Principal's ReportIncredibly we are at the end of a long eleven week, term one with a four-day weekend sprinkled in the middle. We will begin a well-deserved two week school holiday break from the end of this week for all staff and students. Term 2 for all students will begin on Tuesday 30 April. The staff will return to school on the Monday 29 April to participate in a whole day of professional learning that will focus on; assessment of writing, spelling, and place value. This will involve all teachers on this day and our SLSO and SASS staff will participate in a individually tailored professional learning session as a variation to their day. Extreme Weather last Friday I am extremely grateful to all staff, students and families for the huge effort made to assist in getting students to their families safely last Friday afternoon during the heavy rain and craziness of 3 o’clock pick up! I realise that it takes a little longer during these times, but we prefer to ensure that each student has safely exited the school rather than leaving them to navigate their way through extreme weather conditions. Thank you all! As you would be aware, both 1P and 1A classrooms were impacted by the recent heavy rain. In addition, parts of our school playground have also been affected and require further assessment before being deemed safe to play in. The staff have been navigating their way through the organisation of the playground roster to meet the play time needs as best as possible for all students. We have been advised that the carpets and vinyl in the classrooms in 1A and 1P will be replaced in the upcoming school holidays. Hopefully we can achieve the clean-up efficiently and without too many interruptions moving into term 2 and sooner rather than later. I extend my thanks to all students and staff for their patience and flexibility during this time. Cross Country Thank you to Mrs Ellsmore and her team for running an excellent Cross Country (3-6 + 8-year-olds) and to Mr Synott and Mrs Abel for an excellent Cross Country activities day for K-2. I know that this requires lots of organisation and we have received some feedback which we will take onboard, but it was a great experience and I know that the children really enjoyed the day. Thankyou! Friday Ice-Blocks A big thank you to Mrs Gale who has been selling ice blocks each Friday. I thank, her and all the SLSO staff for the ongoing contribution they make to keep our students engaged and happy to come to school. Parent Phonics Session Thank you to Mrs Newman for organising and hosting the parent information session in week 8 focusing on phonics and supporting parents to teach reading in the early years. The feedback was positive, and I know that those who came along learnt so much. It was great to have so many parents interested, and we look forward to the next information session on a different topic in Term 2. Scripture Assembly Thank you to Miss Photiou and the scripture teachers for organising the combined scripture assemblies last Tuesday. The children seemed to really enjoy it although it seems that we will return to one big assembly rather than dividing it into K-2 and 3-6. The feedback was that it seemed to take too much time settling the different groups which took a little too much time away from the session. School Photos Thank you to Mrs Brennan for organising the school photos last Thursday. Overall, the day ran smoothly, and all children presented well in their correct uniforms. Thank you to the parents/carers for assisting in this organisation. The children were great and looked great! Easter Hat Parade Congratulations to Miss Photiou and her team for the excellent Easter Hat parade. It was so much fun, and the P & C were very generous with their time and efforts to create the baskets and raffle. Everyone worked so well together it made the day run super smoothly and the rain held off!! A huge thank you to the P & C for their hard work in preparing for the Easter baskets and raffle. I also acknowledge the office administration staff who housed all the Easter baskets in addition to the guessing competition jar etc. Thank you so much everyone! Hot Cross Buns A big thank you to Mrs Brennan, Miss Brooker, Mrs Robinson and the SRC students who assisted in selling hot cross buns last week. They were a hit! It really made the week even more fun! Meet the Teacher- for KC and 3/4WE Thank you both Mrs Williams and Miss Buckmaster for hosting a ‘Meet the teacher’ last Monday afternoon. The transition has been positive, and I am appreciative to the executive and to all teachers, parents and students involved. The work that has gone into making these changes possible and successful only happens with the commitment of everyone at school and this has certainly happened. Harmony Day Harmony Day promotes inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone. It is a week for all Australians to embrace cultural diversity and to share what we have in common. This year’s theme continues with the central message that ‘everyone belongs’ to reinforce the importance of inclusiveness for all Australians. To celebrate our rich multicultural heritage, on Thursday 21 March 2024, we had a mufti day. Students were encouraged to wear multiple items of orange clothing and accessories where possible. The teachers organised a range of activities for students to do in classes and across their stage groups throughout the week to promote the values of this celebration. This was a wonderful success and so much fun! Autism Support Class Update We are yet to have confirmation on the establishment of our second Autism Support Class. I have been advised that there is much to consider from the point of view of infrastructure. I have advised the NSW DoE that our school has the classroom space and the students with identified needs to ensure the establishment of this class is meeting the demands of our school community. Additionally, we have had families make inquiries about how our school is supporting students with additional learning needs in the mainstream classroom. I am delighted to be able to tell them of our staff expertise and that the needs of all our children are front and centre of our decision making. I thank all of you for your support with this as the year progresses. I look forward to updating you very soon. Staff Professional Learning Mrs Chaseling has begun her curriculum focus groups and Mrs Rajendra, Mr Hosler and Mrs Newman will be attended professional learning in Goulburn this week to support this whole school initiative. Mrs Chaseling has accepted a variation to her teaching role at Unanderra Public School that will involve supporting students explicitly in literacy and numeracy in classes from kindergarten through to Year 6 across each school week. Mrs Chaseling has previously participated in extensive professional learning delivered by Dr Lyn Sharratt who is a highly accomplished researcher. Together with the teachers, Mrs Chaseling will be using her knowledge to develop strategies to increase student achievement and growth in an ongoing and sustainable way. I believe that we can utilise the knowledge that Mrs Chaseling has with the expertise of Mr Hosler (Assistant Principal Curriculum and Instruction) and Mrs Newman (Assistant Principal K-6) to actively drive the professional and academic student growth of our school. Our school focus will continue to be on building skills for lifelong wellbeing for all students and to work hand in hand with our school community. We embrace the shared belief that all children can learn, given the right support with high expectations and early and ongoing intervention so that they grow and achieve beyond their potential academically, socially, and emotionally. Congratulations to Mrs McCabe and Mr Hosler for their outstanding presentation on Formative assessment and Consistent Teacher Judgement at Friday’s AP C & I network meeting. Thank you to Mr Lloyd who went along to participate and provide strong moral support. From all accounts it was super impressive and a great opportunity to showcase the great work our staff do in this area and in implementing the new curriculum. The Reading Project The Parent Reading Project, an initiative where parent/carer volunteers will come into the school and read with students has begun. This program is fully supported and supervised by classroom teachers. The reading project continues to be a great success and we appreciate the time our volunteers give to our great school. Thank you. Reading Club. Each Tuesday morning Miss Prior hosts a morning book reading club. Students are invited to grab some toast and read a book in the library. Thank you to Miss Prior. This has been a great success as usual the children love this time each week. Breakfast Club Mrs Assunta Brennan hosts breakfast club each Thursday morning and the following companies are supporting our school through donations. A huge thank you to everyone involved. Bakers Delight Figtree - Mick the owner kindly donates 10 loaves of sliced bread a week which is used for both Reading Club and Breakfast Club. Woolworths Unanderra - Judith(manager) supplies a $30 gift voucher each week which supports the Breakfast Club with the purchase of milk, milo, vegemite, cheese, butter, paper cups and paper napkins. Strategic Improvement Plan 2024-2027 Please follow the link to see our new school plan. . My thanks is extended to all who contributed to this document. https://reports.sparo.schools.nsw.gov.au/plan-report/2024/3308/2024-2027_Unanderra_Public_School_SIP.pdf School annual school report. Please follow the link to see our annual school report 2023. My thanks is extended to all who contributed to this document. https://reports.sparo.schools.nsw.gov.au/annual-report/2023/3308/2023_Unanderra_Public_School_Annual_Report.pdf Meet the Teacher A big thank you to everyone who attended these sessions a few weeks ago. The feedback was positive, and the teachers were excited to meet with the families. Parents are always welcome to arrange a mutually convenient time to meet with their child’s teacher to discuss progress. Once again, thank you for a great term and I wish our students and families a happy and safe two week holiday break. Kind Regards, Anissa Rajendra In 2S we have been reading and loving a text called “Sophie Scott Goes South” by Allison Lester. We have been learning all about Antarctica, the southern lights, seals, penguins and icebreaker ships, like the Aurora Australis. This text is a wonderful mix of a diary and a fictional story, inspired by Allison Lester’s own trip to Antarctica. In 2S we have been visualising a lot of the descriptions that she writes and putting ourselves into the shoes of an Antarctic explorer. Over Term 1, 5S has been reading through Peter Brown’s Science Fiction Novel The Wild Robot. With this text as our inspiration, we have been able to create some incredible pieces of work! For example, in Creative Art, everyone utilised water colours, oil pastels, pencils, and different styles of paper to create their own Wild Robot book cover. In another Creative Arts lesson, we discussed how to express the Science Fiction genre with a variety of lines (e.g., curved and straight lines) and colours (e.g., warm and cool). This discussion led to students implementing their knowledge to show the differences between robots and humans. In creative writing sessions, 5S has been working hard to create their own Science Fiction texts, based on the Protagonist Roz from The Wild Robot, and the lost robot character from the short film Origins. Over the term, students have been experimenting Science Fiction vocabulary to engage the reader, along with a number of creative writing techniques, such as onomatopoeia, similes, the power of three and using ellipses to create suspense. I am so proud of the effort that 5S has put into their work this term, and cannot wait to see what else these legends can achieve! Mr Scotland ☺ In 3/4M we begin each day with a Yarning Circle. We begin with our class Acknowledgement of Country. Each day we take turns to lead the circle. First we select a question form the yarning cards, then we share our answers in response by passing around the yarning stick and speaking one at a time. After this, we share what we are grateful for. This is a time to connect with Aboriginal culture and our classmates, and set ourselves up for a great day of learning. Some thoughts from our class: Natalya: I enjoy reading the acknowledgment of country to understand Aboriginal history. Lucy: I enjoy sharing my opinion and hearing the ideas of others. Lola: I like that we can share what we have done and our dreams for the future. Kaimia: I like the ideas of my friends and hear what they are thinking. Lani: I like that we get to yarn together, see what we have in common and share what we are grateful for. Ella: I like connecting with country and sharing our cultures present and past. Atticus: I love hearing other people's ideas and knowing what they are thinking. Callum: I like that we can connect without friends before learning in the morning. Jett: I like that we can make up random ideas, share them and laugh. Paxton: I like that I get to learning something new about everyone every day. Week 11 AssemblyKA Merit: Charlotte-Rose.B & Riley.T Student of the week: Thomas. W KN Merit: Jameson G & Kloee W. Student of the week: Rayyan H. KC Merit: Charlotte J & Maxwell P Student of the week: Sasha H K/2R Merit: Junior K Student of the week: Iluka R 1A Merit: Kai B & Dominic Y Student of the week: Jaida L 1P Merit: Tamija S. & Jude Student of the week: Mia M. 2L Merit: Student of the week: 2S: Merit: Mmuti T & Amelia D Student of the week: Wren A-R 3/4S Merit: Dom, W & Bentley, C Student of the week: Willow W 3/4WE Merit: Eddie C & Kieran E Student of the week: Allira P 3/4D Merit: Brianna J & Nate W Student of the week: Lilly H 3/4M Merit: Oliver Y Student of the week: Atticus F 5S Merit: Abby D & Amelia H. Student of the week: Keira G. 5E Merit: Levi F & Hayley C Student of the week: Zoey C 6L Merit: Jackson K & Chloe O Student of the week: Anastasia W 6S Merit: Emily P & Addison C Student of the week: Eliott S Harmony WeekDuring Week 8, UPS commemorated Harmony Week with a series of engaging activities designed to foster cultural appreciation and understanding among students. From discussions on the significance of Harmony Week to experiences like writing postcards to individuals across the globe, our students embraced diversity and unity. Highlights included yarning circles, where students celebrated their unique cultural heritage, and the 'around the world' rotations on Thursday. Through these rotations, students embarked on a journey to various countries, participating in cultural activities and stamping their passports as they explored the global traditions. Harmony Week at UPS was a great celebration of cultural diversity and fostering a harmonious community. Spelling BeeCalling all students to participate in the prestigious 2024 NSW Premier's Spelling Bee! Next term at UPS we will be running the annual spelling bee. If you would like to be one of our school spelling champions then start practicing NOW! Word lists can be found at https://artsunit.nsw.edu.au/program/nsw-premiers-spelling-bee#wordlists They are password protect, so contact the office or your class teacher via Seesaw to get the password. Free fun with the Parliament of NSW in the April school holidaysParents and children can join the Festival of Democracy at NSW Parliament House these April school holidays. Celebrate democracy in Australia’s oldest Parliament with free, fun activities for children and their families from 4 to 12 years. Activities:
Bookings via Eventbrite. Please see attached flyer for details or visit our website: Free Event: Festival of Democracy 2024 – Parliament of New South Wales (nsw.gov.au) Disability Sports Australia
