Dear Armadale Community,

Hoping everyone is well and enjoying this autumnal weather. It's great to see our kitchen garden flourishing with the recent rain we have had. Hoping the rain will hold off for tomorrow afternoon and our Welcome Picnic! Families may need to rug up a little more than initially thought. Looking forward to seeing as many families as possible tomorrow afternoon joining in on the fun. Don't forget to book in for the Family Conferences on Monday 23 March. We have reminded Team Kids that this is a curriculum day, and we understand this will be set up soon for parents to book into.

Optimising Learning through regular daily Routines

At APS, our goal is to support every child to maximise their learning and reach their full potential. A key part of this is ensuring students follow agreed routines and expectations so that valuable learning time is protected. The first few minutes of each lesson are particularly important, as this time is used for fluency practice that helps students develop automaticity in essential literacy and numeracy skills. Even missing a short portion of a lesson can impact this important learning. We will continue working with children to strengthen these routines across the school so that all children can make the most of every learning opportunity. We appreciate families supporting these expectations and partnering with us to create the optimal conditions for learning.

Learning about other Cultures in our Community:

Nowruz: A Message of Hope and Renewal

As we approach Nowruz, the Persian New Year, we are reminded of the importance of hope, renewal, and community. For some families in our school community, this has been a challenging time. At moments like these, it is especially important that we come together, support one another, and show care and understanding.

Nowruz, meaning “new day” in Persian, is an ancient festival with a history of more than 3,000 years. It marks the new year on the spring equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, when day and night are nearly equal. The celebration is observed in Iran and across Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Middle East, and by communities around the world. While in Australia we are entering autumn at this time of year, the spirit of Nowruz - renewal, hope, and fresh beginnings, resonates no matter the season.

A central tradition of Nowruz is the Haft-Seen table, which displays seven symbolic items that begin with the Persian letter “S”.

Each item represents a positive wish for the year ahead:

Sabzeh (sprouted greens) for growth
Samanu (sweet pudding) for prosperity
Senjed (dried fruit) for love
Seer (garlic) for health
Seeb (apple) for beauty
Somāq (sumac) for patience
Serkeh (vinegar) for wisdom

As we reflect on the meaning of Nowruz, we are reminded that even during difficult times, new beginnings are always possible. As a school community, may we continue to support one another and look ahead with hope for the year to come.

If you would like to know more about Nowruz, the video below offers the story behind this celebration.

What's coming up:

Harmony Day is almost here!

Armadale Primary will be celebrating Harmony Day on Thursday 19 March, with a special assembly from 1:20–2:20pm. Families are warmly invited to join us as we come together to celebrate the rich diversity of our school community.

Harmony Week (Monday 16 – Sunday 22 March) is a national celebration that recognises the many cultures that make up Australia. It is a time to reflect on the importance of inclusion, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone.

Throughout this term in The Arts, students have been exploring the concept of belonging through our big idea: Our sense of belonging is expressed and explored through dance by using movement to represent ourselves, our relationships, and the places we connect to.

Each year level has been learning about the dance traditions of different countries, helping students understand how dance connects people to their communities, cultures and the places they call home.

Our students have been working hard all term to prepare the dances they will proudly perform at the Harmony Day assembly.

The event will also feature:

A performance from the Senior Choir
Student speeches sharing their cultural backgrounds and experiences
A lively Tarantella workshop led by the wonderful Miss Roszbach

Please note that Thursday is also school photo day, so students should arrive at school in their full school uniform. After photos have been taken, students are encouraged to add a pop of orange (the official colour of Harmony Day) to show their support and celebrate the occasion.

We look forward to celebrating this special day together and showcasing the wonderful learning our students have been doing.

Friday 13 March - Family Picnic 4pm

Thursday 19 March - School Photo Day

- Harmony Day (afternoon assembly)

Monday 23 March - Family Conferences

Principal

rochelle.cukier@education.vic.gov.au

Assistant Principal

connie.apostolos@education.vic.gov.au

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