School Newsletter
Number 5
From our Principal
I have been reflecting on the theme of "All In", a focus across our school over the past week.
All in for Reconciliation
This week, our school has acknowledged Reconciliation Week (27 May – 3 June) and reflected on this year’s theme, “All In”.
The theme establishes the importance of individual Australians committing wholeheartedly to reconciliation every day. All in is a warm invitation for every one of us to walk alongside First Nations peoples with open hearts and genuine commitment.
Reconciliation is not solely the responsibility of First Nations people, who have carried the weight of championing, explaining and acting for far too long. As a school community, we warmly encourage families to consider some simple but meaningful steps you can take together: learn whose Country you live and learn on, listen to and share First Nations voices and stories, explore books by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors, and support First Nations-owned businesses.
Every small, thoughtful action adds up, and there is no perfect place to start — only the willingness to begin. Reconciliation will not happen by itself, and meaningful change grows when all of us choose to be all in. We hope this week sparks wonderful conversations in your home and beyond.
All in for Community
Last Tuesday evening our school held our Annual General Meeting, at which three members of our community were inducted as Life Members of The Hills Montessori School. Attendees were inspired as they listened to the presentations, hearing about the significant, above-and-beyond, and often behind-the-scenes contributions of these community members.
A theme running through these speeches for me was, once again, the essence of being “All In” — giving of one’s time, skills, energy and enthusiasm for something beyond one’s own benefit. Giving service.
Key to these contributions was also the sense of being a role model to our children and living our values.
Anthea spoke about the value of service and the importance of seeing school not as a transaction, but as a community to which we all contribute.
“When I think about service, one of the things we sometimes forget is that you often receive as much as you give. You set out to help, but along the way you build friendships, learn new skills, feel useful and become part of something bigger than yourself.
I was lucky to grow up with parents who did exactly that. They helped at kindy, at primary school even into secondary school.
I watched them do that my whole life, and it taught me something important. When it comes to sending your children to a school, it can be easy to see it as a transaction. You pay your fees, your children receive a good education, and the school does its job.
But what I learnt from my parents is that it can be so much more than that. It is far better to approach it as a partnership. School communities, like all communities, are strongest when people are willing to invest in them, not just pass through them. When you take the time to know the people in that community, your whole family gets far more out of the experience.
That is something I hope my own children have seen too. I want them to understand that service matters, and that giving your time is important. Not just later in life, but now. As adolescent boys, they are old enough to be finding ways to volunteer, to help and to contribute. I want them to know that being part of a community means contributing to it, not just benefiting from it.”
Susan Harris-Evans
Acting Principal
Conversations
Conversations
Conversations Conversations
Conversations That Build Life Skills
Life Education's recent visit provided students with opportunities to engage in conversations about some of the most important aspects of growing up: understanding emotions, building healthy relationships, making safe choices, and developing self-awareness. While these topics may look different across the cycles, they all contribute to a common goal — supporting the development of the whole child.
At our school, we recognise that education extends beyond academic achievement. Helping children develop the language, confidence, and understanding to navigate friendships, wellbeing, and personal challenges is equally important. Programs such as Life Education create valuable opportunities for students to explore these topics in age-appropriate ways and continue important conversations both at school and at home.
Life Membership
Congratulations
Anthea Hagar
Susan Harris Evans
Meg Barker
Anthea Hagar,
Congratulations Anthea Hagar who was bestowed with a Life Membership to our School following the AGM. Anthea is a past parent and then staff member who generously contributed to our Fundraising Committee, Marketing Committee and worked as our inaugural Community Engagement Officer (CEO) over many years. Anthea gave many hours to supporting our school and promoting our unique offerings to a much wider audience and brought much energy, humour and positivity to the school community throughout her tenure.
Meg Barker,
Congratulations also to Meg Barker who was bestowed with a Life Membership to our School following the AGM. Meg is a past parent and Board Member who generously contributed many, many hours to our School in the form of Governance, Strategic Planning and policy development, and as a past member of the Marketing Committee and ongoing member of the Policy Committee. Meg has shared her great skills with our community – self-described as contributing by “using her brain”, which as noted in her acceptance speech, was a better use of her skills than her participation at the playground working bees! Thank you Meg for the incredible contribution to the long-term strategic direction of the school and for your commitment to upholding our school values.
