Mrs Leanne Schulz

Assistant Principal (Primary)

What an exciting start to the term with the Cumberland Athletics Carnival, the ANZAC Service, and a Battle of the Houses event. We all look forward to the term ahead.

Cumberland Athletics Carnival

Cumberland enjoyed a fantastic day at the Athletics Carnival and the weather was just perfect! Everyone got into the House spirit and encouraged their teammates. Excitement was in the air as Millar, Clarke, Cameron and Brodie students competed in a variety of track and field events. The students demonstrated determination, resilience, and a positive sporting attitude. It was such a joy to see many parents attend to support the event. The Year 6 House Captains performed their duties diligently and helped the day run smoothly. A very big thank you to the House Captains, students, the teachers, support staff and parents.

Such an event would not be successful without the thorough organisation by Mrs Dowling, Primary House Sports Coordinator and the PE faculty. Thank you for organising such a wonderful day!

Congratulations to Brodie House for winning the House competition and well done to all competitors for contributing to the success of the carnival!

Kemindi I - Year 6 Millar House Captain

The Athletics carnival was a very fun day as we got to run races, buy things from the canteen and support our House. As a House leader our jobs were to help the Year 3, 4 and 5 students if they needed help, help the teachers and to show kids where the events were. The running events were 800m, 400m, 200m and 100m. The field events were javelin, shot put, discus, long jump and high jump. This was especially exciting for the Year 3 students as it was their first Athletics Carnival. This was one of the first House events that the House Captains were at and we all loved helping the little and older kids.

Dana J - Year 6 Cameron House Captain

The 2024 Cumberland Athletics Carnival was a huge success! Students from Years 3 to 6 showcased their talent and sportsmanship across a range of track and field events. It was a day filled with excitement and fun for everyone involved.

Term 2 House Battles

On Tuesday 30 April, we had our Term 2 House Battle. Fairview created colourful murals while Cumberland made paper roller coasters. It was really fun and everyone had a really good time with their house. We all helped each other create the project, while listening to music. Some of us got a little nervous about the roller coaster because we only had 45 minutes to complete the challenge and parts kept breaking apart!

Yasodha S and Samarth S - 6M

The Term 2, 2024 Cumberland House Battle was a fantastic success! Students in Years 3 to 6 teamed up to create a rollercoaster using only masking tape and paper. It was a fun-filled event that everyone enjoyed.

Dana J - 6P

Rubik Cube Competition

During Term 1 a dedicated group of boys met every Friday at lunchtime to practice their Rubik Cube skills. They traded secrets and algorithm strategies, challenged each other, and laughed a lot! In Week 8, we had a tournament with all the finalists being able to unscramble a completely messed up cube in under 90 seconds. The champion, Aadiv B (6M), of the tournament, raced the clock and solved a scrambled cube in 37 seconds!

They continue to meet each Friday with more complex cubes, determined to be the Term 2 champion!

Mrs Natasha Radley (Head of Year Prep)

We have hit the ground running in Term 2. The Prep teachers and I were so amazed at how well the students came back to school after 2 weeks break and were ready for new learning.

The students have continued to learn new academic skills over the past three weeks. They have also focused on social skills and solving problems.

Learning how to navigate social situations at school is a crucial skill for our Prep students. It equips them with various problem-solving strategies and teaches them how to overcome challenges they encounter while growing up. Whether it's tackling a difficult math concept, managing friendship dynamics, or honing critical thinking skills to find solutions, these experiences shape their resilience and determination. Encouraging our children to tackle problems using various strategies not only fosters success in school but also prepares them for future endeavors!

The students have been beginning most days with structured play-based learning. This incorporates activities such as making words, reading books, working with numbers and fine motor activities. The teachers have been able to use this time to work with students one-on-one while the others are engaged in independent or collaborative learning experiences. This also provides opportunities for students to use their communication skills with others, such as listening, turn taking and sharing.

