This week we held a morning tea at Wairoa to catch up with some of our past staff. This has become an annual event in our school calendar and thirteen past staff attended this year enjoying the camaraderie and friendship.  It was wonderful to have them all gather together and catch up on their news.  

There are such strong connections to these past staff who all dedicated numerous years to our school.  We are all connected by our passion for Montessori education and in particular, our passion, love and commitment to The Hills Montessori School.  

I often will tell people that one of the wonderful things about working at The Hills Montessori School is that all of the staff are “on the same page”.  We all believe that the Montessori methodology is how all children should be taught and the Montessori philosophy defines how all children and young people should be treated. Working with like minded people makes for a very harmonious staff and relationships and connections have always been pivotal at our school.  Our staff genuinely care about each other, and the students and families that they work with. The Montessori philosophy guides us all in the work that we do and is what makes our school unique.

Connection lies at the heart of teaching and schools. It’s what transforms classrooms and schools into communities.  As educators, our ability to connect with students, colleagues, families, and the wider school community creates the foundation for trust, engagement, and growth. When we take the time to trust in each individual child and really see and understand them, we nurture their confidence, curiosity and help to develop a love of learning. When we collaborate with colleagues, we share wisdom, lighten the load, and keep learning ourselves. These collegial relationships remind us that teaching is not a solitary act, but a shared journey of supporting, guiding and witnessing young lives and minds developing.

At the past staff morning tea there was lots of chatter and some of that was about who had seen or heard from past students and updates were given of what they were doing.  Many of these past students are now parents themselves but their past teachers are still invested in their lives. Julie Ratcliff let us know that she is about to travel to Japan and has corresponded with one of her past students who now is married and lives in Japan, and Julie has arranged to spend the day with her past student whilst there.

Connection doesn’t end when the young person graduates or the educator retires. Retirement and graduation doesn’t close the door on being part of a school community.  It’s important that these connections are maintained and nurtured.  It’s what belonging to a community is all about.  It's why we established our School Foundation and why we encourage past and current staff, students and families to join the HMS Foundation and become members.

Connection is the thread that weaves through every stage of an educator’s life. It sustains our passion, strengthens our impact, and reminds us that education is, above all, about people and relationships.

These amazing people are more than just past staff, after years of dedicated service they are the backbone of our 'Montessori family' and we love them and loved catching up with them.

Cathy France

Principal

"The land is where our roots are. The children must be taught to feel and live in harmony with the Earth." – Maria Montessori

An unexpected arrival of a bee swarm recently provided a meaningful opportunity for students to practise environmental stewardship in action. Drawing on their prior learning from occupations studying bees and beekeeping, students used their knowledge and skills to safely collect the swarm and house them in a new hive. In nurturing these bees, they deepened their understanding of ecological interdependence and their role in protecting vital species that sustain life on Earth.

Our whole school will come together for a day of physical activity, teamwork, and fun! This year’s Spring Sports Carnival includes:

Morning | Athletic Events

• Cycles 3 & 4: 9am–12:15pm at Stirling Oval, rotating through athletics stations including discus, shot put, high jump, running events, and relays.

• Cycle 2: Arrive 10:30am by bus, join rotations with older peers.

• Cycle 1: Arrive 12 noon to cheer on classmates.

• 12:30pm: Whole school lunch break at the Oval (BYO lunch).

Afternoon | Mixed Age Games & Team Challenges

• 1:15pm: Welcome & Whole School Health Hustle

• 1:30–3pm: Mixed-Cycle teams compete in novelty games and team challenges to earn points.

• 3–3:30pm: Finale Crazy Dress-Up Relay and Whole Community Dance Party.

• 3:30pm: All students picked up from Stirling Oval. OSHC students transported back with consent.

What Students Need:

• Large, named water bottle, broad-brimmed hat, sun cream

• Suitable clothing & footwear for athletics

• Packed lunch

• Enthusiasm & team spirit!

Parent/Caregiver Support Needed:

• Line marking, setup & pack-up, transporting equipment

• Helping at athletic stations, drinks station, and general event support

• Interested? Email Suzie Saffin at suzie@montessori.sa.edu.au

Come along and join the fun!

More information will be sent out through Audiri - keep an eye out!

We’ve been having a lovely time in the Infant Program and enjoying the beautiful spring weather. The children have been getting out into the garden, picking our colourful flowers to use on the mixing table, and splashing in the spring rain puddles. Over the past few weeks, we’ve also been working together to make rhythm sticks for our room, starting the process by sanding the sticks with sandpaper to make them nice and smooth.

The Preschool children have been spending a lot of time outside in nature, exploring, learning and socialising. Last week many students participated in the Aussie Bird Count, which is coordinated by BirdLife Australia. It is a citizen science event where people across Australia sit still for twenty minutes and observe, count and record on an app, what birds they see in a location of their choice. We carried out the count twice, once in our front play area and the second time in the bush. It was a great way to spark the children’s curiosity, identify different types of birds and learn some of the calls they make. The children spotted wattlebirds, little ravens, blackbirds, galahs, magpies, rainbow lorikeets and even a kookaburra.

