Issue 5 - 2026

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Issue 5 - 2026

From the Principal

From the Chaplain

Primary

Secondary

From the Principal

GROWING TOGETHER: INTRODUCING OUR NEW HOUSES FOR 2027

At a recent special assembly with students in Years 3–12, we shared important changes to the future of our House system which plays a vital role in fostering belonging, teamwork, and connection across year levels. As our school community continues to grow — now serving more than 1500 students — it is timely to ensure our structures continue to support inclusion, student leadership, and a strong sense of identity for all.

In 2027, we will expand our House system from four Houses to six. This change will allow for more balanced House groupings and create increased opportunities for participation and leadership.

As part of this process, we have also reflected carefully on our House names. Our current Houses are named after historical figures from the 1800s, a period that caused widespread harm and injustice to Aboriginal people. In aligning with our School Culture pillars of Respect, Inclusion and Compassion, and AngliSchools values of Respect and Inclusion, we believe it is important that our symbols reflect who we are as a community today.

From 2027, our six Houses will be named using Noongar words for animals found in the Swan Valley, acknowledging the enduring culture of the Whadjuk Noongar people and our connection to place:

Koolbardi (Magpie) – Sky Blue
Koomool (Brushtail Possum) – Gold
Kwenda (Bandicoot) – Purple
Wetj (Emu) – Royal Blue
Yongka (Kangaroo) – Red
Yoorn (Bobtail) – Emerald Green

During Term 2, students will be allocated to a new House for 2027, with siblings placed together. New House shirts and flags will be introduced in 2027, with shirts available from the Uniform Shop later this year.

This change reflects our commitment to learning from the past while intentionally shaping an inclusive and respectful future. We thank families for their ongoing support as we enter this next chapter together.

Please note that there will be no change to the School Crest or the School Motto.

ANZAC DAY SERVICE

Students and staff from Years 3–12 came together to commemorate ANZAC Day at our annual service.

This important occasion provided an opportunity for reflection on those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to others through war. Our Early Years students also participated in their own age-appropriate service, proudly wearing poppies they had created as a symbol of remembrance and respect.

WACSSA SWIMMING CARNIVAL

Our Junior Years swimmers recently competed at the WACSSA Swimming Carnival.

This year marked our first time competing in Division 1 following promotion last year, making the achievement even more significant. Our students performed exceptionally well and displayed outstanding sportsmanship throughout a highly competitive day. We also celebrate two impressive individual achievements, with Chloe Tang (Year 4) and Paige Jones (Year 5) each being awarded Champion Girl for their respective age groups. Congratulations to all involved.

HARMONY DAY

Harmony Day provided a wonderful opportunity to recognise and celebrate the diversity within our school community and reinforce the important message that “Everyone Belongs.”

Harmony Day provided a wonderful opportunity to recognise and celebrate the diversity within our school community and reinforce the important message that “Everyone Belongs.” Students across the school participated in a whole-school buddy activity, with Secondary students meeting with their Primary buddies. Together, they created colourful chatterboxes designed to spark conversation and build positive connections across year levels.

Students were also encouraged to wear orange and/or traditional dress reflecting their cultural background or heritage. It was a fantastic occasion that celebrated the inclusivity, respect, and rich diversity of our school community.

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FUTURE ENROLMENTS 2027

Enrolment interviews for 2027 are now well underway.

Please note that interviews typically occur approximately 18 months prior to the year of entry, and a number of year groups are already full or close to capacity. Families who have not yet submitted an application for a future student are encouraged to contact our Registrar, Mrs Merri Corr, on 9297 9506 or via email at enrolments@svacs.wa.edu.au

STUDENT WITHDRAWALS

We understand that family circumstances can change—whether due to relocation, new opportunities, or other personal reasons.

If your child will be leaving SVACS, we would be grateful if you could notify us as early as possible. Timely communication helps us plan effectively, including offering positions to families on our waitlist.

Withdrawal Policy Reminder

One full term’s notice in writing is required for all student withdrawals.
This equates to at least 10 school weeks’ notice (school weeks refer to term time only, not holidays).
Withdrawal notices should be addressed to the Principal, Ms Melissa Powell, and emailed to enrolments@svacs.wa.edu.au .

Thank you for your support and cooperation.

OUR SVACS MOBILE APP

Don’t forget that that the SVACS Mobile App is free to download on both iPhone and Android devices!

Designed to streamline communication between the School and Parents/Carers, the app includes features such as push notifications, so you’ll never miss important news or upcoming events. To get started, please refer to the User Guide Instructions for step-by-step details on how to download and set up the app on your phone. We look forward to keeping you informed and connected through this new platform.

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/swan-valley/id6738373306

Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=au.edu.wa.svacs.schoolapp

Carpe diem! Seize the day!

