Dundurrabin Public School Newsletter Term 2, Week 6, 2024

Principal's Message

Welcome to week 6.

Student Sickness

Unfortunately, the cold and flu season appears to be upon us. I urge parents to please keep children with cold and flu symptoms at home. In addition, we are aware of positive COVID cases in our community. Testing is encouraged- please give us a call if you need some test kits. Notifying the school each day when your child needs to stay home is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Stage 3 Lake Ainsworth Excursion

We are pleased to announce that our stage 3 students will be attending a weeklong camp at Lake Ainsworth in September. Our sincere thanks to Dorrigo Public School for this very special invitation. This will be a wonderful opportunity for our students to connect with their friends from Dorrigo PS as they get stuck into a fun filled, outdoor adventure. 

NAIDOC on the Plateau

Permission notes are coming home today for the annual NAIDOC on the Plateau event at Dorrigo High on Wednesday 3 July. The day is shaping up to be as terrific as in past years and we're excited to be celebrating NAIDOC Week with all students on the Dorrigo Plateau. Please return permission notes promptly.

Have a great week.

Leah Keough

Every Day Matters

Attendance Matters

Please remember to explain all days away from school. This can be done in person, by phoning the school or sending a text to the school mobile: 0411 939 188.

Attendance Reminder-Late Arrivals & Early Departures

If your child/ren arrive late to school in the morning, please remember to sign them in the register book in the office. Alternatively, you can let a staff member know the reason to why they are late, and we will update the roll. This also applies for early departures from school in the afternoon. All partial absences must be explained- the same as for a whole day absence. Thank you.

What's on for Term 2

• Monday 10 June - Kings Birthday Public Holiday
  
• Monday 17 June - P&C Meeting - 4pm
• Wednesday 26 June - Preschoolers Afternoon - 1.30pm to 3.15pm
• Thursday 27 June - Small Schools Athletic Carnival at Bellingen HS
• Wednesday 3 July - NAIDOC on the Plateau - Dorrigo High School
• (Change of Date) Tuesday 2 July - Term 2 Assembly & Adults V Students Sport Game - 2pm  

Consent Notes to be Returned

• Change of Contacts and Details Forms - Sent home last fortnight - Please return tomorrow
• Small Schools Athletic Carnival consent note - Please return by Wednesday 12 June
• NADIOC Day on the Plateau consent note - Please return by Wednesday 12 June
• Special Lunch Order Form & Money - Please return by Wednesday 12 June

Fortnightly Awards

Term 2 - Week 4

K - 2 Class

Carter Freeman for writing persuasive sentences using dialogue.

3-6 Class

Bailey Freeman for wonderful contributions to class discussions and class learning.

Kings Birthday Public Holiday

Next Monday 10 June is the Kings Birthday Public Holiday. Enjoy the long weekend. We will see students back at school on Tuesday 11 June.

P&C Special Lunch Day - 25 June

Thank you to Luk, Liying and Cassie for cooking us all a yummy Nacho's lunch on Tuesday 21 May. It was enjoyed by everyone!

We are lucky to be having another Special Lunch day on Tuesday 25 June. The menu will be yummy dumplings and fried rice and a either a cake or slice.

Please return your child/rens lunch orders and money by Wednesday 12 June.    

Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden News

Week 4

In the garden we took advantage of the fine weather and harvested our pumpkins. We discovered quite a number of Queensland Blue, Australian Butternut and Butternut pumpkins hiding in the long grass and weeds on and around our burn pile. Now that our first frost has occurred, we got to have our first taste of sweet fruit from our loaded mandarin trees. They were a big hit with most children and will be consumed over the coming weeks for fruit break and used in the kitchen. 

We harvested pumpkins, spinach, silverbeet, basil, parsley, tomatoes and spring onions.

In the kitchen we cooked Turkish pide, with a variety of toppings including spinach & feta, tomato & mozzarella and spiced mince. For dessert we had a delicious upside down pineapple cake with yoghurt.

We also dehydrated kiwifruit slices for a special sweet and sour treat next week. Special thanks to Ms Cunningham for the home grown kiwifruits.

Cooking Award:  Hunter McGuire for being a responsible and caring leader.

Week 5

Unfortunately, a shower of rain overnight prevented us from gardening this week as the ground was too wet.

