On Monday, 16 September Year 10 students that completed the Beacon Foundation Career Program celebrated their progress in the 8 week program with an afternoon tea. As well as enjoying platters of food made by the catering class, they also shared stories from their work experiences and the achievements they have made throughout the program.

The guest speakers that were involved in the program with our students were Launceston City Council, Cromarty, Avidity, Multicap, Tasmanian Expeditions, Kate Presnell Body Works, Bridestowe Lavendar Farm and Gold Star Automotive. Also, a big thank you to the team at Beacon for supporting our students through this program.

Year 3 – 6 Food and Fibre students have been focusing on several topics concerning the production of food and fibre for human consumption. 

For the winter months, our energy and focus has been channelled into replenishing our fruit and vegetable garden beds. We have investigated how good compost is made and our compost system has been further developed. We continue to collect food scraps from around the school which we then compost in our four bins. This rich nutrient source will then be used to feed our future vegetable and fruit crops.

Revitalising our five raised garden beds has been another focus. We have learnt about the no-dig gardening system and all students have been directly involved in collecting materials from around the school for all the layers that then turn into beautiful soil. First, we put down layers of cardboard. Luckily for us, schools end up with lots of spare cardboard boxes every week! In Autumn, our beautiful big old trees in the school garden provided us with barrow loads of autumn leaves - perfect for our second layer. Next, we shovelled four cubic metres of finished compost to top the garden beds. We used buckets and wheelbarrows and learned about how heavy soil gets when it absorbs winter rains. Excitingly, we have observed our worm population exploding in the no-dig gardens and this is fantastic for our future spring and summer plantings.

It has been a real delight to observe students in the garden space. For many, it is a space where students are at their best: proactive, cooperative and committed. I am really looking forward to seeing their enjoyment of their efforts: fresh vegetables, flowers and herbs grown because of their efforts.

Also, look out for our new pollinator garden planting that will take root near the carpark in Term Four. Pollinator gardens are a collection of plants that attract our crucially important pollinator species (such as native bees and birds) that are under pressure from a range of issues. It’s going to be a beautiful collection of native Tasmanian plants.

Hello, I am a social worker that started with DECYP in August this year. Originally from the UK, I moved to Australia in 2011 and have been in Tassie since 2017. My main background is child protection, working in South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania, often in rural, regional and outback settings. I live with my wife Nancy (also a social worker) and our two-going-on-three year old daughter Athena on a small hobby farm in the Tamar Valley, with an assortment of alpacas, turkeys and chickens (and a beagle) to keep us occupied. I am neurodivergent – I live with autism and ADHD - and outside of work I am active in the promotion of children’s rights, especially in the Tasmanian context.

Our mantra at Lilydale is that We are our best when we are safe, respectful and learning. As part of our Intensive Support Partnership, we are undertaking a review of how all of us can contribute to making Lilydale the best possible school we can have. This means identifying and setting high expectations not only for our students in terms of their behaviour and their learning but also for how our staff improve their own practice to ensure that the best learning possible is available for all students.

We are reworking some of our processes, particularly around establishing and maintaining calm orderly learning environments and the promotion of positive behaviour choices. We have recognition processes in both sections of our school and are celebrating positive student actions, identified and recognised by staff. This work may take some time to embed but is a commitment from all the staff at school and supported by Learning Services.

Calm, orderly learning environments are important to maximise learning opportunities for students. Limiting distractions and disruptions allows for focussed learning. This also maximises the time teachers can interact with students to provide not only instruction but also personalised feedback during lessons.

Currently we are working to implement a number of processes aligned to the recently commissioned work, released by the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO). We have standardised the ways in which students line up and enter classrooms as well as the instructions they receive prior to entry. We have clear seating plans which minimise the disruption of friend conversations and maximises the learning focus. The use of the AERO documents and processes, in conjunction with revised and refined pedagogical frameworks from DECYP, have already made a difference for our learners and teachers.

We will be reviewing the management and associated consequences in our mobile phone policy in Term 4 to ensure a clear and consistent understanding of expectations and consequences for all parties (students, staff and families). The statewide mandate of “Off and Away all day” applies across all our schools in the state and is the clar, ongoing expectation at Lilydale District School.

We are very pleased with the conduct of our students when they are representing the school. Our students in the 5-6 sport exchange and our senior basketball teams have been excellent role models and representatives for our school. We had a referee reach out to thank our boys’ team for their conduct and sportsmanship in their most recent match which is a huge credit to each member of the team.

Recently we have suffered from a couple of significant acts of vandalism. Please if you are moving through the school grounds and see anything untoward could you please contact the school and let us know at your earliest convenience.

All our terms are very busy but this one has provided its own extra challenges. We appreciate all your support and wish everyone a safe and relaxing holiday.

