On Wednesday, 4 December, the Kinders and Preps joined together to participate in some Christmas activities. First we did some Christmas cooking – we made Tim Tam Reindeer and Coconut Ice Christmas Trees. We were lucky enough to get to eat them for Recess! They were delicious!

Next we did some Christmas art and craft. We made a collage of a Christmas Tree, using pompoms to paint the decorations, and we drew patterns on a bauble and coloured them in. What great artists we are!

Finally it was time for Christmas games! Our first game was Pin the Nose on Rudolph, which was followed by a Candy Cane Relay. Even the teachers had a turn! We had lots of fun and cheered each other on. Overall we had a fantastic day together celebrating Christmas!

Recently in 3-4A students have been experimenting with some abstract portrait art. Students were working with grey lead & oil pastels. They have been considering the size and scale plus adding some abstract detail and design. Lots of bright and unique art pieces.

We’ve had some exciting and busy Drama times the last couple of weeks that I’m sharing with you in the spirit of celebration, achievement and pride in our amazing kids.

Both the Preps and the Kinders have shared performances with each other – the kinders did a physical theatre version of the book “Piranhas don’t eat Bananas” by Aaron Blabey and the Preps created a Dance/Movement piece to “Count on Me” by Bruno Mars.

Earlier this week Happy Habits Theatre Company visited our school with their show “Knock, Knock” which was an interactive Christmas themed detective story – it was awesome.

And yesterday the 9-10 Drama class performed “The Big One” which is a black comedy about winning tattslotto and how one family eventually realises money can’t buy happiness.

Two performers were away on the day but fortunately Lily was able to fill in for one character (with script in hand she filled in for her brother Rory) and the Drama Teacher Kelly stepped in for Kahla which meant she got a cake (cream pie on a plate) thrown in her face by Cleo which was all part of it.

Not only does this structure maximise our resourcing but more importantly this organisational change will allow us to maintain positive student/teacher ratios while importantly allowing teachers to minimise planning and focus solely on one curriculum for the cohort. Where there are combined classes, we will continue to support planning in Professional Learning Teams as we have successfully done in previous years.

Lilydale Carols was again a hugely positive event for our community and is becoming something of a tradition. Thank you to all those involved in the preparation and planning for this opportunity to get us all together. Well done, to our presenters and all our performers. What a great way to celebrate together.

As part of our Year 9/10 redevelopment, we were able to commission an artwork, produced by Helen Latham, from Finch Design. The installation has been applied to the PAC windows and also some leave decals on the walls and awning. The artwork “draws inspiration from the school's rural setting and the surrounding natural environment, including Mt Arthur and local foliage.” We are really pleased with this addition to our school and the way that it blends the building into our natural environment. Please take a look and enjoy the work when you are next in the school.

We are continuing to develop our facilities around the school. We now have all our basketball hoops fully installed and we will have our courts resurfaced during our holiday break. Our swings are in and being used regularly by a broad range of our students. Thank you to our School Association for their support of the swings through the funds raised at our previous School Fair.

Thank you to the Tasmanian Government Public Art Program and to the talented artist Helen from Finch Design for the wonderful design and installation of the artwork called ‘Blue-Green Glow’. This artwork draws inspiration from our school’s rural setting and the surrounding natural environment including Mt Arthur. ‘Just as leaves start grounded before taking flight, students begin their educational journey at Lilydale, growing and learning before venturing into the wider world’.

Celebration Dinner

On Thursday, 12 December Year 10 students are invited to attend their Celebration Dinner at the Boathouse, Invermay. The cost of the dinner is $50 which students are required to pay to the office or through the QKR app by December 1. Students should have a letter with further information.

Cheers to the Year: End of Year Breakfast

On Friday, 13 December Year 9 and 10 students are invited to attend a big Breakfast catered by the school between 8:30 – 9:30. Year 10 parents are also welcome to join us. The breakfast will take place outside of the PAC.

Year 10 Mystery Bus trip

On Friday, 13 December (after the breakfast) Year 10 students will leave around 10am for their Mystery Bus trip. Year 10 students can wear casual clothes.

Presentation Assembly

On Tuesday, 17 December there will be our whole school presentation assembly in the school gym. Parents will receive an email if their child is receiving an award. There will be a morning tea afterwards for award winners and their family. Full school uniform required.

