Learning Celebration 2023

Learning Celebration

A SNAPSHOT OF OUR ANNUAL YEARBOOK

EXCELLENCE COMPASSION COURAGE INTEGRITY RESPECT

Mosman Church of England Preparatory School

Headmaster's Message

“Mosman Prep has always set the bar very high and we will be forever grateful for being part of this fabric based on strong, future focused leadership, dedicated educators and an inclusive community that has created this environment in which we have watched our son and his peers flourish together. We have thoroughly enjoyed watching him blossom during his time at Mosman Prep and feel that both he and his peers have imparted many important virtues upon each other along the way. The importance of friendship, deep

community spirit, compassion, courage, hard work, patience and understanding and true inclusion just to name a few. We couldn’t have wished for a more supportive environment than the one we have experienced at Mosman Prep, so again we would like to thank each and every one of you for being part of our son’s village.” – (A parent message recently received)

I would like to thank all our families for their encouragement and support of our staff and the whole Prep Community this year. Your positive engagement in partnership, underpinned

by trust and respect, has been incredibly empowering for us.

A special thank you to our 2023 Class Parents, P&F Committee, and Old Boys’ Committee for going above and beyond with their support of the School.

Thank you to the School Council members for their time, wisdom and passionate engagement in support of the School. Special acknowledgement to our outgoing chair Jennifer Lambert for her faithful service over 12 years, Bill Murray as vice-chair for his service over 7.5 years, and our incoming chair, Amanda

Robertson, and incoming vice-chair Murray Chatfield.

We are so grateful for our outstanding staff team. They are the backbone of our School. Thank you to our Prep Staff, the administration, ground staff, peripatetic music staff, and canteen managers. Their professionalism, enthusiasm, ‘can do attitude’ and dedication to the boys and families of the School has been exceptional. I receive frequent words of praise from our parents regarding the fine quality of our Staff.

This has been another particularly busy year as we have enacted our Strategic Initiatives.

It has been exciting to see 34 new enrolments joining Mosman Prep since the commencement of the 2023 school year. We welcome all those new boys and their families to our community.

2023 has been an impressive year on our journey as a consistently exceptional Primary School, igniting a love of learning in our boys, as we prepare them for their future.

With Christian faith as our foundation, we have aimed to develop and strengthen:

• positive relationships

• honourable character

• pursuit of excellence

• commitment to contribute to the lives of others.

Amongst other highly successful events, our Mother’s and Father’s Day celebrations were held as full school events for the first time. Thank you to all parents involved in organising and supporting our important community connection opportunities.

Our inaugural full school Creative Arts Celebration was

a huge success. I would like to acknowledge the impressive leadership Juliana Zatz has displayed in her first year as Director of Creative Arts.

Extra-curricular programs have been expanded impressively, such as:

• Student Leadership has been strengthened this year under the guidance of Serena Hannon, with the inclusion of lunchtime clubs, led by Year 6 boys, and structured leadership opportunities for all Year 6 boys.

• Our partnership with Queenwood, including the first ever combined athletics carnival.

• Impressive development of our Aboriginal Education Program – led by Ellie Mackay.

• Powerful engagement with sustainability initiatives –spearheaded by Brendan Frost.

Teaching and Learning at Mosman Prep, led superbly by Alex Fentoullis is cutting edge, focusing on foundational and future proofing skills and dispositions, and evidence based ‘data informed’ practice. Tim Hudson has done an excellent job supporting Alex as our Data Coordinator.

During Term 1 2024, we will commence the refurbishment and refreshment of learning spaces, with the first of our new furniture arriving. Other Property Projects progressing well in the design and compliance stages include:

• Redevelopment of the Basketball Court

• The Creative Arts Music Centre

• Terrey Hills Aboriginal Yarning Circle

• Solar Panels on the Central Learning Space.

We are committed to providing an exceptional education for boys, empowering them to thrive.

It is our goal that on graduating from Mosman Prep at the end of Year 6, each boy will be:

• Compassionate

• Principled

• Globally Aware

• Adaptable

• Relational

• Collaborative

• Curious

• Autonomous

• Prepared

• Innovative.

We are committed to providing an exceptional education for boys, empowering them to thrive.

I won’t say goodbye to our Year 6 boys and those families finishing up at Prep. Rather, we look forward to seeing you continuing as lifetime members of the Mosman Prep family. You are always welcome to visit!

The Staff and Council are thankful for the support of our community during 2023 and excited about the opportunities 2024 holds for Mosman Prep.

Peter Grimes | Headmaster

Purpose, Vision and Mission

PURPOSE

To create positive and meaningful experiences that ignite a love of learning and life so students thrive.

VISION

To lead and guide our School community, with a Christian worldview, embracing the shared challenges and opportunities we face today in preparing young boys for their future.

MISSION

With Christian faith as our foundation, we focus on developing and strengthening positive relationships, honourable character, pursuit of excellence and commitment to contribute to the lives of others.

This creates a sense of belonging and self-identity that lays the foundations for academic, physical, social, emotional, and spiritual development.

Our Values

EXCELLENCE

We strive for our personal best.

‘Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.’ Ecclesiastes 9:10a

RESPECT

We value each other and the world around us. .

‘Show proper respect to everyone.’

1 Peter 2:17

COMPASSION

We serve and care for one another.

‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Matthew 25:40

Our School values and faith foundations are a lighthouse for our relationships and learning. They guide us towards a life of integrity, courage in pursuit of excellence, and a commitment to live ‘not for ourselves alone’.

COURAGE

We are bold, brave and embrace new opportunities.

‘Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.’ Joshua 1:9

INTEGRITY

We stand up for what is right. .

‘He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?’ Micah 6:8

Captain's Speech December 2023

I would like to begin by saying a heartfelt thank you to Mr Grimes, teachers, staff, parent volunteers and boys who have made my journey at this School so unforgettable and rewarding.

You have all helped me grow, not only in my academic skills, but also in my personal qualities; such as resilience, compassion, and leadership. I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to attend such a wonderful school, and thank my parents for making this happen.

What I’ve loved most about Mosman Prep are the amazing opportunities and experiences it offers. We have all been very fortunate to have so many options to choose from.

Firstly, Mosman Prep has provided us with amazing excursions and camps. They

have been fun, educational and challenging. Central Australia, Coffs Harbour, Camp Koloona, and Canberra are some of the places that I will always remember.

Each camp we went to was jammed packed with activities. Not only did we learn lots of new skills, facts, history and about Indigenous culture, we also discovered more about ourselves. We learnt the importance of teamwork, being organised, helping friends in need and dealing with emotions like homesickness and being away from the comforts of home.

The excursion to Central Australia was better than we could have imagined. When we saw Uluru for the first time, we could not believe our eyes. It was huge.

The view from the nearby Kata Tjuta was breathtaking. We felt a deep connection to our country when we all sang “I still call Australia home” and it echoed through Kata Tjuta.

The Coffs Harbour camp was unforgettable and pushed us out of our comfort zones. We were all scared of the zip line and were challenged by the mud mile. By the end of it, we were the happiest boys alive with huge smiles on our faces from what we had achieved.

We also had the opportunity to visit an Indigenous preschool where we learned about Indigenous art, language and music. We presented them with gifts for the preschool from money we had raised throughout the year. Their smiles were priceless. We truly lived up to our School motto 'Not for Ourselves Alone' and experienced the joy of serving others.

Secondly, the sports program provided us with many opportunities and experiences. Besides the core sports, many boys also participated in swimming, athletics, tennis, cross country and AFL. We’ve had the chance to compete against other schools and improve our skills and fitness. More importantly, we’ve learned the value of teamwork and sportsmanship.

The firsts cricket team was playing St Aloysius at Georges

Heights. We bowled them out for 100 runs and were confident we were going to win. To our surprise, the Aloys team were very chatty which rattled us and we lost a few quick wickets.

One of the Prep dads and our coach told us to use our voices and encourage our batsmen. As a team we didn’t give up. We dug deep, stayed calm and focused. We won the game. We rallied as a team and encouragement got us the win.

As much as we’ve learnt not to give up, we’ve learnt to lose gracefully and respectfully. We’ve also learnt how to encourage and celebrate the successes of others, even when our own individual performance may have been amiss.

Thirdly, I’ve also loved participating in the extracurricular activities.

I’ve loved going to Terrey Hills and doing all the fun things there. Cooking has been one of my favourites. There were so many laughs as we prepared food. The best part was sitting down together to eat what we had just made.

This has given me confidence to try different types of foods and to help me use our kitchen at home more.

I was hesitant to join the choir as it clashed with cross country training. I’m so glad I decided to continue with choir because it’s been fun and soulful. It’s been

a great change from academic subjects and sport. I always come out of choir feeling really relaxed. I’ve enjoyed singing and performing at different events.

We've learnt how to encourage and celebrate the successes of others.

Debating is another extracurricular activity that I have loved and encourage others to try. When I first started school, I was terrified of public speaking and would panic whenever I had to speak or perform in front of a crowd. I’ve been working on this and decided to challenge myself by taking the opportunity to join the debating team.

To my surprise, I discovered that I actually enjoy debating. I’ve learned how to make effective arguments, listen critically to what others are saying, and experience the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Debating has been a very rewarding experience and helped my confidence and I’m so glad I grabbed this opportunity.

And lastly, the generous and supportive school community provided some unique and rare experiences.

A highlight for me was when Guy Sebastian came and sang at the Father’s Day Breakfast. It was awesome!

More recently we got to see the four trophies won by Manchester City for the 20222023 football season. These opportunities came through the parent network in conjunction with the School, and we were very fortunate and grateful. I’m thankful for the School community and teachers which allowed me to participate in community events such as the Swim for Cancer, the Balmoral Burn, beach clean up, International Women’s Day functions and the Battle for Australia commemoration.

