Junior School

Prep

The Preps have been working very hard on learning their letter sounds and letter formation, and are doing an incredible job! We've had fun practicing our letters and numbers outside with chalk, playing games, painting and making crafts. It's so exciting to see our Preppies now learning to segment and blend words to begin reading!

Recently we also had a special visit from Mr Wakim and Fezzik (our wellbeing dog). Students learnt about what Fezzik does, gave him a little pat and saw some cool tricks he can do! 

We also had some fun show and tell items brought in last week. Students brought in and shared about their favourite game, then were able to teach it to and play with their friends.

In Maths last week we completed our first maths investigation. Students engaged in an Oz-Animal Olympics! They worked together to divide themselves into 4 equal teams, then cheered each other on as they participated in some fun sporting events. During the investigation we kept a tally of how many events each team won and learnt about ordinal numbers.

Alissa Griffin

Prep Teacher

Year 1

The weeks are flying by all so fast.

One of our special projects was creating a class book, a farewell book for Mrs Storey and to say thank you for all the wonderful help she has given us in the library. She is always so kind and helps us find great books to read. We loved working together to make the book and show our appreciation. We thank God for teachers who help us learn and grow.

In class, we also had a fantastic time learning how to make kites. After designing and building the kites, we went outside to fly them. It was so exciting watching our kites soar high in the sky! We talked about how God created the wind and the beautiful world around us, and how much joy there is in exploring His creation.

Another highlight in the last few weeks was our Athletics Carnival. It was a fun-filled day of running, jumping, cheering, and trying our best. Everyone showed great sportsmanship and encouraged one another. We were reminded that God gives each of us different strengths, and it’s important to always do our best and support our friends.

We also took part in an evacuation drill this term and managed it like true professionals. The students listened carefully, followed instructions, and stayed calm throughout. We are proud of how responsible and sensible everyone was, and we are thankful that we can practice ways to keep ourselves safe.

We made a kite. I got high with my kite. - Gideon

 

I love flying kites. It is fantastic. I made one . I got to fly my kite. - Frankie

 

The kite was flying but when I flew the kite it broke. - Anna

 

I loved colouring the kite and I loved flying it. I love my kite. It is colourful. It is the best. It is good. I love it. It almost tangled. Harvey showed us to make it. He is good at making it. - Henry

Kerry Snook

Year 1 Teacher

Year 2

This week in Year 2, students have had their heads down and are working hard! 

I was so proud of the class on Monday, it rained outside ALL day which meant no running around and playing at recess and lunch. Instead what I saw was a wonderful bunch of quiet and creative activities happening in our classroom. There was finger knitting, lego building, battleships, quiet reading, drawing and even a game of 'teachers'. Well done Year 2 for working so cooperatively together. 

Since it rained all day we also took the opportunity to work in different parts of the school to escape the four walls of our classroom. Students worked in the library and even in the auditorium for a change of scenery!

In Maths students have been looking at ordering numbers and identifying numbers that are larger and smaller than. We had fun with ordering numbers as a whole class and even had the extra challenge of doing this without talking to one another. What a blessing these students are to Miss Johnson and myself.

Emily Hunter

Year 2 Teacher

Year 3

It has been a wonderful and busy fortnight in Year 3, filled with rich learning experiences and moments to celebrate.

We have been incredibly fortunate to have Mrs Jones visit our class to share her extensive knowledge of local bush tucker and Indigenous history. Students had the opportunity to learn about plants that can be found in our local area, including which are safe to eat and which are important to avoid. Mrs Jones also provided some tastings, which the students found both exciting and fascinating!

We are especially grateful for Mrs Jones’ generosity in purchasing some of these bush tucker plants for us to grow in our own school garden. Later in the year, we are looking forward to using these plants in our cooking, which will be a wonderful way to continue connecting our learning to real-life experiences.

I am also so proud of the children for the way they approached NAPLAN over the past two weeks. They have shown outstanding growth mindsets, persistence and resilience, and it has been an absolute joy to watch them tackle each assessment with such a positive attitude. They should feel very proud of their efforts.

In Numeracy, we have been consolidating our understanding of place value, using a variety of hands-on activities to deepen our learning. Students have worked with MAB blocks, building and representing numbers up to the thousands, and even trading with one another to create different number combinations. We have also been using peer tutoring, which is a strategy we value highly in Year 3, as it allows students to explain their thinking, learn from one another, and build confidence.

We also enjoyed celebrating Harmony Day, where students dressed in orange or outfits that reflected their cultural backgrounds. Throughout the day, we explored where we come from and what it means to belong to a community. It was a beautiful opportunity to recognise and celebrate the diversity within our class, and to reflect on how our differences make our community stronger.

It has been a fantastic fortnight of learning, connection and growth, and I am very proud of each and every student.

Ang Hales

Year 3 Teacher

Year 4

Year 4 students have been thoroughly enjoying their learning this term. 

In English, they are wrapping up their novel study of Pinquo, which has helped deepen their understanding of fairy penguins while also strengthening their procedural writing skills.

In Mathematics, students have been focusing on fractions, developing confidence with equivalent fractions and learning to add and subtract fractions with common denominators. To celebrate the end of the unit, they participated in a fun cooking session where they made pizzas and explored fractions by cutting them into equal parts - enjoying eating them was definitely a highlight!

Students also showcased their talents in a fantastic assembly performance last Friday, where they sang and danced to the Armour of God song with great enthusiasm. Well done everyone!

Naomi O'Brien

Year 4 Teacher

Year 5

Year 5 have been writing some poetry as a way to chill and get release from our NAPLAN tests. We have really enjoyed using the website Poetry Games where we can choose from many different ways to write a poem. We have experimented with many different styles and have found we really enjoy writing poetry so now we are also writing some of our own. Below are some of our efforts. We hope you enjoy them (click images to enlarge).

Coral Robertson

Year 5 Teacher

Year 6

In Science this Term, we have been learning about reversible and irreversible changes. In a recent lesson, we made milk plastic by heating milk and combining milk, creating an irreversible change.

At the recent Junior School Athletics, Year 6 tried really hard and gave their best to succeed. Everyone supported each other and showed good sportsmanship. Year 6 had a lot of energy and had fun. It was a great and memorable day.

David Tomkins

Year 6 Teacher

AUSLAN

Students have been enthusiastically learning and practicing their AUSLAN skills, working hard to master new topics. They can now confidently sign all the basic colours and are beginning to apply these in songs. 

We are excited to share that AUSLAN performances at Junior School Assembly will begin early next term, with every year level having the opportunity to showcase their newly developed skills. The colour signs have also been added to the at-home practice document to support continued learning.

Naomi O'Brien

AUSLAN Teacher