We harvested the last of our capsicums, silverbeet, shallots, an enormous leek, bay leaves, celery sticks and parsley.

In the kitchen we cooked North African pumpkin and vegetable soup, grissini bread sticks, toasted and salted pumpkin seeds, roasted capsicum and parmesan dip, carrot sticks, cucumber sticks, homemade crackers and a fruit platter for dessert.

Cooking Award: Jack Duckett for amazing sunflower seed toasting and grinding.

National Simultaneous Storytime

Last Wednesday we participated in National Simultaneous Storytime. Mr Williamson read the “Bowerbird Blues" written by Aura Parker. 

It was such a beautiful day, we decided to read the story outdoors. Which fitted in perfectly with the theme of the book being about a beautuul bowerbird on the search for blue!  

It's a moving story of longing and connection, that unfolds as the bowerbird's search sends him soaring across the sea, sky and city. He swoops and snatches vibrant treasures for his collection, and soon his collection of natural and unnatural objects attracts something greater and more fulfilling than he could ever have imagined.

Preschool Afternoon

On Wednesday 22 May we welcomed Chase, Maisy, Natasha, Tahn and Tyler for a fun filled afternoon. We enjoyed a story about catching colours, popped balloons with Danny Go, created colourful bubble artworks, used straws to blow paint on paper, made bubble blowing wands to blow hundreds of bubbles and participated  in creative play together.

Our next preschooler afternoonwill be Wednesday 26 June from 1.30pm to 3.15pm. All children from 0-5 years of age are welcome to join us for a fun afternoon of activities.

Walk Safely to School

We had a big trek to school from the Community Centre for our annual Walk Safely to School Day on Friday 24 May. We then enjoyed a delicious breakfast of pancakes, yoghurt and fruit. A great start to the day!

Thank you to our wonderful P&C for suppling breakfast for our students and to Tash for driving us all to the Community Centre so we could walk up to school.

Gumbaynggirr Language Learning

K-6 continue their Gumbaynggirr language learning activities with Lesley each Wednesday.

Art Mural with Uncle Allan

Tuesday afternoons are very exciting at school. It's when Uncle Allan visits to work with us on our new school mural. Last week saw our local animal designs transferred onto the boards and painting is expected to kick off this week. It's looking fabulous!

What's happening in STEM?

In STEM we have been exploring rocks. Students have been learning about the different types of rocks and how they are formed. Using 'sediments' and simulated weathering processed, students created their own sedimentary rocks and made 'fake fossils'. The students especially enjoyed using magnifying glasses to look closely at a wide variety of rocks, crystals and minerals.  

STEM Award - Bailey Freeman for an 11 rock stack in STEM.

K-2 Handwriting

K-2 learners working hard on correct letter formation last week.

Learning Insights

Thank you to the parents/carers who provided feedback last term around the curriculum reform updates. As a result we will be putting together videos of the learning which takes place in all of the focus areas of English and mathematics from Kindergarten to Year 6. This is to help inform you, our parents and community, of what your children are learning and how you can support them. In these videos we will be including clips of children engaging, and sometimes explaining, their learning.

Small Schools Athletic Carnival

Our annual Small School’s Athletics Carnival will be held on Thursday 27 June at Bellingen High School Sports Oval starting at 9.30am and finishing at approximately 2.30pm.

We will be taking Wykes’ bus to Bellingen on the day. Cost per student will be $10.00.

Due to limited space at Bellingen High School. Only competitive students aged 8 years and above will be eligible to compete. Novelty events will not be held. K-2 students will remain here at school with Mrs Sangster as normal.

Students who normally catch Wykes’ bus will need to catch the High School bus run in the morning and will return home on the High School bus run in the afternoon. All other students will need to be at Tyringham Store at 7.45am and will be collected from Tyringham Store at 3.50pm. 

If your child/ren are interested in competing in the 1500m events, these will be ran at 9am before the
main carnival, and parents will need to provide transport. Please let us know if your child is competing in this event.

Please sign and return the attached consent note and money by Wednesday 12 June.

Change of Bus Routine

Due to the bus being used for the Small Schools Sports Carnival to Bellingen on Thursday 27 June, we ask K-2 students parents to please drive their child/ren to school and pick up after school on this day . Thank you. 

