Dundurrabin Public School Newsletter Term 1, Week 3, 2025

Principal's Message

Welcome Back!

The 2025 school year has officially kicked off! I hope you all had an enjoyable summer break and are feeling refreshed.

Last week, it was wonderful to see all our students return to school, ready to tackle another year of learning and growth. I would like to extend a special welcome to Deborah, Jamie, and their son Tyler, who is joining us in Kindergarten this year. We are excited to have you as part of our school community.

A heartfelt thank you goes to Mrs. Sangster, Chris, and Laz for their hard work in ensuring our school grounds, gardens, and learning spaces look fresh and inviting for our return. Your efforts are greatly appreciated!

Our staff arrangements for 2025 are as follows:

Leah Keough: Teaching Principal, 3-6 class

Katrina Sangster: K-2 class teacher (Tues-Fri) 

Chris Williamson: K-2 class teacher (Mon), 3-6 class teacher (Wed) 

Jo Cunningham: casual teacher (Fri) 

Emily Bingle: Assistant Principal Curriculum and Instruction (Tues) 

Melissa Harrison: School Admin Manager (Mon- Thurs) 

Anthony Baker: School Counsellor

Katherine Lean, Suzanne Tompkins and Leanne Sinclair: part-time Student Learning Support Officers

Chris Meehan: Grounds Assistant

Let’s make this year a fantastic one together!

Leah Keough

Every Day Matters

Please remember to explain all days your child is away from school. You can do this in person, by phoning the school, or by sending a text to the school mobile at 0411 939 188. Thank you for your cooperation!

What's on for Term 1

• Tuesday 11 February - Small School Swimming Carnival - Bellingen Pool
• Monday 24 February - AGM & PC Meeting - 4.00pm
• Tuesday 26 & Wednesday 27 February - 3 Way Parent / Teacher / Student Meetings - 3.30pm to 4.30pm
• Friday 28 February - Clean Up Schools Day
• Wednesday 12 to Monday 24 March - NAPLAN ( Years 3 & 5 )
• Friday 21 March - Harmony Day 
• Wednesday 26 March - Ride to School Day
• Thursday 10 April - Term 1 Assembly & Parents V Students Sport Afternoon - 2pm

Consent Notes to be Returned

• Variation of School Routine Consent Note
• Permission to Publish Consent Note
• Consent to Use Third-Party Software Consent Note

Introducing Our New Behaviour Management Support Plan

This year we are implementing a new Behaviour Support Management Plan at our school. Our commitment to explicitly teaching and modelling positive behaviour is at the forefront of this initiative, as we strive to support all students in being engaged with their learning.

Our goal is to inspire every child to participate positively in society, and we focus on promoting excellence, opportunity, and success for every student, every day. We believe in developing safe, respectful learners within a caring learning community. To this end, our school-wide expectations are simple: to be safe, respectful learners.

A full copy of the new Behaviour Support Management Plan is available on our school website, and I encourage all families to take a look. Your feedback and questions are important to us, so please feel free to reach out to me directly. Collaborative relationships and open communication are key to creating a shared understanding of how we can best support our students' learning, safety, and wellbeing.

What's planned across the Key Learning Areas for Term 1

A deeper dive into what we're learning...

This term all students from Kindergarten to Year 6 will be developing their understanding of representing numbers in mathematics. 

Early skill development focuses on counting first to 5, then to 10, with the understanding that the numbers are always in the same order, and represent certain amounts.

A fun way you can support your child in this area is by singing counting songs like “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, once I caught a fish alive” and “1, 2, buckle my shoe”. Also, counting out objects one at a time while saying the matching number is a very important skill and easy to do at home.

To progress further, students are working with numbers in the two- and three-digits. We are representing them with concrete materials like paddle pop sticks and Base 10 blocks, and learning that the value on the number depends on where it is placed, e.g. ones, tens, hundreds. 

