Specialist News
Performing Arts Update
I am thrilled to announce that our biannual school production will be Pirates of the Curry Bean by Craig Hawes, scheduled for Tuesday, August 26. Craig is one of the UK’s leading composers of musicals for children. He has been incredibly generous in allowing me to adapt the story and translate it entirely into Japanese under his copyright. I am especially excited to tailor the story in a way that fully showcases our students' talents.
The school production is a significant part of student life at CPS, and we will begin rehearsals in Term 2 leading up to the performance. I would love for every student to have the opportunity to be on stage, so I kindly ask families to avoid making holiday arrangements around this time. If you already know that you will be away on that day, especially Year 5/6 students, please let me know as soon as possible.
I will also be reaching out soon for parent volunteers to help with props and costumes. Stay tuned for more details!
Miho Okano
Performing Arts Teacher
CPS Sport Update
CPS / WPS Annual Swimming Carnival
On Wednesday, 12th February, our school community came together for a fantastic day at the Prahran Aquatic Centre for the annual CPS/WPS Swimming Carnival. With bright skies overhead and plenty of team spirit in the air, students gave it their all in an action-packed program of swimming events and fun water activities.
Each student had the opportunity to compete in four races, showcasing their determination and sportsmanship while earning valuable points for their houses. In addition to the competitive races, everyone had a blast with the novelty events, including the kickboard challenge, the underwater treasure hunt, and the pool noodle race. Of course, no carnival would be complete without some well-deserved free swim time, where students enjoyed splashing around and cooling off after a hot day at the pool.
It was fantastic to see so much enthusiasm, encouragement, and teamwork throughout the day. A huge thank you to all the teachers, staff, and parent volunteers who helped make this event run smoothly. Congratulations to all our students for their participation and effort—you truly made it a day to remember!
We can’t wait for next year’s carnival!
Friday Sport – Team Building
Over the last two weeks, our grade 3-6 students took part in exciting team-building sessions, focusing on communication, cooperation, and of course—fun!
Activities included the Human Knot, where teams worked together to untangle themselves, the Caterpillar Strap Challenge, which required perfect coordination to move in sync, Group Skipping Challenges, testing timing and teamwork and he Hula Hut Building Relay had students strategising and laughing as they worked build hula huts and work their way through a variety of fun challenges with their teams.
It was fantastic to see sportsmanship, encouragement, and teamwork on display. Well done to all students for their effort and enthusiasm!
STEM Update
Welcome to another exciting update from the STEM classroom! This past week, students across all year levels engaged in exciting hands-on challenges, developing their problem-solving and engineering skills through design and experimentation.
Prep – Apple Tree Challenge
Our youngest learners explored engineering concepts through imaginative play! They used cardboard tubes and sticks to create pretend apple trees, then balanced cotton balls as apples on their branches. This activity encouraged fine motor skills, creative thinking, and problem-solving while having lots of fun!
Year 1/2 – Tower Building with a Twist
Our young engineers worked in small groups to build the tallest tower while following specific constraints. They explored different ways to balance and structure their towers, ensuring that the cups did not touch each other. It was wonderful to see their problem-solving in action as they experimented, planned, and improved their designs!
Year 3/4 – Adding Complexity to the Challenge
Students followed a structured design process, beginning with planning and sketching their tower ideas before building. They faced an additional challenge—adjacent rows of cups and sticks could not look the same! After each attempt, they evaluated their structures and discussed improvements, demonstrating great teamwork and critical thinking skills.
Year 5/6 – The Ultimate Design Challenge
Our senior students tackled the most complex version of the challenge, where every row of cups and sticks had to be unique. They applied advanced problem-solving and strategic planning to create innovative designs. After testing and refining their towers, they recorded their results and reflected on their successes and areas for improvement.
It has been incredible to see students thinking like engineers, experimenting with different strategies, and embracing challenges with enthusiasm. We look forward to more hands-on STEM adventures ahead!
