Tamworth West Public School

Relieving Principal

As you are already aware, Terrie Kay is currently on leave, returning on August 4. Patricia Sharp has been relieving as principal, however unfortunately for us, Trish was appointed as relieving principal at Attunga Public School commencing Monday, 25 July for the remainder of the year. This was a sudden and unexpected change that was necessary to support Attunga Public School. We wish Patricia all the very best at her new school and are grateful for the impact she was able to have on the students and school community in the short time she was with us. Until Mrs Kay returns, and again later in the term, I will be relieving as principal.

Peel Network Education Week Awards

It is my absolute pleasure to announce that three members of our school community will be acknowledge at the Peel Network Education Week awards on Friday, August 5 at Oxley Vale Public School. Mrs Deborah Buchan will be recognised for her contribution to our school community. Deborah volunteers her time to assist our students at sporting and whole school events and is an active member of our P&C. Travis Mumford displays outstanding leadership at Tamworth West Public School and has an exemplary work ethic in the classroom. Mrs Joanne Sheedy will be recognised for her outstanding service to our school community in her role as Assistant Principal Learning and Support. Jo works closely with families, external agencies, and health services to ensure our students receive the best support possible. Congratulations Deb, Travis, and Jo.

Student Attendance

Regular attendance at school is essential for students learn. Every day counts! We understand that this is a difficult time with cold and flu season as well as COVID-19 continuing to rare its head. We thank you for your support in following the health advice and hope that the situation eases soon. Please ensure that if your child is well, they are at school each day.

COVID-19 Update

We are continuing to have COVID19 cases reported to the school in relation to staff and students. Rapid Antigen Tests were provided to students on Thursday, 28 August. If your child was absent the class teacher will have your package. These RAT kits are to help ease isolation requirements and enable students and staff who are close contacts and have no symptoms, to continue to attend school if they follow guidelines agreed with NSW Health.

Please note that staff and students who have had confirmed COVID19 in the last 12 weeks do not have to comply with the following guidelines if they become a household or close contact and are not required to self-isolate or test unless they develop new COVID19 symptoms.

Close contacts attending school will need to adhere to the following:

• They must notify the school if they intend to return under this provision

• They should conduct a daily RAT and return a negative result each morning before attending school for five school days

• Staff must, and students are encouraged to, wear a mask indoors except when eating or exercising

• Visitors identified as household contacts who are engaging directly with students are required to return a negative COVID-19 test result before attending our school and wear a mask

• No student or staff member identified as a close contact will be permitted to participate in overnight excursions, including school camps

• A medical certificate is provided to the school confirming that symptoms are explained by another diagnosis (such as hay fever)

Students/staff must not attend school if they are unwell, even if they have tested negative for COVID19. Rapid antigen tests can produce false-negative results, and symptoms of other illnesses can also be similar to COVID-19, including flu, the common cold and stomach bugs. Health advice is that students/staff who are sick should always stay home to rest and recover and avoid putting other students and staff at risk of getting sick.

Kindergarten 2023 Enrolments

We have already received a number of applications for Kindergarten 2023. In order to cater for our local students and siblings of students who are non-local but already enrolled, we are asking families to submit enrolment forms for next year as soon as possible.

Mrs Wilson has sent enrolment packages home to families who we know have students ready to start school in 2023. If you did not receive a package, or you require assistance completing the paperwork, please contact Julie in the front office on 6765 8316.

We have started the acceptance process for applications, and we do not want any of our families to miss out on a place. Please help us by returning enrolment forms as soon as possible.

Peel High School Year 6 Information Session

On Tuesday 2 August, staff from Peel High School will meet with Year 6 students enrolled to commence in 2023 in our school hall. This is a chance for our students to learn about high school and in particular what Peel High School has to offer. Further opportunities for the students to visit Peel High School are planned for Term 4.