These activities tie back to our School motto: 'Not for Ourselves Alone', and in participating not only are we helping others and opening our minds up, we are having fun, building friendships, and sometimes pushing our limits.

I urge all the boys from Mosman Prep to embrace the opportunities and experiences that are on offer. Take advantage of them. Try something new even if it scares you. Push yourself that little bit more.

Harry Cominakis | Captain

Courage and Compassion

'Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.' Joshua 1:9

This year our School has enjoyed a wonderful season of growth in two of our School values, Courage and Compassion. Whether it has been asking big faith questions, or challenging themselves on the various camp activities, putting their hand up to lead Chapel or to share their GoodCHAP Service Learning Initiatives to inspire their peers, the boys have been courageous and compassionate.

Seeing our School values applied in our rich and diverse community with its various cultural and faith backgrounds warms my heart. The rich tapestry of cultures and beliefs that exist within our community has provided boys with opportunities to learn from each other, grow in respect to those who think differently to them and develop greater empathy and understanding. Through the many different learning experiences, boys have explored who Jesus is and have become more acquainted with their God Story.

Every year, it’s a joy and a privilege to provide boys opportunities and platforms for them to grow and express their faith journey in a safe and supportive environment. May Mosman Prep continue to be a place where love abounds and where we seek to serve one another.

Blessings,

Rev. Daryl Diener School Chaplain | Pastoral Care Coordinator

CHAPEL In Semester One we explored the famous Psalm 23 and what it meant for Jesus to be our Good Shepherd. We also delved deeper into our School values in Term 2 and learned that our School values and faith foundations are a lighthouse for our relationships and learning. They guide us towards a life of integrity, courage in pursuit of excellence, and a commitment to live ‘not for ourselves alone’. In Semester Two we shone like stars, with the weekly X-Factor spot in Chapel being a real highlight. We then finished the year by exploring various superheroes that we love and follow and compared them with Jesus.

We quickly learned the kind of superhero that Jesus is – He is kind, caring, powerful, loving, forgiving, just and is always on our side! We also enjoyed singing along to D-Diddy’s number one single “Shine Like Stars” and his Memory Verses from Luke 19.10. Viktor also made his usual surprise visits at our various special events!

CRU This year it has been encouraging to see a constant group of boys attend our Junior and Senior lunchtime CRU group. It is a time of fun, faith and friendship where we seek to grow in our love and learning of God (with lots of laughter too!).

School prayer

Lord God our Heavenly Father, we thank you for our School and for all the opportunities it gives to learn and grow in wisdom and understanding. May Mosman Prep be a place where love abounds and where we seek to serve one another.

Help us to pursue with honesty and determination those things which are true and of good report.

Guide us throughout our lives to do Your will and to become more like your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.

Amen.

Through many learning experiences, boys have explored who Jesus is and have become more acquainted with their God Story.

Mosman Prep is a place where love a bound s and where we seek to serve one another

GoodCHAP Engaging our Hearts, Heads and Hands

COMPASSION – We serve and care for one another.

‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:40

From Early Entry through to Year 6, all students at Mosman Prep engaged in our GoodCHAP Service Learning Program. 'CHAP' stands for Community Helpers Assisting People. The program is an integral part of our School community as it encourages us to live out our School motto and make a difference together.

The program encompasses the practical experience of 'Treat others just as you want to be

treated.' (Luke 6:31). Students develop initiative, respectfulness, an increased sense of personal and social responsibility, compassion, care for others and a spirit of generosity and joy as they identify the needs of others.

This year, service learning took place under the umbrella of 3 key categories: create, collect and cash. The boys were very creative as they engaged in initiatives that sought to serve and be a blessing to others. During our special end of year Leadership and GoodCHAP Assembly we reflected and celebrated the wonderful Service Learning that took place in 2023.

Small group and individual examples:

• Played music and sold food

• Went for walks with grandparents to keep them company

• Helped elderly neighbours

• Cleaned and donated toys to Vinnies and LifeLine

• Took out the rubbish bins for neighbours and family

• Cleaned cars

• Walked family and neighbours' dogs

• Beach clean up initiatives

• Cooked, created and delivered meals to the homeless through the Kids Giving Back organisation

• Competed in the Balmoral Swim to raise money for the Children’s Cancer Institute.

Class-based initiatives:

• Kindergarten students created precious connections at the local nursing home.

• Students led a wholeschool 'Reverse advent calendar' initiative.

• Organised a ASRC Feast For Freedom to support people seeking asylum with food, shelter and health services. Students in Senior Primary were able to buy a range of food brought in by Year 6 students that celebrated the diverse cultures reflected in our community.

• Students in Year 4 combined their learning about endangered species and love for cooking at Terrey Hills with GoodCHAP by selling baked goods, raising awareness and fundraising for their chosen endangered species charity.

• Year 5 raised $4000 for a local Indigenous preschool in Coffs Harbour which they visited in Term 3. The money was used to purchase a new

dishwasher, hats for the children, blankets, various balls and other sporting equipment.

• Students in Senior Primary attended the inaugural IPSHA Social Action EXPO where they heard from three social action organisations (School Aid, Cana Communities and b kinder foundation) that seek to empower and support student agency and voice. Our School was also selected to have a stall that celebrated our GoodCHAP Service Learning Program.

• Selected students attended the interschool Children’s Kindness Convention which brought Year 5 students together to create a community of kindness and empower student voice.

With only two hours on the clock, students had to brainstorm, develop and present their practical solution to a problem they were presented with. Some of the real life questions to solve were: How can we save Australia’s magic reef? What can we do to help our bees and other pollinators? What can we do to

help our koalas’ cries for help be heard? What can we do to help flood survivors? What can we do to help stop senseless deaths of our marine animals due to plastic pollution?

'We went to Kulai Preschool and played language games with the children. We also sang with them and handed over the gifts that we had been fundraising for. They were extremely grateful.'

The boys did a fantastic job working in their group with other boys and girls from other schools. I was so proud of the kindness they showed throughout the day. A powerful out working of the kindness convention was seen straight away at Senior Primary sports training that afternoon. Whilst a Year 3 boy was finding it difficult to put the soccer balls in the bag, one of the boys who attended the kindness convention noticed this and went over and provided a helping hand. It was beautiful to see kindness in action.

Rev. Daryl Diener

School Chaplain | Pastoral Care Coordinator

Student Representative Council

The Student Representative Council (SRC) plays a vital role at Mosman Prep in shaping the School environment and fostering a sense of community among students.

SRC Captains Harry and Toby, along with Class Representatives in Years 2-6, collectively decided to continue focusing on making Mosman Prep a more sustainable community. Brendan Frost worked closely with Harry and Toby to increase sustainability at the School, including successfully implementing the ‘Return and Earn’ program and educating students to become responsible environmental citizens. By introducing collection bins, sorting and transferring eligible containers to a local depot and

spreading awareness about the importance of recycling through some friendly class competitions, a sustainable culture has been facilitated within the School. Funds raised have been donated to Anglicare

In Semester Two, SRC Class Representatives were privileged to be invited to the IPSHA Social Action Expo at The King’s School. Students listened to a fantastic lineup of speakers that seek to empower and support student agency and voice, including SchoolAid, Cana Communities and the b kinder foundation. Schools presented their own initiatives and charitable projects which was a great opportunity for Mosman Prep boys to share

the School’s GoodCHAP Service Learning Program and promote the importance of social actions in supporting others in need.

The concept of taking these experiences from the broader community back to the School community and home, is a valuable consequence of these SRC activities. Thank you to Harry and Toby for being dedicated SRC Captains, demonstrating leadership, enthusiasm, passion and commitment to the role and to all the Class Representatives for their involvement in these initiatives and events throughout the year.

Serena Hannon | Student Leadership

Early EntryCreating Communities

Mosman Prep is known for its strong sense of community and the foundations are established in Early Entry. A sense of belonging begins as they are welcomed into their classroom every morning and they can see that everyone matters as they are integrated into the fabric of school life.

Our buddy program involves Year 5 classes visiting us to assist with tasks or simply to enjoy building in the sandpit and sharing picture books. Both age groups benefit from these interactions and learning

that each part of the School is connected celebrates the fostering of relationships.

Terrey Hill visits are always an exciting time for the students and especially when they share the trip with other members of Junior Primary. Observing and interacting with Kindergarten, Year 1 and 2 gives the boys the confidence to grow in their learning from the socialisation and confidence gained.

Specialist teachers visit us and EE also love to visit other areas of the School, utilising the Art and Music rooms, Library and

Hall for sport. They start to know the layout of their School and build connections with teachers throughout the campus.

Birthdays, holidays, celebrations of mums, dads and grandparents as well as the anniversary of our School are events that the students look forward to sharing and related activities can be incorporated into many facets of our program.

We celebrate each and every boy in their journey and that they have become part of a very special community, our School.

Kindergarten Living Things and their Habitats

Living things are like nature’s own superheroes, each with their own incredible powers to grow, move, and bring our world to life! As ‘Green Guardians’, Kindergarten explored the driving question: How can we improve sustainability in the world around us to help all living things thrive?

Once Kindergarten could identify living and non-living things and communicate the diverse traits they display, we began to investigate the various habitats and environments that provide homes for an array of life forms. Our exciting excursion to the Australian Museum took our learning to a whole new level! We explored the incredible diversity of outer bodies that make every living thing unique and perfectly adapted to their environment. From scales and feathers to fur and claws, our adventure through

the museum was a hands-on journey into the fascinating world of life’s amazing designs.

