Newsletter: Term 2 - Week 10

A Message from the Principal

We’re now at the end of the first semester of 2023. It has been a very busy first two terms and we look forward to things being a little less hectic in the second semester. If you are travelling for the holidays, travel safe. If you’re staying in Canberra, keep warm. School will resume on Monday 17 July.

As I mentioned in my last weeks, Kerry Johnstone is finishing up at Neville Bonner Primary School today after ten years. We farewelled Kerry at assembly this week and at a special staff meeting this morning. Kerry has written a short farewell that you’ll see a bit further on in this week’s newsletter.

Parent Yarns – We have been busy having parent interviews this week, which has given families the opportunity to discuss their child’s progress with their learning group teacher. We have had many of our families take up this opportunity which is great. A strong partnership between families and the school can only be of benefit to our students, so thank you to those who attended. Families will have a third opportunity to meet with classroom teachers following the sending out of semester two reports in December. As always, should you wish to contact your child’s teacher to discuss and queries or concerns please don’t hesitate to do so through either calling the school’s front office on 6142 1201 or contacting the teacher directly.

Staffing Announcement – The Recruitment process to fill Kerry’s Year 5/6 Executive position has now been finalised Lynette Eddowes who is currently at Torrens Primary School will be joining early next term. Whilst she finalises everything at her current school, Sylvia Headon our years 3-6 Deputy will be leading the Year 5 and Year 6 teaching teams.

Prayer room - We will have an available area, located in the Yuyu Office, for those students wanting to pray during breaks 1 and 2.  If you would like your child to access this space or have any questions, please contact Sylvia - sylvia.headon@ed.act.edu.au

Year 4 - As part of Year 4s current unit 'When Worlds Collide' they have been looking into the importance of processes and structures of the scientific method, forces and materials and how we can produce design solutions to scientific problems. Today I got to witness the students as they celebrated their learning with 'Egg Drop Day'.  An exciting day for students and staff, where Cameron our BSO dropped the students technology projects (they designed a way to support eggs safely landing on the ground). It was an eggcellent day!

Dates to Remember

Communications Sent Home This Week

Notes and Emails Home

SMS Texts Home


Student Wellbeing at NBPS

Kindness-Tenacity-Resilience-Empathy-Equity

Safe - Respectful - Learner 

PBL Acknowledgements 

We are very excited that we have achieved our whole school goal of filling up not one but two of our tubes in the front office. The students have filled up the learner and respectful tube. This means that the students get to have a whole school celebration in term 3. We will be asking students in week 1 what they would like to do for this. The celebration that gets the most votes will be the one that we do in term three. After this, we will be emptying the tubes and starting again. We have seen a massive reduction in problem behaviours this term due to all of the positive acknowledgments happening across the school. The teachers have handed out over 9000 tokens.                                         


Fortnightly Focus Week 1 & 2:  Revision of school values and expectations 

NAIDOC Week 

National NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia in the first week of July each year (Sunday to Sunday), to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth. You can support and get to know your local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities through activities and events held across the country.  

Local events can be looked up here: Local NAIDOC Week events | NAIDOC 

Bobbi Lockyer, a proud Ngarluma, Kariyarra, Nyulnyul and Yawuru artist, born and based on Kariyarra Country in Port Hedland, is the winner of the prestigious National NAIDOC Week Poster Competition for 2023 with her entry, For Our Elders.

“Where there is knowledge there are our Elders. Our Elders paved the pathways for us, taught us our knowledge, our history, they passed down their art, stories and wisdom. Our Elders are the foundation of our communities and role models for our children. With this poster I wanted to showcase how important our Elders are in passing down traditions and culture to our children and future.” said Bobbi.

Farewell From Kerry

2000 days on...

It has been a pleasure to work at Neville Bonner Primary School since its opening in 2013 and I feel so fortunate to have been part of the learning journey of so many students.  One of the younger students alerted me to the fact that I started work at Neville Bonner before she was born, now, that is a reality check!

Just as the children have fond memories of the fun we had, so do I take many with me, please know I leave a little piece of my heart behind. To be sure I will endeavour to keep up with the happenings at Neville Bonner Primary School.  

Thank you to the many families who have supported me over the years, it makes a difference to work together to assist the children.  I wish you all the best for the remainder of the year. Who knows, I might see you out and about in Canberra, be sure to say ‘Hello’.


