In Focus No 10 - 2019 - June

A sense of identity and belonging is important to us as individuals and it is also important for communities large and small. The question of who we are is often asked. As a School, we have a strong sense of who we are and where we are going. This comes from the way we live out our mission statement and strategic direction. It is important for a young school like ours to know our origins and to fulfil the dream of our Founders. This is why we celebrate Founders’ Day each year. We are in a unique position as a School because our namesake, Peter Carnley, is a living legend and still plays an active role in our School. This year we honoured him at the Service and we created a day to celebrate his legacy as a significant leader in the Anglican Church as well as in the community.  

‘A Day with Dr Carnley’ was held on June 11 to provide an opportunity for our students to get to know our School Patron. Dr Carnley and his wife Ann spent time at both Calista and Wellard. The morning started with Chapel at Calista, classroom visits and morning tea with staff, before heading to Wellard where Dr Carnley was interviewed by the Year 3 students for their biography writing, after which he visited Year 4 and 6 classes, shared lunch with the staff, finishing with a Q&A session with Senior School students. We are very blessed to have our Patron come and spend time with us and it was wonderful to see the delight and joy on both the faces of our students and Dr Carnley as they shared the day.  The gallery of the visit can be viewed HERE.

Our PCACS community gathered on Friday 14 June to celebrate Founders’ Day. It was fitting to pay tribute to our Patron, Dr Peter Carnley AC and his extraordinary legacy in the Church and wider community through his service and faith. Mrs Ann Carnley delivered a thought provoking Homily on the parable of the sower. The Venerable Canon Kathy Barrett-Lennard, Acting Dean of St George’s Cathedral also joined us for our Service of Celebration where we issued 9 scholarships for 2020. I wish to commend everyone who applied. The field of applicants was strong, making our decision a difficult one. Congratulations to our recipients for 2020.

The Archbishop Dr Peter Carnley Scholarship for Academic Excellence
Tashinga Chipfunhu
Izacc Dahdal
Chudy Isidienu
Vicky Jiang
Snow Li

The Bishop Murray Scholarships for Leadership/Citizenship
Audrey Sullivan
Cassie De Courcy-Barnett

The All-rounder Scholarship
Aliyah Ghonem

The Grace and Truth Scholarship
Dakota Williams 

There was a great turn out for the Year 9-10 2020 Parent Information evening last week even though the night was cold and wet. Ms Stringer, Mr Halliday, Ms Hicks, Mr Dods, Mr Parnell and myself covered a range of topics including partnership between home and school, wellbeing, Compass, subject sections, future careers and access to SEQTA.

Mr Reece Whitby MLA hosted a group of our students at Parliament House on Tuesday 18 June. Audrey Sullivan, Hunter Lansdell, Jake Crellin, Ruby Woodroffe, Chudy Isidienu and Lauren Annick accompanied Mr Parnell and myself for a tour and lunch followed by a feisty session of question time in the Legislative Assembly. These students are outstanding role models within our School Community, and they gave Mr Whitby an interesting insight into their future aspirations. We thank him for his ongoing support of our School.  We also met the Premier, Mr Mark McGowan, and Deputy Premier Mr Roger Cook.

This week our Year 11 students have been enjoying their camp. They spent time in the city, at universities and then headed to Swan Valley Adventure Centre for a series of adventure style challenges.  I was lucky to join them yesterday as they completed the leap of faith, high ropes course, kayaking and rock climbing. I thank the Year 11s for their spirit of adventure and team work, and the staff led by Ms Jude Russell for a highly successful camp.

On staffing matters, we farewell Mr Sean Holland and Mr Charles Pinkham at the end of term. Mr Holland has been covering Mrs Rhiannon Chapman whilst she has been on parental leave. Mr Pinkham has accepted a position at another School. We wish them the best of luck.

God bless.

Ms Felicity House
PRINCIPAL

Head of Senior School…..link up

Founders’ Day Celebrations

We were truly blessed to have had Dr Peter Carnley and Mrs Ann Carnley as guests at the Founders’ Day celebrations last Friday.  Students and staff got a more in depth firsthand knowledge of Dr Carnley and why his name was chosen for our School.   For those students who were privileged to have an informal group session with Dr Carnley, they will be able to tell his story to others in more detail.  We know that Dr Carnley is a man of truth and honour dedicated to education and who is a committed disciple of Christ.

