Newsletter 25 September
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From the Principal
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Kinder
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Prep
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1/2 Sun
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1/2 Nicole
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3/4 Balhatchet
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3/4 Pears
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4/5 de Paula
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5/6 Grech
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5/6 Marshall
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Music Concert
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Sports Colours Day
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STEM Club
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Threatened Species Free Dress Day
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EdSmart
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Important Dates
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Birthdays
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School Hats
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Levies Overdue
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eSafety
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Community Flyers
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School Holiday Activities - Libraries
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Tas Fire Service Bushfire-Ready Challange
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Black Square Chess
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Roblox Fact Sheet
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Ready Steady Go Kids
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The Cricket Hub Tasmania
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Cirque Tas
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DRILL Performance Company Inc.
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Olympia FC Warriors
From the Principal
World Food Day – Thursday October 16
Come & share your culture your food with our school community
We would like to take the opportunity to acknowledge, celebrate and share in the diversity of our school community next term by holding a community World Food Day showcasing meals and foods from all the different cultures that are represented by the children and families in our school.
A buffet type approach held at lunch time in the school hall; we plan to have a range of dishes for participants to sample. It will be a great opportunity for our students to showcase their cultural heritage while also provide an opportunity for many of us to learn about other countries and foods from all over the world.
While the magnificent Kate will be helping out on the day, we would like to invite families to contact us if they would like to be involved in preparing and serving dishes – especially if you have a favourite dish. Contact the office with your name, your favourite dish and how you would like to be involved, we’ll then contact you further with specifics leading up to the day.
It would be great to see as many cultures as possible represented!

Kinder
Term 3 has been filled with sounds, spring and superheroes!
In Playberry Kinder have learned 14 more letters and their phonemes (the sounds they make) and created artworks for each. We have made feathery Fs and collaged Cs! Every day, we practice writing and are building our fine motor skills which make writing, drawing, building and even putting jumpers on so much easier!



We have been building our teamwork skills, working in pairs to build towers, create spring art and in drama games!


Prep
End of Term 3
A big focus this term has been on sentence writing. Prep students are using their letter and sound knowledge from Playberry to write words that match a picture or illustration. They are exploring how and when to use punctuation, and how this changes the way we read out sentences out loud.
Maths: Trusting the Count is one of the most important number concepts we can develop. Knowing not only the order of numbers but all the different ways they are made builds the foundation for future mathematical learning. Prep students have been exploring numbers by breaking them into their parts and finding all the different combinations to make whole numbers. They have been learning to use addition and subtraction symbols to write number sentences, and how to share things equally into groups. Measurement such as length, weight and capacity has been a focus for this term, involving lots of giggles as they measured themselves, objects and how much things hold inside them.
For Geography, students were considering what makes a place special and what you might find in that place. Next, they will be working on ways that they can care for their special places.
Science: We explored what things are made out of and how we can describe them. The students designed a house for an animal that would keep it warm, dry and safe. They were very thoughtful in their selections, and the animals would have been well looked after with their homes 😊














1/2 Sun
Term 3 was filled with exciting learning experiences for 1/2S!
In English, we learnt how to write simple sentences, use punctuation to create lists, and add more detail to our writing using extended noun phrases.






We used our sentences to create Spring Acrostic Poems, which were full of creativity and seasonal cheer!














We also observed signs of spring and enjoyed engaging in spring-themed craft activities.











In Maths, we explored multiplication by grouping objects into arrays and counting in 2s, 3s, and 5s to find answers. We also learnt about measurement and had fun using our skills to measure length, weight, and time in real-life situations.






We practised counting in groups through a Hopscotch Game.



We improved our clock-reading skills with fun time-telling games.

We learnt how to order events in time and enjoyed applying our time-reading skills in a fun game — What’s the Time, Mr Wolf?
In Science, we explored the forces of push and pull. We learnt that these forces could make objects move, change direction, or even change shape.
We had a blast experiment with paper helicopters, discovering how air pushes up against the helicopter while gravity pulls it down.









