The campus is buzzing today as the students and staff work on the assignment: Mission Nutrition! We started the day with high energy, and no doubt it will end that way. I encourage all parents to talk to their child/ren about what they have learned today about healthy lifestyles. I also challenge parents to include their child/ren in meal planning and grocery shopping to ensure the day makes a long-term positive impact.

Over the past fortnight, I have completed both informal and formal observations of our Primary teachers. It has been wonderful to see the amazing work our educators do each day. I have also enjoyed seeing the progress each of our students has made in Maths and English. Year 5/6 impressed me with their knowledge of how meaning is created in texts, Year 3/4 Teal impressed me with their understanding various ways to solve mathematic problems, and Year 3/4 Gold impressed me with their progression of their narratives.

In the coming fortnight, our 7-11 students will be preparing for their semester examinations. Parents can support their child/ren at home by:

🌟 Ensuring you are aware of the examination timetable – Years 7-10 has been emailed, Year 11 will be available in the coming week.

🌟Ensuring your child/ren come to school each week with detailed study plans.

🌟 Being available for study support, such as quizzing and helping with flashcards.

🌟Checking Canvas for feedback and marks to be knowledgeable about your child/ren’s progress.

Our Year 12 students have commenced their HSC courses. It is critical our students do not lose momentum in their final stretch towards graduation and HSC external exams. Maintaining strong attendance, sticking to deadlines, managing their time, and avoiding distractions are all transferable workplace skills. I ask that parents avoid unnecessary travel in the coming months to support your child in their final schooling.

Finally, I would like to thank our bus drivers for being so adaptable to our changes to morning drop off and afternoon pick up. As mentioned in our parent information session, these were necessary to improve WHS for our students and the school. Hopefully the “Precious Cargo” video assists with understanding. There will be a one-pager emailed next week with clear expectations on the process. We have also appreciated the feedback, which has been incorporated as appropriate.

🌟Congratulations to Kylie Nason on achieving Silver level 🌟

🌟Congratulations to the following students on acheiving Bronze level ~ Emily Nason, Ottilie Butcher, Eva Reddel, Alex Gaal, Violet Clark, Preston Dent, Cearna Nason, Stirling McKay, Ambrose Dent, Boston Stewart & Romano Stewart🌟

Congratulations to the Sports Awards winners ~ Giselle Dent and Mackenzie Stewart ⚽

Fernando McKay

Preston Dent

Vera Pridham

* I can read and understand the 'Learning Intentions' and 'Success Criteria.'

* I can choose where I sit in the Learning Centre based on my task.

* I can use my 'Backpack', find appropriate resources and organise my materials.

* I can set goals and develop a plan or schedule.

* I can prioritise my time and allow myself breaks.

* I can use a template to plan for and complete a process and where appropriate, I can create my own format for a plan.

* I can recognise when my plan needs to change.

* I can plan for when I will teach myself a new skill and when I will need to learn from others.

* I can add time to my plan to decide how long a task will take.

Hugo Stead

Ottilie Butcher

Cooper Nason

* I can work as part of a group to reach a solution or outcome.

* I can organise myself to work within a group setting so responsibilities are shared.

* When in a group, I can respond appropriately and share ideas, even if I don't agree with the ideas of another student.

* I can take on the ideas of other students and use these to shape my own opinions.

Year 3/4 Teal have been exploring the Big Question in Science, “What’s the Matter?”—investigating why some materials stay solid, some flow, and some spread through the air, and how this knowledge is used in everyday life. Students have engaged in a variety of hands-on experiments, making informed predictions, recording their results using diagrams, and reflecting on their findings while developing their scientific language.

In Technology, students have been working with Mr Jackson and Mr Culliton to code LEGO robots. These engaging sessions have fostered creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork, with students eagerly participating and building their skills each week.

3/4 Gold continue to work so hard. Their eager attitude shows in every activity and was showcased with the amazing efforts put into the Mini Museums - well done! We are in the final stages of narrative writing and students have been keen writers! Look out in the next newsletter for their published work. In Maths, we have been learning strategies for adding numbers and in Cross-Curricular we have enjoyed conducting experiments to explore properties of the different states of matter.

Students in Years 5 and 6 have commenced the term with a renewed commitment for the Learning Centre space. They are working on being more organised after break times and using problem-solving skills and their backpack of resources to be ready to learn more efficiently.

It has been pleasing to have the majority of students borrow more regularly, read nightly and use their student planners effectively. There is still room for improvement as some need ongoing support, routines and structure from both school and home.

An area that both year groups will be working on with more determination and consideration is that of care, compassion and respect for each other. Strong friendships are important and form naturally. Children learn, follow and are guided by the important adults in their life. Let's help one another by guiding our young ones to respect that we are all different and each of us have something important to bring to our lives. Our recent Health assignment worked through our feelings, body signs and ways to react. Most importantly we must be considerate that at times we have underlying factors that effect how we react to situations.