Thank you to all staff who contributed in so many ways to make this event a worthy occasion to honour Dr Carnley and to carry on his story as time passes.  It is important that we all follow his values to be Christians who walk tall as people of God.

End of Semester 1

Examinations are now over for all Senior School students and the Semester 1 reporting process is underway.  Well done to all students who completed their examinations in such a positive and responsible manner.  It is important to also thank all of the teachers for their efforts not only preparing students but for also preparing high quality examinations.  The Semester 1 reports for all Senior School students will be available on SEQTA at the end of this term.

Discovery, Learning and Adventure Tour Sydney and Canberra

Our flights are booked, itinerary finalised and our packing list prepared for our Sydney and Canberra Tour.  We have 35 very excited Years 6, 7 and 8 students and seven staff looking forward to a jam-packed week of discovery, learning and adventure.  We are also keen to get to know one another and have a lot of fun during this time.

Our weekly meetings have been filled with research information and a room full of keen students who really appreciate this unique opportunity that both the School and their parents / carers have given to them.  We can expect some great presentations at both Junior School and Senior School assemblies when they return.  Don’t forget to keep an eye out for the regular snapshots and communications that will also capture this unique tour story while we are on tour.

Congratulations to all the students for their enthusiasm and thorough preparation for the Sydney and Canberra tour.  The staff are looking forward to travelling with this great group of students who will gain so much from this travel experience.

SYDNEY-CANBERRA TRIP JULY 2019 ITINERARY

2020 Years 9 and 10 Parent Information Night

Our student and parent audience was taken on a 21st Century journey to navigate their learning pathways, balance their heart, soul, mind and strength, and some simple steps to choose the right course ahead.  The focus for the evening was to empower all students to forge their own futures, to be resilient, empathetic, independent, skilled and very capable young adults on a global stage.

Students were guided through a selection process for their 2020 electives and the timeline to submit their forms.  The key message here was following your interests and passion but to line choices up with reality. 

We are looking forward to working with this fine group of Year 10 students as they continue at PCACS to complete their final two years of schooling.

Please check the School website and SEQTA Engage for all important information about your child’s academic progress and for all up and coming events and activities at PCACS.

You are very welcome to contact me if you wish to discuss your child’s wellbeing and academic progress.

God bless you all.

Ms Judith Stringer 
HEAD OF SENIOR SCHOOL

Kindergarten Enrolments for 2020

Kindergarten enrolment interviews for 2020 are well underway.  If you have a child commencing Kindergarten in 2020 and you haven’t yet applied to enrol, please contact the School to set the enrolment process in motion.  In addition, if you know someone who would like their child to attend Kindergarten at PCACS, please remind them to submit an Application to Enrol form.

Fitter Faster Better!

Next week 4M students will participate in the Fitter Faster Better incursion culminating in two performances on Friday.  If you would like to become involved in the performance sessions held next Friday please see Mr Morris. 

Kindergarten to Year 6 Semester Reports

Semester reports will be available on SEQTA for families to view and print on the afternoon of Thursday 4 July.  For Pre Primary – Year 6 there is a new report format that aims to provide a complete picture of your child’s learning in Semester 1.

NAIDOC Week Celebrations in Week 10

This year NAIDOC occurs between 7 and 14 July, which falls within the winter school holidays.  Therefore, at PCACS we will be celebrating NAIDOC in Week 10. 

We are seeking families in our community with Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander heritage or knowledge to assist with NAIDOC activities in our Junior School.  Please contact your child’s teacher or Mrs Shirley Steel if you know anyone who can assist us.

Moorditj Mob will be performing at each campus as follows:

Wellard Campus

Date:  Monday 1 July

Year 2 to Year 6 Performance: 1.30pm – 2.15pm in the Keith Lindbeck Centre

Year 7 to Year 12 Performance:  2.20pm – 3.05pm in the Keith Lindbeck Centre

Calista Campus

Date:  Wednesday 3 July

Kindergarten to Year 1 Performance: 2.20pm – 3.05pm in the Auditorium

I wish students and families a fantastic fortnight ahead!

Mrs Shirley Steel
HEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL

Parents supporting their children with Online Safety

Recently the Office of the eSafety Commissioner conducted a report titled “Parenting in the Digital Age”. This report explored the raising of children in the fast-paced and technologically connected world we live in.  It also looked at the varying ways that parents are currently managing online safety at home and how they are helping their children to stay safe when online.