It has been a marvellous Term 3 of learning, and we’re looking forward to a fun holiday break. We can’t wait to return for more learning adventures in Term 4!
1/2 Nicole
1/2 Poke have made some huge achievements this term. Everyone’s handwriting has improved, everyone’s making gains in spelling and maths, and, at the time of writing, three students have passed 175 nights of reading, with two more not far behind! It’s not too late to start recording nights of reading and collecting certificates.
We had our lovely student teacher, Ms Aleysha. We learnt about push and pull energy in science and about features of places in geography. We’re continuing to learn about how sound in made in science and our interconnections to places in geography. In maths we learnt a lot about arrays and fractions and we’re continuing to learn about time and length in measurement. In English we practised reading fluently every day, we practised letter formation in handwriting, and we wrote A LOT, particularly about how we feel when we try new things and how characters can make us think of our own experiences. We had the Book Week Parade, dressed up as animals for a Bonorong fundraiser and the music concert.
Below are comments from students about what they think they have achieved this term.
Shanaya – maths, learning some numbers.
Elijah – getting better at writing the alphabet neatly. I’ve been getting really good at writing with more detail about stuff.
Trinity – I’m good at writing stories.
Joban – writing the letters in order for ABC.
Brodyn – I did good writing about Jetty Jumping.
Ivey – My writing is getting neater, and my spelling is getting better.
Aaliyan – I’m satisfied with reading.
Parisa – My spelling is going good.
Prishu – Jo helped us sound /ng/.
Jesse – I have learnt /ck/.
Matilda – I like how I read and sound out.
Oakleigh – I am good at writing.
Ronin – I learnt how to click my fingers.
Cairene – I am better at fractions.
Gianna – I have phase three for Playberry.
Ryan – I have learnt a lot about our community.
Johaan – I am better at reading.






3/4 Balhatchet
This term has been jam packed full of learning for the 3/4B. Forces, fractions, perimeter and area have all been investigated. We have also looked at a famous explorer called Captain James Cook and explored the impact that this eventually had on Aborigines here in Tasmania.
Here are some snippets of our letters to Trish from nita education who visited this morning.
“I liked how much power the last song had, and it was made by you and your relatives. I also liked the mega fauna, it was cool to see how big they were.” (Aida)
“I like how the animals back in that time were huge, especially the huge wombat. I didn’t like how the Aborigine’s home was taken away by the other country without permission.” (Asna)
“I felt really happy with how connected you are with your culture and how happy you were to share the very sad parts of Australian history. You taught everyone so much and made sure that we understood exactly what happened.” (Hailey)
“The shells they were beautiful and cool. They were very shiny, one was over 100 years old.” (Veronica)
“What happened to the Aborigines was sad and unfair.” (Jamie)
“I liked the song, it was very catchy. I liked the shell necklaces.” (Chase)
3/4 Pears
In 3/4P we’ve had a wonderful term 3 and are excited to once again share what we’ve been learning.
In English this term we have been looking at informative writing, as well as a variety of sentence types – we have started looking at FANBOYS, which are different linking words that help us make longer sentences! We have also continued with our Playberry sessions and fluency pairs!



We have covered different topics in Maths this term, from multiplication, to perimeter and area… but we had so much fun with 3d shape! We even created 3d shapes out of pasta and marshmallows. It was really sticky and super engaging!



In HASS we have been looking at life in Australia before British arrival, and the items explorers, convicts, officers and regular civilians brought on their long journeys. To show our understanding, we created these objects out of materials such as clay and cardboard. Though currently unfinished… don’t they look super cool?


