Michaelmas and Cyprus Independence Week

Dear Parents and Students,

This week’s themes are Michaelmas and Cyprus Independence. Our Waldorf community celebrated the Michaelmas festival on Friday and everyone enjoyed the festivities very much. The children considered the original story of Archangel Michael which is a story common to three different faith traditions of Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Michael is a symbol of good triumphing over evil and cowardice. The Michaelmas play depicts a frightening and formidable dragon that is tamed by the people of a town who look to St. Michael for guidance and courage. This story is relatable to everyone as we all face challenges in life and somehow we must find the courage and strength to prevail and to stand up for what is right. Our teachers organised an amazing parade with the dragon and parents also brought food, led games and creative activities.Thank you to the Waldorf team and our wonderful Waldorf parents for all their hard work to make this festival a success.

On Wednesday Cyprus had a public holiday to mark the independence of Cyprus from British rule on 16 August 1960, which was guaranteed by Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom in The London and Zürich Agreements. Cyprus celebrates with military parades in Nicosia and a public holiday. At The Island School this week our Greek department explained the history behind this holiday to our students. The younger students have been very engaged; creating their own Cyprus flags, celebrating with crafts, and even enjoying activities such as Grade 1’s mini parade. The older students contributed by doing research and preparing presentations about the significance of Cyprus Independence Day. It is important for all children living in Cyprus to understand the culture and festivals of their country of residence and also to learn the language to help them to integrate better and feel at home.

This week we have also been honoured to welcome Mr Gilad Goldshmidt one of our highly valued Waldorf consultants from Israel. He worked with our teachers, students and parent body to explore building the identity, culture and community for Waldorf, producing a clear action plan of positive initiatives which can help our community grow and flourish even further this year.

On Thursday and Friday of this week our MYP students enjoyed excursions to encourage team building and resilience. The purpose of the days was for students to work together to solve problems around rock climbing, high ropes and other outdoor activities. Outdoor team building is beneficial for students because it encourages collaboration, communication, and problem-solving in a fun and engaging environment. Working together outside the classroom allows students to develop trust and strengthen relationships with their peers while learning how to overcome challenges as a group. It also helps build leadership skills, resilience, and confidence as students take on different roles within activities. Additionally, being outdoors promotes physical activity and reduces stress, which can improve focus and overall well-being. These experiences not only enhance social and emotional skills but also create lasting memories that contribute to a positive and supportive school community.

Finally, to mark World Teacher’s day on October 5th I want to thank our wonderful teachers for the amazing work they do every day in school to inspire and educate our students. Great teachers are vital to a successful school and we have an amazing team! Please feel free to complete a thank you card which you can find in reception!

I hope you all had an enjoyable day’s holiday on Wednesday and have a relaxing weekend

Best Regards
Deborah Economou
The Head of School