Nhamirri Walal,
The past fortnight has flown by, and it’s hard to believe we’re already halfway through the final term!
Our Tournament of Minds team recently returned from Sydney after competing at the International Tournament of Minds event. The students achieved an impressive 4th place and came home with experiences and memories that will last a lifetime. A huge thank you to Bridie for preparing the team so well, and to Michael for accompanying the group and supporting them throughout the trip. The trip was also well supported by our community and some very special sponsors: Nhulunbuy Op Shop, Airnorth, Tyson the Tiler, and Woolworths; whose generosity we sincerely appreciate.
Our Transition teachers – Di, Sophie, and Annaliese, hosted our current preschool families at the Transition Information Session, where they shared what to expect as students move to “big school” next year. It was a well-attended evening, and the team did a fantastic job explaining what families can look forward to. My thanks to our teachers for hosting our families and to everyone who attended.
We also held the first of our Preschool Open Days this week. The room was buzzing with excitement as our future preschoolers explored the space; racing from room to room, investigating both indoors and outdoors, and proudly showing their parents everything they discovered. It’s fair to say most of them can’t wait to start next year! We will open our Preschool doors again on Wednesday 19th 4:30pm – 5:30pm
Our staff have also been having some fun this term, with a few embracing an “op shop chic” theme last week to keep spirits high and the term interesting. It’s been wonderful to see everyone supporting one another while working incredibly hard as we head toward the finish line. Who knew Nhulunbuy Op Shop had such a variety of fashion available!
On Friday 31st October, we celebrated World Teachers’ Day. My sincere thanks to Rose Yong for preparing a delicious lunch, to School Council members Stacey, Kirstie, and Natalie for cooking our teachers breakfast, and to all the families who sent in treats, notes, and thoughtful gestures of appreciation. It meant a great deal to our hard working staff on their special day!
A group of NPS staff also attended the East Arnhem World Teachers’ Day celebrations, where we proudly saw Tania Jones and Fransina Venter recognised as Leader of the Year and Inclusion Person of the Year. Both are incredibly dedicated staff members who go above and beyond every day. We were also thrilled to have two other very worthy finalists recognised; Gabby Henderson (Primary Educator of the Year) and Sharon Scarabello (Support Person of the Year). Congratulations to all, and thank you to everyone who took the time to nominate our staff.
We have a wonderful group of students who have put their hand up for School Captain positions next year. The nominees have been endorsed by Ms Jones and myself, and will deliver their speeches to the whole school on Wednesday. This is a significant moment for such young people, and we commend them all for their courage and enthusiasm in taking on this challenge.
Students from Transition to Year 5 will be given a voting slip where they’ll be asked to number each box, with a 1 for their first preference. In Australia, this is called preferential voting, and it ensures that everyone’s choices are fairly represented when determining our School Captains.
Congratulations to our nominees:
Girls:
- Bella Tremellen
- Ivana Karkadoo
- Sahara Geary
- Onna Munchow
- Adele Schmidt
- Isla Rhodes
- Mackenzie Martin
- Maopa Kalesi
Boys:
- Riley Adams
- Asher Morreau
- Jacob Anderson
We have now completed PAT and DIBELS testing for students from Transition to Year 6 and are about to begin moderating Writing and Number across the school. These data sets, along with classroom assessments, help teachers make accurate and informed judgments about student grades against the Australian Curriculum. This is a rigorous process at NPS, and we’re always happy to unpack the data with parents; please don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher if you’d like them to help unpack it with you.
Looking ahead, Student-Led Conferences will take place in Week 8. This is a wonderful opportunity for families to sit with their child and explore their learning portfolio, reflecting on their growth and goals for the future.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support of our school community.
Warm wishes,
Rachel Blundell
Principal