Mrs Joanne Birchmore (Head of Years 1 & 2)

We've had a great start to Term 2 with many activities enjoyed by the students within Fairview, the Primary School and the College as a whole. The Year 1 and 2 students participated very respectfully during the ANZAC Day service. They listened attentively and showed curiosity, asking questions about what was happening during different parts of the service and were amazed at the bagpiper. We were all extremely proud of the wonderful behaviour the students displayed during this time.

The Year 1 students have been working on the importance of predicting as they read. They have discovered that predicting can help build comprehension skills. In Maths the students have focused on time, particularly the duration of events. They explored the idea that some activities such as growing a tooth take longer than baking a cake. The time concepts of a minute, hour, day, week, month and year have been discussed while students categorised different events corresponding to the correct time frame. An exciting part of their learning has taken place throughout Integrated Studies, where students are looking at things from the past and discovered how they have changed over time. This unit is an important one as students discover how people's lives have changed over time, and where they are in place and time.

The Year 2 students have been working on learning about our local environment including Brodie's Creek, our Wildlife Corridor and the endangered animals in our area. One particular focus has been on The Golden Sun Moth which has recently been discovered in our Wildlife Corridor. The students have been making viable eco-systems that would assist this moth to thrive in the environment. This is part of their 'taking action' for Integrated Studies to inform the community about the importance of this moth and how humans affect different animals. In Maths, the students have been looking at using addition strategies to demonstrate different ways they can make 20. They have enjoyed using hands-on materials to enhance their knowledge.

This week, we participated in our Battle of the Houses competition where the primary school got to compete in their houses. They loved making a team mural using only black, white and their house colour. It was a great way for the children to connect with friends and enjoy learning while discovering ways to be innovative and improve their chances of winning some very valuable house points!

As the weather begins to rapidly cool down, our high energy and excitement for learning will continue! We're looking forward to another fabulous term of learning and innovating.

Mrs Anne Adams (Head of Years 3 & 4)

Another jam-packed term!

Here are some highlights from Year 3 and Year 4!

Vinudhi G - 3A

We had lots of running and field events in the Cumberland Athletics. I was in the 400m and 800m race, also javelin. I placed third in the 800m. I hope Clarke wins!

Sophie A - 3W

We had a service on Tuesday for ANZAC day. We all had a little booklet that we had to follow along with. The ANZAC service is for us to remember the soldiers and nurses who sacrificed their lives for us in the wars. There was a bagpipe player and a bugle player. There were also soldier cadets who marched around the Australian flag.

Pamitha G - 3A

In Maths we are doing addition. We are learning to use different strategies like counting on and trading. We are working on two to four digit numbers. We also do Mathletics and Timestables.com. I really love multiplication and division. I also do Maths outside of school. I do it with my Uncle.

Ella D - 3R

In English we are learning to write narratives. We are learning about sizzling starts. When I write a sizzling start, I use an exciting start like “BANG!, CRASH!’

Kimaya B - 3W

This term we are learning about communities in Integrated Studies. So far, we have learnt that communities can mean different groups of people that gather together. Our school is a community, our class is a community and Greenvale is a community. We are going to make something to bring to class, like legos, card board box creations and other things to share with our class community. I wonder if communities can be larger than a country.

Josiah E - 3A

I love Art Club. This week we were making poppies for ANZAC day. We used chalk and black paper to draw the poppies.

Harrison A - 3W

We are learning about what to do in the athletics. We practiced high jump and running in a relay. My favourite event is high jump but I did the 800m. I came fourth. Cumberland Athletics was fun. I am in Millar. Go Millar!

Ava C - 3R

In Performing Arts we are learning how to dance. We learnt the Nutbush and practicing the different elements of dance. We remember it by saying BEST. B is for body, E is for energy, S is for space and T is for time. This helps us make our dances more interesting.