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Principal's MessageWelcome to the new year! We have begun 2024 with students filled with energy and excitement to start their new school year. All classes have now been formed and the kindergarten children have settled well into ‘Big School’. It has been a delight to welcome all our new kindergarten students and their families to UPS. We also have been excited to meet our new students and their families who have joined us this year. Class Name KA Mrs Evelyn Arnold KN Miss Victoria Nourie KC Mrs Renae Chaseling K-2R Miss Crystal Ryman 1P Miss Alexia Photiou 1A Mrs Michelle Abel –(Mon, Tues, Wed) Mrs Erin Alewood – (Thurs, Fri ) 2L Mr Paddy Le Breton 2S Miss Alyce Speed 3/4M Mrs Rebecca McCabe 3/4D Mr Sam Donald 3/4S Miss Christine Solomon 3/4WE Mrs Chrissi Williams (Mon. Tues) Mrs Lauren Elston (Wed,Thur,Frid) 5E Mrs Kate Ellsmore 5S Mr Jarryd Scotland 6S Miss Renae Scruby 6L Mr James Lloyd Principal Mrs Anissa Rajendra Librarian Miss Rachel Prior Science Mr Jonathan Synnott Assistant Principal Curriculum & Instruction Mr Troy Hosler EAL/D Mrs Kathy Koumalatsos (Tue, Wed) Learning Support Mrs Assunta Brennan (K-2) ( Tues, Wed,Thurs) Assistant Principal (Rel) Learning Support and Wellbeing Mrs Natalee Brennan Assistant Principals Mrs Melissa Newman K-2 (Mon, Thurs, Frid) Mrs Evelyn Bell K-2 (Tues, Wed) Mrs Rebecca McCabe Stage 2 (Mon- Frid) Mr James Lloyd Stage 3 (Mon- Frid) School Psychologist Connor Healey-Green (Tues-Frid) School Administration Manager Mrs Sonja Martinoski Administration Officers Mrs Rhonda Rutherford Mrs Sheree Lyons General Assistant Mr Scott Jacobs (Mon, Tues, Frid and every 2nd Thursday. School Learning Support Officers Autism Support Class Mrs Jayne Ellis (Mon-Frid) Mrs Suzy Stroemer (Mon – Thurs) Mrs Ashley Robinson (Wed, Thurs, Frid) Mrs Mary Dilber (Mon-Frid) Mrs Natasha Gale (Mon – Frid) Mrs Nicole Talbott Aboriginal Education (Mon-Thur) Mrs Sally Brooker (Tues, Wed, Frid) Over the next few weeks parents and carers will be receiving numerous notes filled with information and requests for signed permission notes to be returned. Please check your child’s bag and contact the school if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you in advance for your prompt return of these notes in the coming weeks. As you know we have formed our 2024 classes. We now have 15 mainstream classes and one Autism Support class K-6. Student numbers have remained steady which is a positive start and allows our school to maintain continuity around school funding and resourcing. The school canteen remains untendered at this stage. We have had very little interest from our school community which has meant that we have not been pursuing it during this time. We will however reconsider this as the year progresses. The term ahead looks to be very exciting and busy. We have completed Best Start for kindergarten and they have settled in well given that there are nearly sixty of them! We are all looking forward to a wonderful year ahead! Kind Regards, Anissa Rajendra It has been a fantastic start to the year in 1A with lots of wonderful discussions and learning taking place. In English, we started the term focusing on how the context of a text affects what the author writes about. As a class, we studied Our Island by Alison Lester and created beautiful wax-resist artworks like the illustrations in the story. We also read Under the Southern Cross by Frané Lessac and explored areas around our school and local area to write our own class context. I’m sure you will be impressed by our amazing writing and artworks! In 3/4S we have been learning about Narratives through the novel ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’ By Roald Dahl. We have had fun learning about character, setting and series of events. The students have had the opportunity to create their own characters to insert within the story as a fourth farmer and create their own complications and resolutions in line with the story. Students have also had the opportunity to get creative and create a story map that aligns with the series of events within the novel Fantastic Mr Fox. In 6S, we got together as a group and talked about the importance of an Acknowledgement of Country and discussed the Aboriginal culture in our area. Students then got into groups and started to brainstorm words and ideas to begin constructing their own Acknowledgment of Country. Below is what we came up with for our class Acknowledgment. 1P visits the Yarning Circle to connect with each other and learn more about where their families come from and the traditions they celebrate!! District Swimming CarnivalOn Friday 23rd February around 30 competitors, as well as teachers, parents and spectators from the Unanderra Public School community traveled to Dapto Olympic Pool for the Dapto District Swimming Carnival. Even though it was around 35 degrees, it was a fantastic day, with everyone from Unanderra P.S trying their best and showing great sportsmanship. A big thank you to the parents who helped with the setting up and packing up of the tents. Also thank you to Mr Donald for looking after the team on the day. Congratulations to the following students who have qualified to represent our school and the Dapto District at the South Coast Regional Swimming Carnival on Tuesday 12th March at Dapto Olympic Swimming Pool: Junior Girls/Boys Freya S - breaststroke, butterfly, 10 yrs freestyle Evelyn W - 8 yrs freestyle Ariella G - 8 yrs freestyle Leo D - 9 yrs freestyle Cohen O - 9 yrs freestyle Relay Team: James P, Avi D, Leo D & Cohen O 11 years Girls/Boys Aliye S - breaststroke Jordi O - backstroke Alexis C - freestyle Senior Boys/Girls Chase C - backstroke Memphis W-W - freestyle Emily P - breaststroke, 12 yrs freestyle, butterfly Relay Team: Alexis C, Emily P, Amelia H & Addison C Relay Team: Lucas M, Diesel W-W, Memphis W-W, Jordi O Welcome back to the iLib in 2024.
In other news, I am very excited to announce Reading Club is back in the iLibrary on Tuesday mornings from 8.30am - 8.55am. I will be there along with teacher volunteers but the weekly event will be run and organised by Miss Photiou. Please remind your children to pop up to the iLib on Tuesday mornings for some toast and to read some of our latest books. In addition, individual borrowing has begun. Each class’ library day was mentioned in Class Newsletters and a SeeSaw reminder will be sent out the afternoon before their library day, each week. It would be very much appreciated if parents and caregivers could remind their children to pack their library bags each week and show some interest in what their child is reading. Research has shown that there are many benefits to reading for pleasure, including building kindness and empathy while also supporting children to do better in all other subjects, especially reading and writing. We have had a lot of students from Years 4, 5 and 6 interested in becoming Library Monitors and Tech Crew in 2024 and after filling in their application forms their scheduled days have been announced. They will be helping out in the iLibrary at least one day a week at lunch time. I look forward to working with such dedicated and kind role models, throughout the year. Students were also welcomed back to school with our first book display of the year celebrating Library Lovers Day on the 14th of February. Teachers have been sharing their favourite books when they were children. To help encourage your child's reading journey, perhaps share with them some of the books you loved to read when you were at school... and stay tuned for student recommendations. Finally, a big thank you to everyone who has purchased a book/s from our first Scholastic Book Club of the year. Every purchase earns our school library rewards and the ability to buy more books. If your child's book has not yet arrived, it will be arriving shortly and will be delivered to classrooms. All the best and I look forward to seeing you throughout the year. Ms Prior Teacher Librarian Naplan 2024Each year the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is undertaken by students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. Students will participate in tests for writing, reading, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy. NAPLAN 2024 will take place from Wednesday 13 March to Monday 25 March. NAPLAN is just one part of our school learning assessment program. The tests assess literacy and numeracy skills your child is already learning at school. Excessive preparation for NAPLAN is not required nor recommended. The public demonstration site (https://www.nap.edu.au/online-assessment/public-demonstration-site) is available to see the types of questions, tools and functions used in the NAPLAN tests. Further information about NAPLAN is available on the NESA website (https:// educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/understanding-the- curriculum/naplan/parent-information). If you have any questions about NAPLAN, please contact your child’s teacher. Clean Up Australia DaySunday, 3 March was Clean Up Australia Day, 2024 and the students and staff at UPS were excited to support this annual event on the Friday before. Clean Up Australia Day is a great opportunity to recognise our responsibility to care for country and appreciate the beautiful place in which we live. It is up to all of us to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle every day keeping our environment clean and rubbish free both for ourselves and the animals that we share our world with. Classes spent 15-20 minutes after playtime making sure to pick up every scrap of rubbish we could find in the playground. Classes also discussed the importance of keeping our school and local environment clean every day. Take a look at us hard at work… Keeping Our Kids Safe, Online.Parents and carers will gain valuable insights into keeping kids safe on social media during the webinar. They will receive an overview of managing different social media platforms, including chat and privacy settings. Additionally, the webinar will cover fostering positive conversations about social media use, managing content, and addressing negative online experiences. The presenter, Greg Gebhart, is one of Australia’s leading online safety presenters, providing presentations to more than 1.2 million participants at state, national and international events. He has a strong background in leadership and change and has held several senior positions, including Regional Manager for the Victorian Industry and Education Partnerships program. Brought to you by the P&C Federation NSW, use this link to register https://bit.ly/3OUmGkD or scan the QR code below. Principal's MessageWith only one week left until the school year ends, we have certainly much to celebrate There are still some exciting events to look forward to for all our students, staff, and families. These include celebrations to end an era, I am extremely proud of the achievements we have made in 2023. Reports Student reports got sent home on Thursday 14 December. The teachers have been working on assessing and finalising these documents throughout term four. This process involves a multitude of considerations including triangulating data on each child and meeting as a stage team to ensure consistent teacher judgement is applied. Congratulations to all students on their achievements. P & C- Thank you! A big thank you to our P&C president Lisa and her executive team and membership for their ongoing hard work and dedication in working with our school to enhance the teaching and learning opportunities for our teachers and students. While yet again another complex year to navigate, it has been very successful, with the P&C finding ways to enhance the things we are doing, while providing many valuable experiences and opportunities Thank you to everyone involved. School Enrolments 2024 Currently we anticipate our enrolment figure to be approximately 380 students for 2024. This includes the additional students in our newly established Autism support class for 2024. To have accurate numbers for next year, it is important to notify the school office if you know your child will not be returning to Unanderra Public School next year (other than Year 6). This information helps us to plan for 2024. Alternatively, if you know of friends or family members who intend to enrol their children in Unanderra Public School in 2024, please ask them to contact the school office to fill in the necessary documentation. We look forward to welcoming all our new community members to UPS. Presentation Day On Monday, Unanderra Public School hosted the annual school Presentation Day Assembly. This is a formal assembly, and all our students wore the correct school uniform and their behaviour throughout this extended time was outstanding. Parents/carers were discretely notified if their child will be receiving an award. Congratulations to all students and their families! Gold Assembly This important assembly was held on Friday 1 December in the hall. Mrs McCabe and her team of staff worked hard to prepare for this event, along with our great school leaders. There is a lot of planning and organisation that goes into hosting these assemblies and so I thank Mrs Mc Cabe and the administration staff for all that they do in making this so successful for our students. Parents Helpers Morning Tea This important occasion was held at school on Tuesday 5 December 2022 to recognise the incredible work our volunteers do to enhance the learning opportunities for all our students. We thank all our volunteers for their dedication and time in supporting our great public school and the amazing children and staff we have. Food Fairness Illawarra Considering the rising costs of many items including groceries, I have shared with you all a link for information about access to low and no cost food over the Christmas period. https://foodfairnessillawarra.org.au/low-cost-free-meals-directory-printable/ Leadership Speeches Recently a small group of Year 5 students presented their speeches for the role of captain or vice-captain in 2024. Each of the students prepared well and spoke very articulately, with confidence. They should feel very proud of their achievements and the successful candidates were recognised today with the handing over of the school blazers. Another official role has been formally created which is called the SRC Leadership team. Although these students were unsuccessful candidates, it was determined that each of these students were so impressive in addition to their speech that they were worthy of this title. Year 6 Farewell Evening On Tuesday 13 December the students in Year 6 will be celebrating the end of primary school with an evening of dinner, dancing, and a few short speeches. We look forward to this Farewell at Wests Leagues Club starting from a red-carpet arrival at 5.30pm and concluding at 9pm. Year 6 Graduation Assembly On Tuesday 13 December Unanderra Public School will be hosted a formal Year 6 graduation assembly in the school hall. The families of Year 6 were invited to attend with the proceedings beginning at 11.30am. It was an excellent event and congratulations to all students and their families. Last Day of School- 15 December 2023 Just a friendly reminder that the final school day for students is Friday 15 December 2023. The teachers will be participating in professional learning on Monday 18 December and the school will be non-operational from Tuesday 19 December 2023. Staff Leaving in 2023 Congratulations to Mrs Matt who will be taking extended leave in 2023 UPS pending her well earned retirement. Mrs Matts has been teaching at UPS for over fifteen years and been a public-school teacher for forty years. I am sure you will agree that her unwavering commitment to teaching and learning and the consistent sense of calm that she has, provides reassurance and understanding during even the most challenging of days. Mrs Matts has made a significant contribution to Unanderra Public School, and we have been incredibly fortunate to have her knowledge and expertise in the classroom, to achieve so much throughout her time at UPS. We congratulate Mrs Matts on her significant contribution to public education and wish her all the very best in her future endeavours. We thank Mrs Brecely Di Noro for her work with Stage 3 during the past two years. We were fortunate to have her expertise and dedication to public education as part of the UPS staff team. Her commitment to the students in her class has been greatly appreciated and we wish her all the very best in her future endeavours. We also thank and acknowledge the contribution of Miss Smith who has been a dedicated kindergarten teacher over the past two years at UPS. Miss Smith is always working hard to ensure her class is learning and is working towards achieving their personal best. Miss Smith has made a positive contribution to UPS, and we wish her all the very best in her future endeavours. Jamberoo- Stage 3 Excursion Stage 3 students participated in an excursion to Jamberoo on Tuesday 5 December 2023. The students demonstrated their understanding of staying safe and followed the school values of being safe, being respectful and being responsible throughout the day. Thank you to the teachers for taking the students and congratulations to the fantastic Stage 3 students who attended. Colour Explosion The UPS Colour Explosion was recently held, and we were so happy that the rain held off. Parents were invited to watch the run. Children were able to leave early with their family once they signed out via the front office. We enjoyed many colour stations that will be headed by parent helpers, SLSO staff and SRC representatives. We are most appreciative of the support and work done behind the sense from the P & C committee. Ice-blocks were provided to students once they completed the running course. It was a super fun day! Once again, I thank students, staff, and families for their unwavering commitment to our fabulous school. I wish you all a safe, happy, and restful holiday break and look forward to seeing you all in the new year! Anissa Rajendra Throughout the year, 1P regularly engage in a range of learning experiences using concrete materials. The young learners enthusiastically explore the world of knowledge through hands-on play. Through tactile and visual aids, such as linking cubes and counters, these students are not only learning foundational concepts but fostering a love for learning. In 6V, we have been looking at the different types of Australian Aboriginal art, including rock art, dot painting, fibre art, wood carving and bark painting. Please enjoy some of the information reports we created. 