The 2013 School Year: Term Dates, public holidays and Pupil-free days.
Shearwater is guided by the AHISA (Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia) when setting term dates, and we publish these well in advance of the school year to help parents with their schedules. Our Term Dates for 2013 were published on the School’s website and in the newsletter in July 2012.
For more detail on school events and important dates please view the Shearwater School Calendar.
Term 1
Tue 29 January – Fri 12 April
Good Friday – 29 March Easter Monday – 1 April |
Term 2
Tue 30 April – Fri 28 June
Queens Birthday – Mon 10 June Winter Festival – June 21st (Pupil Free day) |
Term 3
Tue 23 July – Fri 20 September
Labor Day – Mon 7 Oct |
Term 4
Wed 9 October – Fri 13 December
Pupil Free Day Fri 22 November Open Day – Sat 23 November |
For your reference, our term dates in 2012 were:Term 1 – Tuesday 31st January – Thursday 5th April
Term 2 – Monday 23rd April - Friday 22nd June Term 3 – Tuesday 17th July - Friday 21st September Term 4 – Monday 8th October - Wednesday 12th December |
Pupil Free days in 2012 were:
Term 1 – Monday 30th January
Term 2 – Winter Solstice 20th June Term 3 – Monday 16th July Term 4 – Friday 16th November |
Annual Events, Field trips and Excursions
- 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-tapping, come-along-and-dance-together marathon is accompanied by a teachers’ band and is a fundraising event.
- Swimming Carnivals – Term 1 The Carnival, a compulsory school event for Classes 4 to 10, is also an enriching and enjoyable occasion at our local 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 for children to 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 Trips and Excursions – all years !
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.
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Examples of Field trip destinations :
Kindy: Overnight Camp in the Local Area Class 1: Overnight Camp in the Local Area Class 2: Mt Warning Area, Fingal Heads, Woody Head Class 3: Border Ranges, Binna Burra, O'Reilleys Class 4: Fraser Island Class 5: Skiing, Horse Riding Class 6: Canberra Class 7: North West Island (Great Barrier Reef) Class 8: Sydney/City Experience, Clarence River Canoeing Class 9: New Zealand, Outback Australia, Tasmania Class 10: Scuba Diving, Outdoor Education, Vanuatu (These are examples only. A number of factors will determine the destination for each class) 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. |
