Teaching & Learning

Story Dog

Starting this week, the Story Dog program will begin in the Year 2 classrooms. This program involves one of our parents, Jacqui MacMillan (Cooper Greenbank’s mum) and her dog Honey spending time with students on a Tuesday morning.

The program is extremely popular in USA and is starting to gain traction in Australia with many schools across the country taking up the offer to be apart of this free program.


When children read to a dog, the outcomes are amazing! It is a non-judgemental setting, the children's focus improves, their literacy skills increase and their confidence soars. The accepting, loving nature of dogs gives this program its magic and helps children relax, open up, try harder and have fun while reading to a friendly, calm dog.

Inquiry Units During Term 4

During Term 4 students will be focussing on a variety of Inquiry topics across the school. Each Inquiry is based on a through line that aims to expose students to a deeper level of thinking about big issues. The school has identified 8 major Through Lines to focus during the primary years of schooling. Although students don't get to focus on each through line every year, they are involved in deep discovery of the through lines at least 3 times throughout their 7 years at primary school. See below.

The following Inquiries will be focussed on this term:

If you have a passion or expertise in any of the above and would love to help out, please let me know.

Public Speaking Competition

This year we will once again be offering students in Years 3 – 6 the chance to participate in the Lions Club Public Speaking Competition. The competition requires students to write and present a speech on a set topic in the most engaging way.

There are two parts to this event as we have a local school competition and then students are selected to represent the school against other local primary schools in November.

If your child is interested in being part of this event, please ask them to come and see me for an information sheet.

Over the years we have had some wonderful success in this competition. Here is a photo from the archives…… you might be able to identify a few of these successful participants.

ICAS Testing

The ICAS testing has now been completed for 2019. This year we have had a number of students sit assessments in the following areas. Congratulations to all involved and we look forward to celebrating these students with their certificates being awarded this Friday at assembly.

Renegades Ball Skills Program

This year we are once again very happy to be involved in the Renegades Ball Skills program. This program is designed to teach simple coordination skills to students in P-2. Students will work through catching, throwing, partner skills and modified ball games. All classrooms have a set of balls and challenge tasks to spend 5 minutes on each day. As the students master the skills, they receive Renegades cricket stickers.

Be aware, there may be students coming home with a few tricks to teach you!