Stories and highlights

A new school year and new beginnings

As we welcome 2025, our school has had a fantastic start with 76 new kindergarten students and 19 new students across other year groups joining our community. Thanks to students familiarising themselves with their classes before the new year, the transition has been smooth and positive. To celebrate achievements, each newsletter will feature students excelling in their learning. This week, we highlight 2S with Mrs Stanbridge, who are enthusiastically exploring polygons, demonstrating both academic growth and teamwork.

Yarn Up

Last week’s Yarn Up celebrated our Aboriginal students, culture, and education, with a focus on introducing Personalised Learning Pathways (PLPs) that integrate Aboriginal perspectives. These tailored plans help students connect learning with their cultural identity, fostering pride and understanding. A great example is Cohen from 2/3K, whose enthusiasm for Aboriginal symbols in geography has boosted his engagement and inspired him to explore the topic further, highlighting the positive impact of culturally relevant education.

Futuristic library lessons

Our library, led by Mr Tassell, is becoming a dynamic space for STEM learning, where students engage in hands-on projects that spark creativity and critical thinking. Supported by the NSW Department of Education’s STEM Share Kits, including Tablet Robotics and 3D Printing, students are exploring programming, robotics, and design. These innovative resources allow them to bring their ideas to life, fostering a love for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Stage 2

This week, we proudly highlight the achievements of our students who have demonstrated dedication and growth in their learning. In 4/5D, Willow and Oscar have excelled in using success criteria to enhance their writing, fostering creativity and self-reflection.

We also celebrate Billie and Hudson from 3A for their excellent summarisation skills, showcasing their ability to comprehend and convey key information effectively.

Congratulations to Willow, Oscar, Billie, and Hudson for their outstanding efforts and inspiring commitment to learning.

Kindergarten

We are excited to celebrate the wonderful progress of our Kindergarten students as they begin their learning journey with enthusiasm and curiosity. From making new friends to exploring their classroom, they are growing every day.
Our curriculum focuses on building strong literacy and numeracy skills through engaging lessons and hands-on activities, helping students develop communication and problem-solving abilities.
Congratulations to our Kindergarten learners on a fantastic start. Here’s to a year of discovery and success.

Year 2 Measurement Lessons

Our Year 2 students have made impressive progress in their measurement lessons this term, engaging in hands-on activities exploring length, weight, and volume. Using tools like rulers, scales, and measuring cups, they applied their skills both in the classroom and outdoors, making learning fun and relevant. We celebrate their achievements and encourage them to keep using measurement in everyday life. Well done Year 2, keep up the great work.

HPGE visual arts group

Miss Gee’s Year 4-6 HPGE Visual Arts group is exploring the element of value, focusing on light and shadow through shading techniques like hatching, cross-hatching, and blending. Leonardo and Elsa exemplify persistence and dedication, refining their skills with determination. Leonardo experimented with layering oil pastels for depth, while Elsa enhanced her work with thoughtful contrasts and emotional impact. Their commitment inspires both their growth and their peers.

Gardening

Mrs Watson and her dedicated gardening team have been hard at work, showcasing the importance of sustainability in our school community. Their recent tasks, which included mulching, composting, and harvesting rosemary, have kept them busy and engaged!

These gardening experiences not only teach our students where food comes from but also instil a sense of responsibility and teamwork. By engaging in these meaningful activities, they are fostering a deeper connection with nature and developing healthy eating habits.

We are proud of our gardening team’s efforts and their role in promoting sustainability within our school. Together, we are cultivating a brighter, greener future for our community.

Year 6 science

Year 6 has been exploring Earth and the planets of the solar system. I had the opportunity to listen to students present the culmination of the work they had completed. Students were assessed on content understanding, poster presentation, engagement and delivery, and collaboration within their teams. It is amazing to see the strengths of the two teams pictured below:

• Marshall, Daniel, and Taj  – Their strength was in collaboration and content understanding, which was clearly evident in their poster about Mercury.
• Sophie, Georgie, Ava, and Ella  – Their strengths were primarily in poster presentation, clearly demonstrating their creative flair, in their poster about Mars.

Finn's learning journey over the break

While many students enjoyed the school break, Finn used the time to deepen his knowledge of reptiles, focusing on blue tongue lizards. He researched their biology and habitat and applied his learning by measuring and weighing his own lizard. Finn’s curiosity and hands-on approach demonstrate his dedication and critical thinking skills. Congratulations Finn, your passion for learning is truly inspiring.

Equal differences in 1S

In 1S with Mrs McSweeny, students have been exploring pairs of numbers that are the same distance apart such as 7 and 4 or 8 and 5 through fun addition and subtraction activities. Van and Jesse have stood out for their impressive mathematical thinking, clearly explaining their problem-solving strategies to the class. The creativity and effort shown by all students in maths is fantastic. Well done 1S for celebrating your success together.

Stage 3 Writing – Arya’s imaginative story

During Term 1, Stage 3 students explored imaginative writing using creative prompts. Arya from 5/6F stood out with an engaging story inspired by Greek mythology. His writing impressed through thoughtful language that captured readers’ attention, memorable characters like Achilles with unique traits, vivid settings created with descriptive details, and varied sentence structures that enhanced the flow of his narrative. Arya’s progress and creativity in imaginative writing are commendable. Well done Arya.

