Learning and Teaching
SWAP in Term 1 in the Juniors
In our recent sessions, students have been exploring how and why drama is important for individuals and communities. Through structured movement games and role-play experiences, we explored how drama can be used to tell stories, celebrate events, express emotions, and strengthen connections with others.
We began by revisiting our safety expectations for dance and drama, focusing on spatial awareness, safe movement, and respectful partner work. Warm-up activities such as animal movement and freeze poses supported students to build confidence, creativity, and cooperation skills.
We also read My Country by Sally Morgan and used freeze-frame drama strategies to explore key ideas about caring for Country, belonging, and community. This prompted thoughtful discussion about who supports us at home and at school, and how we can ask for help.
To practise this skill, which aligns with our Respectful Relationship Topic 6: Help Seeking, students used finger puppets to act out different help-seeking scenarios. This allowed them to rehearse respectful language and confident communication in a supportive and engaging way.
We would love for you to ask your child/children: How do we ask for help? What does this sound like? Who can you ask for help at school? At home? In our community?
LS2 Juniors’ Recount Writing ✏️🌞
Our Prep, Grade 1 and Grade 2 students have had a fantastic start to the term by diving into recount writing and sharing their experiences!
Our Preps have been enthusiastically practising how to tell a story about something that has already happened. They began by orally composing their sentences together, carefully saying their ideas out loud while a teacher scribes for students to then copy into their writing books. Students have composed recounts about their holidays, as well as special learning experiences at school such as visits to the garden and seeing the chickens! They then drew amazing pictures to match their writing, making sure their illustrations helped to tell the story!
Our Grade 1s and Grade 2s have been focusing on sequencing their ideas clearly. They focused on using time connectives such as first, then, next and finally to organise their ideas clearly. It has been wonderful to see students carefully ordering their experiences and adding extra details to make their recounts more engaging. In addition to holiday recounts, students also wrote about SWELL Week, our exciting first week of school! They described the fun activities we enjoyed, including playing games with the seniors, meeting the new Preps and getting creative with lots of arts and crafts!
It has been wonderful to see students building confidence, celebrating their experiences and proudly sharing their work. We are so impressed with their effort and creativity and are so proud of the effort students are putting into their writing. Well done Junior students on your awesome writing in these first few weeks of 2026 and keep up the good work! 🌟
Sarah, Matilda & Nuri
LS2 Juniors
SENIOR SPORT
BIKE EDUCATION
The students are cycling beyond the school premises. We primarily navigated the bike paths around Banjo Paterson. I felt that they needed to communicate the essential commands from the instructor to each other and understand them. As they encountered pedestrians and fellow cyclists, the students demonstrated commendable conduct towards one another and the broader community. They adhered to all the safety protocols we had instructed them on and communicated effectively, ensuring that everyone enjoyed the cycling experience. Furthermore, this will assist the students in developing confidence in their ability to anticipate various situations while riding their bikes.
GRADE 3/4 SPORT
The students consistently demonstrate excellent listening skills and a strong motivation during their sports rotations. Their enthusiasm has positively impacted both their peers and us as coaches. The students get to experience what is expected of them when representing their school in Inter-school Sport.
GRADE 5/6 SPORT
The Grade 5/6 students demonstrated attentive listening during their recent training session in anticipation of their first Inter-school Sport competition. The teachers provided active support to enhance the students' development in their sport and addressed any questions they had. Wishing them the best of luck in their first Inter-school Competition against Rivergum Primary School on Friday 27th of March, which is an away game.
INTER-SCHOOL SPORT
The schools we are playing, dates and locations for these events are as follows:
- Friday March 27th, Rivergum Primary School - Away Game
- Friday April 24th, Lynbrook Primary School - Away Game.
- Friday May 1st, -St Kevins Primary SchoolHome Game.
- Friday May 15th, Hampton Park Primary School - Home Game.
- Friday May 29th, Lyndhurst Primary School - Away Game.
- Friday June 5th, Coral Park Primary School - Home Game.
