From the  Head of Junior School

Welcome Back to Term 3

Welcome back to Term 3, we're excited be back ready for another term full of learning and fun. There are many ways we share and celebrate our learning in the Junior School. We believe learning is an ongoing process and, as such, we provide both formal and informal opportunities for parents to share in their child’s learning journey. We place great importance on our home/school partnerships and recognise that parents' interest in their child’s education is one of the most important factors towards achieving success.

Learning About Sustainability 

Last term, Year 4 students had the opportunity to develop various skills for effective environmental stewardship. Sustainability education is most impactful when integrated across the curriculum and delivered through diverse teaching and learning activities in all key learning areas. Research highlights the substantial benefits of learning about sustainability, demonstrating its importance in fostering environmentally conscious and responsible citizens.

The following article, written by Miss Sinead McDonnell – Year 4 Classroom Teacher, captures the exciting and important learning undertaken by Year 4 last term:

In Term 2, Year 4 embarked on a comprehensive investigation into sustainability and waste management as part of their Geography studies. The unit began with a broad exploration of different types of waste, disposal methods, environmental consequences of inadequate waste management and potential solutions. This was followed by a local focus with a visit to the Orange Resource Recovery Centre, where students gained firsthand insights into waste management processes and the importance of responsible waste disposal within their community.

Inspired by their new knowledge, Year 4 students took on the challenge of advocating for and implementing sustainable waste practices within the Junior School. They spent several weeks rigorously investigating the current state of waste management at school through surveys, interviews, observations, and data collection. Their findings pinpointed key areas where improvements in sustainability and waste management could be made. To inspire action, students used rhetorical techniques learned during English lessons to craft persuasive speeches aimed at rallying support from within the school community.

Within their speeches, students proposed practical solutions, including introducing composting and worm farming initiatives, creating educational posters on proper waste disposal, and reducing single-use plastics in the canteen and lunchboxes. By the end of Term 2, their collective efforts led to the successful establishment of a functional worm farm, which Year 4 continues to maintain with daily 'crunch and sip' food scraps.

Additionally, guided by the talented Ms Sinclair, students formed a garage band using instruments made from 100% recycled materials, including items collected during their excursion to the ORRC. The band performed a song promoting upcycling, further demonstrating their commitment to sustainable practices.

This investigation not only deepened the students' understanding of waste reduction and proper management but also instilled a strong sense of environmental stewardship. The students of Year 4 are congratulated for their passionate advocacy and commitment to making a positive impact on their school environment and for setting an example of environmental responsibility for future generations.

Merit Awards - Term 2, Week 8 2024

K Nemo

• Rory Winters: For making excellent progress with his reading and completing all homework tasks conscientiously.
• Charlie Kerdic: Improved handwriting and careful sentence writing.

1 Eco-Octonauts     

• Charlotte Elder: Fabulous work in Guided Reading Groups.
• Vian Vohra: Writing on the baseline and leaving spaces between words when writing. 

1 Minton

• Luca Vardanega: His thoughtfulness and considerate nature towards his friends.
• Cameron Day: His bravery and perseverance to try new things in the Year 1 swimming program. Keep it up!

2 Lorax

• Rigby Delbridge: For consistently demonstrating improvement in handwriting by listening to teacher feedback and applying it to produce careful, controlled writing.
• Camilla Haynes: For actively engaging in class discussions by raising her hand more frequently and continuously challenging yourself in your learning journey.

2 Yindyamarra

• Gurbani Mor: Collaborating well with her peers like a team of superhero sidekicks!
• Lachlan Bell: Putting on a magical readers theatre show that brings stories to life!

3 Uno

• Lachlan Elder: His use of figurative language to create imagery in writing tasks.
• Ava Davies: Her attention to detail when creating visual texts that demonstrate salience.

4 Kiernan    

• Madeleine Russell: For always trying her best and taking great pride in the presentation of her work. Well Done!
• Edith Triggs: For consistently showing respect to others in class. 

4 Goodall

• Lulu Widauer: Using colour, size and shadow to create a wonderful salience image in English this week.
• Sophie Kerdic: Demonstrating resilience when creating well-written and engaging rhyming couplets in English this week. 

5 Bear Grylls

• Harry Callaghan: Always offering insightful ideas to class discussions and working diligently on his poetry. Keep up your hard work!
• Sophia Martin: Her improvement in Mathematics, particularly when working on decimals and fractions. Well done!

5 Seed

• Max Golding: Demonstrating unwavering effort and resilience in the face of challenges while still bringing joy and laughter with a mischievous charm.
• Alex Coleman: Consistently demonstrating loyalty to friends and maintaining a respectful and genial nature. Your steadfast dedication and kindness make you a standout student. 

6 Rober

• Reg Caskey: For his consistent effort in class. Challenging himself in his learning and producing higher quality work.
• Harper Purvis: For her commitment to her learning and the valuable support she has given the Jitterbug dances in rehearsals. 

6 Dalziel

• Grace Lowther: Her active participation in our class dialogue about ‘Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief’ and for her use of figurative language and complex sentence structures in her writing.
• Saxon Haynes: His excellence in maths problem solving classes. Saxon is to be commended for his consistent effort and sharing of his strategies. Keep up the fantastic work!