Primary School

Staff News

With the departure of Miss Rowland and Mrs Tonkin, we have been working hard to fill the vacated roles of Wellbeing Coordinator, Music teacher and Choir teacher nutil the end of this year. I am excited to confirm we made appointments to these roles. 

Wellbeing Coordinator - Mr Samuel Webster (Yr 6 Teacher) 

Music Teacher - Ms Leonie Williames (Returning from having a baby) 

Choir - Ms Stacey Zhou (current Instrumental Music Tutor) 

Samuel has already commenced in his role, making a proactive start in meeting with individual students and supporting teachers in the implementation of Wellbeing across the school. 

I am looking forward all that they will bring to the Lakeside College community.

Lakeside Students RISE Up

Lakeside Students RISE Up

This term, we have commenced giving Rise awards to students who exemplify positive habits of mind of:

R - Resilience

I - Integrity

S - Service

E - Empathy

The presentation of these will normally take place at Flag Assembly each Monday. Due to the weather, the inaugural Rise Awards this week were presented at Chapel. It is my great pleasure to announce that the following received awards this week:

Whilst we aim to ensure all students have the opportunity to receive an award, not all will necessarily receive one over the course of a year. We aim to announce these each newsletter.

Mr Craig Kupke

Head of Primary School

Discovering Australian Wildlife with Wild Action

The Year 1 students had an unforgettable visit from Wild Action, where they delved into the fascinating world of Australian animals and their crucial roles in our ecosystems. From adorable Sugar Gliders and baby Crocodiles to majestic native birds, our students had the opportunity to interact firsthand and learn about their habitats and behaviors. 

They were especially moved to learn about Critically Endangered species and were thrilled to gently pat a Bettong (a Critically Endangered Australian animal), deepening their connection to our unique wildlife. This hands-on experience not only sparked curiosity but also reinforced the importance of conservation efforts in preserving our precious natural heritage. 

This visit was part of the Year 1s Project Based Learning (PBL) on endangered animals.

Mrs Stephanie Cox

Year 1 Homeroom Teacher

Exploring Global Realities with ALWS

What an amazing experience some of our Lakeside students had on Thursday 18th July. Our students were excited to welcome Celia from Australian Lutheran World Service (ALWS). Celia's visit opened our eyes to the challenges faced by children throughout our world, reminding us of the importance of empathy and action in making a difference. Celia encouraged us to serve through love, compassion and understanding.

Using both human stories and a real-world presentation, Celia shared with our students how things we often take for granted, such as clean water, nutritious food, clothing and access to education, are luxuries for many children worldwide. Our students engaged with hands-on meaningful activities to deepen their learning while making connections with the realities faced by others not so fortunate.

During the incursion, students engaged in activities that gave them a glimpse into the lives of children in Developing Countries. They learned about the challenges faced by families living in poverty and some even participated in a budgeting activity where they had to make choices on feeding a family with limited resources. Through interactive games and thought-provoking conversations, our learners continued to appreciate their own quality of life, while being inspired to take action as global citizens. Enthused by this experience, our Year senior students will be working on projects to raise money forALWS causes. It's amazing to see our students eager to make a difference and support initiatives that bring hope and opportunity to those in need.

Prep- Plant Power Incursion 

On Thursday the 18th of  July 2024, the Prep cohort participated in a Science incursion run by Mad About Science called ‘Plant Power’. During this workshop the Prep students learn about the following things: 

• Why plants are living things 
• What plants need to grow 
• The different parts of a plant. 

Students took part in different activities including leaf rubbing to extract the chlorophyll, looking at the structure of leaves under a microscope, investigating how plants absorb water by seeing how coloured water traveled through a stick of celery and other activities.

The Prep learners had a wonderful time and made connections that will assist them with their learning in Science this term. 

