With Mr John Thompson Senior School Report

Midway through May we invited numerous kindergartens and preschools to our school and in particular into our lovely Foundation rooms. The kinder kids were lucky enough to experience school life and have a play in our playground

It was fantastic to network with the early childhood educators and bounce ideas of one another. Parents in the Foundation classes also had a chance to network with a cheeky afternoon tea by the playground

Foundation to Year 6 students took part in National Simultaneous Storytime, reading a delightful story ‘The Speedy Sloth’, which featured several poignant messages about participating, perseverance and positivity.

Speaking of participating and positivity, an enthusiastic group of Year 3/4 and 5/6 students participated in the Lions Club Speeches

Following their successful Immersion Day in Term One which focused on history, the Year 1/2s decided to ramp up the experience and take part in another Immersion Day, this time focusing on geography This was a fun learning experience in which students visited each continent virtually They discovered, explored and immersed themselves in the cultures of six different countries

The Cross Country was our major sporting event for the term. It is a picturesque setting down by Thompson’s Beach and it is always a wonderful event to be part of, especially for our Foundation students who get to experience it for the first time

With Term Two now in the books, I wish you all a happy and safe holiday period I am looking forward to the ‘premiership quarter’, Term Three, where our students apply and consolidate their learning

In week three, the Year 9 cohort swapped places with the Year 8s at Phillip Island, just sneaking in their activities before the weather turned sour We took a week off from camps in week four and this saw our secondary compete in a wide variety of sporting pursuits against other schools in the district as part of the GMDSSV Winter Sports competition.

The last of our camps for the term departed in week five, with the Year 7 cohort enjoying many team building activities at Borambola on their first camp experience away together

As well as sending most of our year levels off on camp this term, we also held a successful Taster Day for prospective 2024 Year 7 students (participants pictured in photo) followed by an information evening for parents during week five. We look forward to running a second Taster Day on 4 August, so if you know anyone who has a child entering Year 7 in 2024, be sure to spread the word!

At the beginning of term, a quick glance at the calendar indicated that Term Two was going to be a significant one for our Senior School students

As we sit here having completed the first semester of 2023, it’s fair to say the calendar didn’t fully reflect just how many curricular and extracurricular opportunities our Senior School students were presented with

We kicked off with a bang in week one with the Cross Country carnival, while week two began what can only be described as ‘camp season’, with our Year 8 cohort departing for Phillip Island; the Year 11 students taking off for their Melbourne and Ballarat university adventure, and the Year 9/10 Outdoor Education class setting off on their hike

Our Year 7 and 8 students took to the sporting field in week six, while our Year 9 and 10 students commenced their planning for 2024 with the ‘My Pathways Day’ taking place in week seven Week eight was a big one for our Year 12 group with the General Achievement Test (GAT) taking place, followed by their Winter Sleepout

And to cap it all off, the Year 10 students went out on work experience in the final week of term, while a group of dedicated Senior School performers starred on stage, with the ‘Game of Tiaras’ production a fantastic way to conclude a massive term of activities

It’s fair to say that a semester break has been well-earned by students and staff alike A massive thank you to the staff in the Senior School who continue to go above and beyond to provide these wonderful growth opportunities for our students, whilst also completing the day-to-day business of teaching and learning

To the students who have taken up these opportunities, be sure to enjoy the break before returning refreshed and ready to do it all again in Term Three

Business Report: With Mrs Narelle Schreenan

As we gear up for the upcoming holidays, we wanted to share news of improvements and renovations that will be taking place on our grounds Here’s a brief overview of the works being carried out:

We are thrilled to announce that our school will be going green!

Over the holidays, a state-of-the-art 99.6kW solar panel system will be installed on the rooftop of our basketball court facility

This initiative aims to reduce our carbon footprint and promote sustainability by harnessing the power of renewable energy

Sports Recap With Mr Jon O’Dwyer

As we approach our mid-year break, we want to celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of our talented athletes

Our sporting stars have once again excelled in various disciplines, showcasing their dedication and skill

Here's a summary of their achievements:

Our Cross Country event was a typically hard-fought battle, with Stanyer and Cowell tying in points, but Stanyer ultimately clinched the title

Nineteen primary students progressed to the Goulburn-Murray Division event, and 15 students represented the school at the GMDSSV event.