5D Immersed in Aboriginal CultureEver since 5D participated in learning about the Aboriginal culture they have been very inquisitive and are incorporating it into their every day. We are creating different types of Aboriginal art, we have learnt how to say hello in Dharawal language and we are currently implementing what we have learnt about our local community into designing the year 6 school shirt for next year. During the Aboriginal education program, they all learnt how to throw a boomerang, some learned the skill quickly others we had to stand clear of. The students were fascinated with all the artefacts, they learnt about bartering or trading between mobs in the highlands and on the coast, and learnt the value of using animal skin and shells. They got to handle hunting and eating tools and experienced the difference between our cultures. The students were amazed at what native plant life could be used for such as brushing hair, moisturising skin, eating, cooking with or using to make items such as bags. When experiencing bush tucker, the look on some of their faces showed that some things tasted great and others were best left for cooking. A lot of fun was had when we all participated in face/ body painting and traditional dance. We learnt that some designs were just for girls or just for boys, and some were for educators. We can't wait for the next time we are involved in the Aboriginal Culture and Education program. Yarning in the iLibraryWith the aim of promoting some amazing Indigenous literature, our wonderful library has a designated section with a display case for books by Indigenous authors and for books with Indigenous themes. This ever growing collection is designed to support classroom teaching and learning to incorporate Indigenous perspectives into student learning as well as to entice students to read some of the beautiful stories and learn about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. This is supported by book displays to mark special weeks in the annual calendar, such as Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week. In addition, during Book Week this year, Years 3-6 examined the shortlisted book ‘We Are Australian’ by Wiradjuri man Duncan Smith and multi-award-winning author Nicole Godwin. A finalist in the Book Week New Illustrator category, we discussed ideas of belonging and the many different ways of being Australian. We explored the way Aboriginal artist and Yorta Yorta man, Jandamarra Cadd used colour to convey these ideas in his paintings. Here are some of our self portraits, inspired by Cadd. Years K-2 explored the gorgeous book ‘Our Dreaming’ by Gunai woman, Kirli Saunders and illustrated by Bigambul man, Dub Leffler. We used our knowledge of visual literacy cues to identify how the illustrator showed movement and direction in the illustrations using vector lines and the use of ‘offer’, the idea that when a person or character ‘gazes’ or ’looks’ at an object, it encourages us to look at that object too. We then went for a walk outside to look and listen and think about our favourite things on Country. Ms Prior Teacher Librarian Deadly Shoutouts1. PLP BBQ: In Week 5, UPS held its annual PLP Reflection BBQ. This was an amazing opportunity for our Aboriginal families and Community to come together and discuss the progress of our Aboriginal students throughout the year. It was such an incredible turnout and many discussions were had, regarding the achievements and future steps for our Koori kids at UPS! 2. PLP Achievements: We have had several students achieve a number of their PLP goals throughout Term 4! Firstly, Caleb in KE achieved his aspirational goal which revolved around joining in with games for recess and lunch. Yager, in KE, also achieved his educational goal by challenging himself while writing. In 3/4S, Diesel achieved his educational goal of obtaining his pen license and his cultural goal, which revolved around refereeing games of Buroinjin during Social Sport. Well-done gentlemen, fantastic work! K-6 AssemblyKB Merit: Coby.C & Zali.S Student of the week: Ellira. dW KS Merit: Student of the week: KE Merit: Mia H & Oliver W Student of the week: Ellie L 1/2R Merit: Harlee G & Ashlee A Student of the week: Daniel L 1M Merit: Dylan M & Hollie Le. M Student of the week: Lyla R 1P Merit: Luna W. & Skylar-Rose T. Student of the week: Aria K. 2L Merit: Cohen. O & Lola. W Student of the week: Evie. B 2N: Merit: Archer B & Olivia H Student of the week: Leo D 3/4C Merit: Latia. J & Bronte W Student of the week: Lola M 3/4S Merit: Miranda J & Jaylen L. Student of the week: Lara V-L. 3/4D Merit: Nabiha M & Ollie B Student of the week: Keyara W. 3/4M Merit: Student of the week: 5D Merit: Anastasia W & Madeleine W Student of the week: Chase C 5L Merit: Stefan J & Marshall F Student of the week: Kayla C 6V Merit: Mohamed M & Logan W Student of the week: Layla H 6S Merit: Zahlia L & Siara P Student of the week: Zane H Bronze & Silver AwardsBronze Awards: Stage 1: Savannah V, Leo L-G, Lily B, Cohen. O, Chance M (no publish), Jemma C, Emiliano M, Olivia H Stage 2: Cyrus H Stage 3: Audrey Y, Lincoln Q, Dakota B-H Silver Awards: Kindergarten: Estelle.L, Skylah.C, Ellira.dW, Dominic.Y, Evelyn.T, Zali.S, Oliver.M, Jude.G, Ziggy.E, Jaida.L, Leo.O (No permission), Yager W, Mia M, Harvey H, Mia H, Hunter W Stage 1: Hugo D, Ava D, Aaliyah. H, Isla A (no publish), Willow W, Jemma C, Jackson C, Eva M, Abraham M Stage 2: Lola R-V Stage 3: Luca R, Stefan V, Harper K, Zara W, Charlotte S Term 4 Gold AssemblyColour RunThank you to all the participants for making our Colour Explosion School Run 4 Fun a huge success. Together we raised $12,139.20! A big round of applause for Zoey Cunningham who raised the most money for our Colour Explosion School Run 4 Fun. Thank you for raising $2,060 that will go towards our athletics carnival and equipment for the school. This year, prizes have all been processed automatically. Every student who has raised $10 or more will receive at least 1 prize. Thank you again for your support and generosity. Food Waste Audit & Food Awareness DayKhatiya, Maddi and Serena in 5L are all extremely passionate about lessening food waste in the local community. On the 20th to the 24th of November, they held a food waste audit at Unanderra Public School. A food waste audit is a way to calculate how much food Unanderra Public School throws away in a week. They collected, measured, and weighed the school’s weekly food waste and worked out that approximately 75% of this food waste could have been composted or put into a worm farm. The food that was collected over the week weighed 29.5kg, which equates to approximately 1534kg each year. After completing their food waste audit and thanks to a donation from Bunnings, Khatiya, Serena and Maddi were lucky enough to put together two 245L compost tumblers and a worm farm that Unanderra PS can begin using to compost their fruit and vegetable scraps. Maddi, Serena and Khatiya then hosted a Food Awareness Day on the 7th and the 8th of December to educate students and staff on the importance of reducing our food waste. On Thursday 7th they worked with Early Stage 1 and Stage 1 and on Friday 8th they worked with Stage 2 and Stage 3. These days included reading stories, designing garden spaces, waste sorting, planting, science experiments, and learning about composting and worm farming practices. Serena, Khatiya and Maddi hope that these days made staff and students more passionate about reducing their food waste and taught them some simple ways they can do this at school and home. HPAG Extend ProgramOver the past 25 school weeks, 240 students, from Helensburgh to Kiama, have engaged in our HPAG Extend classes, run once a week at 8 host schools across the Illawarra and Shoalhaven. These sessions are about fostering curiosity, discovery, and creativity among High Potential and Academically Gifted students. This year, we proudly acknowledge the dedication of the following students from our school Audrey, Chase and Emily. A few weeks ago we celebrated the end of the program with an exhibition where guests were treated to amazing interactive presentation stations that were constructed with creativity, continually developing knowledge and thoughtful organisation. They were able to engage in learning through artwork, coded games, film trailers, animations, song, models, information posters, quizzes, dioramas, escape rooms and much more. Congratulations to these exceptional students for being so brave to embrace a new learning environment and challenging themselves academically, socially, and emotionally. We commend their efforts in thinking about concepts far beyond the primary curriculum from the universe's captivating evolution, including the Big Bang, star formation, and the emergence of new elements, mathematical concepts they are normally introduced to in years 7-9, to the intrigue of cryptology—exploring codes and ciphers used in real life—our students have been on a journey of intellectual exploration. Thank you to all the participating schools, our amazing host schools, and our dedicated team of school executives who make this all happen! Erin Lam Lifelong Learner School Library Refresh We have been very excited about our newly refurbished UPS library, this year. Over the 2022/23 summer break, the iLib was freshly painted with a new colour pallet and all the furniture was replaced with more modern and natural furnishings. All bookshelves are now along the outer walls and the Circulation desk moved to the centre of the library creating an open, more welcoming space. Students have enjoyed using the new seating in the Storytime area, though we still love our Waterways rug from the Aboriginal company, Emro. Students have given a big thumbs up to the ottomons at our new learning desks, replacing the previous plastic chairs and there is now more relaxed seating spread throughout the library. Our Computer Lab has also been updated with mobile desks replacing the previously static pod desks, a new COMM Box added and a set of 26 brand new laptops being incorporated into this 21st century learning space. National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) NSS took place on the 25 May this year and we celebrated with 2 million other people around Australia reading the book 'Speedy Sloth' by Rebecca Young at 11.00 am. Students were welcomed to the iLib by Library Monitors with Speedy Sloth masks and we were lucky enough to have Buster Bee in attendance. To keep the excitement going, K-2 students participated in a Speedy Sloth scavenger hunt in the school playground at lunchtime. Book Week 2023 - Read Grow Inspire Always a highlight, the theme for Book Week this year was 'Read Grow Inspire' and students across all stages engaged with the shortlisted Book Week books during library lessons during Term 3. During Book Week itself, our library hosted many happenings and events to celebrate books and reading. These included:
Book Club Twice a term, except when Book Fair was on, the iLib organised the Scholastic Book Club to help boost excitement around reading. Students received the Scholastic Book Club pamphlet and were given the opportunity to choose their own books from an affordable selection aimed at their age group. Book Club not only encourages families to build their own home-library but purchases also provide reward points to allow the school library to buy books from Scholastic, boosting our library budget. Term 4 Scholastic Book Fair The Scholastic Book Fair was run twice this year. Another wonderful opportunity to promote reading and fundraise for the school library, the Book Fair created a lot of excitement and allowed our community to come and see the newly renovated library space. Our school community came in droves to support the Book Fair and it was a delight to see so many grandparents coming along as the Book Fair coincided with Grandparents Day. Premiers Reading Challenge (PRC) Completed by 100% of our K-2 students this year, the NSW Premier's Reading Challenge (PRC) is an initiative of the NSW State Government. It aims to encourage in students a love of reading for leisure and pleasure and to enable them to experience quality literature. The challenge is not a competition but focuses on providing students with opportunities to read more broadly. Library Monitor and Tech Crew Leadership Program Library Monitor and Tech Crew leadership programs were run in 2023 based on students volunteering their time and energy at least one lunch time a week. Students were responsible for the running of both the iLibrary and the Computer Lab during lunch times, helping students, keeping the iLibrary tidy and organised, reshelving library books, managing school equipment and helping in the set up and running of library events, including Book Fairs, Book Club, second-hand book sales and more. This program builds confidence and leadership skills as students become role models within our school, demonstrating responsibility, commitment, a sense of service and above all, kindness as they uphold the UPS iLibrary values. In 2023, 20 students received their Library Monitor badge and 12 students received their Tech Crew badge. And with that, the iLibrary would like to wish everyone a wonderful holiday break and we will see you next year. Principal's MessageIt doesn’t seem that long ago we were discussing the excitement of the new school year. Now, we are drawing a close to the school year and look forward to the celebrations and events that are planned. In addressing the whole school assembly recently, I was reminded how much positive academic progress and emotional growth all our students have made throughout this year. It was a delight to see them sitting proudly in their correct school uniform, respectfully listening to the speaker, and trying their best to give all their attention in what an extended time of sitting and listening can be. I ask that all parents and carers have a conversation with their child/ren and remind them they are doing a great job at school and that their efforts don’t go unnoticed by the staff at UPS. Thank you! Tonight is our second last P & C meeting at Mt Kembla Hotel at 7pm for 2023. We have an outstanding group of people who attend these meetings, and we welcome any other parent/carer or community member who would like to come along and join in with the conversations. The P & C committee recently held a Bunnings BBQ raising a large amount of funds that will benefit the students of UPS. I thank Michael and the team of parents who devoted most of their Sunday to make this happen. The financial success of these fundraisers is a bonus to the positive connections built amongst the parents and whole school community, so I encourage all parents/carers to come along to the meetings to enjoy the opportunity to make new friends and hear about what is happening in the school from a different perspective. We look forward to seeing you there! Recently many of the children have been gathering before school to play in Sheargold Park on the equipment and playing ball games. As much as I love the idea of the children using some energy to play before school, I am also very concerned that the safety of the children without direct adult supervision is compromised. There is no teacher supervision at Sheargold Park, and children need to walk into the school gates without deviating to play either a ball game or on the equipment before each school day. It is reasonable to expect that children arrive on to the school grounds and sit in the cola area if they arrive before 8.30am and then be guided by the teacher on duty post 8.30am.Please discuss the morning routines with your children and remind them to go straight into the school grounds rather than playing at Sheargold unsupervised. Unfortunately, I have been notified of children crossing Derribong Drive unsafely on a few occasions. The safety of all students is paramount, and it is imperative that all students (either accompanied with and/or without parents/carers) cross at the school crossing. Please have this safety conversation with your children and I ask that these safe road rules are followed by the adults around them. Last Monday we recognised our grandparents and community friends by hosting an afternoon of reading in classrooms. We look forward to seeing as many visitors to our school as possible. The annual School Book Fair is also on during this week so it will be great to have our visitors visit the library as well. On Friday 27th October was World Teachers Day and I cannot express my gratitude enough to our teachers who dedicate so much to Unanderra Public School. The administration and School learning Support staff hosted an amazing High Tea for the teachers last Friday morning and I know that they were very appreciative and felt super special. I was fortunate to be able to attend a conference in Sydney hosted by the NSW Primary Principals Association which was such a worthwhile professional learning opportunity. I listened to speakers such a Grace Tame, James Castrission and James Kerr to name a few. Each speaker presented their story