Dundurrabin Public School Newsletter Term 1, Week 7 2023

Principal's Message

Welcome to Week 7- How are we already past the halfway mark?

It was a pleasure meeting with families for 3-way interviews last week. Thank you for speaking with us about how the school year has started, assisting with goal setting and a focus on attendance. We value positive home-school relationships to support our students to be productive learners. 

Teacher Professional Learning

Our teachers along with teachers from Hernani, Dorrigo, and Orama Public Schools recently joined together for professional learning with the focus of ‘Close Reading’.

This was part of the Collaborative Support, Unique Settings (CSUS) project supported by Mel Sydenham (Literacy and Numeracy Implementation Coach) and Mel Morris (Principal School Leadership). The team worked collaboratively with teachers, principals and assistant principals to further develop our practice around reading. Close Reading is an approach to teach comprehension. Students read a text multiple times followed by annotations, questioning and discussion. We're excited to be implementing this approach at DPS.

Leah Keough

Every Day Counts

Fortnightly Awards

Term 1 - Week 7

K - 2 Class:

Charlie McGuire for challenging himself in reading and mathematics.

3-4 Class

Bailey McGuire for persistence in tricky maths tasks.

5-6 Class

Lucy Tyler for demonstrating a growth mindset.

Swimming Success

An outstanding effort from Lucy and Quill at the District Swimming Carnival last Monday. Both competed in the 50m Freestyle and 50m Breaststroke events, demonstrating great enthusiasm and skill. Congratulations to Quill for progressing to the Mid North Coast Carnival held at Coffs Harbour yesterday where he placed 7th in the 50m Freestyle event. 

NAPLAN 2023

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is a point in time assessment of literacy and numeracy skills. Each year students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 participate in tests for writing, reading, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy.
From 2023, NAPLAN is moving to Term 1 and will take place from Wednesday 15 March to Monday 27 March. The reason for this change is so that results can be returned to schools earlier in the year which will support teachers to understand the learning needs of their students and plan accordingly. NAPLAN tests are just one part of our school learning assessment program and questions are primarily based on knowledge, understanding and skills gained from the prior year of schooling. If you have any questions about NAPLAN, please contact the school for more information. 

Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden News

Week 5

This week we planted pakchoi seedlings, one Italian parsley seedling and lots of curly parsley as a border to our apple trees. We also weeded and trimmed some of our herb gardens as well as providing supports to our snake beans. We harvested capsicums, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggs, silverbeet, carrots, parsnips and several herbs. In the kitchen we cooked a taco flavoured mexican soup, cornbread, vegetable platter, and a mexican style salsa verde, with quick vanilla cookies and cream icecreams for Week 6.

Cooking Award: Jaxon Bennett for excellent focus!

Week 6

Instead of gardening this week, we all participated in Clean Up Schools Day. We harvested eggs, cucumbers, lettuce, beans, carrots, silverbeet and a variety of tomatoes. In the kitchen we cooked lunch with a 'no power' theme. We cooked sandwich roll ups, vegetable sushi rolls, weetbix balls, and we enjoyed the icecreams from last week. They were delicious!

Cooking Award: Charlie McGuire for incredible sushi making! 

In the Classroom

This week's learning snapshot comes from Mrs Sangster and the K-2 class.

Our youngest learners have made a fabulous start to their learning this year. Charlie, Jack, Kai, Amber and Nash have welcomed Carter and Tom to their class and have been very helpful and supportive in getting Kindergarten used to our classroom routines.

In English we have been learning all about Great White Sharks. Did you know that their teeth are the same size as a triangular corn chip and they have hundreds of them? To help us learn the digraph 'sh' in spelling, we even have a big blow up shark hanging from our ceiling!

We have been exploring the world of coding in Science and Technology through Coding Express trains with coloured coding plates which instruct the train to do different things, as well as coding Blue Bots to move around maps to target specific locations.

In our weekly Second Step lessons we have been learning the Skills for Learning which include listening, focusing attention, self talk and being assertive. We are trying very hard to apply these skills in each of our lessons throughout the day.

Clean Up Schools Day

On Friday we participated in Schools Clean Up Day. We cleaned up in the school grounds as well as out the front of the school. A lot of rubbish collected and sorted by a very busy army of students!