Devran A - 3R

We had House Battles this week. I am in Millar. We had to create a rollercoaster out of paper and tape. We used a ping pong ball to roll down our tunnels. I was in a group with Kian and Harrison. We made a tall one. Sometimes the ping pong ball got stuck.

Joanna C - 4N

In Kitchen Garden we harvested pumpkin seeds for planting. We pulled them out of the pumpkin, we put the seeds in the colander and then put them on a tea towel and spread them out. We couldn’t have any orange parts on the tea towel. We then washed up our dishes and put them away. We then wrote about the steps for the pumpkin seeds and washing up.

Dilara A - 4M

I am in Brodie house. I participated in the Cumberland Athletics in the 100m, 200m and shotput. I placed 2nd for the sprints. This might mean that I go onto represent Aitken College in the District Athletics.

Samara E - 4M

I participated in the Aitken Cross Country. I placed first in my race. I am now lucky enough to represent Aitken College in the District Cross Country.

Ayaan A - 4M

In the House Battles, we made paper rollercoasters. We tested them to see how long the ping pong ball rolled across a paper rollercoaster. We battled against other houses for the longest rollercoaster. I hope we win! Go Brodie!

Hudson C - 4N

In P.E. we are playing netball and are learning all the passes. We have learnt the shoulder, bounce, overhead and chest pass. We haven’t played a game yet, but I am looking forward to shooting a goal.

Aachal B - 4N

In Performing Arts we learnt a dance. We are learning about the BEST; body, energy, space and time. We use this to help us dance. With our body, we make some dance moves, we need energy to move, we use space to shapes with our body and we use time to do the moves at the same time. We warm up to the Macarena, YMCA and the Chicken dance.

Mrs Jane Steenkamp (Head of Years 5 & 6)

Welcome back to Term 2! We trust that the break was relaxing, and the Year 5 and 6 students are now ready to embrace the challenges and opportunities the term brings. This week during the Cumberland House Battles, the Year 5 students from each house enthusiastically participated in the Paper Roller Coaster Challenge. Armed with paper, tape, and ping pong balls, they embarked on a mission to construct roller coasters that would keep the ping pong balls moving for as long as possible. Once completed, a designated student carefully released the ping pong ball from the top of their chosen coaster, capturing the moment on video. The timer stopped when the ball either halted, reached the coaster’s end, or came off the track. The roller coaster with the longest ping pong ball ride in each year level earned 50 points for their house, while the overall Primary winner secured an additional 50 points. The event was a great success, showcasing creativity, collaboration and problem-solving skills!

Back in the classroom, students are applying estimation and rounding to verify the accuracy of their calculations. They are also learning to identify and describe factors and multiples of whole numbers, deepening their understanding of number relationships. Their narrative writing skills are being developed, fostering creativity and expression. Engaging in reciprocal reading, they are exploring texts enhancing their comprehension and critical thinking. Furthermore, through an inquiry into the unique features of the solar system, students are gaining an understanding of Earth's significance for human survival. This inquiry delves into the structure and components of the solar system and the requirements for life, highlighting the urgent need to protect our planet.

Here is what a couple of our Year 5 students had to say about the House Battles Challenge:

Savin G - 5M

For House Battles, we built a paper rollercoaster. It was challenging but fun! Our Year 5’s decided to connect all the groups rollercoasters together – it stretched out across the entire room! We got the ball to go at least halfway across! I really enjoyed the challenge.

Azaan S - 5M

Millar House had to do a warmup before beginning our House Battles challenge. We had to find a person born in the same month, have the same number of letters in their name as our own and share the same choice of favourite food. This was a great way to get to know each other a bit better. Our team tactic was for the different groups to build their own rollercoaster first and then to join them all together to make one BIG one! We tried really hard, but we are not sure if we won or not.