Melissa Powell

Principal

From the Chaplain

CHAPLAIN’S NEWS

Eastertide is the focus of our worship and we have reflected on some of the less well-known Easter bible passages in Chapel since the start of term.

The Emmaus Road story is full of significant details. In Worship after assembly with Early Years we linked 2C’s recent study of different types of lines in Maths to the way in which Jesus intersects with the disciples on the road, he walks in parallel with them and they then converge at the table in Christian fellowship, as they recognize Jesus in the breaking of bread.

In Eastertide, Anglicans also read of Jesus as the gate for the sheep, into a pasture where they can find life in all its fullness. When 6N presented an assembly about Asia we remembered that Jesus, Christianity and the other five major world religions all originated in Asia. We also considered that the gate to the sheepfold of God is open to all who choose to follow Christ as the way, the truth and the life.

For Secondary students, the same story helped us to reflect on the choices we make, the pastures we are living in and whether they are promoting fullness of life, not just for ourselves but for our neighbours, whom God commands us to love as ourselves.

Our world faces many tensions around race, culture and religion. These good news, new life, Easter season Bible stories about Jesus’ teachings, and post-Easter appearances, speak of the importance of walking alongside, conversation, understanding, sharing, invitation and acceptance. Jesus reaches out, and people respond, in all these ways, and Christians are called to follow his example.

“Their eyes were opened and they recognized him in the breaking of the bread.”

Lk 24: 31

Father Toby
School Chaplain

A Prayer inspired by the Emmaus Road Encounter

God of all, as we journey on, we ask you:

Bless our feet, that we may continue walking on your path.

Bless our arms, that we may welcome and include all your children.

Bless our voices, that we may speak your truth to all nations.

Bless our hearts, that they may burn with the joy of faith.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen

(missio.org.uk)

Primary

TERM 2 IN ACTION

The past couple of weeks have kept everyone in Primary very busy with classroom learning, excursions such as Year 1’s visit to House of Honey, school photos, Mother’s Day class events, the WACSSA Soccer Division 1 Carnival, and Year 6 Camp.

AROUND THE CLASSROOMS

We love sharing what’s happening in our Primary School, and here are a few highlights from the first weeks of Term 2.

Pre-Kindergarten children have settled into Term 2 with smiles on their faces. They have enjoyed plenty of outside play with friends and have been busy making beautiful creations for Mother’s Day.

Kindergarten students have settled into Term 2 with great excitement. They began the term by exploring a variety of topics, including ANZAC Day. The students have enjoyed learning about its importance, gaining a simple understanding of what soldiers did for us and why we remember them with respect. Students are also excited to begin exploring people in our community and the important roles they play. Alongside this learning, children have been busy preparing for Mother’s Day, creating special gifts and taking part in fun activities. They are looking forward to our Mother’s Day Pampering Day, where they can spoil their mums and share a special time together.

Pre-Primary students are working beautifully into Term 2. They have explored the importance of ANZAC Day through storytelling, music and hands-on experiences. Students enjoyed learning about the origin of ANZAC biscuits, why we wear poppies and what the soldiers must have been feeling when away from their homes and families. The students baked their own Anzac biscuits, which filled Primary 1 building with a delicious smell. Pre-Primary made poppies with playdough and then made more poppies using handprints to wear to the special assembly, and did some beautiful crafts, all to commemorate what the soldiers did for us. The students look forward to an amazing Term 2.

Year 1 students have begun their Term 2 inquiry with a mystery. They received a letter with images showing living things that were not surviving and were challenged to investigate why. Students carefully observed the images and shared their ideas about what was happening and what the living things might need. Through class discussions, they recognised that all living things have basic needs such as food, water, air and shelter, as well as specific needs depending on the animal or environment. Throughout this term, the students will continue their learning by investigating an animal of their choice and exploring how its needs are met in its environment.

Year 2 – Exploring Life Cycles in Year 2
This term in Biological Sciences, students have begun exploring how living things grow and change by studying different life cycles. To introduce the concept, students read an engaging eBook that showcased a variety of life cycles, helping them understand the stages plants and animals go through as they grow. Building on this learning, students chose a life cycle of interest and began representing it through detailed drawings, labels, and simple facts. This activity encouraged students to think carefully about each stage and how living things change over time. It has been a fantastic start to their Science learning, with students showing curiosity and enthusiasm as they explore the natural world!

Year 3 - In Design and Technology, the students had a wonderful time designing and making kites. They applied their understanding of kite structures, material properties, and how wind helps objects move through the air to create kites they predicted would fly well. Students carefully selected materials for their weight, flexibility, and strength. They then tested their kites outside to see whether their designs worked and stayed steady in the wind. After testing, students reflected on what worked well and what they could improve to make their kites even better next time.

