From the Principal
Hello Muddah, hello Faddah
Here I am at Camp Grenada (Coolamatong)
Camp is very entertaining
And they say we'll have some fun if it stops raining
The song is ringing in my ears after a very successful Year 5&6 camp at Coolamatong, and lucky for us it did stop raining!
Canoeing, hiking, survivor challenges, Indigenous education with Aunty Kath, bush cooking and more. After two years of COVID the camp enabled the students to experience new things, take on challenges and surprise themselves with the new highs reached.
Some were able to master the unicycle, others chose to capsize in a canoe on purpose, some lit a campfire for the first time and parents, some children actually helped in the kitchen with serving dinner and assisting the camp staff with the clean up.
We are so grateful to the staff and parents who attended the camp. The dedication shown to leave your families, and places of employment for a week was greatly appreciated. For those of you still wondering Miss Roberts survived the Magpie swoop and she is very grateful for my heroic shielding.
I look forward to the Camp Wrap up next newsletter with some more great action shots and some testimonials from students.
High Ability Program
Meet some of our future writers who are participating in the High Ability Program.
What is the High Ability Program I hear you ask?
The Victorian High Ability Program (VHAP) gives high-ability students in years 5 to 8 the chance to take part in online extension and enrichment programs in English and Mathematics. The students are identified through the NAPLAN results from the Department of Education.
VHAP consists of ten-week online courses in Mathematics and English . Students engage in synchronous Webex classes with their teachers.
The VHAP classroom provides students with the opportunity to:
- explore and express their ideas freely
- make their own decisions about their work
- be inspired and challenged by each other
- gain confidence in their choices and abilities
- feel excited by their learning.
The program is a safe space for high-ability students to stretch their wings, encounter change and challenge, and confront fears around making “mistakes.”
Miss Roberts and I were lucky enough to be listening in on the session when the students were asked to use the metaphor of a house to describe themselves. If I were a house …..
We were so moved by their writing that we asked if they would be willing to share their pieces with all of you.
On the outside, the house displays many colours, there are many hallways inside, a maze but pick the wrong path and you quickly see the house's emotions spiral like an out-of-control Ferris wheel. Scary bugs, staring paintings, even the sun runs and hides under the throne of the moon. You try and leave, but the doors locked, you dropped the key, like a knot in a remote, you lunge at the key, like a high jump, you get the key and see the house’s true emotions.
Austin
The outside of the house is grey and white with many plants and rocks, but no colour, no life, but on the inside, a whole world of colour is instore, but the outsiders would never expect what is on the inside. Rainbows and a few too many rabbits, rats, dogs, and a whole wall of colourful fish. The opposite of the outside but no one knows why?
Asha
If I were a house, I would be your average 2 story brick house with quirky weird plants in the garden, but once you step inside, the 1st story is full of pets’ half of them rescues, vegemite, and honey sandwiches and first aid kits. Once you get the courage to climb the stairs you find supportive top of the world music with weird and random furniture choices and a little dog trying to follow everyone at once, even if the people it is following are fighting.
Claudia
To all our Dads, Grandfathers, Uncles and special people in our lives have a wonderful Fathers Day.
We hope you are spoilt with socks, jocks, and breakfast in bed.
Karen Rouda
Principal