Middle School News

Upper Primary (Years 5-6)

Last week students celebrated Values Week and the Legacy of Volunteering that Russ Jackson, who the school is named after. Students across the school were issued with ‘Jackson School Passports’ where they had the opportunity to have stickers added for the school’s Employability Skills. Teachers designed special activities that would require students to demonstrate each of the skills to earn a sticker in their passport for each skill. 

These ‘Employability Skills’ are:

As Russ Jackson volunteered at the school for more than 30 years, working with students to build seats, plant gardens and maintain the school, students were during the week involved in volunteering to help the school and it was explained that it meant they worked for no reward. He also started up the Senior school Work Experience Program that is still a part of the senior school program. Grade 5 /6 classes volunteered by picking up rubbish, organising library books into correct categories and tidying resources in our common room. 

Today was our whole school Sports day. Students spent two sessions rotating between different activities in mixed groups. They earned points for their teams by completing physical tasks that they have been practising in their Physical Education Lessons. 

Students are getting excited about going to the Sun Theatre in Yarraville next Tuesday the 18th of November. We are seeing the new Australian animated film ‘The Pout Pout fish” which is based on a popular children’s book series. We have watched the trailer and informed the students as it is a special opportunity for them as the film well not be released to the general public until the new year, so they are likely to be the first group of kids to see it in Australia!

Lower Secondary (Years 7-8)

Last week students in 78s went travel training. Some students caught the train into the city and went to Queen Victoria Market. Students practiced using public transport, tapping on and off their Myki, using the barriers to tap off at Flagstaff Gardens and ordering food at the market. Students were very respectful and responsible in the community. 

Additionally, students were celebrating values week last week. Students in 78D completed volunteering and challenges to practice the Jackson school values and employability skills. For learning and problem solving, students had to build a tower made out of spaghetti and marshmallows, students showed resilience by overcoming problems when their tower fell over and solved problems to ensure it stayed put. Students had a lot of fun celebrating the school values.