We acknowledge their enthusiasm, leadership and strong sense of community and we thank Anthea and Meg for their amazing contribution to our School.
Susan Harris Evans
We were delighted to recognise Susan Harris-Evans with Life Membership of The Hills Montessori School in acknowledgement of her extraordinary contribution to our community.
Since joining the school in 1997, Susan has touched the lives of countless students, families and staff through her dedication, wisdom, leadership and unwavering commitment to Montessori education. Whether as a teacher, mentor, Assistant Principal, colleague or friend, Susan has always gone above and beyond in service of our school and the people within it.
Known for her passion, generosity, thoughtful guidance and tireless support of others, Susan has helped shape our community in ways both seen and unseen. We congratulate her on this well-deserved honour and thank her for the lasting impact she has had on our school over nearly three decades.
From Susan, Acting Principal
“I was deeply honoured to be nominated for Life Membership this year and feel very grateful to have contributed to this special place, where Montessori pedagogy is highly valued and I have been able to work according to my core beliefs alongside like-minded people. I am proud of the contribution I have made to the school and feel fortunate that my own children were also able to experience the joy and culture of being educated here.”
Board Communique
At the May Board meeting we discussed the nominations for Board Membership of our school with four new nominations received and have been displayed as required in preparation for our Annual General Meeting held on Tuesday 26th May. Our Annual Report has been printed and has been distributed to the community in preparation for the AGM. The Board reviewed our Risk Management plan with a focus on Operational Risks.
Jade Cranthern
Board President
THMS AGM Results
Congratulations to the following school members who were voted onto the Board to represent the school community at the recent AGM:
Adam Saffin, James Kelton, Jade Cranthern, Shannon Jansen
Nicole Stewart stepped down from her Board position at the 2026 AGM and we sincerely thank her for the significant work and contribution that she has made during her time on the School Board. Particularly for her outstanding work developing and producing our Annual Reports over many years.
HMS Foundation AGM Results
Last Thursday the HMS Foundation held its Annual General Meeting online. A number of members attended. Congratulations to Nicole Stewart who nominated and was elected for a two year position on the HMSF Board. Congratulations to Ellie Kuchel who re-nominated and was elected for another two year position on the HMSF Board.
Become a Foundation Member
We invite our community to become part of The Hills Montessori School Foundation (HMSF) and support the ongoing strength and future of our school. The Foundation plays a key role in building financial sustainability for future students, while also creating opportunities for past and present families, staff and students to stay connected through shared experiences and events.
We warmly encourage all members of our community to consider becoming a member and maintaining a lifelong connection with our school. Apply for Membership here with a one-off fee of $150.
Make a tax deductible donation!
You may also choose to make a tax-deductible donation, either as a one-off or ongoing contribution. Every contribution, large or small, helps support opportunities for our students now and into the future.
To find out more, become a member or donate, visit: https://www.montessori.sa.edu.au/foundation/
HMS Foundation Member Event
The HMSF is hosting an event in Term 2 for HMSF members on Thursday 11th June. Invites will be emailed to HMSF members.
Tax Deductions
As we get closer to the end of the financial year we remind parents that you could take advantage of a tax deduction through making a donation to our School Building Fund. Many families already donate and have nominated to do this when paying their tuition fees. Your donations can make a very real difference for our students and we are extremely grateful for the donations we receive each year from families. You can support through donations to the School Building Fund. This fund is used to help cover the costs of new buildings, renovations and improvements to existing structures and you have until the 30th June for a tax deduction for this financial year.
Online Building Fund donations should be submitted by no later than the end of Monday, 22nd June to ensure processing by the 30th June; or please contact the School after the 22nd for the processing of credit card and direct debit transactions on or before the 30th June for tax offsets in the 2025-26 financial year.
Staffing News
As Lauren Hinton recently finished her role as OSHC Coordinator and Receptionist, we would like to extend our sincere thanks for her contribution to our school community. Lauren has been an integral part of our community, building meaningful relationships with students, families and staff, and helping to create a caring and collaborative OSHC program. We are grateful for her dedication, warmth and commitment to our students, and wish her every success and happiness as she embarks on a new career path.
We warmly welcome Ellen Palmer to our school community as our new OSHC Coordinator. Ellen has over ten years of experience working in the Education and Care sector and we look forward to supporting her as she gets to know our students, families and staff and works to build relationships and continue the high quality of programs we offer.
