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)
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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. |
Unanderra Public School
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