Today marks the end of term 3, unbelievably we are now 12 months back in to on-site teaching and learning since our period of ‘at home learning’. It is essential that we continue to adapt to COVID requirements for not only all school events, but for the daily operation of our school. As Public Health have continued to recommend, please continue to follow their advice with respect to the ‘road map’ moving forward as we know this provides the level of certainty that we appreciate as a school. On behalf of the staff at Penguin District School, I’d like to thank you for your support this term, and look forward to working closely with the community for the remainder of the year.

The ability to inquire, collaborate and communicate effectively are not only important personal skills, but are key employability skills that business and industry want to see fostered in young people. The University of Tasmania Science & Engineering Investigation Challenge is a process that engages with schools to grow these skills with young learners. Our class teachers from across the primary and secondary campus have been incorporating this in to their teaching and learning programs for a number of years and it allows our students to not only build their understanding of collaborative scientific inquiry, but it provides an opportunity to showcase and celebrate student learning in and across schools.

This year we had a number of our student’s inquiries that were shortlisted as finalists for the UTAS awards.

Ella and Tahlia’s project ‘Ponics’ was to determine whether lettuce grows best aeroponically, hydroponically, or in normal soil. Ella and Tahlia were recognised as the overall junior scientists  of the year award and winners of the agricultural science award. Jacob Rittman & Cameron Jeffrey, Emma Bracken & Haylee Revell, Hannah Ivory, Taylah Guard & Estelle Rossborough, Emilie Wedd, Taleah McKenna, Hudson Guard & George Greham were all recognised for their outstanding entries across a range of categories.