Ryan’s Rambling 

Dear Families,

It’s been a brisk winter week here at Dana Street, with frosty mornings and crisp, sunny afternoons reminding us that Winter is still here. Despite the chilly conditions, our students have been busy with a wide range of engaging activities and opportunities that have brought warmth and excitement to our school community.

We kicked off the week with the Debating Competition, and we couldn’t be prouder of our school representatives – Daisy, Molly, Greta and Helena. Each of these students spoke with poise, clarity and conviction, tackling the complex topic of “Robots should replace teachers” They not only demonstrated strong public speaking and critical thinking skills, but also showed great respect for their peers and opposing teams. Participating in a formal debate can be daunting, but our team rose to the challenge with enthusiasm and maturity. A big congratulations to them for representing our school so admirably and it was wonderful to hear from Molly at this morning’s assembly. 

Across the week, we had the pleasure of welcoming Abbie, Emily and Kirrily from the Ballarat Art Gallery, who came to work directly with our students on a special creative arts project. Their passion for visual arts and storytelling was truly inspiring, and they brought fresh energy into our classrooms. Students had the opportunity to explore different techniques in water colouring, express their ideas, and learn about some of the gallery’s current exhibitions. We are incredibly grateful for this partnership, which brings the wider Ballarat arts community into our school and helps nurture our students’ creativity.

Thursday was a particularly memorable day for our Grade 1/2 students, who stepped back in time to experience “Ye Olde School Day”, a hands-on exploration of what school life was like in the 1850s. Dressed in bonnets, suspenders and other period clothing, the students spent the day engaging in learning reminiscent of the time, led by our amazing Ma’ams Kelly, Kellie, Louise Sarah, Bella and Leah. The students even paid poor old Mrs. Martin a visit, who was dreadfully ill with a cold. It was a fantastic blend of history and fun, with many students commenting on how different school was back then – and how grateful they are for today’s classrooms! Thank you to our staff and families who helped make the day so authentic and engaging.

Finally, as I type this our Basketballers are madly competing at the inter-school competition at Selkirk stadium! Let’s hope they continue to do well! 

Have a fantastic weekend 😊 

Ryan