Issue 4 - 2025

Our Year 9-12 Esports team also had great success at The FUSE Cup “Mario Kart” State Finals. All of our students advanced to the semi-finals, and in the Grand Final, four of the five competing students were from SVACS. Noah Brown, Alex Ford, Cuba Zillessen, and Hadriel Mistry battled it out alongside a single competitor from another school. In the end, Cuba secured second place, while Noah defended his title to win first place —earning another invitation to compete at Nationals on the Gold Coast. This is a wonderful achievement for our students, who are fast becoming the benchmark and the team to beat in The FUSE Cup!

It is also worth noting that in the Teachers’ match, Harry Symons (Secondary Media and IT Teacher) came first!

• Ultimate Frisbee saw outstanding efforts from all teams, but the standout performance of the season came from the Years 7-9 Ultimate Frisbee team. Competing in the Grand Final, it was a very tight contest with both teams drawn at full time. Our students played well under pressure in the overtime period and managed to win by one point.

Finley Hearn is studying as a vocalist in the Bachelor of Jazz at WAAPA. She’s busy playing tunes that range from ballads, to funk, to Portuguese Bossa Nova in ensembles. At SVACS, she was encouraged by Mr Local, Marc Earley, and Mrs Kingston to pursue her dreams and were also her biggest supporters, alongside her talented and encouraging best friends and band members. 

ALL-ROUNDER SCHOLARSHIPS

• Doug Swingler All-Rounder Scholarship (Years 7-12)
• Jaye Radisich Memorial All-Rounder Scholarship (Year 7-12)

ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIPS

• Dawn Lindsay Exceptional Ability (Academic) Scholarships (Years 5-12)
• SVACS Academic Scholarships (Year 7)
• SVACS Academic Scholarships (Year 11)

ADDITIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS

• Ian MacGregor Exceptional Ability (Co-curricular) Scholarships (Years 5-12)
• Endeavour Scholarships (Year 7)
• Endeavour Scholarships (Year 11)
• Diversity Scholarships (Years 7-12)

Categories include:

• Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander students
• Students from a refugee family
• Students from a non-English speaking background
• Students with a disability.

All scholarship applicants are required to sit a scholarship test.

For further details, please see our website: https://www.svacs.wa.edu.au/enrolments/scholarships/ or contact our Registrar, Mrs Merri Corr, on (08) 9297 9506 or email enrolments@svacs.wa.edu.au

Applications close on Wednesday 30 April 2025 at 4.00pm

Portia Ferguson (Year 6) recently won an Achievement Award for Tennis. She has been playing since 2019 (6 years old) and participating in pennants and different competitions. This year, Portia moved to a new club for better development, and she won the Achievement Award at the end of Term wrap up event. Congratulations, Portia!

Congratulations to Anastasia Humboldt (Year 2) who recently competed in the WA Karate State Championships for Kata in the U10 category and placed 2nd. This is a huge achievement as most of her competitors were aged 10 or 9, and Anastasia is only 6 years old. Well done!

Carpe diem! Seize the day!

Melissa Powell
Principal

Interviews for future applications generally occur in the year prior to entry (18 months prior for Year 7 enrolments). Some year groups are already full or very close to being full for 2026.

If you have not already done so, please visit the Enrolments page on our website to begin your online application. For further information or assistance, please phone 9297 9506 or email enrolments@svacs.wa.edu.au

A Prayer for Holy Week and Easter

Holy God, source of all love, 
on the night of his betrayal Jesus gave his disciples a new commandment, 
to love one another as he loved them: 
write this commandment in our hearts, 
and give us the will to serve others as he was the servant of all; 
who gave his life and died for us, 
then rose again, 
and lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, 
God, for ever and ever.
Amen

Pre-Kindergarten - In our Pre-Kindergarten classrooms, we have been embracing creativity and early pre-writing skills through free painting! Last week, the children had the exciting opportunity to explore colours, patterns, and movement as we poured paint onto a large sheet of paper. They used their hands to spread, swirl, and mix the paint, creating beautiful and unique designs.

This open-ended activity encouraged self-expression and fine motor development, both of which are important foundations for pre-writing skills. Through these playful experiences, children build the confidence and coordination needed for future writing and drawing, all while having fun with colour and creativity!

Kindergarten students started learning about the real meaning of Easter. We began by reading the Bible story ‘The True King’ and discussing Palm Sunday. We then discussed Easter, and we acted out the story.  We even learnt a new song, ‘Jesus is the King’. 

In the classrooms, the children have been exploring Easter through learning areas and activities.

Kindergarten has also been experimenting with different paints and craft materials, building shopping centres and cities with Lego, and exploring letters and numbers with sensory playdough, coloured pencils, and puzzles. We have even been becoming new characters and creating amazing stories and worlds with their imaginations!

Pre-Primary—The Pre-Primary students have been learning about the story of The Three Little Pigs. As part of our inquiry, all students were challenged to build a house using things in our classroom that the wolf could not blow down. When the wolf simulation system arrived (a hairdryer!), we were able to reflect on our designs and discuss what makes a building strong and what is needed to keep a pig inside safe.

Year 1 students have been learning all about measurement and problem-solving. During our MathsTrek lessons, we investigated making ramps and measuring how far we could make our cars go. We explored vocabulary such as steeper, heavier and further. We enjoyed changing conditions to try to make our cars go even further and discussing ways to use informal measuring units to find out how far the cars travelled.

