Welcome to Term 4, which is shaping up to be a busy and exciting term. Many year levels have excursions and special visitors planned. Our whole school community will participate in ABC Countdown, along with graduation events for our Year 6 (and preschool) students.

Learning Conferences will be held in Week 8, more information will be shared later this term. We will follow the same format as Semester 1, with conferences involving students, parents/carers, and teachers. These conferences provide a more dynamic and interactive approach to reporting, promoting deeper understanding, effective communication, and meaningful engagement between teachers, students, and parents. Following these conferences, formal reports will be shared.

Thank you to our dedicated P&C, who have organised several events in the past few weeks, with more to come in Term 4. We appreciate their kindness in hosting an election day BBQ and bake stall. Well done to all the parents who baked and helped run the stall on the day—congratulations!

Last Friday marked World Teachers' Day, a recognition of the incredible hard work and dedication our teachers display every day. Duffy Primary School is fortunate to have a staff of wonderfully caring and professional individuals.

Congratulations to Mrs. Ferzana Shaika, who received a Certificate of Recognition for being nominated as the Teaching Giant of the Duffy School community on World Teachers' Day by TQI.

Pre-School Playground Updates

We are thrilled that our preschool inclusive playground works are complete. The addition of our new ship, softfall, chalkboard and interactive boards were designed specifically to create an accessible and enjoyable experience for all our students, including those with disabilities.

Over the course of this year the Education Directorate has supported us with upgrades to the preschool to ensure all students can access and engage in the space. New equipment features adaptive swings with soft fall and wheelchair-accessible structures and paths, new bathrooms with wheelchair access, fencing to ensure our playground space is safe whilst ensuring that every child can engage in play and exploration together. We believe that play is essential for development, and we’re committed to fostering an inclusive environment where every student feels welcome and valued.

Thank you to the Education Directorate for all their support in getting these essential works completed and creating a preschool environment for everyone. Our students have already been enjoying the new equipment and embracing the opportunities for fun and connection it provides.

Planning for 2025

Planning for 2025 is in full flight. To assist this planning, if your child is not returning to Duffy Primary School in 2025, please let our front office know ASAP via phone 61422510 or via email duffyps@ed.act.edu.au

Class Placements Reminder

It is almost time for our teachers to start working on our class combinations for 2025. Please use the Google Form to complete any parent/carers input: Class Placements for 2025. More information was included in the email sent out last week. Tomorrow is the last day to submit any requests for 2025 Class Placements. Requests must be received by TOMORROW, 1st November 2024.

Please discuss with your child, the students they consider to be preferred peer learners and list up to 5 (including last name if known) on the form. If you have any other relevant information that may impact your child’s placement, please complete this section too. Please note it is a good idea to share any relevant information from previous years as this will not transfer across. Please remember requests are considered, however there are no definite guarantees. Teachers will make thoughtful decisions informed by the needs of every child.

If you choose not to complete the form by the due date your child’s current class teacher will ensure your child’s placement is suitable.

Warm Regards,

Katie, Arilia, Fiona and Sarah

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT

Strong Foundations for future success – Phase One Implementation Plan available

The ACT Government has shared the Strong Foundations Phase One Implementation plan that outlines how we will implement the Strong Foundations reform program in all ACT public schools.

Strong Foundations is focused on achieving a system-wide approach to curriculum delivery, teaching, assessment, tiered supports, and professional learning, with a focus on improving literacy and numeracy outcomes.

From 2025 there will be:

· New curriculum resources for schools with preschool to year 2 students

· Universal Year 1 Phonics Checks for all schools with Year 1 students – with some schools already underway

· System-wide literacy and numeracy assessments.

We are also working with our school leaders to develop a system-wide approach to improve learning outcomes across all schools and ensure all staff are provided with the resources and professional learning they need.

You can read the Phase One Implementation Plan on the Education Website. The implementation of Strong Foundations is based on advice from the Literacy and Numeracy Education Expert Panel’s Final Report. The Final report is also available from the Education Website.