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Year 4 students had the exciting opportunity to explore the new Resource Centre throughout the week. They thoroughly enjoyed spending time with their peers, discovering a range of new books, and reconnecting with some of their old favourites. It was particularly pleasing to see how positively all students engaged with the experience. They conducted themselves exceptionally well, demonstrating respect for the space and consideration for other classes also using the facility.

Year 5 students have been exploring how sunlight can be converted into usable energy through an engaging Design and Technology project on solar ovens. They began by researching existing designs and understanding how materials can absorb and retain heat. Using this knowledge, students designed and constructed their own solar ovens, carefully selecting materials to maximise efficiency. They then tested their designs by attempting to melt s’mores, observing how effectively their ovens captured and retained heat. Finally, students evaluated their products, reflecting on what worked well and identifying improvements for future designs.

Year 6 - Term 2 is a very exciting term for Year 6 students. They have surveyed their Year 2 buddies to help create their steady-hand testers as part of Design and Technologies. Their plans are complete, and soon they will be shared with the Year 2 students.

Year 6 students have also been learning about radio advertisements, with the result being that they write and record their own adverts. Additionally, the Year 6 students have had an exciting experience on camp at Forest Edge – what an adventure!

Physical Education – The start of this term has been all about preparing for Cross Country, with the carnival coming up in Week 4! Year 1 and 2 students have done an amazing job learning the 1km track, pacing themselves and sustaining a jog throughout their run. Year 3 and 4 students have been practising 2km runs, aiming to finish in under 15 minutes, whilst Year 5 and 6 students are aiming to run 2km in under 10 minutes. We have seen some incredible training and performances so far and cannot wait for the carnival!

Music – Across Years 4, 5 and 6, students have made a positive and energetic start to the term in Music. Building on the songs learned last term, students are now exploring these pieces through tuned percussion, developing their understanding of pitch, rhythm and ensemble performance.

It has been wonderful to see students growing in confidence as they transfer their prior knowledge onto instruments, focusing on accurate note placement and maintaining a steady beat. Across the year levels, there has been a strong emphasis on collaboration, with students working together to create balanced and cohesive performances.

Students have shown great enthusiasm and engagement in lessons, enjoying the opportunity to revisit familiar repertoire while developing new instrumental skills. We look forward to seeing their musical confidence and teamwork continue to grow throughout the term.

Visual Arts – Year 3 students are learning about Wassily Kandinsky. Kandinsky was one of the pioneers of abstract art. He explored colour combinations to express feelings, shapes and lines, and was influenced by musical harmonies. Year 3 students have created their own Kandinsky-inspired pieces, using concentric circles and colour theory to convey harmony and spiritual symbolism in their works. We are looking forward to part two of their projects.

Digital Technologies – Year 3 and 4 students have been learning to use shared files to import images. Continuing the work on peripheral devices, Year 3 is adding images and sorting the different devices. Last term, Year 4 wrote code to draw a repeated pattern. This term, they are turning the pattern into 3D objects. Year 6 completed their work on Digital Systems and will soon learn to create images with binary. Meanwhile, Year 5 commenced a new project, designing and coding an online game.

Italian – All primary school students have enjoyed a busy and positive start to Term 2 in Italian. Across the year levels, students are consolidating the vocabulary and grammar structures introduced in Term 1 as they prepare for the upcoming Italian assessments. It has been wonderful to see their confidence growing as they revisit and apply their learning.

Our Pre-Primary and Year 1 students are enthusiastically practising greetings and personal introductions, building their confidence in using Italian in everyday classroom situations. In Year 2, students are having great fun learning Italian with the help of Muzzy, which continues to support listening skills and vocabulary development in an engaging and familiar way. Year 3 students are practising describing the physical and personal characteristics of their family members, while Year 4 students are enthusiastically tackling the final challenges of the Italian Mathematics Championship. These activities are helping them consolidate their knowledge of Italian numbers up to 100 in a meaningful and enjoyable context.

Buon divertimento a tutti!

Drama - Students have made a wonderful start to the term in Drama, enthusiastically engaging in creative and collaborative learning experiences.

In Years 1 and 2, students have been exploring ‘Play a Story’, where they work together to create a short story. They then perform their stories with a partner, building confidence and communication skills.

Year 3 students are developing their understanding of comedic timing and short skits, using simple scripts to prepare and perform for their classmates.

Year 4 students are focusing on character development and have begun creating commercials to promote their own imaginative ‘Magic Products’, encouraging creativity and persuasive performance skills.

In Years 5 and 6, students are exploring scripts, roles, and settings as they prepare performances for their peers. Year 6 students are writing their own scripts, while Year 5 students are interpreting a script featuring superheroes and supervillains, bringing characters and stories to life through drama.

