Week 9 Term 4 Newsletter 2024

Principal's Message

Dear Parents and Carers,

As we approach the end of the year, I want to extend a warm welcome to everyone and share some exciting updates from our school!

Week 9 marks our last full week of school for the year, and what a journey it has been! Our Year 6 students have embarked on their much-anticipated Burrendong adventure, and I’m thrilled to report that they were all organised and ready to go. Be sure to keep an eye on our school Facebook page for updates on their exciting experiences! A heartfelt thank you goes out to Mrs. Chalker and Miss Dixon for generously volunteering their time to make this excursion possible. Your commitment to our students truly makes a difference!

In preparation for the upcoming school year, our class teachers have compiled a list of resources that each stage will need. We hope you find this list helpful for stocking up on supplies during the January sales or as thoughtful stocking fillers. You can find the lists included in this newsletter.

Earlier this week, invitations for our major end-of-year Presentation Day awards were sent out via email to parents. We are excited to celebrate the achievements of our students, and it is expected that all parents will attend to support their children. This special event will be held next Tuesday, 17th December, at 9:30 am. Let’s come together to acknowledge the hard work and accomplishments of all our students!

End-of-year reports will be available on Sentral next Monday, 16th December. I encourage you to take the time to read through these reports and celebrate the wonderful growth and achievements of our students. It was truly heartwarming to review them and witness the progress made by everyone. Well done to all!

As a reminder, the last day of school for students is next Wednesday, 18th December, with staff concluding on Thursday, 19th December. We look forward to welcoming all students, including our Kindergarten cohort, back for the 2025 school year on Thursday, 6th February.

Have a great week!

Kind regards,

Sharon Hawker
Principal

100% Attendance Gallery

Congratulations to Lorelli Newton, Emily Holmes and Will Ryan on 100% attendance in Week 8. Keep up the great work!

If you require Before and After School Care for school aged children in a safe and enriching environment at our school please register via the QR code above. 

Upcoming Events

Term 4 

Week 9 - Year 6 Burrendong Excursion 11th - 13th December

Week 10 - Presentation Day Tuesday 17th December 9.30am - 11am

               - Primary End of Year Party, last day of term 18th December

Library News

• Week 9 - Overdue notices will be printed in. 

Class in Focus

Each week one of our classes will be chosen to showcase the great learning that is happening in our school. This week our class is : Year 6

Aboriginal Art Workshop

We had the pleasure of welcoming Michaela (Mac) Jeffries to our last Friday. Mac is a Wiradjuri and Ngemba woman and teacher from Cowra. She ran workshops with every student in the school, teaching them about Aboriginal art. Under her guidance, each student produced an artwork symbolising different aspects of their life. THANK YOU, MAC! Thank you also to our P&C who initiated, organised and helped to fund this cultural experience. SEE PHOTOS ATTACHED

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Thanks to Little Big Dairy Co

Little Big Dairy, are passionate about supporting local schools and ensuring every child starts their day right. Breakfast clubs play a vital role in fueling young minds for learning, focus, and growth. Studies show that kids learn better, concentrate longer, and perform higher when they begin the day with a full tummy.

Little Big Dairy Co has been donating milk for our school's breakfast club during 2024. This Christmas season, we'd love your help in spreading the word about the importance of supporting local products. We kindly ask if you could purchase Little Big Dairy products over the holiday season, by buying local you're not just providing high-quality, delicious dairy products for your students—you're supporting a 100% Australian, family-owned business that's deeply rooted in our local community and supports programs like our breakfast club and keeps our community thriving. When families choose Little Big Dairy, they're directly contributing to local schools and initiatives, ensuring we can continue to make a positive impact together.

Thank you for your incredible support, and for nourishing the next generation of bright thinkers.

Aurora College Applications Open

Selective high school and opportunity class applications are open from:                               7 November 2024 to 21 February 2025

Selective high school Year 7 entry in 2026: Apply when your child is at the end of Year 5 or the beginning of Year 6.

Opportunity class Year 5 entry in 2026: Apply when your child is at the end of Year 3 or the beginning of Year 4.

Selective high schools and opportunity classes are 2 of the ways the NSW Department of Education supports high potential and gifted students.

What are their benefits?

• Students learn alongside, and form friendships with, other high potential and gifted classmates.
• Special teaching methods allow students to learn at a quicker pace and in more detail.
• Research shows that students benefit both academically and socially when learning with classmates who have similar abilities.

