Dear Parents and Carers,

Over the past two weeks, our Year 3 and 5 students have demonstrated resilience, having a go, doing their best and following instructions when completing their NAPLAN tests.

The purpose of NAPLAN aims to provide a snapshot of student performance in literacy and numeracy, helping governments, education authorities, and schools to understand how well students are meeting important educational goals across Australia.   

The school conducts a wide range of assessments each term on every student so if you are concerned about the academic progress of your child then the classroom teacher is the first point of contact.

Solar Car Challenge.

Congratulations to one of our Year 6 student teams who took out the Solar Car Challenge this year.  That makes it two in a row for our school.  A big thank you to Miss Maroni and Mrs Lilly who help to prepare our students each year for this cross-school challenge.  Our second team had a technical malfunction with their car mid race - even happens in formula one races so good life lesson.

Next week, our students get to hear the Bunbury Cathedral Grammar Band in concert.  Great to inspire our many students who play musical instruments in our Instrumental Music School Services program.  

Have a great weekend.

Thanks

Darryn Martin

Principal

Competing in the Synergy Solar Challenge was an exciting and challenging experience for the eight, year sixes involved. Throughout the competition, each team showcased impressive resilience and persistence, overcoming technical hurdles and tight deadlines while building their solar-powered cars. The process required not only technical expertise but also teamwork, as each team member contributed to different aspects of car construction and design. Their collaborative spirit was evident as they worked together seamlessly, combining their skills to create their vehicles. This cooperation extended beyond the building phase and was equally important during the race itself, as both teams displayed excellent adaptability.

In the races, the teams demonstrated a strong sense of sportsmanship, gracefully handling both wins and losses. Whether celebrating a victory or learning from a setback, the participants maintained a positive attitude. Their ability to lose gracefully and win humbly reflected the true spirit of the Synergy Solar Challenge, where the emphasis was not just on the outcome, but on the journey of learning and growing together. The competition highlighted the values of persistence, teamwork, and a positive mindset, making it a memorable and rewarding experience for all involved.

Congratulations to Ava, Skye, Darcy, Cruze, Elliott, Mason, Lily and Josie. You made all of us at Little Grove very proud. Special thanks to Ms Maroni for her outstanding efforts in coaching and giving us the best chance for success. Well done to our winning team, Elliott, Mason, Lily and Josie, who each took home a $100 voucher and a hat. 

It was also really pleasing to see the Year Eight Competiton, as many of their competitors were former Little Grove students who have competed previously. 

We had an Information assembly this week, it was lovely to see the number of parents attending and watching their children receive their awards. We would like to say a huge congratulations to the following students who received an Honours Certificate for their hard work thus far:

Chevy N, Jack P, Eliza K, Logan F, Chace S, Opal S, Nate F, Cecelia G, Theodore F, James H, Clancy C, Patrick B.

These students have gone that extra mile to work hard and do their best this term, well done to you all, fantastic work!

Well, done to Lennon, who won this month’s Aussie of the month award. This award is nominated by students who notice others kindness and helpfulness. Great job Lennon, who was nominated for, “going above and beyond, seeing a need and showing initiative”. Lennon helped our monitors to clear up and organise the Play cave after everyone had gone assisting our monitors without being asked. Congratulations Lenny!

Our class novel this term in Room 7 is Blueback by Tim Winton. It’s a story about boy called Abel who goes scuba diving one day and finds a giant Blue Groper which he names Blueback. We are currently up to the sixth chapter. While Mrs Knight has been reading Blueback to the class, we have been doing fun comics of what events are happening in the story. We have been discussing the main events and how the author uses descriptive language to tell the story. - By Lara and Lilly-Anne

This term during STEM with Miss Maroni we have been learning how to construct solar cars. After testing our solar cars in a knockout racing competition 2 teams have been chosen to represent Little Grove. The competition was held at NASHS on Thursday the 20th of March. We were very happy that the sun was shining.

The results were:

1st Place Little Grove A: Elliott, Mason, Lily, Josie

8th Place Little Grove B: Darcy, Cruze, Ava, Skye

Everyone tried their best and had a great time.

Special thanks to Miss Maroni. - By Ava and Darcy

Last week in our science lesson we constructed solar ovens and used them to toast smores and melt freddos. We made the ovens out of unused pizza boxes, alfoil, black card and a plastic sheet. We placed the ovens outside, making sure that the sun was reflecting onto the smores. The smores were all warm and gooey, and REALLY messy, and REALLY, REALLY delicious! - By Rachael and Josie

Look at this yumminess!

