Newsletter: Term 1 - Week 6

A Message from the Principal

Dear families,

 

We are just about to enter the first long weekend of the school year. I’d like to remind families that school will not be open this Monday. I feel the long weekend will give many a chance to recharge and replenish a little and set us up well for the end of term.

 

NAPLAN – Our Year 3 and Year 5 students will begin NAPLAN next Wednesday where both year groups will sit the writing assessment. Year 3 will then complete the remaining assessments over the remainder of the week. Year 5 will complete their remaining assessments during week 8. I ask parents to ensure that students are sent to school on time to ensure that test sessions are not disrupted with late arrivals. It is also a good idea to ensure that, as always, students have a nutritious healthy breakfast before school to set them up as well as you can to be in a good mindframe for testing.

 

Swimming Ribbons – Swimming Ribbons will be handed out at the Week 9 assembly which will be hosted by Beth’s Year 3 class. Ribbons will be handed out to the overall first, second and third placegetters in each event. This can cause some confusion with students securing a place in their race, however in the instances of multiple heats, when times are taken in to consideration, this does not result in an overall place.

 

Mobile Phones – Our current procedures at Neville Bonner School ensure that if a student brings a mobile phone to school it is to be left with their teacher for the duration of the school day and not accessed between 9-3. I also ask that students keep their phones in their bag upon arrival on the playground (after perhaps alerting parents they are at school safely). We are also seeing a number of students wearing smart watches. It is important that students do not use these to text or call during the school day. Many of these watches have a parent control where settings can be adjusted. I will be working with the school board to update our policy and procedures surrounding mobile devices at school later this year to be reflective of the capabilities of technology such as smartwatches and tablets and ensuring these are covered under the same rules as mobiles.

 

Lost Property and Uniforms – As we get into the cooler months we often see an increase in the amounts of jumpers and hoodies that are left on the playgrounds and across the school. The most important thing that we ask families to do, is to ensure that you clearly label all jumpers, hoodies and hats as this significantly increases the chance of them being reunited with their owner. We also request that you are vigilant in checking the jumpers and hoodies that you  are washing at home, to ensure these are in fact, your child’s. Quite often jumpers and hoodies are picked up mistakenly..

 

Instrumental Music Program – The Instrumental Music Program supports ACT Schools with the running of School band programs for selected Year 5 and Year 6 students. Here at Neville Bonner Primary School we have a woodwind band for each of these year groups. In addition to the running of the school band program the Instrumental Music Program also runs extension ensembles for primary school students which include the ACT Primary Concert Choir (for students in 4-6) and the ACT Primary Concert Band (for students in Year 6). These ensembles are audition only and I’m pleased to recognise that we have four students who have been selected for these in 2023. Congratulations to Shivdesh (Yr 4), Emma (Yr 6) and Vaishanaya (Yr 6) for being selected in the ACT Primary Concert Choir, and congratulation to Olivia (Yr 6) and Emma (Yr 6) who have been selected for the Primary Concert Band.

 


Dates to Remember

Term 1 - 2023

Term 2 - 2023

Communications Sent Home This Week

Notes and Emails Home


SMS Texts Home



Clean up Australia Day

Thank you to Lewis (and his mum!) from Year 2 for cleaning up around the outside of our school on Sunday for Clean up Australia Day. The grounds are looking a lot better.

ACT Health

NAPLAN

NAPLAN testing (Year 3 and Year 5) will occur in our school between 15 and 27 March 2023.

Education ministers agreed that NAPLAN would move to Term One from 2023. This will mean results will be available to education authorities earlier in the year to inform school and system teaching and learning programs and will assist teachers to better determine support students need for the coming year.

NAPLAN Online is a more engaging assessment that adjusts questions to each student’s achievement level. 

NAPLAN provides valuable information to schools and parents about literacy and numeracy achievement. It supports school improvement processes by enabling teachers to monitor student progress over time and to identify areas of strength and development. 

Year 3 and Year 5 students will participate in an orientation to the NAPLAN platform during week 5 and 6 in the lead up to NAPLAN.

All eligible students are encouraged and supported to participate in NAPLAN testing. Visit www.nap.edu.au to see interactive versions of the test and for more information.

Our coordinators for NAPLAN this year are Janet Hagan and Kerry Johnstone. Please contact them should you have any queries or concerns about the testing.


