Primary School Update - 24 October 2025

HEAD OF SCHOOL UPDATE Melanie Woods

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome back to Term 4. We have loved observing the way in which students have seamlessly returned to their routines and settled in beautifully. With learning and activities beginning right from day one, they have certainly started the final term of the year with rigour.

While the overall health of our students has been good after a two week break, there are still viruses, flu and colds around. Please see a health professional if your student is showing any symptoms.

At times, some students may get anxious or have fears about different things. Please let myself (Melanie Woods) or the classroom teacher know as we have counsellors that can work with our students to bring them comfort and provide strategies.

Please also be advised that ALL correspondence should be sent to the Primary Student Hub. We know that you have many questions and we would love to answer them - please send them through to primaryhubmp@acc.edu.au. However, you may continue to use a teacher's email if it is a question directly for your child's class teacher.

In regards to the College uniform, students should only wear black leather lace up or velcro school shoes. For girls, the Mary-Jane buckle style shoe is not a permissible shoe choice. We have also noticed the use of winter blazers with summer uniforms. Please note, no blazers are to be worn with the summer uniform. If needed, students may wear a jumper with their shorts/dresses. School sport joggers should be white with no bright colours (a small extra side colour is permissible).

Living Safely with Pets Earlier this week, our Kindergarten - Year 2 students participated in a government initiative, called the ‘Living Safely With Pets’ program. This initiative supports our students to feel safe and comfortable with pets.

The ‘Living Safely With Pets’ program is delivered to Primary schools throughout NSW to educate children on what it means to be a responsible pet owner and how to live safely with dogs.

Our pet educator, Nicki and her suitability-tested dog visited ACC to present the program. Nicki delivered the program using multimedia tools, role play, song and story-telling. The program taught our students about how to stay safe around dogs and what it means to be a responsible pet owner in the home and wider community.

Primary 20/20 Cricket Gala Day Last Thursday, some of our students participated in a Christian Schools Sport Association (CSSA) Cricket competition. The weather was shining and they played their very best. We are always thrilled to hear that our students are working on their skills, working as a team and enjoying their time together, getting to know other students their same age. 

Term 4 Year Letters You should have received an email with an overview of what is being taught in classes this term, including topics, important dates and other relevant information. Please feel free to contact your child’s teacher with updated information, highlights or concerns. Your communications assist us with the day-to-day support of your children.

Watoto Experience The Watoto Children’s Choir is a performance, an outreach, a mission trip, and a concert; all wrapped up in one experience. Last Tuesday, our whole College was given the opportunity to witness the joy that is Watoto. We have been so blessed by them coming to remind us of the goodness of God. Their creativity, passion, musical skill and stories bring us back to the basics of human restoration, care and love that our Heavenly Father has for all of mankind. We trust that you and your family were blessed by their story. Please consider whether your family could sponsor a Watoto child and make a difference in their lives. 

Kinder Experience and Explore - 2026 Kinder Orientation As part of the integration program for our future Kindergarten 2026 students, we welcomed them to the College for their first orientation event this week. There were so many highlights, including seeing the children make connections with their peers, with the teaching staff and with their new environment. We also had the privilege of seeing our parents making connections with other parents, with staff and with the Australian Christian College community at large, which was so rejoiced in. We are looking forward to the next event.

Swim School - K-6 All K-6 students have enjoyed their second week in Swim School. There are many reasons why swimming lessons are very important and it is part of the school curriculum for students to attend lessons. It is a lifelong skill, it is fun, and there are good health benefits as it keeps our students active. Social skills, teamwork and boosting confidence are all attributes that come from swimming lessons. Enjoy the photos below of some of our students as they begin their swimming journey. 

Term 4 Upcoming Events Every Monday at 9.00 am: Assembly or Chapel (Parents and carers are welcome to attend. Please arrive no earlier than 8.50 am to allow for morning Kiss N Drop traffic to be over and parking spots to be available. You can then walk down to the MPC and be seated by 8.55 am).

• Weeks 1 - 6: Kindergarten to Year 6 Swim School

• Wednesday 29 October - Friday 31 October: Year 6 Camp

• Wednesday 29 October: Year 1 Excursion

• Wednesday 5 November: Primary Encounter

• Wednesday 19 November - Friday 21 November: Year 5 Camp

• Friday 21 November: Year 6 Celebration Event

• Monday 1 December: Primary Presentation Assembly

• Tuesday 2 December: K-6 Fun Day

• Wednesday 3 December: Semester Two Academic Reports

• Wednesday 3 December: Last Day of School for Term 4

PRIMARY SCIENCE NEWSLETTER Simeon Jordan 

Our Year 4 students have explored the four systems that make up our planet: atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere. They explored how each one reflects the incredible balance of God’s creation. Using Minecraft Education, students modelled the four spheres, creating and showing how these systems connect. Additionally they recreated the structure of the earth: crust, mantle, outer core and inner core. In Term 4 we will explore how the earth's crust and the movement of tectonic plates causes earthquakes to shake and volcanoes to erupt! Through this hands-on experience, they see how changes in one part of the Earth can affect all others, a powerful reminder of our responsibility to care for the world God has entrusted to us.

Year 5 students explored the theme of sustainability, learning how science helps us understand and care for God’s world. Students began by investigating mixtures through the question “Can you unmix a mixture?” Using materials such as sugar, sand, and water, they discovered the difference between solutions, where substances dissolve completely, and suspensions, where materials can be separated by filtration. This informed their understanding on how oil spills in the ocean can be fixed!

