This year in STEM, we have continued to focus on students' opportunities to be creative and resilient and grow their understanding of Sciences, Technologies, Engineering, and Mathematics.

Earlier in the year, the older students looked at the design process. Using this process, we learned how to take an idea to a finished product. Year 5 designed and 3D printed their fidget toys from scratch, making a design folio as they went. Year 6 learned what makes a house a ‘home’, how design can change people's feelings, and how people have different preferences. Using this knowledge, students designed their dream homes and created a 3D model out of cardboard. Years 3 and 4 learned about designing a 3D model for printing. They designed name plates for their desks and keyrings to show off their styles. All the upper years practised coding and overcame movement challenges using Lego Robots and BeeBots. The focus on robotics and coding is to prepare our students for the First Lego League, a STEM competition that gets students to bring their creativity to real-world problems. Years 5 and 6 have started this process and are looking at the many challenges that scientists face in the deep sea, from how to care for our environment to how we can better understand the unexplored part of our oceans. The younger grades have been exploring how food gets to their dinner plates, particularly dairy products. We learned about cows, how they produce milk, and the process the milk goes through before it can be in our kitchen. Students then put on their creative hats and designed ‘SMART farms’ utilizing robots to care for animals and farmers to improve their lives.

It has been a joy to watch students be challenged and reach the “Ah-ha” moment, growing their understanding of God’s world and their role in it. I eagerly await to see what our students can achieve for the rest of the year.

Peter Humphrey - STEM Teacher

Our cooking adventures have included various recipes, and each student has eagerly participated. It has been an excellent opportunity for the students to learn safety around food and better understand how different foods are prepared. Alongside this is the chance to try new foods and compare recipe variations.

Our visits to the bush have also been a favourite activity for many students. We have been exploring the world around us, climbing trees, looking under rocks, finding bugs and creating cubbies with sticks.

This term, we have also worked with the Year 3 class as they helped us learn games and ball skills on the sports court.

Samuel Whittle - Kinder Teacher

IT’S OPENING NIGHT!

Here is a reminder of the arrangements:

Wednesday, 25th September
Afternoon Performance (4.00pm - 5.00pm)
Students are expected to stay at school under staff supervision. Afternoon tea will be provided. No buses or PCYC service will be operating on this day in the afternoon.

Thursday, 26th September
Evening Performance (6.00pm - 7.00pm)
Normal school day; however, students are expected to return to school between 5:00pm - 5.30pm for costumes, hair, and makeup. No supervision will be available for students between 3.00pm - 5.00pm.

Evening Performance on Thursday 26th September: Students must be at school no later than 5.30pm to get into costume for a 6:00pm curtain-up. Parents are not required to stay with students, so you may drop your child at school and collect them after the performance, as staff will be available to supervise students from 5:00pm until 7:30pm. Upon arrival, students are to meet a staff member outside Year 1 and Prep on the steps to be directed to the changerooms.

End of afternoon and night performance: Children can be collected from the flagpoles at the end of the performances.

Kinder Students: Kinder students have been cast in ensemble roles and are welcome to participate in all performances; however, attending the Thursday evening performance is optional. Mr Whittle will be available to supervise those who attend the Thursday evening performance from 5.00pm until 7.30pm.

Filming and Photography: We will be comprehensively photographing the cast, crew and show, with the photos available for viewing after the event via Facebook. After each show, there will be a 10-minute window for families to take photos with cast members in costume. With this in mind, please be courteous to those around you if you want to take any photographs or film during the show. Cameras should not interfere with people’s vision behind or to the side of you. Please remain in your seat during the performance. You will not be permitted to stand around the side or rear of the PAC to take photos or film during the performance. Please remember, as outlined in our Parent Code of Conduct policy, “Posting a photo or video recording of a child who is not their own on social media without obtaining prior consent from that child’s parent is prohibited.” Please follow any instructions from staff regarding photography or filming during the performances.

An email with this information and other important details regarding the performance has been sent to all families. Please refer to the email for additional information.

Tara Williams - Production Director

Last Day of Term 3
Friday, 27 September

What an amazing term this has been and we still have some events to come. With so much to celebrate, we have two special events planned for the last day of term.

Celebration of Production

The Community Engagement Committee is providing a FREE LUNCH for all students on the last day of Term 3 as a thank you for their incredible efforts in the 'You Are Special' production. Students will receive a sausage sizzle, a packet of chips, and a Freddo Frog.

Footy Colours Day

Fight Cancer Foundation’s ‘Footy Colours Day’ is a national fundraising campaign that helps kids with cancer.

Students are invited to wear their favourite footy team colours or a free dress, and fun activities will be held throughout the day.

We encourage you to make a fundraising donation to the Fight Cancer Foundation via QKR! before 3.00pm on Friday, 27th September.

Wednesday, 23 October

Northern Christian School will be taking part in Day for Daniel, Australia’s largest day of action to raise awareness of child safety, protection and harm intervention.

On this day, we encourage all students to wear red, and donations can be made via QKR! between now and Wednesday, 23 October. All funds raised will go toward helping this foundation develop free resources and programs for parents, carers and educators to teach children to stay safe.

All students will be revisiting our Child Safeguarding Statement and will be sharing what this means for them and others. 

For more information about Day for Daniel or for access to free resources and advice about talking with your child about personal safety, please visit danielmorcombe.com.au

As detailed in our Uniform Policy, and in line with our recognition as a SunSmart School, all students and staff must wear a hat when outside during Term 4. If students aren’t wearing a hat they will be asked to sit on the undercover deck.

The School’s bucket hat must be purchased from the Uniform Shop either via the Qkr! App or from the Office for $15.

Uniform Survey

Thank You for your input on the Uniform Survey

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all upper-year level students, parents, and staff who took the time to provide feedback on the recent uniform survey. Your insights and suggestions are invaluable as we consider potential changes to our school uniform.

The survey results are currently being reviewed, and we look forward to sharing the outcomes with you shortly. 

Thank you once again for your support, feedback and involvement.