Specialists

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In the final week of Term 2, our whole school came together to celebrate Indonesian Day through a range of fun and engaging activities. Students from Prep to Year 6 took part in traditional crafts, such as batik painting, making orangutan puppets, and creating cultural headwear. They enjoyed making music with angklung instruments, playing the energetic game of sepak takraw, and learning more about Indonesian daily life and traditions. A highlight of the day was the themed photo booth, where students had the chance to capture a memory of their experience. It was fantastic to see Indonesian language and culture explored and enjoyed across the school!

This term, students will explore aspects of Indonesia’s history and culture to tie in with the 100-year celebrations of Yarra Road Primary. Prep students will learn about jungle animals and important national symbols, such as the Indonesian flag and the Garuda. Year 1 and 2 students will be learning parts of the body and discovering traditional performances and costumes. Years 3 and 4 are exploring vocabulary about homes, and exploring what houses are like in Indonesia, including a range of traditional-style houses, while Year 5 and 6 students will investigate Indonesia’s weather and how the country has changed over the past 100 years.

Performing Arts

It’s been a vibrant start to Term 3 in Performing Arts, with students dancing their way through history as part of our ‘Dancing Through the Decades’ unit! Each year level is exploring music and movement styles from different time periods, preparing for our exciting 100-Year Anniversary Showcase in Week 8.

Here’s a snapshot of what’s happening in our Performing Arts space this week:

Dancing Through the Decades

Students are continuing to rehearse their decade-themed dances and refine choreography developed earlier this year. We’re working on:

• Entrances and exits

• Stage placement

• Timing and expression

Each class will perform at our whole-school celebration on Friday the 12th of September. A full performance schedule will be shared closer to the event.

Choir News

Our school choir is preparing two pieces for the anniversary celebration. They’re rehearsing weekly and demonstrating excellent commitment and teamwork.

 Student Voice and Creativity

This term, students are encouraged to:

• Contribute choreography ideas

• Share reflections on their learning

• Support peers with feedback during rehearsals

Thank you for your continued support as we prepare for a truly memorable celebration of Yarra Road’s rich history and creative spirit. If you have any questions about Performing Arts this term, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Physical Education

Prep

We were off and dribbling too! Last week we started our basketball unit by practising a variety of different dribbling skills. We practised dribbling with both hands and learning to stop when the whistle blew. Then we applied our ball skills to some minor games. Basketball Stars for the future!

Years 1 and 2

Our Years 1s and 2s also commenced the term with a basketball unit. The focus in the first week was developing hand-eye co-ordination through dribbling. We practised a variety of drills and games, which enabled us to practise on both sides of our bodies, across the midline, at different levels, directions, and speeds. We also had the challenge of keeping our balls still when the whistle went! Next week we will combine dribbling with shooting!

Years 3 and 4

Last week we continued our Basketball Unit by practising dribbling as a warm up, playing Captain Ball for our catching skills, and we then worked collaboratively on our shooting skills. We had some wonderful student coaches, who helped their team mates develop their basketball skills.

Years 5 and 6

Term 1 commenced with a crash course in basketball due to the lead up to the Hooptime Competition. Students shared with each other a variety of dribbling skills and then worked collaboratively to perform lay ups and improve the execution of their shooting skills. I was exceptionally pleased with the way all groups worked together. 

Week 2 saw students commence both skipping and volleyball units. We warmed up by practising our rusty skipping skills, with the intention of developing cardio vascular fitness and gaining skills proficiency, so we can create routines later in the term.

We also started practising digs, sets, and serves for volleyball, so we can apply these skills to game situations next week.

Junior Hooptime

Well done to our Junior Hooptimers on their results at the Junior Hooptime Tournament at Mullum Stadium on Tuesday. All students put on a fantastic display of both skill and sportsmanship that made YRPS proud. All teams achieved considerable success with our Future Stars Boy’s and Girl’s teams progressing through to Regionals.

A special thank you to Cam, Josh, Adrian, and Bec for giving up their time to coach us. You were awesome! Thank you also to those parents who contributed to scoring, without you we could not participate in these events.

Senior Hooptime

Congratulations to our wonderful basketballers who competed in the Senior Hooptime on Monday. We had a large contingent consisting of six teams. All team members not only demonstrated terrific basketball skills, but also conducted themselves in a manner that made us very proud. We had four teams make it to the Grand Final, with the All Stars Girls Team being successful in winning their Grand Final and making it through to the Regional competition to be conducted in Term 4.

A very special thank you to our volunteer coaches, Richard, Jarrod, Jordan, and Josh. We were especially lucky to have coaches with such intensive basketball expertise and also a  wonderful rapport with our students. Thank you also to the team of scorers, without your assistance these events could not progress.

STEAM

STEAM in Term 3: Exploring the Eras!

This term in STEAM, each year level is diving into a different decade as part of our centenary celebrations! From the 1920s to the 2010s, students are exploring the art, science, inventions and culture of their allocated era through hands-on, creative learning.

STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. Rather than teaching Science and Art separately, STEAM allows students to make rich connections between disciplines—encouraging curiosity, creativity and critical thinking. Through this integrated approach, students are not only learning about the past but also gaining skills for the future. We can’t wait to share their work!