20th September 2024

Dear Michael Hall Community,

This year is our centenary year and we have been hatching many exciting plans. 100 years in an institution's life is significant and heralds a new epoch.

During the summer holidays, I met up with an old colleague from Michael Hall who now works at the Waldorf school in Hong Kong and we were reminiscing about Michael Hall over the last 15 years (the time I have been here). In some aspects things have changed. There are positive changes such as better links to the wider world and easier systems to ensure health and safety, and negative changes such as society's reliance on mobile phones. In other myriad aspects, things have stayed reassuringly the same. 

We pondered together about what our new epoch would look like in our 100^th year and I was ideating a school that needed to become something entirely different and new. But my old colleague said "No, Emmeline, it's not about 100 years being something entirely new, it's about what needs shedding to be shed, and fresh, healthy new shoots coming from the original old roots". This image has really stuck with me. The idea of a brand new plant, but one that reassuringly preserves the roots of what it originally stood for. 

This year, in our 100^th year, therefore, our mantra is "New shoots from old roots".

Wishing you all a refreshing weekend.

Emmeline Hawker 
Acting Principal 

As part of our Centenary celebrations, we would like to open up our Michaelmas festivities to Parents and Alumni of the school, to join us in working on the land. We are looking for some hard working, passionate adults to help us clear a patch of land with the aim of providing a space for future planting opportunities. If you, or someone you know would like to take part in this year's merriments, please email [email protected], for further details.

Tali Davies - Kindergarten Teacher

Tali Davies trained at Steiner House, London in Waldorf Early Years Teacher Training and graduated in 2023. She has been working as a Kindergarten Assistant and Saplings teacher at Brighton Waldorf school until it closed in March 2024.

Her background is in languages, Dance Movement Psychotherapy and Iyengar yoga. She is passionate about bringing movement, embodiment, singing and a love of nature to Fir Tree kindergarten.

Take the stress out of parenting on this Wellbeing meets Parenting workshop with Shoana Taylor Wellbeing and Breathwork coach and Parent coach Eirini Anagnostopoulou. 
Saturday 12^th October.  Bookings: 07850168898 [email protected]