School Newsletter 8 December 2023

Over the past two weeks it has been my privilege to present certificates and awards to students from all phases of learning in recognition of their hard work and dedication. End of Term Honours’ Assemblies provide students with an opportunity to reflect on the year gone by and to consider the road ahead. In my various speeches at these events, I have asked students to consider the true meaning of Christmas and to have not only a sense of gratitude for the year that has been but also a sense of hope for the year to come. I congratulate all award winners for their excellent performances across 2023 and I sincerely thank all students for their contributions to Peter Moyes Anglican Community School; you truly make our school such a special place to teach and to learn.

Remembrance Day
On Friday 10 November students from Year 1 to 12 attended a 30-minute Remembrance Day Service on the North Oval. It is not often that we meet as an entire School Community, and I was impressed, as always, with the level of respect shown by all students during the moving service. For the first time, the service included a performance from our Dance Troupes which was very well received.

Art Exhibition and Twilight Markets
The annual Art Exhibition and Twilight Markets were held on Friday 10 November. The event continues to grow annually with a record number of market stalls this year. We were blessed with favourable weather conditions on the night, although a little chilly, and the general consensus is that numbers were up on previous years. This year we trialled two new initiatives; a licenced area and a formal outdoor stage for bands, both set up in the Café Lawn precinct. These two additions certainly created a vibrancy on the Café Lawn, and we will look to expand on these initiatives in 2024. Of course the highlight of this event is the various performances by students, with Art, Dance, Music, and Drama all on show. Each year the quality of student work and performance seems to get better and better, and we eagerly await the 2024 iteration.

Primary Nativity
The Primary Nativity signals that Christmas is fast approaching and on Tuesday 28 November we were treated to an array of performances from our enthusiastic Lower Primary students. Despite a close call with some wet weather, it was wonderful to see so many people enjoying the event with family and friends while being entertained by our students. The highlight of the evening is seeing the pure joy of our younger students as they heartily sing various Christmas songs. I extend my sincere thanks to all staff for coordinating the event and to all parents who ensured their children looked resplendent in Christmas attire. Be sure to have a look at our Facebook page where we have uploaded photos of this truly special event.

Colour Run
On Thursday 30 November the Primary School Oval was transformed into an obstacle course of colour, water, and slime! The Colour Run is a significant fundraising event with students and parents raising over $17,000 for the School. It was wonderful to see students, staff and parents participating in this event and hopefully not too much mess was transferred to parent cars! Mr Wood will be in touch shortly to share details of where the funds will be allocated once all key stakeholders have been consulted.

Festive Season
As this is the final edition of the School Newsletter for the year, I would like to extend my thanks to Belinda Lockyer and Lauren Knapp for their significant work in preparing and editing the School Newsletter in 2023. Both have done a wonderful job in capturing and collating the multitude of activities that occur across our School and the broader community. Belinda and Lauren have been ably supported by Corrina Agostini and more recently Annemarie Creegan, with this team responsible for the majority of media content on the School’s Website and Social Media pages.

Before I conclude, I would like to thank those members of our community who will not be with us in 2024. To both staff and students moving on at the end of this year, thank you for your contributions to our school. No matter how long you have been with us, you will always be a part of the PMACS family, and we wish you well for your future endeavours.

To all members of our community, I wish you a joyful and restful Christmas holiday when it arrives. Stay safe during the break, enjoy some quality time with loved ones, and I eagerly anticipate seeing everyone back on campus, refreshed and rejuvenated for what promises to be another great year at Peter Moyes Anglican Community School.

Every Blessing.

Benjamin Lomas
PRINCIPAL

As Associate Principal of the Primary School and WAs Independent School sector representative of the National Advisory Council, I have a unique lens through which I view education. I’m proud to lead a Primary School with clear philosophies of learning and care and a robust identity. We are a school that can ask questions, be innovative and reflective and challenge the status quo.

As we reach the culmination of yet another enriching school year, I extend my deepest thanks to the incredible Peter Moyes Primary Community for the steadfast support bestowed upon us throughout 2023.

Reflecting on the span of the year, I am moved and privileged to witness our school community's continual growth and flourishing. I find genuine inspiration in the resilience and accomplishments of our youngest students. Their journey toward acquiring essential life skills fills me with hope for the future.

Each day, the tapestry of early childhood and primary school experience unfolds with a rich array of challenges, building resilience, forming friendships, and personal growth. This is a mighty undertaking for all our staff and students, and I am grateful to witness the joy and spirit permeating our school.

