Newsletter 2 July

From the Principal

A wonderful response to our parent meeting!

Our recent parent meeting was a wonderful success with over 30 parents (Mums & Dads) attending and representing children from across the school. The focus of the meeting was to provide a voice, empower parents to see the opportunities that are available to feedback to the school on how things are going, what they would like to see more of and any concerns they might have. It was also to see if we have enough interest to restart our School Association.

It was a great afternoon!

The feedback was extremely valuable. We heard that parents would like more of a presence in our school – that we can start on straight away! We heard that families need more communication as to what is going on and with more warning – this we can also work on. It tends to be a struggle in amongst the everyday business of school, but we’ll definitely work on it. We heard that families were disappointed that the canteen closed, especially for the little people who enjoy the experience of buying something for themselves. Working with the SRC, we think we might be able to do something about this on a more regular basis.

Would you be surprised to hear that the carpark is an issue for a lot of parents? The road works at the school driveway is a safety concern and parents would love to see a school crossing guard in Ashbourne Grove, supporting students to cross the road? Not all of these issues are under our control, but we can definitely start some discussions with the people for whom it is. Finally, cement was being poured on the entry to the driveway this morning – the plan is for that to be finishing up real soon! I took a walk around the carpark and looked at just what the options might be there – this will be a longer-term fix than some other concerns and a crossing guard, paddle pop person is something we can discuss with State Growth.

More after school activities and more consistency with staff supporting individual students were also issues, we are already attempting to do something about. Childcare is an issue for many of our families, and we’ve started considering what opportunities we would have to provide something at school. We have also approached a childcare provider I took the opportunity to look over the feedback we received from parents and can say that as a school, we’re firmly committed to supporting as many of them as we have control over to happen – maybe not straight away but as much as we can, as soon as we can!

One of the biggest accomplishments from the meeting though was the interest of more than 10 parents to form our School Association again. As a result, I would like to invite all parents and community members interested in being a part of the School Association (as a committee member or not) to a 3pm meeting on Thursday Aug 7. Childcare will be available, and tea and coffee facilities will be provided. We’ll look at forming a committee and setting an agenda for the rest of the year.

I would personally like to thank all of the parents that came along last month – it was just wonderful to see so many people interested in their children and our school. I can’t wait to see what we achieve together!

Kinder O'Neill

Term two has been very busy in Kinder O’Neill. We have been learning about phonemes and letter formation during our Playberry sessions each day. Everyone has been making great improvements with their pencil grip and handwriting! Our numeracy focus has been counting and recognising numbers through songs and games. We have also been learning about seasons and exploring Winter. It has been fun to observe the weather changing each day and discussing what items of clothing we need to be wearing.

“What was the best bit of this term?”

“The big playground.” – Kahlani

“Going to the big playground.” – Finn

“I like doing word work and play time and I like doing lunch.”

“I like going to the big playground.” – Toby

“Playing.” – Quinn

“Playing in the sensory corner.” – Olivia

“The blocks!” – Sophia

“Playing.” – Alyssa

We hope everyone has a lovely, safe holiday!

Prep Jardine

Some highlights have been our multi-language story time on Tuesday afternoons, where parents come in to read stories to the Preps — a wonderful way to celebrate the diverse languages in our community.

In literacy, we’ve been exploring features of informative and imaginative texts. The Preps especially enjoyed collaging a setting and adding a character to their work. They are becoming more confident writers, sounding out unfamiliar words and using skills learned in Playberry to create sentences.

In science, we’re investigating what things are made of and how we can describe their properties, using examples from around our school.

We’ve also had a very exciting treat — visits to the “Big Playground”! The students are growing in confidence as they explore new spaces, reinforcing their connection to the wider school community

1/2 Sun

In term 2, 1/2S has had a fantastic journey filled with exciting learning experiences and meaningful growth across all learning areas.

In mathematics, we focused on using number lines to solve a variety of problems. Students have become more confident in applying this visual strategy to support their thinking and explain their reasoning.

Our literature learning has focused on picture books: Amira’s Suitcase, Jetty Jumping, and Bowerbird Blues. Through these stories, we explored story recounts, made personal connections, and strengthened both literal and inferred comprehension. Students showed great engagement in content-related crafting activities.

Students enjoyed participating Jetty Building Challenge activity.

Students enjoyed making their own paper suitcase.

Students enjoy making paper collages of Bowerbirds.

In our science unit, we focused on electrical energy. Students were amazed to learn that electricity was first discovered through static electricity! We also discussed Benjamin Franklin’s famous kite experiment and the importance of always following safety rules when conducting science investigations.

