Specialist News 

Physical Education

Triathlon

Congratulations to all Triathlon participants. 

Whilst our depth was tested, all who attended did their best which is our only covenant. It was great to see all students extending themselves, being active and enjoying the achievement of completion, whatever the discipline assigned.

Bruny Island Ultra/Standard Marathon

A little bit off track but I was just reminded in the last few weeks how important staying fit and healthy is. Especially if you can share any type of exercise/recreation as a family. It also builds experience and connection whatever the group or team.

Two weeks ago my family competed as a group in the Bruny Island Ultra Marathon as a relay. It involved running from one end of the island to the other (64km). I only contributed a few measly km's due to dodgy knees but the rest of the family ran about 20km each.

I really get a kick out of past students achieving something through keeping active. Hopefully our PE program has had a part in setting the foundations for all students. One of our own past students ( Meg Hibbert) came 2nd in the standard Bruny Marathon (42 km) in just under 3.5 hours which had some gruelling hills. Meg has competed in quite a few marathons now including Tokyo last year. Sensational effort. 

Bike Ed

Even though we finished our skill sessions for Bike Ed a couple of weeks ago and were able to apply some of those lessons to Triathlon, the big application for these lessons in a road environment comes at our 'Big Day Out' this Thursday.

Students will get the chance to ride in formation on sealed roads around Pt Leo and apply both knowledge and skills to stay in formation and follow basic road rules.

Thanks in advance to Tim Herbert and Adrian Van De Kasteele for looking after the bike transport to and from Pt Leo which is a massive job.

Westernport Bicycles 

Whilst on the matter of bikes, thanks to Daniel from Westernport Bicycles coming to service all our school bikes last Monday. 

If you are in the market for a new bike or simply need a service or accessories, Daniel is the man. Westernport Bicycles is situated in the main street of Hastings. The temptation is always to go with the cheapest option at the larger stores but check Westernport Bicycles out first for advice, quality and fit out.

Mr. E 

Digital Technologies

Digi-Tech 2025: A Year of Creativity, Problem-Solving and Digital Confidence

This year in Digi-Tech, students across the school have explored a wide range of digital tools and skills designed to build creativity, critical thinking and safe online behaviours. Our learning began with a strong focus on Cyber-Safety, where students developed their understanding of responsible online choices, protecting personal information, and recognising safe ways to communicate in digital spaces.

As the year progressed, students moved into hands-on coding through Scratch, Scratch Jnr and Code.org. Younger students built simple programs using block-based coding, learning sequencing and cause-and-effect, while older students designed interactive stories and games that required logical thinking and problem-solving. These platforms gave students the confidence to see themselves as creators, not just users, of technology.

Creativity continued to shine through a range of multimedia projects. Students used animation apps such as Chatterpix Kids and Puppet Pals to bring their drawings, characters and stories to life. Many classes experimented with stop-motion video, learning how small adjustments and careful planning can produce impressive visual storytelling. Later in the year, students explored the world of digital audio through the creation of podcasts, developing scripts, recording narration, and adding sound effects to produce polished mini-episodes.

Overall, 2025 has been an exciting year in Digi-Tech, full of imagination, innovation and growing digital capability. Our students have shown enthusiasm, curiosity and collaboration at every step.

Looking ahead to next year, we are excited to continue building students’ digital confidence with an even stronger emphasis on E-Safety, helping students navigate online spaces with awareness and responsibility. This is a follow up to the federal government legislation surrounding social media age restrictions which come into effect on December 10. Further information about this legislation can be accessed at the following link; https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/industry-regulation/social-media-age-restrictions-hub

We will also expand our hands-on technology experiences through robotics, introducing students to Blue-bots and LEGO WeDo 2.0. These tools will allow students to explore coding, engineering and problem-solving in a highly engaging, interactive way. We look forward to another year of curiosity, creativity and technological discovery in Digi-Tech.

Mr. Durrington

🎨 Visual Arts 

Our Art Room has been bursting with colour, creativity and festive energy this term! Here’s a look at what each year level has been exploring:

Foundation / Year 1 – Van Gogh Sunflowers

Our youngest artists have been inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s iconic Sunflowers. Students used acrylic paints and practised short, textured brush strokes to mimic Van Gogh’s expressive style. 

Year 2/3 – Christmas Tree Wreath Collages

Year 2/3 students have been busy cutting, layering and arranging paper to create stunning Christmas tree wreath collages. They practised careful placement, symmetry and colour choices to design festive artworks full of personality. They also finished off sewing their pizza plushie project.

Year 4/5 – Christmas Craft Exploration & Plushies

The Year 4/5s had an exciting free-choice festive craft unit! Students selected from Christmas tree yarn wrapping, mini beanie yarn crafts, and clay Christmas ornaments. Their creativity really shone as they explored different materials and construction techniques. Many also put the finishing touches on their plushie projects, showing fantastic persistence and problem-solving skills.

Year 5/6 – Emoji Plushies & Graduation Portrait Display

Our senior students proudly completed their hand-sewn emoji plushies, demonstrating their growing sewing confidence and attention to detail. 

In addition, the class finished painting their kiln-fired decorative clay mugs, bringing each design to life with colour and personal flair. 

The Year 6 students also wrapped up their silhouette portrait display—created especially for graduation. These portraits celebrate each student’s identity, style, and growth as they finish their primary years. 

It has been a wonderful term of artistic exploration. We’re so proud of the creativity, effort and excitement students continue to bring to Visual Arts each week!

🖌️Mrs. Roberts

Auslan

Junior School

In Junior School Auslan, students have been building their fingerspelling skills. Our Foundation students have been enthusiastically learning the Auslan alphabet, practising how to form each letter with accuracy and confidence. The rest of the Junior School has been revisiting and strengthening their alphabet knowledge through engaging activities such as Auslan Alphabet Bingo and Auspac. It has been wonderful to see students supporting one another and growing in confidence as they develop this important communication skill.

Middle & Senior School

In the middle and senior school, students have recently been completing assessments for reporting. They have been demonstrating their growing ability to sign accurately and interpret instructions and classroom signs with confidence. Students were assessed on both expressive and receptive signing skills, showing how well they can understand Auslan used in everyday classroom situations and respond appropriately. It has been wonderful to see their confidence and communication skills continue to grow.