Colin Pearson
Principal

In Year 7-8 English, students have been engaging in a poetry writing unit. Students have explored many different poems, and the figurative language techniques that can be used to paint a picture in the readers mind when reading a poem. Students were able to analyse and interpret multiple texts, and then create a poem that demonstrated and understanding of  all structural elements and language features.

Football – By Xander
Here I am standing proud,
In the stadium so, so loud,
The ball went up so, so high,
It could almost touch the sky.

As it comes back down to the ground,
Players fighting for possession pound for pound,
As I glance over at the big pole,
I snap on my left and kick goal.

As the siren sounds to reveal the final score,
I was so upset I couldn’t cry anymore,
Walking from the field tears ran like a tap,
Screaming out for a well-deserved nap.

Lion – By Natiri
King of many, always wearing gold,
Asserting dominance, walking around strong and bold,
Encouraged by fame, soaking in their name,
Their known to attack but can be very tame. 

At night they run stalking their prey,
But during the day, they run and play,
As they stretch, they flex their claws,
A feeling of sensation running through their paws,

Feeling as fast as wind when I soar,
Everyone can hear my loud roar,
Moving about not looking to intimidate,
Just seeking a friend to be my mate.

The Raven by Grace

Squawking in solace, bathed in the midnight moon
Sharp black feathers, eyes as sparkling as a lagoon.
Cawing and croaking grip as tight as a vice
An agent of revelation, a beak as cold as ice.

In the morning flame, he takes flight
A shadow in the hurst compared to the light
He swoops and perches, his movements very still
But whether eyes his prey, he goes for the kill.

Flapping and swooshing, his wings stride forever
chattering to the leaves, considering himself quite clever.
His voice echoes his croak, leaping into the skies
The moon rises once more, his feathers glisten as he flies.

Twirling and gliding, his wings push, impacting the air.
He calls and murmurs repeat, giving locals a scare.
His piercing eyes gape glances at the ground.
Fastly, he dashes down, absolutely silent, without a sound

Waves by Olivia

Waves whisper, lone melodies and bittersweet songs,
Lullabies full of darkness and where to belong.
So, dip through roaring bodies, ablaze in the sand.
And beg the sprawling water to carry me away from  land.

 But the waves do not answer; they sulk at my feet.
So I turn back around to stare at the suns withered heat.
I trudge back to solid ground, and nestling in soft sands.
Awaiting the water to grasp  bait from my hands.

 Wailing voices tear me from a restless sleep,
Cold, clammy fingers unfurl me in a small heap.
Sand slips beneath me as I pray the water will part.
So, I anchor, drowning in the beat of my heart.

World Cup by Titus

Behold the greatest event around  the world,
Countries unite competing for the same prize!
The football world cup, winning is as good as gold,
as well as tickets being sold!
Teams compete whom be hold great despise.

Filled with the nations best,
Who contest against the rest.
Motivated from the atmosphere of the crowd,
Players making their nation proud!

The National Anthems start,
Players singing from their heart.
As the whistle blows,
the game settles into a flow
With minutes ticking down…..

The crowd erupts like a volcano in  full sound!
Crash!
Bash!
A shot is taken and soars through the air…
The winning goal is scored!

Winning Elation,
Losing distraught,
Players whom struggle with thought,
Now filled with crazy temptations.

On Tuesday, 17 September all high school students were lucky enough to listen to a presentation by Laura Johnson who is the keynote speaker for 2024 Peace in School Program. Laura is an extraordinary young person who actively works to improve the lives of others.  She lives in Smithton, is a proud palawa woman and a lived-experience advocate in mental health and suicide prevention. Laura shared stories from her past and how they shaped her life and encouraged her to take up advocating for youth mental health.

The Tamar Peace Festival is led by the community and promotes a wealth of creative, collaborative, thought-provoking and harmonious events that welcome the public to try new things, consider new ideas and to create new bonds.

Thank you to Laura for sharing your story and to the Tamar Peace Festival coordinators for including Lilydale in their program.

In Term 4, Stay ChatTY will be delivering their program to Year 9-10 students. It is a 1.5hr mental health literacy workshop to education about mental health, keeping mentally fit and helping a friend.

The Year 9-10 students have been given a consent form for the program. We ask that they be returned before the end of the Term.

On Friday, 20 September all Year 10 students travelled to Symmons Plains to participate in the RYDA program. RYDA takes students on a journey from understanding and identifying crash factors, to appreciating how personal factors affect risk, developing personal strategies and plans and finally the motivation to approach driving as a social responsibility and recognise protective measures such as the graduated licensing and safe system approaches. Well done to our Year 10’s for once again being active listeners and engaged participants for this program.

