Arndell Advocate – Term 2 Week 6

We are delighted to share the fantastic learning experiences our students have enjoyed this Term at Arndell.

Our Junior School students have been particularly enthusiastic about several activities. Highlights include the Year 1 and Year 2 excursion to Brewongle Environmental Education Centre, and the Life Education Program where all Kindergarten to Year 6 students had a chance to visit the van during their PDHPE lessons and meet Healthy Harold. Additionally, our Prep Gardening Day was a great success, with students thoroughly enjoying their time with their parents, grandparents and we even had great grandparents join us for an afternoon of gardening fun.

A heartfelt thank you to all our families for their continued support, especially during events like the Prep Gardening Day. Your involvement makes these experiences memorable for our students.

We are pleased to continue our Enrolment Tours, offering a glimpse into the vibrant learning environment at the College. Visitors are always warmly welcomed by our students and teachers, showcasing our commitment to community and respect at Arndell.

If you or someone you know is interested in joining the Arndell community, we currently have vacancies in all cohorts from Kindergarten to Year 12 for this year, unfortunately our Pre-Kindergarten is full but we are taking applications for 2025. We encourage you to submit your Enrolment Application online by clicking here or speak to our Enrolments Manager by phoning 4572 3633 or emailing enquiries@arndell.nsw.edu.au .

Please note that Year 7 for 2025 is now fully enrolled. While we are still accepting applications, these will be placed on a wait list, and interviews will only be offered if a position becomes available. There are vacancies in all other cohorts for 2025.

A heartfelt thank you to Mrs Sarah Robinson, Head of English, and the P-12 Literacy Team for developing our comprehensive Literacy Strategic Plan last year. As part of this initiative, our Junior School students recently participated in a Reading Engagement Survey, created by Miss Kristy Horton and the Reading Engagement Growth Group. This survey aims to provide valuable insights into the reading culture here at Arndell.

We were also privileged to have Dr Lorraine Hammond as our keynote speaker earlier this Term. Dr Hammond is a specialist in teacher-led instruction, including Explicit and Direct Instruction and has skills in the prevention of early literacy development, literacy-based learning difficulties and classroom coaching.

Coupling the findings from the Reading Engagement surveys and our learnings from Dr Hammond, we are excited to be implementing the College’s Literacy Strategic Plan over the coming three years.

We are currently preparing the Junior School Semester 1 reports, which will be available to families on the last day of Term 2. This period offers a valuable opportunity to reflect on the individual needs of each student. We look forward to continuing our conversations with you about your child's progress.

I extend my sincere thanks to our staff, parents, and students for their positive contributions this semester. It has been a fantastic start to the year, especially in the Junior School, where students have settled in and are thriving in their learning.

Tickets for the College musical, "Back to the 80’s," are now selling. Tickets are limited and can be secured online by clicking here. Performances are scheduled for three nights only: Thursday, 20 June, Friday, 21 June, and Saturday, 22 June.

Mrs Tamasin Lowe
Head of Junior School