The LRC staff welcome students and families back for Term 2. We hope you all had a relaxed and rejuvenating break, ready to take on the weeks ahead!

Over the next 12 weeks the library will be busy celebrating many important literary events which are all celebrating major milestones - The Premier’s Reading Challenge, National Simultaneous Storytime and Children’s Book Week.

Premier’s Reading Challenge

Happy 20th Birthday PRC!

Reading update: Our students have read and verified 64 books in the first 50 days of the Challenge!

As described by our Premier of Victoria, “the challenge is about discovery: helping young Victorians discover new books, and a love for reading.”

The Premier’s Reading Challenge is underway with many students having used the recent break to get some of their novels read. Books can now be entered under your login online for verification. All Year 7-10 students have received log in information on their school email, but you can still register for 2025. If students can’t find their log in info, pop into the LRC to see the staff there for a new email.

To log in go to: Register and log in All students are challenged to read 15 Challenge books.

Students who complete the challenge will be in the draw to WIN prizes to the value of $100!

All students who meet the Challenge will also receive a certificate of achievement signed by the Victorian Premier and former Premiers.

Further information about how to use the new Challenge application is available at: School students and parents

National Simultaneous Storytime

Wow, a quarter of a century!

National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) is an annual library event held by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). Now in its 25th successful year, it is a fun event that aims to promote the value of reading and literacy, using an Australian children's book that explores age-appropriate themes.

Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the country. This year NSS takes place simultaneously online on Wednesday 21 May 2025 at 12:00pm.

The 2025 book to be read is The Truck Cat, written by Deborah Fenkel and illustrated by Danny Snell. The Truck Cat is a story about cats and humans, immigration and identity, and homes lost and found. It is the perfect book to inspire kindness and compassion to young children everywhere.

#NSS2025

Children’s Book Week

Children’s Book Week, a national event, turns 80 in 2025! This year’s celebration will run from Saturday 16 to Saturday 23 August. For 8 decades the CBCA has been dedicated to inspiring reading in students.

The theme for 2025 is Book an Adventure! The Children’s Book Council of Australia encourages children to “set off on an adventure through time, lands and imagination.”

The LRC has been caught up in the magic of this event, and is progressively creating a fun, whimsical and interactive display to promote the occasion. They have taken their inspiration for their display by tying it into another creative event in the school’s 2025 calendar, can you guess what is?

We hope you come to the party and help us in celebrating these exciting key events!

Hope you had a novel break !

Welcome to Term 2!

Mrs Ford & Ms Beavis

Heathmont Gazette

Curiosity, Compassion, Community

Issue 6 · 02 May 2025

In this issue