Selective high schools and opportunity classes are not zoned so you can apply to ones outside your local enrolment area.

Is a selective high school or opportunity class the right fit for my child?

A selective high school or opportunity class might be a great fit if your child. Please contact your classroom teacher for further clarification.

• learns quickly
• asks complex questions
• is highly motivated
• has a good memory
• is intensely focused in their area of interest

Where are selective high schools (Year 7-12) located?

There are 4 types of selective high schools:

• fully selective high schools, where all students attending the school have high potential or are gifted
• partially selective high schools, where there is a mix of students who have high potential or are gifted and local area students
• 4 agricultural selective high schools, including 3 boarding schools
• Aurora College, which provides online selective classes for rural and remote students in their local host schools.

Search for a selective high school near you at Find a selective high school.

Where are opportunity classes (Year 5-6) located?

There are 2 types of opportunity classes:

• full-time opportunity classes in selected primary schools
• Aurora College, which provides online opportunity classes for rural and remote students in their local authorised host schools.

Search for an opportunity class near you at Find an opportunity class.

Students successfully placed attend the opportunity class full-time in Years 5 and 6. In most cases, students who have accepted a place in an opportunity class will leave their current school to attend the school with the opportunity class.

Discuss the opportunity with your child and look through the information together on the Selective high schools and opportunity classes website and in the student resource hub:

• Applying for a selective high school: Student resource hub
• Applying for an opportunity class: Student resource hub

Fair and equitable access

The Equity Placement Model helps make access fairer for more high potential students in our community.

We know that some students may be missing out because they experience educational disadvantage.

Under the model, up to 20% of places in each selective high school and opportunity class are held for:

• students from low socio-educational advantage backgrounds
• Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students
• students from rural and remote locations
• students with disability.

These students still receive offers based on their performance in the placement test.

Learn more at Fair access.

The application process

Complete the online application.

Applications close on 21 February 2025.

Once your application has been submitted and processed, your child will need to sit a computer-based placement test. Learn more at Application process.

Ready to apply?

Apply online at shsoc.education.nsw.gov.au

Further information

Visit Selective high schools and opportunity classes.

2025 Student Supply Lists

PBL Focus - CPS Wellbeing Program

Our Learner Qualities

The Resilience Project - Empathy and Kindness

This next presentation from The Resilience Project is all about Empathy and Kindness.

Empathy is our ability to put ourselves in the shoes of others to feel and see what they do. We practice this through being kind and compassionate towards other people.

Brain imaging data shows that being kind to others registers in the brain as more like eating chocolate than like fulfilling an obligation to do what’s right (e.g. eating brussel sprouts)!

Research shows that practicing empathy, such as performing acts of kindness, taps into our brain’s ‘mirror neurons’, builds compassion and our behaviour becomes more social and community-based.

View Part 3 of the series here

Part 3 - Empathy: https://theresilienceproject.com.au/2023-parent-carer-hub-inspire-martin/

Here’s an activity to practise empathy and kindness:

1. Reflect on someone in your life who could benefit from an act of kindness today. It could be a friend who would love some affirmation about their work, your pet who deserves an extra treat, or a family member who would love a phone call or text message.
2. Make a plan for who you are going to gift an act of kindness to, and what you are going to do.
3. If you want to add accountability to your plan, share it with someone else and encourage them to do the same thing.
4. Follow up with each other in a few days' time, to ask how it went!

Sources: Psychology Today, UC Berkeley, Greater Good Science

For mental health resources and support information, visit The Resilience Project’s Support Page.

Sentral Parents App

Please ensure you have your notifications TURNED ON (check in settings). We use this app to send push notifications for all school activities.

The HUB - Canteen Lunches

Can parents please update their child/s class or details before placing an order. Any enquiries please call Sheryn : 0402 441 263

Healthy Snippets

Healthy "Snippets" from NSW Health covering a range of topics including; healthy eating, lunchbox ideas, drinking water and food budgeting. 

Community Notices

Live Better will be delivering Before and After School Care at Canowindra Public School at the beginning the 2025 school year. They are in the process of seeking applicants for the positions.

Complete the application process via the links below:

• Canowindra Educators: https://career10.successfactors.com/sfcareer/jobreqcareer?jobId=5776&company=livebetter
• Canowindra Coordinator: https://career10.successfactors.com/sfcareer/jobreqcareer?jobId=5778&company=livebetter