Primary School Update - 6 June 2025

HEAD OF SCHOOL UPDATE Melanie Woods

K-2 Musical Showcase We are looking forward to seeing our Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 students on Wednesday 11 June at 9.00 am in the MPC for a musical performance! Please come and support our students and cheer them on as they showcase their musical skills and practice their performing skills. Please note: on-site parking is only available after 8.45 am.

Year 3-4 CAPA Showcase Creative and Performing Arts is a wonderful part of the curriculum! On Wednesday 18 June at 9.00 am in the MPC, our Year 3 and Year 4 students are excited to showcase what they have been learning in Music and in Art. There will be vocal performances, recorder renditions and creative art works on display. Please note: on-site parking is only available after 8.45 am.

Year 6 Science and Technology Speaking of being creative! Have a look at what our Year 6 students have been designing in the Tech Centre Virtual Reality Lab.

Save the Date for our Family Showcases We want to remind our families of the Family Showcases coming up soon! They will be held on two different days, one in Week 8 (for Kinder-Year 2) and the other in Week 9 (for Years 3-6). Our students and staff are excited to welcome you into their classrooms.

This is an opportunity for families to come and enjoy what happens in the classroom. The students have amazing work they have been waiting to share and activities they would love to do with their families. The teachers will demonstrate what Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI) looks like, and parents will see how this supports our students’ learning in and out of the classroom. 

Parents will be participating in classroom work, daily routines, and maybe even compete in a kahoot! Please join us and immerse yourself in the day-to-day life of the classroom:

• Kinder-Year 2 Family Showcase  - (Week 8) Thursday 19 June, 2025 from 1.40 pm - 2.40 pm

• Years 3-6 Family Showcase - (Week 9) Thursday 27 June, 2025 from 1.40 pm - 2.40 pm

Please note that parking will only be available off-site for both these events. More information will be emailed to parents soon.

Private Music Lessons for Your Child During School Hours One of the extracurricular activities we provide at ACC for all our Kinder-Year 12 students is the opportunity to learn musical instruments. There is so much value in learning a musical instrument! Some of the highlights are learning a new skill, enjoying a new craft and building discipline.

Studies in neuroscience also show that music can enhance brain function in children. Musical activities stimulate the brain; a workout that leads to improved brain structure with the formation of new neural connections.

If you would like to get involved, please visit our Community Portal and send an inquiry. 

‘I See You, Star’ Morning Tea Every Face has a Place at ACC! We continue to encourage students that we know them and that we see them. We want the students to know that we see when they are kind, showing respect, being willing to learn, make Christ-like decisions and when they make wise and safe choices. To celebrate their hard work and efforts, select students are invited to attend an I See You, Star Morning Tea each week, hosted by Mr Parsonage, the Stage Coordinators and myself (Mrs Woods). This is an opportunity to spend quality time with them, thank them, and congratulate them for their good work!

The following students have been given an I See You, Star Award and attended the Morning Tea over the last two weeks: 

Aiden P, Ally M, Amaira G, Amariz B, Anisha C, Aria K, Ava K, Aveer S, Avyaan M, Ayaan S, Dianna P, Domenic D, Elijah S, Elisabeth A, Emillie B, Emma-Meri V, Grace T, Harris C, Hunter S, Isabella H, Isabella S, Isaiah A, Isaiah B, Isaiah D, Ishaan D, Isla K, Kai V, Kai V, Kingston C, Lily I, Luca G, Lucas U, Mahalia N, Mahikha M, Mauritz K, Maysa K, Michael G, Michelle N, Michelle N, Mira B, Namrita G, Nasya D, Norah J, Nyle V, Olive E, Prakul B, Pryiaana D, Reva A, Reyona D, Rylie G, Saanvi P, Sahana P, Sahasran S, Samrita S, Shayna Z, Sithuni L, Srinidhi A, Sriyan K, Talia-Rose M, Tara B.

Parent / Teacher Interviews (Kinder-Year 6) On Tuesday 29 July, we are holding Kinder-Year 6 Parent / Teacher Interviews. Parents will have the opportunity to meet with their child's teachers throughout the afternoon. Please look out for the link to book a time, which will be sent to parents and carers, via email, before the end of the term.

TELLING TIME WITH PURPOSE IN 1P Nikki Pangan

This term in Mathematics, our Year 1 students have been diving into the concept of time, not only learning how to tell the time, but also reflecting on time as a precious gift from God. With a focus on reading and understanding 'o’clock' times, students have been exploring both analogue and digital clocks, and learning to express time in words.

Telling time is an important life skill that helps young learners begin to understand routine, structure, and develop independence. In Year 1, this foundational learning supports students in building number recognition, sequencing, and matching skills - all while preparing them for real-world application. Our classroom has been buzzing with curiosity and joy as students engage with this topic in interactive and meaningful ways.

