If you were anywhere near Albion Park pool on Thursday 5 February, you would have known two things immediately: it was an absolute scorcher… and it was carnival day.

The sun blazed, but in true Jamberoo style, we were more than up to the challenge. Leading the charge against the heat was none other than Mr Reed, who defied the odds to ensure that not a single child left looking like a lobster. Hats were on, sunscreen was applied with military precision, and shade breaks were enforced like a championship final. It was sun safety at its finest.

Behind the scenes, our other staff were also bringing their A-game. Mrs Kunkler and Mrs Dammerel had the vital task of recording and tallying every precious point. With eyes sharper than an Olympic judge, they ensured every splash, stroke and finish was accounted for. There were no points lost on their watch. Meanwhile, Miss Peterson performed logistical wizardry worthy of a national event coordinator. With late changes, race swaps and last-minute lane reshuffles flying in from all directions, she calmly ensured every swimmer was in the correct race and the correct lane. Mrs Lando timed each race to perfection, stopwatch at the ready, while also graciously greeting the many parents and students who warmly welcomed her back on her first day. Only Mrs Lando could simultaneously run a flawless timing station and a meet-and-greet! Mrs Milligan was the picture of efficiency as judge and place-allocator, making decisive calls at the finish line with confidence and fairness. She was ably supported by our fabulous parent helpers, whose enthusiasm and support helped the day run like clockwork. Jamberoo truly is a community effort.

And then — of course — there were the swimmers.

What an amazing effort from everyone involved! From those fearless competitors who entered race after race, powering through freestyle, breaststroke and butterfly, to those who found their joy in the shallow water novelty events, every single student gave it their all. The cheering was loud, the encouragement constant and the sportsmanship outstanding. The behaviour was exemplary. All participants supported one another, listened carefully, and represented Jamberoo with pride. It made the day not only successful, but truly special.

A huge congratulations to our Age Champions, who will receive their medals at the first Friday assembly. Senior champions: Finn Stacey and Maeve Rimmer.  11 year champions: Logan Ford and Jack Corcoran (joint winners) and Evie Stearn. Junior champions: Henry Murphy and Sadie Rimmer.

An incredible achievement on a day that tested stamina, speed and sunscreen supplies alike! Well done, Jamberoo — you made waves in the very best way.

We wish all the best to our 30-strong team that make their way back to the pool next Tuesday to compete at the Tongarra zone carnival.

Mrs Behl-Shanks (carnival convenor)

Our school-wide music program has begun! You may be aware that the NSW Department of Education is introducing a new Creative Arts syllabus with accompanying units of work. In Semester 1, music and dance have been placed together in an integrated unit, while drama and visual art are integrated in the  Semester 2 unit of work.

It is my privilege to be teaching the new music lessons across the school on Tuesdays (except in Walabi, where we do our lessons on Monday). I am working in a team-teaching situation with the classroom teachers, which will help develop their confidence in teaching music. Thank you teachers, for being so receptive to my presence in your classrooms!

In our first lesson, Kindergarten worked on following a steady beat and copying body percussion (claps, pats and stomps). Year 1 and Year 2 have learnt about the steady beat and tempo (when the beat speeds up or slows down). They did this through an exciting activity where they acted as African animals. Birrahlee and Cooinda were learning about the origins and the characteristics of rock 'n' roll, and particularly about the 'backbeat' used in rock'n'roll music. We listened to Johnny B Goode and Rock Around the Clock. Students also sang Rock Around the Clock. Nanga Mai focused on how composers convey emotions through their pieces of music. Students then created their own 'soundscape' in small groups with one percussion instrument and use of body percussion, performed for the class.

Please see some photos below from some of the classes. I look forward to the rest of the term of music with all the classes.

Mrs McCormack

Calling all thinkers, speakers and quick-on-your-feet responders!

Debating training will commence on Thursday mornings at 8:20am in the library, starting Thursday 19 February.

We warmly invite all interested students in Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6 to join us — whether you’re an experienced debater ready to sharpen your skills, or simply curious and keen to learn what debating is all about. If you enjoy sharing ideas, thinking creatively and working as part of a team, then debating may be for you!