Congratulations to Phoebe and her U14 Eastern Mavericks Girls team on qualifying for the U14 Club Championships, to be held in Willetton, Western Australia, later this year. This is a fantastic achievement, and we wish Phoebe and her teammates every success as they prepare to compete at a national level.
Congratulations to Ruby and Layla on their outstanding achievement in the Hills and Barker Regional Netball trials. Out of 117 girls who trialled, both progressed through three rounds of selection to be named among the final 20 players. We are incredibly proud of their dedication, perseverance and effort.
National Emergency Warning System Test in July
AusAlert is a new national emergency warning system that sends urgent messages to compatible mobile phones and other mobile devices in a specified area. There will be a national test on Monday 27 July 2026 at 1.30pm ACST (Adelaide time), with a testing window of 1pm to 3pm. During this testing window, all compatible devices that are turned on across Australia will receive a test alert which includes an alarm (this will sound even if your phone is set to silent / do not disturb). This test is to ensure the system works as expected before it is used in real emergencies. See link below for further information.
Cycle News
Infant Program
Drosera Classroom • Ages 0-3
We have been having a lovely time in the Infant Program, continuing our autumn crafts. We have really enjoyed using warm colours to create beautiful artworks and watching colours mix together through printing activities.
As the weather has become colder and wetter, we have slowly started introducing winter-themed activities and talking about the changing seasons. We have also been learning about the Aboriginal flag during Reconciliation Week and created handprint artworks using the three colours of the flag, which will be displayed in our window.
In addition, we have introduced more native Australian plants into the room for the children to explore, helping them build a connection with the natural world around them.
Infant Program
Cycle 1 Preschool
Banksia & Goodenia Community • Ages 3-5
The preschool Extended Program children hosted a very special afternoon tea for their mum or special person at the start of Week 3 this term. This was a culmination of many practical life skills and an opportunity for them to practise their independence.
The children helped to plan the menu, taking into consideration different dietary needs of their fellow preschool friends and guests. They practised their peeling and knife skills to prepare the fruit and vegetable platters, set the tables like a restaurant and completed flower arrangements.
The children also made personalised placements for their guests to take home as gifts. It was a lovely opportunity for the children to be hosts to their special guests and to serve them food and drinks.
Cycle 1 Preschool
“I liked that I got so many grapes”
— River
“I was patient. I looked after her”
— Raphael
“I poured juice for me. Mummy drank tea”
— Bertie
“I cut the cucumber. I liked the cookies”
— Eloise
“I liked taking food to Mummy. She liked the biscuits”
— Halley
Cycle 1 Primary
Correa & Ixodia Classrooms • Ages 5-6
Over the past six weeks, Cycle 1 students have taken part in a contemporary Aboriginal dance led by Sarah Booth, a Wambaya/Warumunga woman with family ties to Yuggera Country. Throughout the sessions, students explored their own connection to land by drawing and sharing personal stories, before bringing these stories to life through movement and dance.
Students also created their own costume pieces, painting black shirts with handprints and making necklaces and belts to wear during their performance. The creativity, pride and engagement shown throughout the workshops was wonderful to see.
The calmness and grace in which Cycle 1 performed their dance was truly incredible, and we are so proud of the confidence and respect they demonstrated throughout this special learning experience.
We thank Sarah Booth (Imbala Constituency) for this incredible learning experience and we look forward to more collaboration.
Cycle 1 Primary
Cycle 2 Primary
Dianella & Acacia Classrooms • Ages 6-9
Cycle 2 have continued to explore the Kingdom of Fungi with the children’s curiosity deepening as they’ve moved from learning what fungi and mushrooms are to discovering how they live, grow and connect the world around them.
A highlight has been our hands-on mould investigation. The children tested whether mould would grow on bread and lemon under different conditions, making predictions about which would grow mould the fastest. Over the past few weeks, they've carefully recorded the green fuzz slowly creeping across the samples. It's been a wonderful introduction to the scientific process of predicting, observing, and recording, and a vivid demonstration of fungi at work, absorbing and breaking down food around them.
We also ventured beneath the soil to discover the mycorrhizal network. The children were fascinated to learn that fungi and tree roots are connected underground, sharing resources with one another to help each other survive. As Iris put it,
“they have a special relationship and look after each other”.
