Primary School
Assembly
Our next Primary School assembly will take place on Monday 16 September in The Farrall Centre commencing at 2.15pm. We welcome families to attend. Please remember that due to privacy concerns and to respect the photo permission choices of other families we ask you to refrain from taking photos and videos during assemblies.
Wellbeing Long Weekend - THIS WEEKEND
Monday 9 September
A reminder that Wellbeing Weekend is this weekend. We hope all students, families and staff make use of this long weekend to rest, reconnect and recharge in anticipation of the remainder of the year. Monday 9 September is a staff and student free day and there will be no classes K-12, however, Friends’ Early Learning will be providing care.
Term date information can be viewed on the School’s website here.
Year 5 Outdoor Education Excursion - kunanyi/ Mt Wellington Bushwalk
New Dates
We are pleased to advise that we have been able to reschedule the two Year 5 Outdoor Education Excursions - to kunanyi/ Mt Wellington which had to be cancelled last week due to the weather conditions on the mountain.
- Year 5C - Friday 13 September
- Year 5AM - Monday 16 September
All classes will depart at 9am with Year 5C will return to school by 3pm. Year 5AM will return to school in time to present in the Assembly on Monday 16 September with the other Year 5 classes.
The focus for the day is building resilience, working together as a team, exploring the varied ecosystems and learning about the Aboriginal history of the location. We will also do simple bushcraft skills such as map reading and navigation. The walk will start and finish at The Springs via the Octopus Tree, Sphinx Rock, the Sawmill and Organ Pipes Track.
The walk is approximately 5km long with some steep ascending tracks. Students will be required to wear warm sensible free dress clothing that is appropriate to the cold weather that can occur on the mountain - long pants (no jeans), long t-shirt/ thermal shirt, jumper, warm socks and appropriate bushwalking shoes. Students will also need to pack their day bag with a rain jacket, spare warm jacket/coat, beanie, and gloves, spare socks, plenty of food for lunch and snacks (no lunch orders on these days), a big drink bottle of water, and any personal medication.
Year 4 Excursion - Marine Discovery Centre Woodbridge
Friday 6 September
On Friday 6 September, Year 4 will be going on an excursion to the Marine Discovery Centre in Woodbridge. The day's focus will be on consolidating our learning in our ‘Sharing the planet’ unit. The bus will be departing at 9.10am returning back to school by 3pm. Students need to come dressed in their sports uniform, including a warm jacket. They should bring their lunch and snacks, there will be no lunch orders on the day. The children should also bring a full water bottle and any personal medications (labelled) required for the day. We will be returning to school at the end of the school day. Please update student Operoo profiles before the excursion.
Primary Library: Helpers Needed
Our primary library is one of the busiest places in our school: would you believe we do around 35,000 loans per year?! We also have 18 classes a week and process many new resources over the course of the year to keep our collection up to date. We are looking for volunteers who may be able to help us out in the afternoons with reshelving, tidying, and putting books back in order on the shelves. We would also appreciate help with book-covering: we are happy for this to be done at home if you cannot make it during the afternoon! Helpers will be given training, and will require a WWVP card. You will also need to fill in a volunteer form at this link. If you would like to volunteer, or would like more information, we would love to hear from you! Please email one of our Teacher-Librarians Sharon Ryan and Catherine Duffett.
Empowering our Children: A Child Safeguarding Information Session
Friday 13 September
We invite all parents and guardians of Friends’ Early Learning and Primary School children to join Morgan Norris, our Primary School Psychologist, and other members of staff for our upcoming information session. We will focus on how to empower and upskill children in protective behaviours, as well as providing an overview of child safeguarding practices at The Friends’ School.
Date: Friday 13 September, 9am - 10am
Location: The Farrall Centre, Green Room (downstairs)
Please note: This information session aims to provide general information regarding protective behaviours. We will not be able to provide individual advice or recommendations for your child, however we can advise you of the next steps to take if you are seeking support or further information.
Please RSVP to secure your spot, places are limited. Book your place here.