SPOTLIGHT ON LEARNING - LSUA

Griffin Green

Warhammer

Griffin Green has recently joined the Warhammer Alliance. We received a pack of figurines, paints, brushes, dice, paint palettes and manuals to get us started. We have refined our fine motor skills by building the figurines and painting them in fine detail.

Potions

For Halloween we made potions. We incorporated our knowledge of procedural texts to explain the steps to make our recipe. We then carefully measured our ingredients using formal units of measurements to create our potions.

Science

In Science we have explored microorganisms. We have learned that mould needs a food source, moisture and warmth to grow. We did an experiment to measure the mould growth after rubbing it with our hands. We measured the amount of mould growth and found that Aiden’s bread had the most mould growth. Look at the results!

Griffin White

Health

We have been learning all about healthy habits. Last week we looked at nutrition and the food groups that create our food. We then used our knowledge of the food groups to create healthy lunch boxes.

Reading and Writing

We viewed a video all about fish. We all chose our favourite fact to write on the poster. We looked at images under the sea and wrote about it using descriptive words. We then read one fish two fish red fish blue fish and created this artwork using handprints.

Art

We celebrated halloween by decorating our classroom with lots of art. Look at how amazing our classroom looked. Spooky!

Welcome New Staff to Duffy!

My name is Noah Saddler, and I am thrilled to join the Duffy Primary community as the new Youth Worker. I bring with me three years of experience as a Learning Support Assistant at Farrer Primary School, and I am currently completing a Certificate IV in Youth Work. Originally from the small town of Cooma, I relocated to Canberra to pursue an opportunity with the Canberra Raiders. Due to injuries, I had to find another passion in life, and that's when I discovered Youth Work. I instantly developed a love and passion for this field. Outside of work, I am passionate about physical activities such as running, going to the gym, and spending time with my dog. My goal is to provide a positive and stable presence for all students at Duffy, and I look forward to contributing to their development and growth.

My name is Lucy Chapman, and I am super excited to join the Duffy Primary community as your new Front Office team. I have worked previously in cafes across Canberra, but I have found working in a school provides much more meaning to the work I do. I am eager to learn all about Duffy community and embrace new challenges as they come. My goal is to assist in ensuring that Duffy is a safe space for students where all feel welcome. Outside of work I am passionate about reading, skiing and Netflix binging.

Sustainability at Duffy

As part of our efforts in becoming more sustainable, we are introducing ‘Waste Free Wednesdays” for the duration of this term.

During Sustainability lessons this week, our students have been busy creating posters that promote this challenge. This initiative will encourage all of us to think about how much rubbish we are creating and try to reduce it. Thanks in advance for your support.

A MESSAGE FROM THE BUSINESS MANAGER

DON’T FORGET

You can still pay for you child/children’s 2024 Stationery Packs costs and Voluntary Contributions ($100) per family.

Please remember to pay for, Questacon, MUGGA, Beach Volleyball and AIATSIS

2025 Book Pack notes will be emailed next week, please check your junk folders if you do not receive the email.

MUGGA, QUESTACON and AIATSIS payments can be made using the PARENT PORTAL, please organise your login as soon as you can. The Front Office will happily assist you with any issues.

We ask for $50 per child per year to cover the costs of exercise books, art resources, portfolios as well as headphones in our senior primary years. We also supplement this contribution to purchase

SECURITY

Keeping our children safe at school requires that anyone (including parents) coming into the school need to sign in and sign out at the front office.

Please remind your child/children, if they ride their bike to school, to use the spider playground entry gate. Some children are still riding through the carpark, and I have witnessed some near misses with cars.

HATS

Please remind your child/children that following the NO HAT, NO PLAY, will safeguard their skin from potential skin cancer in later years.

Alice Lollback – Business Manager

E: alice.lollback@ed.act.edu.au

Phone: 6142 2513

Assemblies

Wednesday assemblies now commence from 2:30pm-3pm. Please check our website for an Assembly Roster for the year.

SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Parent Portal is now available as a mobile app!

You can now access Parent Portal with the Sentral for Parents app. Download Sentral for Parents for free through the App Store or Google Play Store

Parent Portal is a secure online platform used to share student information between you and your child’s teachers.

If you’ve already registered, you can download the Sentral for Parents app to receive notifications when new information is available.

If you haven’t registered for Parent Portal yet, use this Parent Portal access link to log into or create your ACT Digital Account. To access Parent Portal, you will need your access key, you should have received this by email when we launched

If you can’t find the email with the access key, please contact the front office team for help.

Some reminders about what you can do with Parent Portal:

notify us if your child is sick or explain an absence
book parent-teacher interviews
receive academic reports
receive our school newsletter
receive messages from your child’s teachers
make payments
access the school calendar and your child’s student timetable.

Head to our website for all the details: Parent Portal - Duffy Primary School (duffyps.act.edu.au)

MESSAGE FROM ACT DIRECTORATE

The ACT public school term dates for 2026-2030, including student-free days, are now available on the Education Directorate’s website. Each year, the first day of every term is a student-free day. We use student-free days for staff development, enabling us to plan in a student-free environment.

Use these dates when planning your future holidays.

Join Libraries ACT for a Speechie Library Talk in November

Do you have a child between the ages of 0 and 5? Are you interested in supporting their language and literacy development? Libraries ACT has an exciting event coming up you won't want to miss.

Speech Pathology Australia's (SPA) Speechie Library Talks (SLTs) will be held in November, connecting libraries and their communities with local speech pathologists, or "Speechies." These free presentations are designed to assist parents and caregivers in building their child's language and literacy skills. They will also share practical tips and strategies that can be used at home.

For more information, a presentation outline and to secure your spots visit the Libraries ACT website.

Online Safety – Term 4 Parent and Carer Webinars and On-Demand Videos

In Term 4, the Online Safety Education team will be delivering a live webinar for P-12 parents and carers – From AI to Age Verification: Essential Online Safety Updates. This webinar will cover the latest trends and practical advice for keeping children and young people safe online, with new insights into online safety as we head into the summer holidays. We will also offer guidance on buying smart devices safely and fostering positive online habits over the break. In addition to the live webinar, recorded sessions from Semester 1 and a series of short videos on emerging online safety issues and resources are available to support families year-round.

When: Tuesday 19 November 2024, 6:00 pm-6:45 pm OR Thursday 21 November, 12:15 pm-1:00 pm
Where: Online – RSVP for link to registered participants.

Schools are kindly asked to advertise the upcoming live webinar and on-demand videos to families using the information above, or the attached advertising resources. If you have any questions or feedback on the online safety resources and supports for families, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team via EDUeSafety@act.gov.au.

Free Period Products Available at ACT Schools

All ACT public schools are stocked with free period products so students can access them no matter their circumstances. This is part of the ACT Government’s commitment to ensuring students feel comfortable and confident within our schools.

Free period products are available at our school’s front office. Students can access them at any time by talking to our helpful front office staff.

Sanitary pads are available from the front offices of primary schools, while pads and tampons are available at the front offices of high schools and colleges.

Because menstruation is a fact of life, we believe free access to period products should be too.

To learn more about this equity initiative and other places where free period products are available, please visit: https://www.act.gov.au/community/women/free-period-products

School Uniform

The School Board endorses the wearing of uniform as it is part of the school ethos of helping to create a sense of belonging and pride in the school and so engender a positive school spirit. Students at Duffy Primary School are encouraged to wear their school uniform or school colours each day.

Students must be in uniform when attending excursions or outside events; this is to ensure their safety. When parents complete permission notes for excursions or school events, they are acknowledging this requirement.

A MESSAGE FROM DUFFY P&C

The uniform shop is still open every Friday between 830-9am. Now is a good time to think about next year’s needs and get in early! Either come visit for some second-hand gear or order online through FlexiSchools. Remember the uniform shop will be closed from Week 9 for stocktake and end of year.