Neville Bonner Primary School Naplan Timetable 2023

Author Visit

Local author, Nicole Godwin, will visit Neville Bonner Primary School on Friday, 17 March and Monday, 20 March. She will run interactive sessions across all year levels, with a focus on her books Billie and Jelly-Boy which both have strong ocean conservation themes. Her sessions will include discussions on the book creation process and sustainability, with an emphasis on ocean plastic. We are still accepting notes and payment to attend workshops over the two days. Any students without a note or payment will attend an alternative in-class program

As part of her visit, Nicole offers an opportunity for families to purchase signed copies of her books at a discounted rate of $20 (RRP is $25). If you would like to purchase a copy of Billie, Jelly-Boy, Swoop, We Are Australians or Ella, please pay online by going to www.tuskbooks.com. The individual books on offer will be discounted to $20 each with no shipping payable if you enter the coupon code ‘NevilleBonner’. Please add extra information (including your child’s name and class) in the notes field to ensure Nicole knows who to sign the books to. 

About Billie – Join Billie the dolphin on this perilous adventure, as she sets off to find the biggest wave. Billie travels the ocean, saving new friends from pollution, drift nets, whaling and much more. This eye-opening story draws attention to the human-made dangers for dolphins and other marine wildlife. 

About Jelly-Boy – What happens when a jellyfish falls in love with a plastic bag? He is big and strong and so very brave but hides a dangerous truth. 

About We Are Australians – Explore what it truly means to be an Australian citizen. Co-authored with Wiradjuri man, Duncan Smith OAM, this book reflects on our rich First Nations history and encourages readers to walk forward together, stamping our feet to wake up the ancestors and listening deeply to stories, to points of view, and to Country. 

About Swoop – Magpie has one job. One purpose. One desire. KEEP THE EGGS SAFE. A story close to every Australian’s heart, Swoop highlights the determination and perseverance of a magpie safeguarding his partner and eggs. 

About Ella – Little Ella the elephant dreams of seeing her mum again. But can she escape? Is she even brave enough to try? This book provides a glimpse into the lives of elephants being used in the tourism industry. 

You can learn more about Nicole’s books at www.nicolegodwin.com. Feel free to contact Nicole directly if you have any questions – nicole@tuskbooks.com. Orders received by 19 March will be delivered on Monday 20 March. Orders received from 20 March to 24 March will be delivered the following week (by 31 March). 

School Photos

Save the date! Our school photos will be taken on the first day of term 2, Monday 24 April. Thursday/Friday preschool children will have their photo taken on Friday 28 April. Please see the below information on how to order your school photo packs.

Equity Fund 2023

Apply now for the Future of Education Equity Fund for the 2023 school year. Eligible low-income ACT families can receive one-off payments for financial aid to help cover the costs of their children’s educational costs, such as sport equipment and activities, music lessons, school uniforms and excursions. The Fund is open to eligible students enrolled in preschools that are attached to an ACT government school, through to Year 12 in the ACT. Further information and the online application form is available at https://www.education.act.gov.au/support-for-our-students/financial-and-resource-assistance-for-families

Positive Behaviours for Learning (PBL)

We have continued to teach the various expectations across the school this week and will continue with this until the end of the term. 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

 We have reached our goal of 3000 tickets this week, which means we will have a whole school celebration. Our PBL student leaders will be having a meeting next week to discuss what this celebration will be. We will let families know what this is once the students have met. 

MASCOT COMPETITION

This week the PBL team launched our Mascot competition. The students in all of the classes will be designing a mascot that will represent PBL at Neville Bonner. This mascot will become a key visual around the school. They have been asked to consider Neville Bonner, the K-TREE and our key expectations of safe, respectful learner. These are due at the end of Week 8. We will be announcing and showing finalists in the week 9 assembly and newsletter. 

Swimming Carnival

The swimming carnival took place on Monday 27 February and the years 2-6 went on bus to the Dickson swim centre. They first went to their house groups (Winyu,Garratt,Murungul and Kambi) and ate fruit, they then did a practice test. 


The swimming carnival this year was competitors only and the races that you could  enter were the 100m butterfly, 100m freestyle, 50m freestyle, 150m butterfly, 50 backstroke ,150m backstroke, 100m backstroke, 50m breaststroke and 100m breaststroke.

Here are what a few people who went to the swimming carnival enjoyed about it:


Zach:

I enjoyed being in the pool.


Sienna:

I enjoyed racing, getting out of school and cheering.

 

Ava:

 I loved racing, cheering and getting out of school.


Olivia:

I enjoyed racing, and racing with my friends.


