Weetangera Primary School Newsletter | Week 9, Term 3 2023
From Julie
Dear Families
Once again, the year rolls on and much has been achieved by the students at our school.
In a term packed with additional events these were some of the additional activities on top of the usual processes of learning:
- Playground master planning
- Year 6 cake stall fundraiser
- Kindergarten Health checks
- P&C Trivia Night – an amazing and well-attended event
- National Science Week
- Year 2 – Excursion to the Hall Museum
- Belconnen Athletics Carnival Year 5 and Year 6 Combined Band
- National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence
- Book Week – Parades – Secret Story tellers
- Kindergarten Visting Artist
- Father’s Day Stall
- Great Book Swap Indigenous Literacy Event
- Preschool Excursion to Canberra Museum and Gallery
- Wear It Purple day
- Preparation for WPS 50th Birthday Celebration
- Year 2 – AQUASAFE Swimming Program
- ACT Athletics Championships
- Year 1 Excursion to Calthorpe’s House
- Year 4 – 6 Walking to Belconnen HS for their musical performance – Donkey
- Galleries of Learning
- Athletics Carnival Assembly – Presentation of ribbons
- Kenny Koala
- Year 2 – Excursions to Possum Magic
The Galleries of Learning, an annual event introduced in 2021, enables students to welcome their families to their learning space, talk them through their classroom and unit, explain learning intentions and the achievement of their goals through connecting to the success criteria, show and share artefacts that demonstrate their learning and progress and to also, truly own the learning that they have achieved. As I ventured into each and every learning space it was a truly wonderful feeling to capture families talking together, listening to their children explain what all of the ‘things’ were and for families to excitedly understand that even though, nearly EVERY SINGLE DAY many of our students, your children will tell you that today they did NOTHING!!!! You could all see for yourselves that there are a heck of a lot of NOTHINGS going on at Weetangera. EVERY! SINGLE! DAY!
Have a wonderful break with your children. Enjoy the sunshine. Visit Floriade. Read books. Relax.
I will take time out in Darwin chasing crocodiles and grandkids. All little and big critters who live in the top end. Whatever you do, please enjoy and keep safe.
Last week’s thought for the week is from Socrates of Athens (l. c. 470/469-399 BCE, and still relevant today:
Enjoy, see you in Term 4
Regards
Julie
Julie.cooper@ed.act.edu.au
What's Happening in the Groundbreakers
The Groundbreakers have been learning about democracy- with a particular focus on the Voice to Parliament- how it has passed through Parliament and what will happen if Australia votes either for or against it. It has been great to learn about a referendum in real time while we are in the process of one actually happening!
Here are some of our ideas about democracy.
Here is the path that the Voice has taken through parliament.
Here is what will happen if Australia votes “no”.
Here is what will happen if Australia votes “yes”.
We have been collecting all thee pamphlets that come through the mail. If you’re happy to donate any Ms Cottam would really appreciate any of your junk mail when you’re finished looking at it! Thank you!
Emma Cottam
What's Happening in the Skilful Survivors
Emily Dziubinski
What's Happening in French
This term in French, kindergarten students have been exploring simple shapes and body parts and using this vocabulary to create simple characters in which they have been labelling in French. They will continue to build their conversation skills using simple answers when introducing themselves. Through songs, gestures and games in class they will practise their speaking and listening skills and consolidate their use of French for classroom interactions.
Here are some examples of their work in the classroom:
This term in French, the Year 1 and 2 students have been participating in the French Poetry competition. Through this, students have learned how to accurately mimic and pronounce French words. Students have also learned how to say basic food names in French to explore the importance of food in French culture. The students also played different games and completed written activities to explore the concept of animals and have been introduced to more complex ways to express how they are feeling in class. Through songs, gestures, class games and written activities they have practised their speaking and listening skills in French.
Here are examples of their learning:
In Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 at Weetangera we have had the opportunity to be part of the French poetry competition. This competition has been a great success as the students have all been exposed to a French poem and have been learning these poems in class. The goal of participating in this competition has been to expose the students to the French pronunciation and allow the students to mimic and copy the way the letters make sounds in French. Each year level (3/4, 5/6) have had their own poems and have done an amazing job at learning them and reciting them in class. Well done to the finalists for this competition will be announced by the end of the term! Good luck to everyone.
Shamim Sabetraftar
What's Happening in Music
Year 3 & 4
The students in Year 3 and 4 have been learning about reading and composing music using different types of notation during their music rotation this term. They have been identifying and explaining the elements of music within a melody and are now working towards composing their own to perform to an audience. Each week, the students are asked an essential question that is relevant to their learning and critical thinking, such as ‘what is art?’ and ‘when is an artwork ready to present?’ They are using these questions to guide their learning, reflect upon and evaluate their compositions following their performance. Take a look at some of the incredible melodies in the making:
Year 5/6
The students in Year 5/6 have been learning how to develop technical and expressive skills when playing the ukulele. They have been exploring and identifying the different parts of the instrument, a few basic chords (C, F & G7) and have been explaining how to read chord diagrams. During their rotations, the students have been exploring new chords through their own research and practising how to transition smoothly between multiple chords while strumming various patterns along to a song of their choice.
Sarah Masling
Canteen
Hello WPS families & children
We have an awesome event coming up at Weetangera and the Canteen will be hosting a special lunch.
The canteen will also have special counter sales that reflect items commonly sold during the 70’s... so be sure to keep an eye out on Flexischool and FB for updates.
Week 3, Term 4 is when its all happening so get your order in fast, Our 50th Anniversary!!