A great game you can play with your child to support them in this area is the Nice or Nasty game, using only 2 or 3 boxes each.

Beyond this, students are progressing to reading, writing and representing numbers from four- to six-digits, that’s in the hundred thousands! We continue to hone our understanding of place value as the numbers get bigger.

Finally, students are learning to read, write and represent numbers in the millions and billions! That’s 12-digits! We like to use our place value houses to model and record the enormous numbers we are working with. A fun activity we like to do to consolidate this learning is the game Mastermind, which you can play with up to 10-digit numbers.

School Counsellor

I'd briefly like to introduce myself. My name is Anthony Baker- your school counsellor. I'm a former teacher with 23 years of teaching experience. I've mainly taught Secondary Science at Macksville HS and Coffs High, but also taught a composite 5-6 primary class in Grafton.

I'm a provisionally registered Psychologist with AHPRA and employed with the Department as a school counsellor. I currently service Bellingen HS, Dorrigo PS, as well as Hernani and Dundurrabin. 

As school counsellor, I can provide screening for children who may be experiencing emotional, behavioural or learning difficulties. Typically, I then construct a psych report which can be used for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes by paediatricians or external psychologists (or clin. psych's). I can also offer limited, short-term counselling and intervention services for students who may be encountering difficulties in their lives.

Due to the age of primary school children, 1-1 contact is strictly by parental consent. If your child currently has contact with the SC, or you think they may do so in the near future (this year), they will need a permission note  which will need to be signed and returned to the school. Please see Mrs Keough if you have any questions.

All contact and relevant documentation associated with the school counselling service is STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL (as per AHPRA requirements).

If you wish to talk with me, please feel free to contact the office (6657 8133) to make an appointment. My service days are Thursday morning (fortnightly).

Thanks for your time!
Anthony

Three Way Parent / Teacher / Student Interviews

We will be holding our Parent/Teacher/Student meetings on Tuesday, 25 February, and Wednesday, 26 February. We look forward to meeting with each learner and their parents/carers. Each meeting typically lasts about 15 minutes. Below are the time slots for your child/ren's meetings.

2025 School Captains

Introducing our 2025 School Captains Jaxon, Henry, Hunter and Bailey. An exciting chapter in their school journey with great responsibility many opportunities. This is their chance to lead by example, inspire their peers, and make a positive impact in our school community. We are all looking forward to seeing the wonderful things they will accomplish this year!

Welcome to Kindergarten 2025

Welcome to Kindergarten Tyler! We are excited to have you join us on this wonderful journey of learning and discovery. Get ready for fun activities, new friends, and lots of adventures. We can't wait to explore together and help you grow!

Small Schools Swimming Carnival – Tuesday 11 February, 2025.

The Small Schools Swimming Carnival will be held tomorrow Tuesday 11 February, 2025, at Bellingen Pool commencing at 9.15am and finishing approximately 2pm.

Only students from 8 years of age and above and are capable of swimming 25 metres are eligible to compete.
School will run as normal for students not attending.

Your support will be necessary for the Swimming Carnival by providing parental transport. Mrs Galletly will be attending the carnival with Dundurrabin PS and Hernani PS participating students. Students must pay the $3.50 entry fee to the pool on the day. 

Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden News

Week 2

What a beautiful Summer day to begin gardening lessons for the year. We were very productive, creating trellis' for our expanding cucumber plants, trimming our hydrangea plants, collecting carrot & fennel seeds, and trying our hand at a late crop of spuds in tubs!

We harvested shallots, eggs, garlic chives, and parsley. We also used some raspberries which were picked and frozen over the Christmas break. Thank you to Mrs Sangster for bringing in some of her beautiful home grown capsicums and tomatoes.

On our very first Friday in the kitchen, we made Shakshuka eggs, homemade English muffins, garlic chive scrambled eggs, and Amish-style raspberry and cinnamon baked oatmeal. It was a fantastic start to 2025.

