Dear Parents and Carers,

Week 8 was a relatively calm one, with few interruptions to routine. Our production performers completed a full dress rehearsal, and Mrs Behl-Shanks is very proud of how it is all coming together. A reminder that our public shows are on Thursday and Saturday – don’t miss out on your tickets for what will be a wonderful evening! Light snacks and drinks will also be available for purchase (cash only).

We were pleased to finally welcome the Dental Van to our school on Monday.

Last week I also met with the Asset Services Officer regarding school infrastructure. I am delighted to share that our library will receive new carpet during the 2025–26 school holiday break. We are also exploring options to reduce tripping hazards caused by the roots of the Fig Tree, which may include extending the surrounding garden bed.

On Wednesday, we were fortunate to host Mr Bill Field (DEL), who visited to discuss explicit teaching. Together, we observed a spelling lesson in Mrs Peterson’s classroom. Thank you to Mrs Peterson and Nanga Mai for demonstrating the high-quality learning taking place every day. Mr Field was particularly impressed with the explicit teaching, student engagement, and thoughtful differentiation on display.

I am thrilled to share the outstanding results of our JPS Book Fair. A total of $5,086.93 was raised, with more than $1,500 coming directly back to the school for new library books. Thank you to our parents, carers, grandparents, teachers, and generous book donors for your incredible support in making this event such a success.

Finally, we have our first Kindergarten Orientation session on Monday, 22nd September. This session will see our Pre-K students head into the Kindergarten classroom with Mrs Galea and our parent body at the hall for a brief introduction to the school. We can't wait to see our new Pre-K friends from 2-3 on Monday. 

Warm regards,

Katie Louttit

Relieving Principal

Get ready for a night of hilarious murder and mayhem! Our school production, Murder at Hotel Crumbhorn, promises plenty of laughs, mystery, and unforgettable entertainment. We have 2 performances on Thursday 18 September and Saturday 20 September at 7pm.

Tickets are on sale now from the school office:

• $20 Adults
• $15 Concession and students 12 and under 

Rehearsal Reminder

A full cast and crew rehearsal will be held after school on Friday 5 September from 3:15 – 5:15pm. We are really counting on everyone to attend. If you are unable to make it, please let the relevant staff member know as soon as possible:

• Actors: Mrs Behl-Shanks
• Dancers: Mrs Green
• Props: Ms Peterson

In the garden, we removed our dahlia tubers from the garden a month or so ago and have discussed where the best new location for them will be as they have spread significantly over the past few years (thank you Erica Downes). We are now replanting the tubers along the fence line and hope this will be a great place for them, with the ability to stake them to the fence.I'd like to thank the Years 3 to 6 students who came along to gardening club to help with this effort this week! We also had some students helping plant some bromeliads in the Jamberoo history garden (in front of the K and 1 classrooms).

Thank you so much to these students!  They took home flowers and lemons.

Mrs McCormack

In our novel study, Bindi, the main characters experience a major bushfire. In response to this, Walabi students have worked on artworks showing bushfire and burnt trees and buildings, as well as some animals (see photos).

Mrs McCormack

English

We have finished reading Rabbit Soldier, Angel Thief and wrote thoughtful letters from the perspective of different characters, showing empathy and creativity. We are now moving on to Worse Things, a powerful book of free verse poetry. Students are exploring how poetry can tell stories, share feelings, and build connections. We’ve also begun writing our own poems, experimenting with rhythm, imagery, and word choice.

Mathematics

In Maths, we’ve been exploring measurement and angles. Students have been practising with protractors, solving real-world angle problems, and challenging themselves with more complex tasks. Estimating and checking answers has helped build both confidence and accuracy.

Geography – Focus on Japan

As part of our Geography unit on Australia’s connections with other countries, students are researching Japan and preparing to “be the teacher.” They will share lessons on topics such as sushi making, sumo wrestling, and ikebana (Japanese flower arranging). We can’t wait to see the creativity and learning in action!

Visual Arts

This fortnight, students have also been busy creating some wonderful 3D artworks. Their projects show imagination, problem-solving, and persistence, and the results have been fantastic.

What an incredible week we had at the JPS Book Fair! Thanks to the amazing support of our school community, we raised a massive $5,086.93. From this, our school will receive just over $1,500 to spend on brand-new books for our library – a huge boost for our students’ reading adventures.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to all the parents, carers, and grandparents who came along and supported the fair. We are so grateful for your generosity and encouragement of our young readers.

We’d also like to acknowledge our dedicated teachers, who kindly gave up their mornings and afternoons to assist with running the fair. Your help made the event possible, and we couldn’t have done it without you!

Finally, a big thank you to everyone who donated books – your thoughtful contributions will be treasured and enjoyed by many students for years to come.

Our library shelves are about to become even more exciting, and it’s all thanks to our wonderful school community.

Mrs Green

The countdown is on! The 2025 Premier’s Reading Challenge will close next Friday, 19th September.

We encourage all students 3-6 to log on to Google Classroom and make sure they have selected and recorded the 20 books they have read this year. Every student who completes the challenge will receive official recognition for their achievement and will join thousands of students across NSW in celebrating a love of reading.

The challenge is a fantastic way to encourage regular reading habits, discover new authors, and share book recommendations with friends. Most importantly, it’s about celebrating the joy of stories and the adventures we find in books.

Let’s finish strong, JPS! We can’t wait to see how many of our students complete the challenge this year. Keep reading and recording — every page counts!

Mrs Green

We have one more exciting P&C barbecues coming up – always a rewarding way to support our school while raising important funds for our students.

Upcoming BBQ:

• Bunnings BBQ – Saturday 26 October at Albion Park Bunnings

To make this event a success, we need volunteers to help run the BBQs in 2-hour shifts. They’re always fun days, with plenty of laughs and a great chance to meet other families while giving back to the school.

If you can’t make it on the day, you can still support us by donating soft drinks for sale – every contribution helps!

👉 Click here to sign up to volunteer or pledge a donation

Thank you for your support – every snag sold makes a difference for our kids!