Read more for an update on Year 4 Camp, our Year 5/6 Health and Body Talks, a Primary Sport update from Term 2 and looking ahead to Term 3, as well as updates from some of our Year 5 and 6 classes on what they've been learning recently.
Updates from Head of Primary
Mrs Melanie Woods
Year 4 Camp
We weren't going on a ‘bear hunt’ but we were all heading off on Year 4 Camp!
There was so much expectation and the students were so excited. One of the best moments was the sea of expectant parents as they dropped off their loved students with fresh bags and clothing and then when we drove back into school after camp to see the parents greet us all.
Camp was the best!!!! Too many activities to mention, too many laughs, too many marshmallows eaten around the campfire, loads of memories and loads of achievements.
The students were asked the next day to write an account and answer questions about their experiences and many children mentioned how they overcame their fears of going on the flying fox, the giant swing, and staying overnight. There were also many comments like, "I now know what it is like to not have technology and I can have fun without it."
As we drove away from the campsite, I heard one boy shout out, "I don't want to leave, I've had so much fun!"
Thank you for your prayerful support while we were away and your warm welcome as we returned. We hope that your kids are well-rested and ready for another exciting week of school ahead!
Grade 5 and 6 Health and Body Talks
It was such a delight to hear all the questions from our students as we conducted these talks over the past couple of weeks.
Our School Nurse, Mrs Bernice Appiah-Quaicoe, (who we warmly call 'Nurse B') went through sessions with our Year 5 and 6 students on puberty, the changes that our bodies experience, as well as health and hygiene information.
This is such an important opportunity for our students to be informed and understand how they are fearfully and wonderfully made by a creative, heavenly Father, the God of the Bible. Our students need to be accurately informed and they were so engaged and thankful for these sessions.
We want to thank Nurse B for her informative talks and loving approach to these topics. A thank you to the parents and students who attended and to our Primary Hub Administrator, Ms Neisha Balzan who prepared special gifts for all of our students who attended.
Primary Sport Update
Mr Shawn Parsonage
K-6 Athletics Carnival
Under sunny clear skies, we held both our K - 2 and 3 - 6 Athletics Carnival at Peel Reserve on May 30. A fantastic day was had by all in attendance, with students from K - 2 enjoying a range of activities across the day, culminating in some super exciting sprint races at the end of the carnival.
Students in Years 3 - 6 competed in 100m, 200m, 800m track events, as well Discus, Shot Put, Long Jump and High Jump across the day. Our students displayed enthusiasm, resilience, sportsmanship and were excellent ambassadors for the College. Needless to say we had some very tired students, and teachers, by the end of the carnival!
As a result, we sent 64 students to represent ACC at the CSSA Zone Athletics Carnival on Aug 10th, and we look forward to hearing the full results on how they performed. A huge shout out too, to the many family members who came along to cheer on the students. The atmosphere on the day was outstanding.
Inter-School Sport
During Term 2 ACC entered a number of teams in the WSCS (Western Sydney Christian Schools) inter-school sports competition. Our students competed each week against other local Christian schools in Tee Ball, Netball and Football. The students all represented the College extremely well, displaying tremendous enthusiasm and team spirit. Most pleasing were a number of reports I received from other schools, commending our students on their conduct and sportsmanship. Well done ACC!
School Sport
Whilst our inter-school sport teams were busy with their games, students in Year 3 - 6 travelled to Riverstone Oval each week as part of our School Sport program. Students rotated each fortnight through a variety of sports, learning sport-specific skills and the game awareness to successfully play TeeBall, Soccer, Touch Football, Netball and Basketball. They also worked their way through some challenging obstacle courses that focused on agility, flexibility, speed and teamwork.
Here at school our Stage 1 students have been enjoying their Wednesday morning sport lessons. Even the chilly wintery mornings haven’t deterred them from bringing tremendous energy and enthusiasm to the MPC for grade sport each week.
If you have been out on the oval after lunch you will have been greeted by the joyful sound of 90 Kindergarten students having an absolute blast with their teachers every Wednesday, as they learn a range of new skills as they engage in their PE activities each week.
CSSA Cross Country
A chilly, windy day greeted our athletes for the CSSA state cross country carnival on May 26. Despite the cold weather our students had a great day, with a number of students even surprising themselves with their performances. Most pleasing was the encouragement and team support the students all showed each other as they approached the final stages of their races.
A special mention to Wynter Bradshaw, who placed 9th in the 10 Years Girls event, qualifying for the CIS Cross Country Championships.