While my commitment to Peter Moyes remains steadfast, I am particularly excited for next year in embracing a new era of leadership that will provide the Primary School the continued support for innovation and growth for years to come. The future holds promise, and together, we will continue to shape our learning environments that empower students to navigate the complexities and thrive in an ever-changing world.

This year has provided wonderful experiences for our children. We celebrated most recently for this term, many special occasions, including the Year 12 Guard of Honour. Camps and outdoor experiences have played a great part in expanding children’s perspectives and bringing about positive change in attitudes, skills, and social behaviour such as this term with the Year 3 Sleepover, the Year 5 Camp at Boshack, then we changed things up and had the Year 5 and 6 Beach Safety Lessons down at the beach, the Art Exhibition, the Primary Performing Arts Festival, NIPSSA Cricket and Basketball, Year 6 Charity Stalls Day, and the Primary School Colour Run all contributed to what has been a busy term already. We have had in the last couple of weeks the Lower Primary School Nativity Service, the Primary Choir went to sing at the Aegis Anchorage Aged Care Home, the Year 6 Graduation and the finale on the last day with the Primary School Presentation Assembly.

Our specialist areas have likewise promoted a love of the Arts, culture and sport through many activities and events throughout the year. Across the year, all our teachers have enthusiastically dedicated their time and passion to the whole learning experience, ensuring the children learn in the best possible way.

This week we have sadly said our goodbyes to our Year 6 student. As they forge ahead on their pathway to Secondary School, I extend my heartfelt best wishes. This has been a wonderful year filled with unforgettable experiences, and I wish each of them every success for the exciting future that awaits.

We also said goodbye to several staff leaving us. The Head of Department - Lower Primary School, Mrs Amanda Robinson, will be moving to an East Coast sea change with a difference working as Deputy of Primary School at St Luke’s Anglican with a good colleague of mine. Amanda has been a tireless and passionate operator in our school and will leave hard shoes to fill; she will be sorely missed. Also leaving us is Mr Lucian Watkins who stepped in for Ms Loewdin-Juno’s Long Service Leave position in Music. The students have adored his guitar playing and singing and have had a great semester with him. Also leaving us for a secondment role in 2024, is Mr Scott Horrigan who will be working in the Department of Education as a Primary Science Teacher. This is an area of passion for him. Finally, Mrs Madeline Obiles will be working at a school closer to her home but we have enjoyed her work as part of the Learning Diversity Team this year.

As we bid farewell to this school year, I wish each and every member of the Primary School Community a joyous festive season and a summer filled with the genuine warmth of shared moments, relaxation, and the comforting company of those who matter most.

Best Wishes

Roderick Wood
Associate Principal - Primary School

Last Thursday our Primary School oval transformed into an obstacle course filled with colour, water and slime!

The Colour Explosion Run 4 Fun was a huge success, raising more than $17,000.

Students, staff and parents had a ball running around the course and getting covered in colour. A huge thank you to our parent helpers, the P&F and to our amazing Grounds staff for setting up the course.

On Tuesday 28 November we hosted the annual Lower Primary Nativity Concert & Carols on the Primary School oval.

Year 2 students performed a beautiful retelling of the Nativity story and the entire Lower Primary sang carols with enthusiasm and spirit. Sadly we didn't quite make it to the end of the concert before the rain arrived, but it was a wonderful evening nonetheless, celebrating the true meaning of Christmas and enjoying time with family and friends.

Thank you to the P&F for the sausage sizzle and coffee van, and to the Lower Primary staff for all of your hard work organising and rehearsing for the event.

Merry Christmas!

Academic All Stars is a Primary interschool competition for students in Years 4 - 6 where teams from various schools compete in an array of different and complex team challenges. The teams work on engineering, dramatic performance, geographical knowledge, puzzles, logic problems, as well as high level literacy and numeracy tasks.

Huge congratulations goes to the below students from Peter Moyes ACS who participated in this all day event held at St James ACS earlier this term. They won the overall trophy for aggregate scores as well as first place team overall!

Team 1
Suhaan Arora Year 4
Neve Arthy Year 5
Clarrie White Year 6

Team 2
Indianna Denaro Year 4
James Banks Year 5
Lola Vines Year 6

Team 3
Kenzie Pedley Year 4
Charley Willers Year 5
Thomas Fallan Year 6

The Peter Moyes Primary School students competed in the NIPSSA Cricket Carnival at Seacrest Reserve, Sorrento on Friday 17 November. This was a participation carnival that aimed to expose students to the game of cricket in using the modified 'Cricket Blast' rules format. For many of the students this was their first experience of competitive cricket and they thoroughly enjoyed the experience. All the teams that took part performed brilliantly and showed great team spirit and sportsmanship.