During the initial week of Year 5/6 Sport, unfortunately rainy weather forced us to cancel the scheduled matches hosted at Aitken College against Gladstone Views, and so we organised a diverse range of indoor fun activities. Students participated in ten-pin bowling, snatch the bean bag, indoor exercise, gaga pit games, dancing, and memory ball. Despite the change in schedule, their enthusiasm remained high, and they thoroughly enjoyed these engaging alternatives. Not only did they stay active, but they also had a fantastic time. During the second week term, we held the winter sport trials. The enthusiasm and commitment were commendable as students participated in handball, AFL, soccer, and netball. Students are excited to find out which teams they are in and ready to take on the other school teams as we host our first winter sports matches.

When Year 6 students are not taking part in sport, they are busy at work in the classrooms. Students are currently exploring the world of fractions in Mathematics, gaining insights into their properties, operations, and real-world applications. In English, they have been actively participating in reciprocal reading groups, honing their comprehension skills through collaborative discussions. Additionally, they are crafting narratives, tapping into their creative abilities. They have also embarked on an inquiry into the structure and function of organisations. They are exploring topics such as shaping a nation from colonisation to nationhood, understanding the roles of different levels of government, and appreciating the role of government in meeting the needs and wants of the people.

Here is what some our Year 6 students had to say about trials:

Suhaas J - 6P

Today I will give you an insight of what 5/6 sport looked like for handball. Handball out of the of then 4 sports which were netball, AFL, soccer, and handball was the most popular sport with roughly around 65. At first, they divided us into a boys and girls and started on the warm-ups. We started with running back and forth through the court while doing the handball dribble which consists of taking 3 steps then bouncing the ball and then taking three more step and passing. After that we got to the games. The teachers chose the teams randomly and I will say that everyone played exceptionally well they showed amazing teamwork. We played more games shuffling the teams as we went. We finished it up and let me say that was an amazing 2 hours.

Ezel E - 6A

I entered the court with my heart racing. I'm here and prepared for netball. My name is Ezel, and I made the 2024 netball girls' team. I'll be telling you about my tryout experience. First, we warmed up by doing exercises like high knees and doing laps around the court. Even though I'm focused and still paying attention, I can hear others gasping for air. As soon as we received our bibs, I attempted my first shot as goal attack and it was swish, but I didn't stop there; instead, I continued going. Until the next day I see Mr Keagan handing out the sheets, I go through the names and see my name, YAY! As me and my friends jump around squealing, I can hear the teachers telling us to go inside our classrooms but I’m just too happy. In total I’m really happy with the results it was great experience, I’ll be back!

Lyla B - 6A

My adrenaline was pumping as I was putting my boots on, I was ready to trial. I knew I cared because of my nerves. Hey, I’m Lyla, I tried out for the girls soccer team 2024. The trials are a day I’ll never forget filled with anticipation and filled with nostalgia. Drills, drills, drills, I was shocked as I did the same thing at soccer training outside of school, so lucky me I knew what I was doing. Finally, we got into a match! I got out and I started doing what I do, and I scored a hat-trick which left me in awe. After the match I was filled relief as I felt proud of myself. The feeling was right as now I stand as one of the girls in Aitken College 5/6 soccer team. Good job to everyone who tried out. Good luck. Go Aitken!

Term 2 Assembly Roster

Important Dates

6 May	STEM Week
6 May - 15 May	Life Education ‘Healthy Harold’ Incursions (Prep - Year 6)
8 May	Mario Cart Competition (5:30pm)
9 May	Mothers’ Day Stall and Afternoon Tea
4 June	6P Parliament House
6 June	Brett Lee - Cyber Safety Incursion
6 June	Year 1 History Box Incursion
10 June	Kings Birthday Holiday
11 June	6A Parliament House
12 June	6M Parliament House
13 June	Primary AFL Gala Day (selected students)
20 June	Last day of Term 2 for Students
21 June	Assessment Day (Student Free Day)

Community Activities

Junior Tennis

Early Beginners Child Care Centre