Netball Gala Day
After some excellent results during the Term 2 inter-school sport Netball competition, our teams travelled to Jamison Park in Penrith last week to compete in the CSSA State Gala Day.
The level of competition was very high and our teams gave 100% in each and every game they played. Unfortunately a few injuries early in the competition made things quite tough for us, and we did not progress through to the final rounds. Nevertheless, both teams did themselves and the College very proud on the day. A big thank you to Ms Wallace for all of her hard work with our primary Netball teams this year!
Zone Athletics Carnival
We took a team of 60+ students from Years 3 - 6 to the Zone Athletics Carnival at Blacktown International Sports Park last Friday. We are so proud of each of our students, for not only giving their best and excelling in their events, but also for their respectful and courteous behaviour.
We received many comments about how caring and supportive our students were as they cheered on their peers but also supported the students from other schools. It is a delight to take our students to these events so they can improve their skills but also we love how they interact with each other and with students from other schools, networking and building relationships.
At this stage, we can confirm that in the Age Champions Classifications, we had:
Wynter Bradshaw (DE) - Age Champion 10 Year Girls
Emmanuella Apiiyahv - 2nd Place 8 Year Girls Overall
Laviania Tomkins-Oloaga - 3rd place 11 Years Girls Overall
Stay tuned for the next instalment of our Primary Sports Report for a full summary of how our primary students performed and who has qualified for the CSSA Carnival in early September.
Learning Spotlight: Year 5 and 6
Year 6 ‘Writing Revolution’ Update
Mrs Chante Brand
In the bustling world of education, the Year 6 students are diving headfirst into the realm of persuasive writing with a powerful tool: The Writing Revolution's Principle of Single-Paragraph Outline (SPO). The SPO technique is very simple, and provides students with a clear and organised structure, enabling them to logically outline their ideas and arguments. Guided by this principle, the students are currently exploring and extracting key ideas from Jackie French's novel, Refuge.
Through the characters' journey, students analysed how seeking solace from challenging circumstances can be found by immersing oneself in an imaginary world. These discussions unveiled parallels between the fictional characters' pursuit of refuge and a timeless theme – seeking shelter amidst life's storms. This prompted an exploration into finding refuge in something greater than oneself. Guided by literature, students engaged in a dialogue about fixing their gaze on a source of unwavering comfort and strength. We turned our attention to Psalm 91:1-2: "Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.'" This profound verse highlights seeking refuge in God during life's trials.
Students examined Christian beliefs of seeking shelter, prompting reflection on placing trust in God. This activity highlighted how writing can influence hearts and minds. As these young writers explore persuasive writing, they're reminded that, like characters in novels, they can fix their gaze upon God for refuge amidst life's storms. The future of persuasive writing at ACC is promising, with the Year 6 students paving the way for eloquent expression that influences hearts and minds.
Year 5 ‘Explicit Direct Instruction’ Update
Mrs Shellie Pratt
This term Class 5P is learning to compose persuasive texts. Using Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI) Mrs Pratt has taught them some gestures (actions) to help them remember how to get started.
First they brainstorm about the topic.
Then they research to gather some more detailed information. Students jot down their arguments in a table and before writing their persuasive text they need to order their arguments.
They begin with a nice strong argument then move into their weaker arguments -this may include combining one or two very weak points into one argument and then they finish with their 'very best, super strong' argument.
This is the first gesture or action used. Our strong argument goes first. Arms up and show those muscles 5P.
Second we combine two or more weaker arguments into a middle argument. We take our two hands and wave them in the midline of our bodies. These arguments are what you may call ‘so -so’. They are not weak enough to be edited out but on the other hand they are not strong enough to stand on their own.
Lastly, we use our super strong argument to convince the reader that our opinion needs to be acted upon or addressed with urgency. We take a super stance and loudly and proudly pen our final argument to our readers.
5P recently wrote persuasive texts on quite a few different topics, for example, ‘Students should wear school uniform’, ‘All grade five children should read the novel Wonder' and quite recently 'Mr Pratt should buy a special edition Spider-Man PS5 console'. Students brainstormed ideas, researched and wrote some very convincing arguments for and against these topics.
5P are looking forward to now learning how to improve their use and selection of persuasive language vocabulary. Phrases like 'on the other hand', 'often', and 'also'. They will also be explicitly taught how to write their introduction and conclusion paragraphs.
We read in God's word the bible in 1 Peter 3:15a But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have… (emphasis added by author)
The art of persuasion is a skill that is useful for the furthering of the kingdom of God. As our students learn how to provide and order their arguments; they can always answer, with confidence, why they are full of hope!