Parents are the first port of call for most young people affected by negative experiences online but less than half of parents feel confident to manage the situation.

The report found  that only 46% of Australian parents feel confident in dealing with online risks their children might face, with only one third (36%) actively seeking information on how to best manage situations like cyberbullying, unwanted contact or ‘sexting’ and ‘sending nudes’.

The Online Safety, Start the Chat campaign is about helping everyone in a child’s life to have a conversation about online safety.

The youngest generation of children are the first to grow up in a fully connected digital world – for them, the online world is now just as much a part of their lives as the offline world.

With technology changing so fast, it’s important to be proactive and talk about online safety early and often.

Everybody can play an important role in helping children and young people to have positive and safe online experiences – including parents, teachers, carers, siblings, grandparents, mentors and sports coaches.

“There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to parenting in the digital-age. Our materials seek to accommodate these differing parenting styles and are tailored to be used in accordance with your child’s age, maturity and level of resilience,” eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant.

Now is the time to start the chat. Visit eSafety.gov.au for a free copy of the report, as well as tools, tips and advice for parents, carers and educators to help manage these conversations.

God Bless

Mr Shane Parnell
HEAD OF IT AND OPERATIONS

The Senior School Compass program explores the importance of resilience in developing a well-rounded sense of wellbeing.  At PCACS we aim to arm students with the techniques that teach them how to bounce back from their daily struggles so that, later on in life, when the stakes are higher, they know what to do. Resilience is a behaviour learned through explicit lessons and examples, one that teaches children how to, among other things, better handle stress, understand that rejection is not a comment on their entire existence, and view setbacks as things that don’t need to sideline them for good.

Some of the research that underpins the teaching of resilience in the Compass programme comes from Amy Morin, a psychotherapist and the author of 13 Things Mentally Strong Parents Don’t Do. It truly takes a village to raise a child and the following examples are common practices of effective parents, teachers, coaches, and other trusted adults who raise resilient children.

They Let the Children Struggle

“All children have the ability to develop skills that will help them be resilient,” says Morin. “As adults, it’s up to us to give them those skills, and to serve as a guide — to help them when they’re struggling with something and give them more opportunities to practice resiliency.”

The worst thing adults can do, says Morin, is rescue their children too much. Such actions prevent children from learning how to act on their own. In other words, the adults who teach their children that hard work is a necessary part of life, and sometimes that hard work is really hard are the ones who raise well-adjusted children.

They Let Their Children Experience Rejection

For a myriad of reasons, it’s essential for children to learn how to handle being told no. “If your child doesn’t get picked for the basketball team, it can be tempting to call the coach, call the schools, try to get your child on the team,” says Morin. “But failure can be one of the best opportunities to teach children a life lesson. That lesson: Failure is not the end of the road, you’re strong enough to handle failing, and that when you fail, you have choices."

They Don’t Condone a Victim Mentality

“When children say they are having a problem, it’s tempting for them to blame other people,” says Morin. “They fail their science test and they say that their teacher didn’t explain it well enough.” It can be tempting for parents to give into this behaviour and side with their children. But even if their teacher didn’t explain something, that instinct is dangerous. “Parents need to tell their kids that life isn’t fair but that they are strong enough to handle the unfairness,” says Morin. “And I think for a lot of parents, our tendency is to make things fair: to advocate for our kids, to side with them, just reinforces to them that they’re the victim. It leads to learned helplessness.” Fight this instinct at all costs.

They Help Their Kids Learn How to Label Their Feelings and Emotions

“When kids can label their emotions, they are less likely to act them out,” says Morin. “If your kid can say ‘I’m mad,’ he’s less likely to kick you in the shins to show you that he’s mad.” In other words: children who can’t talk about their feelings tend to take those feelings out on others, which can lead to adults who don’t know how to cope with anger or sadness. By helping children feel comfortable talking about their emotions out loud, you are also giving them the skills to think about (and cope with) what’s making them upset. It’s Resiliency 101.

They Admit Their Mistakes. And Then They Fix Them

Mistakes made as adults, per Morin, are opportunities for us to turn it around and show kids how to respond to errors and show that we all make them. Even the most well-adjusted adults screw up every once in a while. They get mad at the teacher or yell at their spouse or forget to do something critical. The important thing is that adults need to own up to their own mistakes in front of their children — and then actually fix the problem. This shows children that no matter how grave a mistake they may have made, if they are honest about it and try to fix it, things will get better.