Georgia:

I liked  racing


Sylvia (Deputy Principal) :

 I loved seeing all the competitors have fun, try their best and cheer each other on. It was wonderful to have parents join us as both spectatos and helpers.


Richard (PE teacher):

I enjoyed watching all the students try their best.

 


Article written by Vaishanya, Year 6

Parents' and Citizens' Association

Neville Bonner Parents and Citizens

Keep an eye on the School Newsletter and the Facebook group for event notices and updates.

The Neville Bonner Primary School Parents and Citizens (P&C) Association is the focal point for parent involvement at the school and provides a place for parents to discuss and debate matters of interest relating to the school and community.

More information about our canteen; lunch orders and over the counter sales, and the uniform shop can be found on the P&C component of the school website.

Contact Us

Want to touch base with your P&C?

You can email us at nevillebonnerps.pandc@gmail.com, or connect through FB at https://www.facebook.com/NBPS.PandC.

P&C Committee - AGM and General Council meeting

Our AGM will be held on Monday, 20th March from 7.15pm in the staff lounge. All positions will be up for nomination, so please consider volunteering. Each role has various levels of commitment, but no more than an hour or even less each week. It's a great opportunity to get to know other parents, school staff and be a part of a wonderful group of like minded people who all have a passion to help support our young people and the broader school community.

Our P&C provides services to the school such as canteen, second hand uniform shop, disco and other activities. Without a P&C, we cannot continue to do these things.

For more information on the positions on our committee, please head to the P&C Facebook or the Neville Bonner P&C page.

 We are always happy to accept new members into the P&C. Event Volunteers as well - send us a Volunteer email.

Mother's Day - 14 May 2023 

Mother's Day Stall plans are underway, stay tuned for more info.

Entertainment Book

Purchase this great online book full of entertainment vouchers and discount offers!! Single city books available for $69.99 or Multi city for $119.99. Did you know you can buy discounted vouchers, gift cards and presents with an Entertainment book? There are some really great offers. Make sure you subscribe to access the amazing deals. You can find the Entertainment book Official Site by clicking this link. Proceeds from each book purchased are donated to the P&C.

Second Hand Uniform Shop

Neville Bonner Primary School P&C Second Hand Uniform Stall is hosted under the school hall covered area for the following, upcoming, opening hours.

** Week 7 - Wednesday, 15th March, from 2.45pm to 3.45pm.

** Week 8 - Wednesday, 22nd March, from 8.45am to 9.45am.

** Week 9 - Wednesday, 29th March, from 2.45pm to 3.45pm.

We have loads of pre-loved uniforms for sale. Preferred payment is via EFTPOS, however cash will be accepted. If you have good quality school uniform items you no longer need, the P&C will gratefully accept your donation to our second hand uniform stall through the canteen (or please place them in the tub near the front office).

Birthday cupcakes

Our amazing canteen team offers birthday cupcakes! Cost is $30 per class, with orders required one (1) week in advance. To place an order, or for more information, please email canteennbps@gmail.com.

Scholastic Book Club

Orders for Issue 1 are here and have been delivered to the school, they should have come home with your child this week, otherwise they're with their teacher for next week.

Return-It Scheme

The P&C have registered with the Canberra Return-it scheme, you can donate to the P&C by using the mobile number (0497233172) or QR code. 

The process is:

- Place your bags of cans or bottles into a semi-see-through bag (they need to see it's not general household rubbish), a normal kitchen tidy bag is okay.

- At return points, select the first menu item.

- Enter the phone number (0497233172) when asked, follow the remainder of the instructions and attach the printed sticker to each bag (if out of paper, you can use a texta to write the phone number on the side of the bag/s).

- Deposit the bag(s) into the hopper.

- The bag/s will be collected by the Return-IT/CDS group and counted at one of their facilities (during a quiet period of their day).

- A notice of deposit will be received by the P&C - Thank you!!!

There are two, close to school, return points located at:

- Gungahlin: O'Brien Place - near the carwash, Gungahlin Vet and Goodyear tyres.

- Amaroo: near the school oval off Horsepark Drive.

The returns generated from the scheme will assist the P&C to support the school, from sports equipment, school discos, Year 6 end-of-year surprises, etc.

Contact Information

Principal:

Will Johnston 

william.johnston@ed.act.edu.au


Deputy Principals:

Haeley Simms (P-2) haeley.simms@ed.act.edu.au

Sylvia Headon (3-6) sylvia.headon@ed.act.edu.au

P&C President:

Jayne Trustum nevillebonnerps.pandc@gmail.com


Board Chair:

Amani Kerr

Community Information