This year we were successful in obtaining a Reconciliation SA grant. Our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) committee decided to use this money to create a whole school story book about our School.  

The RAP committee, made up of Cycle 3 and Cycle 4 students, staff, leadership and parents wrote the story with some additional input from interested parents who completed a survey, and we have chosen the title of the story which will be 'Our Place'.

We hope to get the story or key words translated into Kaurna language and are currently investigating this possibility.

Classes and cycle communities have been allocated certain pages in the book to illustrate and every student in the school from Infant Program to the Adolescent Program have illustrated one or more pages. We proudly displayed all of the illustrations in the courtyard last week in time for our Reconciliaation Week assembly.

Student illustrations will be chosen for each page in the book and then we will print it as a keepsake and offer it as a fundraiser for any famliies and students interested in purchasing it.

It has been a wonderful collaborative project which we look forward to sharing on its completion, and the words and pictures beautifully depict how unique and special 'our place' is.

Cathy France

Principal

Last Thursday the HMS Foundation held its Annual General Meeting online. A number of members attended.  Congratulations to Amanda Prance who re-nominated and was elected for another two year position on the HMSF Board.

Congratulations Georgia Richmond who was bestowed with a Life Membership to our School following the AGM. Georgia is a past parent and generously chaired our Fundraising committee for 10 years. We acknowledge her enthusiasm, leadership and strong sense of community and we thank Georgia for her amazing contribution to our School.

Become a HMSF Member!

We invite our community to join The Hills Montessori School Foundation (HMSF) and become part of our vision to sustain and support opportunities for young people into the future. Some current and past parents, students and staff have already joined the HMSF.  It would be wonderful to see more of our community become members.

The HMSF has been established and is a mechanism for raising money to create security for Montessori learners of tomorrow. The other purpose of the HMSF is to provide a way for past students, staff and parents to stay connected with our School through events and get togethers. 

We encourage current and past students, parents, staff, friends and supporters to become a member of the HMSF and enjoy a lifelong connection with The Hills Montessori School. We hope the HMSF will give everyone the opportunity to actively contribute to a community that represents part of their identity. 

You can become a HMSF member by visiting the HMSF webpage https://www.montessori.sa.edu.au/foundation/ and completing the membership form along with a one-off payment of $150. 

Make a tax deductible donation!

Alternatively, you might like to make a tax deductible donation before the end of this financial year.  Again, you can visit the HMSF webpage at the link above to make a one off or recurring donation.  Every gift, large or small, will help us achieve our vision to attain financial sustainability and opportunities for our young people into the future.  Your involvement and generosity will help us create an exceptional future for Montessori education and our School. 

We invite our whole community to join the HMSF or make a tax deductible donation. https://www.montessori.sa.edu.au/foundation/ 

HMSF Member Event

The HMSF is hosting an event in Term 2 for HMSF members on Thursday 12th June.  Invites will be emailed to HMSF members. 

We have been very busy in the Infant Program focusing on our sensory activities. Over the last couple of weeks, we have been making playdough—feeling the warmth of the dough as we knead it in our hands and choosing fun, bright colours. We also made white playdough scented with lavender and have been decorating it, experimenting with flowers and flower petals.

We also spent some time painting for our school book 'Our Place'. We printed leaves using golden wattle and eucalypt leaves gathered from our school grounds. Sponges were used to create texture for the golden wattle flowers, and some of us had lots of fun simply using our hands to feel the paint and create art.

Grace and Courtesy

In the Preschool community, the Grace and Courtesy curriculum is a key component of our learning - focusing on developing children’s social and emotional skills through activities that promote respect, empathy, and politeness in daily interactions.

Students are explicitly taught the social norms of their culture and how to build positive relationships - for example, how to welcome someone to your classroom or home, how to politely interrupt a conversation, and how to eat with others with grace.

As part of our learning, children practise giving service to others -demonstrated recently by our older Preschool students in the Extended Day Program when they invited their special person to afternoon tea.

Students prepared the menu, set the tables, and arranged flowers during the morning session in preparation for welcoming their guests. They rehearsed how to greet their special person and brainstormed conversation topics. We also practised how to thank our guest for attending.

Students then applied these skills in a purposeful and meaningful setting. They welcomed their guest at the door, served them refreshments, and enjoyed some special time together.

Gratitude is a key element of our Grace and Courtesy curriculum, helping children develop an appreciation for the kindness and support of others.

An important part of the Montessori philosophy is the connection that children build between themselves, their classroom community, and the wider world. This connection is nurtured through the study of continents and the diverse countries and cultures that make each one unique. One of the most engaging ways to explore a culture is through its food, and over the past few weeks, the children have enjoyed a series of cultural cooking sessions.

We explored the rich flavours of Africa by making sweet date and coconut treats. The warm, inviting scent of cinnamon and spice filled the room as the children brewed a comforting pot of chai tea to accompany their creations. From Asia, the children learned to prepare fresh vegetables and use rice paper to make cold rolls. They also celebrated the flavours of Europe with each child creating their own personal pizza—highlighting both individual creativity and a shared love of food.

Recently, we expanded our exploration to the Americas. For North America, the children enjoyed soft tacos. They measured, mixed, filled, and folded—proudly preparing and enjoying their creations.

From South America, the children will make empanadas—a popular dish across many countries, particularly Argentina. Across all cultures, food brings people together. It provides a foundation for connection. Cooking together offers a rich sensory experience: the taste, the aroma, and the shared enjoyment of a meal.

Cycle 2 has combined art and science this term by exploring relief printmaking through a botanical lens. Students first learned that relief printing transfers an image from a raised surface to paper. Using soft foam, they carved simple flower motifs, rolled printing ink over the surface with a brayer, and pressed their designs onto paper—discovering that the carved areas remain white while the raised shapes print.

The class then moved outdoors to gather fresh leaves, examining their veins and margins. Each leaf was pressed into a slab of plasticine, with the pliable medium capturing fine detail. When the plasticine plates were inked and printed, they produced beautiful natural diagrams. We learned that leaves with the most pronounced venation produced especially good results. We also discovered that several successive prints could be made from a single inking, with the third or fourth often producing the most effective result.

The Autumn Crunch Café was held on Friday of Week 4, surrounded by the changing leaves of our Wairoa campus.

It was wonderful to see so many friendly, familiar and new faces come along to be part of a truly authentic experience for our students. Most were directly involved—whether running the car wash, making coffees, preparing delicious food, or working front-of-house and on food and beverage service.

The lead-up to the event is significant and requires planning, time, effort and dedication. A number of students worked with Nikkita, our kitchen specialist, to develop specific skills—learning how to pour the perfect latte, fry a golden breakfast toastie or bake a classic scone.

It’s always a highlight to see our students proudly serve up the best version of their learning, and to hear words of gratitude and delight from their customers. Just as rewarding is seeing them collaborate towards a shared goal—drawing on communication, teamwork, anticipation, problem-solving, flexibility and initiative.

Our café is a termly opportunity to see our students in action and supports Wairoa fundraising for program enrichment. We’re currently saving for a new coffee machine—so we hope to see you at the Term 3 Wairoa Café!

Have you visited our Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn pages? Social media is another way we communicate with parents.  Follow us to keep up to date with school community news, events and activities. We also aim to use our social media to help develop your understanding of the Montessori Philosophy. You might also like to let grandparents and friends know so they can also enjoy the news, photos and updates!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehillsmontessorischool.sa/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehillsmontessorischool.sa/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-hills-montessori-school-sa