3 July 2025

Principal's Message

I acknowledge, with deep respect, the traditional custodians of this land, the mumirimina people and pay my respects to Elders past and present, to the Aboriginal people with us today and to the Tasmanian Aboriginal community who continue to care for Country.  I stand for a future that profoundly respects and acknowledges Aboriginal perspectives, culture, language and history.

Our School Values

Our Commitment:  In partnership with community, we provide a welcoming school of choice that inspires and supports all learners to succeed as connected, creative and curious thinkers.

Dear Families,

What a whirlwind of a term it has been. I am absolutely blown away by all of the amazing things that have happened across our school this term including incursions, excursions, guest speakers, whole school events, carnivals, sports representation, assessment, reporting and parent/teacher interviews to name a few. Our staff have worked tirelessly this term to ensure students were supported, well and learning. Watching learning take place across the school in its many forms has been a real privilege. Growth mindset of students is evident in all areas of the school. Students have certainly strived to achieve our school value of ‘Growth’ – “To grow you must have a go”. Stepping outside your comfort zone to attempt something new or challenging is where the most learning occurs. Keep up the great work Sorell School students.

Attendance
I would like to take this opportunity to celebrate the students across our school who have achieved 100% attendance for Term 2 (as at Tuesday 1 July). This means they have been to school all day, every day during Term 2.

Kinder to Year 2
Cohnan, Inuka, Piper, Ida, Grace, Nina, Charlie, Navy, Allyarna, Hudson and Mackenzie

Year 3 to Year 6
Chase, Denny, Lexie, Harrison, Noah, Grace, Harley, Paige, Ashlee, Matilda, Mabel, Jasmine, Raiden, Olivia, Freddie, Noah and Willow

Year 7 to Year 10
Rubie, Jensen, Makaira, Lola, Chris, Faelan, Angus, Keenan, Brianna, Paige, Ciara, Jozef, Caleb, James, Ashton, Almar and Josh

As you are all aware, I have been acting in the role of Principal at Sorell School whilst Kelly Dyer has been on leave, enjoying some well-deserved break time. I am absolutely certain she cannot wait to get back into it. Look out Sorell School. Thank you to students, staff and families for supporting me throughout the term. It has been an amazing experience. I look forward to going back to my little Year 7/8 world next term.

Wishing everyone a safe and restful holiday.

Lauren Clements
Acting Principal

https://www.facebook.com/SorellSchool
Email: sorell.school@decyp.tas.gov.au
Phone: (03) 6269 1100

ECE Campus

At Sorell School, we use the DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) assessment as a valuable tool to help us understand how students are developing essential reading skills. The assessment helps teachers identify students who may need extra support in areas like sounding out words, reading fluently, and understanding what they read. We use DIBELS regularly throughout the year to monitor progress and tailor instruction to meet the needs - ensuring every student has the best chance to become a confident and capable reader.

As we wrap up the term, we are excited to share the impressive progress students in Years Prep to 2 have made in their end-of-term assessments. Our Prep students have shown remarkable growth.  A quarter of the cohort has moved from being identified as ‘At Risk’ into the top two achievement bands, and now, half of our Prep students are performing in these highest categories. This is a fantastic result and a true celebration of their hard work, perseverance, and support of families and teachers alike.

Our End of Term Assembly was another demonstration of the learning that has taken place this term. A huge congratulations to all our award recipients who were recognised. These students consistently demonstrate our school values of Growth, Courage, Respect, Connection, and Responsibility, both in the classroom and playground. Their awards are very well deserved, and we are proud of their efforts and leadership. A special highlight from the assembly was 1/2 Kean and Daly's creative presentation of their ‘Octopus’ artwork, which included a fun and educational quiz about octopuses that had the whole audience joining in.

In Art, our students have been busily preparing for Winterfest by crafting beautiful, colourful winter lanterns. These vibrant creations will soon light up our celebrations and showcase the creativity of our young artists.

As we head into the holidays, we would like to wish all our families a safe, restful, and happy break. Thank you for your ongoing support, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back for an exciting Term 3.

Teresa Spinks
K-2 Assistant Principal

Year 3-6 Campus

Our end of Term 2 assembly was held on Wednesday where students received awards for consistently demonstrating one or all of our school values of Respect, Growth, Connection, Responsibility and Courage.  Congratulations to all students who received an award. A special mention to our Primary Rock Band who had their first performance of the year playing "Zombie" which had all the students rocking. Well done Primary Rock Band.

Trent Sproule and Jamie Harwood
3-6 Assistant Principals

Primary HaSS Extension Excursion

On Friday 20 June, the Primary HaSS Extension class embarked on an enriching excursion to the Female Factory and The Lady Nelson. In the weeks leading up to the trip, students participated in additional HaSS lessons to deepen their understanding of the historical context. The visit to the Female Factory was particularly captivating, as we listened to powerful stories about the lives of women and children in the 1800's. During our excursion aboard The Lady Nelson, students experienced a hands-on journey through Tasmania’s maritime history, gaining insight into early exploration and life at sea. We were even lucky enough to watch a seal fishing for food.

Jayne Nillsen
Teacher

Year 7–8 Campus

As we approach the end of Term 2, it is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on what has been a productive and engaging term of learning. It was lovely to welcome parents and carers into our Year 7 and 8 learning spaces last week during parent–teacher interviews. We truly value these opportunities to connect and celebrate student progress together.