This week, the cooking award goes to Amber Baff for careful and precise dough rolling and cutting. Congratulations!

Best Start Kindergarten Assessment

The Best Start Kindergarten Assessment will take place at our school early this term. This is a state-wide assessment that helps show teachers the literacy and numeracy skills of each student at the beginning of Kindergarten. This helps teachers to plan lessons to best support the learning needs of every child.

Children come to school with a range of experiences, skills and abilities. Some are familiar with books, can recognise letters of the alphabet or even write their name or count to ten, while others
have not yet learned these skills.

The Best Start Kindergarten Assessment provides teachers with the opportunity to sit with a child one on one, focusing on what that child can do. The assessment is not a test but provides teachers with useful information to help support your child’s learning at school.

If you have any questions or you wish to withdraw your child from participating in the assessment, please contact the school.

NAPLAN 2025

Students in Years 3 and 5 will take the NAPLAN assessments from Wednesday, 12 March to Monday, 24 March 2025. NAPLAN checks the reading, writing, and maths skills that students are learning in school. The results help us understand how to improve our school programs. If parents have any questions, please feel free to contact the school.

Big Day Out Excursion

We spent our last day of school last year on an excursion to the Nambucca Cinema to watch the movie ‘Moana 2,’ followed by hot chip buns at the park. It was a wonderful day, and everyone had a great time! If you missed the photos from last term, be sure to check out our school Facebook page for individual shots.

100% Attendance

What a fantastic start to the 2025 school year! We are thrilled to announce that we achieved 100% attendance on our first and second day back! This remarkable accomplishment reflects the dedication and commitment of our entire school community.

Thank you to our students for showing up with enthusiasm and readiness to learn, and to our families for your support in making education a priority.

A Splash of Creativity

We were excited to kick off the new school year with a splash of creativity! A memorable first day back painting water colour portraits. 

Premier's Reading Challenge

The Premier’s Reading Challenge starts on Monday, 24 February, and students can enter until Friday, 22 August. The goal of the Challenge is to encourage students to enjoy reading for fun and to explore quality literature. It is not a competition, but a personal challenge for each student to read, read more, and read a variety of books. The Challenge will take place at school during Terms 1, 2, and 3. If your child would like to register books they are reading at home, please let us know.

Dorrigo Plateau News

Dorrigo Plateau News will be publishing news items from our school newsletter on their online website throughout the year. If you are a subscriber, this week they will be featuring our Year 6 Leaders and our Kindergarten student - check it out!

School Reminders

School Times
Teachers commence playground duty from 8.45am. Students are encouraged not to arrive before this time. If an earlier drop off time is needed this can be organised on occasion if you speak with Mrs Keough. Our timetable is below:

• Morning play - 8:45am – 9:15am
  
• School starts / Assembly - 9:15am
• Fruit break - 10:20am
• Recess - 11:20am – 12 noon
• Lunch - 1:30pm – 2:00pm
• School finishes - 3.15pm

Daily Breakfast at School
Thanks to Foodbank NSW, we still have access to free breakfast food items for all students to enjoy. Depending on stock and supply, students may choose from cereals, toast and spreads, fruit cups, breakfast bars and milk drinks. Breakfast will be available each day from 8:50am. 

Fruit Break and Water Bottles
To ensure students are not hungry during the morning session we have a ‘fruit/veggie break’. Children are encouraged to bring a piece of fruit, vegetable or a small container of cut up fruit and/or vegetables. Each student should also have a labelled water bottle for daily use at school, in the classroom and on excursions.

Library
Library is on Fridays this year. Students can bring their books in their library bags each Friday and borrow new ones for the week. New students will be supplied with a library bag to use.

Representative Trials – Soccer / Football / Tennis /Cricket etc….                                                                                               A  number of opportunities are available in a variety of sports for talented students to represent the Mid North Coast. If you are interested in your Year 6 child attending any of these trial events please let Mrs Keough or Melissa know.