Marlee – 2N mathematics

In 2N, students have been exploring tally marks and data interpretation, and Marlee has shown outstanding initiative. On a trip to swimming with her nan, Marlee practiced her skills by recording the colours of 54 cars they passed using tally marks. She concluded that white was the most popular car colour, demonstrating keen observation and data analysis. Marlee’s enthusiasm for applying classroom learning to real-life situations highlights the value of explicit teaching and critical thinking. Well done Marlee.

Jaxon – 4/5D

We are excited to celebrate Jaxon from 4/5D for his dedication to his recent research project on planets. Jaxon’s enthusiasm shines through his in-depth study of Uranus, where he discovered many fascinating facts and expanded his understanding of our solar system. His commitment and curiosity reflect the values of our school community. Congratulations Jaxon.

Reggie – 1H

We are proud to share a heartwarming story from Year 1 student Reggie who showed remarkable kindness and empathy. On Monday morning, Reggie noticed a classmate who seemed upset and took the initiative to check in and offer support by walking together. His thoughtful actions demonstrated great emotional awareness and maturity for his age. Thank you Reggie for spreading kindness and making a positive difference at Floraville PS.

Harry from 3A shines with informative texts

We are thrilled to celebrate the outstanding achievement of Harry from Class 3A! Recently, the students in 3A embarked on an exciting reading journey with the book Wandi, a story that has inspired them to explore the natural world and its inhabitants through their own writing.
Harry used this to then write on the topic of dingoes, crafting an excellent informative. His use of effective descriptive language not only brings the subject to life but also engages the reader, making the information accessible and enjoyable.
Harry's work not only reflects his understanding of the content but his persistence and strive towards quality.
Congratulations Harry, keep up the fantastic work.

Indi’s impressive diary entry

Indi from 6C has excelled in their recent task based on the powerful text Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief. Writing a first-person diary entry from Sasha’s perspective, Indi captured the character’s thoughts and emotions with deep understanding and attention to detail. The authentic presentation, including aged paper with stains and tears, adds a realistic touch that enhances the story. Congratulations Indi.

Koa – 2/3K

We are excited to celebrate Koa from 2/3K for demonstrating persistence in her mathematics lessons, especially in understanding and applying inverse operations like addition and subtraction. Her dedication to mastering these concepts sets a great example for her peers and supports her academic growth. Congratulations Koa on your hard work and persistence.

Kingston and Nina – 4L

We are proud to recognise Nina and Kingston from 4L for their outstanding social-emotional awareness. Nina showed empathy by comforting a classmate who was upset, demonstrating kindness and friendship. Kingston displayed maturity by helping to calm a tense situation among peers, encouraging positive expression of emotions. Both students embody the values of Floraville PS and remind us all of the importance of supporting one another.

Year 5 students make a difference!

We are proud to celebrate Sofia, Rose, and Myla from Year 5 for their inspiring initiative over the holidays. These students organised a bake sale in their neighbourhood to support the Mark Hughes Foundation, raising an impressive $126 for cancer research and support. Their hard work, creativity, and commitment exemplify the strong community spirit we value at our school. Well done Sofia, Rose, and Myla.

Oscar’s creative achievement

We are excited to celebrate Oscar’s impressive project inspired by our recent studies on natural disasters. Oscar created his own newspaper featuring an article on Cyclone Tracy, showcasing his understanding of the event’s history, community impact, and lessons learned. His work demonstrates creativity, critical thinking, and strong communication skills, highlighting his potential in journalism. Well done Oscar.

Spotlight on Flynn from 6C

At Floraville Public School, we celebrate students who embody our values of Quality and Organisation. This week, we highlight Flynn from Stage 3 for his exceptional organisational skills and helpfulness. Flynn creates the daily ‘What’s On’ display, keeping classmates informed and promoting teamwork. He also manages the morning check-in iPad, ensuring a smooth start to the day. Flynn’s dedication and proactive attitude make a positive difference in our school community. Well done Flynn.

Mason from 2M

We celebrate Mason from 2M for his persistence and determination in mathematics. Mason enjoys tackling challenging problems, recently solving one that involved calculating the total number of legs in a restaurant by considering tables, chairs and people. He uses advanced strategies and actively seeks feedback to improve his understanding. Mason’s dedication and growth inspire us all. Well done Mason.

Isaac from 6N

We are thrilled to celebrate the achievements of Isaac from class 6N, a proud Aboriginal student who recently made a remarkable contribution to our community of schools. Isaac had the honour of presenting an Acknowledgement of Country to a gathering of teachers participating in professional learning, Connecting to Country.

Isaac’s thoughtful and respectful acknowledgement highlighted the importance of recognising and respecting the traditional custodians of the land on which we learn and grow. He also played the role of Wakul Karabung in our school’s recent NAIDOC Assembly.

We are proud of Isaac’s leadership and the positive example he sets for his peers.