- Friday June 12th, Kilberry Valley Primary School-Home Game..
- Friday June 19th, Summer Lightning Premiership
Venues for each sport are as follows for Lightning Premiership:
- Soccer - Melbourne City Synthetic Pitches (Casey Fields)
- AFL 9’s - Oval 2 (Casey Fields)
- Netball - Casey Stadium
- Volleystars - Casey Stadium
- Teeball - Oval 3 (Casey Fields)
Parents please approve your child’s consent on nFORMA to participate in Inter-school Sport.
Lulli Barbakos
lbarbakos@sfslynbrook.catholic.edu.au
Physical Education Teacher
Senior Sports Coordinator
EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
SENIORS
GRADE 6 BIKE EDUCATION
Next Friday our Grade 6's will continue their 2nd level of Bike Education: Pathways. They will be using the skills they have learnt, riding on pathways in the community.
Parents please ensure your child’s bike and helmet is at school next Friday March 6th. If you would like to drop your child’s bike off it can remain in the bike shed for the duration of the program. Students who do not have bikes and parents indicated this on nForma will be able to use a school bike and helmet but we only have limited amounts of school bikes.
If your child is riding to school a reminder that bike helmets are compulsory and students will need to dismount their bikes on school grounds and walk. Bikes can be placed in front of their Learning Space. Like always if raining heavily in the morning we ask that bikes be left at home.
URGENT - VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED
We are still looking for parent helpers to assist with the pathways program. To assist you must have a current Working with Children Check registered with the school office. If you are able to ride a bike and assist between 11.35-1.30 on the following days:
Friday March 6th
Friday March 13th
Friday March 20th
Friday March 27th
Even if you can only assist with one session please contact me at gfaiola@sfslynbrook.catholic.edu.au We have bicycles available for your use. Without assistance, the program will be difficult to run.
JUNIORS
URGENT - VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED
We are still looking for parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles who play a sport and are familiar with the rules and would like to run some Junior sporting clinics this Term. You would have to organise activities that would assist the students to develop skills in the particular sport and provide students with an experience of that sport.
In order to assist you will need to have a current Working with Children Check, which is registered with the school.
If you are able to assist and run some sporting clinics on one of the following days from 11.40-3.10 please email me at gfaiola@sfslynbrook.catholic.edu.au
Friday 6th March
Monday 16th March
Monday 23rd March
Monday 30th March
This would be a fantastic opportunity for our Junior students to experience a variety of sports.
WHOLE SCHOOL SPORTING EVENTS
HOUSE CHEERING PRACTICE
Today the Houses gathered together just before 1st lunch to work out their chants and cheering for House Twilight Sports. There was an electric atmosphere in each venue where the Houses gathered. Canting and cheering echoed down the hall leading to each Learning Space and Hall. We can’t wait to hear what they have come up with next Thursday! Who will win the House Spirit Award for their exceptional cheering and support of their competitors.
SFS HOUSE TWILIGHT SPORTS
Our annual Twilight House Sports will be held next week on Thursday March 5th from 5:30 to 8pm on the school grounds. This has proven to be a fantastic community event mainly due to the fact that most students attend.
This year once again, we will be giving points to the students who attend that will go towards the House Community Spirit Award at the end of the year. So just by attending students will receive points for their House!
Students who finish 1st to 4th in their events will also receive points for their House which will help to determine the winning House for the evening. Seniors who finish in these places will then be considered for District Athletics. By the end of the evening we will have presentations for the winning House and for the House that supports their team members.
This year novelty events for Juniors will be run behind the sports shed. As Seniors are running their races on the main track, Juniors will be taken to the area behind the sports shed to compete in a number of novelty races in their grade levels. Parents are most welcome to move to this area to watch their children. We ask that you walk straight across to the sports shed from where you are seated and then walk along side the sports shed to watch the Junior novelty races. Please ensure you remain clear of the main track as Seniors will be involved in their events.