Well done to all of 1/2S students for their hard work, curiosity, and enthusiasm this term. We look forward to more exciting learning in Term 3!

1/2 Nicole

This term we’ve been thinking and remembering all the things that makes Springfield Gardens Primary such a wonderful school. We wrote down our thoughts in speech bubbles. Come and see our display outside our classroom.

Ronin, Ryan, Aaliyan, Johaan

Gianna, Elijah, Manjap, Joban

Brodyn, Prishu, Nakia, Jesse

Parisa, Cairene, Oakleigh

Another exciting event this term was our excursion with 1/2 S to Fullers Bookshop, St David’s Park and the Cornelian Bay Playground. We caught the bus into Hobart (this was a highlight for some students) and safely walked up the street and into the bookshop. There we listened to Sophie from Fullers explain the differences between a bookshop and a library and we asked some amazing questions. Lastly, we could choose our own book from the shelf to take home! After having recess and a run around in St David’s Park, we collected 1/2 S from Fullers and bused to Cornelian Bay Playground for lunch and a huge play.

3/4 Balhatchet

Our class have been enjoying some celebratory activities after participating in the National Portrait Gallery NAIDOC virtual excursion; Strength, Vision and Legacy.

This team are creating a window display.

This team have been working on a NAIDOC themed animation for the front office.

Others have been practising sewing, weaving and tying using raffia fibres.

We have had lots of discussion about famous Indigenous people who have had strength and vision and who have left a lasting legacy.

We have been particularly inspired by Dr Lowitja O’Donague who faced significant challenges in her life to become Australia’s first indigenous registered nurse in 1954.

Who inspires you within our community? Why do you think they should be celebrated?

3/4 Pears

In 3/4P we’ve had a fantastic term 2 and are excited to share what we’ve been learning.

In English this term we have been looking at informative and persuasive writing – we began the term by creating posters about different types of penguins, and we finished by reading a book about a greedy king and writing letters to persuade him about why he was so selfish! We have also continued with our Playberry sessions and have our reading groups during the week working on our fluency!

We have covered different topics in Maths this term, from decimals to addition and subtraction… but we have most enjoyed exploring data after our swimming sessions! The class have been really engaged with creating survey questions, asking each other, and mapping the results onto picture and column graphs.

Our class highlight has been our cooking sessions on Friday, particularly the one where we celebrated the winter solstice. We gathered by a firepit and cooked damper, hot chocolate, and roasted potatoes. YUM!

4/5 De Paula

As Term 2 wraps up, it’s been wonderful to see our Year 4/5 students continue to grow in confidence, curiosity, and creativity across all learning areas!

In Literacy, we’ve shifted our focus to Persuasive Texts. Students have been learning how to express their opinions clearly and convincingly, using strong arguments and emotive language. From debating the best pet to writing letters to persuade others, their passion has truly shone through, and their reasoning has improved greatly!

In Mathematics, we’ve explored the world of fractions and decimals, building on our understanding of number and place value. Students have been comparing, ordering, and converting between the two, and applying their knowledge in real-world contexts. We also tackled area and perimeter over the past few weeks, using hands-on activities to measure and calculate space in creative ways – they even built models for a chicken coop for a certain teacher who is looking forward to raising some chickens…

Our science unit this term focused on States of Matter. Through experiments and observations, students investigated solids, liquids, and gases, learning how particles behave in different states. Everyone was amazed by the “Tissues in a Cup” experiment!

In HASS, we journeyed through history to explore the British Colonies after 1800. Students examined the expansion of settlements and the development of colonial life. Their thoughtful reflections and discussions have shown a deepening understanding of Australia’s complex past.

We of course cannot forget the Learn to Swim program and the amazing Winter Solstice celebration: everyone enjoyed a cup of hot chocolate and some firepit-cooked snacks.

It’s been a term full of learning, interesting conversations, and plenty of “aha!” moments. I’m incredibly proud of the effort our students have brought to every lesson, and I’m sure Term 3 will be even better!

5/6 Grech

Grade 5/6 Grech have been very hard at work this term. Students have worked well during our persuasive writing unit, with a particular focus on how language features such as emotive words, rhetorical questions and topic specific vocabulary are used to strengthen persuasive writing. We have been locating these in persuasive texts and have been using them in our own persuasive writing.

