Castlefield

Campus News

Our culture of connectedness

Our connectedness has been in full swing with every student from ELC to Year 12 joining us for our Anzac Day Assembly, our MS Summer Sport Presentation Assembly, JS Movie Night, Mother’s Day celebrations and the OHA Generations Breakfast during the first couple of weeks of Term 2.

A special mention to the amazing Castlefield students who competed so successfully in the Years 5–8 inter-campus Cross Country at Berwick on Friday, 5 May. Castlefield were the overall winners in both the Year 5/6 and 7/8 competitions with Russell and Kennedy Houses taking out the respective trophies!

Learning in focus

We’ve also been focusing on learning with Parent–Teacher Interviews giving parents the opportunity to discuss how their children are progressing, the University of Mathematics Competition, a Year 6 Smoothie incursion and our Years 7 and 8 students finalising their current units in preparation for mid-year exams in Week 4.

After participating in the TFT School Aerobics and Dance Star regional competition, our primary dance team placed first and our secondary aerobics team came second in their respective divisions. This sees them both progress to the State Finals in June.

Save the date

Preparations for Castlefield’s 2023 production, Moana, are well underway. It is inspiring to see the staff and students’ dedication to the project.

Tickets go on sale in Term 3 for performances on Wednesday, 6, Thursday, 7 and Friday, 8 September.

Social justice

Our Pyjama Day on Thursday, 11 May gave students a chance to donate items to struggling families through St Kilda Mums. Thank you to everyone who contributed.

We are also supporting St Kilda Football Club’s Reboot Campaign. They are asking for donations of used footy boots that will be given to children in rural and remote areas across Australia. When dropping your boots at Main Reception, ensure you also give your details to go into the running to win a St Kilda Football Club signed Indigenous jumper.

Bike safety

It is wonderful to see a healthy number of students riding bikes to school, despite the cooler weather. Haileybury and St Leonard’s are working together to ensure the safety of our riders and pedestrians, so, we ask students to walk their bikes along the length of the school fences on either side of South Road. If your child rides to school, please remind them of this.

We would also like to remind families who enter the school via South Road that the bike lane is busy. Please be aware of cyclists as you enter and exit the two-minute zone and the main school gates.

National Walk to School Day

We encourage families that live close to the school to walk, ride or scooter each day. Friday, 19 May is National Walk to School Day which promotes the health benefits and safety understandings of using our bodies to keep us healthy and get us to school. One suggestion for if you are unable to walk all the way from home, is to park the car a good distance from the school and walk the rest of the way.

The children’s introduction to Environmental Learning has increased awareness of the environment and encouraged them to respect and care for Mother Earth. The children are peaceful and engaged as they explore natural objects.

During Term 2 we look forward to continuing to venture beyond the gates of the ELC to wander slowly and intentionally within our Haileybury community and further afield. Through noticing, wondering and communicating, children discover stories and explore what and who shares this space with us. Guided by the children’s natural curiosities, we will revisit places that inspire joy, exploration and investigation.

Term 2 dates

Junior School

Movie night

A massive thank-you to the HPFC and volunteers who made the Junior School movie night such a success. There is something a bit special about being at school after dark and the students loved coming together in Dickinson Hall for a screening of Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile — a movie based on a much-loved book about a crocodile living in New York City. With popcorn in hand, children settled in for a great community event.

Please consider putting up your hand to assist the amazing team of parents who do a great job running these experiences for our School.

Reminders

• As the cold weather kicks in this term, please ensure your child has their jumper to wear at recess and lunch times. Blazers are not permitted to be worn outside during these times.
  
• Name everything! We move from lost hats to lost jumpers this term. Please ensure you have clearly labelled any items that your child may take off during the day.
  

• There are only three places from where you may collect your Junior School child — their classroom, at the meeting place outside the Year 1 rooms, or from the roundabout. Junior School students are not permitted to walk outside the school property without a parent, guardian or Middle School sibling.
  
• Smart watches and Spacetalk watches should be set to school mode and not used for communication between home and school from 8.30 am – 3.30 pm.
  
• The back playground is not to be played in after school. Please make sure your children are supervised when playing in East Quad after school.

Middle School

Showing off in Middle School

In Years 5 and 6, assessment is a vital part of our academic program and it allows students to show off what they have learned. Focusing on our four Culture of Learning stages is a key driver to finding success and building on it.

Being prepared for every lesson and ready to learn sets up our students to approach each lesson with a willingness to connect with their learning. Engaging in the activities and reflecting on our work and how we can improve are the last stages of the learning cycle. We look forward to our Years 5 and 6 students continuing to strive for success in all their subjects and improving every day.

Years 7 and 8 exams

As our Years 7 and 8 students get ready for exam time, we continue to promote positive study habits, the importance of consolidating knowledge and skills through the exam process and of using feedback to reflect on their learning and experience.

Exams run on Thursday, 18 and Friday, 19 May.

Our students are encouraged to attend Helpdesk sessions and make the most of the many helpful revision materials and resources with which they are provided. Setting up a good study environment at home is an important part of the process — a quiet, distraction-free space— and so is having a plan for what to approach first.

This is also the time to stick with good sleep habits, to drink lots of water and to embrace some much-needed sunshine. We wish our Years 7 and 8 students all the best as they commence their Semester 1 exams.

Katrina Manson

Head of Castlefield (Brighton)

Haileybury Parents & Friends Castlefield (HPFC)

We hope everyone has had a great start to the first few weeks of term. We had a great turn out to Junior School movie night and thank you to all the parents who helped on the night. Without your help, these events cannot happen. Keep an eye on the myHaileybury app for details of the upcoming Middle School bowling nights.

Second-hand Uniform Shop

As we approach the winter months, please keep in mind the Second-hand Uniform Shop (SHUS) for all your uniform needs. The SHUS is located at the top of North Oval and is open during term-time on Wednesdays between 8.15 am – 10.15 am and Thursdays 2.00 pm – 4.00 pm.

Monique Chapman

President, Haileybury Parents & Friends Castlefield