Students celebrate end of year

FRIDAY, December 16, marked the final day of school in 2022 for 320 students at St Thomas’ Primary School, Sale.

St Thomas’ students, comprising 14 classes, relished ample experiences across the year’s four terms, faced and overcame academic challenges, and made unforgettable memories.

Six Foundation students enjoyed their final play on the playground for the year as the sun radiated from the bright blue sky.

Jonah, Sophie, Evie, Archie, Laura and Louis shared what they enjoy most about school, with art, sport and playtime shared favourites.

The six are eagerly awaiting their visit from Santa this weekend, with the St Thomas’ Foundation students assuring they are all on the nice list this Christmas.

ON the last day of school for the year, pupils from Guthridge Primary School, Sale, congregated for games with teacher Ruth Hodge in the state-of-the-art fitness centre just a stone’s throw away.

Guthridge Primary School, which has an enrolment of 275 students over 15 classes, will recommence in 2023 with a brand-new swimming centre. The recognisable sound of power tools blended with joyful squeals and youthful laughter was heard on Friday as workers advanced on the new pool enclosure.

It has been another jam-packed year for students at Guthridge Primary, with many outstanding achievements.

Most recently, Grade 3 student, Louise Cresia, Grade 4 student, Penny Glover, and Grade 5 student, Hend Radwan, were awarded the prestigious Elizabeth Meredith Award.

The Elizabeth Meredith Award is presented to a student from Grades 3-5, honouring their strength, dedication, passion and patience. All of these attributes were demonstrated by the much-respected and diligent parent of Guthrdidge Primary School, Elizabeth Meredith, who died a few years ago.

Foundation student Jacob McKay, six, recently competed in the BMX National Championships after placing third in the Under 11s age group at the Victorian State Championships. Jacob competed against the best BMX riders in the country, placing second in his age group in the National Freestyle BMX Championships.

IT may be small, comprising just 44 students over three classes, but Wurruk Primary School is large at heart.

Wurruk Primary School students from Foundation through to Grade 6 ended the 2022 school year, each becoming a published author.

Every year, pupils write and illustrate their very own book, sending out the school year with a book launch.

Family, friends and teachers joined students in the hall as they showed off their work, colourfully printed onto glossy white pages.

A barbecue lunch concluded end-of-year celebrations as the Wurruk Primary community congregated underneath a sun-filled sky, munching down snags hot off the barbecue and crunching freshly tossed salad.

Through the tall iron gate adjacent to the school, youngsters of Wurruk Kindergarten partook in their own end-of-year celebrations.

Enrolments for Wurruk Kindergarten are now open for children aged three and four, operating Wednesday, Thursday and every second Friday from 9am until 3pm.

For more information about Wurruk Kindergarten, call 0451 442 975.

WALKING through the doors of Stratford Primary School on Friday, December 16, one would have thought they were at the North Pole, not regional Victoria, as myriad students donned their most festive Christmas wear in celebration of the end of the school year.

Principal Kate Steele was quick to give credit to the student initiative team, who organised the school-wide Christmas dress-up day, just one of the many student-organised events at Stratford Primary in 2022.

With more elves than one could count, a Mrs Clause and a Santa Clause, it really was as if the doors of Stratford Primary School were a magical gateway to the North Pole.