Acting Principal News
Building update
Our STEAM Centre is now complete, and we’re just waiting for the furniture to arrive. This is an incredibly exciting time for our school community. The STEAM Centre provides our students with the opportunity to learn in cutting-edge facilities, designed to support innovative and forward-thinking teaching in purpose-built spaces. With our specialist programs—Art, Music, and STEM—located in this new centre, every student will have the chance to benefit from this fantastic resource.
On Tuesday 10th September our school captains had the honour of officially opening the new toilets for all students at Banyan Fields. The STEAM Centre will be officially opened on 20th September by the Member for Carrum, Sonya Kilkenny MP, along with our school captains and SRC students.
STEAM Design & Maker Conference
On Friday, 6th September, the Year 5 SRC students, along with Miss Sampson and Mrs Nummey, attended the STEAM Design & Maker Conference at Carrum Primary School. The conference brought together several schools from the region, providing a fantastic opportunity for students to collaborate on a range of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Maths) activities.
Our students had a great time participating in the Robocup Challenge, where they were tasked with programming a robot car to navigate from one side of the mat to the other without hitting any obstacles. Ariana and Rose were the first team to successfully get their robot car across the finish line—well done, girls!
The students also learned about biomimicry, which involves using nature’s designs, processes, and ecosystems to create more sustainable or effective products. We spent time exploring the schoolyard, collecting interesting leaves, branches, flowers, and insects to examine under the microscope. The students were fascinated by the intricate details they discovered and used these observations to inspire new creations. For example, TJ and Luca used the flower of a Bottlebrush to redesign a toothbrush, while Rose and Ariana used a Correa leaf and a Geranium leaf to create a soft lining for a picnic basket. All four students confidently shared their designs with students from other schools.
It was an amazing day, and the students are excited to bring back what they’ve learned to share with everyone at school.
Little Learners Love Literacy
Our Foundation to Year 2 students are making remarkable progress in their phonics and phonemic awareness through the Little Learners Love Literacy program. This structured approach has not only strengthened their foundational reading skills but also boosted their confidence in reading. As they engage with the program, students are becoming more proficient in recognising sounds, blending them to form words, and reading with increased fluency. The improvement in their reading abilities is clearly visible, and it’s wonderful to see them feeling more self-assured and enthusiastic about reading. This confidence is laying a strong foundation for their future literacy development.
Prep to 2 Assembly
It was truly heartwarming to see our Prep to Year 2 students proudly collecting their reading and Bright Star Awards for specialist subjects at assembly again this week. Watching their faces light up as they received recognition for their hard work is a reminder of just how far they’ve come. It’s especially encouraging to see so many of our students achieving the milestone of 200 nights of reading. This dedication to daily reading not only nurtures a lifelong love of books but also plays a crucial role in supporting their long-term literacy development. By making reading a regular part of their routine, students are laying the foundation for strong literacy skills that will benefit them throughout their schooling and beyond. We’re so proud of their progress and excited to see them continue to grow.
Music
During Term 3, our Year 3/4 students explored music from Aboriginal culture. They composed their own pieces inspired by the rich tradition of song lines in Indigenous culture. Ben, Koshalee, and Keanu (from 4W) created a piece that represented a “long journey.” Keanu, who has Noongar heritage from Western Australia, taught Ben how to play the didgeridoo, and they were both eager to share their musical creation with their friends.
School Holidays
As this is our final newsletter before the holidays, I’d like to wish everyone a safe and happy break. Our last day of school is Friday, 20th September, and we hope all students get involved in the fun of our footy day. Students will be back at school on Monday, 7th October. During the holidays, our Year 1 and 2 classrooms will be freshly painted and re-carpeted, ready for Term 4. I’m sure the students in those year levels will love the new furniture and the clean, fresh environment when they return.