Preshil Weekly – Term 2 Week 5

Welcome to another exciting week at Preshil.

We hope you enjoy reading about activities across our Kindergarten, Primary and Secondary campuses.

Help Save the Pines Committee update

On Thursday, we had Ellie and Finn visit from CERES for the second incursion to help our committee build a wildlife garden.

We started the day down in the Pines pulling out the grass and some plumbago roots to help prepare the area for planting next week. We then did some soil testing to discover that the soil PH was excellent and the consistency was loam-like which is also ideal, and great news for planting. Next we learned about some indigenous plants which support biodiversity before we tried our hands at wildlife garden design using everything that we had learned.

Tickets for our 2026 production of Hadestown: Teen Edition go on sale Saturday 30 May!

Here are some of our incredible cast members unveiling the new poster in our Front Office and we think it’s looking pretty amazing.

Be sure to keep an eye out on 30 May when tickets officially go live. Also, watch this space for further information. We can’t wait to welcome you to Hadestown!

VCE Music Performance Evening

Join us for our VCE Music Performance Evening and experience the incredible talent and dedication of our student musicians as they present repertoire from their VCE Music programs.

An exciting variety of performances will be presented, spanning styles from musical theatre to experimental electronic music. We greatly appreciate your support of our students’ hard work - please come along and celebrate live music from our school community!

When: Monday 25 May 6:00pm - 7:30pm

Great Book Swap

The Great Book Swap is happening this Tuesday 26 May in support of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.

We are now calling for book donations to help stock the swap. You can drop off any books still in good condition to the box in Reception at Arlington. Should you wish to make an online contribution, donations can be made below.

Thank you for helping us share the joy of reading while supporting an important cause.

Loft Room's Choosing Project

As part of the Loft Room children’s Choosing Project this term, Gabriella and Florence P have been busily designing and constructing a beautifully detailed three-storey fairy house for our two fairies. Working thoughtfully over many weeks during their weekly Choosing Project sessions, they have created a miniature world complete with carefully crafted furniture and interior design details.

Using primarily paper and cardboard, alongside a selection of miniature furniture pieces and toys, the students demonstrated creativity, patience and imagination throughout the construction process. The project has evolved steadily across the term, with each session bringing new ideas and additions to the fairy house.

Their finished work is a wonderful reflection of collaborative problem-solving, design thinking and playful creativity.

Clean Up Preshil Day

During our Year 7 Humanities Sustainability unit, students identified real problems in their homes, school, and local communities, then got to work solving them. Projects ranged from emailing local councils to making changes at home and creating genuine impact here at Preshil.

One standout initiative came from Sasha, who identified littering around the cage as a problem worth tackling. His drive inspired the whole class to take action, and together we organised a Clean Up Preshil event. Every single Year 7 student showed up and gave it their all and between them, they collected 9 full bags of rubbish. An incredible effort! 

Work in Progress Exhibition

We're pleased to share the poster for our upcoming Art Exhibition held at Lincoln Square by the Years 7 - 12 Visual art students. The exhibition will be held at Lincoln Square on Saturday 30 May as part of the Preshil Housewarming.

Hockey at Arlington

A huge thank you to Freddy from Hockey Victoria for spending time with our students at Arlington this week.

Students are building their hockey skills, but just as importantly, they’re experiencing the energy, teamwork and joy that sport can create when people feel encouraged to have a go.

We’re incredibly grateful for the time, enthusiasm and encouragement being shared with our students throughout the day.

Welcoming Bobby Back to Preshil

Arlington is delighted to share that Bobby Phillips has joined our staff as the newest member of our Learning Assistant team.

Bobby was educated at Preshil from Kindergarten through to year 12, as was his mum Cush who was one of the first students to graduate year 12 at Preshil, and who also returned to teach Creative Dance for many years at Arlington. Bobby has a degree in Film and Television, and has decided that Primary Teaching is his calling. While he studies, we are benefiting from his deeply held knowledge and feel for the Preshil Principles, and what it means to work alongside young people. Welcome back Bobby.

Round 3 Debating 

Congratulations to our Preshil debaters on a fantastic effort against Camberwell Girls Grammar School in a closely contested debate, with the final result decided by a margin of just one point.

Debating on the affirmative side of the topic “That for movies we prefer sequels to remakes”, the team presented thoughtful arguments and strong teamwork throughout the evening. A special congratulations to Ethan, who was awarded Best Speaker on the night — a wonderful recognition of his confidence, preparation and persuasive speaking skills.

Term 2 at the Kindergarten Program

During Term 2, the children have been deeply engaged in exploring the changes in nature and people as the seasons shift.

While this time of year is often referred to as Autumn or Fall, we have been learning that the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation—the First Peoples of the land on which Preshil stands today—know this season as Waring (wombat).

The children have been noticing changes in colour, temperature, mood, and animal behaviours. They are using their senses to explore these transformations and engaging in process art to interpret, develop, and express their understanding and meaning.