PRIMARY NEWS 

from the Assistant Principals  

FAR OUT SCIENCE 

Last week, a group of very excited Holy Trinity students travelled to the University of New England to take part in Far Out Science, a hands-on science experience run by UNE Discovery. Students rotated through four action-packed sessions that brought real scientific research to life.

In The Amazing Brain, students learnt how different parts of the brain control our bodies, tested how our nerves respond to temperature and even experimented with the “funny bone” to create hilarious involuntary twitches.

The clear crowd favourite was Bunsen Burgers, where students suited up in the Meat Science Lab to mince meat, season it with a scientifically perfected amount of salt and a mix of their hand-chosen spices to create their own perfectly seasoned beef patties, followed by a delicious taste-testing session!

Things got both messy and educational in From Fork to Poo, as students used their hands to mimic the digestive system, comparing how the body processes healthy food versus processed food (with some very amusing results).

The day finished with the Chemistry Magic Show, filled with glowing reactions, dry ice demonstrations and plenty of loud surprises that had everyone “oohing” and “aahing”.

All students had a fantastic day and represented Holy Trinity with pride and enthusiasm. To make the day even more exciting, Ella McGavin was lucky enough to win a prize! Thank you to Miss Fleming and Miss Wilson for attending the excursion with our students. 

🏖️ BUSH TO BEACH

Last Thursday we hosted the team from Surf Life Saving Australia's 'Beach to Bush' program. Our students had an action-packed and highly engaging session focused on vital water safety when swimming in the ocean, rivers, dams, or pools.

The volunteer lifesavers, delivered an interactive presentation that covered key concepts for staying safe in and around the water this summer:

The Lifesaver's Role: Students learned all about the important job surf lifesavers and lifeguards do, how to identify them, and when to ask for their help.

The Red and Yellow Flags: The most critical lesson—always 'Swim Between the Flags!' They learned that the flags mark the safest patrolled swimming area.

Identifying Hazards: Tips on how to identify rip currents, marine creatures, and how to read safety signs.

Reaching and Rescuing: Lifesavers demonstrated safe ways to help someone in trouble by reaching them with an object (like a towel or floatation device) or throwing them a rope, without putting themselves in danger.

Sun Safety: A reminder that being sun-safe is part of beach safety, covering the importance of hats, sunscreen, and shade.

We encourage all families to talk to your children about what they learned and reinforce these life-saving messages, particularly as the warmer weather approaches and families plan holidays near water. 

✏️ SEMESTER 2 REPORTS

With the end of the school year approaching, our primary students have been working on completing their final assessments. This is a vital time for both students and teachers as it allows us to formally measure the academic growth and skill development achieved over the second half of the year. The assessments are designed to cover the breadth of the curriculum, ensuring we gather comprehensive data on student understanding across core learning areas.

These final assessments come in a variety of formats, tailored to the age and learning outcomes of each year level including hands-on tasks, oral presentations, and structured observations to demonstrate their knowledge, as well as formal tasks,  tests, projects, and extended writing pieces. Teachers are now marking and moderating this work, using the results alongside ongoing observations and student work to create a holistic and accurate picture of each student's achievement. This careful process ensures that the reports you receive will reflect not just a single moment in time, but your child's continuous effort, progress, and attainment throughout the entire semester.

SOCIAL MEDIA AGE RESTRICTIONS

New legislation is set to come into effect on December 10, 2025 that requires major social media platforms (such as TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and X/Twitter) to take "reasonable steps" to prevent children under the age of 16 from having or creating accounts.

We recognise that social media is a key way for many young people to connect with friends, and this change may cause feelings of frustration and confusion. A smooth transition depends on open, empathic, and ongoing communication.

By working together, we can ensure our children develop the resilience and skills needed to thrive both online and off.

There are several resources available to support families through the eSafety Commissioner.

https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/industry-regulation/social-media-age-restrictions/webinars

Week 4:

Primary Awards 

Arpit Josan, Braxton Anderson, Carter Reynolds, Millie Maddigan, Maddie Steptoe, Sree Gaddes, Emily Stuart, Rafe Waller, Ella McGavin, Kendall Brown, Harrison Myers, Hunter Brazier, Sam Postrak, Zara De Stefani, Ollie Gaias, Baz McDonald, Kason Davis, Rasik Aryal, Chimi Lhaden, Luka Reynolds, Beau Johns, Luca Johnson, Jack Oakes, Henry Afable, Fergus Lea, Alice Da Silva, Harper Swadling, Zach Andrews, Maisie Fuda-Riley, Addison Brown, Theo McBean

Infants Awards 

Sophie Clarke, Amariah Rennie, Jackson Dawson, Eva Roberts, Ronny Brooker, Adeline Devlin, Hazem Nawar, Hunter James, Van Fleming, Amelia Stieger, Jasper Marchant, Isla Pordage, Havana Smith, Toby Crichlow, Isabel Li, Chandler Ria, Jexi Waller, Aliarna Dye, Aiden Sharpe, Nick Lamparas, Blair Dries, Van McDonald, Josie Butcher, Daniel Ji, Catherine Jomin 

Week 5:

Infants Awards

Jaxon Prosser, Stella Nunes, Remedy Iskov, Hudson Fisher, Ryder Davis, Alvey Pizzardi, Liam Sims, Mia David, Hamish Hollingworth, Manan Sunar, Chase Carter, Charlotte Kemp, Savannah Stevens, Logan Butler, Julian O'Brien, Korbyn Krauss, Vihaan Sreejith, Olivia Zapata, Thomas Stanborough, Amelia Cleal, Jack Crichlow, George Guilfoyle, Charlton King, Charlotte Clarke 

Week 6:

Primary Awards 

Sophie Wait, KJ Eshman, Evie Selig, Lela Biscoff, Isla McMahon, Scarlett Shepherd, Ruby Pagden, Henry McCosker, Jeremy East, Archie Taylor-Connolly, Betty Dresu, Sienna Bourke, Lexi Page, Dustin Hollingworth, Sloane Garrett, Zoe Burdekin, Rocco Pettiford, Aleirah Goodwin, Riley Worgan, Esabel Jinesh, Zahli Wemyss-Colley, Elsie Guest, Charlie Schwark, Ashton Readett, Harlow Lea, Liam Lawson, Christian Bosco, Esther Bosco, Jayce Fenton, Tilly Eddy, Cooper Pottie, Ava Reynolds, Tilba Adams, Annabelle Apthorpe, Marshall Higgins, Fletcher Stevens, Chloe Younger

Infants Awards

Annabelle Hollingworth, Amelia Stieger, Isla Ticehurst, Ryder Davis, Lillian Wright, Allegra Thompson, Edward Guilfoyle, Austin Vickery, Cohen White, Charlotte Kemp, Zoe Hobday, Jack Warrener, Hamish Hollingworth, Amalia Blair, Tully Adams, Jordan Younger, Ryan Wang, Stella Golding, Cayden Collins, John Boland, Dominic O'Connell, Bella Van Der Merwe, Charlie Pollock, Elanora Bartman, Emerson Edwards