And a final message to each student; Kindness Matters, strive to be your best self every day and remember you are a lifelong learner. Bye for now, Kerry

Passion and Purpose - Lunchtime Club

Passion & Purpose Academy - Years 2-6 - Wednesday Lunchtime Dance Program

 

Passion & Purpose Academy is Gungahlin’s fastest growing and only multicultural dance school, providing Canberra families with the most affordable hip hop dance classes for kids outside school hours.

 

Passion & Purpose is again very excited to offer Neville Bonner students the opportunity to participate in their lunchtime dance program every Wednesday. This helps parents as they don’t have to worry about transport after school or over a weekend!

 

The dance program will allow students to participate in interactive and beginner friendly Hip Hop and Afro dance routines, with a strong focus on building confidence, teamwork and staying active!  Dance classes will be held outside every lunchtime in the hall from 1:30pm-2:00pm, starting in Week 1, Term 2!

 

Payment is $75 per child for the 8  week program starting in Week 1 (19 July) and going until Week 8. 


Please enrol online to register your interest. It will be a first in, first served basis with limited spots available. www.passionandpurpose.com.au

Invoices for Web Based Subscriptions

A reminder that subscription invoices are now overdue. Families who did not order book packs with WINC were emailed invoices for web based subscriptions last term. (If you require another copy please contact the front office) These include seesaw, reading eggs and Mathletics. Please promptly pay these invoices so your child/ren can be given access to these platforms. Preferred payment is via Quickweb: Payment - Neville Bonner Primary School (nevillebonnerps.act.edu.au) 

The Smith Family Saver Plus Program

The Smith Family (ACT) offers a range of programs to help families and individuals to stay engaged with education. Saver Plus is a program with a specific focus on supporting families and individuals with low incomes to meet their education expenses.

Saver Plus is a matched savings and financial education program that aims to help people on lower incomes to strengthen their financial skills and to develop a savings habit. The program provides financial skills education and motivates participants to save by matching their savings dollar for dollar, up to $500. These savings can be used to pay for education costs such as computers, books, uniforms, extracurricular activities and school excursions. To fill in the online enquiry form; Saver Plus enquiry form | Brotherhood of St. Laurence (bsl.org.au) 

Contact Saver Plus on 1300 610 355 or saverplus@bsl.org.au. Floow this link 

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

Parents' and Citizens' Association

Neville Bonner Parents and Citizens Committee

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 our committee and event notices and updates, 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 and event volunteers as well - send us an email.

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.


Book Fair!

We will be hosting our amazing second hand book fair again on Saturday, 5th of August! We will be seeking book donations, so please keep a look out for more information on donation station days! If you are able to help out, even just for a couple of hours, please email us at nevillebonnerps.pandc@gmail.com.

Disco

Our school disco will be held on Friday, 15th September. Save the date!

Volunteers

Volunteers are an essential component of the P&C to operate effectively.  Whether you can contribute 30mins or more is valuable to the successful running of the sessions the P&C host.  Standing on the door for the disco, turning sausages during election BBQs or the P&C Book Fair, helping to set up and pack up events and even to help with the little things during the events.  The tasks to support the P&C are not difficult or hard at all. Please join as a volunteer, by sending us a Volunteer email.

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.

Second Hand Uniform Shop

Neville Bonner Primary School P&C Second Hand Uniform Stall is hosted under the school hall covered area.

** Term 3 afternoon sessions - Week 1, 3, 7, 9 & 10- Wednesdays from 2.45pm to 3.15pm.

** Term 3 morning sessions - Week 2 ,4, 5, 6, 8 - Wednesdays from 8.45am to 9.45am.

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).

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

Annual Maccas Masterclass Holiday Clinic at Raiders HQ in Braddon. The holiday program includes skill development for all abilities from ages 5-12 years. This year the clinic is being held on the first Tuesday of the holidays, July 4. Please see the below link for kids to sign up.

 

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/maccas-masterclass-holiday-clinic-2023-registration-622176285017?aff=oddtdtcreator

We are excited to be back at Neville Bonner Primary School for Term 3! Please see the flyer below, and your booking link is HERE

Dates and timings for Term 3 sessions:

Class Type: Coding (Years 2-6)

Day: Thursdays, 27th July to 14th September

Times: 3:15pm-4:30pm

We are looking forward to continuing the students' tech journey with Code Camp!