Specialist News
Physical Education
It has been fantastic to see the students so invested in the Olympic Games. Many classes have completed their own mini versions of events in class and been keeping an eye on Australia's medal tally.
In P.E we looked at the Olympic Values - Excellence, Respect and Friendship and compared these to the schools 5 p's.
The students were then able to demonstrate these in 5 modified activities that each represented an Olympic sport.
Rugby 7s - passing a ball at a target.
This was new for a lot as they were only ever used to handballing in A.F.L. Many asked why it wasn't an Olympic sport!
Basketball - dribbling and shooting.
We discussed the new sport of 3 on 3 and the difference between this and the full court version of the sport.
Hockey - dribbling, stopping and shooting.
Lots of students found this a challenge as they wanted to use their feet to control the ball. They now have a new found respect for the skill needed to play this game.
Tennis/Table Tennis - striking a moving object to create a rally.
The Junior school used pool noodles and a balloon to replicate a game of tennis. Middle and Upper got a taste of the hand eye coordination needed to play table tennis.
Gymnastics - creating different movements with our bodies.
The students enjoyed this mini course that allowed them to complete a forward roll, balance across stepping stones, star jump on the mini tramp before sticking the motorbike pose landing.
Swimming/Canoeing/Rowing - propelling ourselves forward using different body movements.
This by far was the students favourite. Using the scooter boards and pool noodles they could choose to swim, canoe or row.
Casey Cup Netball Gala Day
On Tuesday, 13 August we had two netball teams represent our school at the Casey Cup Netball Gala day. Both teams did an outstanding job. The Boys team went through 8 rounds undefeated and progressed to the Grand final. The Girls team won 6 pool games and lost 1. They also progressed to the grand final.
Unfortunately both teams lost their grand final matches but should be very proud of the way they played.
A big thankyou to Jo C for coaching the Girls team, Sam S for scoring for the girls team and Jess C for scoring for the boys team.
Thanks also to the parents for transporting the students to and from Casey Stadium.
Term 3 P.E events:
A reminder to keep an eye on Compass for future P.E events. All information including costs and due dates is located via the events tab.
Wednesday 28th August - Senior Hoop Time (selected year 5 and 6 students only)
Monday 2nd September to Friday 6th September - Junior School Swimming
(All Foundation, Year 1 and Year 2 students)
Tuesday 3rd September - Junior Hoop Time (selected year 3 and 4 students only)
Tuesday 10th September - Lightning Prem Sports
(All year 5 and 6 students only)
Wednesday 18th September - Division Athletics (qualifying students only)
The Foundation students have been learning about the Road to Regulation, which is a process of identifying our feelings, matching them to a zone from our Zones of Regulation, and thinking of a strategy from our tool box to either wake ourselves and energise, stay focused, our bring our energy down.
While the Year 1 students have been learning what it means to be a friend, and what to do when someone isn’t treating you like a friend. The Year 2 students have begun talking about our strengths and how we can use them to achieve great things. But also the importance of acknowledging our areas of weakness so we can work on those areas to get better, whether that is a skill at sport, or in being a kinder person.
The Year 3 students have begun discussing our Stop, Opt and Go skills again, beginning with the Stop part, which is about identifying the signals our body sends to us on how we are feeling. We have also been learning about reading the voice and body cues of those around us to better understand wat they are feeling. Our Year 4 students are also discussing reading the emotions of the people around us to help when we are confronted with conflict. If we can read how our friends are feeling we can better handle when something goes wrong in our friendships.
Our Years 5 and 6 students are working on a variety of topics from culture, sexism, racism, correct ICT use and the importance of having representation of all people from diverse backgrounds on TV, through the watching of Hardball and Mustangs FC.
Nature Play
With nature as their classroom, students are discovering how to work with materials such as leaves, twigs, and grasses to create intricate weaving patterns on mats. This outdoor learning not only sparks creativity but connection with the environment.We invite parents to continue this exploration at home by encouraging your children to notice and appreciate the natural materials around them. Whether it's through a simple walk in the park or a family crafting session using found objects, the possibilities for learning and creativity are endless!Stay tuned for more exciting updates from our junior school students' adventures in nature!
