Wellbeing

LUNCHTIME CLUBS AT STELLA

There’s something for everyone at Stella Maris during lunchtime! Our lunchtime clubs give students the opportunity to explore their interests, try something new, develop their skills and connect with friends. From building with LEGO, playing chess, reading books, creating, drawing and playing basketball, there are so many ways to get involved. We love seeing our students discovering new passions, sharing their talents and making the most of these opportunities to learn, play and grow together!

KITCHEN GARDEN

Setting up our school kitchen garden will give students far more than just fresh produce, it turns outdoor time into a dynamic living classroom that boosts physical health, practical learning, and social development.

• Hands-on science and lifecycles: Watching seeds transform into carrots, snow peas, and cucumbers brings biology off the page. Kids witness germination, root systems, and pollination firsthand while discovering how soil, sunlight, and water interact.
• Enthusiasm for healthy eating: Children are far more eager to try vegetables they planted, watered, and picked themselves. Experiencing fresh snow peas straight off the vine or warm tomatoes off the vine builds positive, lifelong habits around fresh food.
• Responsibility and patience: Caring for an individual planter box requires daily accountability through consistent watering, weeding, and monitoring. It teaches delayed gratification as students care for something over weeks and months before seeing results.
• Sensory and motor development: Digging through soil, handling tiny seeds, and using watering cans refine fine and gross motor skills. Aromatic herbs like rosemary and textured leaves stimulate tactile and olfactory senses in ways indoor classrooms cannot.
• Physical health and mental refresh: Moving outdoors exposes students to natural sunlight, encourages physical activity, and lowers stress. Taking a break from screens and desk work improves focus and mood when students return to indoor lessons.
• Community and mentorship: Gathering students across different grade levels around garden beds encourages collaboration. Older students can help younger ones with watering and harvesting, building a shared sense of school pride.

Angela Palombi

Deputy Principal/Wellbeing Leader