Thank you, families, for your continued support. We’re looking forward to a lovely final term of the year!
4/5 de Paula
This term, our Year 4/5 class has explored an incredible range of learning experiences across all areas!
In English, students learned more about the world of poetry. They explored different types of poems, poetic devices, and the structure of lines and stanzas! Some of their finest creative work of the year was produced during this unit, and we invite everyone to take a look at their pieces proudly displayed on the mural outside our classroom!
In Maths, multiplication was our focus. Although many students began the unit feeling a little nervous, it was inspiring to watch their confidence and skills grow each week. Several students even went above and beyond, tackling challenges with determination and showing just how much progress can be made with practice and persistence – it was truly amazing.
Our science topic this term was Forces. We kicked things off with hands-on investigations in the playground, exploring the invisible forces at play on swings, slides, and other equipment. To finish the unit, students designed and built their own catapults, putting their knowledge to the test in a friendly competition to see whose creation would launch the furthest!
This term also included my very first Book Week! Our class joined the whole school in the parade, marching to Sunflower by Post Malone — which, as we discovered, carries a hidden metaphor.
Term 3 has been a term of growth; not only in knowledge, but also in teamwork, resilience, and classroom spirit. To celebrate all that has been achieved, we are looking forward to our exciting excursion to Port Arthur in the final week of term - we’ve tried some gruel in preparation for it!




5/6 Grech
This term in Grade 5/6 Grech our students have been very busy in all subject areas.
Our English focus has been narratives, and we have explored language features such as alliteration, metaphors, personification and onomatopoeia. We have also read and created some different types of poems, such as Haiku poems, Diamante poems, ‘I Am’ and ‘A Poem Is Not’ poems. Students have done a fantastic job at these, bringing lots of creativity and emotion into their writing.
Mathematics this term has had us learning about shapes, time and order of operations. Students have explored nets of 3D shapes, 12 and 24-hour time, how to read timetables, and the correct order to solve larger problems that contain multiple operations.
In Science, we have been exploring electrical circuits. We have created different circuits online, as well as using a kit to connect batteries, wires, globes and switches in real life. In HASS we have been learning about democracy, elections and levels of the government in Australia.
We have had many other exciting activities throughout the term, such as Kitchen and Garden lessons, Book Week activities, buddies and the music concert.










5/6 Marshall
5/6 M Enjoying Convict Life?
Not sure “enjoying” is the correct description for the taste of what it would have been like to survive on convict food rations that students experienced last week. We have been learning about colonial life in HASS and added to our knowledge ahead of an excursion to Port Arthur by tasting some gruel, cabbage soup and jerky; food that convicts had to eat and ration. The reviews were mixed about the taste of the dishes!







Music Concert
On Friday September 12, 130 plus students took part in the Third Annual Springfield Gardens Music Concert. Held in the school hall, classes from Grades One to Six performed their own class compositions to their schoolmates, parents, and friends. Kicking off with Piper Horton’s vocal group and the National Anthem and finishing with Pharrell Williams ‘Double Life’ the seven classes performed to their utmost. The audience responded enthusiastically and the whole experience was of benefit to all





















Sports Colours Day











It was great to see such a colourful representation of the different sports and teams people love and support on Wednesday.
Thank you to the SRC for the great photos!
STEM Club
This term we have been able to provide an amazing opportunity for our students, to join a STEM club, thanks to Saul Jacobson. Students meet after school on a Thursday afternoon for an hour and a half to work collaboratively, problem solve and develop their engineering skills.
What some of the STEM club members have to say…………………………
“I love that we get to program a robot!” Natasha
“I enjoy working with a team.” Sudarshan
“I like playing with the robots.” Aida
“I love working with Lego, discovering things and coding.” Ray
STEM club students had the opportunity to formulate some questions to ask an archaeologist who responded and later came to a Thursday session to talk with the students in person. The students enjoyed this special opportunity to speak with a real-life archaeologist and have their many questions answered.
A very big thank you to Saul for all that he does to support students with the STEM Club and thank you to staff who volunteer their time to help out.





