Nuriootpa Primary School

This newsletter finds us at the end of Week 4!! We have had a fantastic start to the year, and students are now fully immersed in their learning.

I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome all of our new families to our school. We have a large cohort of Reception students, with new families who have joined us as their first child starts school (remember those emotional days!!) and also some lovely new students across years 1 to 6.  If you haven’t met me, or the rest of the leadership team, yet please don’t hesitate to drop in and introduce yourself !

I’d also like to take this opportunity to welcome our new staff members (photos below) and also go through a few points for your information.

Firstly, we welcome in the 2/3 class Ms Lauren Peck and Ms Courtney Watson. Lauren and Courtney are sharing the teaching of this class with both teaching two days per week and alternating on the Friday. They worked tirelessly together to set up this class and have already built very positive relationships with their new students. We also have Ms Shania Ritchie who has taken up the teaching of the 4/5 class. Miss Ritchie has joined us from Renmark West PS and we are very happy to have her on staff. 

Partially new, but not really!, is Ms Rochelle Bragg who did join us in term 4 when Miss Kalisch became Mrs Goodwin and left! At that time Rochelle perhaps did not have a formal welcome so I’d like to take the opportunity now to thank Rochelle for her hard work thus far and to welcome her onto our staff. 

In addition we have some new specialist subject teachers. Ben Parkinson and Ali Gosse are responsible for PE across R-6 and they are already busy working with our students in the Health & PE area. Mr Parkinson has started on our SAPSASA program for 2026 and Ally is also teaching Auslan to some classes. They have made such a great start to the year!

Finally, we have Ms Kiran James who joins us to teach the Arts across R-6 two days per week. Ms James will also be working with Cloudy on the school choir. Choir is for students in years 4 to 6 and interested students have started this on Wednesdays. A note went home this week regarding choir arrangements - please return it ASAP if your child is one of the members! Welcome Kiran!

Governing Council

I am very happy to say that this year we have a FULL complement of Governing Council members. 15 members who are keen to support myself and staff in making this the best place to work and learn!

Governing Council (GC) meet on Mondays in Weeks 3 and 8. If you'd like to talk to a GC member about anything pertaining to school your members are:

Chair - Melanie Pettigrew    Vice - Marnie Southam

Secretary - Madeleine Chapman   Treasurer - Sally Guy                               

Members:

Sophie Beers, Jayde Keley, Jessica Schwarz, Elly Houston, Crystal Hall, Sarah Martin, Shona Gates, Hayley Laney, Gen Dahlenburg, Michelle Braley, Teearn Fitzpatrick

They are always happy to talk on matters NPS related!

New JP Area

If you have popped into school this year you will see our lovely new Junior Primary area. The children are already really enjoying the space and the opportunity for fun water play! This area is open in the mornings for students to move around in. However, this area does have large rocks, wooden bridges and small stones (a natural riverbed) which, while BEEAAAUUUTTIIFFUUULLL, will hurt when and if a child falls on it. Please support us in (often) reminding students that it is an area of NO RUNNING (no chasey). I am on yard duty in the morning and often remind students too!

Car Parking

Just a reminder that the back carpark is shared with the bowling club (actually it is their car park!) so please make sure you abide by parking regulations and are driving at the reduced speed requested.

Start of Year Expectations

We had a great start to the year with week 1 being used to concentrate on values and our school expectations of:

#1: Come to class prepared to learn

#2: Everyone has the right to learn

#3: Everyone has the right to feel and be safe

This sets a common understanding for behaviour in the classroom and yard, allowing for maximum time spent on learning.

Please be mindful that Nuriootpa Primary School DOES NOT HAVE ANY TOLERANCE FOR VIOLENCE OR BULLYING. If your child is violent then this is deemed as contrary to Expectation #3 and will be removed from the yard or class. Likewise, any ongoing bullying is not acceptable. While we will be restorative and support the "child who bullies" it is taken very seriously, and we will handle every case as it happens. Our focus is 'Everyone has the right to feel and be safe' and every effort is taken to support children who feel or have been bullied or harmed in any way. Please support us by having discussion about being kind and caring with your children and adhering to our school values and expectations.

Parent-Teacher Interviews

In week 7 we will have Parent-Teacher interviews. Please make every effort to attend this initial interview. We value talking with you about your child(ren) and like to ensure we are "on the same page". In this way we can work together to ensure they have the most positive experiences possible.

Canteen

At present we do not have canteen running. this is disappointing for the school community so Governing Council will be reviewing the scenario to see how we can best provide some food service to families. Our reduced size (from the heyday of 20 years ago! ) combined with increasing food costs and cost of living pressures on families make running a canteen a tricky endeavour. We will most likely look at special food order days. Watch this space for more news as we discuss further.

My accompanying photograph was taken this week in the early morning here at school. It is very peaceful and the light is fantastic in the morning - and makes me feel grateful to be able to work at NPS 😊

If you have any questions / comments about how we do things here at Nuriootpa PS don't hesitate to give me a buzz. 

