Prep School

Prep value of the week: modesty

Modesty is having self-respect. When you value yourself with quiet pride, you accept praise with humility and gratitude. Modesty is being comfortable with yourself and setting healthy boundaries about your body and your privacy.

Attribute of the week: caring

When you are caring, you show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. You have a personal commitment to service and act to make a positive difference in the lives of others and the environment.

Building connections

It has been a wonderful start to Term 2, highlighted by the engagement of our boys and staff in the events and activities over the last three weeks. During this period, there has been much in the media about the increasing incidents of violence against women, as well as the ever-growing concerns around resilience and mental health in our society. These are always complex issues and like many societal issues, schools are always mentioned in some way, either as part of the cause or solution. A study by Terry Bowles, Daniela Russo (University of Melbourne) and Janet Scull (Monash University) identified the important role that school connection and the creation of positive relationships play in the education and wellbeing of students. The research supports our view that a Churchie education goes beyond the classroom. The activities and events involving our boys demonstrate the many and varied opportunities to build school connections and foster positive relationships.

It was lovely to see the Campbell Centre busy with parent-teacher interviews. While we are increasing visibility with our academic programme and assessment through the myChurchie portal, there is still great value for parents to meet with their son’s teacher face to face to discuss their son’s progress and set out a course of learning goals for the term ahead. The relationship between home and school is an important one that supports the development of each of our boys.

Seeing our Prep School boys involved in the Churchie Anzac Day Ceremony was pleasing, as Anzac Day is a significant day in the Australian calendar. It goes beyond a day of remembrance and now plays an important part in shaping our national identity. This is reflected in the number of boys and families, and the wider community, who came together at the Churchie Anzac Day Ceremony and saw our younger generation take part in a moving and meaningful ceremony.

Thirty-two boys and their families came together at St John’s Cathedral to celebrate their admission to Holy Communion. Joining St Margaret’s was an opportunity to continue our connection with our sister school and join together in celebration and worship. It was lovely to see these 32 boys make a commitment to their faith and spiritual journey, and a connection with the church, in front of family and friends.

As we enter the month of May, the music season started in earnest. Our Prep Band members took to the stage to showcase their talents in their musical endeavours. The evening not only provided the opportunity for our Prep boys to perform but also to watch and learn from older students in the Senior School bands. The boys’ performances were first-class, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching the joy in their performance and the collective efforts of all the boys.

This term, the house system has stepped up a gear as we move to regular Friday house meetings. It has been wonderful to see the Years 3 to 6 boys coming together, forming connections and building relationships with each other and the house staff. The first part of the term has been focused on leadership development, particularly for our Year 6 boys. More recently, our Interhouse Cross Country Carnival was another way for our boys to showcase the spirit in the houses with boys cheering, encouraging and supporting each other in one of our house events. I believe the house system will bring stronger connections for our boys that will engender a stronger sense of belonging to their school.

The many opportunities offered in the Prep School at Churchie create a climate where our boys can build connections—with each other and with their teachers. It provides invaluable opportunities for them to have fun, experience success as well as learn lessons from failure in a safe, caring and supportive environment. In a world that is increasingly more challenging and complex for parents and our boys, the true value of a Churchie education that goes beyond the four walls of a classroom is being recognised. I am always appreciative and grateful for the contribution of our staff and volunteers who allow us to provide a well-rounded, holistic educational experience for our boys.

Prep Band dazzles at the Bands Concert

Our Prep Band boys enthusiastically took to the stage last Thursday night in Morris Hall for the first of the Churchie May Concert Series: the Bands Concert. The concert series works vertically, that is, all bands from Years 5 to 12 participate, providing a wonderful opportunity for our Prep School students to be inspired by the ensembles on offer to them in the Senior School. This was a huge day following the cross country; however, the boys performed incredibly well and were bursting with pride. This was the Prep Band’s first concert for the year, and we can’t wait to hear them more throughout the year!