Fourteen students (six Junior School and eight Senior School) secured top 12 positions in their respective events, earning qualification for the Hume Region event.

Interschool Sport highlights included:

Year 9-12 students participating in their respective summer and winter sports days

Year 7-8 students engaging in winter sports

Year 5/6 students competing in a round-robin football/netball competition against other local schools

The solar panels will generate clean electricity, which will not only benefit the environment, but also help us save on energy costs in the long run

We are excited to educate our students about the importance of renewable energy sources and demonstrate our commitment to a greener future

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Our youngest learners deserve the best play spaces, and that's why we are revamping the Junior School sand pit During the holidays, we will be removing the existing decking and replacing it with a synthetic grass surface

The synthetic grass surface will provide a softer and more even playing area, reducing the risk of trips and falls To ensure our students have a comfortable and safe outdoor space, we will also be expanding the number of shade sails seen around the school.

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Safety is a top priority for us, and we are continuously looking for ways to enhance it Over the holidays, we will be installing kerb separation in the school driveway to increase traffic safety.

This improvement will provide a clear separation between the vehicle lanes, reducing the potential for accidents and ensuring a safer environment for everyone.

These infrastructure/maintenance projects are part of our ongoing commitment to continually improving the experience for our students and families

We are excited about the positive changes they will bring to our school community. We will keep you updated on the progress of these works and any other developments as they unfold, but it is expected they will be completed prior to students returning on Monday 17 July

Our senior girls' badminton team produced a gallant performance at the All Schools division two event, finishing in 7th position

Noteworthy achievements from interschool events include: Jack Magill (Y7) and Adrian Jonker (Y7) receiving awards at the clay target shooting; our intermediate (Y9/10) division one netball team finishing second, our intermediate girls' badminton team claiming runners-up, and both our senior girls' and senior boys' badminton teams being crowned divisional champions!

Extracurricular Success:

Athletics: Madison Simpson (Y6) and Xavyer Hyde (Year 2) – regional/club records

AFL: Jack Magill (Y7), Lachlan Packer (Y7), Taylor Thornton (Y7), Elijah Everingham (Y9), Jeremy Packer (Y9) and Sam Trembath (Y9) – GWS Giants Western Riverina Academy members

Badminton: A number of students experienced success at the Shepparton tournament on 13 May and at the Cobram tournament on 16 June (where all Cobram AGS connections finished on top of their respective divisions!

Basketball: Charlotte Woosnam (Y9) – elite training program and squad selection

Dance: All those students who dance for League 23 and have qualified for Nationals!

Canoeing: Vivian ‘Clive’ Cromack (Y11) – medals at Victorian School Canoe

Championships

Equestrian: Isla Butler (Y5), Emily Stone (Y6), Emelia Cole (Y7), Kasey Caldow (Y9) and Charlotte Dickins (Y9) – success at local gymkhana’s

Golf: Kohen Haddrell (Y6), Harry Thompson (Y7) and Mr Thompson – success at local club events/tournaments

Gymnastics: Jean-Marie Jonker (Y5) qualifying for an international event!

Netball: Lucy Adkins (Y9) – elite training program selection, Mikayla Woosnam (Y12) netball league representation and vice-captaincy

Soccer: Lachlan Pardy (Y6) playing representative soccer

Lawn Bowls: CAGS Cityside finishing runners-up in the Barooga Sporties Social Bowls season, with Mr O’Dwyer winning the 21 Up competition and finishing runners -up in B grade men’s division at club level

Other Individual Achievements:

Kohen Haddrell and Isabelle Haberfield excelled in the selection process for the Under 12 School Sports Victoria (SSV) Team Victoria in cricket and AFL respectively Aroha Kautai secured a place in the Under 12 Team Victoria Touch Football side for the second consecutive year.

We are immensely proud of our talented athletes for their dedication to their chosen sports. As we head into the second half of the year, we wish them a well-deserved break to recharge and prepare for future successes

Congratulations to all our sporting stars!