Dear Families,

Welcome back to Term 3!

I hope everyone enjoyed a restful break and had the opportunity to spend quality time with family and friends. It has been wonderful to see our students return with smiling faces, eager to reconnect with their classmates and teachers and ready for another exciting term of learning.

Term 3 is always a busy and rewarding time in our school. Across all year levels, students will participate in engaging learning experiences, special events, and opportunities to develop new skills, build confidence, and celebrate their achievements.

Year 5/6

Our Year 5/6 students have begun their winter sports program, participating in the Yarrawonga Lightning Premiership today (31 July) and the Tri-Series competition in weeks 4, 6, and 8 of term. The Tri-Series provides a fantastic opportunity for students to compete against local rivals, St Joseph's and Cobram Primary School, in soccer and netball.

Students are also being introduced to the Trade Centre. Mr McConnell, with support from several Senior School students, will guide the Year 5/6 classes through the process of designing and creating products using specialised software and laser-cutting technology. This will provide students with an exciting glimpse into the opportunities that await them in secondary school.

In Literacy, students are researching influential Indigenous Australians, developing their skills in locating, evaluating, and synthesising information to write biographies. This learning will culminate in the much-anticipated Wax Museum at the end of the term, where students will showcase their research on influential Australians from the Federation era, as well as significant Prime Ministers throughout our nation's history.

Year 3/4

Our Year 3/4 students are focusing on non-fiction writing, which complements their first overnight camp to Beechworth in Week 8. For many, this will be their first experience away from home, making it an exciting milestone. Students are researching Beechworth and its surrounds using online resources and historical texts, building valuable background knowledge that will support both their writing and camp experiences. Their exploration of non-fiction also extends into Integrated Studies, where they are learning about Earth sciences, climate change, and the water cycle.

When I visited their classrooms this week, students enthusiastically explained how to survive without fresh drinking water if stranded in the bush or on a desert island. It was wonderful to see such curiosity and engagement in their learning.

Foundation and Year 1/2

I am always amazed by the growth, independence, and maturity of our youngest learners. Term 3 is a particularly important time for these students, as many of the foundational skills developed earlier in the year begin to consolidate. Classroom routines become second nature, allowing students to engage with increasing confidence and independence.

Teachers continue to inspire creativity through wonderful art experiences linked to picture storybooks. The recent NAIDOC Week artworks were particularly impressive and showcased both talent and thoughtful learning.

Students are currently exploring the movement of the sun and investigating how shadows are formed. In Mathematics, they have become "shape detectives," exploring the school to identify and record examples of 2D and 3D shapes. Through discussion and investigation, they are developing a deeper understanding of the features that distinguish shapes such as squares and rectangles.

As we move through the term, we encourage every child to embrace new challenges, show kindness to others, and always strive to do their personal best. I look forward to another wonderful term of learning and celebrating the successes of our students.

Thank you for being such an important part of our school community.

Junior School Assembly

On 31 July, our Junior School convened for its first assembly of the term. A focus of this assembly was on equality on what it means to be an inclusive friend. In terms of the awards, we recognised and celebrated student who are considered inclusive learners by their teachers and classmates.

Vision For Learning Awards (Inclusive Learners)

Foundation: Ravnaaz Singh, Crystal Forsyth, Jasmine Forsyth

1/2 R: Tze QiAng, Ibadat Randhawa, Elijah Goldsworthy

1/2 W: Archie Pierce, Reyanshi Maddi

3/4 B: Dylan Gillespie, Sukhdeep Kaur, Jaden Mitchell

3/4 D: Lydia Everingham, Liam Cornish

3/4 N: Declan Goldman, Flora Strauss, Lachie Thorpe

5/6 C: Lilly Eddy, Harry Henderson

5/6 N: Malia Koroi, Jhett Ogilvie

Music Awards: Valerie Strauss, Lilly Eddy, Laney Eddy, Karla Hindson, Abigail Gemmil

Sports Awards: Shawn Chew, Rachel Wong, Declan Goldman, Evie Gemmill

Junior Auskick Kicks Off

Our four-week Auskick program got off to a flying start on Monday 27 July!

The first session was full of energy, with over 20 participants learning the fundamentals of the game, building their skills and, of course, kicking plenty of goals! A big thank you to our Auskick coach, Dianne, for leading such a fun and engaging session.

There's still time to get involved! If your child would like to join in the fun for the remaining three Monday sessions, registrations are still open via the link below.

https://www.playhq.com/afl/register/264078

Don't forget to use the discount code 2A2605CE to register for just $25!

Parents and Friends (P&F)

Next Meeting - Tuesday 4 August

Father's Day Stall