We had an amazing day at the Bathurst Gold Fields learning about our local area and the important role it played in building the central west. We didn't successfully find any gold to make our fortunes and call out 'EUREKA', but found how fortunate we are living the life we have today.

Students created amazing mini-museums going above and beyond to present artifacts in a visually appealing presentation. We admired each other's ideas, and construction techniques as we learned about history from each other. CONGRATULATIONS to Stage 3- we won the Day 1 History Quiz!

Making the Damper was fun, although I didn’t really like the golden syrup in it. In the 1800 to 1900’s people would make damper so they wouldn’t starve. Making Mud bricks was very fun and we got our hands very dirty, but we all enjoyed it. People would get mud and hay to make bricks for houses. The last thing was the blacksmith it was so fun because we had lots of fun Liberty, Henrik, Lyla and Me Had to pull a long thing called a bellow and we made poles. Ambrose

In the olden days, a Blacksmith was very important in the gold rush for making pickaxes and other types of things. There are more types of Blacksmiths, e.g. goldsmiths, coppersmiths, ironsmiths and many more. The reason it is called a Blacksmith is because it was made from black materials. The old crushers were used to crush and destroy big rocks to see if there where gold in the rocks so they would be rich. Preston

Dear Diary,

Today all of primary went to the Bathurst Goldfields and we did lots of activities like gold panning, making damper and making mud bricks.

We went into a room that was like a mine shift, and it showed us how dark it was in the mines but luckily, they had little candles hanging on their pockets and there were bigger ones stuck in the walls. We also saw a whim, which is a machine run by horses they used to bring up stuff up and down by buckets. The Miners also used a thing called a cradle, which they would put dirt in the cradle but then they would shake it around and all the gold would go to the bottom because it was heavy, then they would pick through to get to the gold. Jamilla Simpson

Damper- We cooked them on a small but hot fire and then after 5 minutes it would turn golden brown. We put golden syrup in it and it was SO GOOD. The biggest gold nugget! The Holterman gold nugget weighed 290kg with 93kg of it the gold. It was found it Victoria Australia in 1872. The mud brick is nearly as strong as the normal brick, but it is not nearly as solid as the normal brick. Alex

Ringer Washing Machine: The person using the washer would use a stick to press and rotate the clothes along the sides of the basin or container, making the clothes to remove dirt and mud. It dated back to about 1920s. Biggest gold nugget: The biggest gold nugget was found by Samual Napier it weighed 290kg found in Australia 1872 after a couple days they crushed it. Candlestick light: Miners used candlestick lights for mining and sometimes put nails in a certain spot and so when it melted down to it, it would hit the ground like an alarm clock. Millicent

Gold panning: was fun because l found lots of gold. Everybody had a chance to do it and some people had nothing. Damper: was delicious and we had Golden Syrup. It was like bread in its looks but like honey in a bread roll. Some people hate it and never want it again. Mud bricks were gross, l will never do it again because you had to pick it up and it smelled weird. Someone stepped on it and made a mess. Blacksmith: looked hot and hard work, steam was coming from the top of the thing. Some people liked and did it and l like it too because it looks better. House: was old and it had a bed and a kitchen inside of it. Liliana

We went gold panning and found little specks of gold. We ate damper with golden syrup inside and it was so sticky. They told us a story about a poor family that had 11 kids. They had a puppet of a possum with them. Ottilie

We made a tent and the wind was very strong, and the tent flew out of the pegs. Josiah

Firstly I enjoyed making damper over a fire with golden syrup in the middle, and gold panning for real gold. Lastly the mud bricks and the horse shoe on the bar game were fun. Olaf

All the miners ate damper because it was easy to make and carry. Also it didn’t take up much storage. The Chinese had many different methods for finding gold. Convicts (miners) made houses out of mud bricks because they were cheap and easy to create. Emerald

Room 1- We went through a short tunnel and into a room with fake artifacts, but some were real like the candles. Room 2- We saw a cradle for digging out gold and a picture of the guy who found the biggest gold nugget in the world. Room 3- We saw lots of old artefacts, and we got to touch them. There was real gold leaf as well. Liberty

🌟STAGE 2 🌟

Winner : Mia Horsfall

Runner up: Florence Pridham & Madeline Gillies

🌟STAGE 3 🌟

Winner: Henley Simpson

Runner up: Liberty Clark & Ottliie Butcher

Homeroom: Year 7 and 8 are really enjoying their time working on IXL every Tuesday. A positive side effect is the weekly certificates they receive from IXL recognizing their conscientious approach to this course. Well done Clancy who was rewarded for completing 2000 IXL questions!

