Welcome Back to Term 3

Welcome back to Term 3! It has been wonderful to see all of our Junior School students return with smiling faces, ready for another term of learning and new experiences. We hope the holidays provided your family with an opportunity to rest, recharge and enjoy time together.
As we begin the term, we ask that you please ensure your child is wearing the correct school uniform each day. Please refer to the School Diary for a list of the approved uniform items.
We also encourage all parents to take the opportunity to read their child’s Semester 1 report in preparation for the upcoming Parent-Teacher Interviews this term. These conversations are an important opportunity to celebrate your child’s achievements and discuss their learning goals for the remainder of the year.
Thank you for your continued support in reinforcing our school values at home. Kindness and respect are at the heart of our community and play an important role in creating a positive, inclusive learning environment where all students can thrive.
We look forward to an exciting and rewarding Term 3, filled with opportunities for every child to grow both academically and socially.
Sally Savic – Assistant Principal: Head of Junior School (Woodlea) and
Mel Morton – Assistant Principal: Head of Junior School (Maddingley)

Maddingley

Why Do Prep Reception Ask Everyday – “Are We Going to Staughton Vale?”

Prep Reception children absolutely love their days at Staughton Vale, and it’s easy to see why.

Time spent with Mr Inei (Farmer Joel) and Ms Stacey gives students the chance to explore, create and get their hands dirty in the best possible way. In a recent literacy lesson students were asked about their favourite parts of their visits this term, the responses were full of excitement and personality.
Many students spoke about the things they made and tasted. Sahib, Samuel and Billy enjoyed creating clay butterflies, while Noah, Lawrence, Manraj, Anika and Vanya couldn’t go past cooking delicious lemon bliss balls with lemons sourced from the onsite orchard. Miraan, Sebastian and Harrison also loved eating pasta made with fresh basil from the garden. Elaahi enjoyed making a bird using natural materials, and Aadi had fun painting caterpillars on the garden poles. Molly was proud to be part of designing the bush food mosaic sign, and Rabaab loved the adventure of measuring and discovering “dinosaur bones.”

For others, it was all about being outdoors and sharing the experience with friends. Chann enjoyed gardening and growing flowers with Farmer Joel, and Maeve was excited to plant three bean seeds of her own. Roxie loved sitting with friends at the picnic tables for snack and chatting, while Paddy enjoyed playing soccer at lunch in a huge play space. Jind’s highlight was dancing at the Gathering with a First Nations performer, and Rubani loved doing some kangaroos spotting in the surrounding landscape. Katya was excited to hear we are returning to the “beautiful place” soon.

The students are working towards running to the top of a mountain and countdown to the next visit. We have composted, mulched, tasted, smelled and been hands-on across a curriculum full of wonder and learning.
These days at Staughton Vale continue to be a highlight for Prep Reception, offering meaningful opportunities to learn, explore and connect with the natural environment.

Karlisa Smy – Prep Reception Teacher (Maddingley)

Woodlea

Year 1

A highlight for the Year 1 students last term was our Native Animals Incursion which provided a valuable opportunity to activate students’ prior knowledge as they began their Information Report unit.

Through this engaging, hands-on experience, students demonstrated curiosity as they explored the unique features and adaptations of Australia’s native animals.

Students were thrilled to hold a ring-tailed possum for the first time. They enjoyed watching a serpent reveal its beautiful rainbow colouring and laughed as the blue-tongued lizard greeted them with a few cheeky licks. The green tree frog prompted plenty of squeals, while students watched in amazement as the owl expertly flew back into its enclosure.

Throughout the incursion, students demonstrated the School Values of Respect, Kindness and Discipline by listening attentively, following instructions carefully and treating both the animals and Josh, our presenter, with care. They also displayed Wisdom and Knowledge by asking thoughtful questions, deepening their understanding and building the foundation for writing detailed, factual and engaging information reports.

Kelsey Azzopardi – Head of Year 1 (Woodlea)

Year 1 ICT Program

This term in ICT, our Year 1 students are becoming confident digital creators as they explore Google Slides. They are creating an “All About Me” presentation, learning how to add text, insert images and use slide transitions to make their work engaging for an audience.

Along the way, students are developing their digital technology skills while building confidence in presenting information creatively. We can’t wait to see the wonderful presentations they create and share this term!

Hollie Thomas – Teacher