Mrs Leanne Schulz

Assistant Principal (Primary)

Over the last few weeks teachers and students have been busy completing assessments and finishing off units of work. The students have been very productive throughout the short term! Thank you to the parents for your continued support.

Farewell Wishes

We would like to wish Mrs Sheridyn Weaver well as she leaves the College after over 18 years of service and loyal commitment. Mrs Weaver has dedicated much of her time to the students and staff at Aitken, performing a variety of roles over the years, including classroom teaching, specialist teaching and leadership. She will be fondly remembered and greatly missed. We thank Mrs Weaver for her contributions and wish her happiness as she embarks on future ventures.

Mr Joan Martinez is leaving us after a short but memorable teaching stay at Aitken as a Spanish teacher in the Primary years. We thank Mr Martinez for instilling a love of learning Spanish and the fond memories of singing and laughter during lessons.

Message at Assembly from School Captains, Mia P and Akshaj M

Our Primary School Captains, Mia P and Akshaj M, spoke beautifully at last week’s Assembly about the importance of 'Kindness', one of our College values. Here is their script.

Mia

Good morning Cumberland students, teachers, staff and families

During Term 2, we have spoken about our College Values which comprise of Compassion, Excellence, Honesty, Kindness and Respect.

A couple of weeks ago, we spoke about honesty. As a reminder, to be honest means that you are truthful and faithful in what you say and do, rather than lying, stealing, cheating or being jealous. Honesty is also the base of a trusting relationship. We all know being honest simply makes you feel happier and better about yourself.

Today we will be talking to you about the meaning of ‘kindness.’

Akshaj

What is Kindness?

According to a famous Greek Philosopher Aristotle, “Kindness is: Helpfulness towards someone in need, not in return for anything, nor for the advantage of the helper himself, but for that of the person helped."

Kindness means being helpful, generous, friendly and considerate towards others without expecting anything in return, making someone feel loved and appreciated. 

According to the research, when we practice kindness, we can experience positive mental and physical changes as it  boosts happiness and energy levels. When we show kindness, it produces feel good hormones like serotonin and dopamine - the neurotransmitters in the brain that create the feeling of satisfaction and wellbeing. So, a little bit of kindness goes a long way!

How can you show “kindness” at school? 

We can show kindness at school in many ways:

The simplest act of kindness is to smile.

Compliment someone.

Use kind words like thank you and sorry wherever needed.

Help clean your classroom and school, even if it's not your mess.

Forgive someone for their mistake and many more.

Simple acts of kindness can make our world a better place because they increase our sense of connection to others, they can boost feelings of confidence, self-esteem, happiness and optimism. They may encourage others to repeat the good things they have experienced themselves, contributing to a more positive community.

Mia

Kindness is a type of behaviour resulting from actions. It means to be courteous, generous, helpful and understanding of others. A kind person shows genuine and considerate concern for people without expecting anything in return. The act of kindness can make the world a happier place, not just for you, but for everyone. It can also boost feelings of confidence and joy. When you are kind, it also encourages others to be kind and repeat the good deed. This helps our community grow in a positive manner.

Kindness is a key value that develops or increases positivity and helps people feel proud and happy. Some small acts of kindness could be by saying ‘please’ or 'thank you’ or even by smiling.

These little acts of kindness can brighten someone’s day.

Finally, I have a poem to share about kindness called:

The Power of Small Acts of Kindness

Small acts of kindness,

So simple, so pure,

Can change someone’s day

And make their heart soar.

A smile, a kind word,

A helping hand in need,

These tiny gestures of love

Are truly kind indeed.

For even the smallest act

Can make a word of difference,

And show kindness and compassion

These are values that we should all live with.

So let’s spread kindness and love,

Wherever we may go,

In the end, it’s the little things we do

That truly makes us glow.

Cumberland Dance Party

A huge thank you to the Parents and Friends who organised the Cumberland Dance Party and for the teachers who supported the night! The students had such a good time dancing the night away. Angela, your DJ skills were greatly appreciated!

Lisara B - 3T

I thought the Cumberland disco was a lot of fun. I especially liked the type of music that was played and being with my friends.  

Jordynn M - 3T

I loved spending time with my friends and dancing with them. It was fun getting to talk and have fun afterschool. My favourite songs to dance to were the Macarena and Nutbush.

Myron D - 3T

I enjoyed being with my friends, we had a lot of fun. I liked all the sweets and running around and laughing!

Mrs Natasha Radley (Head of Year Prep)

On Thursday 8 June, the Prep students enjoyed a fun day at the Melbourne Aquarium. This was their first excursion. They were very well behaved and had fun learning many new facts about Sea Creatures and the under the sea. You can see below some snippets from the students’ time at the aquarium.

Senar H - PC: I liked the penguins. There was a crazy one and it was shaking its head and looked like it was growing.

Tyler R - PC: I liked seeing the penguins swimming under the water and they can catch fish.

Novalee G - PC: I saw a big eel.

Zaki E - PC: There was a jelly lab. It had jellyfish in it. They were glowing in the dark.