Thank you everyone for supporting our P&C run Canteen and making the Weetangera Canteen a service we can continue providing the children and teachers of our school
Martina Fleeton🌻
Jump Rope for Heart
Weetangera Birthday Celebrations
Communication at Weetangera
PBL News
PBL News
For the last 18 months, we have had a team of teachers working away getting out Positive Behaviours for Learning program up and running and we would love to say hi!
The members of the team at present are:
- Emma Cottam
- Anastasia O’Donnell
- Emily Dziubinski
- Sarah Masling
- Joanne Lawson
- Isabel Dunn
- A parent representative- could this be you?!
We are looking forward to communicating what we have been up to more regularly through the newsletter. Here is some of what we have been doing lately:
- Designing a behaviour matrix for consistent expectations across the whole school
- Training staff on how to use the matrix and what to expect
- Assisting with a rebrand of school logos and signage
- Searching for a parent volunteer… (see below)
We are looking for a parent volunteer! We believe that the community has an important perspective and the team would love someone who feels they can contribute their ideas. At Weetangera Primary School we use PBL to develop respectful, resilient, responsible and inclusive learners.
We do this by:
- developing a common language and consistent expectations across the school.
- creating lessons to teach specific behaviours and social skills.
- Provide regular positive feedback to students to support their behaviour
- Ensure responses to behaviour is consistent and predictable
We would be asking the representative to attend one meeting a term. For Term 4, that would mean Tuesday of Week 5 or 7. The input from a parent representative would assist us to understand a Weetangera parent perspective on our PBL program and ensure we are connected with our school community.
If this sounds like something you would like to do, or you’d like more information, please email Emma Cottam: emma.cottam@ed.act.edu.au
Thank you!
P & C
Volunteers needed!
We need your help! We have three big events coming up and need volunteers to help run the Referendum Day BBQ and Cake Stall on 14 October, to give us a hand with Lapathon on 19 October, and the school’s 50th anniversary concert/BBQ on 3 November. No one volunteer slot is longer than 90 minutes long, and some are as little as 30 minutes. To sign up for a shift please head to https://signup.zone/weetangera-pandc.
Referendum BBQ and cake stall
The P&C will host a fundraising BBQ and cake stall at the school on Referendum Day, Saturday 14 October. Don't miss your chance to be part of the best democracy sausage factory in all of Belconnen and help raise money for the playground upgrade - sign up here to volunteer: https://signup.zone/weetangera-pandc.
We are also looking for donations of delicious baking to sell on the day. Individual items such as cupcakes, slices and biscuits are preferred, and can be dropped off directly to the stall on the morning (even before voting opens at 8am!). More details to come in week 1 next term.
Lap-a-thon
Lap-a-thon is back for another year! The children will walk and run the course on Thursday 19 October. The 2022 event raised over $10,000 and we’re looking to do even better in 2023, as we inch closer to having raised enough money to fund the first stage of the school playground upgrades.
Notes and sponsor sheets will come home with children before the school holidays, which will provide plenty of time for children to ask their grandparents, aunts and uncles and those close friends of the family they call aunts and uncles to sponsor them. All money raised will go towards the new school playground.
If you lose your sponsor sheet, or have a really successful time getting sponsors and need more pages, send us a message through one of our social media pages and we can send you another sheet.
Fundraising update
We’re happy to share that this year’s Father’s Day stall raised $1,700, taking the total money raised in Term 3 to over $6,000. Thank you to all of our families who’ve supported our events this year, and we look forward to a big Term 4 to finish off the school’s 50th year in style!
Let’s Get Social!
Follow our social media pages to stay up to date with the latest from the P&C and canteen. Enjoy what we do on social media? Give our posts a like or a comment, so that more of our families can see them even if they aren’t already following us. Don’t like what we do? Comment and tell us that, too.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/weetangerapandc
Instagram: www.instagram.com/weetangeraschoolpandc
And don’t forget to nominate Weetangera Primary School P&C as your Southern Cross Club Community Rewards Partner. Simply set and forget to raise money for our school without even trying, even during the school holidays.
Community Notices
Tag Rugby ACT has been established to provide quality, safe and exciting non-contact rugby based sporting events for the whole family across the Canberra region.
We are a family run organisation based in Canberra and cater for all ages, abilities and skill levels
Age groups are 8s 10s 12s 14s 16s 10-13 girls and 14-16 girls in juniors and mixed men’s and women’s in seniors
Northside and Southside registrations are now open.
Fundraising opportunities of $100 for each team registered to play Tag Rugby over summer, T&C apply.
For more information on how to get on board please reach out - admin@tagrugbyact.com.au
Good afternoon,
Transport Canberra has announced today that a new bus timetable will be implemented from Monday 9 October to align with the start of the school Term 4.
The timetable features more frequent weekday bus services, most of which will run at least every 30 minutes throughout the day.
A return to 30 minute daytime frequencies will ensure improved off-peak services can be provided between 9.30am and 3.30pm, while maintaining reliability. The increased frequency has resulted in changes to the first and last service times for some bus routes.
Some refinements have also been made to 14 school services based on school and community feedback, and to align with updated school bell times.
The new timetable does not include changes to weekend bus services and there are no changes to light rail frequency.
School packs and timetables
Updated school packs and timetables are now available online to view and download.
Further information on the new bus timetable can be found on the Transport Canberra website.
SCHOOL HOLIDAY KIDS WORKSHOPS NOW BOOKING
Come and build some awesome projects with Two Sheds Workshop, Wanniassa.
Workshops for kids 7yrs+, no experience needed. Holiday classes and weekly
Afterschool classes booking now.
Check out the range here: https://enrolmy.com/two-sheds-workshop#
