Newsletter - 28 August

Principal Report

Empowering Our Learners at Mt Nelson Primary School

Across all year levels, we are deeply focused on empowering students as learners.

Our MNPS assets help our students learn how to learn—developing the confidence to make choices, explore ideas, and grow in ways that work best for them. This equips them with the skills to become lifelong learners. 

We encourage our learners to move beyond facts, engaging with deeper concepts and critical thinking processes. This approach looks different across grades and classrooms, tailored to the developmental needs and interests of our students.

The Kinder Echidnas are exploring the question “How we can care for Country?”. So far, our learning has discovered that to first nations people, Country includes plants, animals, the land and human beings. We are empowering ourselves by becoming independent and safe when exploring bushland areas and when gardening. We are inquiry learners who look with our eyes and listen with our ears to learn about the world around us. By learning about Country, Kindergarten students have begun to plan ways in which we can all care for and look after country, including planting a bushfood garden to care for and working with Prep Fox to help keep the frogs thriving at the frog pond.

In Prep, our youngest learners are exploring empowerment through mindfulness and environmental stewardship. They are discovering how they can influence change in their surroundings—particularly in our bush space and the local frog ponds—learning that even small actions can make a big difference.

In Prep/1 we are exploring how we can care for and make positive changes in our local bush environment. We are investigating and developing an understanding of the importance of bushland in our community and the ways people can work together to protect it. We are empowered learners who are using our voice and actions to care for country and contribute to a healthier shared future in Mount Nelson.

In 1/2, we’re exploring empowerment through mindfulness—learning how our thoughts and feelings shape our sense of self. Being aware of our thoughts and behaviours helps us get ready to learn how to learn. And learn with and from each other.

In 2/3Y we are inquiring into the big idea of empowerment by exploring how we can use our personal and collective power to create positive change in our local community, specifically – how can we improve the Mount Nelson playground and oval for the benefit of all who utilise and enjoy it? We are investigating which members of the community could and should be involved and how we might engage with them.

In 3/4M and 4/5/6, we are inquiring about the big idea of empowerment by planning vegetable gardens for our school grounds and creating meals from what we plan to grow. As scientists, we are experimenting and creating hypothesis to test while also being problem solvers and caretakers of our garden. We will be seeking to explain the roles and interactions of consumers, producers and decomposers within a habitat and how food chains represent feeding relationships

In Grades 5/6, students are diving into Australian history and democracy through the lens of the Franklin Dam Dispute. They are investigating how citizens can influence government decision-making. This inquiry not only builds historical understanding but also empowers students to see themselves as active participants in their communities, capable of bringing about meaningful change.

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Chantal Fox for her leadership in guiding this important work across the school. Her support has been instrumental in helping us embed empowerment into our teaching and learning practices.

We look forward to sharing more of our learning with families during our Open Inquiry Afternoon in Week 9. It will be a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the curiosity, creativity, and growth of our learners.

Catherine Grace - Principal - "We Nurture, We Empower, We Strive for Excellence"

Why Reading at Home matters

Did you know that as children become more accurate with their reading they can read more fluently.

As they read faster and more fluently, they can understand what they read.

As they understand and comprehend, they can add expression and intonation.

So..."Accuracy enables rate. Rate enables comprehension. Comprehension enables expression and intonation.

This simple progression shows how reading fluency develops—and why regular practice at home is essential. This is the bridge to comprehension.

When students read regularly, they become more accurate and fluent. This frees up their cognitive capacity to think deeply about the content—especially in complex subjects like science and biology in high school. We want students to move beyond decoding words to engaging with ideas and think deeply.

Data shows that reading is declining. To reverse this trend, we must model reading everywhere—at school, at home, and in the community. Even listening to your child read 5 minutes a day can help build a lifelong habit of learning and future-proof our students for success.

Marg Crosswell - Literacy Coach

Shaping Minds

As Mount Nelson Primary is a participant in DECYP’s Shaping Minds trial, we were fortunate to have Amy from Shaping Minds visit us at the beginning of term 3.