Furthermore, students examined how valuable materials can be recovered from electronic waste (e-waste) instead of being thrown away. They learned that old devices like phones and computers contain metals such as gold and copper that can be reused, helping reduce waste and care for the environment. Students even designed their own environmentally friendly gadgets that could be easily dismantled and recycled. Through these investigations, Year 5 students grew in understanding that science is not just about experiments, it’s about being good stewards of God’s creation and using their curiosity and creativity to make a lasting difference.

Last term, our Year 6 students explored the fascinating world of electricity, discovering how God’s order and creativity are reflected even in the tiniest of circuits! Students investigated how electricity flows through a circuit to make things work. They began by learning about conductors, insulators, and what makes a circuit complete. Using TinkerCAD, an online simulation platform, students designed and tested virtual circuits before transferring their skills to real components in the classroom.

With plenty of excitement (and a few moments of trial and error), students built their own circuits using breadboards, Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), resistors, and jumper wires. They discovered how each piece works together to allow electricity to flow safely and effectively. It was a joy to watch as their confidence grew from creating simple single-light circuits to wiring multiple LEDs that flashed in sequence!

Once students had mastered their physical setups, they took the next step: coding their circuits. Using the Arduino UNO, they wrote code to control their LEDs making them blink! Seeing the lights respond to their own lines of code was a real highlight, and the sense of achievement was written all over their faces. Throughout this unit, we were reminded that God has designed us to be creators, thinkers, and problem-solvers. Just as electricity needs a complete circuit to flow, our learning comes alive when we stay connected: to God, to others, and to the world He’s made.

KINDERGARTEN SCIENCE LESSONS Sarah Thompson

Last term in Kindergarten Science, we wrapped up our exciting unit on Design and Design Solutions with a fun and meaningful project: creating a bed for Marsden Bear! It was wonderful to see their creativity as they added features to improve the comfort of their designs. Watching them support one another in their builds was also wonderful to see. Kindergarten students were very excited to share their bed designs with their classmates.

This unit reminded us that God lovingly provides for all our needs through His creation. We saw how God has equipped both people and animals with unique abilities to solve problems, care for one another, and show creativity just like our students did while designing cozy beds for Marsden Bear.

This term in Kindergarten Science, we have begun a new unit exploring how God designed everything with special properties and purposes. The students have observed materials in their environment and explored sorting the objects found or provided, according to their properties. 

Our Kindergarten students have been learning to identify and describe the many different materials God has created, using describing words (adjectives) to talk about what they observe. From rough rocks to smooth leaves, strong wood to soft wool, our young scientists are discovering that everything in creation has been wonderfully made with care, intention and purpose.

KINDERGARTEN MUSIC LESSONS Bethany Thomson

Kindergarten students have been exploring how music plays a special role in everyday life, celebrations, and cultural events. They have discovered that music can help us express our feelings, tell stories, and connect with others. We have also explored how music is a wonderful gift from God, given to us so that we can celebrate, worship, and share our creativity.

We’ve enjoyed singing together, listening to famous works such as Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns, and developing important musical skills through hands-on activities. Students have participated in movement exercises to bring the music to life—for example, moving like lions and swans to reflect the character of each piece. They have also used listening maps to follow the structure of the music and visually map out what they hear, which has helped strengthen their listening and musical awareness.

A key focus has been learning to play the glockenspiel. Students have been working on finding and playing the notes C, D, and E, and using them to perform simple songs. They’ve shown great focus as they listen carefully, play with steady beats, and collaborate with peers.

Students have also begun learning solfege (do–re–mi), a system that helps them recognise and sing musical pitches accurately. Through singing games and echo activities, they are starting to recognise different pitches and build confidence in their musical abilities.

During Term 4, students will continue their musical journey by celebrating Jesus’ birth as God’s gift of love and salvation. Through nativity and Christmas songs, they will learn a memory verse from Luke 2:11. They will also collaborate to create their own musical compositions using voice, body percussion, and instruments. Students will listen to music from different cultures, identifying elements like beat, rhythm, and timbre, while developing their musical understanding and creative expression.

It has been wonderful to see our Kindergarten students growing as young musicians, developing new skills, and sharing their learning with the school community.

4C’S START TO TERM 4 Judy Carlos 

God has set seasons that come and go, each with its own purpose and rhythm. As Term 4 unfolded, the students of 4C settled back into a groove of learning and embraced regular campus activities with renewed energy. By Day 4 of Week 1, when Primary Study Squad (PSS) opened during lunch break, the jellybean table was effectively used once more, becoming a vibrant hub of collaborative learning.

During this time Ava sat intently, listening carefully as she worked to understand nine times tables using a dependable finger trick. With gentle prompting and scaffolding, Ava slowly but steadily started to respond with growing confidence, though fluency was still developing. Curious and eager to help, some 4C girls paused their own work and stepped in one by one.

What happened next was truly beautiful. These young learners picked up a whiteboard marker and transformed into mini teachers, revealing their own tips and tricks that have worked well for them. With remarkable confidence and dedication, shared their unique strategies for processing nine times tables - each bringing her own perspective and method. By the time all four had finished their turn, Emily suggested Ava demonstrate her newfound understanding on the board for me. Ava beamed with pride as she confidently scribbled the multiples of nine with ease.

The session culminated successfully with a group photo, celebrating the peer supporters - Iris, Claire, and Janice. What a powerful manifestation of God's love in motion, proving that learning can be both fun and effective with the help of caring friends. Our students continue to experience either the joy of climbing out of the learning pit or the privilege of helping somebody rise and stand joyously on higher academic ground.