A big splash and new friends to kick-off Sacred Heart year
ZOE, YLANA & OWEN, SHC PUBLICITY TEAM
SACRED HEART SCHOOL
THIS week at Sacred Heart, we went swimming on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. But on Wednesday, instead of lessons, we did time trials for the District Swimming Sports! Grades 3 to 6 swam 50 metres, if they could and Grades 1 to 2 did 15 to 20 metres. Hopefully district swimming will still go ahead. It was fantastic swimming in the heat, we all had heaps of fun.
Buddied-up: WE ALSO did some buddy activities with the Grade 5/6s and our Prep/1s. We worked together to create 3D face portraits. There was lots of cutting, sticking and getting to know our buddies. They ended up looking great.
From the principal … THE beginning of the school year is always fresh and exciting. The children are working hard to settle into their class routines and to reacquaint themselves with their friends and teacher. I feel very proud of the school that we have and I am positive that we will all work together - students, parents, staff and the wider community - to make it a great year for everyone. The staff and I are excited for the year ahead; we had a fantastic start to the term and look forward to working with all children, families and the extended community. I thank the staff for the many hours that they have put in before school begins to ensure that everything is ready to go. - SUZIE MCMANUS
Water provides a great theme to start the new school term
CHARLI, RYAN AND HAYLEY – NEWSPAPER CLUB
MERINO CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL
IN MARC this week, our teacher taught us about landscapes. We learnt about the techniques that are needed to make a good one. When you use watercolours, you have to remember to use soft strokes of your brush and not use too much water. My landscape is about a back yard and I painted some green vines and water.
Swimming: EVERY year at Merino, we start the school year learning how to swim. We get to use the local pool just down the road from the school. I have been working on my freestyle and backstroke and my survival strokes so I know what to do I ever get into trouble in the water. I really love that we get to swim at the start of every year
Garden: OVER the holidays, the garden grew lots! Ms Hulin came most days to water it and to look after it and when we got to school it looked amazing. Before we left for Christmas we planted, Tomatoes, Zucchinis, and Squash, lettuce and strawberries. This week we are cooking with the spinach, zucchinis and squash that we grew and we made lots of things like muffins and scones and quiches.
Writing: IN THE short time we’ve been back, writing has been a big subject so far. We’ve relearnt fronted adverbials, personification, adverbs plus lots more. We plan to learn lots more this year. This term we’ve been trying to write stories about, dragons. I like the way Ms Hulin makes it easy and fun. We laugh a lot in writing class.
Senior leadership opportunities
JILL ROBERTSON
CASTERTON PRIMARY SCHOOL
LAST week Trent, Mrs Kelly and I met with the Grade 6 students to talk to them about our Hands on Learning Program for 2022. This year all Grade 6 students have been given an opportunity to take part in Hands on Learning every Friday from recess. Both Trent and Mrs Kelly will work with students on different projects and Mrs Brown will also manage the kitchen and lunches. Hands on Learning offers skills for success through a practical in-school program that caters to the different ways young people learn. The aim is to help students build confidence, engagement and achievement at school. Students thrive in their learning by developing the teamwork, self-discipline and interpersonal skills vital for the 21st Century workforce. HoL began in 1999 and now runs in schools in Victoria, NSW, QLD and Tasmania. It was judged one of the top 100 education programs in the world by Finnish not-for-profit. The program is supported by Save the Children.
Social Services Committee: MRS Barlow is in charge of our school service committee and has invited applications from our Grade 6 students to join the group. We are seeking responsible, enthusiastic, dedicated and respectful Grade 6 leaders, to be selfless and kind role models within our school community. This role intends to grow your leadership skills and help you to develop as a socially responsible citizen. Social services will be run entirely by the student members with Mrs Barlow offering guidance during the planning and running of events.
Teach the Teacher: THE final leadership positions for this week were offered to all of Grade 6 and Grade 5 relating to a project called Teach the Teacher. Vic SRC runs the Teach the Teacher program in schools across Victoria. They have been employed by Beyond the Bell to work with a range of schools, including us, in the Shire of Glenelg.
Teach the Teacher is a five-step program which includes upskilling student researchers, data collection and consultation with other students, data analysis by students, student development and presentation of a professional learning session and development of an action plan by students and staff for their school.
I will be facilitating this project in our school, which will involve supporting students in all workshop/sessions, driving students to and from Portland for the in-person sessions, working with students in between the workshops and arranging for everything that will be needed for success in this work.
I am delighted to announce the six students participating in the project this year - Chloe Kurzman, Rupert Dorahy, Brooklyn Mutch, Georgia Bailey, Ruby Forbes and Darcy Brown. I am looking forward to working with this great bunch to influence the engagement of our students in their learning. Our first three-hour research session is set for Wednesday, 23rd February, where we will all travel to the Heywood Consolidated School for an introduction to the program with the Vic SRC.
