What's On

Primary School

Assembly

Monday 11 August 

Our next Primary School Assembly will take place in The Farrall Centre on Monday 11 August at 2.15pm. We welcome members of our community to attend. Please remember that due to privacy concerns and to respect the photo permission choices of other families we ask you to refrain from taking photos and videos during assemblies.

Primary School Soiree

Thursday 14 August | The Farrall Centre

The Soiree is an opportunity for students taking instrumental lessons to gain performance experience in a small, low key setting. Several of our young musicians will be performing solos, many for the first time, at this early evening event. This year we have decided to have two soirees with different start times to allow for a greater number of students to perform. Soiree 1 begins at 5:00pm and Soiree 2 begins at 5:30pm and concludes by 6:15pm.  

 

All are welcome and entry is free.

Middle School Showcase 

Thursday 21 August | The Farrall Centre

Join our Middle School musicians as they perform for us in our Middle School music ensembles: Intermediate Band, Middle School Combo, Year 7 Marimba, Year 8 Marimba, Middle School Chamber Strings and Middle School Vocal Ensemble. This event begins at 6:00pm and should conclude by 7:15pm.

 

All are welcome and entry is free.

Year 2 Outdoor Education Excursion - Waterworks Reserve

Friday 8 August

On Friday 8 August, Year 2 will be heading to Waterworks Reserve by bus with their class teachers and Outdoor Education Teacher, Emily Ardas. Students will be exploring animal adaptations, primarily through the study of animal scatt. We will be departing at 9.15am returning back to school by 3.00pm. Students should wear sports uniforms on this day, but will need to bring a warm jumper or coat/jacket, beanie, gloves and a waterproof raincoat as it could be very cold. As we will be away from school for most of the day, students will need to bring a large packed lunch (no lunch orders), snacks and a drink from home.  Please update student Operoo profiles before the excursion.

Years 2-6 Physical Education Excursions to Swisherr Hoops

13 - 18 August

Years 2 to 6 will be travelling to Swisherr Hoops in Melville Street for a basketball session in Weeks 4 and 5. The following dates and times have been booked:

  • Year 2: Wednesday 13 August (depart school 8.45am, return to school 10.30am)
  • Year 3: Thursday 14 August (depart school 8.45am, return to school 10.30am)
  • Year 4: Thursday 14 August (depart school 11.45am, return to school 1.30pm) 
  • Year 5: Monday 18 August (depart school 11.45am, return to school 1.30pm)
  • Year 6: Wednesday 13 August (depart school 11.45am, return to school 1.30pm)

If you have any enquiries please contact Lisa DiVenuto.

Book Week 2025

Monday 18 - Friday 22 August

In brief:

  • Families welcome at assembly on Monday 18 August at 2.10pm in The Farrall Centre
  • Good quality children’s books needed for Book Fair
  • Volunteers needed to read books and answer questions on their area of interest or expertise (we’ll provide the book)
  • Volunteers needed to read books in general read-aloud sessions (we can provide the book)

Book Week is fast approaching! You are invited to join our week-long celebration and experience the magic of literature as it brings our community together; creates joy through sharing good books; fosters connections across year groups and between students, staff and families; and expands our minds as we enjoy books from a wide range of authors and illustrators. Here is an overview, and requests for help:

  • Book Week Assembly and vertical group activities for all students - Monday 18 August, 2.10 – 3.10pm, The Farrall Centre: Families welcome to attend.
  • Book Fair and Community get-together (more details to come) - Tuesday afternoon 19 August, The Farrall Centre, 3.15 - 6.30pm, and Wednesday morning 20 August 7.45 - 9.00am
  • We need good-quality, sellable books (undamaged and not too old) for the fair. Donations may be left at the office or the library.
  • “Book an Adventure” sessions - Tuesday to Friday 11.00am - 11.30am, primary library
  • Each day our students will be offered a different themed adventure. We are looking for people who are willing to share a story and answer questions about their field of work, special interest or life experience. We will arrange a related activity and have books on the subject available for our students to explore. Please contact your child’s teacher or library staff if you would like to be involved.
  • Staff reading across the school: Tuesday to Friday 8.50am – 9.00am. Staff will read stories to classes that are not their own. Families are welcome to stay for these stories.
  • Stories in the library: Tuesday to Friday 1.50am – 2.10pm
  • We are looking for people to host read-alouds in the afternoon break time. Please contact your child’s teacher or library staff if you would like to be involved.
  • Creative Challenges: These optional creative challenges are open for students to do at home. Please bring them in before Friday 22 August so we can display them for others to enjoy.
    • Challenge 1: Create an item inspired by this year's theme, "Book an Adventure" or a book you have enjoyed. It could be a diorama, show-bag, poster, sculpture, model, artwork, hat, jewellery or a technology product! It could also be a performance - a song, dance or play that you film. It's up to you - so get creative!!
    • Challenge 2: Create a story based on the theme “Book an adventure"!
    • Challenge 3: Create a response of your choice to celebrate the adventures to be experienced through books!