Ms Michelle Whitlock

Prep Homeroom Teacher

DIVISION MIXED NETBALL 

On Friday 26th July a talented group of 11 boys and girls from Year 5 & 6, along with their Year 8 coaches went to Cardinia Life to compete in the Division Mixed Netball. They entered this competition after winning the Winter Lightning Competition against the schools in our local Officer Division. 

The day was a great success and experience with the students working well together and winning convincingly against St Johns Koo Wee Rup. The day concluded the playing off for the title, however Lakeside Primary School was very skillful and beat us. All of the students have a positive experience and should be very proud of their matches, conduct and progressing to the division competition. 

A huge thanks to the Year 8 coaches, and all parents for supporting their children in the division netball competition.

Mrs Eliza Silva

Coach

Book Week: 19 – 23 rd August

We are thrilled to announce the exciting upcoming events we have planned for Book Week this year, running from Monday 19th to Friday 23rd of August. The theme for this years Book Week is "Reading is Magic", and we cant wait to celebrate the wonders of literature and storytelling with our community.

To kick off the celebrations in style, we are thrilled to announce that acclaimed author Zanni Louise will be joining us on Thursday, 15th of August to ignite a spark of creativity among our budding writers. She will be visiting all of our students in the Primary school.

In line with our Book Week theme, our primary classrooms will be buzzing with activities that showcase our love for reading and writing. We are delighted to invite you to our inaugural Meet the Writer afternoon on Wednesday, 21st August, from 3:10 to 3:50 pm in our Primary School. This special event will feature our talented primary students showcasing their writing skills and sharing their creative ideas with all of you.

The afternoon will kick off on the Primary Basketball court before moving into the classrooms where our young authors will proudly display their favourite pieces of writing. We encourage you to engage with our student authors, ask them questions, and be inspired by their storytelling prowess. 

On Friday, 23rd August, we will continue the celebrations with our highly anticipated Book Week Parade. Students are invited to dress up as their favourite book characters or something that embodies the Magic of Reading. It promises to be a day filled with fun and creativity. This will begin at 8:50 am on the Middle School Basketball Court, all Parents and Caregivers are warmly welcome.

To further enrich the Book Week experience, on Monday 26th August, Perform Education, a renowned theatre company, will entertain our students with performances that bring to life the shortlisted Children's Council Book Week Books. We understand that some classes have swimming this day, and have created a contingency plan to ensure all students are able to engage with this performance. 

We are excited to come together as a community to celebrate the enchanting world of books during Book Week. Join us in fostering a love for reading and magic of storytelling! Please reach out to your child’s classroom teacher if you have any questions.

Premier’s Reading Challenge

Congratulations to all those students who have already completed the VPRC for 2024. This is just a gentle reminder to our families that we are encouraging our students to continue reading and adding their entries into their VPRC Log. We have just one more month to go! Please continue to encourage your child to read and complete this challenge. If you have any questions, please speak to your child's classroom teacher. Thank you for your ongoing support in fostering a love for reading in our students.

National Science Week: August 10 – 18th

We are excited to announce that National Science Week is fast approaching, running from the 10th to the 18th of August. This year, the theme for National Science Week is "Species Survival - More than just Sustainability", emphasising the critical role of science and innovation in safeguarding the existence and prosperity of various species in our rapidly changing world.

In our Primary School, our students will embark on a fascinating journey filled with diverse learning opportunities throughout this significant week. They will delve into the realms of disease-causing organisms, life-saving chemicals, clean water, photosynthesis, genetic screening, physics of building structures, artificial intelligence, and microplastics. By engaging in these activities, our students will not only broaden their knowledge but also develop a deeper appreciation for the remarkable impact of scientific advancements on our environment and the survival of species.

We look forward to witnessing our students' curiosity, enthusiasm, and creativity as they immerse themselves in the exploration of these critical scientific concepts during National Science Week. Let's celebrate the wonders of science together! 

Please be sure to check in with your learner throughout this week and ask about their wonderful and interesting new learnings.