18 December 2024

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,

2024 is quickly coming to an end. The last two weeks have been a wonderful celebration of student achievement and growth. On Monday, our Kindergarten to Year 5 students stole the show with vibrant and energetic performances, ranging from Christmas fun to our rock band, choir, and brass band, highlighting the mass of talented young people we have at Sorell School.

Tomorrow, we will hold our Year 10 celebration assembly as they have reached an important milestone as a group. We would like to congratulate our Year 10s on the pathways they have chosen and look forward to hearing about their successes.

Staffing

At the end of each year, some of our staff transition into new roles or embark on new chapters in their lives.

Janet Gatehouse

We would like to acknowledge and thank Janet Gatehouse, who is finishing up at Sorell School to focus on her mayoral duties. Janet has had many years of association with the school, firstly as a parent and secondly as the canteen supervisor. Janet was a key spokesperson in the redevelopment and a driving force in ensuring equity across our school. While we won’t be seeing Janet on a day-to-day basis, we look forward to continuing to work with her to benefit the broader Sorell community.

Rowena Smith

Will be on long service leave for the start of 2025. 

Sarah Atkinson

Sarah will be commencing a new role with the 11 & 12 DECYP team. We wish Sarah every success as she finds her feet in the new role, supporting all 11 & 12 sites to improve attainment and retention.

Miles Griggs

Miles has been at Sorell for two years. He will be taking leave early in the year and then venturing into retirement. Miles has had the secondary rock band humming, with a wonderful final performance at our Secondary Presentation Assembly. We would like to wish Miles every bit of happiness in retirement.

Laura Truepenny

Laura will be on maternity leave next year. We would like to wish Laura and her family every bit of happiness with her new addition nearly here. Best wishes on behalf of the school.

Ethan Steele

Ethan will be moving interstate. We wish Ethan every success in his new, exciting chapter full of adventure and new beginnings. Ethan has brought an energy level to the team which has manifested in many sporting highlights. Best of luck, Ethan.

Harry Winch

Harry is also off to enjoy a new beginning on the mainland. Harry joined our team this year, bringing a wealth of knowledge and passion into the HPE team. Best of luck, Harry.

Lou Balcombe

Lou will be finishing up with us at the end of the year. Lou has a real passion for maths and science and has been such an important part of the team. We wish Lou every success moving forward.

Amber Sargent

Amber is moving interstate next year. We wish Amber every success with her university studies.

Thank you.

As we reflect on this year, we are deeply grateful for the unwavering support from our families, community partners, and dedicated staff. Your commitment to our students and school initiatives has been truly inspiring. Thank you for being an integral part of our journey and for your continued partnership.

We would like to wish all families a safe and enjoyable break. We look forward to seeing our students on February 6, 2025.

Kelly Dyer
Principal

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

ECE CAMPUS

The last weeks have been full of exciting events, and we were very proud to hear the glowing commendations about our students during their recent excursion to the Botanical Gardens. While there, they enjoyed a live performance and then moved on to a city park to play. Several people remarked on how courteous and well-mannered the students were. They represented Sorell School in a manner that makes us all very proud.

We would also like to extend a huge congratulations to all the students who received our end-of-year recognition awards. These awards are truly well-deserved and represent the consistent application of our school values throughout the year. It is always inspiring to see how our school values shine through in students’ efforts and achievements.

One of the true highlights over the past two weeks were our Christmas performances. Our students never cease to amaze us with their confidence and enthusiasm when performing in front of an audience. We hope that all family members in attendance enjoyed the performances as much as we did.

As we wrap up another incredible year at Sorell School, the Early Years team extends our warmest wishes for a happy and safe holiday season. We thank you for the support you have provided throughout the year and look forward to welcoming you back in 2025 for another exciting year of learning and growth.

Teresa Spinks
K-2 Assistant Principal

YEARS 3 – 6 CAMPUS

It has been fantastic to watch students enjoying the last few weeks of their learning with their 2024 classes. Students have received their class placements for 2025 and visits have been put in place to successfully support students transitioning into their new learning spaces.

