Dundurrabin Public School Newsletter Term 1, Week 5, 2025

Principal's Message

Welcome to week 5.

As we embark on a new year of learning, I am thrilled to share that our students have made a remarkable start with great attendance! It's wonderful to see everyone engaged and eager to learn, setting a positive tone for the year ahead.

I would also like to take this opportunity to remind all families about our upcoming Personal Learning Plan (PLP) meetings this week, taking place after school on Tuesday and Wednesday. These meetings are an excellent opportunity for us to discuss your child's progress and set goals for their continued success.

Additionally, I invite you to join us for the P&C 2025 Annual General Meeting this afternoon at 4pm. Your involvement is crucial in shaping our school community, and we value your input and support.

Congratulations to Baily Freeman who competed at the District Swimming Carnival at Macksville today in the 50m Freestyle event. Bailey placed 4th in his heat. Congratulations and thank you for representing our school with pride and enthusiasm. 

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

• Monday 24 February - District Swimming Carnival - Macksville
• 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

• Years 3-6 Dylan Edwards Bellingen Valley Legends Gala Day Consent Note & Money
• Updated Details Forms ( being sent home tomorrow )
• Variation of School Routine Consent Note
• Permission to Publish Consent Note
• Consent to Use Third-Party Software Consent Note
• Stewart House Charity Drive 2025 Envelopes & Money  (Not Compulsory)

Fortnightly Awards

Term 1 - Week 5

K-2 Class

Tyler Hobbs - Welcome to Kindergarten.

Beth Green for her contributions when writing complex sentences.

3-6 Class

Jack Duckett for an impressive start to the 2025 school year.

Three Way Parent / Teacher / Student Interviews - Start Tomorrow

We will be holding our Parent/Teacher/Student meetings tomorrow, 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.

Child Protection Education - information for parents and carers

Every year students K-6 are involved in the mandatory subject Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE). Part of our school’s PDHPE program includes mandatory child protection education. Some of the content taught in child protection education deals with sensitive issues. The school will teach this content in an age appropriate way.

The specific content to be covered in each stage of child protection education is shown below.

For more information about child protection education go to the Child protection and respectful relationships education section on the Department of Education’s PDHPE website.

If you would like more information, please contact the school.

Dylan Edwards Legend 7’s Gala Day (Yrs 3-6)

Year 3-6 students will be participating in the Dylan Edwards Bellingen Valley Legends Gala Day at Urunga Sport & Recreation Fields, Hungry Heads Road, Urunga on Thursday 6 March. Arrival time will be 9.30am for a 10.00am kick off. The day should finish at approximately 2.00pm.

The Tag Gala Day organised by the NRL Development team is non-competitive. Students will play league-tag with the possibility of Year 6 having a chance to play tackle combined with a team from Dorrigo PS. 

We will be travelling to Bellingen by bus with Dorrigo Public School students. Mrs Keough will be accompanying our students on the bus from Dorrigo to Urunga and return.

The bus will leave Dorrigo PS at 8.45am and return to Dorrigo PS at 3.00pm in time for afternoon town bus runs.

Cost is $15.00 per student for the Dorrigo Bus. Please send your money into our school before the event. 

Students may catch the town bus to Dorrigo PS. If so, students will need to either catch Wykes morning High School Bus run to the shop or be driven by parents to the shop in time to board the town bus at 7.45am. Or alternatively, please have your child at Dorrigo PS by 8.30am at the bus bay where Mrs Keough will be waiting to meet all students. 

Students will be back at Dorrigo PS at 3.00pm in time for the afternoon Tyringham town bus run. Students will need to either catch Wykes afternoon High School Bus run home from the shop or be collected by parents at the shop at 3.45pm, unless you are collecting them at Dorrigo PS at 3.00pm at the bus bay. 

Children must wear school sports uniform including a hat and appropriate footwear. If they are playing tackle, they will need a mouthguard. Students may bring head gear and football boots if they have them, but these are not compulsory.

They will need to bring their own lunch and recess, and plenty of water to drink. Please pack extra food and water, as students can get hungry and thirsty while playing.

Please return the consent note being sent home today by this Wednesday, 26 February.  Thank you.

Small Schools Swimming Carnival

Well done to Bailey, Jaxon and Tyson who participated at the Small Schools Swimming Carnival at Bellingen.  

Results for the day were:

Bailey - 2nd in the 50mtr Butterfly and 3rd in the 50mtr Breaststroke, Backstroke and Freestyle.

Tyson - 2nd in the 50mtr Butterfly and Freestyle.

Bailey, Tyson, Jaxon and Lexie from Hernani PS joined forces to come 2nd place in the relay.

Congratulations to you all on your sportsmanship and representation of our school. You did a wonderful job! Congratulations to Baily for progressing to the District Carnival today in Macksville and placing 4th in his heat for the 50m Freestyle event. 

Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden News

Week 3

Another productive gardening session with our young gardeners pruning agapanthus, weeding the berry patch, feeding hungry corn plants, and harvesting a basketful of fresh produce!

We harvested shallots, eggs, cucumbers, 2 types of zucchinis, butter beans and capsicums. We also used some frozen corn from last year's crop. Thank you to Rosie Keough for a jam melon and some cooking apples which will be used in coming weeks.

This week in the kitchen, we made  vegetable and bean taco filling, Mexican rice, esquites fritters with a side sauce, homemade salsa and a variety of garden fresh taco toppings. It was a delicious Mexican themed meal.

This week, the cooking award goes to Jack Duckett for sustained focus in cooking and amazing cleaning up skills. Congratulations!

Week 4

We enthusiastically made the most of the fine weather and spent valuable time weeding and pruning, as well as harvesting 2 baskets of produce.

We harvested cucamelons, shallots, eggs, cucumbers, 2 types of zucchinis, butter beans, purple beans and capsicums. We also picked some dried bean seeds to save for seed ready for next spring. Thank you to Ms Cunningham for some delicious passionfruits which we added to our fruit platters.

In the kitchen we cooked homemade steamed bao buns, which we stuffed with crumbed and fried crispy zucchini, quick pickled carrots, homemade kewpie, and a Japanese style cucumber salad. To accompany our bao, we also made vegetable sushi and rice paper rolls. It was a delicious lunch and a very productive cooking lesson.

This week, the cooking award goes to Jack Duckett, for his very particular rolling and folding of the bao buns.

Gumbaynggirr Language

Our 3-6 students are exploring Gumbaynggirr numbers and counting with Lesley, developing their skills in a fun and interactive way.

Schools Clean Up Day

This Friday 28 February we will be participating in Schools Clean Up Day. We will be cleaning up in the school grounds as well as out the front of the school. Inspiring children to care for the environment is a vital part of
Clean Up Schools Day.

We will be helping to make this the BIGGEST EVER Clean Up to help celebrate a very special year as it marks 35 years of Cleaning Up and helping to improve our beloved Australian environment.

Year 6 Parents - High School EOI Forms

Is your child currently in Year 6 and moving into Year 7 in 2026? 

In NSW Government schools, applying to move from primary school to high school is a 2-step process:

Step 1: Complete a Moving to high school expression of interest. This form will be available on 03 March 2025 and must be completed by 28 March 2025.

Step 2: Submit an enrolment application, this will be emailed to you by the high school.

For more information please click here.

Alternatively our Year 6 student's parent information on Year 7 Enrolment Procedures for Public High Schools is being sent home today for those who can not complete it online. Included is an "Expression of Interest for Placement in Year 7 at a NSW Government Secondary School in 2026" form (if applying this way) which needs to be completed and returned by Monday 17 March.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to phone and ask Mrs Keough. 

Ride2School Day

Get ready to roll, everyone! On Wednesday, 26 March, we will be embracing the thrill of Ride2School Day, and we want all students to join in on the fun! Bring your push bikes or scooters and helmets to school, as we have an action-packed day filled with exciting activities planned just for you.

This fantastic day is all about promoting physical activity and getting our students moving! Starting from Monday, 24 March, please start bringing your bikes or scooters to school. We’ll ensure they are safely stored until the big event.

If you don’t have a bike or scooter, don’t worry! Just reach out to the school, and we may be able to arrange a few spare ones for you.

Update Details

In preparation for the coming year, 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.

Also if their are any changes in us travelling details or drop off and pick-up arrangements.

Forms are being sent home today as well as a copy of the information that we have on record. 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 the as soon as possible., so we can update our records.  Thank you.  

2025 Learning Contributions - SAKG Fees

Gubi Gabun - This Wednesday 26 February

Stewart House Donation Drive

Stewart House Donation Drive envelopes are being sent home today. To enter the draw for the prize there is a $2.00 minimum donation.

The winning entry is for a $4000 family holiday travel voucher to the destination of your choice. The winner will be contacted by telephone and email.

Please have your money and envelopes (with details filled out) back at school by Monday 31 March, 2025.

P&C News and Community News

AGM & P&C Meeting - Today

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

We invite everyone to our P&C AGM today, 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.

Clean up Australia Day-Sunday 2 March-9am

Meet at Tyringham shop at 9am or let Leonie know what area you will be cleaning up.

Bring water, snacks, hat, sunscreen & boots. Car with trailer or a ute are helpful to collect the bags of rubbish.       

Contact: Leonie Pankhurst  -  0413 1588 466 

Canva Workshop - FREE

Upcoming Events

Bellingen Growers Markets – Workshop Series

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

Bellingen Autumn Plan Fair

Where: Bellingen Park      When: Saturday March 8, 7.30am – 1pm

More info: https://bellingenplantfair.org/