Kitchen
We're excited to share that our middle school students have been getting creative in the kitchen, learning how to make a delicious and nutritious dish—Pumpkin, Spinach, and Ricotta Cannelloni! Students have been developing their cooking skills while also exploring the importance of healthy eating. They are learning essential kitchen techniques, from chopping vegetables to rolling cannelloni, all while working together in a fun and collaborative environment. We encourage you to ask your child about their cooking adventure and perhaps even try making this dish together at home. Who knows—you might just have a future chef in the family!
Garden
We are thrilled to share with you some of the exciting projects our middle school students have been working on in their Garden classes. This term, our budding environmental engineers have been focusing on creating habitats that support our local wildlife, with a special focus on building Bandicoot Bungalows and Frog Saunas!
Students have been learning about the importance of providing safe and sustainable shelters for the endangered Southern Brown Bandicoots, which are vital to the health of our local ecosystems.
Our young designers have also been hard at work designing and collecting materials for our Frog Saunas – special microhabitats that help to retain moisture and provide a cool, safe spot for frogs to thrive. This project is a fantastic way to blend science, creativity, and environmental stewardship.
Both of these projects aim to teach students about the importance of biodiversity and the role we can all play in protecting our local wildlife. We encourage families to get involved and consider placing a bandicoot bungalow or frog sauna in your own garden to support these wonderful creatures.
Stay tuned for more updates, and thank you for supporting our school's mission to blend learning with real-world impact!
Environmental Science.
Senior school students have been exploring the fascinating world of science through hands-on experiments that highlight the differences between physical and chemical changes. In their recent science lessons, students have been investigating various processes, from melting, mixing and freezing to reactions that produce gas or change color. One of the exciting activities involved creating a chemical reaction using everyday kitchen items. The students combined baking soda and vinegar to produce carbon dioxide gas, witnessing first-hand how new substances can form during a chemical change.
WINNERS ARE GRINNERS!!!
If you haven't heard, our school has won the BEST LEARNING JOURNAL prize in the Picasso Cows Program. CSPS will be the recipient of $1000. Stay tuned to find out how students will celebrate this amazing achievement.
CONCERT
All students are busily preparing for the concert on Friday, 30 August.
They have impressed me with their ability to remember and perform simple sequences and how they work together as a team.
Through videoing and responding to their dances they are learning about the elements of dance: SPACE, ENERGY, TIME, ACTION and BODY.
Please see Compass for tickets and costume information.
Foundation and Junior School
Students have absolutely loved coding our Beebots! They are now working towards coding more than one step at a time into our robots and seeing if they have successfully coded multiple steps by testing the outcome. Students have been introduced to the term 'debugging' which is when a code is not successful and needs problem solving. They took it in turns to be the debugger!
Finding treasure was the goal this week! They had to code their bee bot to get from the pirate to the treasure all whilst avoiding the SHARKS!
There were celebrations all around when the treasure was successfully discovered!
Afterwards, students demonstrated their understanding of directions by creating their own treasure map and drawing the code they would enter into the robot.
Middle School
In recent lessons, students have worked in pairs to create and test their own algorithms. They’ve programmed BeeBots to navigate obstacle courses and used Edisons to follow lines and avoid barriers. Through these activities, students are developing a deeper understanding of how algorithms power the technology they use every day. Understanding algorithms is a critical component of the digital world we live in. By breaking down tasks into step-by-step instructions, students learn to think logically and efficiently. This skill is not only essential for coding but also for everyday problem-solving.
Senior School
This term, senior students are diving deep into the concepts of user interfaces (UI) and user experience (UX) DigiTech lessons.
They are learning how to create user-friendly websites that prioritize both function and design. They're exploring how to make digital spaces that are intuitive and engaging, ensuring that users can navigate their websites with ease.
Using tools like Google Sites, students are building their own websites, applying their understanding of UI and UX to create platforms that serve a purpose. Whether it’s designing a site for a school project, a hobby, or a community initiative, they are learning to think critically about how their digital creations will be experienced by others.