Stage Three Excursion Broken Bay

Our Stage 3 students will be heading off to Broken Bay on Monday 8 August. This is a very exciting opportunity for our students, especially considering the lack of opportunity in the last two years due to health restrictions. Mrs Milton will be sending out important information over the next week or so regarding what to pack, the timeline of events and a COVID-19 related permission note. I would like to take this opportunity to reinforce that at Tamworth West Public School we expect our students to behave in an exemplary manner whilst attending excursions. We often receive positive comments about our students' behaviour and it would be wonderful to continue to receive this feedback. I am sure the students and staff will have an amazing time and we cannot wait to see the photos.

Mrs Milton and I have been reviewing the updated COVID safe procedures. At the present time we are proceeding with the excursion, however, some additional COVID safe measures will be put into place to support the staff and students attending. This additional information has been provided to students. It is important that parents are aware of the expectations of these guidelines and return any permission notes required.

Education Week and Book Week

Monday August 15 will be the beginning of our Education Week and Book Week celebrations at Tamworth West Public School. There will be a whole school assembly commencing at 10am with families invited to attend. Following this we will have open classrooms and then families are welcome to stay and enjoy lunch with their children. On Thursday at 12:30 pm all classes will be participating in our annual Book Parade. So, save the dates! We would love to see our families at school to help us celebrate. More information on these events will be sent home very soon.

Father’s Day Stall

Our P&C will be holding their annual Father’s Day stall on Thursday September 1, Week 7 of this term. There are fantastic gifts for the children to purchase at very cheap prices. Thank you to our hard-working P&C for organising this event.

-Sara Spinks

Relieving Principal

We hope everyone enjoyed the holidays. We have a couple of events happening this term.

Clothing Pool

We are hoping to open the clothing pool on a regular basis. A big thank you to those of you who have donated clothes it is much appreciated. If anyone can help please let Catherine know.

Next Meeting

Our next meeting will be Monday 8th August. We look forward to seeing you there.

HSIE

Geography was taught in Kindergarten during Semester 1. At the end of Term 2 we finished our unit of work on 'Places'. We learnt about maps and how they are used to locate various places. We used Google Maps to locate our school and even used the ‘street view’ function to take a walk down Peel Street. We discussed the purpose of maps and realised the importance of being able to find treasure. This linked to our art experience where we created treasure maps. We even stained them with Mrs Wilson’s precious coffee to make them look authentic.

NAIDOC

During the last few days of Term 2, Kindergarten continued with our planned NAIDOC activities. Students enjoyed exploring various Aboriginal symbols through scratch art, as well as, painting and decorating wooden snakes.

Maths

This term Kindergarten students are learning about ‘time’. We have talked about different ways we measure time; seasons, months of the year, days of the week, hours and minutes. Over the last two weeks we have been focusing on using clocks to tell the time on the hour. We have discussed the difference between analog and digital clocks and where we might find these in the environment.

Kindergarten have been learning how to draw a clock and learning the importance of ensuring the numbers are spaced correctly. We have also used our bodies to create a human clock and the students have enjoyed being the ‘minute hand’ and the ‘hour hand.’ Kindergarten have loved using our brand-new set of classroom clocks, which require them to spin the minute hand in order to move the hour hand. We have practiced showing various o’clock times on their own clocks and we have even made our own watches to wear.

Kinder at Work

Here are some photos of our busy learners from the first two weeks of term.

We are looking forward to another busy term of learning and growing in Kinder!

-Mrs Wilson & Miss Massey

Kindergarten Teachers

Stage 1 Fantastic Fun!

Students have been busy this term with many fun activities in and outside the classroom!

Water Safety Program

Year 2 have taken part in the Water Safety Program at the 360 Fitness Pool. Most of our Year 2 students have spent two afternoons each week at the pool learning with their peers. Some students are building their confidence in the water, while others have had the opportunity to extend their swimming ability. We are very grateful for the expertise and amazing lessons provided by the swim teachers at the pool. Students are having a wonderful time and we cannot wait to see the improvement in skills by the end of the program.

