Junior School

BOOKS TO LIFE

On Monday, we welcomed Tony ‘Bones’ Appleby and the ‘Books To Life’ travelling show to the Junior School. Tony presented ‘General Waste’ to the ELC to Year 6 classes. The show was an adaptation of a 2025 CBCA shortlisted text. 

It explored themes of finding joy in simple things, the consequences of overconsumption and waste, and the importance of making better choices for oneself and the environment. 

Our students thoroughly enjoyed the performance and the Q and A with Tony at the conclusion of the show. 

WEEK 9 JUNIOR SCHOOL CAMPS

In the final week of Term Three, we have two school camps. 

Our Year 3 and Year 4 classes will attend the Cave Hill Creek Camp at Beaufort. This will be our first visit to this camp provider. A range of exciting outdoor activities awaits our students, including archery, bush cooking, canoeing, hut building, giant ladder and low ropes.

Our Year 1 and Year 2 students will head south to Port Fairy and Warrnambool, where they will visit Flagstaff Hill and explore in and around Port Fairy. It will be the first overnight school camp for our Year 1 students.

The organisation, coordination and staffing of camps is a huge undertaking. Many thanks to Mrs. Povey, Ms Brabham, Ms Winstanley, Mrs. Alexander, Mrs. Milich and Mrs. Callinan for their individual and collective efforts.

YEAR 6 MIRRANATWA VISITS

On Tuesday, I had the pleasure of joining Mr. Hawthorne, Mr. Bell, the Year 6 students, and our Gapper Jemima Mitchell at Mirranatwa for their third trip to this beautiful part of the world. Along with our ELC 4 group, the Year 6 students have been the most frequent visitors to the College’s bush campus. The students explored the block, built bush cubby houses, cooked damper, roasted marshmallows, and toasted their sandwiches over an open fire. They revelled in the outdoors, worked as a team, and thoroughly enjoyed their day in nature. In 2024, we explored the Japanese philosophy of Ikigai via the weekly newsletter. One of the 10 Rules of Ikigai is Connection with Nature. This can deliver powerful outcomes.

*Interacting with nature provides a sense of peace and renewal, which is vital for personal growth.  

*Similar to relationships with people, your connection with nature fosters a deep feeling of belonging, enhancing your overall sense of purpose. 

*Being in nature encourages you to be present and appreciate the moment.

*Engaging with nature can provide joy and a sense of purpose. 

Thank you to Mr. Bell and Mr. Hawthorne for their coordination of this important element of the Year 6 program. 

SPOTLIGHT ON MYRNIONG LEARNING

Year 1 - In our History unit, the Year 1s are learning all about school life in the past in preparation for our visit to the village school at Flagstaff Hill next week.  

Year 2 - In our Geography unit, the students have made paper mâché globes which they have painted, added and labelled the 7 continents. They have also included an animal they might see on each continent. They also planned a world trip that needed to include specific criteria of places to visit, for example, a place in the Northern Hemisphere. This was an opportunity to show what they have learned.

FATHER’S DAY/FOOTY COLOURS DAY

Thank you to our Boarding House chef, Josh Donnelly, for all the cooking and food preparation that went into providing breakfast for our ELC and Junior School dads last Friday. It was a lovely morning in the sun. The company and egg and bacon rolls were much appreciated by all.

We raised $159.50 for the Cancer Foundation via our Footy Colours Day fundraiser. 

HOCKEY

Best of luck to the Under 13 Eagles who take on Coleraine Gold at 1.00 pm in the Grand Final at Pedrina Park. The Junior School also has two players, Tommy Brown and Hugo Cameron, in the College Under 16 team playing Demons in the Grand Final at 10.00 am. 

END OF TERM

Next Friday is the final day of Term 3.   Students will be dismissed from the Junior School at 2.15 pm.  After-school care will conclude at 4.30 pm.