Dear JPS Families,

This week has been a little quieter for our students, but very busy behind the scenes, with up to six staff members unwell on some days. A variety of colds and flu have been circulating, and we have certainly felt the impact across the school.

District Athletics

A big thank you to Mrs Kunkler for organising the district athletics last Friday and well done to all our students who competed in the track and field events. Special congratulations to Gus for his brilliant performance in high jump, placing 2nd and earning a spot at the regional athletics. We wish Gus the best of luck. 

NAIDOC Week

This NAIDOC Week, our students engaged in a meaningful program exploring Indigenous culture and stories. I was so proud to see our Year 6 students step up as leaders, designing and delivering lessons based on a local Dreamtime story. Well done to our Year 6 students!

Inclusive School Sports

On Tuesday 12th August, Elijah, Lulu, Tobias and Ivy represented Jamberoo Public School at the Inclusive School Sport Ten Pin Bowling competition at Zone Bowling in Albion Park — and what an amazing day it was! While I didn’t get to see it in person, the photos show our students celebrating every great throw with fist bumps, “Yesssss!” cheers, and the classic victory pose. Well done! 

Debating Team

I’m incredibly proud of our Jamberoo Public School debating team supported by Mrs Behl-Shanks - Sienna, Maeve, Zahli, and Zane. Goodluck as they step up for the sudden-death Premier’s Debating Challenge finals, with Scarlett chairing the debate.

Multicultural Public Speaking Competition 

Good luck to Zahli on Monday as she competes in the regional final of the Multicultural Perspectives Public Speaking Competition, representing Jamberoo Public School and sharing her speech, “Everyone has a story”. 

Premier's Spelling Challenge

Kiara and Amelia will represent our school at the next stage of the competition on Monday (virtually from school) — we wish them the very best of luck!  

Dental Van

The dental van had an original booking with our school but did not attend. After we followed up, they rescheduled for yesterday, but unfortunately, no one came again. We have now been in contact with them, and a new visit has been scheduled for early next week. We apologise for the repeated inconvenience and will keep you updated if there are any further changes.

Book Week and Grandparents' Day 

The much-anticipated week is almost here! In Week 6, we’ll be celebrating Book Week with our book parade, book fair, and Grandparents’ Day. We’re excited to welcome our preschool friends from Jamberoo Community Preschool to join the parade, and we’ll also have a special sibling and preschool lap.

Teacher Desks

A big thank you to Kieran for donating teacher sit/stand desks following a refurb of his office space. We really appreciate your thoughtfulness! We look forward to Mr Chad assembling the desks so our staff can start using them.

I wish you all a happy weekend. See you on Monday. 

Kind regards,

Katie Louttit

Relieving Principal

Over 4,000 speeches have been delivered across the state — and now just 160 of NSW’s most talented primary school speakers remain, ready to battle it out for a coveted place in the state finals.

For more than 30 years, the Multicultural Perspectives Public Speaking Competition has inspired students to explore multiculturalism in Australia while building their speaking skills, critical thinking, and confidence. Each year, around 2,000 students advance to the local finals, and only the very best progress to the regional stage.

On Monday 18 August, Zahli will proudly represent Jamberoo Public School in the regional final, after winning the district title last term. Competing against the top Stage 3 public speakers from the Illawarra, South Coast, and Southern Highlands, Zahli will deliver her speech on the thought-provoking topic, “Everyone has a story."

Adding to the excitement, Jamberoo PS will be the host school for the regional final. We wish Zahli the very best as she steps up to the stage and inspires us all!

Mrs Behl-Shanks

The stakes couldn’t be higher this Friday, 15 August, as Jamberoo Public School’s debating dream team — Sienna, Maeve, Zahli, and Zane — step up to the podium for the sudden-death Premier’s Debating Challenge finals, capably supported by Scarlett who will be chairing the debate.

Their opponents? The formidable Marulan Public School. Our crew will need every ounce of wit, teamwork, and persuasive power to out-talk and out-think their rivals. It’s brains over brawn in this high-pressure knockout — and only one team will advance. Will it be Jamberoo? Find out in next week’s newsletter when we bring you the full match report!

Mrs Behl-Shanks

NAIDOC Week Celebrations

During this year’s NAIDOC Week, students participated in a meaningful program designed to deepen their understanding of Indigenous culture and stories. Students were divided into K-6 groups. Our Year 6 students demonstrated leadership by developing detailed lesson plans to deliver, centred around a local Dreamtime story. Each lesson incorporated reading the story and a hands-on activity, fostering engagement and cultural appreciation across all year levels.

Activities included:

• Wombat dot painting using templates, cotton buds, and white acrylic paint.

• Created maps of Five Islands using paper, pencils, and textas, with materials readily available on desks.

• Produced butterfly art employing templates and pastels.

• Painted cockatoos using templates, cotton buds, and coloured acrylic paints.

• Constructed origami boats .

• Created Five Islands artwork using black paint and watercolours.

The activities were thoughtfully designed to support cultural learning while encouraging creativity and collaboration among students. Well done, Year 6!