As we delved into the topic of sustainability, we discovered the vital role that plants play in our everyday lives. From providing the air we breathe to nourishing our bodies and even offering materials for shelter and clothing, plants are the unsung heroes of human existence. Our visit to Kimbriki Tip was an eye-opening adventure into the world of sustainability. As we explored the 4 R’s – reduce, rethink, recycle, and reuse – we uncovered the power of small changes in making a big impact on our planet. From repurposing materials to rethinking our consumption patterns, it was a day brimming with inspiration and learning, serving as a reminder that we all play a role in shaping a greener, more sustainable future.

In a magical fusion of sustainability and habitat knowledge, we consolidated our knowledge through an inspiring, collaborative, and hands-on group project. Together, using flexible thinking skills, we transformed recyclable resources into dream homes for our favourite animals. This interactive endeavor not only showcased our creativity but also reinforced the importance of eco-friendly practices in preserving the habitats of our beloved creatures. Most importantly, this multidimensional experience, as part of our integrated unit, allowed Kindergarten students to think critically and creatively, to explore and ponder, to play and discover and to engage with wondering: How can we ensure a thriving future for all living things on our planet?

Year 1, Oldest Living Culture

Throughout 2023, Year 1 studied Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives across a range of contexts. As a result, they have gained a rich and authentic understanding of the importance of learning about and celebrating one of the world’s oldest living cultures.

The boys explored how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples use changes in the sky and landscape to monitor seasonal change and the passage of time. They learned about how storytelling is an integral part of culture and a way of sharing lessons from

one generation to the next. They also reflected on Reconciliation Week and learned about how they can contribute to ongoing strengthening relationships.

The boys jointly constructed an Acknowledgement of Country for our Terrey Hills campus, and unpacked why this is important. They learned about caring for Country and how we can be stewards of the land, like the First Peoples did for tens of thousands of years before us, and continue to do today.

They have shared reflections about which aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Students have gained a rich and authentic understanding of one of the world's oldest living cultures.

Islander culture they most enjoyed learning about throughout the year.

Our reflections

I loved learning about smoking ceremonies. Nicholas

My favourite part was when we learned about Awesome Emu in the sky because it was the most interesting. Henry

I learned about the Emu in the Sky and that the Southern Cross is actually a part of the Emu. Ben

I enjoyed the bush walk with Uncle Laurie because I got to see lots of different things like the rock carvings. Brendon

Hearing about when the emu went into the sky when he was challenged to go to the Sun. Tyler

I loved learning about the Emu in the Sky. Teddy

I liked learning how important Country and the land is to Aboriginal people. Louis

I liked watching Uncle Laurie draw on the rock carvings to explain the story to us. Atticus

How Aboriginal people put special paint, called ochre, on their faces. Sandy

The bush walk with Uncle Laurie, was fun. Winston

My favourite thing I learned was about the constellations and how Aboriginal people use them for tracking what time they should collect emu eggs. William

I loved learning about the Emu in the Sky and the smoking ceremony with Uncle Laurie. Elijah

My favourite thing that I learned was about Awesome Emu in the Sky. Jordi

How every year, Aboriginal people hunt emu eggs. Nicky

I liked that we learned about the smoking ceremonies and the different seasons. Freddy

I loved learning about the Dreaming story of Emu in the Sky and how the crow knew not to boast. Beckett

I liked learning about how there are six seasons in Arnhem Land. Sasha

I liked learning about the constellations because sometimes I spot them in the sky. Miles

I liked how they made their weapons with special types of plants, and the bush walk with Uncle Laurie. Bassy

My favourite thing was seeing Uncle Laurie do a smoking ceremony at Terrey Hills. Jaxsen

I learned that smoking ceremonies ward off evil spirits. William

I liked learning about the constellations like the Southern Cross and Awesome Emu. Perry

I loved the Smoking Ceremony because it smells good. Eric

Learning about Aboriginal culture bu lds bridges of understanding

Year 2, STEM Education

Throughout 2023, Year 2 engaged in a variety of social, emotional and academic pursuits. One key focus for the year has been an ongoing engagement with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. STEM education is designed to challenge and equip students with the skills required to engage with, and solve, authentic problems for the complex world around them. Integral in STEM education is student engagement with design thinking and project-based learning. Implementing this rigorous, hands-on approach has resulted in increased levels of student engagement and outcomes.

Project-Based Learning Experiences, Year 2, 2023:

• Poem Project: Students used artifacts and poetry

to introduce themselves to their new teachers and peers at the start of the year.

• Life Stages Exhibition: Students curated an exhibition showcasing the life stages of chosen animals.

• Changing Technologies: Students developed a 3D model of a chosen modern technology and utilised Minecraft technology to design a virtual model of a technology for the future.

• Acknowledgement of Country: Students collaborated with Year 1 to develop an Acknowledgement of Country for our School’s Terrey Hills campus. This project incorporated a soundscape, visual artwork and oral storytelling.

• Marvelous Machines: Students worked independently or

in collaborative groups to design their own ‘Rube Goldberg’ machine from recyclable materials.

• STEM Kite Building with Queenwood: Students hosted Year 2 from Queenwood for a full day focused on push and pull forces at our Terrey Hills campus.

• Queenwood Writing Project: Students were assigned a Queenwood Pen Pal and engaged in ongoing communication via letter writing over Terms 3-4.

• Drama: Students engaged in a Year 2 Class Drama project and performance for our School’s Creative Arts Showcase in Term 3. Every student has discussed and reflected on these various learning projects and considered which they felt to be their individual success for the year.

Our individual succe sses

Student

reflections on the various learning projects

My highlight of the year was all of the projects we did in Science. I enjoyed making my presentation for the Marvellous Mixtures project in Term 4. Leon

I loved my Rube Goldberg Machine because it was a challenge and really fun to do. Hugo

My favourite project this year was the STEM Kite Building day with Queenwood because we got to design and decorate our kites and I was really good at flying mine! Rupert

Year 2 Drama because I could show the real me. The second was our study on modern technology because I liked being able to make a model for the exhibition. William

I was excited about the project, building kites with Queenwood. I enjoyed this the most because I got to draw pictures and diagrams to decorate my kite. It was really fun to fly them with the Queenwood girls too. Jack Kite Building was the best because we made kites with our Queenwood pen pals. We decorated our kites and got to know our friends from Queenwood even more. I was super happy when my kite flew. William

I liked the Rube Goldberg Machine Making Day because we don’t usually make machines. I made a machine with my friends. I learnt how to cooperate. Lucas

My favourite project this year has been building the Rube Goldberg Machine because I love

building. I also really enjoyed working as a team. Ryan

The Rube Goldberg Machine Making Day was fantastic because I got to build a machine. I also got to work with my friends on the project. Ronan

The highlight of the year was when we had the Rube Goldberg Machine Making Day. I liked it the most because it is fun to solve problems. I also like collaborating with my friends. Hamji

My favourite project this year was my studies of eminent people. I found this to be a really big challenge so I felt very proud. Hugo

The Rube Goldberg Machine Making Day was my favourite experience. My group made a pencil lift out of cardboard and string. Our machine lifted a pencil the height of a desk. We felt great to have succeeded. Charles

The whole class participated in the Drama performance. We had to collaborate, act, use our brains, and bodies, create actions and use our stage voices. It was so much fun performing in front of my family. William

The favourite was the Drama performance. Acting on stage was so much fun. Oliver

One of the best things about the School is going to Terrey Hills. I like it because the air is fresh, and the playing field is very big so you can play soccer. We participated in a lot of fun activities at the campus. Cooking was my favourite activity. Felix I have two favourite activities. The Rube Goldberg Machine

Making Day was great because we got to work together as a team. The other was Drama, because we could show our real selves and it was also fun.

Lucas

My projects were the Rube Goldberg Machine Making Day and the Kite building day with Queenwood. I liked these projects because I got to make many machines. Both projects were fun. Win

I enjoyed the studies of the Eminence Project because I liked learning about the different famous people and their achievements. Charles

The Rube Goldberg Machine Making Day was my favourite project because it was fun to work with my friends. My group collaborated on dropping a fish down a hole. We were successful and that made us feel awesome. Friedrich

My favourite learning project was the Year 2 Drama Performance because I had lots of fun acting. I also liked this project because I was able to show more of myself when I performed with the class.

Thomas

The Rube Goldberg Machine Making Day was the best because we made a lot of machines and we learnt how to problem solve. It was really good fun to work together with my friends as a group. Barnaby

My favourite project was The Rube Goldberg Machine Making Day. It was great because I had a lot of fun with my friends. To make it work we had to think about the purpose of the machine. We made an adjustable ramp. It worked well. Eric

My favourite project this year has been our ‘Queenwood Pen Pal’ project because I made a new friend who is a girl. I was happy that my pen pal wrote back to my letters so many times. I also really enjoyed getting to write my letters in Japanese. Yuito

I really liked my Challenge English studies of Eminence. I felt this was my favourite project

because I enjoy learning about challenging work in history. I also liked working independently and getting to choose my own person of interest. Benjamin

My favourite project was building our Rube Goldberg Machines because they taught us how something works. I liked learning how to problem solve the things that went wrong by observing the different reactions. Daniel

I am confident that my favourite project was when we were making the ‘Life Cycle’ of an animal exhibition. The reason it was my favourite was because I learned so many new things about my chosen animal, the turtle, from doing this project. Hamish

Junior Primary have had a fant ast c year

Year 3, Embracing Opportunities

Year 3 had a remarkable learning journey this year, which highlights their courageous and bold approach towards embracing new opportunities. Throughout the year, they demonstrated resilience, maturity, and a willingness to step out of their comfort zones, both during their CRU Camp experience and in their academic pursuits.