Year 2 - In our Year 2 classrooms, we’ve been celebrating creativity, storytelling, and confidence-building through our exciting sock puppet project! Over the past few weeks, the children designed and created their own unique sock puppets inspired by classic nursery rhymes. To bring their creations to life, the Year 2 students visited the Kindergarten classes to share their puppets and perform short puppet shows based on the rhymes. It was a heartwarming experience as our older students confidently used expression, voice, and character to engage their younger peers. This activity not only fostered imagination and oral language skills but also nurtured a strong sense of community across year levels. We are so proud of the thoughtful and creative work our Year 2 students shared!

Year 3 - In Year 3, students have been exploring the differences between living and non-living things by identifying their observable features. We discovered that flowers can be grouped in many ways based on characteristics such as colour, size, and smell. By closely examining different flowers, students learned how to classify them using these features. This helped us understand how scientists organise living things in the natural world.

Year 4 students have completed an exciting biology unit investigating life cycles and food chains. They learned about the various stages of life in animals and plants, as well as how energy flows through ecosystems. Through hands-on activities, students created food chain diagrams and explored the vital roles organisms play in nature. Their creativity and enthusiasm have been impressive, and they should be proud of their growing understanding of the natural world and its interconnected systems.

Year 5—The Year 5 students recently embarked on an exciting journey into the world of light and shadows! Using creative shadow puppets, they conducted a fascinating experiment to explore how light interacts with different objects. The students were thrilled to see how the position and angle of light sources could change the size and shape of the shadows. 

Year 6—Bathed in glorious sunshine, the students in Year 6 had a blast at Year 6 Camp at Eaton on the banks of the Collie River. Students participated in various activities, including fishing, kayaking, raft building, and team-building challenges. The students developed their leadership skills and learned to work collaboratively to achieve success. 

Digital Technology (Year 1) – Using a mouse to navigate a computer is a crucial skill for young learners, enabling them to develop precision, coordination, and confidence in utilising digital technology. Being able to click, drag, and control the cursor allows students to interact with educational programs, create digital artwork, and complete basic computer tasks efficiently.

In our Digital Technologies lessons, Year 1 students have been practising their mouse control skills using This is Sand. This creative online game encourages players to make precise mouse movements to create colourful sand art. This activity helps them refine their fine motor skills while having fun, reinforcing the importance of accurate clicking and dragging. As they continue to develop these skills, they will be better equipped to use other digital tools for learning and creativity.

Music— Learning to play the djembe (African drum) has been an exciting and engaging activity for the Year 2 students this term. Learning technique through playing games is always fun, and the game “Rumble” has really captivated the students. The game requires them to pass the drum sound around the circle without allowing a break in the sound. Students must rely on their focus and concentration, in addition to their listening skills, knowing when to start playing and when to stop.

Visual Arts—The Year 1 students have been learning about the famous Spanish artist Joan Miro. They have been learning about lines, shapes, and colours. The students created their own Miro inspired paintings by playing a game of chance called Roll-a-Miro. The finished artworks look magnificent, well done!

Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday, and I look forward to welcoming students to Term 2 on Wednesday, 30 April.

Mrs Shirley Steel
Head of Primary School

New date for Year 10 Immunisations

The Department of Health is offering a free Meningococcal ACWY vaccine for all Year 10s on Thursday 14th August.

Please note this is a change from the previously advertised date.

Please note that students in Years 10 should wear PE uniform on the day of their immunisation

All students require parent/carer consent before they receive any vaccinations at school. 

Please find attached the link for students to register, preferred method.

Login - VaccinateWA (health.wa.gov.au)

For further information on the vaccines please visit the following website:

School-based immunisation program healthywa.wa.gov.au

Uniform in Terms 2 and 3

Students are no longer required to wear the Formal Winter Uniform in Terms 2 and 3.

There will be occasions when students will be required to wear Formal Uniform such as Special Assemblies and Photograph Days (including blazer).

The 2025 Uniform Guide (Uniforms - Swan Valley Anglican Community School) states that “Students can choose when they wish to wear either the Formal Summer Uniform or Formal Winter Uniform (depending on the weather each day).”

Formal Summer Uniform and Formal Winter Uniform must be worn according to the specifications outlined on page 5 (see also the photographs on pages 10-13) of the Uniform Guide.

Please note, that as the weather becomes cooler students are to wear the school navy jumper or blazer and not the sport jacket.

Please contact Debbie Davies if you have any questions or require clarification.

Stymie

Stymie (Stymie) is an online, confidential messaging service for anyone who is needing help or concerned about someone else at school. Stymie provides a proactive opportunity for students to say something about harmful behaviours or anything they are concerned about for themselves, or someone else. It works, because it is accessible 24/7, anonymous, easy to use and messages are typically delivered in a few seconds to the relevant members of the Pastoral Team.

Benefits include:

• Fostering a safe environment as students can make notifications about depression, anxiety, suicide ideation, bullying and cyberbullying and self-harm.
• Enabling early intervention as students often make notifications sooner rather later.
• Alleviating anxiety and stress as students aren’t forced to conceal stressful information.
• Promoting a culture of care as Stymie empowers students to put their empathy into action.

On behalf of the Secondary Team, we wish all families a safe and joyful Easter Holiday. Please note some key dates for the beginning of Term 2:

Key Dates:

A huge shoutout to our Year 11 FST class, who went above and beyond—baking over 400 cupcakes for the secondary school and preparing a delicious morning tea for all staff on Friday.

It was a fantastic week full of creativity, teamwork, and life skills. Well done to everyone involved!

Rachela Messina
Teacher: Technologies (CFC & Food)

Term 1 Holiday Trading Hours

For more information see the School Website.

Uniform Shop