Best,

Vicky

Welcome to the start of a new school year! I trust everyone enjoyed a well-deserved break. It is wonderful to see our students returning to the classrooms, ready to embark on a year filled with learning, personal growth, and fresh opportunities. We have had a positive beginning to the term. Our early discussions and activities centred on values and expectations have helped students settle in smoothly and embrace their return to school. Classrooms are calm and focused, with teaching and learning routines already well established. I have been highly impressed by the students’ positive attitudes in class and the respect they show towards one another. Our teachers are enthusiastic and dedicated to providing engaging and high-quality learning experiences, with a strong emphasis on building relationships with their students.  

The weather has been very hot, which has increased our focus on hats in the yard and ensuring students drink plenty of water. Please make sure your children have a wide-brimmed hat and plenty of water for their day at school.   

The earlier time of year for NAPLAN continues this year. This testing will begin on Wednesday 11th March (Week 7) and will involve year 3 and 5 students. Information for parents of students in these year levels will be sent home shortly. Please contact me at the school if you have any concerns regarding NAPLAN.   

Welcome back to another exciting school year! I hope all our families enjoyed a refreshing break, kept cool and are feeling ready for the year ahead. As we begin this new school year, my priority remains the wellbeing of every child in our care.

A new year can bring a mix of emotions for students — excitement, nervousness, and sometimes uncertainty. Changes in teachers, routines, friendships, learning expectations and home circumstances can all impact how children feel at school. We want our families to know that student wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do.

At school, we support student wellbeing by:

• Creating safe, welcoming classrooms where every child feels valued and included
• Having a whole school focus on “Values” for the first week
• Teaching social and emotional skills such as resilience, kindness and problem-solving
• Encouraging positive friendships and respectful behaviour
• Providing quiet spaces, such as the interoception room and trusted adults for students who need time to talk or reset
• Monitoring students who may be experiencing challenges and offering extra support when needed

We believe that the best support happens when school and home work together. Families can help by:

• Keeping routines consistent and ensuring children get enough rest
• Encouraging open conversations about how school is going
• Letting teachers or the front office know if there are changes at home that may affect your child
• Reaching out early if you notice your child feeling worried, withdrawn or unsettled

If your child needs additional support, we are here to help. Please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s teacher or myself if you have any concerns. Small conversations can make a big difference.

This year we have established “Coffee Connections” held every Wednesday from 9am in the activity room, providing a relaxed and welcoming space for parents and carers to connect with one another while enjoying a cuppa. Attending Coffee Connections helps build friendships, strengthens our school community and gives families the opportunity to share ideas, ask questions and feel supported. These informal catch-ups will also help you feel more connected to school life, which in turn supports student wellbeing and positive learning experiences for our children.

Together, we can ensure every student feels safe, supported and ready to learn. Thank you for trusting us with your children and for being such an important part of our school community. We look forward to a positive and successful school year.

This is my second year working as Student Wellbeing Support Officer at Nuriootpa Primary School, and it truly is a pleasure to be part of such a caring school community. I love being involved in Playgroup, Breakfast Club and Coffee Connections, each space offers beautiful opportunities for connection and belonging. I am really enjoying getting to know our students whether that’s through simple check ins, supporting individuals, or running small social and emotional connection groups. Supporting student wellbeing is about creating safe spaces where children feel seen, heard and valued, and it is a privilege to walk alongside our students and support their wellbeing each day.

Fiona

Hello, my name is Kiran James and I’m very excited to be joining the school community as the Performing Arts teacher. I teach music, dance and drama, with a focus on fun, inclusive learning where students feel confident to explore, create and express themselves.

This term, Reception to Year 3 students will be learning about sound and music through singing, movement and hands-on activities. Students will explore how instruments make sound through vibrations (such as wind, strings and percussion), create simple handmade instruments, and use these to make soundscapes. Reception will focus on singing, movement and steady beat, while Years 1–3 will create soundscapes for stories and nursery rhymes, building their understanding of pitch, rhythm and musical expression.

Volunteers Welcome at Nuriootpa Primary School! 

We are always looking for enthusiastic and supportive volunteers to assist in a variety of areas around our school. If you are interested in contributing your time and skills—whether it be in the classroom, library, garden, or during school events—please contact the school. Volunteering is a wonderful way to become more involved with our school community and support our students’ learning. 

 If you would like to find out more or express your interest, please phone the front office (86621040) or email us at dl.0781.info@schools.sa.edu.au. All volunteers are required to complete a Working With Children Check and RRHAN (Responding to Risks of Harm, Abuse and Neglect), in line with department guidelines. 

 We look forward to welcoming new and returning volunteers to our school. 

Principal: Ms Vicky Ireland

Deputy Principal: Mr Steve Cornish

Partnership: Barossa Valley     I     Education Office: Gawler

15 Buna Terrace, Nuriootpa SA 5355   I   PH: +61 8562 1040   I    www.nurips.sa.edu.au   I   Email: dl.0318.info@schools.sa.edu.au   I   www.facebook.com/NuriootpaPrimary