Cycle 2 Primary
This idea of giving and receiving and mutualistic relationships in nature became a powerful springboard for connecting our science to First Nations knowledge and our relationship with Country. We spoke about how Aboriginal people see Country as a family member, and how caring for Country is built on reciprocity, the understanding that if you give to Country, Country gives back. The children reflected on what Country gives us: air to breathe, trees to climb, food, water, and a beautiful place to live. They then considered what they could give in return and wrote letters to Country with their ideas such as picking up rubbish, planting native gardens, caring for trees, and learning the names of the plants and animals around them. These reflections are now launching us into inquiry and action, with the children beginning to explore practical ways to care for Country.
Cycle 3 Primary
Callistemon & Grevillea Classrooms • Ages 9-12
This term's science focus has been on the properties of materials, with students conducting a range of hands-on experiments to investigate how materials behave and change. Throughout their investigations, students planned fair tests, made predictions, identified variables, measured results, and evaluated evidence.
In one challenge, students reasoned which material would be most suitable for a mini parachute, while in another they explored which recycled materials would create the strongest paper — testing their hypotheses by making and evaluating their own samples. Students also turned milk into casein plastic, predicting how many teaspoons of vinegar would produce the most malleable result. Finally, they were challenged to discover the best recipe for a bouncy ball, investigating how changing one variable affected both the bounce height and durability of their final product. A fun and engaging term of science!
Cycle 3 Primary
Cycle 4 Middle School
Wairoa Campus • Ages 12-15
It's Cabaret Season at Wairoa!
Things are buzzing at Wairoa right now, and that's saying something, because it's already been a big term. But now? Now we're turning up the spotlight, because Coffeehouse Cabaret 2026 is on the horizon.
This year is a variety year, which means audiences are in for a treat. Students are rehearsing comedy skits, musical acts, dance performances, poetry, magic acts, and - excitingly - a full play. There is genuinely something for everyone.
But the magic of a great show isn't just what happens on stage. Behind the scenes, an enormous amount of creativity is in full swing. The Production Design crew are busy conjuring sets, costumes and props to bring every performance to life. The Cabmin team are crafting advertising materials, tickets and the program. And a dedicated group have been working with Nikkita to design a delicious nibbles menu - so audiences won't just be entertained, they'll be well fed too.
Mark your calendars: Coffeehouse Cabaret 2026 takes the stage on June 23rd, 24th and 25th at the Wairoa campus. Details on how to secure your tickets are coming soon - watch this space!
Cycle 4 Middle School
Specialist Teachers
Indonesian with Ibu Ellis
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head.
If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.”
— Nelson Mandela
Preschool and Cycle 1 students continued practising their early Indonesian literacy through our adapted Very Hungry Caterpillar story, using simple tropical fruit and vegetable vocabulary in guided reading, speaking and play. Games such as What’s the Time, Mr Harimau/Monyet? (Tiger/Monkey) supported counting from 1 – 10 and reinforced key verbs including “makan” (eat) and “jam makan!” (eating time!). Indonesian puzzles and the I Spy movement game further supported engagement and helped consolidate recognition of basic colours.
Cultural understanding was developed as students viewed scenes of daily life in Indonesia, where they ‘met’ a young girl named Fenty, and explored authentic objects such as a ‘gayung’ (water scoop). Real‑world images prompted curiosity, simple questions and early awareness of a different place and community - Australia’s close neighbour, Indonesia.
Cycle 2 students practised forming sentences in Indonesian to express their food likes and dislikes with simple reasons, while also developing their keyboard and language skills through Duolingo. This learning supported their confidence in using Indonesian for real communication, strengthened early critical thinking and encouraged independence through guided digital practice.
Cycle 3 students extended their Indonesian language skills by producing written and spoken texts aligned with this year’s National Australia Indonesia Language Award (NAILA) theme, ‘My Favourite Celebrations’. Their work involved sharing personal experiences, describing events using a range of time markers (o’clock, days of the week, months and year) and identifying cultural elements and the significance of celebrations in Indonesia. This learning strengthened their ability to communicate clearly, organise ideas effectively and deepen their intercultural understanding.
Cycle 4 students engaged with the increasing complexity of Indonesian language through a range of spoken and written texts. As part of their class routines, students read Indonesian readers both silently and aloud to develop confidence, fluency and accuracy in oral language. This term’s focus on traditions, special celebrations and storytelling language enabled students to deepen their cultural knowledge and refine their interpretive and expressive skills.