Mr Adam Halliday
DIRECTOR OF PASTORAL CARE

Anglicare WA Op Shop Warehouse Visit

On Tuesday the Anglicare Ambassadors and selected students from YMAD had the opportunity to visit the Anglicare WA Op Shop Warehouse in Welshpool.  The two-hour tour introduced students to how Anglicare WA services work, how the op shops help fund Anglicare’s work and the need for op shops in society.  The students learnt hands on how to sort donations as well as some valuable information on informing others on how to effectively donate to op shops without causing unnecessary pressure on these organisations and the environment.  The students will present more information regarding their visit at assemblies next term.

Anglicare WA Sleep Out

Anglicare WA has invited Year 10 to 12 students from Anglican schools around Perth to attend their 4^th annual ‘School Sleep Out’ event taking place on Friday 16 August at Optus Stadium. 

The event is designed for students to experience homelessness for a night, learning first-hand about the challenges faced by young, disadvantaged and homeless Western Australians.  On any given night in Western Australia there are more than 9,000 people who go to sleep homeless.  Around 3,500 of those are under 24 years old.  There are many reasons why young people become homeless; however, it often includes family breakdown, domestic violence and mental illness.

The Sleep Out aims to educate attendees about the realities and complexities of the homelessness issue while they do their bit to help end homelessness.  Students attending the event will be raising funds for Anglicare WA’s youth homelessness service, Street Connect.

Last year, 14 students and 6 staff members from PCACS attended the sleep out and raised $5000 (the whole event raised $80,000 with over 200 participants); let’s go bigger and better this year.  I challenge all Year 10 to 12 students to consider putting themselves out of their comfort zone for a night to help those in need.

For more information, contact Mrs Weddikkara (rebeccaw@pcacs.wa.edu.au).

A video of the 2018 Sleep Out:

ASC Service Learning – Samoa

On the July holidays, Year 9 student Natalie Clarke and Year 10 student Scott Matthews will be joining 10 other students from ASC schools on a service learning trip to Samoa.  They will spend time working with the children at All Saints College in Apia and discovering the beauty of Samoa - the people, the culture, the landscape, the beaches, the traditions.  We wish Natalie and Scott all the best on this great adventure and look forward to hearing about it upon your return.

Mrs Rebecca Weddikkara
SERVICE LEARNING COORDINATOR

RKAS Sport

Term 2 has been one of the best seasons for RKAS sport for PCACS since its inception 8 years ago.  Our Year 8/9 Netball team dominated, going undefeated and winning the girls competition.  This particular group of girls have played RKAS sport together since Year 7 and have won the Netball competition now for the 3^rd year in a row.

Our Year 7 Girls netball team needed to win their final game against Kolbe College and unfortunately couldn’t do it; however the girls did their absolute best and were Runners-Up. 

Our Year 8/9 Boys basketball had a narrow round 1 loss but never looked back, winning every other game.  The boys also came Runners-Up and showed great skills and teamwork.  

Congratulations to all students involved as well as Mrs Ward (Year 7 netball coach), Mrs Barrett (Year 8/9 Netball coach) and Mr Radulovic (Year 8/9 Basketball coach).  A special thanks to Aiden Ward for umpiring the basketball and our Year 9 Netball girls who stepped up and either umpired their own games or the Year 7 games. Each Year 8/9 winning Netball team member will receive a keepsake pennant which will presented to them at our next assembly and a plaque will be presented to the School at the end of year ACC awards function.

Well done to all our RKAS teams this term on a great competition.  Term 3’s competition is Year 7-9 Boys and Girls Soccer.  Nominations for this will come out early next term.

Term 3 Athletics Carnival Training

Preparation is under way for the Senior School Athletics Carnival (Years 7-12) which will be held in Term 3 Week 5 on Friday 23 August.  A note will go home in early Term 3 with more details.

Training will be on Tuesday mornings (Fitness in the Gym) 7.45am – 8.15am and Thursday afternoons 3.30pm – 4.30pm (skills and fitness on Wellard Oval).  This will commence Week 2 of Term 3 and finish in Week 7.  Senior Students will also be working hard during their Physical Education sessions honing in on their skills.  All senior school students are encouraged to sign up for training on the Co Curricular form.