Preschool Afternoons- Term 1

Please come along and join us for our next preschoolers afternoon on Wednesday 15 March at 1.30pm. The afternoon will have an Easter theme.

Premiers Reading Challenge

The Premier's Reading Challenge (PRC) has commenced for 2023 and will run through to Friday 18 August. All students will be participating in the challenge at school. Extra reading can take place at home by borrowing PRC books from our extensive range at school. Student reading records will be updated at school throughout the challenge period. Happy reading!

Ride 2 School Day

We will be participating in Ride2School Day On Wednesday 29 March. All students are encouraged to bring a push bike or scooter and helmet to school ready to participate in our planned activities. The aim of the day is to promote physical activity among children.  Our students can begin to bring their push bikes or scooters to school from Monday 27 March. We'll store them securely at school ready for the big event. Please contact the school if you do not have a bike or scooter - we may be able to organise some to spare.

"Dylan Edwards" Legends 7 League Tag Gala Day

Year 3-6 will be participating in the Dylan Edwards League 7's Gala Day at Connell Park, Bellingen on Thursday 30 March. The Gala Day is non-competitive. Students will play league-tag with the option for some students to play some tackle games, where signed consent is given. 

Mrs Keough and Miss McNeill will be the teachers attending. 

We will be travelling by Wykes bus to and from Bellingen on the day. There is no cost for students, as the School will be paying all expenses for the day. We will leave Tyringham Store at 8.00am sharp. Students may wish to catch the morning High School Bus run if this suits parents/carers, otherwise please have your child/ren at Tyringham Store by 7.50am. Students will be back at school in time for normal afternoon pick-up arrangements.

Children must wear school sports uniform including a hat and appropriate footwear. 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. Students playing Rugby League will also need boots and mouth guard and will need to have returned the “Permission to Play Rugby League” form that is attached.

Permission notes have been issued today, please return by next Monday 13 March.

Change of Bus Routine

Due to the Year 3-6 class utilising the bus for the Dylan Edwards League 7's Gala Day at Connell Park, Bellingen on Thursday 30 March, we ask K-2 students parents to please drive their child/ren to school on this day. Sorry for the inconvenience.

The bus will run as per normal for the afternoon run.         Thank you

Harmony Day

We will be holding a Middle Eastern Feast here at school on Friday 31 March to celebrate Harmony Day.

We would love to invite all our parents, carers, families and community members to come along and join us by sitting down and enjoying a feast that the students will be preparing on the day.

The luncheon will begin at 1.30pm and conclude approximately 2.30pm. Please RSVP attending numbers by Monday 20 March.

Students can come to school on the day dressed in mufti (non-uniform) in orange colthes - the official colour for Harmony Day.

School Information

Third Party Software Consent

Today we sent home a Third Party Consent for parents to read, sign and return to school as soon as possible. Thank you

Educational Hardship Funds (Flood Funds)

Today we sent home with students a letter to let families know how much funding your child/ren have left in Fees in Advanced. This money must be spent by the end of 2023, or it will be refunded back to the Government. The letter outlines what it can be ultilised on throughout the year. So please check your child's school bag.

2023 Learning Contributions 

Learning Contribution fees for 2023 remain the same - $30.00 for the costs of student items provided by our school and $40.00 towards SAKG program which has ongoing costs each week, such as cooking ingredients, seeds and seedlings. Invoices were sent home today with your child/ren. Families can use their child/ren's flood funding to pay the SAKG subject fees if you chose. Please return the slip if this is what you would like to do. 

Stewart House Donation Drive

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

The winning entry is for a $4000 family hoilday gift 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 3 April, 2023.

Bookclub Issue # 2

Bookclub Issue#2 brochure is sent home today. Please take notice that it is now published like a newspaper. 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 Monday 20 March.

P&C Meeting

Our next P&C meeting will be on Monday 20 March at 3.30pm. We would like to 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.

P&C Easter Treats Raffle- Seeking Donations

Hippity Hop! It's time for our annual P&C Easter Raffle.

As Easter approaches, our P&C is looking to raise funds via an Easter raffle. All families are asked to make a donation to be used as raffle prizes. This can include chocolates or anything Easter themed. Donations can be sent into the school office by Friday 31 March.

Tickets will be sent home in the coming weeks, with the draw to take place at our Term 1 Assembly on Monday 3 April at 2pm.