Our persuasive writing has linked well to our HASS unit, where we have been exploring life for convicts at Port Arthur. Students have completed informative posters, reports and PowerPoints about Port Arthur, and have been using what they have learnt to write some persuasive letters from the perspective of a convict at Port Arthur.

Our recent Mathematics unit for this term has looked at calculating perimeter and area of regular and irregular shapes, as well as solving worded problems. Students have also continued to build on their strategies for solving multiplication problems.

We have also been completing a Biological Sciences unit. Our class has explored living things and their environments. We have looked at animals that live in extreme environments, migration and hibernation.

We have participated in many other exciting activities that have been happening during school, such as football, swimming and chess tournaments.

Winter Solstice

On Friday 20 June our students were treated to some delicious food and drinks prepared by our Kitchen Specialist, Kate including damper, roast potatoes and hot chocolate to celebrate the Winter Solstice. Kate was helped by our groundsman Perry and the lovely Kathy, who many know from the canteen. The children enjoyed being around the firepit.

Farewell Josh

Many of you would have noticed Josh's absence about school recently. It seems that some other people have begun to appreciate him as much as we do! 

We all love & value him for his positivity, his humour, and his all-round can-do attitude. His ability to relate to all children, supporting needs & emotions in a variety of contexts. Whether it's in the library telling stories, in the classroom supporting learning, in the sensory room, in the office, racing down the running track at athletics carnivals, Josh is there. He makes us smile when he makes announcements over the PA and laugh out loud when he dresses up for book week! He cooks, he sings, he dances!

Now he teaches! 

It is with little surprise to us that Josh returned from his prac placement this week to hand in his notice at Springfield Gardens as he is taking up a teaching position in Term 3 at another school. Our loss is certainly their gain.

On behalf of everybody at Springfield Gardens - those here now & those who have worked with you previously Josh, we would like to congratulate you on your first teaching contract, thank you for everything you have done for us at Springfield Gardens and wish you all the very best for the future. We will miss you sooooo much!

From everyone at Springfield Gardens Primary School.

Kindergarten 2026

Lost Property

There is a collection of lost property in the chest near the office. Could everyone please take a moment to check through it? 

Any unnamed items remaining at the end of term will either be donated or added to the second-hand stock. 

Thank you!

Aussie of the Month

May- Aussie of the Month

Kaavya Karki - For continually striving to learn and being positive and friendly to everyone as a strong community member and leader.

Kit Leonard - Shows enthusiasm and positivity both in the classroom with his learning and in the playground.

June- Aussie of the Month 

Prishu Shrestha- Bringing a positive attitude and energy to everything she does. Prishu is creative and fun and includes everybody in everything.

Kooper Shearing- For being an excellent role model and mentor to other students and always striving to achieve the best outcome in any situation.

Interschool Chess Tournament

Chess Tournament – by Carlee Porthouse

On the 19 June, some lucky students were invited to participate in the Chess tournament being held at Austins Ferry Primary School. There were a lot of schools there, and over 125 participants in total. There were six rounds of chess, and every round saw us playing different students from different schools. If we won the match, we were awarded a point, and a draw gave us half a point. At the end of the sixth round, the organisers counted all of the points and gave out certificates and awards. The school with the highest number of points got awarded a medal. It was a fun day, and we all had a really good time. It was nice to meet students from other schools and get to play chess for the whole day.

2025 All schools Cross Country Championship

On Tuesday 17 June one of our students Charlotte Browning represented Springfield Gardens Primary School at the  2025 All Schools Cross Country Championship at Symmons Plains. Charlotte done extremely well and place 27th out of 248 girls, running an incredible 2kms in 9mins and 40 secs.

CONGRATULATIONS CHARLOTTE!!

Football Clinic

Football

On Wednesdays some people from The Tasmanian Devils Football have been coming in to help us with our football. The 5\6s have been learning how to hand ball properly, bounce the ball, kick the ball, mark the ball, and kick goals.

 First, we learnt how to hand ball the ball by sitting the ball on top of our hand and the other hand makes a fist and hit the ball up.

 Then we learnt how to mark the ball by throwing the ball up and making a W shape with our hands and then catching the ball.

 Next, we learnt how to bounce the ball by having the laces up and bouncing it and catching it.

 Then we learnt how to kick the ball by guiding the ball down to our foot with our hand and kicking the ball back up to ourselves and catching it.

 Then we stood in a line in front of the goals and tried to kick as many goals as possible.

 After that we learnt how to do a snapshot (Banana kick). We had a try, and a few students got it in.

Then at the end we did a quiz and then it was finished.

By Carlee Porthouse