Kwinana Community Funding Program

I am happy to announce that through the hard work of our P&F secretary and Sports Committee representative Mrs Rebecca Clarke, our PCACS Sport - Netball and Basketball teams have received a grant of $1900 from the Kwinana Community Funding Program. 

The purpose of the Kwinana Community Funding Program (in conjunction with the Bendigo bank) is to support events, projects and programs which contribute to the quality of life of residents of the City of Kwinana. The grant money will go towards purchasing uniforms and equipment for our School Netball and Basketball teams.

This is fantastic news and the money will no doubt help the PCACS Sports programme.

Mr Roh Weddikkara
LEARNING AREA COORDINATOR - HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Hello parents and friends,

As we near the end of Term 2, your P&F is about to get very busy!

In Week 9, the P&F will support both the Junior and Senior Music Recitals, providing tea, coffee and light refreshments during the break for each session.  We welcome all parents and friends attending these recitals to join us.

In Week 9 we will also commence ticket sales for our annual Winter Movie Night.  This year we are excited to announce that the movie screening will be Toy Story 4!  After 9 years we will finally see what Woody, Buzz and the rest of the gang have been up to in an all new adventure.  This year, our movie night will be held at Ace cinemas in Rockingham.  This venue will provide more parking, better facilities and more space for the large numbers who attend the event.  We have also been able to secure a slightly better rate making tickets a little cheaper than last year (rather than the usual increase)!

The movie night will be held on the last day of term, Thursday 4 July 2019 from 6pm with the movie commencing at 6.30pm.  Tickets will be sold both on campus and online at  www.trybooking.com/BDKGA .  Please note if you opt to purchase your tickets online, you will be required to print out your confirmation for entry into the cinema.

Campus sales will be held from 8.00am to 8.30am as follows:

• Wellard campus – Monday 24 and Tuesday 25 June
• Calista Campus – Thursday 27 June

Calista parents will also have the opportunity to purchase tickets directly after the ELC music recital, from 3.00pm on Thursday 27 June.

Tickets are $8 for the movie only or $15 for a combo ticket which includes movie entry, plus a small popcorn and drink. Please note that you MUST SHOW YOUR TICKET to gain entry into the cinema.

We look forward to a super end to Term 2!

Ms Clarissa Thomson
P&F PRESIDENT

The Year 3 students at PCACS are our champion recyclers in the Junior School. Each term, one of the Year 3 classes’ tasks on the responsibility of emptying and disposing of all the paper waste collected from each class in the green recycling tubs and placing them in the skip bin.

This term has been the turn of 3P to take on this responsibility and they have approached the challenge with great gusto and diligence. They eagerly tackle the task each Monday, when they collect and sort all paper rubbish to be recycled. There are always some awesome “Litter Legends” who make a concerted effort to pick up any discarded paper that may be left lying in the courtyard!

3P presented their Assembly Item in Term 1 on the subject of Recycling. They are to be commended for being very diligent “recyclers” and are proud of their battery recycling bin in our class. Any student at school is free to bring in expired batteries and place them in our special battery recycling bin. Instead of contaminating your regular red or yellow garbage bins – feel free to place them in our special battery bin and they will be disposed of in an appropriate manner.

The Wellard Book Fair is just around the corner. It is an event that the Junior School in particular looks forward to each year.

The Scholastic Book Fair is a great way to promote literacy and at the same time raise funds for our school library to purchase new items.

This year’s Book Fair will be held in Week 2 of Term 3.  On Monday 29 July, the Junior Students will be given the opportunity to come to the Book Fair with their class to write up their Wish lists. 

DATE:  29 July - 2 August 2019

VENUE:  Undercover Area at Wellard Campus

TIMES FOR PURCHASING OF BOOK FAIR ITEMS:

 8.00am – 8.30am Tuesday to Friday

 3.15pm – 4.00pm Monday to Friday

We are in need of parent volunteers to assist in sales before and after school.  If you feel that you are able to assist please contact Mrs Melanie Hill in the library or email library@pcacs.wa.edu.au.

Mrs Melanie Hill
LIBRARY OFFICER

This year our Calista and Wellard Campus will be holding a Second Hand Book Sale in Week 10 as part of Naidoc Week for Junior and Senior School students.

The students are being encouraged to bring a couple of their preloved, good condition books to school that they are happy to donate for the event.  Students will be given the opportunity to purchase books for $1 per book.  The money raised will be sent to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.