and although each was different, I saw similarities such as individual initiative and accountability, integrity and the prioritization of relational trust, courage, and active critical thinking. I believe that the staff at UPS in partnership with our families work hard towards supporting our children to become strong, independent, and kind young adults who ask purposeful questions and wonder about the world they live in. Thank you to you all for your support. Have a wonderful week ahead. Kind Regards, Anissa Rajendra KS are extremely proud to showcase some of our learning this term! Recently, we studied the book ‘Wombat Stew’. We investigated how it was a recipe, proceeded to make our own ‘wombat stew’. From here, we also got to follow the steps of a recipe and made fairy bread in class! KS thought this was very fun and enjoyable. KS enjoy using iPads to help our learning, they were able to take photos of our fairy bread making! We have been working hard at understanding concepts like equal sharing and how to organise manipulatives to help us count easier. The wonderful students in KS have had a fantastic start to Term 4! In 3/4D, we're embracing Aboriginal perspectives in mathematics by connecting with nature to learn about and represent fractions. By using the natural world as our guide, we're making mathematics come alive and gaining a deeper understanding of fractions while respecting Aboriginal knowledge and values. Deadly AwardsIn Week 1 of Term 4, the Northern Illawarra Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (AECG) held its 8th annual Deadly Encouragement awards at Waniora Public School. The Deadly Awards is an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the deadly efforts of Aboriginal students around the schooling community. Unanderra Public School was proud to have two students who received awards. Memphis in 5L received a Deadly Encouragement Award for the leadership qualities he consistently shows throughout the school. Cyrus is 3/4S also received an award for his involvement and engagement with his Aboriginal Culture. Well-done gentlemen, we are all so proud of you! K-6 AssemblyKB Merit: Nour.J & Aya.S Jude.G and Dominic.Y Student of the week: Leila.G & Evelyn.T KS Merit: Layla H & Phoenix LB Hamish C, Kai B Student of the week: Tilliana T & Omari ZP KE Merit: Yager W & Caspian T Mia M & Chloe P Student of the week: Claudette G & Harvey H 1/2R Merit: Felicity B & Oakland H Mmuti T & Evelyn W Student of the week: Glory P & Leo L.G 1M Merit: Saxxon S & Kyen C Abraham M & Dylan M. Student of the week: Pip S & Lara V 1P Merit: Otis M. & Brooklyn J. Student of the week: Harry H 2L Merit: Student of the week: 2N: Merit: Mackenzie C & Olivia H Rihab H, Drew G Student of the week: Willow W & Emiliano M 3/4C Merit: Alyson A.W. & Lily D.H Aya R & Nate W Student of the week: Grace. S & Dominic W 3/4S Merit: Macy G & Atticus F Lani M, Alex M Student of the week: Logan J & Natalya J 3/4BA Merit: Cameron K & Kasey R Kai A & Ayah S Student of the week: Sama O & Charlotte B 3/4M Merit: Willow E Student of the week: Dominic S 5D Merit: Emily P & Charlotte S Student of the week: Dakota B-H 5L Merit: Jaydan S & Jasmine R Student of the week: Sedra S 6V Merit: Mohamed M & Adina M Student of the week: Leanne O 6S Merit: Levi R & Ella H Student of the week: Charlotte W Bronze and Silver AwardsBronze Awards: Kindergarten: Nour.J Stage 2: Callum R Baylee T Stage 3: Bentley C Silver Awards: Kindergarten: Odie C Tilliana T Eden O Coby.C Stage 1: Luna W Wren A-R Taj T Ashlee A Oakland H Camellia G Felicity B Glory P Tyler L Amaleah B.S Alice L Stage 3: Braxton Z Billy K Southern Illawarra Music Festival (SIMF)After months of preparation and rehearsals our Unanderra Public School Choir had the pleasure of performing at the Southern Illawarra Music Festival (SIMF) on Tuesday the 17th of October. Our students were part of a mass choir involving schools from all over the Illawarra in which they sang and performed to a variety of songs from all types of genres. As part of our performance our students had the opportunity to perform two individual items, one being 'A Million Dreams' from the musical blockbuster The Greatest Showman and Megan Trainers pop hit 'I Feel Better When I'm Dancing'. Our students also had the opportunity to participate in percussion items and individual solos as part of the mass choir performances. We are so proud of each and every students efforts on the night and all the rehearsals leading up to the performance night. Miss Solomon SIMF Co-Ordinator Food Waste ProjectRecently, Khatiya, Maddi and Serena from 5L have been hard at work with an important project about food waste and how Unanderra Public School can reduce its impact on the environment. Later in the term, they will be holding a food waste audit to measure how much food is wasted at our school and hopefully reduce the amount that is thrown away. For a week, students and teachers will deposit all their uneaten food into a compost bin that will be placed in each classroom. At the end of this time, they will collate and measure the amount of food that was wasted over the week and report this information to the school community to encourage everyone to support the cause. At the end of the term, Khatiya, Maddi and Serena will hold a Food Awareness Day to further advertise the issue that is food waste. This day will include activities such as, designing a school garden, planting seeds and a variety of waste sorting activities to educate students about how they can reduce their food waste in simple ways at school and home. An ongoing part of this project is implementing composting and worm farming at Unanderra Public School. We currently have 3 unused Compost bins and also 3 unused worm farms. The goal is to put these into use and help our school reduce their waste footprint. We thoroughly hope that you as members of our community will be willing to help us with this project and support us through it. Year 7 Selective High School Placement In 2025 Applications are now open for year 5 students to apply for selective high school placement in 2025. Please see the attached documents for more information. Applications close 20 November 2023. School Student Travel 2024Link to apply: https://transportnsw.info/school-travel-apply Disabled Surfers Association South Coast ThirroulPrincipal's MessageWelcome to Week 10, We have reached the end of yet another great term of teaching and learning at Unanderra Public School. Thank you to our P&C Congratulations and thank you to our incredible P&C who have been working all term once again to do great things for our wonderful school. We are very fortunate to have you support our students and we thank you for this. Stage Planning Week During week 10 the teachers worked together in teams off class to plan for term four teaching and learning activities. These collaborative planning sessions for teachers are critical to inform decision making and resource allocation for the term ahead. Where possible utilised familiar staff on site to replace the classroom teacher and any necessary adjustments for individual students will have been considered. Kindergarten 2024 We have already had several students enrol for kindergarten 2024, which is so exciting. If you are planning on enrolling your child next year, or know of a family considering this who lives in our school drawing area, please complete the enrolment, by visiting our school website https://unanderra-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/ for more information. We look forward to welcoming all the new families to UPS in 2024. Headlice Recently, there have been reported cases of headlice within our school. People get headlice from hair to hair contact with someone else who has head lice. Having headlice is not an indicator of hygiene; headlice do not care whether your hair is clean or dirty. Please check your child’s hair for nits/lice tonight using the methods recommended in information from NSW Health http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/environment/headlice/Pages/treatment.aspx If you find any eggs or lice, please commence treatment as recommended. Further information on head lice is available on the NSW Health website (details above) or through the Department’s website at https://education.nsw.gov.au/student-wellbeing/health-and-physical-care/health-care-procedures/conditions/head-lice Thank you! School Crossing The school crossing supervisors have been experiencing some concerning behaviours in the mornings and afternoons with children running across the crossing before or just after they have stopped traffic. As you can imagine this is very dangerous. Additionally, drivers are advised that the drop zone is NO PARKING from 2.30pm and it causes significant traffic congestion. Please remind your children that they are not allowed to cross the road without permission from the crossing supervisor and under no circumstances are they to run across the road. I have also been informed that some students are crossing the road at the shops rather than at the crossing area which is very dangerous. The safety of our students is paramount, and I once again ask that families discuss the safe ways to walk home with their children. I do acknowledge and thank all parents and teachers who work hard each afternoon and morning to assist all our students to depart our school grounds safely. Staffing As you are aware Mrs Williams will be teaching 6V for all of term 4 and we thank Mr Hosler for his work with 6V over the past three weeks. Mr Hosler will continue working closely with Mrs Williams and 6V throughout term. Thank you to the children and parents of 6V for their flexibility and understanding. Variation to Staff Development Day – 19 December 2023 The teaching staff will participate in two twilight SDD sessions on Monday 17th October and Monday 24 October both between 3.15pm and 6.15pm in lieu of TPL on Tuesday 19 December 2023. There will be two parts to these sessions with the first part being HPGGE and the second part focusing on Hexagonal Mapping and implementing the new NSW Curriculum K-6 in 2024 Term 4 week 2 - Monday 16th October 3.15pm-6.15pm Term 4 week 3 - Monday 23rd October 3.15pm- 6.15pm The training will be held at Unanderra Public School. Canteen Tender As you are aware we were advised that Fresh Start Canteens will not be continuing to service UPS into term 4 and beyond. Although UPS advertised for interest through the tender process, we unfortunately were unsuccessful. As a result, there will not be canteen facilities available throughout term 4 of 2024. However, there will be opportunities for students to purchase small goods such as ice blocks and snacks throughout the term to support both SRC and Year 6 fundraisers. Please be reassured that I am exploring several options that may be suitable including a food truck delivering online orders a few times a week until something more permanent becomes available. I do once again apologise for the inconvenience, and I will advise you all of any further changes when I can. Thank you for your patience with this. New Payment Process The current payment system ebs4 is being decommissioned by the department at the end of this year. Following significant conversations and research Unanderra will be converting to the Skoolbytes Finance system for our school community. This system will allow our community to -
What is Coming Up?
The staff at UPS look forward to seeing you safe, happy, and relaxed next term. Kind Regards, Anissa Rajendra 1/2R have been very busy this term and have been working hard to learn about Australia, its states and territories and the amazing features and places that we have. We have explored both natural and man made landmarks in New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia as well as how these places are looked after by ourselves, caregivers and the wider community. We were fortunate enough to learn more about our surrounding places and how we can help take care of the plants and animals from our excursion to Symbio Wildlife Park earlier this term. More recently we have been excited to dive into persuasive texts in writing. We have been developing our writing skills by starting to include simple, compound and complex sentences to add depth to our writing and making sure we are always backing up our ideas with facts to engage the reader. We have been using the knowledge we have learned in our Geography lessons to create persuasive texts around caring for the environment and why we should all visit certain places that we have learned about. This term, 5L have been developing their writing using individually set goals. These writing goals range from working on spelling using a dictionary, to including sensory language to better engage the reader. Students have been encouraged to reflect on their writing and set goals that work on an area they wish to improve. There have been some truly fantastic and inventive stories written and we have included a few for you to enjoy.. 2L have been learning about local and interstate, natural and man-made features as part of our geography unit this term. Aboriginal perspectives have been embedded in this unit with many direct links to some of the local landmarks such as Mt Kembla known as Grandfather Mountain to the people of the Dharawal nation. Students have taken part in lessons outdoors where they can physically see some of these landmarks they are learning about. This provides rich discussion points including why some sites are culturally significant and the stories behind them. Over the year, all of our students have been working hard to smash their learning goals. Today, we want to acknowledge a few Aboriginal students who have achieved some of the goals from their PLP’s. First, Layla from KS has achieved her educational goal of identifying all single sounds, and her aspirational goals of applying her knowledge of sounds to read book! Also, Tilliana from KS has also achieved her educational goal of identifying all single sounds, and her aspirational goals of applying her knowledge of sounds to read book! Way to go girls! Now, moving onto Primary. Cyrus in 3/4S has achieve his cultural goals of completing the Acknowledgement of Country in the classroom and at a whole school event, and also eagerly attending Koori Club each and every week! Congratulations to these students and we cannot wait to showcase many more achievements from our deadly students. - Mr Scotland and The AEC Committee K-6 AssemblyKB Merit: Evelyn.T & Indie J-H. Student of the week: Estelle.L KE Merit: Kenzi M & Ellie L Student of the Week: Nicholas W KS Merit: Student of the Week: 1M Merit: Kyen C & Hollie L M Student of the week: Emelia J 1P Merit: Isla G & Evie A Student of the Week: Luke W 1/2R Merit: Caige J & Sage C Student of the Week: Savannah V 2L Merit: Sophia G & Jarli L Student of the week: Matilda H 2N Merit: Ruby S & Emilio V Student of the Week: Annabelle C 3/4C Merit: Avi D & Levi F Student of the Week: Annaleise S 3/4D Merit: Cali F & Axel C Student of the Week: Aleksei D 3/4M Merit: Andrew W & Bentley C Student of the Week: Amelia K 3/4S Merit: Lani M & Lucy W. Student of the Week: Zoey C 5D Merit: Memphis W-W & Ryley N-S Student of the Week: Jake B 5L Merit: Lily C & Cameron J Student of the Week: Arinya L 6S Merit: Ruby H & Lily E Student of the Week: Phoenix I 6V Merit: Penny H & Angus J Student of the Week: Leanne O Bronze and Silver AwardsBronze Kindergarten Nicholas W, Emily, Caleb, Oliver W, Claudette G, Ellie, Caspian Stage 1 Kyen, Evelyn W, Archie B, Airlie S, Jemma C, Harlem H, Daisy K, Caius J Stage 2 Kaimia W, Myles S, Milah K, James P, Maddison W, Kaleb M M Stage 3 Alana G, Chayse N, Emily P, Anastasia W Silver Kindergarten Emmy B Stage 1 Jett W, Millie B, Axel H Stage 2 Levi F Stage 3 Daniel M, Decklyn H, Lucas M, Chase C Indigenous Literacy Day & The Great Book SwapIn Week 8 of Term 3, UPS participated in two amazing events. First, Indigenous Literacy Day, and second, The Great Book Swap. During Indigenous Literacy Day, all classes tuned in livestream event hosted by the Sydney Opera House. The video focused on remote Aboriginal communities and the impact that they have had on Aboriginal Literature. After the livestream, students participated in classroom activities related to the video. High engagement and impactful conversation were evident across the school. Also on Indigenous Literacy Day, all from K-6 were invited to attend Koori Club at lunch time. During Koori Club, Mr Scotland read the story I Want to be a Superhero, written by Noongar, Gunditjmara, Wiraderjiri and Jawoyn woman Brenna Humes, and illustrated by Palyku woman Ambelin Kwaymullina. The students loved it, and it was wonderful to see the turnout! During the Great Book Swap, the hall was filled with SO MANY incredible books that were donated by the library and you, the UPS community! Every class was so eager to have a look at the display and donate a gold coin to take a ‘new’ book home. We were able to raise $230 for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. 