The SFS Gift will also be awarded to our fastest Grade 6 girl and boy. With two races being run this year. This year Grade 6 students will qualify to run in this race by running heats within their Learning Space. We will have the 2 fastest girls and the 2 fastest boys form each Learning Space who will run in the Grade 6 Gift.
Students will be required to wear their sports uniform with a t-shirt in their house colour. Students and families are also encouraged to wear other accessories such as hats, scarves… in their house colour. It is advisable that students also bring a water bottle, hat and wear sunscreen.
Teresa House – Blue
MacKillop House – Yellow
Bosco House – Red
Patrick House – Green
Students will be sitting with their houses under their house marquees, supervised by staff. Teachers at each house will sign your child in at the beginning of the evening and out at the end of the night. We ask parents to not collect their children until the end of the evening, after the presentations as staff are busy during the night organising the students for their events.
We will also have races for toddlers and parents!!! And this year those that come 1st – 4th will also get points for their child’s House. So, make sure you come dressed with your runners and come join in the fun!!
We ask that parents bring chairs, blankets…. to sit on the hall side of the track to watch the various events on the evening. To ensure clear line of sight for supervision and safety, parents are asked not to come over to where children are assembled under the house marquees or near the finish line. We request that parents and any visitors to the school please use the toilets in LS2. Access will be from the courts. Students will be using the toilets in the Hall.
We are also looking for some helpers in the afternoon on Thursday 5th March between 2.30pm and 3.00pm to assist in putting the marquees up. They are quite heavy to lift so if Dads are available, we would greatly appreciate it. We will also need assistance packing up the marquees at the end of the night. If you are able to assist please indicate this via nForma.
Please complete the permission via nForma and ensure your child’s medical profile is up to date.
BASKETBALL CLINICS
Casey Basketball Association will be providing free basketball clinics for our Grade 3/4 students and LS3 Juniors in Week 8. We hope the Grade 3/4 students and LS3 Juniors enjoy the clinics and some might even discover that this is a sport they might want to take up out of school hours.
Further information will be provided to parents via nForma as we get closer.
NETBALL CLINICS
Casey Netball will be providing free netball clinics for our Grade 3/4 students and LS2 Juniors in Week 9 while the Grade 5/6 students participate in Inter-school Sports. We hope the Grade 3/4 students and LS2 Juniors enjoy the clinics and some might even discover that this is a sport they might want to take up out of school hours.
Further information will be provided to parents via nForma as we get closer.
SFS HOUSE CROSS COUNTRY
On the last day of term, which will be Friday April 2nd, the whole school will be involved in our traditional House Cross Country which will be held at school. We will be looking for the winning House as well as the winners for each level in the Juniors and age group in the Seniors. We will also be identifying the Senior students who will qualify to attend District Cross Country in Term 2.
Please save the date so you can come and support your child. We will also be asking for parent assistance on the day. Remember to assist, you must have a current Working with Children Check registered with the school office.
COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES
ST JOHN’S REGIONAL COLLEGE SPORTS ACADEMY FORUM
St John’s Regional College is holding a 2026 Sports Academy Forum, an evening designed for families and students who have a strong interest in sport, youth development, and future pathways. Details of the evening are as follows:
Sports Academy ForumBest Global Practices in Youth Coaching for SportThursday 5 March6:00 PM – 8:00 PMSt John’s Regional CollegeFree Event – All Welcome
This event brings together four leaders in elite youth sport:
- Simon Helmot – International cricket coach and high-performance leader
- Ben Robertson – National Wellbeing Manager, Tennis Australia
- Steven Lustica – Professional footballer and Director of Lustica Football Academy
- Jaysn Harvey – NBL1 South Women’s Head Coach and senior Basketball Victoria coach
Across cricket, football, basketball and athlete wellbeing, the guest speakers will share valuable insights into youth coaching, development pathways and the skills young people need to thrive in high-performance environments.
Please refer to the flyer below for additional information.
Any queries please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Giuliana
Extra-Curricular Coordinator