Stage 3

Great Aussie Bush Camp

Departure and arrival times

Next Tuesday 29 August, Stage 3 students will be departing for their 3-night camp at Great Aussie Bush Camp. Students are asked to be at the school hall no later than 6:15am, as the buses must leave promptly at 6:30am in order to make it to camp for our first activity. Our expected arrival back at school on Friday 1 September is approximately 6:30pm. 

Snacks and food

Please note, that due to the bus company policies, students will be unable to consume food and drinks during the bus trip, so please save those snacks for our rest stops. Students will only be required to pack morning tea for the bus trip to camp as all other meals are provided and food is not allowed in the cabins. 

Medication

Please ensure that any medication which is to be administered during the camp has been approved by the Principal, prior to next Tuesday. We are unable to accept any medications on the morning of departure without this approval. A medication collection point will be set up outside the hall on the morning of departure as well as a collection point for souvenir order forms. 

Thank you to our families who have navigated the new School Bytes portal in order to complete the camp medical forms. This platform has enabled us to collate this medical information far more efficiently than the original paper version of this form. 

Communication during camp

Ms Clayton will have the school mobile with her for the duration of camp. Please call the school mobile on 0436 383 871 if you need to contact us during the excursion. An update on arrival times will be communicated via SchoolStream.

ASC Transition Day

On Tuesday, all of Year 6 will be attending a transition day at Armidale Secondary College. This day is for all Year 6 students, regardless of whether or not they are intending on enrolling at ASC in 2024. Students will be accompanied by Ms Clayton, Mrs Howlett and Mrs Hunt and will engage in a variety of activities to familiarise students with high school curriculum and organisation. There will be further transition days next term for those students who are intending on enrolling at ASC for next year. 

Book Week

This week, we are celebrating Book Week at Ben Venue. On Friday, we will hold our book parade, where students have the opportunity to come to school dressed as their favourite book character. There will also be a book fair held throughout the week. Please read the library section of this newsletter and keep an eye on SchoolStream for further information and announcements regarding our Book Week celebrations. 

English

In English lessons this semester, students have examined an interactive eBook, Everyday Heroes, which challenged their thinking about what makes a hero. They have discussed the way our personal perspective and experiences shape our opinions. Students constructed claim statements to express their thoughts on what makes a hero and have also written interesting complex sentences on the topic. They have examined the way the author structured the text and have learnt how to use an ellipse effectively for different purposes. After examining sample superhero descriptions, students are now working on writing their own superhero description following a similar structure.

Over the remainder of the term, students will prepare a presentation about an everyday hero they admire. This could be someone they know personally, a local community member or someone who is well known in the wider community for a contribution they have made to better the lives of others. Students will prepare, rehearse and present an oral presentation about their chosen hero.

Science

In Science this term, Stage 3 students are exploring Earth's place in space. They are explaining regular events in our solar system, such as phases of the moon and comparing the features of Earth to other planets in our solar system. Recently, students enjoyed explaining the different phases of the moon through creating an Oreo cookie model. They are currently completing a research task on a planet and comparing its features to Earth. 

Behind the scenes at ACOS

Richard Cotter, Rebecca Hunt, Anne-Maree Pattison, Karen Watson and Jennine Wilson

Stage 3 Teachers