Homeroom Team Building fun 😀🎉

The wellbeing focus for homeroom this term is Kindness. Last week students were tasked with writing an uplifting message to a fellow student which I then hand delivered. In the coming weeks, students will be taking part in random acts of kindness for the purpose of lifting our school culture to the next level whilst strengthening relationships with their peers. Thanks to our homeroom representatives Adelaide and Preston who have created an assessment schedule to display in HR. This visual reminder is a valuable tool for students as they approach their mid term assessments and prepare for exams. 9/10 students are encouraged to book a peer coaching session this term, it is an expectation that each student books at least one session a term. It’s been very pleasing to see 9/10 leading the way!

The following assessment tasks are due in the next week:

Friday 22nd May – Timber

Thursday 28th May – Modern History

Monday 1st June – English

Next Friday is the Athletics Carnival, Primary students will be at Cowra and Secondary students at Bathurst. Fingers crossed for good weather!

Mrs Polster 😊

Our Year 11 students have recently completed The 7 Habits Accelerate module as part of the OneSchool Global Accelerate course. Through a combination of structured learning, collaborative activities, and personal reflection, students developed a practical understanding of the 7 Habits and their importance in building effective, self-directed learners.

Throughout the module, students explored key concepts such as being proactive, beginning with the end in mind, and prioritising what matters most. They examined how these habits support goal setting, organisation, and personal responsibility, while also strengthening communication, teamwork, and leadership skills. Students were encouraged to apply these habits in real-life contexts, helping them recognise how small, consistent actions contribute to long-term success.

A strong focus was placed on self-awareness and personal growth, with students reflecting on how the habits align with the OneSchool Global learner attributes, particularly in demonstrating responsibility, resilience, respect, and a commitment to continuous improvement. By engaging with these principles, our Year 11 cohort is developing the mindset and strategies needed to navigate the increasing demands of their senior studies and beyond.

Our Year 12 students have recently engaged in a meaningful unit on humility as part of the OneSchool Global Accelerate course. Through guided discussions, reflective activities, and real-world applications, students developed a deeper understanding of humility as a key leadership quality and an essential learner attribute.

Throughout the unit, students examined what it means to recognise their strengths while remaining open to feedback, valuing the contributions of others, and demonstrating respect in all interactions. They explored how humility supports personal growth, strengthens relationships, and fosters a positive and collaborative learning environment.

Students also reflected on how humility aligns with the OneSchool Global learner attributes, particularly in demonstrating integrity, respect, and a commitment to continuous improvement. By applying these principles to their academic and personal lives, our Year 12 cohort is building the character and self-awareness needed to succeed beyond the classroom.

Currently, the students are completing a unit on Leadership, another valuable skill.

Upcoming Assessment dates:

Year 12

Business Studies: Due – Friday 29th May

Legal Studies: Tuesday 2nd June

Financial Services: Due – Friday 5th June

Advanced English: Friday 12th June

OSG Accelerate: How to Build a Plan and Execute Due: Friday June 19th

Mathematics: Due – Monday 26th June

Year 11

Food Technology: Due - Friday 29th May

OSG Accelerate: Inspire Others Due - Friday 5th June

English Standard: Due – Monday 15th June

Mathematics: Due – Monday 15th June

Modern History: Due - Wednesday 17th June

Business Services: Due - Thursday 2nd July

⚡Today the students and staff took part in MISSION NUTRITION ⚡

Built around an immersive mission theme created specifically for OSG students by nutrition specialist Caitlin Edmonds, the day replaced traditional lessons with practical, high‑impact learning focused on nutrition, wellbeing, and performance.

Learning was brought to life through compelling mission videos from Caitlin and Mark Wales (SAS veteran), driving urgency, focus, and real‑world application. The following topics were covered:

* Foundations of Nutrition: Macronutrients, micronutrients, hydration, energy, and brain function

* Food in the Modern World: Ultra-processed foods, sugar, additives, labelling, and food marketing

* Healthy Habits for Life: Balanced eating, sleep, physical activity, and (senior years) alcohol awareness

A big thankyou to Lindy and her team of canteen volunteers for providing a delicious and nutritious Mexican lunch for our students and staff 🌮

Thank you so much to all of our volunteers who drive our school vans each day. A special shout out to those driving Lithgow vans during the closure of the Mt. Victoria Pass. The additional 25 minutes – 1 hour and 20 minutes it is taking to get to and from school does not go unnoticed or unappreciated.

Below is a reminder of the updated procedure for morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up. Please reach out if you have questions or would like to give feedback.

Last Thursday we said thank you and farewell to Mrs Kasey Thompson as she enters retirement. Kasey has been a valued member our team since 2012 as our front-of-house and glue behind-the-scenes. While we will miss her friendly smile and sense of humour each day, we are happy for Kasey as she embarks on her next journey.

Address : 84 Great Western Highway, Mount Victoria, 2786

Ph : 0247 094 003