Preshil Weekly – Term 1 Week 3

Hello Preshil community,

Welcome to another edition of the Weekly!

Our message to students this year has been simple and heartfelt: we are committed to making this their “best year yet.” Complementing this is our clearly articulated commitment to courageous growth for every child in our care.

We recognise that growth is holistic and deeply individual. It looks different for every learner, yet it is always intentional and sustained.

Each educator, every day, considers how the students in their care are progressing, not only academically, but in confidence, collaboration, participation, innovation and creativity. As a progressive educational environment, we understand that growth is not confined to standardised academic measures. Rather, it is intertwined with the development of character, agency and wellbeing.

With the year still early, we are noticing a learning community that is humming. There is a strong sense of flow in the day-to-day experience of both students and educators. The energy across the School is purposeful and positive. We now look forward to the continued progression of our strategic initiatives, across capital works, program development and partnerships, all in service of this central truth: that the lived experience of each child and our shared community, each day, remains our highest priority.

This afternoon’s Welcome Picnic is an important moment for us to come together as a community. At the time of writing, the event is yet to unfold, but its significance is clear. As a progressive school, relationships and community sit at the centre of who we are. We value opportunities like this not as transactions, but as genuine, authentic moments of connection.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to launching the year so positively. It has been an impressive start to our “best year yet” in 2026.

Lincoln Square – Senior Studio

This week we commenced site and design consultation workshops with our students, undertaking a series of visits to Lincoln Square across various cohorts. These visits will continue over the coming weeks and are central to our commitment to valuing students’ reactions, ideas and needs as we carefully plan and develop the future Senior Studio site.

We recognise that this location is of great interest to families, and we are pleased to offer parent walk-through opportunities over the coming weeks. Below are the details for a series of informal site visits for those who would like to view the space:

• Friday 27 February, 12:00–1:00pm
• Friday 6 March, 12:00–1:00pm
• Saturday 7 March, 1:00–2:00pm
  

No bookings are required. Please arrive promptly at 23–31 Lincoln Square South and meet at the main entrance at the commencement time of the tour.

We look forward to sharing this important next stage of Preshil’s growth with you.

Arlington Masterplanning

Following a competitive EOI process involving a number of highly regarded architectural firms, we are delighted to announce that Baracco Wright Architects has been selected to lead the Arlington Masterplanning works.

This is a critical step as we explore the interconnection of spaces across the Arlington site, and consider how our school operations and programs will interact between the Arlington and Lincoln Square campuses. Our aim is to open up rich learning opportunities while ensuring operational excellence across both sites.

A number of Arlington children were involved in transition workshops this week with human design firm Portable, sharing thoughtful insights about how we can best support them through this period of change. This consultative approach will continue with staff and families over the coming weeks as we move carefully and collaboratively into this next phase.

Warmly,

Aaron Mackinnon
Principal

Grow Your Mind at Arlington
This fortnight, our Grow Your Mind focus is the character strength Flexibility. Flexibility means being open to change and understanding that things don’t always go the way we expect. When children are growing flexibility, they learn to adjust their thinking, try alternative approaches, and manage disappointment when plans change.

Across the campus, we continue to “Grab Five” minutes of wellbeing each day — small, consistent moments that support children to build a shared language around emotions, resilience, and relationships through mindfulness, reflection, positive self-talk, and gratitude practices.

By revisiting these ideas regularly, we aim to support children to better understand their emotions, respond positively to change, and develop lifelong wellbeing skills

Books Ahoy
Welcome to the new edition of Books Ahoy!

Classroom Cuisine. Fresh, simple lunches – ready to order
At Preshil, we’re pleased to offer families access to Classroom Cuisine, an online lunch ordering service designed specifically for schools that provides fresh, seasonal lunches. The menu includes options such as sandwiches and wraps, salads and warm meals and fresh fruit and snacks.

There are choices to suit different dietary needs, and all meals are delivered directly to school on your child’s nominated day.

How to get started:

Visit classroomcuisine.com.au

Create an account and add your child’s details

Select Preshil as your school

Choose your items and place your order before the weekly cut-off

Lunch is delivered to school, ready for your child

You can order casually or plan ahead – whatever works best for your family rhythm.

Offering a flexible lunch option is one way we can support families, especially on busy mornings. It’s there when you need it whether that’s once a term or once a week.

If you have questions about the service, you can explore the menu and FAQs here.