During their camp at Lake Macquarie, the boys had the opportunity to spend nights away from their families and share a room with other students (a first for many), fostering increased independence, self-

reliance, camaraderie and teamwork. They exhibited bravery, adaptability, courage and willingness to face challenges and fears head-on through engaging in activities such as making damper, raft and catapult building, bushwalking and exploring cave mazes in the dark. Among the activities, they learned more about God with the opportunity to grow in faith.

Students also delved into complex content surrounding the protection and conservation of World Heritage Sites located in Australia through the exploration of texts such as ‘One Small Island ’ by Alison Lester and

‘Blueback’ by Tim Winton. They actively sought solutions, engaged in critical thinking routines and presented their newfound knowledge and skills through a variety of text types.

New sports activities were enjoyed across Summer and Winter, including tee-ball, basketball, cricket, football and rugby. They also honed their culinary skills by cooking in the kitchen and trying new foods, exemplifying their openness to diverse experiences. The boys should be proud of their attitudes, growth and achievements at Mosman Prep this year.

Our Challenges

What was the most challenging thing you faced this year?

The most challenging thing this year was camp because I had to leave my family and try different foods. Augustine

Maths, because I was having trouble at the start of the year with my times tables but now I can do up to my 10 times tables. Anstruther

The most challenging thing this year has been working on editing my writing. I’ve tried hard to add full stops and speech marks to improve my grammar significantly. Zac

What was one skill you learnt as a result of taking part in this year’s camp?

At camp I learned to step out of my comfort zone. I did this by going out, getting muddy and trying new foods. Now I can use these skills properly. Cruz

Taking courage to do things that I had never done before like going away from my home and family. Maximus

I learnt how to cook damper. Steven

What can you do now that you could not do a year ago?

As English is my second language, I could not speak English as well as I can now.

I also improved my friendship skills and now I have more friends than last year, but I can still improve on being a better friend. Joe

I can run faster and play handball well. I can also do my times tables faster and more efficiently. Sebastian

I could not do my times tables last year but I kept practicing and I can do my times tables efficiently. Marcus

I have improved my English. Lincoln

What are you most proud of this year?

My art. Lachlan

Completing NAPLAN, my rugby skills and I’m very proud of my friends and me. Hugh

I am proud of my friends, my teachers, my School and my family. Shayne

Now I can remember my 6-8 times tables. Thomas

Having great classmates and being able to do hard things. Cornelius

What have you enjoyed the most about this year?

The thing I most enjoyed this year was camp. We had good food and did lots of fun activities. Felix

The thing that I enjoyed most about this year is that we played basketball against different schools. Lucas

I enjoyed cooking a lot more this year and chatting with friends and family more. Lucas X

I have enjoyed playing with my friends at recess because my friends are always being inclusive all the time and get out in handball when they need to. Edison

Boys exhibited bravery,adaptability, courage and willingness to face challenges and fears

Year , Endangered Animal Odyssey

As part of our Integrated Unit, The Earth and Us, Year 4 explored the human impact on the environment within Australia and Asia, and sustainable practices required to combat these threats. Students embarked on a journey to investigate a chosen endangered animal, and to communicate their understanding through poetry and persuasive writing. This exploration led them to the understanding that the term ‘endangered’ exists within a broader conservation spectrum, encompassing animals that vary from those of least concern to those which are almost extinct.

Students were charged with the mission of not only informing

but also persuading their fellow classmates about why their chosen animal warranted the highest level of support and assistance. In order to convince their peers, students produced engaging presentations, short videos and posters, as well as flyers. The students were highly engaged with this activity and competition was fierce.

The most deserving animals chosen by the boys were the Australian Leadbeater’s Possum and the Koala, the populations both of which have been impacted by deforestation as well as bushfires.

Driven by the School’s value of compassion, Year 4 decided to put their ideas into action

Students were highly engaged and competition was fierce.

and hold a baking stall to raise funds for their chosen animals. At Terrey Hills, the students baked cupcakes to sell at school, promoting the cause with their posters. They handed out flyers to encourage others to research and investigate ways to assist a variety of critically endangered animals within Australia and the world.

Our Reflections

I found out that the Australian sea lion can run up to 6.7 metres per second across beaches. Lewis B

An incredible fact I discovered was that koala is an indigenous word meaning ‘no drink’. Harrison

I couldn’t believe that this shark was called ‘the dumb shark,’ but it is actually not that dumb. Khoi

Did you know, when a huntsman runs at you they are trying to get away? Charlie

An incredible fact I discovered was that the Australian sea lion is the only native seal to Australia. Luca

An incredible fact I discovered was that red pandas can help combat climate change. Justin

An incredible fact I discovered was that the tiny leadbeater's possum wasn’t afraid of spiders, he actually ate them. Remy

I found out the Tasmanian devil can crush your bones. Oliver

An incredible fact I discovered was that Tasmanian devils, even though they are small, have the strongest bite force of any living mammalian carnivore animal in the world. Angus

Did you know that the retro slider’s body is 15 centimetres? Huxley

One fun fact about my endangered animal is that the Australian sea lion was first found in New Zealand. Henry

An incredible fact I discovered was that the retro slider actually has legs. Theo

It turns out the earless grassland dragon actually does have ears. Louis

A very surprising fact I found out is that there are three different types of koalas. Nils

I couldn’t believe that the black flanked rock wallaby has a maximum height of just 50cm. Matthew

Did you know the Huntsman can grow up to 30cm in width? Jack

I didn’t realise that the brush-tailed rock wallaby is super agile and can balance really well. Aidan

Did you know that most Tasmanian devils die most commonly from facial tumours? Toby

A shocking fact is that the brushtailed rock wallaby habitat was burnt in the devastating 20192020 Australian fires. Harry

I found out that a brushtailed rock wallaby can outrun a dingo. Jonathan

I couldn’t believe the cute slimy axolotl can grow limbs, parts of their brain and even parts of their heart! Nicky

Did you know that the axolotl can eat one worm and survive for two weeks without eating anything else? Sebastian

I couldn’t believe that orange-bellied parrots die from deforestation and cats. Boran

I couldn’t believe that the mountain pygmy possum is Australia’s only hibernating mammal. Felix

I couldn’t believe Tasmanian devils can glow in the dark under an ultraviolet light. Edward

I found out that the mountain pygmy possum’s main food source is the bogong moth. George

An incredible fact I discovered was that the grassland earless dragon was rediscovered in 2023. Terrance

I didn’t realise that the leadbeater’s possum only live 2-3 years due to deforestation. If this wasn’t a thing they would live for 13 years! Luke

An incredible fact I discovered was that rock wallabies can outrun dingoes. Banjo

I found out that pandas spread droppings to help the forest. Jonah

I didn’t realise that there were only 50 orange-bellied parrots left. Henry

I didn’t realise that snow leopards are more closely related to tigers than leopards. Tanaka

Did you know that a Tasmanian devil is the size of a grain of rice when it’s a newborn? Sebastian

I couldn’t believe that the grassland earless dragon was thought to be extinct in 1969 but was rediscovered in 2023. Ayrton

I found out that there are only 1800 giant pandas left. Adam

An incredible fact I discovered was that dingoes live in forests next to grasslands because they live in the forest and hunt in the grasslands. Lachlan

I couldn’t believe that dingoes were endangered. William

We held a cupcake stall to raise funds for our animals

Year 5, Capers and Connections on Camp

In Term 3, Year 5 students went to Coffs Coast Adventure Centre to experience a week of fun activities and cultural learning. After an early start and a long bus ride, boys arrived at Bongil Bongil National Park where they were greeted by National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Indigenous Ranger, Nadja. Taking the students on a bushwalk, she explained that different native plants and animals have various uses from their leaves and fruits that have been practised by First Nations peoples for thousands of years.

Capture the flag, was a great way to let off some steam and burn off some energy. Students needed to show stealth, cunning, strategising and athleticism in order to capture their opponents’ flag and return it successfully.

Activities included Team Rescue, Sky Wire, Canoeing and the classic Commando Course. During these sessions, students were challenged to work cooperatively, show courage and test themselves. Minute To Win It involved tackling some wacky challenges, such as stacking hexagonal nuts with chopsticks and balancing three golf balls on top of each other. Teamwork, cooperation and individual skills came to the fore, along with lots of laughs!

Students visited Muttonbird Island and learned about the significance of the site to First Nations people, as well as about the mutton birds themselves, from Ranger Andrew. Following this it was perhaps the most rewarding activity of the whole week, the visit to the Kulai Preschool. Boys had raised funds for this school prior to the trip. They were able to join in music and language lessons, then enjoy playground activities. Finally, they were able to pass on many of the gifts that they had been able to purchase through their fundraising: blankets, sports balls, bucket hats and a dishwasher. The boys were proud to see their hard work come to fruition. Next came surfing and boogie boarding at North Wall Beach. Fortunately the waves weren’t too big, the weather was beautiful and the water was not too cold. Some were in their element whilst others showed bravery in the face of a brand new challenge. There were several opportunities to learn more about the local area. The first stop was Sealy Lookout, where Ranger Andrew educated the boys about the cultural practices and Dreamtime stories of the local Gumbaynggirr people, as well as how the land

Some students were in their element whilst others showed bravery in the face of a brand new challenge.

has transformed throughout millennia. Everyone enjoyed the stunning view from the Forest Sky Pier. Then it was on to Arrawarra Beach to learn traditional face painting using ochre. Students also learned about the fish traps and tracking skills practised by the First Nations people. Ranger Nadja told Dreamtime Stories around the campfire as the boys reflected on all their experiences.

What an adrenaline rush as boys took on the Giant Swing and Zorb Ball. They supported each other in encouragement and team spirit.

Finally, it was time to depart and wave goodbye to a week-long adventure. Students embraced every opportunity offered and will remember this camp forever.

Some camp reflections

Zorb was my favourite because we overcame our fears of being upside down and ended up having a super great time.

