Dear Parents, Families and Community members,

Welcome to our final newsletter of the year! And what a year it’s been; wow, how time flies!

We made it. Despite continued challenges and interruptions of one type or another in our daily lives, we made it! But not only did we make it, we did it together and we did it well!

I’d like to thank our entire school community for coming together, trusting in and supporting each other and committing to the values and expectations our ACS community is built on.

We continue to go from strength to strength and I am again so proud of the many achievements we have had as a school community in 2023.

I’d like to thank those members of the community who will leave us in 2023 and wish them well.

Particularly I congratulate our Graduating students in both Year 6 and 12 who are ready to tackle their next learning, employment or pathway journey ahead.

You will always be remembered for the contributions you have made to our school, some of you since we opened our doors for the first time. Continue to challenge yourself in all you do and enjoy!

A huge thanks to the ACS staff. It’s a pleasure everyday to know I get the opportunity to work with such amazing education professionals and great people. You continue to embrace every challenge and see it as an opportunity to improve and achieve.

There is of course just over a week to go, so the foot hasn’t been taken right off; so let’s enjoy, celebrate, learn (of course) and finish the year in style!

Year 12s Last Day

On Friday the 2nd of December we celebrated our wonderful Year 12 students' last ever day of school.

We started the day with an amazing morning tea supplied by the students which all of the staff thoroughly enjoyed. And that was were the niceties ended..

Just before lunch time, the students had far too much fun blasting the teachers with water pistols (which wasn't too bad considering we had some awesome weather)!

On behalf of all of the staff here at ACS, we would like to say a huge congratulations to our FIRST EVER ACS Year 12 Graduates. We are so incredibly proud of every single one of you and cannot wait to hear about all the amazing things you do. Make sure you're not strangers!

Prep & Year 7-9 Excursion to Werribee Zoo

In Term 4, our Prep & Year 7-9 students have enjoyed learning about different animal habitats and what animals need to survive. This culminated in an excursion to the Werribee Zoo. Here is what some of our students had to say about our day, along with some cute pictures:

"Yesterday we went to the zoo. We saw a gorilla at the zoo. Then we went of a safari bus." Maddox

"Yesterday I went to the zoo. My favourite thing was meerkats." Simreet

"Yesterday we went on the safari bus and I saw a bison." Alisha

"Yesterday we went to the zoo. I saw hippos. I saw King Kong." Angus

"Yesterday I saw a giraffe. Yesterday I went on the safari bus." Tiana

"Yesterday we went to the zoo. I saw a camel when I was on the safari bus." Sophie

"Yesterday we went to the zoo and saw lions. It was fun." Orlando

"Yesterday we went to the zoo. We saw some animals." Poppy

"Yesterday we saw some rhinos and I like the rhinos because they have sharp horns." Jacob

"Yesterday we went to see the animals. I saw a giraffe. The giraffe was eating leaves." Cora

"I saw cheetahs. I did go on a safari bus. I saw a zebra. I saw a giraffe. I saw a camel. I saw a goat. I saw hippos. Yesterday I went to the zoo." Alena

"I did go on the safari bus. I saw an antelope. I saw an ostrich. I saw camels. I saw hippos. I saw rhinos." Moya

"Yesterday we went on a safari bus. We saw a cheetah. She was asleep. They are fast but she was not fast." Lucas

"I saw an ostrich and a Mongolian horse and a cheetah. It was asleep. Yesterday it was fun." Miles

"Yesterday we went to the zoo and saw a gorilla and it was looking at us. Yesterday at the zoo the giraffes came closer to us. Yesterday the zebras ran away from us." Billy M

"I like the gorillas because they are strong and they live in the trees. I like the monkeys because they are cheeky. I went on a safari bus." Charlie

"Yesterday I went to the zoo and saw a meerkat. I like how they run." Ayaan

Year 12 Work Placement

Congratulations to Indee on a successful work placement at All Day Long Childcare and Education in Armstrong Creek. Indee attended her placement on Wednesday mornings for 2 hours. The staff commented that they really enjoyed having her and she was very helpful as an assistant in the class.

Indee gave a first hand insight into her experience:

"At all day long childcare centre I help the kids play all kinds of different stuff.

I sit with them and talk to them while they eat their snacks.

Then we go back to more playing.

When the kids get upset I give them a hug to help them feel better.

They are cute, adorable, nice and cheeky and they are funny. They love me being there.

I have learnt how to help them do things.

I love it there and want to keep going there, it is very good and fun, but I do get a little bit tired. If I worked there all day I may be exhausted!

Everyone is really nice to me and my support worker can stay with me as well."

Thank you to the team at All Day Long Childcare and Education.

Year 7-9 Camp

This week, our year 7-9 students jumped on a train and headed off to Melbourne for two nights for the 'Urban Camp'.

They completed lots of fun activities so make sure you check out the 'Positive Climate for Learning' page in this newsletter for all of the details and some photos!

2023 Booklist

Just a reminder that all booklist orders must be placed by this Sunday the 11th of December to avoid you being charged a delivery fee & to guarantee delivery prior to the beginning of the 2023 school year.

Please see the '2023 Booklist' page of this newsletter for more information and how to order.

Creek Coin Rewards

Skylah & Simreet in Prep have earned a reward through cashing in their Creek Coins & have chosen to have their names put in the newsletter.

Well done girls, we are all super proud of you!

On Monday the 5th of December, Kathryn & I had the absolute pleasure of hosting 17 students in the staff room for a combined Year 1 & 2 'Principals Morning Tea'.

The kids enjoyed a few sweet treats and told us all about their plans for the school holidays.

Thank you!

We would like to say a huge thank you to two of our major sponsors for our end of year community event that we had a couple of weeks ago, Hendry Cycles & Southern Prime Meat Co.

These two local businesses gifted us with some awesome prizes to be used in our raffle & Southern Prime Meat Co also donated the sausages for our sausage sizzle (which were absolutely delicious might I add!).

Thank you to these amazing local businesses, the night wouldn't have been the same without your generous contributions!

PSW Uniform Suppliers

Please see below link with a helpful video on how to shop with PSW for all of your school uniform needs & the helpful services that they offer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-hW1v2YPAM

Thank you again and have a happy and safe Christmas and New Year period. Take care.

Evan Savage

Principal

Dates To Remember

December 2022