Amy spent the day with us, supporting us to improve our daily review protocols. She observed, gave feedback, demonstrated and answered questions from all our staff.  After school, staff participated in professional learning with Amy relating to engagement norms.

A daily review is a 15-20 minute session, delivered before the main maths lesson to reinforce previously taught skills and concepts.  It is explicitly taught, sequenced and planned, and helps students to retain and consolidate learning.

Using engagement norms during a daily review helps to supercharge student participation and retention. They are designed to make every moment of learning active, accountable and brain-friendly.

So far, we have observed really positive results from this trial.

Rachel Viney - Assistant Principal

Family Engagement - Empowered Kids

Lisa Ford - Clinical Psychologist, Workshop Facilitator & Founder (the resilience co.)

Lisa has over 20 years' experience working with children, adolescents, parents and educators. As a mother to three children herself, she offers practical advice and a deep understanding.

In response to your feedback on previous sessions, we’re pleased to offer another session with Lisa Ford, titled “Empowered Kids”. Mount Nelson Families are invited to attend the seminar, here at school, on Thursday 6 November from 6pm-7:30pm. 

This session aligns with our whole-school focus on empowering students and supporting their wellbeing.

Lisa’s previous talks have resonated deeply with our community, and her insights continue to shape our collective approach to raising resilient, confident children. As we prepare for her next visit, we wanted to share some key principles she highlighted last year that remain especially relevant:

• Connection matters – Slow down and be in the moment with your children.
• Be present – Genuine connection starts with your presence.
• Let them struggle – Don’t shield children from challenges; these are opportunities to grow.
• Support independence – Encourage your child to problem-solve and have a go. Be their guide, not their fixer.
• Get outside – Time outdoors is vital for mental health and wellbeing. Don’t let the weather be a barrier.

We’re grateful to Lisa for sharing her expertise and to our community for engaging in these important conversations. We look forward to welcoming you to the next session on Thursday 6 November.

Please RSVP via e-mail, to the school office as soon as possible. 

Georgie Field - AST

Nurturing Time

Engaging & Learning, Together!

Welcome to the 5th Edition of Engaging & Learning Together.

Use these conversation starters below to get those little minds thinking!

Attendance Report

Our overall school attendance is currently at 90.7% – a fantastic effort! With 68% of students attending 90% of days.

Let’s keep aiming even higher and see if we can lift it together. Every day counts!

Grade 6 Camp

Our Grade 6 students are in Canberra! — and what a fantastic opportunity it is to put our key learning assets into action! This trip is not only about exploring our nation’s capital, but also about developing important skills such as collaboration, self-management, curiosity, and communication!

As students visit Parliament House and other national institutions, they’ll deepen their understanding of democracy in action, building on their classroom inquiry into how citizens can influence government decision-making.

A heartfelt thank you to our dedicated staff- Christie C, Janelle, Christie S, Georgie and Mark -who have generously given their time to support this experience. Without their commitment, this trip would not have been possible.

We look forward to hearing all about the adventures and insights when our students return!

Student Voice

Student Highlights - all the way from Canberra!

Luke - “My highlight so far is swimming at the AIS- that was so cool” 

Emily - “Meeting the Prime Minister was my highlight” 

Peter - “So far in the gr 6 trip I have enjoyed the Parliament House where we took a photo with Anthony Albanese. The war memorial was also special. 

Bronte - “Getting a selfie with Albo was a once in a lifetime experience and I’ll never forget “ 

Eliza - "I loved the AIS and kicking the soccer ball to see how far I could get it and really loved talking to real life soldiers at the war memorial” 

Tom - "The media and sound archive place was very interesting because I love learning about media and perspectives “ 

Dora - “The whole trip has been amazing!!! Meeting the prime minister was cool because he is really special”

Brianna - “The war memorial was interesting - the variety of history - the names to match the poppies"

April - “I have loved the whole trip!"

Story Box Hub

We would like to offer our families free access to Story Box Library Hub.

