Author: sandrafrain58

Glorious gardens at Castlecrag

GARDENING, TEACHING

Gardening classes with Sandra have been filled with the abundance and excitement of growth, as the rain brings vitality and life to our many garden areas. Class 2 planted beans around the lemon tree that has 45 lemons on board and examined and nibbled the the sunflower seeds from our many golden plants. Class 1 examined the hugel, our living garden pile that is now growing pumpkins, rockmelons, paw and avocado trees, amaranth, sweet potatoes and more. Sandra taught Class 1 all about Funghi and the importance of the mushroom family, exploring the grounds for the natural beauties that pop up during rainy weather. 

NATIONAL TREE DAY

GARDENING, TEACHING, Uncategorized

CLASS 4 CELEBRATES NATIONAL TREE DAY 2020 WITH GUM PLANTING

In late 2019, as a result of a big weather storm cell, our school lost 20 trees and has since been working on the clean-up and regeneration of the affected areas. This year, for National Tree Day, (Sunday 2 August) Class 4 got behind the Planet Ark initiative, to highlight its leadership position in environmental education and regeneration.

Head of School, Andrew Hill said, “Glenaeon’s Middle Cove campus sits on three hectares of beautiful bushland leading down to Scotts Creek. Our school emblem is an image of a tree and its root system reflective of our school’s respect for Nature and the physical, emotional and spiritual growth our students make from Preschool through to Year 12.  The school has over 300 trees on the campus. It’s an open, clean and healthy place for children to learn.”

Gardening teacher Sandra Frain explained, “Our students used leaf litter compost, a native potting soil mixture of local leaf matter which has been decomposing for over two years, rich in nutrients and wriggling with worms, to plant ‘hot pink gum’ seeds donated by the Schuback family.”

“The seeds will grow into saplings and be nurtured for replanting in an appropriate location, or gifted to parents to be planted in backyards by Glenaeon families.”

The school will also be replacing the 20 lost trees with 20 new trees that are native to this special bushland area. There are only six types of tree native to the gully in which the campus sits.

Glenaeon teachers work with students in regenerative gardening activities to ensure that they enhance and improve the space they are in, improving the land, growing flowers to attract insects, fruits and vegetables, herbs and spices not only to grow healthy food for students to eat, but for visual enjoyment, and learning how to live a more sustainable lifestyle in the future.

https://news.glenaeon.nsw.edu.au/news/issue/glenaeon-newsletter-august-6-2020/

PRESCHOOL & PLAYGROUP

EDUCATION, PLAYGROUP

Playgroup has begun in its modified form at both the Preschool and Castlecrag Campuses. Thank you to our patient families who are now able to participate in our lovely ‘4-family’ groups. It’s so lovely to be back and to see the children and families connecting again. Playgroup at Castlecrag runs from the Hall Kitchen on Tuesdays, Thursdays and in the Playgroup room on Saturday mornings. Please contact Playgroup Co-ordinator Sandra Frain to join the waitlist for this lovely experience. 

To see full newsletter please click here https://news.glenaeon.nsw.edu.au/news/issue/glenaeon-newsletter-august-6-2020/

SPRING IS COMING TO CASTLECRAG

GARDENING, TEACHING

After the very cold mornings we are having at Castlecrag, comes a period of warmth and sunshine in the middle of the day – a time to treasure and bask in it, just a little, to warm up. In this time between MidWinter and Early Spring, both bulbs and spring blossoms flower. Amongst the daffodils and jonquils, there may not be much jasmine blossoming yet, but the sweet scent is already in the air! As we cannot have parents on campus so much at the moment – we thought it would be nice to bring a little of the campus to you! It is beautiful and blooming!