Celebration Assembly

On Thursday, 19 December Year 10 students will be acknowledged in a celebration assembly starting at 11:00 and going for about half an hour in the school gym. There will be a morning tea for Year 10 students and their family afterwards. We will also celebrate those students completing Year 12. Full school uniform required.

Could all students now bring back any outstanding library books, please.  The library is heading into the busiest time of the year and the return of all books by Friday would be appreciated ?

High School – Student of the Week

Every week all staff, Student Leaders and the wider community have the opportunity to nominate a high school student as a ‘Lilydale Legend’. These nominations acknowledge when another person has noticed the student demonstrating our school values of being safe, respectful and learning. If a student is nominated by multiple people their name will appear twice. Lilydale Legends for the week will get recognised in our high school assembly and receive a certificate. Congratulations to the Lilydale Legends for Week 7 & 8 - Term 4.

Week 7

Saver Plus is a free 10-month financial education and matched savings program. It helps people develop savings and money management skills, while saving for their children’s or their own education.

Saver Plus Program benefits:

The October 2024 Saver Plus Impact Report revealed the following benefits of participants:

• 84% of former participants are still saving more than 7 years after completing Saver Plus, including 71% still saving regularly.
• Financial wellbeing scores of participants increased from 35 out of 100 before Saver Plus to 66 out 100 following involvement in the Saver Plus program. (Compared with the average Australian financial wellbeing score of 54 out of 100.)
• 87% of former participants felt more in control of their finances.
• 92% felt more confident generally after achieving their Saver Plus goal.

Parents/guardians who are applying for STAS for the first time need to apply online at: Student Assistance Scheme (STAS)

Alternatively applicants can search STAS in Google and be taken directly to the online application site. Applications can be completed on any electronic device including mobile phones. Parents/guardians must hold a current Centrelink concession card or Department of Veterans’ Affairs concession card to be eligible.

STAS 2025 assessment letters have been posted to all families. 

If a parent/guardian wishes to add a newly enrolling or additional student to their existing STAS file they need to email their full name, the student’s full name, date of birth and school attending in 2025 to: stas@decyp.tas.gov.au and the file will be updated. Financial Assistance Services will also accept details of newly enrolled children of families who are approved for STAS directly from schools via email to stas@decyp.tas.gov.au.
For queries, please contact stas@decyp.tas.gov.au

 During the school holidays items can be ordered from Qkr and will be available from the office from Thursday, 30 January 2025.

Please note that the Lilydale school uniform trouser is navy shorts or navy tracksuit pants. Pants in other colours or tights do not meet school uniform requirements.

It is also a requirement in 2025 that students wear school hats only. School Navy bucket hats, Navy trucker caps with the school logo and Navy beanies with the school logo are available for purchase from the school uniform shop or on Qkr.

Lilydale District School Uniform
Girls’ Uniform

Summer dress of school material
Winter tartan skirt of school material
Navy Track Pants
Navy Shorts (Unisex)

Boys’ Uniform
Navy Track Pants
Navy Shorts (Unisex)

Unisex Tops
Polo top – Navy with school logo
Spray jacket
Navy polar fleece jacket with school logo
Navy polar fleece ½ zip jumper with school logo
Navy Hoodie with school logo

Shoes
Black school shoes must be worn
Sneakers are to be worn for PE and sport only

Sports Uniform
(to be worn for PE and when representing
the School at sporting events)
Navy Shorts / Navy Track Pants
Polo Shirt

Sports T-shirts for
Carnival Days and House Activities
T-shirts in House Colours
Maralinga - Red   Corinna - Royal Blue

Hats
Navy bucket hat with school logo
Navy trucker caps with school logo
Navy beanie with school logo

Summer dresses and tartan skirts can be custom made for those whose sizes are not catered for in the normal order system.  A slight surcharge does apply.

Think UV. Not heat!

Schools back and that means hats back on and time to Slip on sun protective clothing, Slop on sunscreen, Slap on a sun safe hat, Seek shade and Slide on sunglasses whenever the UV is 3 and above. Remember to pack a hat and sunglasses and apply sunscreen before coming to school.

Let’s be Sun Safe for term 4 !!