100% of the donations will be going towards an organisation that provides culturally relevant books to remote Aboriginal Communities across the school, and provide programs to support Communities to create and publish their stories in languages of their choice. What an incredibly week. Amazing work UPS! Principal's MessageWelcome to Week 7, Incredibly we are already past the middle of term 3 at UPS. The students have enjoyed participating in play time clubs including dancing on the gorgeous grass, climbing through the play equipment in Terry’s Turf, and participating in soccer and basketball on our expansive grassed play areas. It is great to see students K-6 enjoying the library where some play chess, others draw, and many read. The staff continue to encourage the children to participate in an activity of choice throughout each play time and to build on their friendship skills by turn taking, agreeing on the rules of the game, and recognising when to take a break. At times situations may arise where children disagree and feel that they have been unfairly treated by a peer or a teacher. Our school is guided by the Department of Education Behaviour Code for Students and utilises Positive Behaviour for Learning as the framework underpinning classroom and playground expectations. All students are proactively supported to use strategies that keep them safe and heard when necessary. There are many teachers and support staff on the playground during each break time wearing fluorescent vests who are always available to assist. Please encourage your child/ren to go to these adults if they would like help to resolve a situation in the playground. This week the students and teachers are focusing on “BEE a Mate” and are involved in lessons that explore friendships and how they evolve, often changing in dynamic and children can use proactive strategies to manage this. Classes will be exploring the questions such as, how can we be a safe, respectful, and responsible mate? Think about the times when you have been a great mate. Talk about what you think makes a great classmate. We encourage families to engage in informal conversations together about this topic. Here is a link from Raising children Australia that may be helpful. https://raisingchildren.net.au/search?query=friendships-+school+children Resilience is the ability to bounce back after challenges. Resilience develops when children experience challenges and learn to deal with them positively. https://raisingchildren.net.au/search?query=Resilience The staff at UPS are committed to ensuring that each child is truly known, valued, and cared for and we ask that parents/carers contact the school if they have any concerns or questions as usually these can be resolved quickly and successfully. Thank you to our P&C Congratulations and thank you to our incredible P&C who have been working hard to prepare Father’s Day Stall gifts for our students to purchase. The organisation and preparation are always very involved, and we thank all who were part of this great fundraiser. Toys Please remind your child/ren not to bring any toy or treasure to school that they may lose or break etc. We are happy to have children bring a small toy to play with during break times, however it must not be too precious or irreplaceable as accidents do happen and the staff are not always able to monitor the whereabouts and care of these belongings. Food Safety It is great to see children choosing to eat fresh fruit and vegetables for snacks and lunch. Here are some more ideas and information if you are stuck for what to pack in your child’s lunch box. https://raisingchildren.net.au/school-age/nutrition-fitness/daily-food-guides/school-age-food-groups Please ensure that your child/ren does not bring a metal can open as these lids are dangerously sharp and can become slippery when wet. Place all the contents from these metal tins in a plastic sealed container to send to school to avoid injury. Due to health and safety please do not send lollipops, pop tops and sherbets or Wizz fizz sweets to school with your child. These are potential choking hazards apart from having no nutritional value at all. Thank you for your support and understanding. We have several students with severe allergies and/or anaphylaxis reactions and to nuts and so we strongly request that alternative foods are sent to school. We are a NUT AWARE school and the health and safety of all our children is paramount. Thank you for your assistance in keeping our children safe. Below are some links for further information about allergies. https://www.allergy.org.au/ https://raisingchildren.net.au/guides/a-z-health-reference/food-allergies https://allergyfacts.org.au/ https://allergyaware.org.au/ https://nationalallergycouncil.org.au/ Afternoon Dismissal Procedures. The staff at UPS send a huge thank you to all our parents/carers who assist in the smooth afternoon departure procedures. Please remember that the drop off zone is not a parking area and drivers must remain in the car. Students will not be permitted to enter any car outside of the safe area for stopping. Drivers are respectfully reminded to park away from the drop zone area, turn legally and to refrain from manoeuvres such as reversing near the pedestrian crossing, doing U-turns and three-point turns which are dangerous during busy school drop-off and pick-up times. We understand that at times this can be frustrating however the safety and wellbeing of our children and the families is paramount and so waiting a few extra minutes to help everyone depart safely, is small concession to make. We are all super proud of the children who are doing a great job when leaving the school grounds and I thank them for this. SMART START- 2023 for kindergarten 2024 In addition to our kindergarten orientation program, this transition to school initiative will run for 5 weeks each Tuesday at Unanderra Public School. The children will work with Mrs Evelyn Bell, Relieving Assistant Principal K-2, and other school staff on the focuses of the transition program. The parents/carers attend a separate session with Mrs Anissa Rajendra, Principal, and other school staff as an opportunity to share and learn about different elements of primary school including hands on workshops in Numeracy, Literacy and Technology. Where: Unanderra Public School (Derribong Drive, Courdeaux Heights) When: 9.15am to 10.15am each Tuesday August 22nd, 29th and September 5th, 12th, 19th What to bring: Children need a clearly labelled water bottle, a piece of fruit or vegetable to eat as a snack and to wear enclosed shoes (e.g. joggers). No other items/food is necessary. Arrival: Parents/Carers and children will be welcomed at the front gate by our students and directed to KB, one of our kindergarten rooms, to drop off your child/ren and sign the attendance sheet. If able to stay for the parent/carer sessions, you will then be directed to Room 17. We are so excited to welcome our newest members of our school community to Smart Start. If you have any questions or know of any child who is of school age for 2024, please don’t hesitate to share this with other families and/or contact the school via email or phone if needed. Kindergarten 2024 We have already had many students enrol for kindergarten 2024 which is so exciting. If you are planning on enrolling your child next year, or know of a family considering this who lives in our school drawing area, please complete the enrolment, by visiting our school website https://unanderra-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/ for more information. We look forward to welcoming all the new families to UPS in 2024. Smart Start Program Children’s Session Focuses Parent/Carer Session Focuses Book Week – Week 7 This week will be holding our book week celebration. Start planning your child’s costume for what is always a great highlight. The book parade and family picnic lunch will be happening on Friday 1 September on the games court. Just s friendly reminder that if you are taking your child home early it is essential that you sign them out. A big thank you to Miss Prior for your enthusiasm and passion for books and learning in bringing this event together. Literacy Activities for children This is a link from the Raising Children Australia network with Literacy ideas and activities for families and their children. https://raisingchildren.net.au/school-age/school-learning/literacy-reading-stories/literacy-activities Southern Stars Our Southern Stars students performed in their final show last Saturday evening and this was a spectacular event. The students and teachers involved have been attending many rehearsals that involved early mornings and late afternoons/nights. Everyone involved, enjoyed the moments of fame on stage and although were tired really gave it their all. We appreciate the many times parents were dropping off and picking up the children and all that was involved to make the show a great success. Both evening shows finished late into the evening and the Saturday show was sold out! The experience will be one that I am sure our students will remember for life. Thank you to Miss Nourie, Miss Ryman, Mrs Bell, Mrs Elston, and Mrs Brennan for their work in coordinating the mass dance troupe and our Aboriginal Dance Group. Congratulations to everyone and thank you parents and staff at school for your contributions that made it happen! Staffing As you may be aware Mr Synnott has been absent recently. He and his wife welcomed their new baby girl a little earlier than expected meaning that he will be on leave for the remainder of the year. This RFF Science teaching position has been advertised and as soon as I can, I will advise the staff and school community of the outcome. The current program is being overseen by Mr Hosler and the class teachers with a register of sequential lessons implemented and student achievement being recorded and tracked. Mrs Martinoski has returned from her extended leave and has enjoyed a lovely holiday overseas. She has returned relaxed and looking forward to the years ahead in her substantive role as SAM at UPS. A big thank you is extended to Mrs Rutherford and Mrs Lyons for the work they did while Mrs Martinoski was away. Mrs Matts has taken four weeks of personal leave starting this week and Miss Gemma Del Turco will be replacing her. The teaching and learning program will remain consistent, and a thorough hand over has taken place. In addition to Miss Del Turco, Mrs Bell (Rel) Assistant Principal is available for any further clarification or questions that may arise. Mrs Matts will return at the start of term 4. Bike Riding to School We have several children riding their bikes to school and leaving them at the back gate area. We are working on creating reasonable and safe procedures to ensure that this is managed effectively. If you have any questions, please inform your class teacher so that you have the correct information We aim to have a consistent message in place before making it a thing! Staff Professional Learning Throughout Term 3, UPS staff will be completing a variety of different professional learning sessions at school including High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE), Eliciting evidence of student learning (formative assessment), NAPLAN data analysis training and Berry Street Education Model (BSEM) training. Some executive staff will be participating in the Lake Illawarra North Curriculum Reform community professional learning at Warrawong Public School and the Assistant Principal Curriculum and Instruction network day at and Berkeley Sports Club. Autism Support Class 2024 Some of you may have heard that we have been hoping to establish an Autism Support class at UPS for quite a while. In doing so we aim to support the local children in our area who would have otherwise been travelling well beyond their local school and community to access their learning. I have recently been advised that we have been considered for an Autism Support Class to be established in 2024. I am still finalising the details; however, it is most likely that the children will be in Early Stage 1 and as this is a regional resource I will be advised as to the staffing procedures needed to fill both the classroom and SLSO position for this class. The high expectations our staff have of our students and one another goes hand in hand with the positive learning and social growth that our school has made. This shows that we are in a strong position to be able to welcome and make positive accommodations for these children and their families. I am excited to see what 2024 brings with these new students and their families. Thank you everyone for working so well together so that this can be a reality for our local children. Canteen Tender Recently we were advised that Fresh Start Canteens will not be continuing to service UPS into term 4 and beyond. I understand that here have been some difficulties with communication and with the recent change to the ordering and paying facility. We thank Fresh Start Canteens for their service over the years and wish them well in their future endeavours. Although this is out my hands as they are an independent company, I do apologise for the inconvenience and recognise hardship this may incur. I will advise you all the outcome of the applications for tender process when I can. Thank you for your patience with this. New Payment Process The current payment system ebs4 is being de-commissioned by the department at the end of this year. Following significant conversations and research Unanderra will be converting to the Skoolbytes Finance system for our school community. This system will allow our community to - · Make a payment · Use your credit to make a payment · View payment history · Give consent for an event · Provide consent and payment for an excursion · Request a refund for an excursion What is Coming Up? · Book Week Parade- Friday 1 September · Smart Start Session #2 on Tuesday 29 August · Indigenous Literacy Day Great Book Swap- Thursday 31 August · Father’s Day Stall- Thursday 31 August · GOLD assembly Friday 8 September · PBL Reward Day- Wednesday 13 September · School disco- Thursday 14 September · The Term 2, Stage 2 PSSA Gala Day will be held on Friday 15 September (Week 9). Games will commence around 9:45am and conclude by approximately 2:00pm. This day will involve children travelling by bus to various venues in the local area, to represent Unanderra Public School as part of the South Wollongong PSSA regional school’s competition. · The Term 2, Stage 3 PSSA Gala Day will be held on Friday 15 September (Week 9). Games will commence around 9:45am and conclude by approximately 2:00pm. This day will involve children travelling by bus to various venues in the local area, to represent Unanderra Public School as part of the South Wollongong PSSA regional school’s competition. · Teacher/Stage Planning Days in week 10 · Last day of term- Friday 22 September Although we have been very busy and will continue to have hectic weeks ahead, please know that the staff at UPS appreciate the partnership they have with parents and carers and look forward to the next four weeks of teaching and learning. Thank you and have a great month ahead. Anissa Rajendra This term, 6S has been lucky enough to be involved in a number of sporting activities. On Monday afternoon's we have been doing Gymnastics and on Wednesdays we have started learning Taekwondo. In Gymnastics, we have been using mini trampolines, practising our swings on a bar, learning different rolls and have a contest to see how many chins up we can do. Jaymes got the record of 15! In Taekwondo, we started to learn different types of kicks and punches while having control in our movements. We also learned how to count to 10 in Korean while learning a specific Taekwondo movement pattern. This term in KE we are being Wilderness Explorers and learning about different environments and the plants and animals living in them. So far we have learnt about the forest, the bush and the desert. All of the plants and animals adapt to the environment they are living in so they can survive. We have learnt about the difference between native and non-native animals and can tell you lots of different animals that are native to Australia! We have been completing different activities, going outside and exploring and also doing amazing artworks about each environment. Check out our paperbark trees. Can you see a furry friend in the top? As part of this unit of work, we went to Symbio and got to actually see many of the native Australian animals that we talked about in class like koalas, echidnas, wombats and dingoes and even got to feed kangaroos! We touched a bearded dragon, an American alligator and a python too. We all had such an amazing time at Symbio and are loving being Wilderness Explorers! We are looking forward to seeing what environment we are learning about next! Aboriginal Perspective - 1P Acknowledgment of Country 2L and all of stage 1 have been working hard on term 3’s Geography unit ‘Features of Places’. Aboriginal perspectives and education is embedded in all units of work across all Key Learning Areas. The ‘Features of Places’ unit explores natural, managed and constructed features of Australia including significant Aboriginal landmarks and places. Students have been learning about how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people cared for the land and the strong connection they had to the country and the natural world around them. Both local and nationwide examples have been explored such as Mt Kembla, Mt Keira and the five islands along with famous sites such as Uluru. As part of Education and NAIDOC Week 2L learnt how to speak some of the Dharawal Language Lesson: What fish is this? On the Marine Stewardship Council website. 