Last Friday afternoon, we held our first Barbreck Disco. The girls had a great time dancing and singing along to some of their favourite tunes! Thank you to Ms Catherine Roosenburg and all other Year 6 parents for helping to organise and run the event. 

It was wonderful to attend the Years 4 to 6 PFA Parent Social Evening. I enjoyed catching up with parents and chatting about upcoming events such as Snowsports, District sports days, camps, and excursions.  

Barbreck Assemblies

We have recently enjoyed some fantastic musical performances at our Barbreck Assembly. Our student-led assemblies provide an opportunity for student performers to sing or play an instrument to entertain the audience. 

I would like to recognise Junya Jiang (piano) and Sunny Xu (violin) who play the national anthem at Assembly every week. It is incredible to witness such skill from those that are so young. Obviously, many hours of dedicated practice have gone into developing their craft. Well done girls!

Last week in Assembly we celebrated International Women’s Day. Our Year 6 students presented on inspirational women, with a particular focus on successful women in IT and workplaces that have traditionally been occupied by men.

It was fantastic to hear about inspirational female role models, and the Assembly provided a great opportunity for our inspiring girls to experience planning a presentation and speaking into a microphone to an audience.

We have various presentations and items at Assembly each week and parents are welcome to attend. Classroom and specialist teachers will endeavour to let parents know if their child has a role in an upcoming Assembly. 

Wellbeing in Barbreck

The Resilience Project (TRP) lessons are well underway in Barbreck this year. In 2023, our Partnership Program consists of online presentations and weekly lessons for students, professional development for staff, and a Parent and Carer Hub which includes digital presentations for our Barbreck families. We have an upcoming Resilience Project Parent Webinar with Mr Hugh Van Cuylenburg, Founder of TRP on 9 May. Further details will be released closer to the event date. 

An important component of The Resilience Project Program includes students in Years 3 to 6 completing the Resilient Youth Australia student survey. This organisation has surveyed more than 350,000 Australian school students aged 8 to 18 over recent years. The survey is voluntary and anonymous and collects the self-reported resilience and wellbeing of students, providing valuable information to assist Schools to maintain a positive culture of wellbeing and resilience. Students will complete the survey next week. If parents require extra information, please refer to the email sent earlier this week or feel free to contact me on lrussell@stcatherines.net.au. 

Year 5 Sovereign Hill Study Tour

Next week our Year 5s will embark on their Sovereign Hill Study Tour. A major component of the Study Tour will be experiencing life as it was during the Gold Rush period of the 1850s. This is a costumed two-day role-play activity. Students will also explore the gold mining township through various activities, and attend the AURA multi-sensory experience, which explores gold and its role in Ballarat’s fascinating history.  

The Study Tour is an invaluable experience for Year 5 students, providing them with a greater knowledge and understanding of Australian history and the relevance of the Gold Rush. I am excited to attend the Study Tour myself and look forward to reporting back on the learning and fun experienced by the students and staff.