We continue to practise numbers in class and for the Sign of the Week.

This week 6-10. Remember- use only your dominant hand.

Ms Quartermaine is now handing out awards for her hard working “signing “stars. Well done to Emily who has worked so hard this term in Auslan, fantastic work!

National Ride2School Day 2025

On Friday 21st March, Little Grove Primary School students and families joined in the annual Ride2School Day. The morning proved to be a significant success, with 52% of our students opting to ride to school. Although slightly lower than last year's figure, it's worth noting that an impressive 75% of students arrived via Active Transport.

The results are in:

·         96 students rode, skated or scooted to school

·         19 students walked to school.

·         47 students came by private car

·         23 students came by bus.

Well done to the students in Room 8, who had 15 students who rode, skated or scooted to school! A huge thank you goes out to our parents and families for their encouragement in keeping our students active and ensuring their safe arrival at school.

We would like to acknowledge the Little Grove Primary School P&C for providing our students with delicious fruit! Congratulations to our poster competition winners! Luisa, Cecilia, Leila, Charlie D, Poppy, Saskia, Fletcher and Lewis. All winners received a funky pair of "Your Move" school socks from the Your Move Rewards shop. All posters’ entries can be collected from Miss Upchurch on Monday.

Please check out our school profile on the Your Move page: Your Move | Group Details . This is how we can apply for the Bike Education grant throughout the year. I am also excited to announce that we have received a Connecting School Grant, and the Senior Block students will be participating in Bike Education next term. Mark your calendars for our next Your Move event scheduled for Wednesday 14th May for Walking to School Day, as Friday 16th May is National Walk to School Day. These event all fall in National Road Safety Week.

Over the past few weeks in PE, students in Years 1-6 have been working on their enhancing their running skills. This week, Miss Upchurch tasked them with running for 12 minutes around the oval.

Our students have exhibited a strong "I can do it" attitude, showcasing their determination and effort. I also encourage your child to participate in fitness club on Monday and Wednesday mornings, as this will not only facilitate their progress in building up their running endurance for Cross Country next term but also make it a more enjoyable experience. Please ask your child about the number of laps they completed. The chart below will provide an estimate of the distance covered.

We have had some outstanding achievements this year that deserve to be celebrated.

Year 1: Lucas, Lachlan, Clint, Lewis and Adam all compete 6 laps (2km).

Year 2: Leo and Yolanda all compete 6 laps (2km).

Year 3: Opal and Noah completed 7 laps (2.5km).

Year 4: Archie, Beau and Osar completed 8 laps (2.7km).

Year 5: Chase, Jade, James, Isla, Oliver and Stormy completed 8 laps (2.7km). 

Year 6: Elliott completed 8 ½ laps ((2.8km).

On Monday, our PP – Year 2 had the exciting opportunity to be involved in AFL visit, organised by the West Coast Eagles Education Program and our local AFL development officer Brad and Harry.

The West Coast Eagles Education Program team led an engaging and interactive session that introduced students to the fundamentals of AFL, emphasising teamwork, fitness, and the importance of staying active. Students had the chance to learn new skills, play games, and discover more about the sport’s history and values.

The highlight of the day was the special appearance of Rick the Rock, the West Coast Eagles’ beloved mascot! Rick brought even more fun and energy to the event and interacting with the students. His visit added a touch of magic to the day.

The West Coast Eagles Education Program’s visit not only provided an exciting hands-on experience with AFL but also encouraged the students to stay active and embrace the values of sport and teamwork.

A huge thank you to the West Coast Eagles Education Program and Rick the Rock for making this event such a success. We look forward to local AFL development officer Harry, visiting us again in Week 10 for in PE AFL clinics.

We're so excited for MOVIE NIGHT!

Tickets can still be purchased at the door if you missed out on the pre-sales. Please note that your ticket includes See you from 4.30pm at the undercover area.

LGPS P&C AGM & General Meeting

Next week, Tuesday 25th March @ 7pm.

Please come along and help us plan for 2025. Don't forget to fill in a membership form and provide your $1 membership fee to the school office or bring it with you on the night.

Alternatively, you can complete the online form through here https://form.jotform.com/250561050965859

For further events or detailed information about upcoming events, please view the schools event calendar on Compass