Update Driver and Registration Details for 2025
If you are transporting your child/ren or any other students for excursions, sporting events etc.… the principal must sight your current driver licence, vehicle registration details and comprehensive insurance details. If you have not updated this travel information from previous years, please come into school soon and we can record your details for 2024. Under the current working with children requirements, all parents who drive other students or volunteer in any capacity at the school need to all in a form and provide 100 points of ID, or have a
WWCC. See Mrs Keough or Melissa for further information.

Student Travel Subsidy
Do you need to drive your children to a school bus stop or school each day? There is a government subsidy available for those students who meet the age and distance criteria. To see if you’re eligible, and to apply online, visit www.transport.nsw.gov.au/school/schooldrive  For parents who have a student already claiming subsidy, please remember to log on to the site and update your child’s yearly details. If you do not, it will interfere with your payments.

Bus Travel Procedure
All bus travel applications are now online. To update your child/rens details, go to www.transport.nsw.gov.au/ssts/updatedetails  For more information, call 131500

2025 Learning Contributions

Learning Contributions for 2025 remain the same -:

• 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. (SAKG Fees are not voluntary)
  
• Voluntary School Contribution - $30.00 for the costs of student items provided by our school

Gubi Gabun - This Wednesday 12 February

Bookclub Issue#1

Bookclub Issue#1 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 Friday 21 February. 

P&C News and Community News

AGM & P&C Meeting

Notice of AGM Meeting for Dundurrabin Public School P&C – Monday, 24 February at 4 PM

We invite everyone to our P&C AGM on Monday, 24 February at 4 PM. All are welcome and encouraged to attend, as all positions are vacant. Membership costs $2, which must be paid before the AGM in order to vote.

Following the AGM, we will hold our first P&C Meeting for 2025. We hope to see as many people as possible there! This is a great opportunity to learn about what’s happening in the school and to get involved. Join us for a cup of tea and enjoy a relaxed and friendly gathering.

Dorrigo Highlanders Football Club

Dorrigo Highlanders Football Club registration for 2025 is now open!
We are looking for players for all age groups;

• Mini Roos 4 - 7 years
• Junior 8-11 years
• Youth 12-18 years
• Senior Men's and Women's

All registrations must be completed via the Play Football website: https://www.playfootball.com.au (Please note that due to issues with the Play Football system it is recommended that you use a computer or tablet to register).

Fees are dependent on age group and are calculated at checkout.

Don’t forgot to apply for your Active Kids voucher for a discount:https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/active-and-creative-kids-voucher

Registrations will close Monday 24th February 2025. 

If you have any question or require assistance, contact us via email at dorrigohighlanders@hotmail.com or the Dorrigo Highlanders Facebook page.

Upcoming Events

Responsible Conduct of Gambling Course

Where: Dorrigo Golf Club

When: Tuesday 11 Feb, 9am – 4.30pm

More info: Email or Call the Coffs Coast Community College to request an enrolment form and information on how to enrol on reception@coffscollege.nsw.edu.au or 02 6652 5378

Author Talk – Narelle Fernance

Where: Dorrigo & Beyond

When: Tuesday February 18, 10am

More info: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560671183030

Bellingen Growers Markets – Workshop Series

February 22: 5 meals from one chook / March 22 : Bike repairs & maintenance

April 26: Intro to bush furniture / May 31: Easy composting / June 28: Visible clothes mending

Where: Bellingen Showgrounds

https://www.facebook.com/bellogrowersmarket 

More info: email bellowgrowersmarket@gmail.com 

International Women’s Day Festival

Where: Bellingen Golf Club

When: Saturday 8 March

More info: https://www.facebook.com/hot.mess.bellingen.feminist.punk

Contact the organisers if you would like to have a stall - Hot Mess Punk Band (Jo, Sarah, Cole) on hot.mess.punk@gmail.com