Mrs Peterson and Ms Stehr

On Tuesday 12th August, Elijah, Lulu, Tobias and Ivy represented Jamberoo Public School at an Inclusive School Sport Ten Pin Bowling competition held at Zone Bowling in Albion Park.

All students did an outstanding job representing their school with pride and achieving some excellent bowling results. They cheered each other on and cheered for students from competing schools in the adjacent lanes. Their results will be sent off for judging and comparison with other schools in the state to establish the winning schools.

A big thank you to Mrs Caulfield and Mrs Dowling for their assistance and encouragement on the day.

Mrs Kunkler

Mark your calendars — the countdown is on! Tickets for our highly anticipated 2025 school production, Murder at Hotel Crumbhorn, will be available from next Thursday morning (21 August) from the school office.

Join us for an unforgettable evening of mystery, laughter, and a dash of spooky fun as our talented Year 2 – Year 6 students take to the stage. From quick-witted actors and graceful dancers to behind-the-scenes prop magicians and tech geniuses, this is a school showcase you won’t want to miss!

Performance Dates:

• Thursday 18 September – 7:00 pm
• Saturday 20 September – 7:00 pm

• Adults – $20
• Under 12s / Concession – $15

We are delighted to invite all grandparents and grand friends to join us for Grandparents’ Day at Jamberoo Public School — a special morning dedicated to celebrating the cherished role grandparents play in our children's lives.

The morning will begin with a morning tea at 9:30am, where families can reconnect and enjoy some light refreshments. From 9:45am, our students will take the stage to share performances filled with heart and joy — a true highlight of the day!

Following the performances, families are welcome to step inside the classrooms for a closer look at student learning during our classroom visits from 10:10am. Grandparents will have the opportunity to see students in their learning spaces, share a story, and admire the work they’ve been doing.

To wrap up the morning, our Book Fair will be open from 10:40–11:00am, giving grandparents the chance to help their grandchildren pick out a book or two — the perfect keepsake from a memorable day.

We can’t wait to welcome you to our school community and share this heartwarming celebration together.

Walabi students thoroughly enjoyed our Public Education Week last week! A big thank you goes to Mrs Micaela Donaldson (and Oscar) for our fantastic craft — the wire trees. Students absolutely loved this craft and not a single tree was left behind at the end of the day. Walabi students were extremely proud of their trees.

And I'd like to say a big thank you to all the parents who attended our African drumming session on Thursday! We had lots of fun. Hopefully seeing some of these activities and the "Listening carefully" piece in person was helpful in understanding the descriptions your child has made in the past, of activities in our African drumming unit. As I said, that's the biggest drumming circle I have ever held. I was proud of how well Walabi students managed it.

In mathematics, we are continuing our polygons investigations. First, students investigated how many different polygons could be made from the two triangles and 1 square. We have now moved on to looking at the area and perimeter of these polygons. We have been looking into whether polygons of the same area would also have the same perimeter.

Students have started writing their own free verse poems, while reading our free verse narrative novel Bindi.  They are embracing the writing of poetry with enthusiasm!

I've also included some photos from the previous two weeks, as I somehow inadvertently left out the photos from my last blurb.

Mrs McCormack

In 5 Cooinda we have been captivated by 'Rabbit Soldier Angel Thief' by Katrina Nannestad. As I share each chapter aloud, students use the reading strategy of visualisation - which means building rich images in their minds of the people, places, feelings and events in the story. They then turn these mental pictures into detailed drawings and carefully chosen words to capture the heart of chapter. This approach sparks creativity, strengthens comprehension and makes the story unforgettable by engaging multiple areas of the brain. It supports Stage 3 English outcomes by building skills in interpreting narrative, understanding plot and character, and expressing meaning in imaginative ways.

Mr Reed

In class, Mr Reed reads a chapter of 'Rabbit Soldier Angel Thief' aloud, and while he’s reading, we use our imagination to picture everything. We call this visualisation, and it helps us understand the story better. As we listen, we draw pictures and write words or phrases to show what we’ve imagined. It’s like turning the story into our own little movie, and it’s a fun way to remember all the important events! Look at our amazing chapter summarises!

Maeve 

Visualisation is when you imagine the characters in the story and the events that take place. When we listen to the story we create pictures in our minds of what is happening. Mr Reed reads the book 'Rabbit Soldier Angel Thief' and we draw images to help us remember what has happened. This is a great way to understand the text.

Leo

The past two weeks in 6 Cooinda have been a wonderful mix of hands-on learning, special guests and opportunities for our students to shine as leaders.

Education Week Highlights

As part of Education Week, we had the privilege of welcoming Mr Tonta into our classroom. He spoke to the students about his varied and fascinating career—including his time in the Australian Army, his work as a helicopter pilot, and later as an airline pilot. Students were captivated by his real-life stories and enjoyed exploring the army ration packs and navigation maps he brought along. These items gave the class a tangible connection to the skills and experiences he described.

One of the key messages Mr Tonta wanted to share was the importance of resilience and having a growth mindset—skills he credits for his success in every role he has taken on. This message linked beautifully with our current novel study, which explores life during World War II. Students were able to draw parallels between the challenges faced by people during that time and the perseverance and adaptability needed in everyday life.

