As the days grow shorter and the crisp air settles in, we find ourselves at the doorstep of Winter—a season often associated with stillness and rest. While nature slows down, it also quietly prepares for new beginnings. At our school, we see Winter not just as the ‘wet lunch season’, but as a reminder of the deep, quiet growth—especially the kind that happens beneath the surface.

Just as trees conserve their energy and roots reach deeper into the earth during these colder months, our students, staff, and families have been quietly laying the groundwork for meaningful development. Whether it’s mastering a new skill during UFLI in Prep, working through a challenging Word Origins lesson in Year 5, or simply becoming more confident in their subjects in Year 10. Growth continues—sometimes unseen, but always important.

In the classroom, we’ve watched students dig into projects with curiosity, support one another with kindness, and show resilience through changing routines. These are powerful signs of learning that go beyond academic scores. They reflect personal growth—each child becoming more prepared, more self-aware, and more connected to their classmates and learning.

Today, teaching staff participated in their yearly Moderation Day. While students enjoyed a well-earned rest, teachers were grouped with like grade teachers from our cluster, to discuss learning and create collaborative assessment judgements. Teaching moderation days aren’t just administrative; they’re critical moments for quality assurance, teacher growth, and student fairness. They help maintain the integrity of the educational process and support a culture of reflective, collaborative practice. We’ll all have earned a rest for the Public Holiday Monday 9 June.

Next week our Communicating Learning with Families meetings will take place and we’ll begin to discuss individual learning. Please take time to share and reflect on not only the big growth in terms of achievement, but also the growth that’s under the surface; What have we accomplished so far this year? What are we proud of? And what do we want to nurture in ourselves as we head into the second half of this year?

As a school, we are grateful for the partnerships we have with families and the broader community. Your support and encouragement help create a warm, nurturing environment where students can thrive—even in the chilliest of seasons.

If you have not booked an appointment to discuss learning with your child’s teacher, please do so by following the link below.

https://penguinds.schoolzineplus.com/view-session/62

Parent_Booking_Guide.pdf

Shout Outs:

• To our Education Facility Attendants (EFAs) who work so hard to keep our school sparkling. The Winter months can be tough for them too, please remember to remove your shoes when coming inside so they don’t have to spend extra time cleaning the carpets.
• To the Breakfast Club crew. There are so many students who look forward to this every week and we know how important it is to have a full belly when learning. This is a volunteer role and we are so grateful
• To the Teachers! Creating, delivering, assessing and packing Evidence of Learning is no small feat and they’ve been passionately working away to make sure that families get a quality snapshot of learning before the Communicating Learning with Families meetings next week.
• To the ‘Unreal 13yo’ who inspired unlikely triumph. Tyrese has returned to Penguin as National Touch Football Champion with the Tassie Thunder; the first ever all abilities team.
  
  

So, as we embrace the Winter months ahead, let’s remember that growth doesn’t always look like certificates, accolades, movement or speed. Sometimes it’s quiet, internal, and slow. And sometimes, that’s when the most meaningful development takes place.

Yours in Partnership, Jessie Eberhardt AST and Assistant Principal