Maths

Years 1 and 2 are learning to round numbers to the nearest 10 and 100. We have also investigated the money (currency) used in Australia and throughout the world. Students are learning the value of Australian dollars and cents and the various combinations of coins and notes that make the same amount. Year 1 have also investigated how many different shapes can be made using four squares. They discovered that the answer was five.

Welcome to Term 3!

We hope everyone had a great holiday and are recharged for another exciting term.

This term in English we have started our focus on writing information reports. The students have completed a pre-assessment on lions and are now focusing on understanding what makes an effective information report. We will start by completing information reports on different animals and then move into identifying and discussing significant places that we will be visiting along the way on the Dubbo excursion.

Stage 2 students have been placed in their new maths groups for the term and are already straight in to working on Number and Algebra content. Students are grouped according to their ability level with specific lessons and activities designed for their individual needs.

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) is continuing this term, with the first round of challenges starting last Friday (Week 2). Stage 2 is lucky to have Mrs Ward joining our STEM team this term! The challenges involve students working together to solve a problem.

Congratulations to Isabella McKnight (4M), Indi Semms (4M), Jace Dawson (4M), Saraya Reading (4D), Eva Wrigley (4D) and Roland Mobberley (4D), on successfully receiving their pen licences. These students are consistently displaying neat handwriting and meeting the book expectations in all subjects. There are many students who are close and are continuing to try extra hard to ensure they are following the book work expectations. Keep up the good work and your licence will be on its' way!

Dubbo Excursion

The Dubbo excursion payment plan notes went out at the start of this term. An overview is as follows:

$100 – Monday 8 August 2022 (Term 3 – Week 4)

$100 – Monday 12 September 2022 (Term 3 – Week 9)

$55 – Monday 24 October 2022 (Term 4 – Week 3)

Please contact Miss Bagshaw if you have any concerns or questions. We try and work with families to ensure students are able to attend the excursion. Information notes and medical forms will be sent out soon, and an information session for parents/carers will be organised for later this term.

Attendance

Well done to all students who are regularly attending school. To celebrate student attendance of 90% and over (Term 2 - Weeks 6-10) we held an afternoon tea on Friday of Week 1. Students received a popper and donut to celebrate their excellent attendance.

House Points

Term 2’s winning house was........ WENTWORTH!

Congratulations Wentworth students on your amazing efforts in Term 2 within the classroom and at sporting events. Wentworth students received a celebratory BBQ on Friday of Week 2.

I wonder who will take out the title for Term 3? The points board is very close, so it is anyone’s game!

Many Stage 2 students have been selected to compete at the next level for athletics. We wish those students the best of luck at Zone Athletics Carnival, and we can't wait to hear how you go!

The SRC’s Pyjama and Movie Day in Week 2 (Friday) was an awesome day for all, including the teachers! Stage 2 booked the hall so we could all watch the movie together. The students watched it on the big screen with surround sound. Some enjoyed popcorn and poppers, ordered from the canteen. Thank you, Mrs Reading, for organising that special pack for the day.

Coming up this Friday (5 August) is the SRC’s Jeans for Genes Day. Please encourage students to support this fundraising initiative by wearing Jeans on Friday and donating a gold coin on the day.

Cold Weather

A reminder that the weather is still chilly this term. When the weather is cold, it is important that students have appropriate clothing with them. Long pants and stockings will keep legs warm, and jumpers are important as well. Please check with your child that they have adequate clothes for the day to avoid them getting sick!

Crunch & Sip

Thank you also to parents for packing fresh fruit for our morning crunch and sip. Food doesn’t have to be whole piece, even an apple cut into slices is good, and it makes eating their food while doing our morning routines nice and easy. We are discouraging students eating the fruit cups in class as they can get a bit messy!

Thank you to all our parents and the teachers for all the hard work you do in supporting our students!

