I would like to welcome students, parents and staff to the 2024 school year. I particularly welcome the new students and families and look forward to their involvement and input into our school.

The beginning of the year for teaching staff is a time to prepare, plan, discuss ideas and programs with colleagues, think about professional goals for the year and discuss and prepare for the individual needs of the students in their class. Also at the beginning of this year all staff completed their First Aid training to comply with our Duty of Care policy.

This year we have chosen to participate in the the Genuine Montessori Pathway (GMP). The GMP is a program offer by Montessori Schools and Centres Australia (MSCA).  The GMP has been designed to guide schools and centres through a process of self-study, reflection, planning and ongoing assessment.

The GMP program aims to improve Montessori practice within the school, embed ongoing reflective practice, strengthen community engagement and team work, help guide the allocation of resources and support strategic planning.

The GMP program is not an accreditation program, its an opportunity to independently and honestly look at our practice on a growth continuum.

The GMP program focuses on ten key tenets of Montessori. In each tenet, we are asked to discuss the rationale behind the tenet, reflect on quotes written by Dr Maria Montessori pertaining to the tenet and then reflect on examples of evidence of genunine practice within that tenet.

At our first staff meeting, our whole staff reflected on the first tenet: "Understanding Montessori".  It was wonderful to have the time to focus on this together; discuss, reflect, ponder, question and learn.

The teaching staff and leadership team are now in the process of reflecting on the other nine tenets. Once this part of the process is completed we will choose two or three tenets to focus on more deeply for the remainder of this year.  The focus tenets will direct the professional goals of teaching staff in 2024.

I will continue to report to the community as we work our way through the Genuine Montessori Pathway.

I encourage families to save the following dates and I hope to see you at some of our key events this term: 

• Community Breakfast at Yultiwirra - Thursday 28 March
• Sharing assemblies held in the Yultiwirra hall 

Friday 8 March at 10.00am – Cycle 1 Preschool , Cycle 1 Primary and Cycle 3 students will share their work and learning.

Thursday 4 April at 2.30pm – Cycle 2 and Cycle 4 students will share their work and learning.

• Wairoa Twilight Market - Friday 5 April

I wish for a positive, fulfilling, safe and healthy year for everyone, and particularly for our students, a year full of rich and diverse learning experiences and opportunities.

Cathy France

Principal

In 2024, our school is celebrating The Year of Generosity. The celebration of generosity can take many forms and our students along with our school community, will reflect on the essence of giving – whether it be of time, knowledge or service - and how that enables individuals to find profound meaning in their lives.

Through the giving of time, knowledge and service, whether it be in our school or community, individuals gain a broader perspective of the world and society, realising their role in shaping a positive place.

Generosity becomes a catalyst for forming meaningful relationships, allowing individuals to develop and utilise crucial social, emotional and relational skills. This reciprocity of giving and receiving fosters a sense of interconnectedness, creating a community where shared values and compassionate actions contribute to collective growth and fulfillment. We look forward to celebrating The Year of Generosity with our school community in 2024.

Last Thursday evening we held the Information evening at Yultiwirra.  This year we offered a social time in the courtyard between the Cycle 1 sessions and the Cycles 2 & 3 sessions.  It was lovely to come together in the courtyard, mix and mingle.

It was lovely to receive the following email the next day from a new parent.........

Just wanted to say a big thank you for such a lovely evening last night.

It was so nice to get to know you all a little better and meet other parents, as well as learn about the Montessori way and how we can support our children at home in their learning.

We felt so welcomed and included.

We are incredibly grateful for the care, time, effort and patience you put into our children each day.

We have every confidence we have made the right decision in joining the Montessori community.

It is with much sadness that we inform our school community that Tim Moore resigned from his position as Cycle 4 teacher at the end of 2023.  Tim was one of the founding teachers when we opened our Adolescent Program in 2011.  Tim is a gifted educator who brought amazing skills, interests and talents to his work.  He was a wonderful mentor to the young adolescents who were lucky enough to work with him over the years.  He was also a respected staff member who had a great deal to share with his fellow colleagues and during his time at the school took on numerous leadership roles. 