High School – Student of the Week

Every week all staff, Student Leaders and the wider community have the opportunity to nominate a high school student as a ‘Lilydale Legend’. These nominations acknowledge when another person has noticed the student demonstrating our school values of being safe, respectful and learning. If a student is nominated by multiple people their name will appear twice. Lilydale Legends for the week will get recognised in our high school assembly and receive a certificate. Congratulations to the Lilydale Legends for Week 8 and 9 - Term 3.

Week 8

Week 9

After a very busy Winter at City Mission, its time to re stock their Emergency Relief pantry. And the Senior Student Leaders at Lilydale have offered to help!

With spring just around the corner, City Mission is preparing for its annual Spring Food Drive, a vital non-perishable food donation drive to help restock City Mission's Emergency Relief pantry after a very busy Winter period providing grocery hampers to families struggling to put food on the table.

Teaching our children the importance of charity is one of the most valuable lessons they can learn. The power of giving not only helps them discover causes they care about but also teaches them kindness and empathy.

From now until the end of the first week of Term 4 Lilydale School Community is going to help by collecting non-perishable items for City Mission. These items will be collected in the school office area.

If you are able, we ask you check your pantry or pop an extra item in your grocery cart to donate.

The City of Launceston immunisation team visited our school earlier in the year and if your child missed these due to absence or other reasons your child should have the missed immunisation(s) as soon as possible.

The following options are available:

The City of Launceston immunisation clinic is open every Wednesday morning from 10.00am to 11.00am (excluding public holidays) at the Town Hall, St John Street.  Our immunisation clinics are free. This session has an online booking system in place, please visit the site below or contact their office to book.

https://www.launceston.tas.gov.au/Community/Children-and-Families#section-2

Alternatively, you may wish to attend Ravenswood Child and Family Health Centre, 8 Prossers Forest Road, Ravenswood on the second Tuesday of each month from 9.30am - 10.00am (Closed for January) or the Muylatina Child and Family Learning Centre, 30b Hargrave Crescent, Mayfield, the second Tuesday of each month from 11am to 11:30am. (Closed for January).

You may prefer to go to your own private doctor to have this done or a participating pharmacy - please see attached for a list of pharmacies offering this service.  If so, I would appreciate it if you would let one of our immunisation officers know, so that their records can be kept up to date. 

Please call the immunisation team on 6323 3208 or email sonya.jack@launceston.tas.gov.au if you have any queries relating to immunisations.

LCC recommends that parents ring the pharmacy before attending, to ensure their pharmacist immuniser is available, they have the correct vaccines in stock, and to ask if there is a cost associated with the vaccine administration.

Terry White Chemmart - Health Hub Launceston; Mowbray; Riverside & Windsor
Priceline Pharmacy Launceston Plaza
Hatton and Laws Pharmacy Launceston
Olde Tudor Pharmacy Prospect
Summerhill Pharmacy
Westbury Pharmacy
Youngtown Pharmacy

Our School Association usually meets on the second Monday of each month in the Kinder space. Our next meeting will be on Monday, 11 November at 7:00pm. We would love to see more people at the meetings and invite you to attend.

If you need to get in contact with members of the School Association, please contact the school office on 6395 0100. Thank you.

Heritage Sketch Competition 2024

Launceston City Council are running an arts competition for school aged children (4-17) of all abilities, inviting them to produce an artwork of a heritage place or item based within the Launceston municipality.

The competition will run from Monday 16 September to Friday 1 November, with a number of prizes to be won!

Further information can be found on their website here:

Heritage Sketch! - City of Launceston.

Australian Government Mobile Service Centres travel extensively throughout rural and regional Australia. A Mobile Service Centre will be visiting your area soon.

Staff from Services Australia travel with the Mobile Service Centres and can assist people with Centrelink and Medicare payments and services. Information about Department of Veterans’ Affairs programs and support services for veterans and their families is also available.

Our Mobile Service Centres have disabled access and customer Wi-Fi to assist in creating myGov accounts and accessing online services.

The attached factsheet includes further information about the services available.

We would appreciate it if you could assist us in promoting this visit in your local community. This could be by publishing an article in your local newsletter or on your community noticeboard and by printing the attached poster and placing it in prominent locations around town and on public noticeboards.

The week prior to our visit, we will be posting a message on our Facebook page. When our post goes live, we will send you the link to share with your community members.

More information about the Australian Government Mobile Service Centre is available on our website: servicesaustralia.gov.au/mobileoffice

Lilydale_Poster.pdf

Lilydale_Poster _pdf 138.24 KB

R_071_Mobile_Service_Centre_Factsheet.pdf

R_071_Mobile_Service_Centre_Factsheet _pdf 83.02 KB