2L have also been doing some art and learning how to draw maps of Australia which they love to do! These maps include states/territories of Australia and their capital cities along with the natural and man-made features as you can see in the photos. Canteen TenderK-6 AssemblyKB Merit: Nour.J & Coby.C Emmy.B & Gabriel.R Student of the week: Skylah.C & Ellira. d-W KS Merit: Kai B & Layla H Lily & Mia Student of the week: Sheldon F & Hamish KE Merit: Harvey H & Emily B Evie A & Mia H Student of the week: Onoeti T & Luna J 1/2R Merit: Camellia G & Hugo D Taj T & Mmuti T Student of the week: Amaleah B.S & Leah M 1M Merit: Zach S & Skye S Jax F & Ariella G. Student of the week: Lara V & Abraham M 1P Merit: Eloise H & Luna W Student of the week: Kairo D 2L Merit: Axel. H & Max R Lillian G & Ella O Student of the week: Scarlett C & Brianna J 2N: Merit: Chance M (no permission to publish) & Jackson C Jax T & Airlie S Student of the week: Eva M & Harlem H 3/4C Merit: Myles S & Bronte W Memphis H & Latia J Student of the week: Hayley H & Isabella F 3/4S Merit: Amelia B & Zahli M Abby D & Natalya J Student of the week: Alex M & Diesel W-W 3/4BA Merit: Sama O & Kaleb M Jett K & Chris G Student of the week: Clara W & Amelia P 3/4M Merit: Kiara & James Student of the week: Maddison W 5D Merit: Casey P & Lucas M Zara W & Dean S Student of the week: Kymani J & Elise W 5L Merit: Holly L & Rocky R Stefan J & Charlise C Student of the week: Eliott S & Izaiah L 6V Merit: Amy S & Taliah C Adina M & Lucas S Student of the week: Decklyn H & Charlie H 6S Merit: Cooper E & Yarra M Student of the week: Max T & Sofie W Bronze & Silver AwardsWeek 4: Bronze Awards: Kindergarten: Dominic.Y Leo.O (No permission to publish) Ellira.D.W Indie J-H Zali.S Evelyn.T Aya.S Gabriel.R Estelle.L Tilliana T Lily H Indiana S Eden O Jarrod.R Mia M Mia H Onoeti T Yager W Harvey H Evie A Kenzi M Luna J Chloe P Finley M Hamish C Odie C Kai B Chloe L Josephine K. Stage 1: Isla A (no permission to publish), Jackson C Felicity B Hugo D Ava D Ashlee A Brooklyn J Skye S Evelyn W Daniel L Stage 2: Lola M Layla F Clara W Jett K Loralee H Stage 3: Ozzy L Oscar W Sam F Charlie H Matilda C Decklyn H Serena Charlise Charlotte. S Lucas M Zara W Chase C Kimberly T Silver Awards: Stage 1: Annabelle C Nicholas P Fletcher N Brianna J Matilda H Lola W Stage 2: Miranda J. Nate W Bronte W Keyara W Sama O Stage 3: Ruby H Romano G Logan W P Lucas S Brayden H Daniel M Chloe O Naidoc Week and Education WeekIn Week 3, Unanderra Public School held both NAIDOC and Education Week! During the week, every student from K-6 participated in a number of activities related to this year’s NAIDOC theme For Our Elders. Activities also linked nicely with the Education Week theme, which revolved around celebrating 175 years of Public Education. On Friday, Family members were invited into the school to check-out what their children have been learning about in class. On top of this, ours school hall proudly showcased some of the amazing work that we are doing around Aboriginal Education. It was a sight to see! We recorded over 130 families attending on Friday, which was just outstanding! In the afternoon, the Stage 2 & 3 students put their skills to the test by versing the teachers in a game of Buroinjin. It was a close match, but it looked like the students just scraped through with the victory. It was also amazing to see all other students from K-6 cheering on their peers from the sidelines. Please enjoy some photos that truly capture how amazing NAIDOC and Education Week was at UPS, along with a virtual tour of our Hall Exhibition! Premier's Spelling Bee Regional FinalsPremier's Spelling Bee Regional Finals were held during week 5, via zoom, here at Unanderra Public School. The Junior Finalist representing UPS for stage 2 was Hayley H. She was extremely focused, enthusiastic and a spelling wizz. She made it through to round 5 which was challenging and filled with tough competition from 30 other schools across the region. We all held our breath as she spelt her last word, just one wrong letter was added, it was a hard word but she did her personal best and accepted defeat graciously. Hayley, you represented our school wonderfully and we are all proud of your achievement. The Senior Finalist representing UPS for stage 3 was Madeline O. Madeline had a very determined attitude going in, she was even practising the words the other challengers received. Her excitement and positive attitude was contagious and we all enjoyed watching her compete, her mum was beaming with pride. It was a nail biting final with very tough competition from 25 other schools. The words this year were very challenging. Madeline’s last word was tricky with a double letter getting the best of her, but we continued watching the rest of the finals and cheered on the other students. Madeline you represented our school with so much passion, we are all proud of you. 2023 Book Week - 28th Aug - 1st SeptUnanderra Public School and the iLib are so excited to be celebrating Book Week this week (W7). In library lessons we have been celebrating and exploring the CBCA shortlisted books and learning about Visual Literacy - the ways in which illustrators, artists and visual creators make meaning in images. Students have been using visual literacy cues when participating in activities after reading these books. Take a look at some of our artwork... UPS will be celebrating Book Week all week and you will find below a schedule of all the fun activities taking place. The week will culminate in the Book Parade on Friday 1 September at 12pm on the basketball court. See the poster below outlining all the details. We hope to see many of you there celebrating stories, books and reading with us. It is always a fantastic atmosphere with everyone dressing up as book characters K-6 and including the teachers. Parents and caregivers are invited to stay afterwards for a picnic in the school grounds. We have many Book Week Poster entries already hanging up in the iLibrary. The deadline to get entries in was extended to Monday (W7). Mrs Rajendra will be judging and announcing a winner from each grade at the Book Parade but please remember... art appreciation is arbitrary. Parents can come and take a look at the magnificent artworks hanging up in the iLibrary after the Book Parade. If students are leaving with parents and caregivers after the Book Parade, please remember to sign them out at the office first and let their teacher know. Happy Reading From Ms Prior Teacher Librarian Principal's MessageWelcome to Education Week and NAIDOC celebrations throughout week 3. Already it is week 3 and we have participated in so many exciting events and looking forward to so many more. Last Friday, that children in 3 /4 M presented our first K-6 assembly for the term and it certainly was fabulous. It has been lovely to see the children return to school enthusiastically and keen to meet up with friends and teachers. Everyone enjoyed listening to each other’s stories about their experiences during the school holidays and what they look forward to learning in the term to come. Kindergarten celebrated 100 days of learning and many children have participated in gala days and Southern Stars rehearsals since the beginning of this term. The teachers are enjoying preparing these learning experiences and appreciate the support the parents and whole school community provide. Due to some necessary maintenance on the retaining wall at Terry’s Turf we have had to secure this area and as a result this play area is out of bounds until the work is complete. Hopefully the work will be completed soon, and the children can return to playing in this space. The third flagpole has been erected and we are closer to completing the area at the front of the school so that the traditional bell can be used during milestone occasions. NAPLAN results have been shared and we are so pleased with the ongoing growth all our students have made. As teachers we are informed by these results along with a multitude of internal assessments, however these external results provide us with a snapshot of where our students are, in a moment in time. These results are provided to the school along with an abundance of information that assists teachers in breaking down the questions and how to target areas of strength and identify focus areas for teaching in the months ahead. We have begun gymnastics this term and all children have really enjoyed participating in these sessions that are filled with positive energy and music to match. Unanderra Public School proudly appeared in the Illawarra Mercury last Thursday, showcasing some of the amazing things we have achieved and what we are looking forward to doing in the months ahead. https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/8285384/milestone-celebration-for-public-schools/ We look forward to seeing our families and community friends this Friday as we celebrate Education week and NAIDOC week. Driving and stopping safely near our school The beginning and end of the school day are busy times for pedestrians and vehicles outside the school. Part of our duty of care is to ensure all students kindergarten through to Year 6 enter and exit the school grounds safely. It is imperative that all students enter the car in the drop zone safely and teachers are available to guide students into the car or to the place they need to be. This includes walking out of the school gates from both the front and the back of the school. We understand that at times it is frustrating to wait however the safety of students and staff is paramount. Thank you! I have copied the rules of Road Safety from the NSW Government for your reference. • Park safely and legally, even if it means walking further to the school gate. Parking signs are planned with children’s safety in mind. • Slow down to 40km/h in the school zone and stay aware of crossings. • Always Park and turn legally around the school. • Never double park as it puts children at risk. • Manoeuvres such as U-turns and three-point turns are dangerous. • Never Park in a bus zone or in the school bus bay. • Make sure your children use the Safety Door (rear footpath side door) to get in and out of the car. • At a supervised crossing, observe the directions of the school crossing supervisor. • Model safe and considerate behaviour for your child – they will learn from you. Remember to always give way to pedestrians particularly when entering and leaving driveways. Don’t Park across the school driveway or the entrance to the school car park. I t’s always a good idea to use the drop off and pickup area suggested by your school. This will help keep all children as safe as possible during the busiest times of the school day. For more information on keeping our kids safe around schools visit the families section on safetytown.com.au The staff at UPS thank the parents and carers for their support and understanding with this very important part of student safety and wellbeing. SMART START- 2023 for Kindergarten 2024 In addition to our kindergarten orientation program, this transition to school initiative will run for 5 weeks each Tuesday at Unanderra Public School. The children will work with Mrs Evelyn Bell, Relieving Assistant Principal K-2, and other school staff on the focuses of the transition program. The parents/carers attend a separate session with Mrs Anissa Rajendra, Principal, and other school staff as an opportunity to share and learn about different elements of primary school. Where: Unanderra Public School (Derribong Drive, Courdeaux Heights) When: 9.15am to 10.15am each Tuesday August 22nd, 29th and September 5th, 12th, 19th What to bring: Children need a clearly labelled water bottle, a piece of fruit or vegetable to eat as a snack and to wear enclosed shoes (e.g. joggers). No other items/food is necessary. Arrival: Parents/Carers and children will be welcomed at the front gate by our students and directed to KB, one of our kindergarten rooms, to drop off your child/ren and sign the attendance sheet. If able to stay for the parent/carer sessions, you will then be directed to Room 17. We are so excited to welcome our newest members of our school community very soon. If you have any questions or know of any child who is of school age for 2024, please don’t hesitate to share this with other families and/or contact the school via email or phone if needed. Smart Start Program Children’s Session Focuses Parent/Carer Session Focuses Finally, I wish to acknowledge the way in which our students have conducted themselves since returning to school this term. I have received both parent and community feedback that our students are polite, respectful, and thoughtful of others. This is something to be proud of! Have a wonderful month ahead. Anissa Rajendra What's Coming up this Term
In 3/4C this term we have started to look at Narratives, specifically Fairytales. We have been using narrative mountains to help us understand the key components that are needed to construct narratives. So far we have been looking into The Gingerbread man, The Three Billy Goats Gruff and The Three Little Pigs. Through narrative mountains we are exploring how different traditional fairy tales are constructed and how they might be twisted to create new fairytales. We will ultimately use this knowledge to create our very own fairytales. Watch this space to see our amazing story writing skills. What we do in 3/4S!For this week’s Unanderra Yarns, 3/4S would like to showcase some of the amazing and engaging activities that they completed on a daily basis to promote Aboriginal perspective when learning. Firstly, every morning in 3/4S starts with our morning circle. During morning circle, students take turns at reading the class Acknowledgment of Country. Every student always shows respect during this time, listening to what is being said. Also, when a person wants to speak during morning circle, they need to be holding our classroom Yarning Stick. This teaches the students about the importance of patience, appropriate turn taking and active listening. In mathematics, 3/4S have been learning to use stories and images to share their understanding of multiplication. The use of stories, symbols and images in the classroom setting has been said to be effective strategies to engage both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students in their learning. The students have loved completing this work, and have demonstrated some incredibly creative ways to show what they know! One of the students’ favourite games to play during sport sessions is Buroinjin. Buroinjin is a game traditionally played the Kabi Kabi people of South Queensland. Everyone is always eager to join in, stay active and give 110%. Please enjoy some photos of our morning circle, mathematics work, and Buroinjin sessions! K-6 Assembly AwardsKB Merit: Leo O & Jaida L Student of the week: Oliver.M KS Merit: Indiana S & Hunter C.R. Student of the week: Chloe L KE Merit: Mia M & Oliver W Student of the week: Hunter W 1/2R Merit: Tyler L & Lily B Student of the week: Ava D 1M Merit: Romano G & Dylan M. Student of the week: Ramon M. 1P Merit: Jett W. & Bowie C. Student of the week: Aria K. 2L Merit: Hailey N & Cohen O Student of the week: Daisy K 2N: Merit: Jemma C & Isla A Student of the week: Zayden M 3/4C Merit: Milah. K & Aya. R Student of the week: Lola. M 3/4S Merit: Jaylen L & Katherine D. Student of the week: Logan J 3/4BA Merit: Declan R & Charlotte B Student of the week: Axel C 3/4M Merit: Student of the week: 5D Merit: Chayse N & Jaxon M Student of the week: Anastasia W 5L Merit: Serena R & Ryan H Student of the week: Lachlan C 6V Merit: Finn M & Logan WP Student of the week: Leanne O 6S Merit: Zahlia L & Cooper V Student of the week: Bentley C Bronze and Silver AwardsBronze Awards: Kindergarten: Ziggy.E Jude.G Skylah.C Oliver.M Emmy.B Coby.C. Stage 1: Skye S Leo D Ruby-Rose S Silver Awards: Stage 1: Cody J Jax T Mackenzie C Stage 3: Evie D Rugby 7's & Touch 7'SOn Thursday 27th August, I had the pleasure of taking a 50 students from stage 2 and stage 3 to the Rugby and Touch 7s Gala Day. I would like to commend the students for their outstanding behaviour and excellent sportsmanship throughout the event. Their positive attitudes and respect towards one another truly exemplified the spirit of fair play and camaraderie we aim to promote at UPS. It was a pleasure to witness the kids' passion for the game and the support they showed towards their fellow participants. Renae Scruby Sports Coordinator Principal's MessageWhat a remarkable term we have had. Our students have made outstanding gains throughout the weeks, and this has become even more evident since reading their reports that were sent home to families yesterday. I commend each one of our students for their individual learning