PRESHIL WEEKLY
Welcome to the Preshil Weekly!
Anthology, Book Week & Magicians
What a full and vibrant week it has been at Preshil! From Anthology Week at the Arlington campus to Book Week celebrations across the school, and the delight of seeing past alum and magician Duck Cameron perform for our high school students today—it’s been a week brimming with excitement and creativity!
Educational Program
Our community forums continued this week, providing an opportunity to engage with our Year Y cohort and their families as we navigated the recommendations of the Educational Review, particularly regarding our re-emphasised Middle School program.
The Middle School at Preshil will serve as a key developmental and transitional phase for our students, supporting their move from Arlington (and beyond) into the broader Blackhall context within a nurturing and developmentally aligned learning environment. The new senior school pathways and open learning approach, which Preshil will implement from Years 9 to 12, will build directly on the foundation established within our Middle School program. This program is designed to foster a strong sense of identity and connection to the world around them.
The Middle School approach emphasises students’ responsibilities to themselves, each other, and the broader world, instilling a strong sense of purpose and increasing autonomy. As students transition from Middle to Senior School, they will carry forward a tailored five-year plan that guides their educational journey through a personalised model. This model celebrates their individuality while maintaining the core principles of the Preshil experience. This holistic approach ensures our students are well-prepared to thrive academically and personally in their senior years and beyond.
Warm regards,
Aaron Mackinnon
Principal
THE WEEK IN REVIEW
A Day of Music and Collaboration at Preshil
This Thursday, nine students from Alice Miller School joined Preshil for a dynamic day of music-making with our talented young musicians, primarily from Years 7 and 8. In just two hours, these dedicated students demonstrated remarkable persistence, focus, and determination by mastering three challenging pieces—an impressive feat given the extensive practice usually required for just one song. Their commitment and collaborative spirit were evident as they engaged deeply with each task, showing empathy and openness to others’ ideas. We extend our gratitude to Taran Carter for his invaluable contribution, from preparing charts to driving from Macedon, and to the Peppercorns from Arlington who joined us for the final concert, alongside supportive teachers and senior students. The concert showcased superb performances and was well-received, affirming the value of such collaborative efforts. Congratulations to all involved for their dedication to both mastering their instruments and enriching our community.
Anthology at Arlington
Arlington has been abuzz with writing and creativity during our annual Anthology Week. The Book Week theme, Reading is Magic, truly inspired us all, leading to some wonderful creations from the children. Highlights from the week included the Tattoo Stall, which raised funds for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, and our parade of Book Week costumes, where Wally costumes were particularly popular. The most special aspect of Anthology Week is always the children’s creativity and the opportunity to collaborate with peers of all ages. It is a tradition that the children reinvent and make their own each year, and staff reflections suggest that this was our most collaborative and creative Anthology Week in recent years.
Kinder Update
This week, the “Biggies and Buddies” program launched for the year. Erin from the Peppercorns has been working hard behind the scenes to coordinate this program with the kinders, 5s, and Peppercorns. This week, the Peppercorns were tasked with learning about the interests of their new younger buddies. It was wonderful to see many new relationships bloom throughout the afternoon.
Blackhall Magic
Magician and Preshil alum, Duck Cameron, dazzled our secondary students with his magic and sleight of hand during a performance in the Library, celebrating the 2024 Book Week theme, Reading is Magic.
Tournament of Minds
On Sunday, children from the Sunroom and Peppercorns competed in the Tournament of Minds. They entered the STEAM competition and wrote and performed a well-researched play exploring the issue of plastics in our marine environment. As required, the children wrote and performed the play, including a song, and created costumes as well as an invention for removing plastics from the ocean. They also designed blueprints and produced stop-motion animations to explain the issues they explored. After their performance, the judges spoke with the team, asking about the process of creating their play and inventions, and congratulated them on all their hard work.
Book Week 2024
We all had a wonderful time attending Alice’s writing workshop in the Library on Tuesday. There was a great turnout for dress-up day, with students and staff donning some zany costumes and characters.
Year 11 & 12 Theatre Excursion
Last Saturday, Preshil’s Year 11 and 12 Theatre students attended the Melbourne Theatre Company’s production of “A Streetcar Named Desire” with Laurie and Amanda. The performance was outstanding, featuring realistic acting, meticulous attention to detail, and immersive lighting and set design.
Preshil Careers Hub
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THE WEEK AHEAD
Monday 26 August
- No special events
- 9:00am-3:30pm: Arlington – Climate Change Excursion (Melbourne Museum) – As part of National Science Week, the Peppercorns will be attending Climate Change and Victoria’s Future Learning Lab Workshop at Melbourne Museum.
- 3:20pm-4:20pm: Blackhall – Homework Club – Gallery Classroom (upstairs in Kalimna)
- 3:20pm-4:20pm: Blackhall – Homework Club – Gallery Classroom (upstairs in Kalimna)
- 3:30pm-4:30pm: Whole School – After School Sport (Years 5 & 12) – The Cage at BK
- 2:00pm-8:00pm: Blackhall – 3-Way Conferences
- 3:30pm-4:30pm: Whole School – Years 1-12 Chess Coaching (Arlington Sitting Room)
- Wear it Purple Day – Annual LGBTIQA+ awareness day especially for young people. Students & staff are encouraged to wear purple to celebrate diversity and young people from the LGBTIQA+ community.