Our staff have been working to enhance our learning environment (classroom and hub spaces) so they better reflect and support the young people who use them. Creating welcoming, positive spaces that foster pride and belonging continues to be a shared goal.

Year 7 – Molesworth Excursions
All Year 7 Community classes have visited the Molesworth Environment Centre. We are incredibly grateful to the staff who made these excursions possible, particularly Tom Burford, who organised and attended all four days. The Year 7 team is a passionate and hardworking group of educators who have supported our students to grow in confidence and connection this term. Tom is taking some well-earned long service leave this week and we wish him a relaxing break and look forward to his return next term.

The excursions were a great success, with students enjoying hands-on outdoor learning, teamwork, and plenty of memorable moments. The photos captured show the strong rapport between students and staff and the value of these shared experiences.

Year 8 – Learning and Friday Assemblies
Our fantastic Year 8 staff have made excellent progress with students this term. A regular repeated reading routine has been established, and students have produced some impressive "gothic horror" narratives in English. In Science, students are completing a creative assessment by designing textbook-style pages on body systems. A highlight for some was the opportunity to perform a lamb’s heart dissection, gaining firsthand insight into the circulatory system. Students have also been learning how to paraphrase texts into clear, concise dot points.

In math, the focus has been on algebra, with students preparing for a quiz in the final week of Term 2.

Friday afternoons have become a favourite part of the timetable, with a mix of activities designed to promote connection and friendly class challenges. Mr De Lai’s weekly “Guess Where This Picture Was Taken” competition adds a fun and engaging twist to our end-of-week assemblies. Each week, students are recognised with certificates for demonstrating our school values, fostering a strong sense of pride and belonging across the cohort.

It has been a privilege to serve as Acting Assistant Principal this term. I have truly enjoyed working more closely with the students and staff in Years 7 and 8, and I look forward to what next term will bring.

Mel Symmons 
7-8 Acting Assistant Principal

Meet the Year 7-8 Teaching Team

Name: Brian Yeaman

Role: Teacher

How long have you been at Sorell School? I started at Sorell School in 2020

Tell us something about yourself: I have two guinea pigs - Patrick and Roscoe

Year 7 Molesworth Excursions

This term has been all about building belonging and a sense of community within the year group. As part of this focus, Community classes have been competing in the Community cup, displaying student work around the year group area and going on Community class excursions to Molesworth Environment Centre. This excursion gave students opportunities to work together in survival situations such as practicing compass work, cooking damper over a fire, administering first aid and building bush shelters. It was great to see all students getting involved and having fun.

Once Community classes had been on the excursion, they decorated their rooms with the photos taken on the day. Feedback from students suggest that they are really enjoy looking at the photos too and it has made them feel like they have more ownership over the year space.

We look forward to more opportunities to build community and belonging as the year continues.

Tom Burford
Year 7 AST

Year 9-10 Campus

Year 9 students have been making some solid progress towards their focus area of being in class on time and giving all tasks a go. It has been great to see more students stepping up, staying engaged, and showing a positive attitude in the classroom. Keep it up, every bit of effort counts. Did you know that two of our brave Year 9 teachers, James and Susie, are getting dunked this Friday. Thanks for being such good sports, we cannot wait to see you being dunked.

Paul and his AFL football group have also been going strong, showing great teamwork and energy on the field. The students have been committed to training, building their skills, and supporting each other during games and drills. It has been a fun and active way for them to stay engaged and develop their confidence both on and off the field.

Year 10 students have been working really hard, putting in the time and effort to get through their Math, Science, English, and History exams. It has been a big few weeks, but they have stayed focused, kept pushing through, and done their best in each subject. From tricky equations to writing essays and remembering key events, they have shown great dedication. Well done to all of them.

Bri Millhouse 
9-10 Acting Assistant Principal

Year 11-12 Campus

Year 11 and 12 are winding down after a busy few weeks. Multiple students in various classes have just finished their first aid certificates to help out with their VET courses. Everyone is now getting ready for Term 3, which represents the final full term for Year 11/12 students. There will be a report sent home early in Term 3 advising of student progress to help everyone prepare for the end of the year.

Next term will be a full one. We have expos on Construction and Hospitality coming up which will be helpful for students considering those industries as potential career paths. The Sorell School Year 10's will be visiting our Year 11 & 12 campus in Term 3.   Our Year 11 & 12 students are really looking forward to this visit. It is certainly shaping up to be a very busy Term 3.

Brody Walker
11-12 Acting Assistant Principal

School Calendar of Events

MND Sorell School Big Freeze

It is MND fundraiser time! Our Big Freeze event will be held on Friday 4 July. It is always a fun and successful event. Students are invited to wear a beanie and/or a flannie and bring a gold coin donation. The ‘dunking’ will take place in Block 4 - 1:50pm to 3:00p.m.

All funds raised will go towards MND.

Pre-Kinder 2025

Enrol for Kindergarten 2026

Blue Lagoon Holiday Camps

Respectful Relationships Workshop

Midway Point Neighbourhood Centre

Jack Jumpers Basketball Camp

Youth Health South

Shiver