I grew in my confidence because I felt like I did a lot more than I thought I would. The staff tried their absolute hardest to entertain us. Luca

I connected with new friends and learned new things at the Coffs camp. Jonathan

The Commando Course was great because of the mudslide and running 50 metres across a mud lake.

I grew in resilience and enjoyed the connection with the Aboriginal kids. Salvador

I grew in maturity because I had to make tough decisions on camp. I connected with all of my friends a lot more and made some new friends. Miles

My favourite part of camp was the Giant Swing because we pulled a rope and went soaring through the air.

I learned that I can still have fun even if I am by myself for 5 days. I made a connection with the Aboriginal preschoolers who were very happy and playful. Alex

I learned that I wasn’t so afraid of heights and I overcame some of my fears. I made connections with other people in our year group and learnt more about other people. Adib

The Ga Ga Ball game that we played every morning and in free time was the best fun.

I think this helped me grow personally because I connected

with the Indigenous Peoples and had lots of fun with my friends. Hugo

I think this helped me grow personally because I made lots of friends playing. I made connections with the teachers who played with us and also the other people at the camp. Arthur

My favourite moment of the Commando Course was trying to get up onto the slide into the mud.

I learnt that I’m actually not afraid of heights, it was just in my head. I made a connection with peers around me because in my activity group I made friends with people I don’t hang out with. Vasili

I honestly struggled to get up the rope onto the slide. My favourite part of the Commando Course was when we played tug of war in the mud mile and fell in. I learnt that sometimes getting dirty makes things more fun. Will

Surfing was my favourite because of the amazing waves and I was lucky enough to stand up on the board.

I wanted to experience new friends so I played with different people. At camp we had to eat different foods that I was not familiar with. Ethan

Now I have learned that I should try more things because I might like it. While I was surfing I found a connection when my friends were cheering me on because it was my first time surfing.

Sebastian

The Zip Line went really fast downwards and you were up really high and I liked helping my friends.

I learned that I can stay away from my family and I am not as scared as I thought of heights. I bonded with people in my cabin that I did not know well. Charlie

I learned that I could cope without my family. I enjoyed getting to know the Aboriginal kids. Austin

My favourite camp activity was probably the campfire because I liked how we all bonded and got to listen to some traditional Aboriginal Dreamtime stories. My personal growth from the camp was understanding how different Indigenous Peoples live. Xavier

The Commando Course was my favourite because it was challenging and lots of fun. It gave us freedom, a chance to work together and boosted our self confidence.

We had to work with others to complete challenging obstacles. I made connections with preschoolers, Indigenous children and adults. I also connected with different friends, sports and activities. Adam

It helped me care about others more and definitely helped me with teamwork. I made connections with Aboriginal kids from other schools and played with Aboriginal preschoolers. I also connected with sports – one of the sports was called Ga Ga Ball. Levi

The Giant Swing was my favourite because I saw so many people push their limits whilst

I pulled the rope to make them go higher. It was an exhilarating experience to be pulled up until you got to your drop point, then drop down using the harness to swing you down. We all had a huge smile on our faces, and every person going up was a new experience. Henry

I learned how to work as a team. I made significant connections with my cabin mates because before we didn’t interact with each other much. Alistair

I learnt more about some of the people in my cabin and that we had things in common. I made significant connections with some of the preschoolers. Jamison

My favourite part was Zorb Balling, because I saw others rolling down the hill, it looked easy but when I did it it turned out to be a lot more frightening.

At camp I felt that I learnt to be more self-independent by taking care of my belongings and being sensible when I’ve got friends around me. Whilst I was on camp I felt like I made a deeper connection with my peers and I also felt like I made a connection with a little girl from the preschool called Samira, who bonded with me over blowing raspberries. Will

During my time at camp, I experienced the Giant Swing. I learnt that I wasn’t as afraid of heights as I thought, as I went to the highest point and it didn’t worry me. I already felt that I had a pretty good connection with my classmates, but I instead made a connection with an Aboriginal preschooler called Oliver. Jakob

The Festival of Year 6

Red Centre Trip

Sunday 10 – Friday 15 September

Twenty five Year 6 boys woke up very early as they left their houses to go to Terminal 3 at Kingsford-Smith Airport. When we arrived and we got to the baggage drop, all of the parents waved goodbye as we were about to go through security. When we got to security, Birch was selected to go through another security

measure to make sure he wasn’t carrying or previously making any bombs. Luckily the police didn’t have to get involved and Birch passed the test! When we got to the gate there was a forty minute wait to board the plane; destination Alice Springs. We soon discovered that the plane had TVs on the flight and everyone was starting to choose their movies and settled down and watched the takeoff.

Three hours and thirty minutes later we arrived at Alice Springs and some people saw red soil for the first time. We retrieved our bags and met our driver Leonard (Len) and our chef, Mia (Len’s daughter).

We then drove thirty minutes to Simpson’s Gap, had our lunch and then sang our wonderful song, 'We are Australian'. When we finished, we had a look at the magical rock formations.

We departed to go to Alice Springs 'School of The Air'. Here we learned that they have students from over five hundred kilometres away, in WA, QLD, SA and even from the other side of the world, learning over the airwaves.

We arrived at our bunkhouse for the night, put all of our bags in our room, had a game of basketball against some high school students and later had dinner and dessert under the stars. Joey, Caolan, Archie, James, Beau, Harry

The cool, fresh morning air hit us as we opened the large double doors and walked straight to our tables, dilly bag in hand ready for a big delicious breakfast to start the day.

We loaded the bus with our bags and rode off into the morning sun to our first activity, the Alice Springs Desert Wildlife Park. Our tour started off by learning about spinifex grass and the many uses that it has, such as a glue that they melt down to stick things, also providing a home for animals.

As we continued walking through the wildlife park, we saw a variety of different birds such as a spinifex pigeon and the original brush turkey, a big prehistoric looking bird with a pelican looking beak, which the Aboriginal people hunted for food.

We learned a lot about the tools that Aboriginal men and women used to hunt animals and gather resources for their tribe.

Next we moved to the bird show where we learned a lot about different birds such as the magpie, the barn owl and a blackbreasted buzzard, which could

crack open emu eggs with a rock.

After the bird show we went inside the nocturnal house where we explored many different reptiles, bats and small rodentlike creatures such as bilbies.

We then drove for a good five hours to Kings Creek Station where we set up our tents. The process was long and hard as some had real trouble pegging the tents into the red, hard sand. We then rushed to dinner where we had a delicious meal of nachos and spaghetti bolognese with a side of garlic bread which we gobbled up super fast. After dinner we all sat down and looked at the Milky Way galaxy and went on a walk along the road to look at the stars and the Southern Cross.

Then we jumped into our tents where we fell asleep almost instantly, after a long chat with our friends, as we were so exhausted, and dreamed of the long day we had just experienced. Toby, Alex, Stirling

After a wholesome breakfast we headed off to a small Indigenous community called Lilla. We started off by being allowed to enter the land through a traditional smoking ceremony.

Then we went on a beautiful walk to a sacred waterhole led by an Indigenous man named Louis. Along the way we stopped at some caves where Louis told us some Dreamtime stories. The different minerals in the rocks showed different colours which you could pour water over to make natural face paint which could be used as sunscreen.

Then after a long walk back, we each enjoyed a Zooper Dooper. We then went inside

for a lesson on dot painting. The paint was handed over to us where we were given a small canvas and it was our turn to paint. Some boys channeled their inner Picasso and produced some amazing pieces.

After dot painting, we got the incredible chance to throw some Aboriginal tools. Most boys had difficulty attaching the Woomera (another tool that allows you to throw the spear faster and more accurately) on to the end of the spear but once that problem was solved boys gave it their all, throwing the spears at the box (which luckily for it) came out unscathed. Then Louis showed us how it’s done and threw the spear right into the heart of the box. We also got to throw a non-return boomerang where we learned that the trick was flicking your wrist.

While we were throwing the tools, the kangaroo tail was getting cooked. When the kangaroo tail was ready, everyone rushed to the table. The meat from the body tasted like a chicken steak and the tail tasted like lamb. Everyone was waving their hands to get the flies away from their tasty kangaroo.

We said goodbye, then we headed off to our next stop which was the 'Karke' Indigenous experience. They showed some of their natural food sources, such as how they make biscuits out of acacia seeds and how to find witchetty grubs in the tree roots. We were shown how they made jewellery from seeds by piercing the seeds with a hot metal stick. They would also brand tools with different patterns.

We were all hot and bothered and as soon as we got back to our campsite we ran to the pool! We didn’t feel the temperature at first and when we jumped in, it was an ice bath. Everyone quickly scrambled out huffing and puffing but you weren’t allowed to say it was cold –instead we said it was freezing!

After a delicious dinner, we all had a relaxing campfire together. We were telling spooky stories and looking up to the plentiful stars to try and look for the Southern Cross. Rafael, Harry Leonard, our bus driver, informed us that we had to pack up our tents after we had our pancakes and cereal.

The first step was to get out the metal pole hanging the entire tent up. After that you needed to grab a special peg remover, or you could just use a peg to remove other pegs. Finally you folded the tent and slotted it in the bag to carry onto the bus.

Then we were off to the famous Kings Canyon Rim Walk.

The Rim Walk was exhausting! Everyone filled up their water bottles at every drinking station. We saw amazing views over the edge of the canyon. Mr Hudson told us that we were about to enter the Garden of Eden. After looking around, the teachers sat us down and told us that there was a species of witchetty grub hiding in the bushes near the water. All of us were really excited because Mr McDonald told us that we could try one. But when Mr Hudson brought them out we all realised that they were just lolly snakes! After we had

finished the walk we were all exhausted and could not wait to get an icy, cold Zooper Dooper.