For the past 18 months, Tim has been on leave and has been working for the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA).  Tim has made the difficult decision to leave The Hills Montessori School and he will continue in his position at ACARA.

I know many people (staff, students, parents) will feel very sad about Tim leaving, but we respect Tim’s decision and he will remain a much loved member of our ‘Montessori family’.  We wish Tim all the very best for his future.

A warm welcome to Infant Program for 2024! It was wonderful to see the children get straight back into their favourite activities and Montessori routines. We welcome some new families and look forward to getting to know them better in the weeks to come. We are always practicing Montessori Philosophy in our room, but our overarching theme for this year will be the Seasons, beginning with glorious summer and lots of water play! 

It has been a lovely start to the New Year with our children resuming and expanding their social connections and welcoming nine new children. We have been practising the routines of the preschool, such as looking after our belongings, how to enter the room, hand washing, using placemats, packing away after we finish activities and using many Montessori materials. It has been lovely seeing the older children help the younger children.

We have also been working together to water and weed our garden and care for our two chickens.  

In Cycle 1 Primary, we begin 2024 with an exciting new setup that unites our community. The central doors have been rolled back, granting the children more space as well as access to a wider range of materials. The expansive floor space allows for exploration of larger sensorial works, fostering a calm and engaging flow. Not only are the Cycle 1 children adjusting to their new environment, but we've also welcomed many children from older cycles who visited this week in awe of the new space and activities.

Cycle 1 students have loved the new space, here are some of their thoughts: Jasper: “I think it’s really amazing and it has so many wonderful things in it.”

Axel: “It’s a much bigger space; I really enjoy the bag-packing activity. I also like going out to the gate to get picked up.”

Jadriel: “I love that there are more people because I can make more friends.”

Walter: “I like that the doors are open because there is more space; we can lay out the whole 1000 chain inside the classroom.”

Evan mentioned that he is really enjoying having fish in our space, and Vivienne found all the new activities great, adding that having lots of space was fun.

The commencement of Cycle 2 has seen the students in Penny and Maddy's class immersed in the natural surroundings of the bush play area. During this session, they connected with nature, and discussed what they felt, heard, saw, and smelled. Each student then crafted and published individual Acknowledgements of Country, which they can read before our morning meetings in the classroom.

During the first two weeks of school, we explored the cultural significance of Lunar New Year. Students gained further knowledge about the lunar calendar, zodiacs and customs associated with the commencement of the new year. Through short screen presentations and hands-on activities, we looked at the moon cycle with a deeper understanding of the 8 lunar phases.

A highlight occurred at the conclusion of week 2, where students were treated to the presentation of the first great story, The Creation of the Universe, which we did at night in the classroom. The story was complemented by science-based activities designed to deepen their understanding. Following this presentation, students enjoyed dinner together, while watching educational videos about volcanoes. It was a great night and one of the many times we have planned to get our Cycle 2 classes learning together outside of school time. We are all very excited about our year ahead and looking forward to a wonderful term.

This week, Cycle 3 students commenced a fortnightly Buddy Reading program with the Cycle 1 Preschool class. The students begin by selecting appropriate books during library time to bring to their buddy reading session the following day.  When they arrive in Preschool, students gently approach children in the Preschool and offer to read to them. It is fantastic to see the interactions between the different ages, and how responsible Cycle 3 students are with this leadership role. The benefits of the program extend beyond the development of literacy skills. Older students are not only fostering a sense of community but also honing important life skills such as leadership, patience, and effective communication. These qualities are fundamental in shaping well-rounded individuals. One of the key aspects of the program is the emphasis on generosity traits displayed by the older students. It's not just about books; it's about big hearts making a difference in the lives of little ones. With this year being the year of generosity, Cycle 3 is keen to continue to share their wealth of knowledge and skills with their school community.

'I love going to see my old classroom in Preschool' - Hazel, Cycle 3

'I met a girl who really likes butterflies - I think I will see if the library has a book on butterflies next time' - Cycle 3 student

The Wairoa campus is in full swing already. In addition to getting started in all of the learning areas, our activities in the first weeks have centered around getting to know each other and our place, understanding how our program works and building community.

