Preshil Weekly – Term 4 Week 3

Ozharvest Fundraiser
Year 11 students, Brooke and Charlotte, are leading a fantastic initiative to clean up the school and raise funds for OzHarvest, a charity dedicated to helping vulnerable people by delivering nutritious food to those in need across Australia. They are asking all students to collect empty cans (preferably uncrushed) and place them in the designated “CAN BIN” located in the Preshil car park each morning. Brooke and Charlotte will then take these cans to local recycling points and donate all proceeds to OzHarvest. The collection will run for three weeks, starting Monday, 28th October, and finishing on Friday, 15th November. No can donation is too small—every contribution adds up! The collection bin will be clearly signed and located near the Blackhall campus reception. Brooke and Charlotte are also working with Amanda and the Café to boost this effort. They’re calling on all of us to support them by dropping off cans and helping make a positive impact. Thank you for your support in helping to reduce waste and assist those in need.

National Shared Reading Week
At Preshil, we have a proud tradition of immersing students in great literature through shared reading experiences. As part of this year’s National Shared Reading Week, the entire Primary School will gather in the front garden at 2:30pm for a special reading event. Students can participate in a variety of ways—reading quietly on their own, sharing a book with a friend, or joining a group to listen as others read aloud. Teachers will be stationed around the garden, reading books to small groups, and we warmly invite parents and guardians to arrive early for pickup and join in—either by reading with the children or simply enjoying the stories being shared. One featured book we’re especially excited about is The Little Street Library, written by Preshil parent and National Shared Reading Week Ambassador, Amy Adeney. We are thrilled to showcase her wonderful contribution to children’s literature during this event.

Year 8 Reach Foundation Workshop
This week, we were pleased to welcome back The Reach Foundation as they facilitated the final workshop in their four-part series with the Year 8 cohort. These workshops have been designed to nurture kindness, empathy, and connection within the year level. Through team-based games and circle discussions, facilitators Katie, Liz, and Cam encouraged students to ask thoughtful questions of each other, fostering deeper understanding and connection. The session also allowed students to reflect on the academic year, celebrating personal achievements and considering their goals as they prepare to enter Year 9. Many students connected over shared reflections, such as “I sometimes use humour to cover up uncomfortable feelings” or “sometimes I feel misunderstood.” Many also found comfort in the growth they’ve experienced this year, including new connections and increased self-confidence. The workshop created a space that was both joyful and meaningful, giving students the opportunity to reflect on their journey so far and to envision where they hope to go next.

Sushi Wednesdays at Arlington
This term, the Year 8 Changemaker Team has launched “Sushi Wednesdays” at Arlington, providing a fresh and fun lunch option for our primary students. Arlington students can pre-order sushi from a variety of flavours, with options to add a combo including apple juice, muesli bars, or muffins. Every Wednesday, two of our Year 8 Changemakers deliver the orders to eager Arlington students, adding a special treat to their week. Arlington families, keep an eye out for the pre-order email each Monday and follow the link to secure your sushi or sushi combo for Wednesday delivery.

Kindergarten: Light and Shadow
This week, we were lucky to have Kirsty Liljegren lead an engaging and inspiring session with the Kinder team (Libby, Anson, Karri, Chelsea, and Heesun) that explored the concepts of thinking and playing with light and shadow, including a deeper dive into the importance of curiosity, co-construction, and playful learning—much like the approaches we encourage in our children. Some key takeaways from the session included: Seeing beyond the surface for deeper learning and thinking, the significance of beautiful, intentional setups that invite exploration, exploring different ways to engage with light and shadow, embracing slow pedagogy and creating environments that foster relationships as well as recognising that creativity is different from being purely artistic. A heartfelt thank you to Kirsty Liljegren for leading such a thought-provoking session, and to my incredible colleagues for their collaboration and insights. This experience has sparked many exciting new ideas for our team moving forward.

Preshil Careers Hub
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