Welcome to the Grade 5/6 Newsletter!

Welcome to this week’s Grade 5/6 Newsletter! Below you will find an overview of the exciting learning experiences and events our students have participated in throughout the week.

This edition includes updates on:

• Grade 5/6 Kayaking
  • Maths Learning
  • District Swimming
  • Whole School Swimming Carnival
  • Persuasive Writing
  • Icy Pole Fundraiser
  • Parent–Teacher Interviews

Please read on to learn more about what has been happening in Grade 5/6!

Maths
This week in Maths, students focused on developing their understanding of decimals through a range of differentiated tasks. Students rotated through three activities designed to challenge their thinking and build confidence when working with decimal numbers. It was fantastic to see students attempting more challenging tasks and strengthening their mathematical skills.

Grade 5/6 Kayaking at Doon Reserve
Some of the Grade 5/6 students were fortunate to participate in a kayaking experience at Doon Reserve this week. The session began with a fun warm-up activity in the water, followed by important safety training, including correct paddling techniques and life jacket safety. Once in the kayaks, students were challenged to paddle upstream before completing a full circuit of the river. Although it was challenging, students demonstrated persistence and teamwork. The session concluded with a fun floating activity down the river before students returned to school feeling proud of their efforts.

Whole School Swimming Carnival
Last week, we had our whole school swimming carnival, which was a fantastic day filled with participation, teamwork, and school spirit! Students from Prep to Grade 6 attended, with younger students enjoying participation activities while older students competed in a range of races.

Events included 50-metre and 25-metre races, relays, and kickboard events. Students showed excellent encouragement and sportsmanship throughout the day. Congratulations to Gawan (Yellow) House, who were announced as the overall winners!

District Swimming
Students who represented the school at District Swimming demonstrated great courage and determination. Competitors participated in a variety of events including freestyle, butterfly, breaststroke, backstroke, relays, and medley races. Although the water was cold, students showed resilience and gave their best effort in each race. It was a rewarding and memorable experience for all involved.
— Written with the help of Willis

Persuasive Writing
In Literacy, students completed persuasive writing pieces inspired by Hey Little Ant. Using the Elastic writing program, students worked to convince readers why ants deserve respect and should not be harmed. Students received targeted feedback identifying their “Shine” (strengths) and “Support” (areas for improvement), helping them further develop their persuasive writing skills.

Icy Pole Fundraiser
Last week’s icy pole sales were a great success! The fundraiser aims to raise money for new school sports uniforms. Students helped organise a weekly roster and supported younger students by collecting orders for Prep classes.

Icy poles are available for $1 every Friday — thank you to everyone who has supported this initiative! — Written with the help of Phoebe

3 Way Teacher Interviews
A reminder for families to please book their 3 Way–Teacher interview if you have not already done so. These meetings provide a valuable opportunity to discuss student progress, celebrate achievements, and set future learning goals together.

Thank you for taking the time to read this week’s Grade 5/6 Newsletter. We look forward to sharing more of our learning and achievements with you next week!

— Written by Violet, Vedra, and Miss H