NAIDOC Day on the Plateau

All school students on the Plateau will be participating in NAIDOC celebrations at Dorrigo High School on Wednesday 3 July.

The NAIDOC 2024 theme is "Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud". This year's theme celebrates the unyielding spirit of our communities and invites all to stand in solidarity.

We will catch the town bus to Dorrigo High School and home from Dorrigo High School in the afternoon. The cost of the bus will be $1.00 per student. There will be no cost for the activities on the day.

Students who normally catch Wykes bus will need to catch the High School bus run and return home on the High School bus run. All others students will need to be at Tyringham Store at 7.45am ready to board the town bus and be collected at the Tyringham Store at 3.50pm.

Students will need to wear full school uniform (sport shirt), appropriate footwear, hat and bring water
bottles, packed recess and lunch. There will be no food available on the day.

Please sign and return the consent note that is sent home today by Wednesday 12 June.

Term 2 Assembly & Adults V Students Sport

Please note the change of date.

Please join us for our Term 2 Assembly on Tuesday 2 July at 2pm. Parents and friends are invited to stay on after the assembly for a student V parent sports games. Sport to be decided.

Years 5 & 6 - Lake Ainsworth Excursion

Our Year 5 & 6 students have been invited to join with Dorrigo Public School on an excursion to Lake Ainsworth from September 16 to September 20, 2024 (Week 9 - Term 3).

An expression of interest is being sent home today and must be returned by this Friday, to ensure a spot for your child.

The total cost of the excursion is $646.00 per student. The school will contribute $100 towards the cost per student, reducing the remaining cost to $546.00 per student. There will be some fundraising opportunities that can be utilised to help reduce your child's cost.

More details and consent notes soon.

School Reminders

Updated Details Form

An updated details form was sent home previously. It is important to have accurate contact details in case of accidents, evacuations and possible temporary school closures. To ensure our contact details for each family are correct, we are requesting each family provide up to date contact details. If your phone number and email have changed, please indicate that on the form. We would also like to know if any of your child/rens medical details / health conditions have changed as well as dietary requirements or preferences for our SAKG cooking. If you have no detail changes, please still return the form with your child/rens name written on it and stating “No Changes”. Please return them this week. A big thank you to our families that returned them by the due date, it is appreciated and makes our job easier. 

2024 Learning Contributions

Learning Contributions for 2024 remain the same

• Voluntary School Contribution - $30.00 for the costs of student items provided by our school
• SAKG Program Fees - $40.00. This goes towards our SAKG program which has ongoing costs each week, such as cooking ingredients for our weekly lunch meal, seeds and seedlings.

Thank you to those families who have already paid.

Book Club Issue # 4 - Due Monday 17 June

Book Club Issue#4 brochure is being sent home today. If you wish to place an order from this issue, please have your loop online order completed or your order forms and money (cash) back at school by tomorrow, Monday 17 June.

P&C News and Community News

P&C Meeting

Our next P&C meeting will be Monday 17 June at 4pm. It would be nice to have as many people as possible attend. This is a wonderful opportunity to find out about and get involved with what is happening within the school. Please come along, share a cuppa and enjoy a relaxed and friendly gathering. We’d love to see more faces for new ideas and support. 

P&C Firewood Raffle

The P&C are having a firewood raffle this term. Tickets have been sent home already. Tickets are $1.00 each. All tickets and money will need to be back at school by Monday 1 July. The raffle will be drawn at our Term 2 Assembly on Thursday 4 July.

P&C Meat Raffles at Ebor Hotel

Below are dates that our P&C are holding our Meat Raffles at Ebor Hotel on Thursday evenings -

• 6 June
• 4 July
• 1 August
• 26 September
• 24 October
• 21 November
• 19 December

Tickets available at Tyringham shop or phone Leonie Pankhurst on 0413 158 466

Upcoming Youth Fishing Trips

Yoga & Relaxation Classes with Shakti

Tuesdays - 4.00pm to 5.15pm at Dundurrabin Public School

Thursdays - 10am to 11.15am at Dorrigo Uniting Church Hall Myrtle St

Please Book:  0448 879 642 or E:  shakti.mudra@gmail.com