KEY DATES FOR TERM 2

The important upcoming dates are outlined below.

Cross Country: 9am to 10am (Early Years) and 11am to 12.30pm (Junior Years) on Friday 15 May

Assembly & Worship Hosted by 4S: 8.50am Tuesday 19 May

Primary Parent-Teacher Interviews: Tuesday 19 May and Thursday 21 May (Bookings are essential)

WACSSA AFL (selected students): Friday 22 May

Junior Years Cross Country Assembly: 8.50am Tuesday 26 May

WA Day Public Holiday: Monday 1 June

Assembly & Worship Hosted by 5J: 8.50am Tuesday 2 June

Assembly & Worship Hosted by 1B: 8.50am Thursday 4 June

WACSSA Netball (selected students): Friday 5 June

Open Classrooms: 8.45am on Friday 12 June

Assembly & Worship Hosted by 4B: 8.50am Tuesday 16 June

Assembly & Worship Hosted by 1M: 8.50am Thursday 18 June

20 Year Celebration: Friday 19 June

Discos: Friday 26 June (ticket purchase is required)

End of Semester 1 Assembly: Thursday 2 July (formal uniform is required)

Last Day of Term 2: Friday 3 July

Thank you to everyone for your support and partnership. I wish you a wonderful fortnight ahead.

Mrs Shirley Steel
Head of Primary School

Secondary

TERM 2: A CRUCIAL TIME FOR GROWTH, CHOICE AND PREPARATION

With the arrival of Term 2, students across the secondary years may find it is significant and demanding time.

It is a term where expectations increase, important decisions are made, and students are challenged to balance academic responsibility with personal wellbeing.

Term 2 includes key assessment tasks and important examinations that require students to manage time effectively, study independently and cope with academic pressure.

While grades are important, these experiences are equally valuable for developing resilience, self-discipline and accountability.

At home, simple strategies make a significant difference. Establishing consistent routines for homework and study, promoting the use of planners or digital calendars, and encouraging students to break large tasks into manageable steps all support success.

Just as importantly, families can help students understand that effort, preparation and reflection matter more than perfection.

YEAR 12 RETREAT – SUPPORTING WELLBEING AND CONNECTION

The Year 12 Retreat is a highlight of Term 2 and an important milestone for our senior students.

It provides a space to step away from academic demands, strengthen relationships and reflect on wellbeing, balance and purpose during a critical year. The retreat supports students in reconnecting with themselves and each other, reinforcing the importance of self-care alongside achievement.

As students return from the retreat, families can reinforce these messages by encouraging healthy habits such as regular sleep, physical activity, balanced nutrition and honest conversations about stress. Supporting wellbeing is not about removing challenges, but about equipping students with strategies to manage them effectively.

SUPPORTING WELLBEING, ORGANISATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY AT HOME

A strong partnership between school and home is vital during busy terms like Term 2. Families can support students by:

Maintaining routines that balance study, rest and recreation
Encouraging organisation through planners, checklists and clear expectations
Holding students accountable for deadlines while offering guidance rather than rescue
Checking in regularly about wellbeing, workload and stress levels
Modelling healthy responses to pressure and problem-solving
Making time to attend Parent/Teacher interviews

When students feel supported, organised and accountable, they are better equipped to manage both academic demands and personal wellbeing.

TERM 2 EVENTS

Please find the important Term 2 dates below:

Event	Date
Interhouse Cross Country	15th May
Senior Winter Music Concert	20th May
Year 10 Parent/Teacher Interviews (Onsite)	19th May
ACC Secondary Cross Country Carnival	28th May
Year 11 and 12 Examinations	25th May – 5th June
Year 11 Winter Whirl	11th June
Year 12 Retreat	8th June – 9th June
20 Year Celebration	19th June
Buddy Dance	22nd June
Semester 1 Assembly	2nd July

ENGINEERING AND METALWORK INCURSION - JORDAN SPRIGG SCULPTURES

Jordan Sprigg is a Western Australian artist, creating metal sculptures from recycled metals, machinery parts and old tools.

Our Engineering and Metalwork students were lucky enough to meet Jordan when he visited on Wednesday 29 April. Jordan brought along one of his sculptures on the back of his ute. Students listened eagerly about how Jordan got into art; being inspired by the “Sculptures By-the-Sea” exhibit a few years ago. Jordan talked about the advantages and disadvantages of using social media/video to build his fan base. He mentioned building processes, tools and equipment, how he sources materials for his sculptures and the amount of time and effort it takes to build a large project. Students were keen to know how much a sculpture would sell for and managed to score a few free hats and calendars at the end.