Newsletter

NAIDOC Week - For Our Elders

Our school will celebrate NAIDOC Week from the 31 July to 4 August (Term 3, Week 3). A timetable of events is included in the newsletter this week. We welcome our school community to join in throughout the week.

Kindergarten 2024

We will be holding two Kindergarten information sessions for parents on Wednesday the 2 August. The first session will begin at 9:30 am and the second session will be at 6.00 pm. This is another opportunity for you to find out more about our school and ask any questions you might have about your child starting school. If you are unable to attend these sessions you are welcome to make an appointment to come and meet with school staff at an alternate time. If your child is starting school next year and you haven't filled out an enrolment form we encourage you to do so as soon as possible. We will be planning transition to school sessions and contacting families with students starting school to make sure that the start of school is successful. Please contact us if you have any questions or enquiries.

School Fence

Work will begin this week on a new security fence for our school.  Work is expected to continue for a number of weeks. We will notify you if there are any changes to drop off and pick up locations during construction.

Staff Professional Learning

We are focused on improving student growth and attainment and ensuring that high quality teaching and learning leads to successful students. This term staff will participate in professional learning with a focus on:

• Teaching and learning in measurement. This is a continuation from term 2 where we implemented a series of lessons focused on student achievement data, evidence informed strategies and feedback to students about their learning.
• Curriculum reform and the implementation of the new syllabus in English and Mathematics.
• Student wellbeing.
• Feedback and assessment during learning strategies.

Online Permission Notes

We are transitioning to online permission notes. This will hopefully make returning permission notes easier. Paper notes will still be available on request. The first major excursion where we will be using an online permission note is our NAIDOC Week excursion to the Bingi Dreaming Track. This excursion is in week 3. You should have received an email on Friday that provided access to the online note. If you did not receive an email or if you need any support please do not hesitate to contact the office.

NAPLAN

This term, parents of students in Years 3 and 5 who participated in the NAPLAN assessments will receive their child’s NAPLAN 2023 individual student report. Below is some important information to know about individual student results and NAPLAN 2023.

New proficiency standards

From 2023, the individual student report will look different to previous years. One significant change is that NAPLAN results are now reported against proficiency standards, with student achievement shown against 4 levels of proficiency: Exceeding, Strong, Developing and Needs additional support. There is a standard for each assessment area at each year level. The NAPLAN measurement scale and time series have also been reset. For more information see the individual student report brochure for parents and carers.

NAPLAN reports and ongoing assessments

NAPLAN tests are only one aspect of each school’s assessment and reporting process. As they are held once every 2 years for each student, they cannot replace the extensive, ongoing assessments made by teachers about student performance. For information about how to read individual student reports watch the reading the NAPLAN Individual Student Report video.

Student results

When reading your child’s NAPLAN 2023 results please keep in mind:

• From 2023, new proficiency standards were introduced to NAPLAN reporting. This reporting replaces the previous numerical NAPLAN reporting bands and national minimum standards.
• A performance result less than expected may indicate the student requires more targeted support or may just reflect other factors that affected their performance on that day.  
• Proficiency standards provide clear information on student achievement. They are set at a challenging but reasonable level expected for the child at the time of NAPLAN testing, based mainly on what has been taught in previous years of schooling.
• Individual students may demonstrate different skills or understandings depending on which parts of the tests they performed more strongly in. Students whose results fall near the top of a proficiency level will be able to demonstrate more of the skills, or more complex understanding. Students whose results fall near the lower end of a level will be able to demonstrate fewer of the skills, or less complex understanding.
• It is important to remember NAPLAN tests are one aspect of a school’s assessment and reporting process. They complement ongoing assessments so that teachers can best support teaching and learning. The achievement demonstrated in classroom-based assessments and reporting through A-E grades provide parents with timely feedback on how their child is progressing.

We encourage any parent or carer who is concerned about their child’s NAPLAN results or who would like to discuss them further to talk to your child’s teacher. 

Have a wonderful week.

Sarah Davis

We had the privilege during our Staff Development Day last week to hear from five truly inspiring student leaders from Moruya High School.  Before they presented to staff, I spent some time with the students and asked some questions about their aspirations for the future.  Listening to these young leaders it is easy to feel hopeful for our future.

The purpose of the visit from Moruya High School student leaders was to highlight the strong Kindergarten to Year 12 public education pathway that exists in our area.  The students sang the praises of our high school, emphasising the range of opportunities they have had throughout their time at the school.  They spoke with passion about the staff at the high school and how they have gone above and beyond to provide them with exceptional learning opportunities.

Whilst it was wonderful for our primary teachers to get some insight into life at high school, the session was also food for thought for all staff on how we can best set students up for success as they transition from primary into the high school setting. We look forward to continuing to work with the high school to ensure all students in our area have strong educational opportunities.

