We hope you enjoy reading about activities across our Kindergarten, Primary and Secondary campuses.
On Exhibition in the Treehouse Art Studios
The Treehouse Art Studios are currently filled with work from the Lighthouse, Loftroom and Sunroom, showcasing some of the different inquiries, materials and artmaking processes the children have been exploring.
Sunroom
The Sunroom recently shared a selection of their Semester 1 explorations of movement, responding to the inquiry: “How can movement, repetition, pattern and rhythm be translated through different mediums?”
The exhibition features beautiful abstract works created using wind-drawing machines that the children designed and constructed in the front garden. They have also shared drawings capturing movement observed over time, inspired by videos of a ballerina dancing, trees moving in the wind, a Hot Wheels track and a flock of birds flying in unison.
Some children chose to share optical artworks inspired by Bridget Riley, alongside a screening of stop-motion animations they designed and created for the Winter Solstice celebration.
The exhibition also includes recent work exploring one-point perspective. This term, the Sunroom has been investigating different ways artists can create the illusion of depth and form using line. These investigations are preparing them for next term, when they will experiment with creating their own drypoint etchings.
Loftroom — Shared Threads: Who We Are Together
The Lofties have been exploring textiles as a way of communicating ideas, stories and connections. Inspired by Chiharu Shiota, Hiromi Tango and Yarrenyty Arltere Artists, they experimented with wrapping, tying, stitching, stuffing and joining before creating individual soft sculptures representing something personally meaningful.
For the final installation, the sculptures have been brought together with colour-coded threads representing shared ideas and experiences including happiness, love, comfort, family, nature, people, calm, warmth, the city, food and animals. The resulting web of connections explores both what makes us individual and what we share — who we are together.
Lighthouse
The Lighthouse children have been exploring different ways of looking, noticing and responding to their environment. They experimented with photography using handmade viewing “lenses” to alter and frame their perspective, then reinterpreted their captured views through a variety of media.
Through observational drawing, the children slowed down to notice and record details found in nature and around the school. They then extended this exploration into three dimensions, taking clay outside and sculpting directly in the school grounds. Working in situ allowed them to explore how clay could be used to notice, record and respond to the textures, forms and features of a particular place.
The exhibition will be on display in the Treehouse Art Studios for the next week. Please pop in, have a look and enjoy the wonderful range of ideas, experiments and artworks on display.
Slideshow
1 of 11
2 of 11
3 of 11
4 of 11
5 of 11
6 of 11
7 of 11
8 of 11
9 of 11
10 of 11
11 of 11
Building Connection and Community in Year 9
This week for Mentor, our Year 9 students took part in a Community Challenge focused on strengthening friendships, building connections across different social groups and creating a safe and inclusive year-level culture with Alex and Clare.
Students worked in mixed groups of six and rotated through four creative stations. They made origami and beaded gifts for their teammates, created a wonderfully unpredictable collaborative character through drawing, designed a Welcome Kit for a student joining Year 9 and used LEGO to find three unexpected things their group members had in common.
The activities provided a structured and low-pressure way for students to connect with people outside their usual friendship groups. The aim was not to manufacture instant friendships, but to practise the small, everyday actions that help relationships grow: greeting others, showing curiosity, inviting people to contribute, listening to different ideas and offering encouragement.
It was wonderful to see students embrace the challenge with creativity, humour and generosity. New common ground was discovered, gifts were exchanged and students supported one another to participate. Experiences like this help broaden students’ networks of trusted peers and strengthen our shared responsibility for making Year 9 a place where every young person feels known, welcomed and able to belong.
Join Us For Senior Visual Art Exhibition Opening
The exhibition will showcase the finished artworks of our VCE Unit 4 and IB Diploma Year 12 Visual Art students.
The exhibition will remain open until Thursday 17 September and may also be viewed during school hours.
When: Thursday 10 September, 5:00pm–6:30pm with opening speech at 5:30pm Where: Senior Art Room, Blackhall
You're Invited to VCE Music Performance Evening
VCE Music students will showcase the ensemble and solo works they have prepared for their end-of-year performance examinations.
Families are very welcome to begin the evening at the Visual Art Exhibition before moving across to the Library for the Music Performance Evening.
Save the date and sharpen your knowledge - put this date in your diary and more info will be shared closer to the event.
Holiday Workshops at Preshil
Square Academy’s Learning Lab will be hosting a series of engaging holiday workshops at Preshil’s Arlington Campus during the Term 3 school holidays.
Designed to foster curiosity and a love of learning, the workshops offer students the opportunity to explore Maths, Art, Science and Technology in a hands-on and creative environment.
This holiday program includes MART (Maths + Art) on Tuesday 29 September, CAD and 3D Printing on Wednesday 30 September, and Squid Dissection on Thursday 1 October. Workshops are available for students in Grades 3–9, with sessions tailored to different age groups.
Our Thursday Chess Club is back, giving students the opportunity to sharpen their minds while having fun with one of the world's most strategic games.
Led by Chess Australia Pty Ltd under the guidance of International Master and FIDE-accredited coach Leonid Sandler, students will build valuable skills including critical thinking, problem-solving, concentration and strategic planning. Whether they're learning the basics or refining advanced tactics, Chess Club is a fantastic way for students to challenge themselves, grow in confidence and enjoy the excitement of the game.