The children have also been busy gardening, observing a big moth they found, feeding the worms in our worm farm, using worm juice to water plants, collecting seeds from native grasses and enjoying eating at our new picnic table.

Hugo “I am going to take the seeds home to grow”.

Ari W “The worms are all hiding”

Monty “That’s the biggest moth that I have ever seen!”

Cycle 1 students have been exploring how to collect and represent data. The children enjoyed surveying their peers and teachers, asking questions such as “What’s your favourite colour?” and “Who has a pet at home?” They then recorded their findings using tally marks and picture charts, discovering how information can be organised and compared.

As an extension of our water cycle studies in Science, the children made rose water with Leah using 60 fresh roses and distilled water. The mixture was gently steamed with the lid inverted to collect the droplets of condensed steam, beautifully demonstrating evaporation and condensation in action. The classroom smelled divine, creating a calm and peaceful atmosphere that supported focus and concentration during the morning work cycle.

Cycle 2 students have just returned from a fantastic two-day overnight camp full of adventure, learning, and fun! We started at Monarto Safari Park, where we went on safari and saw various animals including cheetahs, rhinos, giraffes, lions, painted dogs, and hyenas. A highlight for some was helping to clear sticks from the wallaby enclosure to reduce fire risk, learning the importance of caring for animals and their habitats.

After a fun-filled day, we headed to the Wairoa Campus, where the Middle School students led games and cooked dinner for us. We enjoyed our annual toy parade, watched Sing, and settled into our dorm rooms—an exciting rite of passage for many first-time overnight campers. Everyone showed great resilience and pride in staying over. It was wonderful to see so many smiling faces the next morning!The next day we bounced into action at Bounce—rock climbing, trampolining, foam pits, and the Sky Walk were definite highlights!Camp gave students a wonderful chance to step out of their comfort zones, grow their independence, and make lasting memories with friends.

A huge thank you to all the staff, students, and volunteers who helped make this camp unforgettable. We can’t wait to do it all again next year!

The latter part of the year has seen the Year Six students present their major projects to their peers. The Year Six major project is a term-long inquiry that allows students to explore and learn about a topic of personal interest, drawing on their individual strengths as learners. Some students choose to undertake intensive research, while others focus on hands-on, practical learning. Students submit an application to their teacher before beginning their project and later present their hard work to the class.

Throughout the presentations, peers and teachers provide feedback and evaluate each project. Students also meet with their teacher to complete both a self-assessment and a collaborative reflection on their learning.

This year, we’ve had a wide variety of topics chosen, including chocolate, the Titanic, the flute, Harry Potter, golf, rebuilding a Gas Gas bike, and restoring a go-kart. Each project included a practical component, such as playing a piece of music, running a chocolate tasting, creating a class Quidditch game for fitness, or demonstrating the go-kart and bike.

To complement the major projects of Juna and Freya, Sam’s class also went on two excursions — to Mini Golf, where students practised their golfing skills, and to Melba’s Chocolate Factory, where they learned about the factory’s history, day-to-day operations, and production processes.

All of the major projects demonstrated dedication, persistence, and creativity, and the class thoroughly enjoyed watching the presentations and celebrating the hard work of the Year Six students!

As with every term, Term 4 is filled with projects and events that connect students’ learning to real-world applications. Already this term, a group of students has surveyed the Wairoa grounds to identify ways they can make a positive environmental impact. One small group has worked hard to clean and refurnish the kitchen deck, while another has spread soft-fall under our student-designed and installed gym, making it ready for use. The old stairs have also been renovated and refurbished, with an additional section built!

Further effort has gone into the kitchen garden, where garden beds have been replenished with rich soil to give new herbs, pollinator-friendly plants, and edible flowers a strong start. A long-standing challenge — the storage of our firewood — has also been tackled, with one group creatively recycling an old water tank (generously donated by Rom) to solve the problem. Lastly, the ever-suffering service bench is undergoing a much-needed renovation, including new wheels, timber inlays, and a thorough sanding and oiling.

Suffice to say, these students have been very busy — learning a great deal about planning and project management, using tools and materials, and having plenty of fun along the way!

Our Year 6 Graduation will be held on Wednesday 3rd December at 5:30pm in the Yultiwirra Hall.

Cycle 3 families are warmly invited to join us as we celebrate our graduating students and their journey through Primary School. More details will be shared closer to the date.

The End of Year concert for Yultiwirra students will be held on Monday 8th December at 10am in the hall.  We invite parents to come along to enjoy some performances from our students. All welcome!

Our new set of Festival of Arts Greeting Cards are here! Each design showcases the creativity of our Cycle groups and have been professionally printed. Cards are available for purchase from the Yultiwirra office: 

🖼  $4 each🎁

$20 for a bundle of 8

(Envelopes included)

All proceeds will support school-wide fundraising initiatives. As always, thank you for supporting our community!

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