achievements, that have been highlighted in the general comments by the classroom teacher. Our students have excelled in team and individual sport, dance, public speaking, singing, academic and social activities during this term, which is a credit to everyone including the great partnership our staff have with the families who support them. We have had members of the public contact the school to inform us of outstanding behaviour displayed by our students during sporting events and the South Coast Dance Festival. I cannot be any prouder of the students at Unanderra Public School and I extend my appreciation to the families and staff who work together to ensure that our school maintains a high standard in all areas of teaching, learning and behaviour in partnership with the community. Our school recently participated in the External Validation process which concluded last Tuesday with a panel meeting that went for over three hours online. Most of the executive staff were a part of this meeting and it flowed well with the panel validating us on our plans, program implementation and placement in our Self-Assessment. This was a great opportunity to consider what initiatives we introduce and how we collect evidence and track data to encourage student growth and achievement across the school. I extend my thanks and appreciation to all staff, students and families who have supported us through this rigorous and important process. We have had carpet replaced in several classroom areas including the computer room this week and in addition solar panels will be installed on the roofs during the school holidays. A third flagpole has been installed at the front of the school to include the Torres Strait Islander Flag. I wish to remind families that Term 3, for students begins on Tuesday 18 July. All staff will be participating in professional learning and planning on Monday 17 July at school, focusing on Aboriginal Education, High Potential and Gifted Education and Teaching Reading to Reluctant Readers. We are fortunate to have so many teachers with expertise in these areas and look forward to transferring our learnt knowledge into the planning cycle of high-quality teaching and learning. We are very appreciative of the reading support given to the children by our parents, carers and grandparents who come into school each day. The children are certainly making progress in reading and their confidence is increasing. If any other parents, carers are interested please contact Mrs Brennan via the school office. A big thank you to Lisa and the P & C team for all that they continue to do to support our school both financially and in building our whole school community spirit. We are most fortunate to have you all and I look forward to the exciting events that next term brings us all. Following on from parent and teacher feedback the newsletter will now be posted once per month rather than fortnightly. All classes will continue to contribute to the newsletter and the items will remain the same, however each monthly addition will be a little more comprehensive. Reminders and ongoing posts via the usual communication platforms will continue as usual. Thank you! I wish everyone a wonderful school holiday break and look forward to seeing you all in term 3 ready to learn and connect with one another. Happy holidays! Kind Regards, Anissa Rajendra During Term 2, 6V are engaging in learning to develop an understanding of heritage places and sites. We have researched the Aboriginal perspectives in the Illawarra on some of these sites. 6V students are studying questions to guide an inquiry about a local heritage site which is of interest to them. They have collected relevant information from primary and secondary sources, organised and represented our findings in a range of formats, and considered different viewpoints, including Aboriginal knowledge, history and perspectives. Furthermore, we have visited the Yarning Circle in the morning to have a yarn about things that we are grateful for and different things that are happening in our life at various times of the year. All students connect to country and each other in this way. 2N has been taking advantage of the beautiful weather this term and have taken some of our learning on Country. One of our highlights earlier this term was when we took our mathematics lessons outside to explore equivalence using natural resources. We were trying to make the equal-arm balance equal, utilising various materials like sticks, rocks, leaves, and bark. Gumaraa ExperienceAt UPS, we started NAIDOC celebrations early with the amazing Gumaraa cultural incursion. Over two days, K-6 where immersed in traditional Aboriginal experiences such as boomerang throwing, discussing bush tucker, dancing, and observing artefacts. The students were genuinely engaged, respectful, and incredibly interested in learning about local Aboriginal culture, histories and knowledges. Pleasse enjoy the photos! Why is it important to look after our masked lapwing plovers? What are they? You might have seen the black and white birds and their tiny babies running around the school. These birds are masked lapwing plovers, and are protected by the biodiversity conservation act of 2016, making it illegal in all states of Australia to harass, kill or harm these birds and their babies. It has come to our attention that students of Unanderra have been throwing rocks at them, attempting to step on them and chasing them which leads to separation from their parents. Why we should look after them It has astounded us to know that so many people don’t realize that animals such as masked lapwing plovers actually have feelings, and we’re here to tell you that they DO! These birds have feelings, family and emotions just like you and me. Sadly, multiple of our baby plovers have already died and in 2022, one even got purposefully stepped on. But it’s not just for the safety of the plovers, but the student’s safety as well. Masked lapwing plovers have sharp spurs on the front of their wings and they aren’t afraid to swoop. How we can look after them Well, there are many different ways to look after our masked lapwing plovers. For one just keeping your distance can make a big impact. You can also stop chasing them, throwing rocks at them and trying to step on them or if you’re a parent and think your child is one of these people you can have a talk to them about this. Its not just the plovers that need looking after but the other animals and our environment needs some attention as well. Conclusion In conclusion it is vital to look after the plovers of UPS better and just give them some space, because anyone can make a difference. :) Written by Anastasia and Audrey from class 5D! K-6 AssemblyKB Merit: Emmy B & Jude G Student of the week: Zali S KS Merit: Jarrod-Dean R & Odie C Student of the week: Eden O KE Merit: Yager W & Claudette G Student of the week: Caleb C 1/2R Merit: Leah M & Leo L-G Student of the week: Sage C 1M Merit: Ariella G & Wren A Student of the week: Lara V 1P Merit: Bonnie A & Evie A Student of the week: Isla G 2L Merit: Evie B & Aaliyah H Student of the week: Lillian G-F 2N: Merit: Nicholas P & Archie B Student of the week: Millie B 3/4C Merit: Levi F & Avi D Student of the week: Kaimia W 3/4S Merit: Brock d-W & Abby D Student of the week: Lindzee L-B 3/4BA Merit: Ayah S & Keyara W Student of the week: Kasey R 3/4M Merit: Student of the week: Bronze: Silver: 5D Merit: Billy K & Lincoln Q Student of the week: Memphis 5L Merit: Lily C & Addison C Student of the week: Stefan J 6V Merit: Sienna M & Jarvis J Student of the week: Kylah-Rose T 6S Merit: Oscar W & Ozzy L Student of the week: Evie D Bronze and Silver AwardsBronze Awards Stage 1: Camellia G Amaleah B-S Glory P Taj T Mmuti T Leah M Harlee G Tyler L Aaliyah H Lillian G-, Annabelle C, NIcholas P Eva M Stage 2: Chris G Axel C Harper K Stage 3: Brax Z Logan W P Silver Awards Stage 1: Sage C Isla A Otis M Kairo D Brooklyn J Arlo M Brianna J Ella O Jackson C Zayden M Olivia H Chance M Stage 3: Cameron J Jaydan S Kymani J Multicultural Perspectives Public Speaking CompetitionThis term brought out the school's top public speakers. In week 4 UPS held the schools Multicultural Perspectives Public Speaking Competition for stage 2 and 3. The stage 2 finalists competing were:- 3/4M- Brodie K, Sam C, 3/4 DAB- Lexi C, Amelia H, 3/4S- Lola R-V, Allira P, 3/4C- Bronti O, Jordi W. The stage 3 finalists competing were:- 5D - Emily P, Chase C, 5L- Khatiya M, Serena R, 6V- Sophie G, Adina M, 6S- Ruby H, Charlotte W. It was a difficult decision to arrive at the winning students of each stage. They had to satisfy a long criteria including content knowledge, body language, and delivery to name but a few. After much deliberation the stage 2 winners were Lexi C & Lola R-V and stage 3 winners were Khatiya M & Serena R. These 4 young ladies represented our school in week 8 at the Mt St Thomas PS finals. They presented their prepared speeches and then had to present an impromptu speech. They spoke clearly, confidently and were all outstanding. The girls all received a participation certificate and Lexi C also received a Highly Commended certificate for her impromptu speech. Regards Mrs Brecely Di Noro Multicultural Perspectives Public Speaking Coordinator. Premier’s Spelling BeeUPS Premiere's Spelling Bee school finals was exciting. There was a lot of breath holding by the students in the audience and cheers of support. The stage 2 class finalists were:- 3/4M- Keira G, Van M, 3/4DAB - Ollie B, Amelia H, 3/4S - Millie B, Miranda J, 3/4C- Avi D, Hayley H. The stage 3 class finalists were:- 5D- Emily P ,Jaxon M, 5L- Madeline O, Khatiya M, 6V- Alex W, Lucas S, 6S- Charlotte W, Aliesha F. Each stage went through nine rounds of words per stage with increasing difficulty. The students conducted themselves with maturity, poise and determination. Our Stage 2 winner was Hayley H and runner up was Ollie B. Our stage 3 winner was Madeline O and the runner up was Emily P. Madeline and Hayley will participate in the Finals via zoom in Term 3. Regards Mrs Brecely Di Noro Premier’s Spelling Bee Coordinator Southern Stars Embrace - Tickets on Sale Now!This week Southern Stars 2023 EMBRACE was launched at the BlueScope Visitors Centre in Wollongong, where Executive Producer, Paul Roger, announced the theme, welcomed our new Presenting Partner – NSW Teachers Federation - and declared that tickets were officially on sale! There were some fantastic performances from our featured artists offering a sneak peek of some of the great items from this year’s show. Once again over 3,000 students from over 120 schools across Illawarra, Southern NSW, and around NSW will take part in a world-class two hour arena style variety show that will feature music, dance and drama that will appeal to all ages. EMBRACE includes circus troupes, audience favourites the NSW Public School Millennial Marching Band, a 500 strong choir, Yanggaa Garaba, the Rising Stars, a massive student orchestra, 2000 dancers, and amazingly talented featured artists. As in past years, school and community support of Southern Stars is vital to ensure its success, and the easiest way of showing your support is by attending one of the four blockbuster shows. It doesn’t matter if you know anyone performing in the show or not – Southern Stars is a high energy spectacle which provides great entertainment for people of all ages. The talent, energy and enthusiasm of our students, is something not to be missed. Over 12,000 people are expected to attend the four performances at the WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong on Friday August 25 (10am and 7pm) and Saturday August 26 (1pm and 7pm) - make sure you are one of them! Please note that tickets should be purchased only through the official ticket booking site of Ticketmaster. http://ticketmaster.com.au You can stay informed about what’s coming up in the show, by visiting our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/SouthernStarsArenaSpectacular and Instagram @southernstarsareaspectacular. Please like us and share the stories and pictures with all your friends and family. Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD)Principal's MessageDear parents/carers, We have had an incredible few weeks at Unanderra Public School. Our students have been shining, in so many ways! They have proudly represented our school in different extracurricular activities. We have enjoyed watching our dance troupe wow audiences at the IPAC with their brilliant performance about the circus. Miss Ryman and Mrs Bell have been working with this dance troupe for many months and we even had Mrs Venables (Mrs N Brennan’s mother) sewing costumes. The excitement and pride that each of these children had is certainly the best reward. Many teachers and the organisers from the South Coast Dance Festival commented on the outstanding behaviour of the students’ representing UPS. This makes the hard work and late nights even more worthwhile! A big thank you is extended to the families who have supported the teachers and encouraged their children during the long rehearsals and late night performances. Congratulations Mrs Bell and Miss Ryman and to the UPS dance troupe for achieving such success! Cross Country Achievements Recently many of our students participated in zone cross country following their impressive times from the school cross country. Although all the UPS competitors did very well, two students have now qualified to enter the state cross country which will be held in Sydney early next term. Amy and Matilda will be representing UPS after they came second and third respectively at the zone cross country. We are so proud of all UPS competitors and really excited for Amy and Matilda and look forward to hearing of the outcomes of their next competition. Congratulations and good luck!! PSSA Sporting Achievements Several team sports have represented our school recently in netball, touch football and soccer. This has involved parents driving children to these events and reorganising their days to support them at the game. The netball team, soccer team and the touch football proudly represented our school and managed to attract the attention of the organisers of the game, who commented on the respectful behaviour the children from UPS always showed. I cannot be prouder and wish our teams well moving forward into the next round of competitions. Thank you to Miss Nourie, Mr Hosler and Mr Synnott for the organisation and time you put into giving our children these opportunities. Athletics Carnival The athletics carnival organised by Miss Scruby (3-6) and Mr Synnott (K-2) and their teams was a great success. The weather was perfect, and the children and staff thoroughly enjoyed the day. Once again, the behaviour demonstrated by all our students was excellent and the support and encouragement they gave to on another was impressive. It was great to have so many families join us on this beautiful winter day and the cheers from the crowd made it that much more exciting. All students really tried their best and some even attempted activities that they may not normally have participated in. The staff are very proud of the students who participated respectfully and with great enthusiasm on this day and we can’t wait to do it all again next year! Multi- Cultural Speaking Competition A huge thank you and congratulations to the finalists who competed at Mt St Thomas Public School today. Mrs Brecely Di Noro was very impressed with the students and the way they prepared. We are all so proud of you! Preparing for Kindergarten-2024 Last Wednesday evening Mrs Natalee Brennan and I were fortunate to have visited our neighbours, Western Suburbs Pre-school. We shared with several pre-school parents’ what kindergarten looks like at Unanderra Public School and how we can support our children to best prepare for ‘big school’ It was a privilege to meet our new families and we look forward to welcoming them once again to the UPS Kindy Expo next Tuesday 20 June from 4pm and then again to Smart Start which begins in week 6 of term 3. The UPS kindergarten orientation will be held in the first three weeks of term 4. If you have a child who will be starting kindergarten in 2024 Unanderra Public School are taking enrolments now and further details and information can be obtained via our school website and/or at the school administration office. Semester One Reports As you may be aware your child will be receiving their semester one report at the end of this term This report aims to provide an accurate and objective assessment of the student’s progress and achievement. Each student report includes student attendance, participation in whole school activities, student’s social development and commitment to learning, and an explanation of the grade scale used, a report for each key learning area, the outcomes assessed and the A-E grades or word equivalent. Teachers use a variety of appropriate assessments for monitoring student learning, providing feedback and judging student achievement. They also collect and record assessment information to guide ongoing teaching and learning and monitor and evaluate student progress. We encourage families to spend time reading through the report with their child and take the opportunity to look at the progress made. Focusing on the ‘where to next’ and the effort made is also important and often can be a worthwhile conversation to have with your child. Please don’t hesitate to arrange to discuss the report with your child’s class teacher if you feel the need to do so. Stage Planning Days During weeks nine and ten the teachers will be working together to plan the teaching and learning opportunities for Term 3. In doing so. Teachers will be off class for the day and will remain at school. The teachers replacing the class teachers will be support teaching staff who are quite familiar to the students. This strategy for planning has been extremely effective and ensures that the teaching and learning program remains consistent. The class teachers will prepare the students for this day when the time comes. Coming Up