Congratulations to the percussionists, brass and woodwind players involved who have worked so hard to prepare ‘Fanfare for an Incredibly Important Occassion’ and The Tempest, and congratulations to our clarinet ensemble, Squeak, who performed as a pre-show act. A big thank you goes towards their respective directors, Jeremy Williamson (Prep Band) and Dr Riann Wilschut (Squeak), with all of the music faculty staff who worked behind the scenes.

If your child is learning a brass, woodwind or percussion instrument in Years 5 and 6 and is not in the Prep Band already, please reach out to Jeremy Williamson. There are endless benefits to performing with others in an ensemble, not just that they grow their musical and communication skills. Performing helps students set goals and achieve mastery of instrument skills and musicianship. It also helps them develop non-music specific skills or approaches to learning such as teamwork, social skills including collaboration and leadership, self-management skills, fine motor skills, responsibility, commitment, time management, and discipline. It is also just a lot of fun to share beautiful music with audiences, such as our wonderful school community. Playing live is incredibly important for musicians as it allows them to not only boost their confidence but interact, connect and engage with an audience in a real-time, authentic setting.

Our Prep musicians look forward to performing for you in the upcoming Choral Concert on Thursday 16 May, and the Strings and Guitar Concert on Thursday 23 May. All families and friends are welcome!

Melissa Black
Head of Prep Music

Interhouse Chess competition

Last week our four houses went head-to-head in a bid to determine which house played the best chess! There were 32 boys from Years 3 to 6 who competed in three rounds over three days where they versed a player from every house. The boys were very serious as they attempted to defeat their opponent and earn points for their houses.

And the winning house was … Danes! In second place was Angles, in third place Jutes and Saxons in fourth.

Well done to all the boys for showing incredible house spirit and competing for their houses. A special thank you to Aariz Bansal and Dhruv Bansal who assisted in organising the rounds and supporting all the boys as they played. Thank you to the housemasters who encouraged all their boys and attended each round. We look forward to 2025!

Larissa Guy|
Deputy Head of Preparatory School

Year 1 Big Bang Education incursion

Last Friday our Year 1 students enjoyed a visit from scientist Brett from Big Bang Education. As part of our ‘How the world works’ unit, the boys engaged in an exciting, noisy and colourful workshop where they were introduced to the properties of light and sound. The presentation and hands-on experiences supported our central idea, ‘Scientists use their senses to describe their observations’. The boys used their senses to detect light and sound, volume and pitch, and identified different sources of light and sound in the world around us. Highlights of the incursion included wearing 3D glasses to see rainbows, playing different instruments and watching clear beads change colour in ultraviolet light.

Vivienne Corness
Year 1 Teacher

Cold weather uniform

As the colder winter months approach, it is important to communicate the basic Prep School uniform expectations when trying to keep warm.

If students are wearing blues and greys or their formal uniform, the only option for warmth is the blue woollen Churchie jumper. Students are not permitted to wear the Churchie tracksuit top or pants.

If the students are in their sports uniform, they may wear the blue woollen Churchie jumper or the Churchie tracksuit. Both options are suitable when in the sports uniform.

It would be greatly appreciated if parents and students could abide by this uniform policy in the coming months.

Prep School policy on mobile phones and smartwatches

Mobile phones

These may be brought to school; however, they must be turned off upon arrival and left in bags until students depart school at the end of the day. Students may hand them to their teachers or the office for safe storage. If students need to contact their parents during the school day, they should come to the office and Mrs Brown will happily assist students to use the school phone to call home.

Smartwatches

These devices include any devices worn on the wrist that have the ability to message and receive or make calls. It is not a suitable option to simply put the watches on silent. The Prep School’s preference is that these devices are not brought to school, but if they must be brought to school, then, like mobile phones, they must be removed and stored throughout the school day once they have arrived at school and placed back on the wrist once they have been dismissed from class at 3 or 3:05 pm.

Please be aware that if students are found to be using these devices during the school day between 8:25 am and 3/3:05 pm, teachers will confiscate them, and students can collect them from the Prep Office at the conclusion of the day (or week).

Around the grounds