Please bring:

• A notepad
• A pen
• Your quick thinking
• Your teamwork skills

Let the debating begin!

Friday, Week 4 (20 February) is our first school assembly for the year, where we will be inducting our Student Leadership Team and SRC. The assembly will begin at 2:00 pm.

We also invite families to join us for our Back to School BBQ from 3-4 pm following the assembly.

Week Two marked our first full week of school, and what an exciting one it has been! The children have been settling in beautifully as we become familiar with our daily routines and begin our learning together.

In English, we have started learning new letters and sounds. Last week we focused on s, a, t, and this week our focus is on p, i, m. You can support your child at home by practising these sounds and letter formations. Students can also use the A3 laminated sheet in their orientation pack to practise writing these letters.

In mathematics, we have been exploring the big question: What is maths? We have been discussing where we can see maths in our everyday environment, such as in numbers, shapes, patterns and counting.

We’ve also had some very exciting firsts, including our first dance, gymnastics and music lessons. The class thoroughly enjoyed these new experiences and are showing great enthusiasm and confidence.

It’s been a fantastic start to the year, and we’re looking forward to many more weeks of learning and fun ahead! I look forward to seeing you all at out 'Meet the Teacher' afternoon.

Bimbala have had a wonderful start to the new school year, happily settling in and reconnecting with friends after the break. To start, students enjoyed sharing their holiday stories and setting personal learning goals for Year 1.

Students then got stuck into creating Rainbow Fish masterpieces to make our classroom their own. Students have also started their Octopus artworks as part of our Grow Your Mind lessons, where they explore different parts of the brain and learn more about their emotions. It has been lovely hearing so many thoughtful responses about feelings and kindness from students.

Bimbala have also enjoyed jumping into dance lessons, using their bodies to represent safari animals while experimenting with levels, movements and shapes. It was incredible to see students' quick thinking and creativity during these dance lessons.

Sticking with the animal theme of our first days back at school, we have also started our English unit, using the text 'Our Island.' Students have eagerly participated in lively discussions about the creatures in the story, many of which were new to us. Now, Brolgas, cranes, dugongs and ghost crabs have all worked their way into Bimbala’s everyday chats.

We are off to a great start and are looking forward to a wonderful year in Bimbala.

Mrs Turner and Mr Reed

It's been a busy and exciting start to the year for Walabi Year 2 students. I am delighted to say we've had a very strong beginning to our year. Please see the attached photos for some of the highlights. These included playing French cricket, doing 'heart art' in a maths lesson with Ms Louttit, learning some new games and routines and having some time to 'read, write or draw.'

We have begun our first English unit, around the book Welcome to Country. We have discussed the difference between a welcome and an acknowledgement and reviewed the three types of vocabulary: Tier 1 (everyday words), Tier 2 (academic and more sophisticated vocabulary) and  Tier 3 (topic and content-specific vocabulary).  We have also begun our new spelling program from SPELD NSW, which provides excellent explicit spelling instruction. Students are learning new routines around this new program, but very soon, they will be experts!

In mathematics, our focus so far has been on whole number. Students have demonstrated their proficiency in using MAB blocks (hundreds, tens, ones) to deconstruct a number and describe the value of each digit in a two or three digit number.

In history, we have just begun our new history unit, "The Past in the Present." On Wednesday, we searched our school for signs of the past and I was very impressed by how well the group could describe what made old buildings look different from newly constructed ones, and their ability to find historical markers in the playground.

Mrs McCormack

Dear Parents and Carers,

Please note that during Term 1 and Term 2, the school library will be closed at lunchtimes. This is due to myself choreographing the 2026 South Coast Dance Festival, which will be taking place in the school hall during these terms.

The library will still be open on Thursdays as a calm and quiet space for students, and for library monitors to continue participating in their duties.

If we have the opportunity to open some weeks this will be a priority. Once the Dance Festival has concluded, the library will reopen on Wednesdays at lunchtime, as per the usual routine.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support.

Kind regards,

Mrs Green