Story Box is a fantastic resource that brings books to life through engaging audio-visual content by well-known storytellers. This app provides children with access to a wide range of high-quality stories, helping to foster a love of reading at home. Simply download the Story Box Hub app on your device and log in with our school subscription details to enjoy this wonderful collection anytime, anywhere.

How to Access:

1. Visit storyboxhub.com or search “Story Box Library” in your app store.
2. Click LOG IN at the top right of the homepage.
3. Enter the school username and password (provided below)

Username: taslift529

Password: lit405

Marg Crosswell - Literacy Coach

Student Wellbeing Survey

The wellbeing of all students at Mount Nelson Primary is important to us. When students feel safe, supported, and connected, they are more likely to engage positively in their learning. This survey is part of the department’s Wellbeing for Learning – Child and Student Wellbeing Strategy and helps us gain a clearer understanding of our students’ current wellbeing, as well as identify opportunities to enhance the support we provide.

Students from grades 4-6 will take part in the survey during the month of September. The survey will be completed during class time and will not require your child to prepare in anyway.

A letter with more information has been sent home with students. This includes a list of frequently asked questions, contacts for support and a form to return if you do not want your child to participate.

Thank you for supporting our efforts to ensure every student feels safe, supported and ready to learn.

School Travel Survey

Help shape a safer, healthier future for Mount Nelson Primary School!

The City of Hobart is expanding its School Access Travel Plan to our school, encouraging active travel like walking and cycling, and reducing traffic congestion. Your input is vital to prioritise projects for funding. Please click on the link below to share your thoughts.

School Association

The School Association will be holding the next meeting on Wednesday 3 September, from 2-3pm. Join us in the school staffroom to hear all about upcoming events, future planning and to share ideas on how we can best support our students.

Everyone is welcome!

Spring Seedling Fundraiser - The School Association & Valley Fresh Farm are working together to bring a Spring Seedling fundraiser to our school.

Orders can be placed via QKR! and are due by Wednesday 10 September.

Her Court Basketball

This week our school is starting the Her Court Basketball program. We will be holding sessions during lunch time, each Friday. This is a Basketball Tasmania funded program which aims to encourage as many girls as possible to get involved in Basketball. Scarlett, a Basketball Tasmania mentor, will attend the session to share her knowledge and skills with the girls of our school.

We are looking forward to these sessions and hope to get as many girls involved as possible!

Declan West - HPE

Book Week

What a wonderful week it was!

Our school was filled with excitement as students celebrated their love of reading by stepping into the shoes of their favourite book characters. From wizards to superheroes, animals to adventurers – the creativity was amazing!

A huge thank you to families for the incredible effort put into the creative and colourful costumes – they truly brought our favourite characters to life. The children thoroughly enjoyed it, and it was fantastic to see so much joy and enthusiasm.

We hope our families enjoyed seeing our staff showing off their hidden Hollywood talents on Facebook, as they starred in their very own mini-movie tribute to Book Week! Thank you to our director, Sheree, for bringing this motion picture to life!

Save the date!

We will be holding our term 3 Celebration of Learning Assemblies during week 8 & 9.

Group A - Tuesday 9 September

Group B - Tuesday 16 September

Both assemblies will be held in our school hall, commencing at 2pm.

We love these opportunities to share our learning and achievements with our families.

We hope to see you there!

See image for class groups.

Student Achievement

We are so excited to announce that our year 6 student, Adelin has been chosen as a prize recipient in the Young Archies competition! Adelin will be presented with an award, at a special presentation, as the year 5/6 category winner.

This is such an amazing achievement and a true reflection of her creativity, hard work and artistic talent. We are incredibly proud of you, Adelin – what a fantastic accomplishment!

The exhibition is on display until Friday 5 September. We encourage our families to pop along and have a look at the artwork created by our young budding artists.

Winter Woollies update

We would like to thank everyone who donated, dressed in their Winter Woollies and who purchased a milkshake for our fundraiser!

Together, we raised $600 for our sponsored Tassie Devil, Christopher!

Reminders

School Calendar

School Health Nurse

Holiday Programs