The Festival of Arts was a vibrant celebration of creativity, community, and collaboration, and it was heartening to see our students showcase their artistic talents in visual art, music, and performance. The event not only highlighted the incredible work of our students but also the strong support and involvement of our school community.

We are delighted to share that the Festival raised a fantastic $6962.00,  which will directly benefit our School and enrich the learning experiences for all students. A huge thank you to everyone who attended, volunteered, and contributed to making this event such a success. Your support helped create an atmosphere of joy and passion, truly reflecting the spirit of the arts.

We look forward to more opportunities to come together as a community and celebrate the incredible talent of our students!

The Community Breakfast at the end of last term was a beautiful celebration of the connections that make our school community so special. It was heartwarming to see families, staff, and students come together to share a meal, engage in conversation, and enjoy each other’s company in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

The event not only provided a wonderful chance to reconnect but also reinforced the sense of belonging and unity that defines our School. We are grateful for the support from everyone who attended and helped create such a positive and welcoming environment.

Thank you to our Community Connection Group and other volunteers who contributed to making the breakfast a memorable occasion — we look forward to many more opportunities to celebrate our community spirit in the months ahead!

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’ve had a lovely couple of weeks settling back into the Infant Program. It’s always a joy to reconnect after the holidays and return to the rhythm of our days and favourite activities.

This term, we’ve also welcomed a few new friends—it’s been wonderful getting to know them and helping them settle in.

Our focus this term will be on the senses, and we began with a sweet Mother's Day craft: salt dough handprints decorated with flower petals and lavender. They looked beautiful and smelt delightful!

This Term we have welcomed three new children to Preschool and have enjoyed spending plenty of time outdoors in the sunshine. The children have been busy raking autumn leaves, planting new greenery, and watering the garden. In preparation for the long-awaited rain, we’ve also installed a new rain gauge at the children’s height—ready to observe the weather up close!

As part of our geography lessons, we’ve begun learning about the differences and functions of air, land, and water. This has sparked further exploration into the idea that the world is made up of large land masses and vast stretches of water.

We’ve also continued to enjoy our weekly buddy reading sessions with the Cycle 3 students. The Preschool children love listening to the older students read and relish the opportunity to engage and connect across age groups.

“You can’t see air, but you can feel it” - Theo 

“Land is under this school” - Jock

“Water is in the ocean, rivers and pools” - Clem 

"I look around the classroom and I see things I want to write about then I try to read it and can learn about it." - Jasmine 

"I like to read with my Cycle 3 buddy." - Leo 

"I read things from the cultural shelf like about butterflies." - Ed 

"I do box work to help me learn the sounds in words like oa, ch, sh." - Hunter

"I like the book nook, but Ben 10 are my favourite books." - Zach 

Exploring natural science, such as botany, in Cycle 2 is important as it helps our students build a strong connection with the natural world around them. We began our Botany studies this term by working with materials such as the Five Kingdoms Chart and the Plant Classification Chart to learn about the scientific classification system. Students also engaged with nomenclature materials that explain the basic needs of plants, their parts, and the functions of each part.

Our Botany studies are supported by hands-on experiments that demonstrate how plants meet their needs, how plant systems function, and the vital role plants play in ecosystems. Students have been actively involved in growing, caring for, and observing plants both inside the classroom and outside in our Cycle 2 community garden and bushland area.

We are planning many more opportunities for students to become immersed in the plant world and to further explore the connections between plants and the environment we live in.

"I’ve been learning about the parts of a flower. They have pollen, petals, roots and a stem." - Hayley-Jade

"In our experiment, the plants with sun light are green, the room light plants are light green and the no light plants are brown." - Eleanor

"A monocot is a one seed leaf plant and a dicot is a two seed leaf plant." - Alinta

"Plants can move their leaves to face the sunlight." - Walter

"Carrots are a type of root you can eat." - Miranda

"Tomatoes are a fruit not a vegetable because they have seeds. Fruits have seeds and vegetables do not." - Angus

Every three years, Cycle 3 presents a major production—an exciting and memorable event that students spend over a term preparing for. As part of the lead-up, students immerse themselves in drama every Monday afternoon, joining together to play drama games focused on character development, voice work, and body movement.

This year’s production is a musical titled 'Go For Gold', which flashes between modern times and Ancient Greece to tell the story of the very first Olympic Games. Last week, students auditioned for speaking roles or submitted written applications for backstage positions. Each student showed incredible bravery and commitment as they prepared and performed a scene in front of the Cycle 3 teaching team.

Roles have now been assigned, and the cast and crew have completed their first full read-through together. This is an incredibly exciting time—stay tuned for more updates later in the term!

Connection to Place enhances identity, belonging, and responsibility.

For our adolescents, leaving a mark at Wairoa forms an important rite of passage in our community. Over the years, students have contributed in many ways - from building pizza ovens, sitting spaces, and an outdoor gym, to fundraising for future Wairoa generations. Through these contributions, students are encouraged to consider how their actions today will shape the experiences of those who follow.

With the recent redevelopment of the productive garden, a new opportunity emerged. Students proposed creating a mural on the garden shed - a meaningful way to leave their mark. Under the guidance of our Art Specialist, Gabes, a dedicated group of students spent time observing and reflecting on our natural and built environment. They sketched, noted colours and forms, and drew inspiration from the space around them.

Each individual’s design was carefully woven together into a unified, abstract mural that celebrates both collective contribution and connection to place. It has since been brought to life by those original students, joined by others inspired to contribute.

The finished mural is a beautiful, lasting tribute to Wairoa - a reflection of our students’ creativity, care, and sense of place. Next time you visit Wairoa, we encourage you to ask the students to show you around!

This term in PE, students have been developing their skills in both soccer and basketball.

We’ve focused on building individual techniques, strengthening teamwork, and beginning to read the game—that is, anticipating play as it unfolds. Students are encouraged to get creative with their skill development, finding new ways to challenge themselves and extend their abilities.

Through small games and targeted activities, students have been refining their hand-eye coordination and working collaboratively with peers. Thanks to Sporting Schools funding, Cycle 2 students have begun working with a soccer coach who is introducing a variety of new skills and drills. Cycle 4 students have kicked off the term with footy and fitness games, focusing on movement, agility, and strategy.

Congratulations to all the students who took part in the recent SAPSASA athletics event. On Thursday, we held a catch-up day for the long jump and high jump events. A big well done to Kokopelli for placing 2nd and A’isha for placing 4th—a fantastic effort and a great experience for everyone involved!

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