Finishing Our Parliament Unit

We concluded our Civics and Citizenship unit by creating our very own class parliament. Students stepped into the roles of members, ministers, and the Speaker of the House to bring our learning to life. The highlight was introducing and debating a bill titled “Homework Should Be Banned.” There were well-researched arguments on both sides, with students weighing up issues like academic responsibility, time for hobbies, and the importance of practice outside of school. The debate was passionate yet respectful, and it was great to see how much their confidence in public speaking and persuasion has grown.

NAIDOC Week Lessons

In preparation for NAIDOC Week, Year 6 students worked in small teams to plan and deliver lessons to younger classes. Each group selected an Aboriginal Dreamtime story to share, followed by a related craft activity. The aim was not only to celebrate and share Aboriginal culture but also to teach about the themes and lessons within these traditional stories.

Our students quickly learned just how much planning and organisation goes into running a successful lesson! From gathering resources to practising instructions and managing their audience, they took on the role of teacher with energy and enthusiasm. The feedback from younger students and staff was overwhelmingly positive, and it was clear that our Year 6s not only communicated the NAIDOC Week message effectively but also demonstrated leadership, patience, and creativity.

Get ready for a magical week filled with stories, costumes, laughter and a celebration of reading!

Book Week 2025 is just around the corner, and we have an exciting lineup of events planned for our students, families, and community. From our colourful Book Parade to our heartwarming Grandparents’ Day, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. And don’t forget to visit our Book Fair, packed with books to inspire every reader!

Monday 25 August

The Book Fair will open for student viewing only during the school day. Students will get a chance to browse the books and start planning their wish lists!

Tuesday 26 August

The Book Fair is open to families from 8:30–9:00am and again in the afternoon from 3:00–3:30pm. Come along and discover a new favourite story.

Wednesday 27 August

A day full of excitement! Our Secret Teacher Swap where a surprise teacher swaps classes to share a story and an activity and our beloved Book Parade will run from 12:10–12:50pm. The Book Fair will be open 8:30–9:00am, after the parade, and again from 3:00–3:30pm.

Thursday 28 August

We welcome our grand friends and grandparents for Grandparents’ Day! Join us for a beautiful morning together, and visit the Book Fair before school (8:30–9:00am), after the event, and again from 3:00–3:30pm.

Friday 29 August

Our final day of Book Week! The Book Fair will be open from 8:30–9:00am and 3:00–3:30pm. It’s your last chance to grab a book or two before it wraps up for another year.

📖✨ Let’s come together to celebrate curiosity, creativity and the joy of reading. We can’t wait to see your amazing costumes, welcome our wonderful grandparents and share in the excitement of Book Week 2025!

Get Ready for Our 2025 Book Week Dress-Up Parade! 

Book Week is just around the corner, and it’s time to get creative — our much-loved JPS Book Week Dress-Up Parade is happening on Wednesday Week 6! This year’s exciting theme is “Book an Adventure!” — a celebration of bold journeys, mysterious maps, magical worlds, and unforgettable characters who take us places we've never been before. Whether the adventure happens by sea, sky, forest, or bookshelf, students are invited to come dressed as a character from their favourite book! 2025 is also a milestone year for us as we celebrate 80 years of Children’s Book Week! For 8 decades, CBCA has been dedicated to inspiring young minds to journey through the countless worlds that books offer. 

Costume Ideas to Inspire Adventurers: Here are some bookish adventure-themed costume ideas if you're stuck!

Nature & Animal Explorers:

Bluey or Bingo (Bluey by Joe Brumm)

• Fern Arable (Charlotte’s Web)
• Hiccup from How to Train Your Dragon
• Sam or Frightening Falcon from My Side of the Mountain
• Slinky Malinki (series Picture books)

Fantasy & Magical Journeys:

• Harry Potter, Hermione, or Hagrid from Harry Potter
• Lucy Pevensie from The Chronicles of Narnia
• Percy Jackson from Camp Half-Blood
• Matilda with her magical books

Real-World Travelers:

• Alfie or his mum from Are We There Yet? by Alison Lester
• The family from We Live in a Bus (a 2025 CBCA Shortlist title!)
• Phileas Fogg from Around the World in 80 Days
• Tintin the reporter adventurer

Sci-fi & Space Explorers:

• Rocket from Look Up!
• The Little Prince
• An astronaut from any space book (like Mousetronaut, Astro Girl, or There's No Place Like Space!)

Mystery Solvers & Secret Agents:

• Harriet the Spy
• Detective Dog Nell
• Agents from the Secret Agent Mole series

Ocean, Pirate, & Underwater Adventurers:

• Moana (for her sea journey)
• Captain Hook or Peter Pan
• The Rainbow Fish
• Pippi Longstocking (who sailed the seas!)

Just to name a few!

No need to buy anything fancy! Use what you have at home — hats, scarves, capes, backpacks, or face paint can work wonders. Please ensure costumes are comfortable and school-appropriate and please NO COSTUME WEAPONS.

We can't wait to see your wild, wonderful and imaginative outfits — let’s all Book an Adventure together and make this Book Week one to remember! Happy reading and dressing up!

Mrs Green