Year 3 – 5 Christmas Assemblies ran this week with some amazing musical performances from all classes. Congratulations to those students who received an end-of-year award for their hard work and consistent effort throughout the year. Year 6 students enjoyed their Big Day Out this week where they played on the gymnastic equipment at the Eastside Activity Centre, followed by a movie and a disco after school. A great time was had by all.

The culminating event for the year is the Year 6 Celebration Assembly on the last day of school and we look forward to seeing Year 6 students finish and celebrate their primary schooling and wish them well for their future learning in high school.

Wishing all students, families and staff a safe and happy Christmas and New Year and look forward to seeing everyone back at school in 2025.

Trent Sproule and Jamie Harwood
3-6 Assistant Principals

YEARS 7 – 10 CAMPUS

I would like to take this opportunity in the final newsletter for the year to congratulate students on a fantastic year. Students navigated the final move of our redevelopment with maturity and enthusiasm, with learning always at the forefront.

The growth in the Year 7 and 8 students as they have settled into their new building has been a pleasure to watch. We have farewelled the final build fencing and look forward to completing the landscaping works around the Year 7/8 building. Bring on those outdoor table tennis tables for 2025.

Year 9 students are stepping up in many areas of the school in the lead-up to 2025. Their ability to try new things, take on challenges and step outside their comfort zones is a real credit to them and will put them in the box seat for an enriching and rewarding year for Year 10.

I’d also like to thank all staff who have worked tirelessly this year to support our Year 7 to 10 students. It takes a village, and a village we sure have! Enjoy a well-earned break everyone!

Lauren Clements
7-10 Assistant Principal

Tasmanian High School State Athletics Championship Carnival

Sorell School had 3 secondary students travel to Launceston on 12 December who competed in the Tasmanian High School State Athletics Championship.

Well done Ty Jakupek Year 7, Harper Moore and Ryan Cleaver Year 8.

All three students should be very proud of their achievements. 

HPE Staff

Primary Choir

The Sorell School Choir gave an amazing performance at the Sorell Community Carols on December 7. Their lively singing brought plenty of festive cheer to the crowd. The students' enthusiasm was contagious, and they really made the night special for everyone in the Sorell community.

Colour Run

The colour run was a huge success raising $5220. After many failed attempts to actually run the colour run, the event happened on 9 December 2024. Mario and Luigi even visited the event. All of the funds will be used to purchase equipment for the hub spaces.

Thank you to everyone who donated and participated. Thank you also to our Student Leaders for running and organising the event.

Bri Millhouse 

Year 6 Big Day Out & Disco

The Year 6 Big Day Out was a huge success, with a visit to the Eastside Activity Centre, a trip to the Movies, and an after-hours Disco to end the day. A big thank you to the Sorell School Association for providing and cooking the BBQ dinner.

Year 10 Leavers Dinner Celebration

The Year 10s had a wonderful celebration evening at Wyndham. 

The students all looked amazing, shining with excitement and style in their attire as they celebrated the night.

The evening went smooth with lots of laughs and great food. The staff were very impressed with the behaviour from all students. 

Paddock to Plate

The Paddock to Plate program has had another successful year, with our dedicated team preparing over 27,000 meals for our students. Since its inception four years ago, the program has now provided more than 105,000 meals for our students. This year, we were honoured to receive a National Award from Food Ladder, recognising the positive impact the program has had on our students.

In 2024, the program included students from Year 3 to Year 6, providing them with a healthy, hot lunch each day. We are excited to announce that the program will return next year, and we look forward to continuing to provide nutritious meals to our students.

A massive thank you goes to everyone who has supported us this year, whether through direct involvement or assistance along the way. This program continues thanks to the many hands that help bring it to life, and we are deeply grateful to all those who have contributed.

Our supporters include: Tas School Matters, Southern Fields, Foodbank, Loaves and Fishes, and Coles.

Scott Hutchison 

Hoodies available 2025

Exciting news! Sorell School will be adding a Hoodie as an option to the uniform in 2025. Please keep an eye out for the opening hours for the uniform shop located at School. Contact Julie Cleaver for more information 0408 829 516.

School Calendar of Events