After the Rim Walk, we went back to the bus. It was sultry inside the bus. Luckily, Leonard opened the air-conditioner. All of us felt relaxed and comfortable. Most of us fell asleep or watched a movie. When we woke up, we’d already arrived at Uluru.

After we unpacked the tents we all hopped on the bus and drove towards Uluru for the sunset viewing with some snacks and took some fabulous photos. What an amazing sight!

Hugo, Jack, Tom

After sleeping on the ground on what felt like concrete, Mr Mac howled and we were all awoken with a fright. We packed our day packs ready for the busy day ahead.

We trotted to the bus for a short ride to Kata Tjuta ready for a long rocky walk.

Flies buzzed around us and sweat dripped down our withered faces. A few kilometres down the track we realised the sheer size of the rock formations and how spectacular they were. After thousands of tiring steps we finally reached the beautiful, amazing views as we looked over the whole of Kata Tjuta.

We sang our song one last time, listening to it echoing off the surrounding walls, followed by five minutes of silence to take in the surroundings. Amazing!

We sipped our last drops of water refreshing our dry throats as we finally finished the brutal walk escaping the scorching heat.

As we ran on the bus to escape the flies we made our way to Uluru, the heart of Australia. We walked around some of the most important, sacred parts of Uluru learning more information as we went. We saw the men’s area, the women’s area, the teaching area, the waterhole where the Aboriginal People swim and hunt. Also we saw the original Aboriginal kitchen.

We ended the day playing some cricket in the red, dusty sand. The sunset was slowly fading away as we appealed for the wicket, staring down the umpire, waiting for him to give us the 'out' symbol.

In the end everyone had a fantastic day in the Red Centre enjoying the sights and playing cricket in the last of the sunlight. Harry, Kai, Charlie

We packed up after a long week of walking and dealing with flies, getting ready to go back home to Sydney, but we had one more very important event, riding camels and recounting fun facts about them!

There was also a barnyard at the same place and I saw a baby goat and he walked up to me and licked my hand. There was a chicken yard right next to the goats.

Mr Mac and Mr Hudson gave us a ten dollar budget to spend on the plane. Most boys combined their budget to get jelly planes and hot chocolate but other people got noodles and a snack using a meal deal on the plane for under ten dollars.

When the lights suddenly turned on, Joey Boyd said that we were ten thousand feet above ground. The crew was shocked

that he knew, so they invited him to check the pilot’s cockpit but then at the end more people got to look as well. When we landed, our parents were waiting for us and we hugged them, said thank you to the teachers, and headed home for a nice sleep on a comfy bed.

What an adventure! Harrison, Raef

Camp Koloona: 'Prep Pack n Paddle'

The real highlight of our camp was the 'Prep Pack & Paddle'.

This involved trekking for 8kms through the rugged terrain and wilderness, to finally reach canoes which were moored river side, a long way from our comfortable cabins.

We paddled for an hour to reach our overnight camping spot. We set up a tent, and ate sausages cooked on the BBQ!

After a sleep and a bacon and egg roll, we again got in our canoes and paddled up the Shoalhaven.

Canberra

Blue skies and brisk conditions greeted our Year 6 boys and parents as they travelled to Canberra in August.

On the sporting field against Canberra Grammar we saw one win for the 1sts Football, one loss for the 2nds,while the rugby boys received a good lesson.

The Mosman boys then enjoyed the overnight hospitality of Canberra Park where great food was devoured and slumber sought.

Over the two days, the Electoral Education Centre and Parliament House were both enthusiastically visited

by the boys. The boys visited Australia’s Parliament House, counted votes 'preferentially' and gained their understanding of our democracy. The marvels of science were explored at the amazing Questacon.

The entire trip was a huge success made possible by the fabulous Year 6 boys on tour and the many parents who continued to add to the magnificent Mosman Prep spirit.

Terrey Hills

If we couldn’t cook before, after six sessions of cooking wonderful recipes at Terrey Hills, most of us had conquered the kitchen and were now producing feasts to tantalise the taste buds. Cutting skills, knife handling, wok usage with occasional pastry work saw us create dishes that 'MasterChef' would be proud of.

Sailing

Over time at Mosman Prep, the School has tried to instill confidence, self reliance and team co-operation. Through sports, class, camps and play, the boys have encountered and overcome difficulties and as they have been pushed, they have risen to the challenge.

The Year 5/6 sailing program was a continuation of this philosophy. We have aimed to move the boys out of their comfort zone and provide an opportunity to demonstrate team skills, leadership and decision making.

BMX

Multiple sessions of BMX riding over the last two years saw all of us master the art of BMX riding. We practised our skills and control at both slow and fast speeds, navigating all sorts

of obstacle courses set up at our Terrey Hills campus.

We also sampled the local BMX track. What a day! Thrills, spills, sweat, almost some tears… but what a day to be a Prep student.

Ceremonies Defence of Sydney Commemoration Service – North Head

Our Year 6 Captains attended the annual commemorative service at the School of Artillery at North Head to mark the night that war came to Sydney.

The boys were most fortunate to hear of and commemorate the era of Japanese invasion of Australia in WW2 and Australia’s significant involvement.

Battle for Australia Ceremony

Our Year 6 selected representatives attended the annual service at The Cenotaph, Martin Place to commemorate battles to the immediate north of Australia in WW2.

The boys were most fortunate to be given the honour of forming the Guard of Honour for Her Excellency, the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC, Governor of NSW.

Gifted Education

JUNIOR PRIMARY CHALLENGE

From Myths and Legends, Drama performances, Early Influencers, to Inquiry Buddies and Mathematical Mentoring and pursuits in every direction; JP Challenge have had a fantastic and productive year.

Semester One saw the investigation of Norse Myths and Legends followed by two terms

of intense study on the lives of people who have improved our world through their extraordinary strengths, passions, obsessions and gifts which have had a positive influence on ourselves and our world.

Second Semester saw the introduction of Inquiry Buddies between Year 5 & Year 2 Challenge students. This enabled students to design a rich and rigorous learning

project pursuing curiosities and interests with another student who shared the same passions. Essential 21st century skills, such as collaboration, creativity, communication, leadership, and problem solving were developed over the course of the Inquiry. The boys covered Architecture, Algebra, Cricket, WW2, Mythos, Chinese History, and Spanish Culture to name but a few.

Anne Moss

SENIOR PRIMARY CHALLENGE

• Academic Competitions • Inter-school Ethics debates • Maths Challenge for Young Australians (MCYA) • Genius Hour • Studies of Eminence • Passion project buddies SP and JP students • Maths Olympiad

• da Vinci Academic Decathlon • Lunch with the Stars • Silent Movie Creation • Scientific Method

• Australian Maths Competition • Pen pals from Louisiana • Chess • STEM

Above are just some of the projects we completed and curiosities we explored this year in both Junior and Senior Primary Challenge sessions. Senior Primary students reflected on their year in the program:

Year 6

Genius Hour was reintroduced from last year's success. This allowed students to pick a topic of interest and delve into it for 9 weeks. It was a brilliant success! Tom

I found da Vinci exciting but challenging because I put my hand up for Cartography at the last minute. Raf

The Sydney Writers’ Festival was an amazing experience to learn all about new authors and hear some funny stories about their life. I will never forget this incredible opportunity. Harry

Genius Hour was an incredible time for students to learn and connect with their favourite topics and strive to go deeper into some genres they are fascinated by. Lyon

I loved the hard problems in Maths and how we all had to work together to find the answer and listened to how others got the answer. Joey

Year 5

Passion Project Buddies with Year 2 was extremely fun because we got to collaborate with younger boys and think of new ideas. Mitchell ‘Lunch With the Stars' was

an amazing festival where writers talked about the inspiration for their books while we had lunch. Hugo

I loved Challenge in general. I found every lesson enjoyable in different ways, such as when we did Maths Olympiad or studied famous people like Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Jasper MCYA was a great time to work together with your mates and solve problems by thinking either outside the box or inside. This prepared us for things to come. Gideon, Rafael Maths Olympiad was such a worthwhile and enjoyable competition because it was very demanding, yet interesting and exhilarating. You are asked five challenging questions in four papers over four months. Tristan

Year 4 | I liked…

The silent movies because it was good that we could express some of our talents in the play depending on the roles we were playing. Felix

Making a school because we got to create the designs for lots of cool things like the buildings and the logo and the silent movies were fun and funny! Harry

Designing the school for GATEWAYS because it was interesting to make a unique school for yourself. Terrance

The silent movies were definitely my favourite because you did not have to have a good

sounding voice, you just had to be a good actor. Louis

The MCYA was extremely challenging because it tested your knowledge. Theo

The MCYA was probably the hardest thing in the year, though it was a great time to spend with a friend and on Maths. Lachlan Maths was very challenging, and it made you push yourself and achieve your goals. Aidan MCYA was great fun because it was interesting to see how many ways you could solve the questions. Justin MCYA was challenging and fun – you could work with a partner and use lots of trial and error. Caleb

Year 3 | My favorite thing…

The hot chocolate experiment because we saw erosion and how an earthquake would happen plus, we got to drink yummy hot chocolate! Gus

The sausage experiment because we saw how the sausages cooked in the sun with different protective factors and sunscreens, and it was fascinating. My favourite part was eating them. Edison

The plant experiment: sand vs soil for plant growth. The plant in the sand grew faster than the soil, but died when it hit a certain point because it didn’t have enough nutrients, but the soil plant had nutrients, so it grew higher. Cyrus

Mandarin Developing Effective Communication Skills

Learning a language provides students with an opportunity to communicate and engage with the world and its people. The aim of Mandarin study at Mosman Prep is to empower students to become effective communicators in Mandarin by developing linguistic competence and intercultural capability. We spent time exploring the Chinese festivals. Junior Primary students learnt stories about the Dragon Boat Festivals and Senior Primary students had a great time making and tasting Chinese food such as tangyuan (rice balls) and jiaozi (dumplings) for the Chinese New Year.