THE COLOUR RUN IS COMING – 5 December!

We are running the ever popular colour run to raise some funds for our school and to get our kids to be active. We are fundraising to get some upgraded playground equipment including fully installed soccer goals.

Keep an eye out for information to come home along with the pledge forms.

P&C Contact

It seems that things are going against us to be able to contact our lovely parents at the school. We are looking how to improve our communications with the school community. So how do you want to be contacted?

Please click here to let us know.

Find the Duffy Primary Parents and Citizens Association on

Facebook!

@duffypandc

Don’t forget to connect with your Year level parent community on Facebook – this is a great way to stay connected, get year/school specific information and even organise gatherings.

Just search “DPS Year” on google and the groups will pop up, or head to the Duffy Primary Parents and Citizens Facebook page for more info.

AWARDS

Term 3, Week 9 - Merit Awards

Kindergarten

Mitchell R

Riley H

Eleanor C

Thea F

Lucy D

Madelyn W

Year 3

Melody M

Timoci N

Isaac G

Avie L

Year 6

Rain T

Colin F

Dulcie B

Lexie E

Year 1

Maeve M

Blake W

Charlie F

Ruby D

Year 4

Tai S

Tessa T

Eva J

Zio O

Ivy S

Year 2

Billie W

Noah M

Josie D

Edgar J

Amarah B

Tan T

Year 5

Elana R

Caidyn J

Mike T

Dimas R

LSUA White

Marcus W

George V

Term 4, Week 3 - Merit Awards

Kindergarten

Abigail VZ

Benji MR

Roger W

Ashton B

Spencer A

Theo S

Year 3

Bella K

Humayra AH

Jacob R

Talia M

Year 1

Theo A

Jaxson W

Fletcher K

Frank W

LSUA Green

Sean C

Year 6

Eliza C

Sophia B

Year 2

Adele C

Veronica R

Mason E

Alex S

Jack B

Gus P

LSUA White

Emmanuel S

SCHOOL LEADERS

Prime Minister

Racquel S

Deputy Prime Minister

Ma'asi T

Opposition Leader

Ella B

Deputy Opposition Leader

Colin F

Speaker

Rain T

SAFETY REMINDERS

Requirements for daily sign-in/out and wearing of identification

Volunteers and visitors must sign-in/out for each visit, recording the date, start and finish times and the tasks undertaken.

All Volunteers and Visitors at Duffy Primary School must enter and exit the school via the front office sign in on arrival prior to proceeding to their destination or activity (including accompanying students on excursions), identify themselves (present WWVP registration card or other identification if relevant) and report to front office staff to be signed out before leaving the school. You will be given a Visitors sticker each time you visit which must be displayed for the entirety or your visit.

This allows the school the opportunity to monitor compliance with the WWVP Act and Emergency Evacuation Procedures.

Duffy Preschool has a Visitors and Volunteers sign-in and sign-out register and you must report to preschool staff before proceeding to work with students.

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

Help Us Create a better Education Directorate Website Experience

Share your thoughts on the Education Directorate website. This website has general information on education in the ACT and is where you go to enrol in ACT public schools. It is different to your school’s website.

Help us create a better website experience by completing a short 5-minute survey before Friday 30 August 2024.

Parentline ACT

Parentline ACT offers free and confidential telephone counselling for parents and carers in the Australian Capital Territory. This service provides guidance and assistance on various parenting issues, ensuring you have the support you need with no appointment necessary. Parentline ACT is open on Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. For support, call (02) 6287 3833.

Get ready for MyWay+

MyWay+ is Transport Canberra’s next generation ticketing system that puts all public transport services in one place, MyWay+ will offer more ways to pay for public transport and introduce new digital platforms for journey planning and accessing real-time information.

With more ways to pay, you can choose what works best for you and your family!

The switchover to MyWay+ is expected later this year. Until then, students should continue to use their current MyWay card or a paper ticket from a ticket vending machine to pay for travel on Transport Canberra bus and light rail services. You can also:

• Ensure your child’s MyWay card is registered to protect the balance. Transport Canberra can only process refunds and transfer credits for registered MyWay cards.