A favourite learning experience has been our paired time-telling activity. Each student received a mini analogue clock and worked with a partner. One student would set a time on the clock face, and the other would write the matching digital time on their mini whiteboard. The roles would then switch, giving everyone a chance to practise both reading and writing the time. This simple yet powerful activity encouraged teamwork, problem-solving, and clear communication, whilst being a fun, hands-on learning experience. Lucy H even shared “I liked being the teacher and testing my partner!”.

Beyond academic learning, we’ve also had rich discussions about the importance of time in our daily lives. From waking up in the morning to start school, to going to bed at night, time shapes our routines and helps us live in harmony with those around us. Moreover, we talked about how God gives us each moment as a blessing and how we are called to use our time wisely and lovingly.

As it says in Ecclesiastes 3:1, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” This verse reminded us that God has a plan for all things, including how we spend our time. We reflected on how we can use our time to help others, to learn new things, and to grow closer to God and each other.

Watching our Year 1 students embrace this learning with such energy and purpose has been truly inspiring. They are not just learning to read the time - they are learning the value of every moment, and how even the smallest part of our day can be used for something good.

4C’S CLASSROOM PRAYER Judy Carlos

We celebrate with Aleesha J in Year 4 for achieving 1st Place in Sword Combat (Female 8-9 Years Novice - Intermediate Division) in the International Sport Karate and Kick Boxing Association (ISKA) Sydney City Open Karate Tournament, one of the largest Karate tournaments in Australia, which was held on Sunday 25 May, 2025. 

At various times of the day, it has been 4C’s practice to pray for one another. We write each prayer item on a piece of paper and drop it into our prayer bucket. Before our breaks (crunch and sip, recess, lunch) and dismissal time, a volunteer picks a prayer point and leads in prayer to God. 

Since the start of the school year, we have been praying before each of Aleesha’s tournaments. Even if triumph over your opponent seems unlikely, this win reminded us to continue to trust in the Lord. We pray that God continues to provide all that Aleesha needs for her upcoming US Open ISKA World Martial Arts Championships in July, and World Cup in Brisbane in October.

5P CLASS UPDATES Shellie Pratt

This semester, 5P has settled into deep learning. I am reminded of Philippians 4:4: “Rejoice in the Lord always and again I will say rejoice!”. I rejoice in the growth I have seen as the middle of the year approaches. I would like to welcome you to a day in the life of Class 5P.

The children arrive at school ready for a full day's worth of learning and are eager to begin their day with literary lessons, focusing on writing, grammar and spelling. They developed their note-taking skills during lessons and are mastering using full sentence answers, a clear voice and intonation when sharing with the class. We finish the morning session by reading together the coming-of-age novel Wonder and answering comprehension questions in our study booklets. 

After recess, we settle into our lines and enter the classroom ready for mathematics. We cover different topics, including measurement, perimeter and problem solving. Students' are actively engaged in each lesson, and the class works hard at answering the questions within a set time frame. Sustained focus on the independent practice task enables students to complete the problems to the best of their ability and ask questions to clarify their thinking. 

We stop for lunch, eat together and enjoy the sunshine on the veranda. The children share their weekend adventures or their plans for after-school gaming with friends. They share about the craft they are learning or making with their family, including slime, soap and bath bomb making, knitting, crocheting or beading. 

During lunch, depending on the day, they enjoy clubs like Chess, Choir, JOLT or a visit to the lovely library. The students enjoy the MPC play spaces! They can play handball or head to the new soccer fields to test their skills or play ‘tips’ with friends. On Wednesdays, they enjoy sport, with some heading off to represent the school and further develop their love of competing. Others stay on campus and showcase their sportsmanship by participating in various athletic and group sports games.

In the afternoon session, we enter the learning space after some deep breaths and are ready to study History, Health or create a wonderful artwork in Visual Arts. Our students enjoy the variety of subjects we explore in the afternoons, while of course, continuing to make sure we are answering questions with full sentences and writing with our best handwriting. 

Occasionally, we are blessed by a special visitor like our Year 12 buddies, Ella and Toby! These visits give us detailed information about how we can best pray and support the Year 12 students with their learning. 5P ask engaging questions and enjoy discovering the ‘why’ behind the subject selections of their buddies.

At day's end, we pack up our belongings and review and recall the completed lessons. We share a Bible passage and pray for students, parents and staff before heading home for the day. 

5P love to come to school and enjoy one another's company; they have made lasting friendships and developed a love of learning. Thank you for reading about our routines and experiences in 5P. I rejoice with the Lord for them!