Castlefield

Campus News

A great term

A big thank you to our families, students and staff for an incredible term. A term of focus as our older students head towards their exam period in Week 5 of Term 4, but also a term filled with events and activities — from excursions to Book Week Parades, Father’s Day Assemblies and classroom visits, House events, Preps’ 100 Days of School, Outdoor Education Camps, STEM Week experiments and our sold-out Moana Jnr musical. What an abundance of activities beyond the classroom our students are provided with.

Term 4

Term 4 will commence on Monday, 2 October. When we return in Term 4, students wear their summer uniform. There is a two-week grace period to allow for variations in the weather and the organisation of uniforms.

Our Second-Hand Uniform Shop, run by the HPFC, is a fabulous source of uniforms. Visit the shop near the Rouen Street gate on Wednesdays from 8.15 am – 10.15 am and on Thursdays from 2.00 pm – 4.00 pm.

Don’t forget Speech Night

An important date in the calendar for our Middle School families is Speech Night. This year, the Castlefield Speech Night will be held on Friday, 1 December at 7.00 pm in Aikman Hall at the Keysborough campus. Further information about this celebration will be forwarded to families as this compulsory event draws closer.

Traffic and parking reminder

Just a reminder for families that South Road is the preferred pick up and drop off location for students in Junior and Middle School and the roundabout is an efficient way to collect your child.

Staff are on duty before and after school to help children remain safe within our grounds.

For Senior School students, South Road is the only drop off and pick up area for parents who drive their child to school. We encourage older students to walk, ride or take public transport as an alternative to being driven to school.

Early Learning Centre

Engaging in literacy

Reception have completed their first term of Haileybury’s Language and Literacy program, with children taking part in multi-modal intentional and incidental learning experiences.

Pre-Prep have been looking at Golden Words and practising their writing skills, especially focusing on their pencil grip and letter formation. Children are enjoying sharing what they have learned with their families with take home books and literacy games.

Celebrating pariep (spring)

From September to November, the Boonwurrung season is known as pariep (spring). As we move from beerreen (‘no more sun’ or winter), the ELC children enjoy observing environmental changes during their outdoor learning time and as part of their Out and About excursions.

At this time of year, we can see birds nesting, murrnong (yam daisy) and kangaroo grass flowers blooming, walerts (possums) carry their joeys, cicadas and brown butterflies emerge into the sun and we can find the Seven Sisters constellation in the sky.

Bubups (children) enjoyed a visit from our friend, Jaeden Williams, who shared Boonwurrung stories about the seasons, the Seven Sisters, Bundjil the eagle and Waang the crow. Jaeden is a vibrant and engaging Aboriginal storyteller who used Boonwurrung language during his visit. He reminded the children of the importance of loving themselves, others, Mother Earth and Father Sky.

Junior School

Cause for celebration

The Junior School children celebrated their dads and special friends with a morning of footy colours and activities on the oval. The round robin event was expertly organised by the PE department and the footy theme was ideal in the lead up to the AFL finals. Moving around the oval in their House groups, there was a sea of goal-kicking, marking, handballing and rucking! It was a fabulous morning and a great way to start the day. Thank you to all our special visitors who made the morning so memorable.

Cyber Safety Project

Students, staff and parents had the opportunity to learn from the Cyber Safety Project. The students focused on what it means to stay safe online and the importance of creating strong passwords and learning what to do when something doesn’t feel right while online. Staff learned about current popular online games and apps, the benefits and drawbacks of the online world and the type of issues popping up for students. Parents could attend a webinar that provided them with practical strategies and resources for managing online child safety at home.

Year 3 camp

Our Year 3 students attended their first camp and spent two nights at Forest Edge Camp in Neerim South. This group of young people took everything in their stride — from setting up their cabins to mealtime duties, and from strenuous bush walks to learning the skill of archery. They laughed, danced and undertook each activity with a smile and beautiful manners.

Camp provides children with so many wonderful opportunities. It is a chance for them to be independent, learn new skills, problem solve and step out of their comfort zone a little. Memories have been made!

Middle School

Moana was a huge success

Week 8 saw the eagerly awaited Middle School Musical, Moana Jr, performed to packed out audiences. Our impressive students demonstrated skill and talent across all areas. They acted, sang, danced, worked as an ensemble, built sets and props and displayed one of the most important skills — collaboration.

Being part of something bigger than yourself, stepping outside your comfort zone and finding your tribe is what a musical is all about. From the visual feast of the staging and costumes, that were sometimes bioluminescent, to the quality of the singing, acting and choreography, the show has been a highlight on our school calendar.

We are so endlessly proud of our students and of the incredible Creative Arts team for bringing to life such a poignant story.

Exploring outside the classroom

Outside the classroom opportunities are special and give our community experiences to share, grow and come together. Recently, we have seen our Year 7s head off on an excursion to the National Gallery of Victoria to enjoy the exhibitions and to dive into all that the world of art has to offer.

Father’s Day was another momentous occasion where we celebrated our fathers and special friends with activities and assemblies. Comfort zones were tested with our guests playing downball, UNO and even partaking in Twister! It was a morning full of fun and love and we hope everyone was spoilt on Father’s Day.

Katrina Manson

Head of Castlefield (Brighton)

Monique Chapman

President, Haileybury Parents & Friends Castlefield