From the Head of Teaching and Learning Primary

Arise and Shine: Inspiring Excellence in Learning and Faith

Our 2025 school theme is taken from Isaiah 60:1, which reminds us: ‘Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you’. This verse is not just a call to action but an invitation for our students, teachers, and community to embrace the opportunities for growth, learning, and faith that lie ahead.

At our school, we believe that every child has been created in the image of God, uniquely gifted with talents and abilities that can shine brightly in the world. Our mission as educators is to nurture these gifts, helping our students rise to their full potential academically, spiritually, and socially.

Renowned educational expert Robert Marzano highlights the importance of high expectations and a supportive learning environment in fostering student success. He states, ‘Effective teachers establish and communicate high expectations for all students and provide the necessary support to help them meet those expectations’. This aligns with our commitment to setting high academic standards while ensuring that each child receives the encouragement and guidance they need to flourish.

Arise in Learning

As a school dedicated to excellence, we recognise that education is more than just acquiring knowledge; it is about developing critical thinkers, problem-solvers, and lifelong learners. Marzano’s research emphasises the importance of engaging students through active learning strategies, clear goals, and meaningful feedback. Our teaching and learning programs are designed to challenge and inspire students, encouraging them to approach their studies with curiosity and determination.

An essential approach in achieving this is the concept of the Warm Demander - an educator who maintains high expectations while fostering a caring and supportive environment. Warm demanders build strong relationships with students, providing both challenge and encouragement to help them thrive. This balance of high expectations and emotional support is key to ensuring that every student can rise to their potential. 

At Emmanuel, our teachers develop strong relationships with students that result in environments that challenge and inspire students to fulfil their potential in every aspect of their lives. 

Shine in Faith

Our Christian faith is at the heart of everything we do. Jesus reminds us in Matthew 5:16, ‘Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven’. Through daily devotions, prayer, and a Christ-centred curriculum, we aim to cultivate strong moral character and a deep sense of purpose in our students. By integrating faith with learning, we empower children to shine as lights in their communities, demonstrating kindness, integrity, and compassion.

Together, We Rise

Our journey of teaching and learning is a partnership between educators, parents, and students. When we work together, guided by faith and best educational practices, we create an environment where every child can truly ‘arise and shine’. Let us embrace this calling with enthusiasm, knowing that God’s grace and wisdom will lead us every step of the way.

May this year continue to bring great achievements, deep faith, and abundant joy for all in our school community.

Amanda Robertson – Head of Primary Teaching and Learning

Volunteers Needed -
Soccer and Breakfast Club

Breakfast Club

We are looking for someone who would be willing to volunteer their time on Monday, or Wednesday mornings between 8.00am and 9.30am during term time, to supervise the running of our Breakfast Club! All school volunteers are required to hold a Working With Vulnerable People card, as well as complete Child Safe training, provided by the School.

Soccer

We are looking for someone who would be willing to volunteer their time on Thursday afternoons between 2.00pm and 3.00pm during term time, to coach our soccer team! All school volunteers would be require to hold an Working With Vulnerable People card, as well as complete Child Safe training, provided by the School.

If this sounds like you, please contact the school admin office.

JUNE

24 | Interschool Chess Tournament at Southern Christian College, 8.45am - 2.30pm
24 | Little Learners, 9.15am - 11.15am
24 | Year 1 to Botanical Gardens, 9.15am - 2.30pm
25 | Year 4/5 Bruny Island, 9.00am - 3.00pm
26 | Uniform Shop Open, 2.30pm - 3.30pm
26 | Discover Emmanuel, 5.00pm - 7.30pm
27 | Bell Shakespeare Visit, 1.45pm - 3.00pm
30 | Primary Assembly - Prep and Kindergarten Presenting, 2.00pm

JULY

1 | Little Learners, 9.15am - 11.15am
2 | Year 3 to TMAG, 9.30am
2 | Northern Christian School 5/6 Students to visit Emmanuel
3 | Uniform Shop Open, 2.30pm - 3.30pm
4 | Whole School Assembly, 11.30am
4 | Whole School Colour Run
4 | Term 2 Concludes

All details of re-scheduled events will appear on the Emmanuel Calendar.

Immersive Mandarin Learning Through Craft and Kinesthetic Activities

Our Secondary LOTE classes have been buzzing with creativity and energy as students explored the language through hands-on activities and immersive learning experiences.

As part of Chinese cultural studies, our students joyfully engaged in an art and language activity to mark the Year of the Snake. They managed to create artworks associated with the year whilst practicing Chinese characters. This hands on experience not only enhanced their artistic expression and language skills but also deepened their appreciation for the beauty and diversity of world cultures.

Kinesthetic learning took centre stage as students engaged in cup dancing to rhythmic Mandarin songs, enhancing their listening and coordination skills. When learning body parts in Mandarin, the lively ‘Grab the Water’ game had students laughing and shouting words like tóu (head), yǎn jing (eyes), and jiǎo (foot) as they raced to follow instructions. For colours, the ‘Left or Right’ challenge kept everyone on their toes, combining movement with vocabulary practice.

We are thrilled to see students actively participating and immersing themselves in the language through these varied approaches. By blending crafts, games, and movement, we are making Mandarin learning not only practical but also fun and memorable, and we will continue to inspire a love for language and culture learning in our students!

Lu Miao – LOTE Teacher

Shaking Things Up: Learning About Plate Tectonics!

This term in Science, our students have been diving into the fascinating world beneath our feet — learning all about plate tectonics and how the movement of the Earth’s crust shapes the planet we live on.

Our focus has been on the three major types of plate boundary movements:

• Convergent boundaries, where tectonic plates crash into each other — often forming mountains or triggering powerful earthquakes and tsunamis.

• Divergent boundaries, where plates pull apart — allowing magma to rise and form new crust, like at mid-ocean ridges.

• Transform boundaries, where plates slide past each other — a type of movement that can cause major earthquakes.

To help students visualise and understand these movements in a hands-on way, we used Mars Bars as a fun and delicious model! With their layers of chocolate, caramel, and nougat, Mars Bars became the perfect tool to demonstrate how the Earth's plates interact. You'll see some great photos included in this newsletter — showing how we ‘cracked’, ‘shifted’, and ‘pushed’ the bars to replicate the three types of boundary movements.

This hands-on activity helped students grasp the real-world consequences of these movements — including how tsunamis can be triggered by sudden shifts in the sea floor during a convergent boundary earthquake.

It has been a fantastic unit that has combined scientific understanding with creativity and curiosity. We have seen some great thinking, lots of questions, and plenty of sticky fingers!

Ed Moroni – Year 5/6 Teacher

Facebook Recap

Employment Opportunities

WEEKLY FOCUS

Sharing your Growth by Helping Others

PRAYER POINTS

Discover Emmanuel 2025
Weekly Excursions
Years 4/5 and 5/6 Staff, Students and Families