Prep School

Prep value of the week: patience

Patience is having quiet hope and trusting that things will turn out right. You wait without complaining. You are tolerant and accepting of difficulties and mistakes. You picture the end in the beginning and persevere to meet your goals. Patience is a commitment to the future.

Attribute of the week: balanced

You understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal wellbeing for yourself and others.

Mothers’ Day Chapel Service and High Tea

This week we held our annual Mother’s Day Chapel Service and High Tea. It was an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the wonderful and unique gifts of our mums. Our Years 5 and 6 boys had the chance to spend an afternoon with their mum or significant female in their life, enjoy a bite to eat and engage in meaningful conversation. To be able to provide a time for the boys and their mums was lovely to witness. This poem entitled ‘Mum’ best captures the sentiment we all share about our mums:

You held me close when times were tough,
Been by my side when life got rough,
Praised my gains, embraced my flaws,
Backed my side, despite the cause.
You are my rock, my inspiration,
Gave my life its strong foundation,
Ever loving, patient, kind.
And listen with an open mind,
You mean the world, for all you do,
I love you mum for being you.

– Shmuncki Poems

Year 2

Class 2A has been working on measuring using informal units, including Unifix cubes, MAB blocks, handspans and paddle pop sticks. This will help us measure and estimate during the marble ramp project. 

Year 3

In Week 4, the Year 3 cohort came together under the direction of Scott Whitehead to brush up on their IT skills in our unit of inquiry lessons. The boys began learning how to create an infographic, an image that conveys information or data visually using images, text, maps or diagrams. During week five, these lessons will teach the boys the necessary skills to create an infographic, allowing them to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the characteristics of a chosen biome. This will ultimately result in a colourful A3 poster that the boys will use for their ‘Sharing the planet’ showcase at the end of the term.

Shannon Nicholson
Year 3 Team Leader

Garden Club

This week we went on a sweet potato hunt. The first objective was to clear the garden beds as the sweet potato vines were becoming invasive and weedy. The second objective was to see if there were any sweet potatoes to harvest. After a long chopping session and then a dig into the garden Joe, Theo and Joseph were the lucky ones to find the potatoes in what was a disappointing harvest. We have decided that purple sweet potatoes were not a good productive planting choice!

Symond Russell
Year 6 Teacher

Japanese

We have enjoyed celebrating Kodomo no Hi (Children’s Day) in Japanese Club.

Kodomo no Hi is held on 5 May every year in Japan. Kodomo no Hi celebrates the health, growth and future aspirations of all children in Japan through various cultural rituals and family activities. It highlights the importance placed on children in Japanese society. Families with young sons traditionally display carp streamers (koinobori) outside their homes, with one carp for each son, to symbolise strength and success. They also display Samurai armour including a kabuto (helmet). The Japanese Club members had a great time looking at the koinobori and samurai armour that is on display in the Japanese room making kabuto and koinobori and then playing the shogun game to see who the top shogun would be.

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

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

Mark Wyer
Head of Preparatory School