3/4DAB Class ItemIn 1M we have been learning about the significance of a Welcome to Country and an Acknowledgement of Country while thinking about the Dharawal land we learn and play on everyday. The following movie is a snapshot of our learning, it includes our Acknowledgement to Country led by Kyen C., the smoking ceremony during Reconciliation week, Mrs Talbott telling us about the amazing murals that we have at our school and 1M in the yarning circle. We love going to the yarning circle to listen to all the different sounds and observe nature before discussing our gratitude for the natural world around us. Gold AssemblyReconciliation WeekIn Week 6 of this term, Unanderra Public School held several events and activities related to Reconciliation Week. Reconciliation Week is such an important event in the UPS calendar because everyone is committed to closing the gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians, and promoting the importance of Aboriginal culture, knowledge and histories to all students. On Monday, our Aboriginal students and their friends walked to Figtree High School with Mr Scotland and Mr Hailstone to participate in a number of activities related to culture and knowledge. They had a blast! On Tuesday, all students from K-6 were a part of a Smoking Ceremony, a significant event conducted by Shane and Layne. The turnout was absolutely incredible with a number of families and community members attending. Afterwards, UPS held its annual Reconciliation Week Assembly. Significant moments in the assembly include: The Welcome Dance completed by some of our proud Aboriginal students, the Acknowledgement spoken in language, students expressing how they will promote reconciliation in their everyday lives, and finally, the singing of our national anthem in language. On Wednesday, all classes participated in a number of activities that related to Aboriginal culture, knowledges and histories. Some activities included traditional games, art, stories, and learning about the sustainability practices of the oldest living culture. Every student was engaged and eager to learn. On Friday, all students from K-6 participated in a HUGE call and response activity, linking to the 2023 Reconciliation Week theme: Be A Voice For Generations. All students created a large Yarning Circle in Area D. From there, the Aboriginal students started the call, and every other student responded. This was recorded via drone to capture the significance of this activity, and to share the event to the whole schooling community. This was an amazing sight to see. UPS students should be so proud of their respectful behaviours throughout the whole week! Please enjoy the photos taken throughout the UPS Reconciliation Week, and the call and response video. Regional Cross CountryCongratulations to Amy, Matilda and Isaac, James, Ryan, Madeline, Lucas, Sam, Parker, Freya and Lola who represented our school at the Regional Cross Country. We are proud of all students and this magnificent achievement. A fun day was had by all. Special mention goes to Amy and Matilda on their individual efforts to proceed to the next level at All Schools Cross Country. Amy was placed second and Matilda third in the senior girls age group. We wish them well for next term as they travel to Sydney to compete in the State Cross Country. PSSA Knockout CompetitionsOn Thursday 15th June students in Stage 3 headed to Beaton Park Soccer Fields to compete against Nareena Hills Public School. After an unfortunate forfeit by the opposition in Round 2, students were keen to play their first match in Round 3. The weather was fantastic, the students were keen, and the parents were excited when the students arrived for the match. The game unfortunately did not go as hoped with students losing to a very strong team in Nareena Hills PS. I commend both the students and parents for their attitudes and behaviour on the day. Thank you again to the parents for taking the time to give the students this opportunity. Mr Synnott On Wednesday 14 June a group of Stage 3 boys and girls attended the PSSA Knockout gala day for touch football in Albion Park. Both the boys and girls sides won their round 3 matches with the girls defeating Balarang PS 3-2 and the boys defeating Tullimbar PS 5-2. Both teams then met Kiama PS in the round 4 matches which unfortunately for us were both defeats. All students are to be congratulated for their efforts, encouragement and excellent behaviour on the day. Mr Hosler Dance FestivalUnanderra Public School’s Dance Troupe performed at the IPAC in the South Coast Dance Festival from the 14th to the 16th of June. The troupe presented their item title ‘Circus’ which captured the story of a young girl's dream to join the circus and showed the many characters found at the circus. The troupe consisted of students from years 2-6. The students were also showcased and interviewed by Win News on Wednesday night. These students have worked extremely hard to create their item over the last two terms and should be very proud of their efforts. Unanderra wish to congratulate the students, Mrs Bell and Miss Ryman for a fantastic 2023 Dance Festival item. School Holiday Fun!There are plenty of things to do at IPAC and Wollongong Town Hall during the School holidays. Kids aged 5 - 12 can jump into our popular Merrigong Creativity Camp (10 - 14 Jun) for a week of confidence-building drama games. Fans of Andy Griffith's book series will be over the moon when JUST - Live on Stage (14 - 15 Jul) finally comes to Wollongong with all the crazy, annoying, silly antics of Andy, Danny, and Lisa. And for preschool kids (and the young at heart), embark on a hilarious rocking musical extravaganza about working together and finding friendship in Hiccup! (Wed 19 Jul).
For more information and to book tickets, visit merrigong.com.au or call our Box Office on (02) 4224 5999. Principal's MessageDear parents/carers, What a wonderful fortnight we have had. We have really celebrated in style. Congratulations! During the Smoking ceremony and Reconciliation assembly several visitors joined us to recognise this important week. Each guest commented on how respectful and polite the students at Unanderra Public School were. Of course, I wasn’t surprised, but I was certainly very proud of every student at our school. Our students demonstrated outstanding behaviour and ensured that our staff, visitors, families, and school community members enjoyed the day. Reconciliation Week Thank you and congratulations to our Aboriginal Education Committee for a most impressive Reconciliation week assembly and whole school Smoking Ceremony to commemorate significant milestones in the reconciliation journey- the successful completion of our new Cola area. Asking everyone to play their part in building relationships and communities that value First Nations peoples and their history, culture, and their future is embedded in the theme ‘Be the Voice for Change’. I know that our school community will continue to persevere to encourage and model brave actions in their daily lives where they work and socialise to make positive change for all. I extend my thanks to Mr Scotland and his team who have worked incredibly hard to make this week one to remember in commemorating Reconciliation week. Regional Cross Country Several our UPS students will be participating in the Regional Cross Country next Thursday. A big thank you to our parents and teachers for encouraging and coordinating the attendance of these selected students. Congratulations to all participating students. We are so impressed with your achievements, and we look forward to hearing of your results when you return. Kindy Expo The Kindy Expo will be held on Tuesday 20 June 2023.Thank you to Mrs Bell and all and involved in the preparation and presentation of this great event. I am very appreciative of the P & C representatives and the staff who spent time preparing for the evening and who will welcome the prospective 2024 kindergarten parents. Our school community are looking forward to showcasing our great school. Coming Up
At times we recognise that decisions made by the school staff and/or principal are not fully understood by parents and carers. When this does happen, we ask that respectful communication is done respectfully to the teachers and school staff. Parents/carers are always welcome to contact the school to clarify any information. Our communication platforms such as Seesaw are intended for short but essential messages. Any concerns or questions requiring context and longer conversations need to be done either over the phone or face to face. Parents and carers are always welcome to contact their child’s teacher to arrange a meeting at a mutually convenient time. Conversations using respectful language is always expected when speaking with teachers and other school staff. We appreciate your support and understanding. Pie Drive There is always so much work involved in organising a fund raiser for the school.I extend my thanks to the P & C for the incredible work that was done to prepare and deliver the orders from the bakery. The pie drive involved lots of organisation and hard work. Thank you! Casual Teachers at UPS When a teacher is sick, or their child is sick we employ a casual teacher where possible to take the class. If the class normally has library or another teacher for the RFF program on that day, we intend for this to go ahead unless there are unforeseen circumstances that prevent us from doing so. At times, it has been very difficult to consistently book a casual teacher and at times we need to split the class for the day. Stage appropriate workbooks have been created and the students are allocated set time frames to complete these set tasks during the day with classroom teacher guidance. Casual teachers are utilised for classroom teachers to complete school business. At times the teachers participate in professional learning and have days where teachers are off together in their stages to collaborate and plan together for the next learning cycle to ensure there is consistency with assessment and programs. Whole school events such as the athletics carnivals and special initiatives days, require significant organisation including risk assessments and safety plans. Teachers, at times, will be allocated time off class to prepare for these efficiently. When the classroom teacher is off class due to school business, they will leave the work for the casual teacher and provide the communication of all essential information relating to their students. Class specific casual folders are provided to all casuals on arrival with timetables, class lists, and information needed about students for the casual on that day. This allows the casual teacher to try and follow class timetables if the work has not been left due to sickness. Additionally, the assistant principals of each stage and teachers in classrooms near the casual teacher, check in throughout the day to ensure the casual teacher and students are well-supported to have a successful day. The parents/carers of UPS have and continue to provide our teachers and staff with great support and understanding and we are always so appreciative of this. Full School Uniform. We are all proud to be a part of the Unanderra Public School community and as such expect that each of our students to wear their uniform with great pride. As the weather becomes cooler, I understand that additional clothing may need to be worn. Parents/carers are reminded that only school jumpers are to be worn to school and long colourful socks or colourful jumpers are not permitted. UPS are always willing to discreetly support families with school uniforms etc where necessary. Families requiring support are encouraged to contact the school for further information. Please also note that all children who are representing UPS such as attending high school master classes etc are expected to wear their full school uniform. Once again, thank you for your continued support. 2L have been working hard in literacy lessons this term and have been using their creative skills to list character traits in response to a variety of quality texts. They have then used these character traits to build noun groups to include in short stories to enhance their descriptive writing skills. Nangambi Mudjingaals! This means ‘hello friends’ and in KE we love greeting each other this way everyday. We also love taking our learning outside to be on Country particularly with our mathematics lessons. We often walk around and look for the different shapes and objects in our natural environment to assist with our learning. Earlier this term, we were looking at shapes and how we can use different things from the land to make them. We went to the Yarning Circle and walked around looking for leaves, sticks, flowers and rocks to make a house. As you can see we all had different ideas of what our house should look like and used many different materials to create them. We had a lovely time taking our lessons outside and using natural resources to learn. K-6 AssemblyKB: Merit: Ziggy E & Estelle L Student of The Week: Nour J KS Merit: Omari & Pheniox Student of the week: Findlay KE Merit: Luna J & Nicholas W Student of the week: Chloe P 1/2R Merit: Daniel L, Harlee G & Amaleah B-S Student of the week: Camellia G 1M Merit: Student of the week: 1P Merit: Ahmed O & Amelia D Student of the week: Skylah Rose - T 2L Merit: Arlo. M & Fletcher. N Student of the week: Ella. O 2N: Merit: Emilio V & Cody J Student of the week: Ruby Rose S 3/4BA: Merit: Callum R & Abbie B Student of The Week: Jett K 3/4C Merit: Dominic W & Baylee T Student of the week: Memphis H 3/4M Merit: Parker P & Isabelle M Student of the week: Eden W 3/4S Merit: Asher G & Lola R-V Student of the week: Emrah S 5D Merit: Ayse H & Kaitlin A Student of the week: Kimberley T 5L Merit: Cameron J & Jackson K Student of the week: Khatiya M 6S Merit: Jaymes D & Sam F Student of the week: Siara P 6V Merit: Brayden H & Alex W Student of the week: Matilda C Bronze & Silver AwardsBronze Awards Stage 1: Zayden M Airlie S Stage 2: Andrew W Callie F Lily Elise S Stage 3: Luca R Eliott S Stefan J Decklyn H Penny H Alex W Taliah C Jarvis J Isaac F Stefan J Eliot S Silver Awards Stage 1: Ramon M Stage 3: Khatiya M Cooper E Ruby J Madeline O Sedra S Matilda C Leanne C Adina M Mohamed M Alana G Ryley NS David O Dakota B Callum L Lincoln Q Athletics CarnivalNational Simultaneous Storytime - 2023Last Wednesday was National Simultaneous Storytime and UPS and the iLib were excited to participate in this annual reading event. Every year, children listen to the same story being read at the same time all around the world. An Australian book is always chosen and this year, the story was ‘The Speedy Sloth’ by the Australian author, Rebecca Young. At 11.15 am, our library filled with students who were excited to take part in the event and even more excited when Buster Bee arrived to share in the fun. Students were welcomed by our library monitors lining the entrance with their sloth masks before listening to our teacher Librarian, Ms Prior, read the story. The children thoroughly enjoyed this story about a sloth who is excited to participate in a race and finish. Spike surprised everyone by reaching the finish line, though Spike herself had always been confident in her ability to complete the race, no matter how slow, and had never doubted herself. A great lesson for us all. At lunch time, students returned to the iLib to play a Kahoot focusing on sloth facts, colour in sloth bookmarks and take part in a playground scavenger hunt, with students from K-6 locating all 20 of the Speedy Sloth cards hidden around our playground. National Simultaneous Storytime is organised by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). The event is designed to build a love of stories and books in children and encourage everyone to pick up a book and read. The research is clear, students who read for pleasure, have more academic success at school, so make sure you keep up those bedtime stories no matter how old and read aloud with your children. Not only is it a bonding experience you can share but if you can show that you value reading, your children will do so also. From Ms Prior Teacher Librarian |
Unanderra Public School
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