The annual Big Day Out Goosechase challenge was held on the first Thursday back. We spent the day in advisory groups moving in and around Stirling and Aldgate and completing varying challenges, with the goals of getting to know each other, getting creative, learning about our surrounding community—and hopefully accruing the most points to win the day! The weather was very kind to us this year which meant the day could be enjoyed to its full potential.

The food program has started with some amazing work from our kitchen crew, led by our incredible Kitchen Specialist, Monica. We have eaten so well already with house-made pasta and basil pesto (grown in our veggie garden), and this week we went next-level with some delicious house-made bao buns with roast duck, pork, and tofu!!

It has been fantastic having Robert work with the students and some new and important skills have been learned and practiced. Jobs including using the ride-on mower and the whipper-snipper, fixing tables, and sanding and polishing bench-tops have all been tackled with enthusiasm! It has been such an awesome start to the year!

Students in Cycles 1, 2 & 3 have started the term with a focus on personal fitness and group dynamics. We have been seeing how far or how fast we can run as well as learning a variety of strength exercises. During group dynamics students have explored the importance of trust, cooperation, encouragement, and communication. Each week the students are given several challenges to explore the aspects of trust or communication in relation to working with groups. 

Cycle 4 students are developing their individual athletic abilities. The focus is personal fitness, and our work is in developing athletic skills such as running, jumping, and throwing. 

Every Friday morning 8am - 8:30am starting at the Wairoa Campus: 142 Mount Barker Road, Aldgate.

 Everyone is welcome to join the running club, from Cycle 1 to Cycle 4, including parents! The running club meets at the Wairoa campus, on the basketball courts and runs a 500m circuit track. Run or walk, all fitness levels welcome. It is very much about having some fun while getting fit at the same time. At 8:30am parents will need to transport their children over to Yultiwirra (Primary campus). 

Hope to see you there! - Attila

The Courier Cup Swimming Carnival is being held for students in Years 4, 5 and 6 on Thursday 29th February (Week 5) at the Mount Barker Mountain Pool. The day runs from 8:30am – 2:30pm. Nominations are due by Friday 16th February. If your child is in Cycle 3, is a confident swimmer (can comfortably swim 50 metres) and would like to compete in this event, please refer to the notice which went out on Audiri to Cycle 3 families. 

In 2024 we welcome back 'Snippets with Susan'. Join our Assistant Principal Susan Harris Evans for sessions that explore a range of topics relating to learning in our school and ways to support your child at home. The sessions are 20-minute ‘bite sized snippets’ of information and informal discussion for parents. 

Coming up on Tuesday 20 February at 9.15am (right after school drop off)  in the Yultiwirra Common Room, the first session is titled: Seamless transition into, within and beyond a Montessori setting

 Please register your intention to attend at the school office or complete the online RSVP through Audiri. 

Primary students who will be travelling regularly on a bus service from school or walking or riding their bike home must fill in a Travel Arrangements Form with parents giving consent and details of the arrangements made for their child. We have sent forms home to students who catch the bus or walk home; however if you have not received one of these forms please contact the office.

Please ensure that your child wears appropriate footwear & clothing to school particularly on the days they participate in PE or fitness activities. Check with your child’s teacher as to which days these sessions occur. Thongs are not appropriate footwear for school as they provide little protection for children whilst they are playing in the bush.

Please remember that we are a Sun Smart School and all students are required to wear a broad brimmed hat and appropriate clothing to protect the skin when going outside for any activity. Sun block is provided by the school and students are taught by the school adults to apply it before leaving the classroom. Please ensure that your child has a named sunhat that can be kept in his/her bag or on the hat stand in the classroom.

School sunhats with the school logo are available for sale from the school office for $15 each.

Have you visited our Facebook page? Facebook is another way we communicate with parents.  Follow us on Facebook to keep up to date with school community news, events and activities.  You might also like to let grandparents and friends know so they can also enjoy the news, photos and updates!

Search: https://www.facebook.com/thehillsmontessorischoolaldgate