Janoah P - PH: We saw a big crocodile. It gets massaged every day.

Isabel M - PH: We saw the penguins and they were moving. Mrs Meletis thought they were statues!

Haroun S - PH: The crocodile was 60 year old and it was big.

Harjas K - PH: The fish eat the crocodiles poop. This keeps the water clean.

Isabella M - PF: I liked seeing the sharks They were brown colour.

Madeleine F - PF: The black shark was swimming around.

Lionel S - PF: I saw sharks, jelly fish and sea horses. I liked the sea horses.

Flynn H - PF: I liked the crocodile being fed. It was eating a bunch of meat.

Just a reminder, that if you are not sure of something, please ask your child’s teacher.

Sometimes students say things that are misinterpreted, and it becomes confusing for parents to know if it is correct information. If the teachers believe parents need to know something, such as a change to arrangements or information about something, they will always contact you directly. Thank you for understanding.

Mr Jevon Scandrett (Head of Year 1 & 2)

It is hard to believe we are at the end of Term 2!

I am so incredibly proud of the students and staff who have worked so hard this term to achieve some wonderful learning together.

Over the term break, we encourage students to continue daily reading. Students can read to an adult or have an adult read to them; the latter can be a wonderful way to end a busy day of holiday activities.

I asked a selection of Year 1 and Year 2 students to tell me their favourite part of Term 2. Here were their responses:

Rayen D - 2A: I loved the excursion because we got to learn about the past and indigenous cultures.

Prisha S - 2A: I really loved performing arts where we worked on different stories.

Chloe D - 2H: I loved playing with my friends because they are supportive and friendly.

Reyon H - 2M: I really enjoyed playing the activity where we all created a story together as a class by taking turns around the circle.

Hunter M - 2H: The best part was learning about Australian states and territories.

Dorian L - 2H: It’s been interesting learning about the Great Barrier Reef because it is filled with many sea creatures that I didn’t realise and also many types of coral.

Elena J - 2H: I enjoyed in art when we wrapped sticks with different colours and I also enjoyed learning about the local indigenous language.

Lyla G - 1R: I liked counting by fives and twos because I finally learnt how to do it!

Timothy A - 1R: I liked doing life skills because we learnt some interesting things.

Ryan A - 1B: I enjoyed learning about the Zones of Regulation and how to control emotions.

I wish everyone a safe and relaxing holiday. I am so looking forward to another term with Year 1 and 2!

Mrs Anne Adams (Head of Year 3 & 4)

This term has flown by and I am amazed at how many activities we managed to squeeze in. The Year 3 students enjoyed a trip to the Museum as part of their Integrated Studies topic, ‘How places change over time’. Year 4 students enjoyed ‘Greenville’, a collaborative problem-solving game created by the talented Mr Lawless. Kitchen Garden is always a highlight in Year 4 and this term was no exception. The Cumberland Dance Party was also a highlight. A huge thank you to our parent volunteers who gave up hours of their own time to organise this event. We say goodbye to Mason S in Year 4. We will miss you and wish you well at your new school. Here are some comments about the term:

Nicholas Z - 4S

This term I liked playing dodgeball and soccer in P.E. It was boys versus the girls. The boys won. When I played soccer, I was left back. It was fun.

Mikaela V - 4S

This term I really enjoyed playing with my friends. At lunchtime we played indoor games. We played Twister and Connect Four. There was a whole group of us. Twister was the best game. It involved everybody. I was the spinner.

Joel T - 4S

This term I really liked doing Minecraft Monday at lunchtime. I created a mansion with cool traps and trading areas. It was in survival mode. I stopped the zombies by building a moat that was two blocks deep so the zombies couldn’t jump out. I do this with Christian, John, Elijah and Henry.

Akriti U - 4R

The disco was fun and a great experience which only comes once a year. I played with Naysa and there was beautiful music. It was a wonderful night.

Aabriana T - 4R

At the disco I really enjoyed myself. I got dressed up in a brown-beige coloured shirt and jeans. My friends were there. Aria and I danced and we talked while we were buying glow sticks. My favourite was ‘Cupid’ by Fifty-Fifty.

Ayaanveer S - 4R

At school this term I loved playing with my friends. Dylan, Deniz, Taylan, Elijah, John and Henry and myself played ran around the school and played basketball, a little bit of soccer. My favourite thing was running around the school. We did a whole lap!

Raavi S - 4M

In kitchen garden we made orange muffins. It had a lot of sugar, so we put in Greek yoghurt to balance the sugar. We decorated them with a slice of orange and lavender. My favourite part of Kitchen Garden is the cooking and tasting new foods that we made.

Nate R - 4M

It’s fun in Kitchen Garden because we get to cook. When we cook, we learn new things like how to be safe in the kitchen. When we walk with knives, we hold them downwards near our hip. My favourite recipe was the orange muffins. They smelt delicious and I like it without the Greek yoghurt. I will try and make these at home with my mum.