• Sign up to Transport Canberra’s weekly e-news for regular updates.

• Connect with Transport Canberra on social media. For more information on MyWay+ visit Transport Canberra – MyWay+.

Free travel during MyWay+ transition, starts Friday 20 September

The next major phase for MyWay+ will start from Friday 20 September ahead of the next generation ticketing system going live this November. To get ready for the new ticketing system, the old equipment will need to be removed and new MyWay+ validators installed in both buses and along the light rail alignment.

As a result:

travel will be free from 20 September
NXTBUS will not be available during this transition period.

Help fight the spread of illness

With Winter around the corner, one of the best ways to help protect you and your family is to get the flu vaccine. It’s important to vaccinate your child as they’re at a higher risk of serious complications if they get sick and are more likely to spread it to others.

Help fight the spread of illness by staying home if you’re sick and wash your hands regularly. Please read the Winter Wellness flyer (465 kb PDF) from ACT Health or visit ACT Health Influenza (Flu) page for more information.

REMINDER – Death cap mushrooms

Do not touch, pick or eat any wild mushrooms.

The ACT Health Directorate is reminding all school communities that death cap mushrooms are growing in the ACT. They are a deadly poisonous fungus. There have been multiple poisonings and deaths associated with death caps in Canberra.

Death cap mushrooms (Amanita phalloides) are one of the world’s deadliest mushrooms. They often grow near established oak trees, although they have also been found in other places. Death caps grow in the ACT at different times of the year, and autumn is usually the peak growing period.

All parts of the death cap mushroom are poisonous and eating just part of a mushroom can be fatal. Death caps cannot be made safe by cooking, soaking, peeling, freezing or drying.

If you suspect someone might have eaten a death cap mushroom, they must seek urgent medical attention at a hospital emergency department. Do not wait for symptoms to occur. The chances of survival increase when treatment is started early. If possible, take any remaining mushroom sample to hospital with the patient.

The key message is not to touch, pick or eat any wild mushrooms.

If you see death cap mushrooms growing on your property:

keep children and animals away
remove the whole mushroom using gloves or a tool, including any part under the ground
secure it in a plastic bag
place it into a rubbish bin that cannot be accessed by children, to go to landfill, and
wash your hands

Also, monitor the site frequently for further growth, remove mushrooms before mowing to prevent spreading and do not compost them. Death cap mushrooms in public places can be reported at Fix My Street, or by calling Access Canberra on 13 22 81.

More information is available at www.act.gov.au by searching death cap mushrooms, including some translated resources.

Upcoming online eSafety opportunities for schools

The Online Safety (eSafety) Education team is committed to working with school communities to create safer online environments for everyone and have curated resources that can be shared with parents and carers through your existing school networks. These include:

Upcoming Webinars from the eSafety Commissioner

- These live webinars give parents and carers the knowledge, skills and tools to support their children to have safe online experiences. The include eSafety 101, Wellbeing and digital technologies, consent and online boundaries, and setting your child up for success online.

Online Safety for every family

- These short videos and easy-to-read advice sheets will give you the confidence to talk with your children about online safety. They include tips to help them stay safe, and important information about what to do if something bad does happen online.

The eSafety Guide

- Find out how to protect your personal information and report harmful content on common social media, games, apps and sites. Entries are for information only and are not reviews or endorsements by eSafety.

Weston Creek Little Athletics registrations are now open for the 2024/25 season! The season commences 9am on Saturday 19 October at Chapman Oval. Please go to the Weston Creek Little Athletics website for more information and to register: https://wclac.org.au/

Learning For Life

The flyer below shares information about an opportunity that has been made available to families at our school called the Learning for Life Scholarship Program. It’s run by the Smith Family organisation. They provide financial support to families who are eligible to help with costs related to education, such as book packs, uniforms and excursions. They also provide access to education programs that can further support your child.

To be eligible, you must;