Threatened Species Free Dress Day
Thank you all for participating in the Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary fundraiser, where you could donate a gold coin to wear yellow or wear something animal. We made $110. We are sure Bonorong will really appreciate it.
By Lincoln R and Hayden R








EdSmart
From Term 4, excursion permission and consent forms will be sent out electronically to be completed. Please ensure your contact details are up to date to receive the relevant communication. Paper copies will still be available from the office if needed.
Important Dates
25 September - Interschool Chess Tournament (selected students)
26 September - Port Arthur Excursion (4/5D, 5/6G & 5/6M)
- Last day of Term
13 October - Term 4 commences
23 October - Show Day Public Holiday (no school)
24 October - Student Free Day (no school)
16 December - Presentation & Leavers' Assembly
- Leavers' Dinner
Birthdays
October Birthdays
1 Carlee
2 Felix
3Scarlett
4 Zoe
6 Lincoln P, Trinity & Norah
7 Asna & Ash I
9 Zainab & Jaece
10 Hazel
11 Mackenzie & Kooper
12 Frankie
13 Mr Wood
14 Quinn
15 Ariana & Bryson
25 Isla
26 Sari
27 Jamie
29 Athena
30 Sophia
31 Elijah W (Ms Sun)
School Hats
A reminder that in both Terms 1 and 4 hats are required
Please make sure that your child has a wide brimmed hat (not cap) or bucket hat (pictured below), or they will be expected to play in the shade.
Bucket hats are available from the school office for $8. Cash or Eftpos payment accepted.

Levies Overdue
Levies for 2025 are now overdue. Please make payment in full as soon as possible.
Levies can be paid:
- At the school (by EFTPOS or cash)
- At Service Tasmania (by EFTPOS or cash)
- Through BPAY (using the Biller Code and Reference on your invoice)
- By mail, forward your cheque, money order or credit card details to the school, with the payment slip from your invoice attached (payable to the Department of Education)
- Using Centrepay, a service provided by Centrelink.
You can choose to pay your levies by instalment by contacting the school to set up a payment plan of regular instalments. Payment plans can continue through to the end of the school year.
If you are experiencing financial difficulty or financial hardship, and none of the support options above will work for your family, you can contact Ashlee Isaac, the School Business Manager on 6272 7877 or the Department of Education’s Financial Services Unit at Fin.Serv@education.tas.gov.au or on 1800 827 055.
eSafety
Community Flyers
School Holiday Activities - Libraries
Tas Fire Service Bushfire-Ready Challange
The new 2025 Tasmania Fire Service Bushfire-Ready Challenge is coming this Spring!
This completely online experience will challenge you across 4 weeks, prompting you to understand your bushfire risk, create a bushfire plan, complete a property assessment, put together an emergency kit, and most importantly keep your household safe!
Register now and ensure you're ready for the bushfire season. https://bushfire.tas.gov.au/bushfire-challenge/bushfire-ready-challenge
Why not invite others? Share this message and encourage friends and family to register to increase their bushfire safety knowledge and strengthen our community's preparedness.
Questions? Email us at community@fire.tas.gov.au
Take it on. Be prepared.
Black Square Chess


Roblox Fact Sheet
Ready Steady Go Kids

The Cricket Hub Tasmania

Cirque Tas

DRILL Performance Company Inc.
DRILL Performance Company Inc., Nipaluna/Hobart’s Youth Dance Company, is offering an opportunity during the school holidays for young people aged 9-12 to come check out our Junior Company Performance program! Whether they're curious about movement, full of creative energy, or just keen to try something new, DRILL welcomes young people from all levels of experience.
DRILL Junior Company Call Out 10-1pm Saturday 18 October at Kickstart Arts, New Town
The Call Out is for those thinking about joining our Junior Company Performance program. We’re inviting interested young people, ages 9-12, to come along for FREE to our Junior Company Call Out on Saturday 18 October, 10am – 1pm. It’s the perfect way to join in and get a feel for what Junior Company provides and to see if it’s the right fit.
The Junior Company Performance program requires commitment throughout Term 4 and will result in a show inspired by the wonders of bioluminescence being presented at the Rosny barn and Rosny Farm grounds on the 13th & 14th December 2025.
You can find out more about the Call Out and Junior Company at drillperformance.com!
