Junior Years News

End of Year Junior Year Events 

Step-up Day 

On Thursday 30 November, all Junior Year classes will ‘step up’ to their new 2024 class. They will have an opportunity to spend most of the day with their new teacher in their new classroom as part of our 2024 orientation. Not all of our 2024 teachers will be present on the day, but students will be made aware of who their teacher will be and will join in some activities in preparation for the new school year. This is also the final day of our Prep 2024 Orientation as well. 

The Christmas Concert 

All families would have received an invitation to the annual Good News Christmas Concert (The Christmas Story). Please make sure you have completed the Signmee for your child so that teachers know who will be attending the evening. Students will begin assembling in their class groups on the JY Basketball Court at 6.15pm ready for a 6.30pm start.  Prior to this, the audience will be entertained by some of our young musicians.  This is a perfect opportunity to bring along your family and friends as we celebrate Christmas. 

 Junior Years Award Ceremonies 

These will take place on Monday, 4 December in the College Gym. 

9am: Prep – Year 2 Tarneit and Mambourin 

11.30am: Year 3 – 5 

At this ceremony students will receive awards in the following categories: 

PYP Award for Action 

The Junior Years PYP Action award acknowledges the core development of student agency. It is an integral aspect of their PYP learning journey and to the programme’s overarching outcome of international mindedness. The Junior Years PYP action award recognises a student’s dedication to both application of learning and participation or service to make a significant contribution to their school, local or global communities. There is one award for each of the Junior Year classes, including Mambourin. 

Junior Years Specialist Subject Award 

The Junior Years Specialist Subject Award acknowledges a student in each specialist subject area – Art, German, Music, and Physical Education - who has excelled in attitude and application of learning.  They may have been a risk taker when they tried something new, became more knowledgeable about the subject, demonstrated critical thinking skills or been principled in the way in which they approached learning.  There is one award for each subject at each year level for Tarneit students and one award for each subject for the combined Mambourin classes. 

Principal's Award for College Values 

The Principal’s Award for College Values recognises an individual who consistently demonstrates one or more of the College values of Grace, Respect, Integrity and Courage and displays the IB Learner Profile of caring in an exemplary manner. There is one award for each of the Tarneit year levels and one award for the combined Mambourin students. 

Principal's Award for Achievement 

The Principal’s Award for Achievement recognises a student at each year level who has demonstrated significant growth and progress in one or multiple areas across their learning. There is one award for each of the Tarneit year levels and one award for the combined Mambourin students. 

Mission and Worship Award 

The Mission and Worship Award is conferred upon students who have rendered exceptional and exemplary service to the college community through active participation and leadership in the worship life and mission endeavours of the school throughout the year. There are two awards per year level for Tarneit students and one award for each of the Mambourin year levels. 

Parents of award recipients will be invited to attend the appropriate event. As the College is in the process of moving to a Primary and Secondary school structure, there will be no graduation from Year 5 this year. In 2024 the Year 6 students will graduate from Primary into Secondary school. 

You may have noticed over the time that your children have been at Good News that we do not present many awards. The reason behind this is because we desire that our students develop intrinsic motivation, meaning that they work hard and put effort into their studies, relationships, behaviour, and school life as this is the right thing to do and will benefit them in the long run. Offering rewards in exchange for certain behaviour can encourage children to think that they should be rewarded for everything they do, and this is called extrinsic motivation.  

Therefore, when our teachers think about who will receive the awards that we present, it is a very important decision and something to be highly valued by the recipient. 

Tuesday 5 December 

Prep - Year 2 Sports Day and Prep - Year 5 Colour Run 

On Tuesday 5 December, all Tarneit and Mambourin Prep - Year 2 students will be involved in some special sport activities organised by the GNLC PE staff. As usual, students will need their water bottle and College hat. 

This will take place on the College oval and will be run and supervised by the PE department with the assistance of Year 5 leaders. 

Parents are welcome to come along and cheer on their children. 

9.15am – 10.30am: Prep and Year 1 Mambourin students & Prep Tarneit students 

11.15am – 12.30pm: Tarneit Year 1 and 2 students 

Colour Run 

After lunch, all students, Prep – Year 5 from the Tarneit and Mambourin campus will be able to join in a Colour Run on the College oval to support the St Phillips Lutheran Congregation Foodbank.  Entry for this event can either be a gold coin or a donation of a non-perishable food item. 

All students will be supplied with a pair of sunglasses to protect their eyes during the run which involves non-toxic coloured powder being squirted on them as they work their way through a running course. They will need a white or light-coloured T-shirt to wear for the run as they will get messy.  Students can either wear this all day or change into it at lunchtime.  Once again parents are welcome to come and watch. 

Mambourin students will start their run at 1.45pm. 

Tarneit Preps & Year 1 at 2pm. 

Year 2 & 3 at 2.15pm. 

Year 4 & 5 at 2.30pm. 

Maria Denholm

Head of Junior Years

Pre-Carol Rehearsals

A group of students from Years 4 to 5 have been practising for the pre-carols performance as part of 'The Christmas Story' event on 1 December. The ensemble comprises various instruments ranging from strings to percussion. The students will be performing Christmas carols and other musical pieces, including Christmas classics such as Jingle Bell Rock and Little Drummer Boy!

Junior Library gets a Facelift

The Junior Library has reopened this week after getting a new look.

While the library was closed students were thrilled that Ms Donaldson brought the library resources to the classrooms. Little hands peered through the windows wondering what was happening. The big reveal has been received very well by staff and students.

It is amazing how refreshing the new colour scheme is. The books face out and many resources which were previously hidden are already being borrowed.

Library staff are enjoying hearing reflections on the new look and how easy it is to find things.

Sharing the Planet

Through our ‘Sharing the planet’ units, the Mambourin students have been developing and applying research skills to find out more about living things - how they survive and the environments they need.   

Children have used a variety of resources; books and Kiddle (a Junior online encyclopedia) to create their own eBooks. This has allowed them to increase their knowledge and learn key facts and then transfer that knowledge into their own words and presentation.  

The Prep children are conducting experiments and observing how plant life grows and observing the changes that occur daily. This allows them to synthesise the information from research (books and videos) to explore theories and deepen their understanding.  

These experiences not only develop scientific knowledge of their world but also give them skills to use other resources, to ask questions and to draw conclusions. This supports our children in thinking about theories and finding out if those theories are valid.  

Lara Ronalds

Mambourin Campus Coordinator