Mrs Scobie

• P&C Meeting - Today 3.10 pm in the school staffroom
• Uniform Shop Meeting - Wednesday 26 July 3.10 pm school staffroom
• District Athletics Carnival - Thursday 27 July at Surfside
• Peer Support Celebration - Friday 28 July 2.15 pm
• NAIDOC Week Morning Tea - Monday 31 July 11.00 am
• NAIDOC Week Dreaming Track - Wednesday 2 August 10.00 am - 2.00 pm
• Kindergarten 2024 Information Session - Wednesday 2 August 9.30 am & 6.00 pm school library
• Far South Coast Drama Festival - Tuesday 15 August at Yuin Theatre Bay Pavillions
• Vietnam Veterans -  Batemans Bay Friday 18 August
• Book Week - Commences Monday 21 August
• Indigenous Reading Project - Commences Monday 21 August
• Book Week Parade - Tuesday 22 August
• School Photos - Wednesday 23 August

It has been good to see a lot of overdue books making their way back to the library.

A reminder to students participating in the Premiers Reading Challenge that they need to have it completed and their reading log sheet handed to me at the library by Friday 25 August.

Book week is fast approaching. I am so excited to see what costumes our students have come up with this year. The book parade will be on Tuesday Week 6, 22 August.

Library borrowing days have changed for some classes this term. Please check below so you can remind your child to have their book ready to return on that day.

MONDAY             6A                    Bilbies                     4/5PW

TUESDAY             Seals                Barras                    

WEDNESDAY      5T                    Gwiyaalas    3B       

THURSDAY          5/6M               Wallabies    Penguins          Pelicans

FRIDAY                2/6H                Dulumas      4M                   Possums          Lyrebirds

Happy Reading!

Mrs Canham - Teacher Librarian

Junior Boys (8-10ys)     Champion - Cameron D-H     Runner Up - Deua

Boys (11yrs)                   Champion - Ryan                    Runner Up - Max K

Boys (12/13yrs)             Champion - Jailyn                    Runner Up - Adam W

Junior Girls (8-10yrs)    Champion - Gabby S              Runner Up - Mila

Girls (11yrs)                   Champion - Zara                     Runner Up - Johanna

Girls (12-13yrs)             Champion - Lucy B                  Runner Up - Ella

Last week in our Peer Support session we looked at the impact of how working together as a team with similar beliefs, can provide a barrier to bullying.  When everyone is focussed on promoting positive behaviours that respect diversity and individual needs, bullying can be reduced. Activities that focus on building the strength of teams and awareness of the responsiblities of bystanders assists in a whole of school approach.

This week will be the final session in our Stronger Together Peer Support module which will summarise skills learnt in previous sessions and provide an opportunity to plan to implement further initiatives across the school.  Students will be able to identify personal and whole of school goals to further address bullying and build their own resilience.  Ask students what they have learnt and what else they would like to learn about having good relationships.

Peer Support will conclude with a whole school celebration this Friday 28 July.  Year 6 Peer Support leaders will plan a fun session with games.  We ask all Year 5  and Year 6 and our Peer Support Leaders to provide a small plate of food to share with the group.

Thank you to all the participaing students, the Peer Leaders, our staff and you as parents for your support throughout this program.

Our students were invited to participate in the Eurobodalla Shire Council’s NAIDOC Week Flag Raising ceremony to perform an Acknowledgment of Country in dhurga language. The ceremony also included a Welcome to Country, cultural dances and smoking ceremony, raising of the flag, followed by a morning tea. Thank you to our students and their families who attended the event on the first day of school holidays.

What a wonderful event which was a sell out at the Bay Pavillions on 27 June! Schools from Merimbula to Berry participated in showcasing their performances. Moruya Public School  was 'Dancing Through the Decades" choreographed by Mrs Helene Stokes. A BIG thank you to Mrs Stokes for all her time coordinating our students, rehearsing in afternoon tea breaks, creating costumes and producing a brilliant performance from our school.  Our students were great ambassadors representing Moruya Public School. We would like to also thank parents, siblings, and staff for assisting with costumes, hair and make-up and transporting our performers to the event. 

We would love for you to be involved with our Uniform Shop meeting on Wednesday 26 July at 3.10 pm in our school staffroom. We value any participation that families can make. Everyone is welcome to attend including young children.

We are so proud of Josie Wassell, such a passionate advocate for our local youth and an excellent ambassador of public education.  Josie is currently part of the amazing group of student leaders from Moruya High who have been a part of our Community of Schools initiative.  Well done Josie! Click on link below for the full story via 'Living in Eurobodalla' community news.

Youth Voice Rings Clear - Living in the Eurobodalla