THE force will be strong at Islington Public School on Tuesday, as students and staff dress up as Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Yoda, Jedi Knights and stormtroopers for May the Fourth, or Star Wars Day.
Principal Kim Harris said she expected the majority of the school's students and staff to arrive in costume for the day, which will also include Star Wars based classroom activities and screenings of the films and cartoon series at recess and lunch.
She said students were "so excited" for the whole-school activity, following COVID-19 restrictions last year.
"It's a long standing event that we do," Mrs Harris said.
"We have not been able to do it for the last couple of years because it's fallen on a weekend, so we were lucky it fell on a Tuesday this year.
"We have some very interested Star Wars buffs, teachers and students alike.
"Teacher Adrian Thompson is our resident Star Wars fan and he drives this."
Mrs Harris has to attend a principals' conference, so is keeping her Princess Leia costume on ice for next year.
Mrs Harris said the event tied into each grade's English lessons on narrative and persuasive writing.
"They're more invested and they don't see it as learning, it's just a fun activity for them. It's learning on the run."
Year five student Sophie Boutelier, 10, watched The Mandalorian with her family and had been considering dressing as Princess Leia or Rey, "but then I decided to be different".
She has stuffed stockings with fabric to create a headpiece for her transformation into a jedi from The Mandalorian.
Elwood Peak and Freddie Blunsden will both dress as Darth Vader and borrow their teachers' lightsabers, after each of their dads introduced them and their little brothers to the first three films in recent years.
Micki Albiso is more interested in Harry Potter than Star Wars but said her mum is a big fan.
In previous years Micki's worn a Chewbacca shirt, but this year will wear her dad's Yoda mask and her karate uniform under a Kmart shawl and scarf and carry a pool cue.
The first organised celebration of Star Wars Day was in Canada in 2011.
