16 June 2025
Contents
Dear MIC Families,
Supporting Freedom and Responsibility, and Wellbeing
One of the most common misconceptions about Montessori education is the idea that children are free to do whatever they wish. While we do place a strong emphasis on choice and independence, this freedom is not without structure. In our learning environments, freedom is always balanced with responsibility, is given to encourage and foster self-discipline and is done so through setting and maintaining clear boundaries. These are what we refer to as Freedom within Limits, Freedom and Self-Discipline, and Freedom with Responsibility—important stages in a child’s developmental journey.
To help our families better understand and support this approach at home, we’ve created a set of helpful tables that explain each concept and offer simple, practical ways to encourage these choices, actions and behaviours in everyday life. Access those HERE.
Alongside this, we’ve been refining some of our key policies this term, with a strong focus on our Positive Behaviour Policy. At MIC, we guide behaviour through the lens of kindness, firmness and consistency—what we call the KFC approach. This approach is grounded in mutual respect, clear expectations, and a belief in every child’s/adolescent’s ability to grow and learn from choices/mistakes. We encourage you to adopt this framework at home too, so that together we create a unified, secure space for all of our learners to thrive.
In support of our students’ emotional and social development, we’re also delighted to welcome Hannah Myall to our team as a School Counsellor. Hannah brings a wealth of experience as a qualified social worker, with a passion for nurturing young people’s confidence, resilience and wellbeing. Her calm, positive presence will be a valuable support for our students as they navigate the many layers of growth during their time at MIC.
Thank you for continuing to partner with us in fostering curious, capable and compassionate learners.
It has been a wonderful first term at MIC, getting to know your children, working with our dedicated staff here and learning about the ins and outs of the College. I wish you and your families a warm and enjoyable break these holidays.
Warm regards,
Chris
Chris Peach – Principal
As Term 2 draws to a close, we reflect on a season filled with joy, growth, and meaningful connections. Highlights included welcoming Shannon back for inspiring Music sessions and Jaclyn’s dynamic Gross Motor Program, which brought energy and movement to our days. Our children have embraced the seasonal changes with enthusiasm, particularly during their land and nature walks. The warmth of the sun has brought with it new life in our vegetable garden, which is now thriving with an abundance of fruits, sparking wonder, responsibility, and appreciation for nature.
This term, some of our team attended a Montessori Conference, gaining rich insights to bring back to our practice. We thank families who joined our Parent Education session, your involvement strengthens the vital connection between home and school.
We celebrated National Reconciliation Week, with our children proudly leading the Acknowledgement of Country, joined National Simultaneous Storytime and welcomed two former MIC students on work experience. What a full and enjoyable term it has been!
Cycle 2 have had a busy couple of weeks as they have been enthusiastically preparing for the upcoming Cultural Fair. Some students are designing a stunning entryway to a Māori meeting house, and have spent time crafting Māori poi for dancing. Some other students are working on creating a performance of the Tripela Lik lik Pik (Three Little Pigs) as told in Papua New Guinea. Students are also working on cultural models, including traditional cuisine, clothing, and landforms. A couple of students are creating life-sized underwater post box from Vanuatu, and others have been baking lamingtons to celebrate Australian cuisine.
Another big highlight for Cycle 2 students recently is the Premier’s Reading Challenge. Many children are buzzing with excitement, eagerly listing the books they’ve read and sharing their reading achievements with friends. It’s been a wonderful term of creativity, culture, and a love of reading!
Senior Primary students have been busy with an exciting range of hands-on and creative projects recently. A major focus has been their preparations for the upcoming Cultural Fair. Students have been researching various cultures from Oceania, making models, trying out traditional recipes, and preparing food to share on the day. One group is even building a virtual aeroplane to take guests on a guided “flight” around the region!
Some students have also been learning traditional weaving techniques using wool, raffia, and picabeen palm fibres, guided by expert advice. Others have explored environmental issues by studying endangered animals such as the yellow-eyed penguin, albatross, and loggerhead turtle, and have created beautiful drawings to accompany their research.
Another highlight has been the return of a Senior Primary favourite: Creative Space. This includes student-led sessions in art, cooking, the calming “Zen Den,” and focused activities like learning about and labelling the different parts of a horse.
Just over a week ago, fifty parents joined us for this year’s Adolescents in Action event, offering a rich insight into the developmental needs of young adolescents and how the Adolescent Program builds on Montessori principles. Parents observed student-led science experiments and still life artwork, demonstrating how our students take an active role in their learning through exploration, independence, and critical thinking.
Student-guided tours showcased the program’s interdisciplinary approach, while Adolescent Guides led thought-provoking discussions on self-directed learning, the development of compassionate and engaged individuals, and the important role parents play in this journey. A Q&A session with current adolescent parents added further depth and connection, and based on the overwhelmingly positive feedback, this will now be a regular feature of the event.
We’re proud of the curiosity, capability, and leadership our adolescents continue to demonstrate through these enriching experiences.
On Thursday, 8 May, eight of us Year 9/10 students participated in the Da Vinci Decathlon, which was held at Sunshine Coast Grammar School. Da Vinci Decathlon requires us to collaborate as a team to solve and conquer challenges across ten disciplines: English, Mathematics, Science, Engineering, Codebreaking, Art and Poetry, Cartography, Creative Producers (Drama), Ideation (Problem-Solving), and Legacy (General knowledge about people and events).
We were excited to participate in the Da Vinci Decathlon for the second time and tackled the challenges head-on. The students who took part, created the short video below for you to learn more about this event.
Click on the image to WATCH the video
Credit: This video was filmed and scripted by the adolescents who attended the event. It was directed and edited by Lucy (Year 10).
Following the incredible Pumpkin Party earlier this term, the Collective has been busily planning for next term and beyond. We have some wonderful events lined up. Please put them in your diary to keep connected to the community and participate in some fun experiences. We’ll also be sending a more comprehensive update at the end of the term on everything we’ve been up to and what’s to come.
20 June – Family Fun Day – 9.00 am to 1.00 pm
The Collective will be holding a fundraising sausage sizzle for hungry participants (and parents!) please pre-order your sausages HERE by tomorrow 17 June.
1 August – International Festival – 3.30 pm – 5.30 pm
Take part in this wonderful sharing of cultures, foods, dances, history, clothing and more. Passports will be on sale again soon! If you would like to share your own culture at a table, please get in touch with the Collective – miccollectivecommittee@gmail.com
22 August – Books, Games and Puzzles second-hand stall
To coincide with the much-loved Book Week Parade, we will be holding a fun second-hand stall selling books, puzzles and games – we’ll be calling on you to donate your pre-loved items ahead of time!
19 September – Bake sale and Pizza lunch
Last day of Term 3 celebrations with a bake sale and pizza lunch – more details will be shared next term.
Thanks!
The MIC Collective Committee
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