Junior School Report

Message from the

Director of Learning -  Junior School

Ms Rebecca Tomkins

Hello to all our Junior School families and students, 

We hope you all had a restful break over the Easter holidays and were able to enjoy the time with your families. Amazingly, we are already halfway through Term 2, and it has been as busy as ever.

Our biggest event of the term (and maybe even the year) was our Junior School Camp. From Monday 15th until Wednesday 17th of May, we took 120 of our Junior School students to PGL Rumbug, a beautiful campsite in Foster North.

Thank you to all our supportive families for helping with pre-camp organisation, including packing bags, filling out medical and dietary forms, and completing consent for this event. Although the campsite was rather hilly (and muddy, and cold) the students had a fantastic time getting out of their comfort zone and trying new things. We were able to see our Year 7 and 8 students support one another and build new connections as they encouraged their peers to have a go at activities like the giant swing, flying fox, archery, bush craft, and canoeing. 

Back at school, we had a group of students embark on some fascinating projects around their science, GLIT and English studies while their regular classroom teachers were on camp. Thank you for continuing to work so hard and share your ideas with your teachers and peers!

Camp is just one of the great events that students have an opportunity to participate in throughout the school year, although we are aware that if you have multiple students in school that the cost can add up. This is a reminder that Camp, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) is still taking applications until June 23rd. This fund alleviates some of the stress for paying for these activities as the cost is covered for students (up to $225 per year for secondary school students). If this is something you would like more information on for your student, please reach out or search CSEF on the Department of Education website. 

Similarly, our students will now be wearing winter uniform for the remainder of Term 2 and 3. The days are getting colder, and your student may need a jumper, jacket, or long pants to keep them warm. If there are any issues sourcing school uniform, please reach out to either myself or your students’ coordinator and we can help to arrange this. 

Thank you everyone for your continued support of our Junior School students. 

Ms Rebecca Tomkins

Director of Learning - Junior School

Year 8 Virtual workshop ready to GTAC excursion!

Our Year 8 Science classes have been attending the virtual workshop in preparation of the GTAC excursion in June. The virtual workshop allows the students to empathise with the lived experience of amputees and design prosthetics. The students were highly engaged in the virtual workshop and in groups designing and creating prosthetics. On Tuesday June 6th, 8B and 8C will be going to GTAC and then 8A and 8D will have their turn on 

Wednesday 7th of June! 

Loan Luong-Nguyen 

Numeracy/STEM Learning Specialist

Year 8 Visual Arts – ‘Long Faces’

The Year 8 Visual arts students have been exploring portraiture. The researched the work of Thomas Fedro exploring his 'long faces' and explicit colour. In ceramics they used earthenware clay and acrylic paint to bring to life their own take on a 'long face' with abstract features.

The final finish on the ceramic faces was to use a high gloss spray that would accentuate the brilliant colours, shapes and facial features. 

Examples of their wonderful achievements can be viewed in the gallery below: 

Ms Helen Ifandis

Arts/Technology Coordinator