In addition, the Senior Primary attended Chinese cultural workshops. Students enjoyed the activities and expressed their enthusiasm for the authentic

experience. Year 3 attended a calligraphy workshop where all boys practised very hard with four treasures of study. They painted fans with a Chinese character on them. Year 4 students did 3D paper cutting. They made Chinese characters which symbolise Spring. In Chinese this is the character Year 5 students learnt to paint cherries and appreciate the beauty of traditional Chinese painting, as well as holding the paint brush correctly. Year 6 students made Chinese bracelets and used the square knot technique to make beautiful red and gold versions.

Year 5 boys practised diligently for the Hello Mandarin Speech Competition 2023. The competition is jointly organised by the Sydney Recitation

Arts Group and the Chinese Language Teachers Association of NSW. The students were selected to compete with other schools in their age groups for the group competition. This year over 118 competitors from Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, and Newcastle joined in the final Competition. Our team achieved the following awards:

First Prize Award

Adam, Edmond, Gideon and Tristan

Second Prize Award

Alistair, Freddie, Jamison, William and Xavier

Excellent Mentor Award

Mrs Ting Wang

Year Five and Six Making Glutinous Rice Balls 'Tang Yuan'

Chinese cuisine is an important part of the Chinese culture. For example, tang yuan ( ), glutinous rice dumplings, literal meaning "round dumplings in sweet soup", are often eaten as a symbol of family togetherness and union. Making and eating tang yuan together is a long-time tradition for Chinese families and communities to celebrate the arrival of winter Dongzhi, , or the Lantern Festival (the last day of the Chinese New Year).

Year Five and Six boys had the opportunity to make tang yuan. It was the first-time making tang yuan for many boys, and they enjoyed tasting their self-made tang yuan very much. They also gained a better understanding of how culture can influence food

preferences. Special thanks to Ms Pastega, Mr Vicencio-Munoz, Mr Brown, Mr Gigner, Mr Hudson and Mr McDonald, who helped out with the workshops.

Making these sticky rice dumplings in the workshop was an amazing experience to learn about Chinese culture, which is what we’ve been learning about this year. They are a great snack that can be savoury or sweet, and originated from the Lantern Festival. The ingredients for this snack are; rice flour, water, vegetable oil, salt and a variety of fillings to choose from. Their traditional name is tāng yuán and they are a great food to cook at home. After we made them we got to learn how to use the cutlery of China called kuài zi, which you know as chopsticks. Some boys found it hard in the beginning but then learnt it quickly. William

We made in today’s Mandarin lesson. We had a big ball of dough, then we rolled it like a sausage, cut it into little bits and made a small ball and put it on a plate. We boiled/cooked it and then we ate it. We cook for good luck, as well as filling our life with sweet and joy. Alex

The Chinese workshop was a great learning experience for all of us because we learned a traditional food in Chinese culture. We made little balls out of rice flour and cooked them. The sweetness of the filling is linked to happiness and the round shape of the balls are a symbol of family togetherness. Sam

I enjoyed the workshop because it was something new, easy to make and it was a different combination of flavours. Austin

STEM

Cultivating Tech-Savvy Minds for the Future

We embrace technology as a catalyst for exploration, innovation, and success. From seamless learning platforms to exciting STEM initiatives, our School is dedicated to equipping students with the skills and confidence to thrive in a tech-driven world.

Empowering Learning with Apple iPads

Bring Your Own (BYO) iPad is being phased out and transitioning to a school-issued model for Year 4 and 5 students in 2024. This initiative ensures access to identical, pre-charged, and secure devices, fostering

a consistent and optimised learning environment for all. The BYO model will continue in 2024 for Year 6 only.

Building Keyboard Confidence

Recognising the importance of keyboarding skills, we have introduced class sets of full-size keyboards for Years 3 and 4 in 2023, and these will be increased for Year 5 in 2024. This commitment to digital literacy empowers students to express themselves effectively and navigate the digital world with ease.

Seamless Technology Management

Mosman Prep is proactively streamlining its technology infrastructure by migrating towards an all-Apple ecosystem for both classrooms and staff. This unified system simplifies management, enhances security, and provides a familiar and intuitive learning environment for students and teachers alike.

Unleashing Creativity with Robotics and Coding

The School sparks students' curiosity about STEM through engaging robotics programs. Upgraded Sphero robots in 2023

and the exciting introduction of programmable drones in 2024 offer students handson experiences with coding, robotics, and problem-solving, fostering critical thinking and creative exploration.

Nurturing a Passion for STEM Beyond the Classroom

Our commitment to STEM extends beyond the classroom walls. The After School Care and Holiday programs incorporate engaging activities like water experiments, volcano eruptions, playdough creation, and apple carving, transforming playtime into opportunities for discovery and learning.

Celebrating Student Achievements

Mosman Prep is proud of its students' accomplishments, particularly in the realm of robotics. Year 4 student Justin's outstanding performance at the VEX Robotics Australian National Championship ensured his team's qualification for the VEX Worlds 2023.

By embracing technology as a tool for empowerment and engagement, we are preparing our students to become confident, creative, and tech-savvy individuals equipped to excel in the ever-evolving world of tomorrow.

Our School is dedicated to equipping students with the skills and confidence to thrive in a tech-driven world.

Library

Throughout the year, the library welcomed eager young minds ready for the next best read. All classes visited the library each week as well as many lunchtime visits.

A total of over 6,000 books were checked out. On average, each class borrowed 280 books. Our collection continued to grow with the addition of 350 new books. We continued to embrace technology offering 3,110 ebooks and audiobooks on the ePlatform.

Our first special event was the Annual Simultaneous Storytime. Children all around Australia

read the book The Speedy Sloth by Rebecca Young on 24 May.

The Mosman Prep Boys and Books Challenge started in Term 2 with all boys from Years 3-6 taking part. This 20 book challenge required boys to read from different genres to expand their reading. 4F won this challenge with 226 books read and enjoyed a pizza party as a reward.

During Book Week in Term 3, Junior Primary enjoyed a live show by Perform Education, highlighting shortlisted picture books of the year. Senior Primary had a visit by Paul McDonald,

author of the well loved book series, Real Pigeons. Boys had a scavenger hunt to find all the pigeons which were hidden around the School.

The most prolific reader and book borrower from our Library is Jonah in Year 4, having borrowed and read 322 books this year. His favourite series is Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger. Jonah enjoys reading as, 'it brings the world to you, and it ignites your imagination. It is a fun way to learn new things.'

Music

'Before a child, talks, they sing Before they write, they draw As soon as they start to stand, they dance Art is fundamental to human expression' Phylicia Rashad

This has been a year full of excitement and anticipation. Students have sung at the Easter Service, Mother’s Day breakfast (where we saw lots of tears from the mothers), Grandparents and Anniversary Service, Father’s Day breakfast (lots of laughter) and Carol Service. The Junior Primary students performed their play based on 'Friendship' and the Year 5 concert band along with the other music ensembles

performed several times at school assemblies on Fridays. However, the real highlight for 2023 was the Creative Arts Celebration Concert. Every student at Mosman Prep was involved. Each and every boy sung, danced and had an artwork displayed in the exhibition. All of the music ensembles and Junior Primary Drama group performed with every boy showcasing their talents.

Students love to perform! The excitement and exhilaration shown both before and after they finish performing is such a joy to see.

There are many extra-

curricular music groups on offer at Mosman Prep. All groups perform throughout the year. Here are some student reflections on these groups:

Canrobert Choir

We practise every Tuesday at 7.45am. We are learning lots of songs and we are enjoying every moment of it. We love singing the songs all together like a community. A few times a term we perform in front of the School. It is a great time to express yourself.

Gig Band

We love guitar because of the music we play. The Gig Band is led by Mr George Bruno who is always happy to help.

Percussion Ensemble

Every Friday we have the luxury of being able to play drums. Mr Collins is a great teacher who gives us amazing pieces to practise and perform. It is a blessing to have this kind of equipment and these amazing teachers who help us become great music artists. Mr Jon Collins is an amazing drum player who has been in the music industry for a very long time. Jazz Band

We like playing the music Mrs King chooses. It’s challenging and fun. Jazz Band teaches us

to count beats and be aware when other people are playing. It’s really fun playing music with our friends at assemblies.

String Ensemble

String Ensemble is a chance to improve your skills and perform with each other, have fun with friends and meet new people. Within the string ensemble there are a plethora of instruments such as cellos, violins and violas. You get the chance to perform in assemblies and play new compositions. With the pieces that you play, you have the chance to play them with your tutors

The excitement and exhilaration shown both before and after students perform is such a joy to see.

and work on the complicated parts. The String Ensemble takes place on Thursdays at 7.45am. P.S. Cello is the best!

It's a blessing to have amazing teachers who help us become great music artists.

Visual Arts

The Visual Arts program at Mosman Prep aims to foster a love of the Arts and provides opportunities for boys to tell their story using visual images and products. Students explored techniques of mixed media painting, collage, printing, and construction. We recognise the vital role Visual Arts plays in the growth of creativity, problem solving and critical thinking. Students explored mark making tools to create their art using line, shape, pattern, and colour. Their drawings form the basis for communicating things remembered, real and imaginary.

We exhibited a Showcase of Art at our Celebration of Learning, Virtual IPSHA Travelling Art Show and took part in the Operation Art and Threatened Species Art Competitions.

Felix Simon

Levi Ethan Adam Joey

Banjo

Hugh Lachlan

Nicky

James

Ceramics

Every student explored the tactile qualities of using clay to create sculptures for our ceramics program.

