We’re extremely proud of how proactive our students are in supporting causes they feel passionate about. Nowadays young people are very aware of the world they live in and the effect and environmental impact that humans are having through the choices that they make.  Young people are informed and well versed and it is important to encourage them to speak up and have a voice.

At The Hills Montessori School we encourage students to speak up, ask questions and be actively involved in their learning from a young age. We provide opportunities for them to follow their passions, use their influence in a positive way and voice their opinion both within their class, school and as they get older, amongst the wider community. 

In educational terms we talk about 'student agency'.   Student agency refers to learning through activities that are meaningful and relevant to learners, driven by their interests, and often self-initiated with appropriate guidance from staff.  Student agency gives students voice and often, choice, in how they learn.

Young people with high levels of agency do not respond passively to their circumstances; they tend to seek meaning and act with purpose to achieve the conditions they desire in their own and others' lives.

Student agency builds critical thinking and problem solving skills and is important because students who are engaged actively in their education build deeper understanding of content. 

The recent engagement from many students across the school in the Replace the Waste art exhibition is a good example of student agency and  provided an opportunity for students to voice their concerns, opinions and act with purpose for positive change.

Cathy France

Principal

The Games Day was a great success with students from Cycles 2, 3 and 4 joining together to make up eight different groups. This year we had colours and animals to make up the groups. It was an opportunity to meet students from other cycles as well as working with a mix of ages and abilities. The groups were faced with eight different challenges that required students to work together, build trust, communicate, persevere and have fun.  

It was lovely to see how each group embraced the spirit of the day as they tackled the challenges with positivity and enthusiasm. Each challenge required a different set of skills, which saw students building trust as they led each other around blindfolded, or problem solved the fastest way to untangle the human knot. Other stations required students to encourage each other in the three-legged or egg and spoon race.

At the end of the Games Day groups came together for the famous tug of war which was lots of fun. Thanks to all the teachers who ran the various stations. Thanks to the students for arriving in colour and adding to the spirit of the day – it was a wonderful day. 

We have been exploring the colour blue over the past couple of weeks and one of the activities on offer for the children in the Infant Program is 'blue snow'. Eloise and Zephyr are sharing the sensory activity and experiencing feeling the cold 'snow'.

This term the Cycle 1 primary children have been exploring the properties of water. In this photo the children are experiencing the three 'states of matter'. The children were asked to predict and observe what they thought might happen as blocks of ice were placed in a tub, in the shade and then placed in the sun on our back verandah. Much excitement and amazed expressions ensued as they observed the ice melt into water and then evaporate into the air. We talked about liquids, solids and gas. This led to discussion about where that gas goes and how it condenses in the atmosphere to make clouds and eventually falls again as rain.

Kai said, " It's a melting machine! Ice is frozen water".

Scarlett said, "It's very cold and it melts".

Cooper said, "It's in different shapes, it's very cold and it melts".

Soraya commented that, "It's very cold, it's frozen water".

During our wellbeing lessons this term, our class has dedicated time to have discussions about our feelings, our friendships, feeling safe and identifying warning signs our bodies give us when we are not feeling safe. 

This week, we created a kindness tree which will proudly display acts of kindness that we notice on its leaves. 

We all agreed that kindness is a very important thing to share with each other. 

‘Kind people make me happy'. Aurora

‘Olivia is really kind because she tries to help people’. Bella

‘When you’re kind to people first, the other person will be kind too’. Arthur

‘It’s really kind if someone asks you to play’. Olivia 

‘Kind people are never mean to you’. Hattie

‘I think Lisa is kind because when I’m not feeling good, she helps me’. Mae

‘Being kind means not being rude, not rolling your eyes and making friends’. Tabby

‘I try to be kind by listening to people’. Jasper 

‘My mum is kind because she helps me and hugs me’. Elizabeth

BTN Bucket List

This term Suzie checked something off her teaching ‘Bucket List’! Her and Sam's class starred in ABC's Student current affairs show; Behind the News (BTN). As part of the Cycle 3 excursion to ‘The Plastic Bag Store’ they were asked to be part of a segment focusing on the current ban of single use plastic straws and plastic cutlery.

You can watch the BTN segment featuring Cycle 3 here.

Visit to ‘The Plastic Bag Store’

“On Thursday 25/2/21 Cycle 3 Suzie and Sam’s class went to The Plastic Bag Store in Rundle Mall. The artist who had created it was Robin Frohardt from Brooklyn, New York city.” Mollie Green

"The Plastic Bag Store is an installation that is fully made of recycled plastic and is about the overuse of single-use plastic and the horrible things it does to our environment.”  Joash Ng

“The best part that I liked was the humour of the installation.” Lachlan Barnett

Bike Education

For the last few weeks Cycle 3 has been participating in Bike Education. We have been learning about bike maintenance and how to ride on the road safely. You may have seen us out and about in our high vis vests!

Clean Up Australia Day

On Friday 5th March all students in the school participated in Clean Up Australia Day. Cycle 3 headed off campus to Carripook Park to clean up our local reserve.

Cycle 4 students have been making the absolute most of our precious ability to get out and about and enjoy arts festival opportunities in Adelaide, even with masks in hand. Using public bus and tram, the odd bus hire and car ride, and plenty of leg work - we have also been roving the streets exploring markets, gardens, public spaces, memorials and street art.  The performances we have seen have covered some difficult topics, diverse perspectives and pressing environmental issues. They have also been brilliant examples of making theatre, and much discussion has been around how the various elements combine to bring the story and/or ideas to life. Food for thought for our cabaret term...

Festival highlights have been: Fangirls - Belvoir St. Theatre, The Pulse - Gravity and Other Myths, The Plastic Bag Store - installation and show, The Boy Who Talked To Dogs - STC and Slingsby Productions

For much of last year we had the front gate to the school open every morning to avoid lots of people having to touch it and we would then shut it at 9am. 

We would now like to revert to keeping the front gate shut at all times.  Please do not prop the gate open and if you come through the gate please ensure that it closes behind you.  This makes it safe for all students.

If you would like to learn more about the First Nation people of our local community you might be keen to head along to a walking tour in Hahndorf.  The tours are running this Saturday the 20th March and Saturday 29th of May.  They will be hosted by Peramangk and Kaurna elder, Uncle Ivan Copley, and owner of Hahndorf Walking Tours, Sharon Pippos. 

Information below from the Handorf Walking Tours website:

• Ivan and Sharon will take you on a journey on the property known as ‘The Cedars’, just outside the village of Hahndorf. We’ll explore its changing landscape and the changing usage of the land.
• Peramangk people nurtured this area of the Adelaide Hills for future generations. It’s fitting that Ivan will provide a Welcome to Country and a background history to the First Nations People. Together we’ll take a cultural walk to the Peramangk water holes: Hahndorf Creek, and Hahndorf (Bukartila) Women’s Swimming holes. An authentic glimpse of the relationship between the Peramangk and the gum trees, hunting, gathering and the laws of the Land.
• This will be followed by an overview of the relationship with the first settlers in Hahndorf – one of the few good new stories.
• Ahead of his time Hans Heysen purchased these 60 hectares to protect the magnificent gum trees on, and surrounding, this property.

There are trees over 600 years old here and Heysen was the first Australian painter to focus on eucalyptus trees in their true light and form. He usually painted trees on his own property. Heysen often expressed his love of light. We’ll be shedding light during the tour. Come join us.

• Tour duration approx. 90mins.
• Tour does not include access to Heysen house or studio.
• A tasting of Lemon Myrtle Tea will also be provided.

Click on this link for more information