Head of Middle Years

Extra and co-curricular programs provide our students with a breadth of opportunities to not only develop new knowledge and skills but to experience something different and develop relationships amongst peers. 

Early this Term, Elephant Ed. helped deliver some interesting and engaging age appropriate content for our Year 7 and Year 8 cohorts. These addressed issues such as individuality, decision making / responses, and the impact our actions can have on others. In speaking with numerous students and staff that attended, these sessions provided a safe platform allowing for informative student discussions and questions. 

Additionally, I had the opportunity to visit the Year 6 cohort of students and staff in Canberra last week. It was such an exciting and educative program visiting a range of National sites in our country’s capital. These included visits to the National Gallery of Australia, National Museum, National War Memorial, Parliament House, Australian Institute of Sport, and National Aquatic Centre, to name a few. It was wonderful to see the engagement of our students at these venues! Thank you to the Year 6 teaching team, attending staff, as well as parents, who provided this very rich opportunity for our Year 6 students. 

A short note from Ms Teagan Pursar, Year 6 Team Leader

After months of planning and coordination by the Year 6 Middle Years teachers, our Year 6 students set off for an adventure to Canberra from 11 to 15 July. For many of them, this was their first ever experience in the Nation’s Capital. Students were given the opportunity to participate in a variety of educational programs with a focus on Australia’s history, culture, heritage, and democracy. We extend a huge thank you to the parents, your assistance is greatly appreciated! We look forward to focusing further on our Government and Australia’s history, as well as geography, over the rest of the Term.

As part of the Parliament and Civics Education program, students will receive a grant of $45 towards their travel costs, which was taken into consideration when finalising the total cost for Camp. We are fortunate to have a government that recognises the importance of having school students visit our Nation’s Capital and immerse the students in a relevant, as well as an interactive, way to discover our Nation’s development and democratic values. We would like to take this opportunity to thank PACER for its financial support.

Here is what some of our Year 6  students wanted to share about their experience…

Year 6 Camp in Canberra was a great experience where we learned different things about our nation and learned to be more independent. I enjoyed camp because I was able to learn new things, which is always an amazing adventure. I was able to use my skills of understanding and my prior knowledge and implement it towards our camp. I, like many others, enjoyed seeing my friends in my cabin but also talking and staying with people who I did not know before and who share the same interests as me. The highlight for me was going to the High Court and learning about our country’s justice system. This camp involved a lot of learning and it also made people step out of their comfort zone, which resulted in an amazing experience at camp. – Rashi 6IM

Not long ago Year 6’s went to Canberra for camp. It was a lot of fun! We did many fun activities and learned about a lot of things! We went to the Parliament old and new, the War Memorial, the National Aquatic Centre, The National Museum, Art Gallery, The National Exhibition and we went mini golfing! We did some role playing in the Parliament House about the House of Representatives. We had a movie night when we watched Finding Nemo. The teachers had put a lot of effort in for us to have a wonderful experience, and all Year 6’s had a lot of enjoyment and it was an amazing experience for everyone! – Nia 6SD

Canberra was a great experience, and we visited many places that had very significant importance to the history of our country. Personally, I loved the War Memorial, as I love to learn about how Australia and its people served in these conflicts, and how many had put their lives to risk for us. The parliament was very interesting, as we visited both chambers, the Senate and the House of Representatives. It was all a great distraction from the freezing cold weather of Canberra! – Mayan 6TP

Last week the Year 6's went on Camp to Canberra. The journey to reach Canberra was 10 hours. At Camp, we all shared cabins with a group of friends and we got the opportunity to vote how we wanted. One of the best memories in Canberra was when we went to AIS. At AIS there was this mini arcade room place that had working out and fitness activities. At AIS we also got to buy some gifts/treats for ourselves from the store. Overall I loved spending time with my friends. – Prisha 6TP

My name is Aarna and I was so glad to be able to go to the Year 6 Canberra Camp. This camp was an amazing learning opportunity for me and a lot of my fellow peers. During our full days at Camp, we visited the old and new Parliament House, the War Memorial, the NGA, the High Court of Australia, the National Museum of Australia and many more educational activities were conducted in other places. Our Camp was located on the outskirts of Canberra and was highly populated with members of the public. We stayed in cabins and many of us made new friends with cabin-mates. Towards the end of each day, we started our fun night activities such as going mini golfing, swimming and having a movie night. Though the mornings started early and though it was very hard to get up, the excitement to know what was happening today became my energy. After reflecting on this experience I can say, that this is one of the Camps that has made me grow. – Aarna 6MG

Parenting tips

At times we all make mistakes, well at least I do. Matters are a little more complex when emotions run high and we can say or do things that might upset our teenage child. Acknowledging and modelling how to admit fault and how to apologise can be confronting at times for parents for a number of reasons. In this short article, there is some great advice as to how to approach this with your adolescent teen. 

https://thinkorblue.com/how-to-apologize-to-your-teen-and-why-you-should/