Matt Senior
PRIMARY SPORT CO-ORDINATOR

It gives me great pleasure in my last newsletter for the year to highlight the benefits of the expert teachers on the staff at Peter Moyes ACS.

We have many teachers whose depth of content knowledge and teaching experience enhance our students learning outcomes. Expert teachers provide a deep understanding of their subject matter and the ability to convey complex concepts in a clear and engaging manner. As has been a constant at our School over the years, they continue to learn and grow professionally throughout their careers. Whether it is through their attendance at curriculum workshops, conferences or training sessions to stay current with the latest educational trends and research, ultimately the benefits flow on to our students.

One of the ways that our teachers continue to develop their skills is through marking and moderating at a state level. The benefits of this form of professional learning are many.

Firstly, it allows teachers gain a better understanding of the standard of the courses. They pass on their moderation skills to their peers at PMACS. This further allows Departments to adapt and enhance our teaching and learning programmes.

Secondly, professional conversations builds common understandings of the curricula. Inter-departmental discussions develops all teachers’ capacity to strengthen their skills in learning areas. This includes refinement in the use of assessment criteria, rubrics and judgement of standards in the interpretation of School Curriculum and Standards documentation.

In addition, benefits are translated into feedback to our students which assists our students to focus their learning in order to fill the gaps in content understanding. By participating in professional learning with others, provides students with clear expectations and direct awareness of how to improve their written responses.

Also, seeing ‘the bigger picture’ gives our teachers the confidence to teach the content in different ways to accommodate the diverse learning needs of students.

Finally, the School encourages all its staff to undertake this sophisticated professional learning. Research has shown that students taught by expert teachers tend to achieve higher academic outcomes.

As our expert teachers demonstrate every year, their ability of consolidated professional expertise is a win-win for everyone.

Congratulations to Nicol Davis

On a related note, the School was thrilled to be informed that Ms Nicol Davis, Acting Head of Humanities and Social Sciences was recently presented an award by the Political and Legal Educators Association of Western Australia (PLEAWA).

At its 2023 Annual General Meeting Ms Davis was honoured as an Honorary Life Member in recognition of her ongoing commitment and service to the association, its members and students.

In its statement, PLEAWA noted that Ms Davis had joined the PLEAWA Committee in 2015 and served as the Secretary from 2016-2019. She was a contributing writer for the Years 11 and 12 textbooks and subsequent revisions. Between 2021-22, Ms Davis also served as the textbook distributor, ensuring orders from students and distributors were fulfilled.

In addition, Ms Davis has been involved in the running of Revision Seminars since 2015 and both promoted and coordinated the Good Answer Guide for Year 12 Politics and Law students.

Other contributions include her term served as Treasurer, overseeing the revenue and expenses of a growing professional association and examination writing.

The Committee commended Ms Davis as being an exemplary supporter and provider of outstanding service to the organisation.

Peter Moyes ACS is extremely proud of her achievements. She is an outstanding practitioner and one whose expertise has benefited our students over many years.

Congratulations Ms Davis!

Mrs Natalie Shaw
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL TEACHING AND LEARNING

On the 22 of November the whole of the year 7 cohort competed in the Spirit of Christmas Challenge. In the weeks leading up to the final day, we all had to work together in our houses creating decorations for a different type of theme, such as Winter Wonderland, The Grinch and Aussie Christmas. This fun activity required us students to work together trying to decorate the classroom as best as we could because the winning class would receive a total of 150 house points. We also had to provide entertainment for the judges. Some Houses sang carols to them, and others created games for them to play. One house even provided Christmas food! This activity was fun, and we got very competitive using our creativity while working together. There were snowmen, and Grinch games, and strings and strings and strings of paperchains everywhere. We even had some funny emus in Christmas hats. This Christmas will be the best!

Written by Lewis Wagstaff

In Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) the Year 7 students have been learning all about Ancient Rome in History this term. As the term draws to a close, 7.5 decided to have some fun and cook using foods that would have been around in Roman times (or a version of)! We made pancakes, serving them with honey, and they were delicious! We opted to avoid fish sauce or ‘garum’, which was a nutritious sauce consumed by both the poor for their porridge and the rich in almost every recipe, and soldiers also drank it in solution!