They gave form to their ideas and learned about the process of ceramics using natural clay, bisque to glaze firing the final sculptural form.

Year 6 made coil pots, Year 5 dragons and bowls, Year 4 curious creatures, Year 3 butterfly bowls, Year 2 angels and Year 1 pinch pots. Kindy created tortoises and EE made ice cream bowls.

Squash roll pinch coil mold bend make a form create a sculpture sculptural form colourful glazes

Sport

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

The Physical Education Program includes skill lessons in games and sport skills, gymnastics, athletics and dance. The boys are provided with a balanced physical education program which emphasises the following areas:

1. Motor skills and individual fitness.

2. Self-esteem, well-being and social responsibility.

3. The ability to make informed

health and lifestyle decisions.

4. The development of positive relationships and teamwork.

Sphairee (mini-tennis), badminton, tennis, hockey, sailing and swimming are also part of the program. Mosman Prep recognises that sport is an essential component of life.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND HEALTH

PDH reflects on the dynamic nature of health, safety and

Summer Saturday Sport TERMS

1 4

wellbeing in what is a diverse and constantly changing society. Boys are provided with the opportunities to challenge assumptions, attitudes and behaviours whilst evaluating health related topics for the benefit of themselves. We encourage our boys to appreciate and replicate the influences on personal health attitudes which in turn allow them to lead and promote healthy, safe and active lives.

Winter Saturday Sport TERMS 2 3

House Sport Competitions

• Senior House Basketball

The Braysich Cup was won by Bradley.

• Junior House Basketball

The B raysich Cup was won by Yarnold.

• Senior Cricket

The Malcolm Bush Trophy for was won by Yarnold.

• Junior Cricket

The Eggelston Cup won by Macdougall.

• Tennis

In Year 5/6, the Gauld Cup was won by Bradley.

• Junior Rugby

The Vandervord Cup was won by Macdougall.

• Senior Rugby

The PA Mutton Trophy was won by Yarnold.

• Football

The Junior House Craigie Cup was won by Macdougall.

The Senior House Craigie Cup was won by Yarnold.

Swimming

Cross Country

The Senior Primary Cross Country Carnival was held at Georges Heights Oval and Rawson Park on Thursday 9 March. Completing the 2000m (Junior) and 3000m (Senior) courses is certainly an achievement in itself! The 2023 Rosen Cup for Inter-House Cross Country Running was won by Yarnold (81 points), followed by Bradley (68 points) then Macdougall (66 points).

Athletics

The Senior Primary Athletics Carnival was held with Queenwood Junior School on Wednesday 26 April at the Sydney Olympic Centre, Homebush. What a great start to the term it was!

The theme of the day, as always, was sportsmanship, which was abundant throughout the carnival. Congratulations to all participants from Years 3 to Year 6 for striving to achieve their personal best.

Yarnold won the Gilder Trophy as House Champions finishing ahead of MacDougall in second place and Bradley in third place.

The Junior Primary Athletics Carnival was held at our Outdoor Education Campus at Terrey Hills on Tuesday 6 June 2023. It was an amazing day made even more special with the attendance of parents and grandparents. It was the first time Early Entry experienced the carnival. The Early Entry to Year 2 boys participated in a number of different running and novelty events over the course of the day, competing for the Coleman Cup.

Every student displayed great sportsmanship and upheld all the values of Mosman Prep. Congratulations to Bradley who are this year’s winners followed by Macdougall and Yarnold.

Sailing AFL

In Term 3, we ran an optional AFL program for boys in Years 5 and 6. This involved weekly training sessions and it was great to have a large group of boys, of mixed experience levels, taking part. The program culminated in some fantastic games against Sydney Grammar St Ives Prep School.

As part of the Physical Education program, in Term 4 Year 5 and 6 boys swapped the School Hall for a sailing boat for a five week sailing course. This annual sailing program takes place at Balmoral Sailing Club with the boys having the opportunity to learn from experienced instructors.

The Stage 3 boys take part in both land theory and water activities. Land theory activities include:

• Introduction to parts of the boats, rigging and de-rigging

• Points of sail, no go zone

and sail setting

• How to visualise wind direction on land

• Rules of the road – starboard vs port, windward vs leeward, power vs sail, overtaking

• Rope work and knots

• Physics of how a sailboat works.

This knowledge is then progressively applied on the water in safe activities on craft that include ‘optimist’, laser ‘pico’ and hobie cat sailing boats with boys learning to steer, control speed, tacking, jibing and race.

Participating in life-long physical activity is essential to every child. Ride Nation –Explore looks at utilising all the skills learnt through previous programs and develops them in different cycling situations. The program consists of

four weeks of practical skill development. The boys also take part in a BMX program learning the different skills and tricks required. Year 6 students attend the Terrey Hills BMX course and use the professional facilities to practice jumps.

Tennis

The School tennis team comprising boys from Years 3 to 6 competed in the Northern Suburbs Tennis Association Primary Schools

Challenge. These challenges are held once a term on a Saturday evening with over 300 children competing from schools and

Surf Education

The Surf Life Saving School has identified the importance of understanding the beach environment and has implemented programs to assist school students.

These programs for our Year 5 and 6 boys are designed to build surf skills, confidence, knowledge and awareness. Programs engage students and help them to achieve

tennis clubs on the lower North Shore. The boys played doubles matches against players from other schools and teams.

growth in all areas of their surf knowledge. Boys visit Manly beach to complete this program and benefit from the expert knowledge from the instructors.

Balmoral Burn & Mini-Mos Fun Runs

The return of the Balmoral Burn after COVID was a great experience for the Mosman Prep boys who braved the Awaba Street hill on Sunday 28 May. We also had boys take part in the K-2 race, which was great to see! It was wonderful to see such a large range of K-6 boys involved.

Congratulations to all the boys who took part in the MINI-MOS

Fun Run on Sunday 27 May. We entered Mosman Prep teams in the 2km Primary Inter-school Challenge (PISC) with over thirty boys from Early Entry – Year 6 taking part. Individually, well done to Harrison (6H) who placed 1st in his 12-13 Years race and also ran the fastest primary age time over 2km. It was also nice to see many boys (and parents) challenging themselves in the 5km and 10km races.

Canberra Grammar Visit

In late July, the boys in Year 6 were hosted by Canberra Grammar and played rugby and football. Playing against touring sides and visiting other schools

Snow Sports

This year, our School fielded a formidable team of 14 talented boys who represented us at the Sydney Schools championships in Thredbo.

At the State Championships, our Mosman Prep team continued to demonstrate their prowess

is a rewarding experience which the boys thoroughly enjoyed. We look forward to continuing and creating more lasting memories with more schools in the future.

on the slopes. Overall, Mosman Prep placed 7th in the State. However, as fate would have it, the National Championships were canceled due to a disappointing lack of snowfall in Victoria.

As we reflect on this season, let us not dwell on the cancellation,

but rather on the tremendous pride we feel for our dedicated athletes. Their journey is far from over, and we eagerly await the 2024 Championships to watch them shine on the slopes.

Community and Pastoral Care

This year our Pastoral Care Team included School Psychologist Merel Dekkers, School Counsellor Skye Adams, our School Chaplain Reverend Daryl Diener, a representative of our admin staff Julie Shortland and our teacher representative Tim Hudson. We meet biweekly to discuss student and staff wellbeing initiatives and ensure our School upholds our mission and values of wellbeing.

We are proud to be a school that focuses intently on the social and emotional wellbeing of our students. In 2023 we welcomed a new Social and Emotional learning platform called Open Parachute. This platform

includes age appropriate content specifically designed to educate each year group on topics relevant to them, including resilience, friendship skills, inclusion, body image, positive self talk and finding our courage. Our boys enjoy lively group discussions and reflections on these topics once a week with their teachers, to foster strong emotional intelligence.

At Mosman Prep we love to empower our parents and caregivers, so they and their children can flourish. We continued our partnership with Dr Justin Coulson as a Happy Families School, which allows caregivers free access to his

library of articles and four live webinars each year. We also continued to have the Cool Kids Program implemented as a small targeted intervention with expert Merel Dekkers. The Chilled Zone returned in Term 3, which is a space specifically for students experiencing life in a blended or divorced family. Through these programs we strive to provide the most recent research, cover relevant issues, and give the best quality care and support for students and families.

Our School is known for our strong sense of belonging and community and this year our students partook in a variety of community wellbeing initiatives.

We celebrated Harmony Day, attended the Kindness Convention with other AIS schools at Pymble Ladies College and joined the Social Action Expedition day at The King’s School, where our students got to showcase our GoodCHAP program and see other schools’ social action initiatives. We enjoyed celebrating events such as Mother's Day, Father's Day and Grandparent's/ Special Persons Day, as these events are the fabric of our community and increase a strong sense of connection and belonging for families.

We continued our individual student support as a vital part

of wellbeing. Empowering student voices, every child in the School completes a survey each semester, reflecting our six core dimensions of wellness: Physical, environmental, social, emotional, intellectual and spiritual. The data collected informs many of the wellbeing programs and initiatives we run at the School, and help us ensure each of our students are seen, heard and supported.

Our pastoral team look forward to another year ahead as we continue to support and educate boys to be resilient, compassionate, innovative, principled and prepared for life.

We support and educate boys to be resilient, compassionate, innovative, principled and prepared for life.

Community Partnerships

The Mosman Prep community is very special. It is defined by its open and trusting relationships, deep connections, partnerships, and the sense of belonging we all share. The strength of our community enables us to

navigate shared challenges and prepare each student for the complexities of the world in which they live – now and into the future.

With the support of the P&F Committee and Old Boys

Union, we continue to increase opportunities for our community to come together, to learn from and about each other, to support each other, and to share in the educational experiences of our sons.