For more information please contact Sharon Ryan, Catherine Duffett and Leesa Blair, Primary School Library staff.

Year 5 Camp

Wednesday 27 - Friday 29 August

Year 5 Camp will take place from Wednesday 27 to Friday 29 August at Spring Beach Youth Camp, near Orford. All Year 5 classes will be attending camp together. We will leave school at 9.15am on Wednesday and will return to school at 2.30pm on Friday. Students need to be outside the Friends’ Early Learning side of The Farrall Centre by 8.45am on Wednesday ready to have their gear checked before we leave. 

 

The purpose of this camp is for students to continue to build community and connection to country, build their awareness of the importance of challenge and resilience, develop their gratitude, empathy and mindfulness and prepare for camps in future years. All class teachers will be attending the camp, as well as outdoor education teacher Sam Jarvis and several other supporting staff members.

 

To enable your child to attend Year 5 Camp please complete the Operoo consent form sent to you by Monday 18 August. This includes adding any relevant information about medications and dietary requirements. Please note that all medications should be provided together with this completed Medication Authority Form, either in a pharmacy supplied Webster Pack (preferred), or in its original packaging inside a ziplock bag that is clearly named. 

Kindergarten Earthcare Excursion Days

Term 3 - Lenah Valley 

The Kindergarten children will continue visiting a site near the Lenah Valley Linear Park for their Earthcare Days in Term 2. We will be going out each week, on Thursdays, from Week 2-9. We will travel to and from the site by bus. We will leave at 11.50am and will return by 2.45pm. Collection time for all children will be at 3pm from the Kindergarten area, at the end of the Kindergarten day as per usual.

 

These excursions are an important aspect of our Sharing the planet unit of inquiry. Through these weekly trips we are aiming to develop independence, responsibility, curiosity, resilience and earthcare in a nature play environment. Please ensure that your child has a rubbish free packed lunch at Kindergarten, especially on Thursdays. This will help develop the children’s understanding about the concept and practices of earthcare and raise both the children’s and the community’s awareness about the impacts of soft plastic on our natural environment. 

 

On our Earthcare Days, the children need to wear their sports uniform, to ensure they are ready for active, hands-on, nature play learning. Your child will need warm clothing, appropriate for the forecasted weather, and spare clothing packed for the excursions, as we will be playing outdoors, even if it is raining.  The school has special wet weather jackets and overpants that the children will wear, as necessary, depending on the forecasted weather. We have also asked all families to bring a pair of gumboots to school for puddle play at school, and on our excursions. These will also double as a spare pair of shoes if needed. 

 

To help prepare the children, we ask that you continue to support your child by encouraging them to carry their own bags to and from school - they will be doing this independently on our Earthcare Days too. We are looking forward to seeing how their natural curiosity and wonder is expressed while we are there and what we can learn about the land we live on, as we come to know a place slowly across these weekly visits. Please contact the Kindergarten team if you have any questions

Absentees

If your child will be absent from school for the day please advise the Primary School Office (phone: 6210 2228, or email: primaryschooloffice@friends.tas.edu.au ) and the classroom teacher before 8.45am. We appreciate your support in this process.

Important Dates

Term 3 Tuesday 22 July to Friday 26 September

Wednesday 27 - Friday 29 August - Year 5 Camp

Friday 12 September – Wellbeing Day, as part of Wellbeing Weekend (no K-12 classes)

Monday 22 - Thursday 25 - Year 6 Exhibition