We had learned that the way Romans ate food and the foods they ate weren’t that different to us today!

They ate three meals a day, with their biggest meal being in the evening.
Romans could go to inns (cauponae) and taverns (popinae) to buy prepared meals while most well-to-do people still cooked their food at home.
Bread-making was done by bringing one’s own dough to bakeries to use their oven.
Grain was controlled by the state and was a primary food in the monthly food distribution or frumentatio for poorer citizens.
Cereals, vegetables, olive oil, and wine were the four staple foods in ancient Rome.
Dried peas and porridge were the main foods for the poor while meat and fish were staples for the rich

One thing that was very different was that wine or vinum was the Roman way to connect to their god and a practical method to purify their water. Wine diluted with water was preferred by the Romans and was served with every meal.

Our Year 11 Indonesian Accelerated class (3 students) sat their WACE Indonesian ATAR written exam on Monday 6th of November.

On Wednesday 8th of November, we farewelled and congratulated them for completing their course. This was done Indonesian style, with a lunch feast of ‘Nasi Tumpeng’ (cone-shaped rice symbolizing a holy mountain) that is traditionally served as a thanksgiving or blessing (Slametan) and is a symbol of gratitude. As per the gratitude ceremony, the top of the ‘tumpeng’ was cut by all the students, after which everyone enjoyed the tasty lunch together.

It was wonderful to acknowledge the achievement of these students as they finish with their Indonesian studies in High School. We wish them every success as they write their next exciting act after their amazing journey learning Indonesian at Peter Moyes.

Ibu Swailes
HEAD OF LANGUAGES


On Wednesday the 8th of November we celebrated the end of our two-year journey as ATAR Accelerated Indonesian students. We enjoyed a delicious spread of traditional Indonesian food including cutting through a mountain of rice called “Nasi Tumpeng” - a tradition which symbolises us overcoming our challenges. Alongside this, we also enjoyed melktert, a South-African dessert, to pay tribute to our own roots (coincidently, all three of us have South African background) and to symbolise the connection of different cultures within Australia.

This has been an amazing experience and one we will never forget. Even though we were thousands of kilometres away from Indonesia, this course allowed us to immerse ourselves into the culture. We learnt about a variety of topics including film and entertainment, traditional values, social issues and our personal favourite, the relationship between Indonesia and Australia. The skills we learnt will be beneficial throughout our future and we are so grateful we had the opportunity to be apart of this course.

Terima kasih banyak kepada guru-guru kami yang luar biasa, Ibu Swailes dan Ibu Hara.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for everything you’ve done and all you’ve taught us. Having you teach us made the class very special and we’re appreciative of all the support we have received over the years.

So, for one final time, Terima kasih!

Anke Basson, Tatum Ayers, Warrick Pedley
2023 Accelerated Indonesian Class

As a part of the Year 7 House Activities, students got the chance to collaborate on a large-scale artwork that drew inspiration from Monet's Waterlilies series. The
Lunchtime Art Club and Art Masters Co-Curricular students also contributed to the drafting and completion of this piece. A special mention to Year 8 students Elise Bagnall, Keira Plumb and Sophie Kremer from Art Masters you stayed after school to help complete the mural in time for the Art Exhibition Awards night.

The artwork was included in a glow-in-the-dark installation at this year's Art Exhibition. For the first time, the Senior Dance Troupe members were asked to choreograph a performance piece inspired by Monet's Waterlilies using the artwork as a backdrop to open the Exhibition which students Isabelle Curtis, Abbie Foster, Eleanor Barrett, Jess Bathurst and Emily Brandish performed beautifully and recreated at the recent Term 4 Honours Assembly.

Museums provide people of all ages and backgrounds the opportunity to learn and explore different cultures. These spaces offer a unique view into worlds that are either long gone or can’t exist with future generations, and they allow visitors the chance to experience things they would otherwise only see on paper or on a screen.

Museum artefacts can help history come to life as visitors glimpse clothing, tools, furniture, and replicas of home life for people who lived many generations ago. Seeing those things in person allows us to connect with the future in a way that’s difficult to do within the pages of a book.

Many people refer to the medieval period as the ‘Dark Ages.’ It has been called the ‘Dark Ages’ because the period saw relatively few scientific and cultural advancements. However, historians continue to debate whether the Middle Ages were indeed ‘dark’ or not. During Hass classes this term, Year Eight students were given the task to design a museum artefact that supports either side of this argument. They were required to argue whether their chosen medieval object was a catalyst for change, revolutionising the future, or that it represented a backward step in time.