Ayden P - 4M

Kitchen Garden was really fun. I liked cooking a lot. Sometimes the food was good. I liked the gnocci and cheese and spinach filo pastry. I learnt how to help in the Garden and how to cook different things. My favourite recipe was the cheese and spinach filo pastries. I ate two when we made them!

Manishi R - 3T

At the museum we got to go upstairs we saw the dinosaurs. There was a T-Rex and a triceratops. Some of my friends were scared of the animals, but they are just dead! My favourite part was when we got to fill out our booklet and chat on the bus with our buddies.

Aarav S - 3T

In the old Melbourne part, the old house was really small. You had to share bedrooms. There was used crockery. The blankets were old and they didn’t use toilets, there was an outside toilet. They had a fireplace which was used for heating.

Sanjh S - 3T

At the Meblourne Museum we went on the Dinosaur Walk. The skeletons were huge. Some of them had big teeth. Some were herbivores, some were omnivores, some were carnivores. It was super duper cool. In the Melbourne section, the old toilets were weird. They were only buckets.

Christian S - 3W

At the disco I danced and bought chips and water. My friends were there. Leo, Max, Christian and Melis, Leia, Andreas, Nikolai were with me. We danced on the steps. We joined a dancing train.

Senara S - 3W

The disco had good music and just wanted to dance all night. I met my friends there. Liam, Sadie, Olivia, Amelia and myself danced to all the songs. We didn’t make a train though. My favourite song was ‘Roar’ by Katy Perry. I know all the words to that song.

Sadie R - 3W

The lights and music were really fun at the disco. It was nice to see everyone getting together. I was with my friends, Olivia and Amelia. My favourite to dance to was ‘Gangnam Style’. It’s a really fast song.

Rian S - 3A

I love learn about Melbourne and what it was like one hundred years ago. Making a book creator about it was really fun. We compared Melbourne one hundred years ago and what Melbourne is like now. At the museum, I really loved seeing ‘Little Lon’ area which showed us what a Melbourne house used to be like. I wouldn’t like to be live in it!

Shristi R - 3A

I really loved learning about Melbourne too. We got to go to the Melbourne Museum. We explored a Minecraft world of Melbourne on our iPads. We could travel around the Minecraft Melbourne looking at structures that were built in the city. My favourite building was Flinders Street Station.

Ryan R - 3A

I love P.E. We learnt about how to play basketball. I already knew the rules because I play it outside o school. We dribbled and learnt how to shoot goals in basketball. I also play soccer on the Juicy. We usually have big teams because it is so popular.

Mr Nigel Keegan (Head of Year 5 & 6)

Creative writing has been a real highlight this term. Students developed their narrative craft with particular focus on ‘sizzling starts’, ‘tightening tension’ and ‘exciting endings’. Their creative pieces have engaged and entertained their audience by using imagination, creativity, and allowing the reader to ‘feel’ the characters emotions. We’re looking forward to the published work and sharing them with each other, and with our buddies.

Federation has proven to be a fascinating and enjoyable topic of study for Year 6. Students have been fortunate enough to learn about governments past and present and how they change, and gain a greater understanding of what they do. Students have also explored key people around the time 1890 – 1901 and the impact each had on establishing our nation. The three levels of government have been explored – local, state and federal, and the responsibility of each.

StarGuards

Our Year 5 students were very fortunate to have participated in ‘StarGuards’ this week, as part of our Integrated Studies unit. StarGuards is a game set in the solar system in the year 2150 and focusses on problem-solving and teamwork.

The students were tasked with solving 18 space challenges, everything from gravitational waves to supernova. Each planetary team had a spaceship with specific attributes, resources present on their home planet and a collection of machines. Students used their teamwork skills by combining the spaceships, resources, machines, and their own creative ideas to solve the challenges they were presented with.

The game itself was run by two students from each class, with teachers only providing assistance and advice where necessary. It was an excellent example of students taking the initiative, developing problem-solving and negotiation skills in a fast-paced action-packed environment. The students played really well and came up with ingenious solutions to the challenges they were faced with.

A big thank you to Mr Lawless for creating and implementing these exciting problem-solving games that enrich students’ learning.

Term Break!

Well done to all the Primary students and staff for a solid term of fun and productive activities! Amongst winter illnesses, staff and students have made the most of the learning opportunities presented. A huge thank you to parents for always showing support and keeping open communication with the teachers. Positive partnerships between home and school are essential and are very much appreciated!

The Primary Staff and I would like to wish you all a safe and happy holiday where you have a chance to recharge and enjoy some family time. We look forward to seeing you all once again in Term 3!

TERM 3
Term 3 commences for students	Monday 10 July
Professional Learning Day (no students)	Friday 11 August
Term 3 ends	Thursday 14 September
Assessment Day (no students)	Friday 15 September
TERM 4
Term 4 commences	Monday 2 October
Mid Term Break	Monday 6 November
Melbourne Cup Holiday	Tuesday 7 November
Assessment Day (no students)	Friday 17 November
Term 4 ends for students	Friday 8 December

2023 Term & Important Dates

2023 Term Dates