Parent Participation

The school has a strong community ethos, where the parents provide for ALL needs of the school beyond the basic educational requirements. Imhoff Waldorf School was initiated, managed and even physically built by our community members.

The Teachers maintain the ethos of the school through their dedicated adherence to the principles embedded within the educational philosophy of Rudolf Steiner. There is no school principal, and a core group, known as the College of Teachers, makes all pedagogical decisions.

A Board of Trustees, comprising elected parents and teachers, is responsible for management of the school. Work parties, task groups, school fundraising events and the annual cycle of school festivals currently provide opportunities for community-building both within and around the school, helping to create a high level of personal involvement.

Role of the Primary School Class Representative

Facilitators

• To act as a low-key guardian to parents by reaching out to them: ask for feedback regarding parent satisfaction with child’s education, listening to worries and problems, and show care for their well-being in general
• To act as a liaison between parent and teacher, be an available ear for parent, inform teacher of any concerns or questions living within the parent body, and facilitate direct communication between parent and teacher.
• To act as a PR person: get to know the parents in the class, welcome new parents into the class community; work with the teacher in creating a close-knit community.

Assistant to the teacher

• Help to organise outings, festivals, parent evenings, camps etc. by phoning other parents to help in whatever way. This aspect of die rep’s job can be delegated to a number of parents to lighten the load for the rep (telephone trees are very helpful).
• Responsible for preparing a condensed version of the class list, which will be updated each term
• Offer a positive, supportive relationship to the teacher, based on honesty and openness, and work together to enhance the whole class community

Resource person

The rep should be able to inform parents about the following:

• Aims of the school
• Structures of the school (role of the Trustees, College etc.)
• In addition, the reps should be informed about those features of the Waldorf education that make it unique

Fundraising

• For class funds to meet small but immediate needs of the class community as well as needs for future camps
• To supplement school funds- to motivate and organise parents to assist in fundraising activities e.g. Bulb Sale, Environment Day, Noordhoek Country Fair etc. Parents should never feel obliged to help but rather this willingness should come from within
• Help establish a fund class teachers’ special needs, e.g. sabbaticals, vehicle maintenance, etc.

For a more detailed article on the responsibilities of the class reps, please click here.

Contacting the Class Representatives

The class representatives are:

Class and Teacher	Class Rep
Playgroup - Nan	Yolanda Drewell
Playgroup - Laurence	Kerry Evans
Playgroup - Judy	Denise Steytler
	Belinda Parker
Kindergarten - Robyn	Kim Frankel
	Fiona Burton
Kindergarten - Nicole	Niki Lorance
	Tanya Van Jaarsveldt
Class 1	Linda Miller
	Jackie (Jooks) Nel
Class 2	Sally Berg
Class 3	Rebecca Sturgeon
Class 4	Marcel Webster
Class 5	Jacqui Mortensen
Class 6	Angela Drescher
	Claire Alberts
Class 7	Gisela Schmitt-Buitendag
	Elaine Hackner