As you can see from the photographs, the students did an amazing job of creating artefacts that captured the museums visitors’ imaginations. The learning experience provided a truly interactive encounter with artifacts that capture interesting, sometimes barbaric, even gruesome times.

Alexandra Dodd & Danielle Palmer-Smith

Earlier this term Year 7s received merit certificates for their performance across all subject areas. The certificates were given out by Mrs Natalie Shaw at a Year 7 Assembly. Some students received multiple certificates showing their ability and efforts in a range of learning areas. All students are congratulated on a record number of certificates earned.

The PMACS P&F Tuition Fees Raffle has now closed. Thank you to the community for your support of this fundraiser.

Congratulations to the following lucky winners, who were contacted earlier this week with the good news:

1st Prize Winner: Ticket Number 12

2nd Prize Winner: Ticket Number 243

3rd Prize Winner: Ticket Number 194

4th Prize Winner: Ticket Number 118

5th Prize Winner: Ticket Number 583

If your child(ren) currently have group or individual Instrumental Lessons at PMACS there is no need to re-enrol for 2024. Those that would like to discontinue must give notice by the end of this term to avoid penalty.

Has your child expressed an interest in learning an instrument? NOW is the time to enquire or complete the application form so Instrumental Tutors can organise their timetable for next Term.

To learn more about our dynamic Music Department and the Tutors, access is available on your Parent Portal (scroll two down from Student Medical Update) or click this link: Learning-an-Instrument-at-Peter-Moyes. 

The Music application form is also available via the link and can be emailed to music@pmacs.wa.edu.au once completed.

Thursday 9th November the Whole School marked our Term 4 Mental Health & Wellbeing Awareness Day ‘Odd Socks Day’.

-Odd Socks Day is a day that we stop and recognise that anyone can have an odd day. Sometimes that ‘odd day’ is a funny day but sometimes it is a day where we don’t feel so good.

-We need to help each other through these odd days, share in the funny times and look after each other on the bad days.

-One in five Australians aged 16-85 experiences mental ill-health in any year (Australian Bureau of Statistics).

-The organisers of Odd Socks Day want us to be able to openly discuss mental health issues, just as you would with a physical injury or any other health issue.

-When you wear odd socks, you are helping raise awareness of mental health issues and helping to stamp out the stigma around mental health.

On the day, Secondary School ran a mini mental health expo. External agencies and community organisations attended the school to run stalls and activities for students so they could learn more about what the services offer and discover ways to look after their mental health.

Tanner Dance Academy held their concert on the 26 November and Macey won the Tanner Dance Academy Senior Dance Scholarship for 2023.

Macey does a variety of dance styles – jazz, tap, hip hop, lyrical, ballet and troupes… plus she teaches junior hip hop!

Congratulations Macey!

Jonah Hilditch, a Year 7 student, is congratulated for his early completion of the Maths Pathway Programme. Maths Pathway allows students to work on a differentiated curriculum above their current Year level.

Jonah has set a record for being the youngest student at Peter Moyes to complete all curriculum, including Advanced Year 10 content. Jonah is now working hard in preparation for his Year 10 Exam. Congratulations, Jonah!

Jonah is pictured below with Maths Pathway Consultant Simone Allen

This is a three-day holiday program that provides students who have an interest in STEM with an opportunity to engage in a variety of Science and Math activities. 

ECU welcomes students aged 14-16 (high school Years 9 and 10; other grades by request) from across Western Australia, to participate in fascinating science-based activities and workshops facilitated by a welcoming team of ECU scientists and current students.

When: 17-19 January 2024, 9am - 4pm daily

Where: 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup WA 6027

Register: https://www.trybooking.com/CMTPF

As part of its 40th year celebrations, the Lions Eye Institute is running the Eye to Eye Photographic Competition in Western Australia.

Entries are open 6 December 2023 to 16 January 2024. There are four categories focused on eyes and eye health.

Entries are open to Western Australian residents and there is an Under 18 category called Seeing Through a Child’s Eye, with a $500 cash prize to be won.

If you are looking for a creative opportunity over the school holidays - take your best Western Australian photo of human eyes, animal eyes or show us the world through your eyes.

Competition details and entry information can be found at https://eyetoeye.lei.org.au