The Indigenous Literacy Foundation works to put books into the hands of children and families in remote Indigenous communities across Australia.

Calista donations may be placed in a box in the school foyer.

Wellard donations will be collected from your classrooms or may be dropped off to the library.

Event Days

Wellard
Library - 1 July
8.00am to 8.30am
3.00pm to 3.45pm

Students will also have the opportunity to purchase books at lunch time.

Calista 
Auditorium next to the library – 2 July
8.00am to 8.30am
3.00pm to 3.45pm

Mrs Melanie Hill
LIBRARY OFFICER

Once a month the Wellard Library runs a Busy Bee.  This is a great time to network with other parents and to assist the library with the covering of new books for the Wellard and Calista Campus.   

Dates
Wednesday 26 June 2019
Wednesday 31 July 2019

Time
8:30am - 10:30am

Venue
Library at the Wellard Campus

Morning tea provided.

If you are able to assist please email the library on

library@pcacs.wa.edu.au

On Wednesday 19 June, 20 enthusiastic pianists from Year 2 - 10, travelled to Peter Moyes ACS to participate in the seventh annual ASC Piano Competition.  This year, a record 180 pianists, from 10 of the 14 ASC schools, came together to compete in 6 categories before 4 specialist adjudicators. The morning saw 14 heats from which 22 finalists were selected for the afternoon finals concert. The adjudicators spoke to the students about the importance of playing and performing beyond the notes written on the page.  Students were encouraged to consider dynamics, tempo, articulation and phrasing to make the music “sing”.  The Peter Carnley ACS students performed to a very high standard, with three students, Timothy Matthews, Yeushabelle Caquilala and Ciera Carter, receiving special mentions in their sections.  

Congratulations to all the students involved for their confident and well-prepared performances, and for the professional manner in which they represented the school. Thank you also to our piano teachers, Mr Tony Celeberti and Ms Marjolein Morhoof, for preparing the students for the competition

At Peter Carnley Anglican School (PCACS) 'Play' provides opportunities for children to learn as they discover, create, improvise and imagine. When children play with other children they create social groups, test out ideas, challenge each other’s thinking and build new understandings. 

In Kindergarten, our educators use routine and play experiences in order to create learning environments that encourage exploration and problem-solving with the content being taught intentional.  Our Early Child educators actively support the inclusion of all children in play, help children to recognise when play is unfair and offer constructive ways to build a caring, fair and inclusive learning community.

At PCACS the naturescape play areas and natural environment offers open ended interactions, spontaneity, risk-taking, discovery and a genuine connection with nature.  More importantly, it improves and enhances the child’s dexterity, balance, flexibility and gross motor skills.

Did you know?

• It has been proven that playing in nature improves mood and reduces depression and mental fatigue
• When children step outside, they get plenty of opportunities to interact with other playmates. In nature, they naturally connect with others, help each other, share their learning and solve problems together
• Spending time in nature and outdoors improves children’s ability to focus and concentrate 
• The benefits of playing in nature are almost infinite. Spending time in nature keeps children’s minds fresh. It exposes them to varying situations where they are forced to learn and adapt to best fit themselves into the prevailing conditions
• Green plants and vistas reduce stress among highly stressed children. Locations with a greater number of plants, greener views and access to natural play areas show more significant results (Wells & Evans, 2003)
• Nature can act as a great healing tool for children who suffer from low self-esteem. Children who are exposed to the natural world experience a greater degree of self-control, peace and discipline.

As a component of the Biology topic this term, the Year 7 students completed their first animal dissection, that of a fish, using intricate equipment and an etiquette that demonstrated respect for the once living specimen. Students observed structural adaptations and related them to the way the fish lives, breathes, moves and hunts in its marine environment. Scientists typically complete dissections in the science laboratory in order to get a better view of the anatomy of a specimen.

The Year 7 Science students marvelled at the flexibility of the fish’s spine, which helps with its mobility, and were amazed at its ability to breathe under water using a series of feather-like gills. The swim bladder, which had the appearance of an inflated balloon, was linked to the fish’s ability to remain in the water column without sinking or floating.

Overall, it was a very informative dissection and all participants went home smelling like their experiment!

Congratulations to PCACS teacher Fleur Gwerder and her husband who welcomed the arrival of their little (big) boy, Leo Charlie Gwerder on Wednesday 29 May.