border Ranges Binna Burra, O Reilleys

Class 4: Fraser Island

Class 5: Skiing, Horse Riding, Canoeing

Class 6: Canberra

Year 7: North West Island (Great Barrier Reef)

Year 8: Sydney/City Experience, New Zealand

Year 9: Outback Australia, Tasmania

Year 10: Vanuatu, Scuba Diving, Outdoor Education

In Years 11 and 12, the field trips are optional and relevant to that year’s field of study and/or interest. The curriculum being heavy, they may take place during the vacations.