Kahla May

Stage 2 Classroom Teacher, Year 4

Welcome back to Term 3

Australian Colonies

Classes have begun the work on Australian Colonies and exploring how to most efficiently report on people, places and objects in information texts using explicit and technical language. Students will develop a greater understanding of how to format their information reports and work collaboratively with their peers to create background knowledge.

As part of this unit, students have been designing posters of themselves as Bushrangers. It’s been interesting to see who is willing to turn their friends in for a reward!

Changes

We have quickly adapted to the changes in staffing. Mr Lyon has assumed his new position in 3/6W. Students will continue lessons with Mrs Spicer and Miss Cunneen. Mrs Ward will no longer be teaching Stage 3 Library, but classes will access the library once a week at allocated times with their classroom teacher. Classroom teachers will teach science and specifically focus on Earth and Space.

Maths

All strands of mathematics will again be taught this term and students are continually encouraged to learn their times tables. Familiarity and proficiency with the basic times tables are essential building blocks in math. It opens the door to multi-digit multiplication and demystifies processes like long division and simplifying fractions. Instant recall is vital for improved results and greater confidence.

Year 6 Farewell

The Year 6 Farewell dinner has been booked for Wednesday 14 December, and we look forward to returning to the Tamworth Jockey club again this year. More details will follow in Term 4.

Preparation for 2023

Please discuss with your Year 5 child if they are interested in being a member of the 2023 leadership team. Speeches and elections will be held in Term 4, and as the months quickly fly by, it is important to prepare children.

Upcoming Events

Once students and staff return from the Broken Bay excursion we will be looking forward to more events at school; Education Week assembly, a Book Week parade, Zone Athletics, the Mini Muddies, and high school transition will begin for some Year 6 students.

Welcome back to Term 3

Welcome to the first newsletter for Term 3. All students have returned to school with a smile on their face and a ‘can do’ attitude. Goals have been set for the term, heads are down and classrooms are buzzing with learning activities. It is great to see how well students have settled back into daily routines and are enjoying the excitement of a new term.

Welcome Mr Lyon and Welcome back Miss Ash:

The Support Unit and 3-6W classroom welcomes Mr Chris Lyon to our team after Mrs Kim Wilson secured a permanent teaching position at Tamworth High School at the end of last term. In more good news we welcome back Miss Ashley Reeks from her recent maternity leave. Miss Ash is working in the 5-6D classroom and the students and I are delighted to have her join us. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Kelly Paulston for her wonderful work supporting the students and staff in the Support Unit during semester one. We also wish Mrs Wilson well in the next stage of her teaching career.

Positive attitude and ready to learn:

All students in the support classes continue to work diligently during learning activities. Each student is demonstrating improved resilience when working on new concepts and are developing positive skills when work co-operatively and collaboratively in class.

Important Events

The term has gotten off to a flying start with several important events already on the calendar for this term. On Friday, August 22 we had the Attendance Reward Afternoon Tea for qualifying students. Last Friday was Pyjama Day, and in Week 4 a few of our students are attending the Stage 3 Broken Bay excursion.

If you need to speak to teachers regarding your child, please do not hesitate to contact the school on 6765 8316.

All students gave it a fantastic go, whether they were seasoned netball players, returning netballers or first timers! Our stage 2 teams played under the NETSETGO (modified) rules, which also includes no scoring or ladder. It is a chance to learn and have fun. Stage 3 teams are scored and play competitively, with the Shipwreckers just missing out on 1st place and advancing to the next round by one point!! It was a wonderful learning opportunity for some and a chance to squeeze some extra netball into their week for others, but it was lots of fun for everyone.

A massive thank you goes out to our three umpires Mia Stokes, Hannah Walmsley and Noah Beecham and to our team supervisors Mrs Mumford, Miss Ryan and Bec. Without the assistance of these six people, the day would not have been a success!

-Miss Burns