Indeed, across the school, students engaged in purposeful Indonesian learning that strengthened their language skills, cultural understanding and confidence. From early vocabulary and play-based literacy to structured texts, storytelling and intercultural exploration, students demonstrated growing independence and a deepening appreciation of Indonesia as Australia’s close neighbour.
Upcoming Events
Save the Date
Sharing Assembly C3 & C4
Friday 12th June 9:30am
Snippets: Supporting the Reluctant Reader
Thursday 18th June 9:15am
Adolescent Program Coffeehouse Cabaret
23rd, 24th & 25th June 6:00pm
Open Days
Please share our upcoming Open Day dates with friends and others who may be interested, across both our Yultiwirra campus (Infant Program, Preschool and Primary) and our Wairoa campus (Middle School, Years 7–9).
Word of mouth from current families is one of the most valuable ways people discover our school. We thank you for helping spread the word.
If you would like to further explore the different learning cycles at our school, you are also warmly invited to attend one of our Open Days via the link provided.
Middle School
Wairoa Open Day
Take part in a group Principal’s tour of our Middle School (Years 7–9), gain insight into the Adolescent Program philosophy and curriculum, and hear directly from current student guides about life at the campus.
Wednesday 19th August
9:30am
400m up the driveway @ 142 Mt Barker Road, Stirling SA
For prospective families & families interested in exploring different learning cycles
Primary School
Yultiwirra Open Day
Join a guided group tour led by staff and parent guides, with opportunities to speak with the Principal and teachers, observe Montessori in action, and gain insight into the Infant Program, Preschool and Primary years.
Tuesday 4th August
10:00am
Meet us in the Hall @ 12 Anderson Rd, Aldgate SA
For prospective families & families interested in exploring different learning cycles
Community News
School Hats
School hats have now been restocked and are available for purchase from the Front Office for $20 each. Please ensure your child has a hat for outdoor play as we continue to support our Sun Smart practices.
Available in the office $20 each
Stay Connected
Following us on social media is a great way to keep up with our school community events, activities and Montessori insights — and to share our stories with grandparents and friends.
Diary Dates - Term 2 2026
Thursday 14 May
Community Connection Committee
1:30pm @ Wairoa
Wairoa
Friday 15 May
Wairoa Cafe
9:00am - 11:00am
Wairoa
Tuesday 19 May
Board Meeting
7:00pm
Yultiwirra
Wednesday 20 May
Sharing Assembly PS, C1 & C2
11:15am
Policy Meeting
4:00pm
Yultiwirra
Monday 25 May
Snippets
9:15am
Yultiwirra
Tuesday 26 May
National Sorry Day
AGM @ Wairoa
6:00pm
Wairoa
Wednesday 27 May
Reconciliation Week begins - 1967 Referendum
Life Education
Yultiwirra
Thursday 28 May
Life Education
Foundation AGM
6:00pm
Foundation Board Meeting
6:30pm
Yultiwirra
Friday 29 May
Life Education
Reconciliation Week Assembly
9:30am
Yultiwirra
Tuesday 2 June
Yultiwirra Open Day
10:00am
Marketing Meeting
3:00pm
Yultiwirra
Thursday 4 June
Parent Discussion Group
9:15am
Cycles 1 & 2 Music Concert
6:00pm
Yultiwirra
Wednesday 10 June
Cultural Committee
4:00pm
Yultiwirra
Thursday 11 June
I&PC Meeting
8:00am
Wairoa
Wellbeing Committee
4:00pm
Yultiwirra
HMS Foundation Members Event
6:00pm
Friday 12 June
Sharing Assembly C3 & C4
9:30am
Yultiwirra
Thursday 18 June
Snippets with Suzie
9:15am
Yultiwirra
Tuesday 16 June
Board Meeting
7:00pm
Yultiwirra
Wednesday 17 June
Yultiwirra Coffee Morning
Yultiwirra
Thursday 18 June
Community Connection Meeting
1:30pm - 3:00pm
Wairoa
Tuesday 23 June - Thursday 25 June
AP Coffeehouse Cabaret
Wairoa
Friday 26th June
Early Finish - 2:00pm
Term 2 Ends
“The human hand allows the mind to reveal itself.”