Leighland Christian School extends its sincere condolences to the family of Mrs Liz van Beek, a treasured Life Member of our Association.

Alongside her late husband, Michael van Beek, also a Life Member and Leighland's first Business Manager, they faithfully served and supported the school through its formative years. The van Beek family's connection to Leighland continued across generations, with their grandchildren also attending the school.

We are deeply grateful for the faithful contribution of both Liz and Michael to Christian education and the lasting legacy they leave within our community.

"Well done, good and faithful servant." Matthew 25:23

Parents and Carers: How AI is influencing new online risks for children and young people

Generative artificial intelligence is built into many of the apps, games and services children use. While these tools can offer positive experiences, they also bring new risks. Understanding what these risks look like, how to reduce them, and what to do if something goes wrong is important for anyone supporting children and young people. This 45 minute webinar for parents and carers will cover: • The types of AI-related risks your child may come across in their everyday online activities, including AI companion chatbots, deepfakes, AI influencers, and AI-facilitated cyberbullying and other online harassment related risks. • How these technologies can affect your child’s safety, privacy, development, and mental and social wellbeing • Practical, easy-to-use strategies and resources to help you guide and support your child, including what to do if something goes wrong and where to seek help. This is suitable for parents and carers of young people in primary and secondary school.

https://register.gotowebinar.com/rt/6695798671288245851

Kind regards

Katrina McMab

Principal - Ulverstone Campus

Enrolments 2027

If you are aware of any new families who are interested in enrolment at Leighland for next year, or beyond, please encourage them to complete an Enrolment Enquiry Form on the school's website: https://www.leighland.tas.edu.au/enquiries We would welcome the opportunity to organise a tour, information pack, or answer any questions they may have.

Lindy Mott Nicole Gillam

Registrar PA to Burnie Principal

Student Medical Records – PAM

A reminder to parents that you can keep the school up to date with any changes to your child/ren’s medical records by entering any new information into SIMON/PAM. You can also add any new immunisations that may have been administered to your child. Once updated and submitted, a notification from SIMON is sent to Administration so that they are made aware of the changes, and they will follow up with you if required.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school office, or email admin@leighland.tas.edu.au

Multi-School Organisation

As previously advised, over recent months, the Boards of Leighland Christian School (Leighland) and Devonport Christian School (DCS) have been exploring the opportunity to establish a Multi-School Organisation (MSO).

As part of the consultation process, many Association members, staff and members of our school communities have submitted questions. These have shaped the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), which are available on the Stronger Together | MSO Information Page, along with other resources to help you understand the proposal. The Information Page has recently been updated with the latest set of FAQs.

Uniform - Hats

A reminder that from Term 4, students will be required to wear their Leighland school hats.

Daylight Savings

Daylight savings starts on Sunday 4 October at 2.00am. Don't forget to put your clock forward an hour!

Big Smiles, Bigger Reading Growth!

Amongst the grey days and consistent rain, there has been plenty of excitement around Leighland recently as we celebrate the fantastic progress our students are making in reading!

You may have heard your child mention DIBELS and wondered what it is. DIBELS, Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills is a short, one-on-one reading check that helps teachers see how students are developing the important skills they need to become successful readers.

Rather than being a traditional test, DIBELS is more like a quick "reading health check." It looks at the building blocks of reading, including recognising letters and sounds, blending sounds together, reading words accurately, and reading connected text smoothly and confidently. Each assessment takes just a few minutes to complete.

The information gives teachers a clear picture of each student's progress. It helps us celebrate what's going well, identify students who might benefit from a little extra support, and makes sure our teaching is meeting the needs of every learner.

We're thrilled to see so many students making strong progress in their DIBELS results this year. These improvements are a wonderful reflection of our students' hard work, our teachers' commitment to high-quality reading instruction, and the encouragement and support our families provide at home.

Learning to read is one of the most important journeys a child takes, and every step forward is worth celebrating. Thank you for partnering with us as we help every student grow into a confident, capable reader!

2026 Term Dates

Term 3 30 September Last day of Term 3 for students

1 October Whole school Student Free Day

2 October Public Holiday – Burnie Show

Term 4 19 October First day of Term 4

2 November Public Holiday

5 November Year 11/12 Graduation Ceremony

6 November Year 11/12 Assembly & Year 11/12 Last Day

27 November Public Holiday

3 December Celebration Service – Ulverstone Campus

4 December Year 10 Last Day

10 December Celebration Service – Burnie Campus

11 December Last day of Term 4 for students

14-16 December Whole school Student Free Days

Community News