Waste Free Lunch Day
Wednesday 18 September
In Week 9, The Primary Environment Council is holding its third Waste Free Lunch Day for 2024. Building on the success of the previous events, we are calling on all families to have a go at reducing their lunch box waste. We will be measuring any disposable lunch box wrappers and containers brought to school on this day in an effort to reduce our environmental impact. The aim of this event is to develop positive habits over time that minimise the amount of rubbish that is brought into our school environment. We encourage families to consider working with your child to pack a lunch box full of healthy snacks and bulk food items in our quest to tread lightly on the earth.
Prep - Year 6 Disco
Thursday 19 September
The Primary School Student Council has organised a disco on Thursday 19 September at first break 11am - 11.30am in The Farrall Centre for any interested students from Prep to Grade 6. Students are welcome to wear a colourful accessory, such as a hat, scrunchy, tie, socks or something similar. Normal school uniform is to be worn.
New Date - Prep Outdoor Education Excursion - Wellington Park
Wednesday 25 September
On Wednesday 25 September, Prep students will be participating in an Outdoor Education Day at Wellington Park and completing a walk to the Octopus Tree. Class teachers, learning assistants and Emily Ardas, our Outdoor Education teacher, will accompany the students on the excursion. We will be departing school at 9.45am and returning by 1pm. The aim of the day is to explore the local bushlands while developing relationships with peers. Students are required to wear their Physical Education uniform and sturdy shoes to walk in. They are also to bring a backpack with morning tea and lunch, rain jacket, water bottle, a warm jumper, beanie, sun hat and any required personal medication. Please update student Operoo profiles before the excursion.
Rowing – Year 6 Sculling Skills Program
Monday 30 September – Friday 4 October
Our Year 6 ‘Ray Trousselot Sculling Skills’ program will again be held during the first week of the Term 3 school holidays. This is a free program which is open to all Year 6 students who will be attending Friends' in Year 7 in 2025. Rowing is great exercise and a fantastic team sport which can enhance an individual in their personal development (eg teamwork, confidence, self-esteem, facing challenges). Rowing is a great way to make new friends and learn new skills and being part of the rowing community gives students a wonderful sense of connection and community.
Please register for the program by Friday 20 September.
When: Term 3 Holidays - Monday 30 September to Friday 4 October
Time: 8.30am – 11.00am daily
Where: The Friends’ School Boat shed in New Town Bay, Lutana
Website: https://www.friends.tas.edu.au/rowing/
For more information please contact : Anthony Edwards (Head of Rowing)
Kindergarten Earthcare Excursions - Lenah Valley
Thursdays until 19 September
This Term Kindergarten students will continue to visit a site near the Lenah Valley Linear Park for their Earthcare Days, going out each week, on Thursdays. We will travel to and from the site by bus leaving school at 11.50am and returning by 2.45pm. Collection time for all children will be at 3pm from the Kindergarten area, at the end of the Kindergarten day as per usual.
On Earthcare days, the children come ready for active learning, in their sports uniform. Your child will need appropriate warm clothing for the forecasted weather and spare clothing packed for the excursions as we will be playing outdoors, even if it is raining. The school has special wet weather jackets and overpants that the children will wear as necessary, depending on the forecasted weather. You can also support your child by encouraging them to carry their own bags to and from school - they will be doing this independently on our Earthcare Days too. Please pack a rubbish free lunch with plenty of food and water for an active day out. We have been asking the children about the concept of belonging, how they can care for places where they feel they belong as well as what Earthcare means to them.
Absentees
If your child will be absent from school for the day please advise the Primary School Office (phone: 6210 2228, or email: primaryschooloffice@friends.tas.edu.au ) and the classroom teacher before 9.00am. We appreciate your support in this process.
Important Dates
Term 3 Tuesday 23 July to Friday 27 September
Monday 9 September – Wellbeing Day, as part of Wellbeing Weekend (no K-12 classes)
CLICK HERE to view the School calendar