Welcome to Week 9 Families and Friends

This term has definitely flown by. In the next two weeks we have a few exciting happenings coming up for our students. Thanks to our families for keeping-up with the communication around our school engaging learning and expanding minds.

JAPANESE SPEAKING COMPETITION

Thank you to Miss Webster for supporting our students as they competed in the annual North East Japanese Speech contest in Wangaratta on the weekend, what a great opportunity for our students! Students had to memorise a set speech as well as their own speech in Japanese and present it in front of peers and teachers. It was an extremely tough competition with students from across the local region competing. At this morning’s assembly we congratulated and acknowledged our competitors.

Muhammad Mahd Ansari - Year 6 Champion

Toby Thorpe - Year 5 Champion

Niall Thompson - Year 5 Runner-Up

Darcy Thorpe - Year 3 Third place

Bianca Walsh and Nash Thompson – highly commended for their ‘pair’ speech

SOMERS CAMP

Tomorrow, 26 of our Year 5 and 6 students will travel to the Mornington Peninsula for an incredible experience that is the DET Somers Camp. Nine days away from home, will be a great learning experience and some wonderful opportunities for students to pursue interest areas. We wish them the very best and for them to all return to us safe and sound on the September 18th.

No. 25 ~ September 9, 2019

Engage Learning * Expand Minds

SMILE SQUAD

At next Monday’s assembly (16th), the Smile Van will be addressing our community. This is due to the Andrews’ Labour Government committing $321.9 million over four years to deliver the School Dental Program – the ‘Smile Squad’ – to provide free annual oral health check-ups and free follow-up care for all children attending Victorian government primary, secondary and state-funded special schools.

The following information further explains what the program will include. There will be more information and consent forms coming home once the school and the Smile Squad establish the dates the dental vans will be at our school.

ySAFE

The online world is fast becoming the centre of our children’s universe. It can be a challenging task for all of us to stay on top of the dangers associated with their use of technology, while ensuring they are able to find balance, and acquire the skills to not only stay safe, but to thrive within this environment.

The Wodonga Federation of Government Schools have engaged ySafe, Australia’s leading educators in Social Media and Cyber Safety to equip our students with the vital skills needed to master their online environments.

On Thursday September 12th, Yasmin from ySafe will be at Wodonga Primary school working with Year 3 and 5 students as timetabled below.

12.00 – 12.40pm Year 3 PLC Wodonga Primary School

12.50 – 1.40pm Year 5 PLC Wodonga Primary School

Additionally to this, ySafe is providing a FREE parent session to all Federation Government school parents. It’s on Wednesday September 10th at the Wodonga Senior Secondary College - 5:30pm to 6:30pm.

Have a great week

Damian Duncan, Principal

SQUADS

This year, we are excited to be introducing SQUADS. The Squads are classes made up of students from Foundation to Year 6 who will come together twice a term to get to know each other, discuss the school-wide expectations and have lots of fun.

Squads is an initiative of the 2019 Student Leaders group who investigated which issues our students wished the teachers would address. They found that students wanted to get to know each other better across the school and develop those cross-age relationships. Squads are also based around our sporting houses to build some additional team spirit.

The first get-together is happening tomorrow afternoon and teachers have been preparing fun and engaging activities to help the students get to know each other. They will also get a chance to practice the song ‘We Are’, that Mr Silver has been teaching all students for the event, Music Count Us In, later in the year.

Remember to ask your children all about who they met and what they did in their Squad, tomorrow afternoon.

Maureen Murray, PLC Link Leader

MY DREAM HOME: Art Prize Competition

The Stean Nicholls Art Competition is designed to encourage the younger children of the community to express their artistic abilities. The theme is “My Dream Home”. You are encouraged to think about how this theme is relevant to you and interpret it in a way that expresses what a dream home means to you and what it looks like. Be creative as you like – use any medium available to you. You can work independently or in groups. There are three age categories, with prizes for the category winners.

Foundation to Grade 2

Grade 3 to 4

Grade 5 to 6

Entries need to be back to me by Friday 13th September 2019. If you are interested please see Mrs Wakefield (Art Room) to collect an entry form. Entries need to be returned to school by Friday 13th September.

Thank you,

Mrs Wakefield, Art Coordinator

WACKY INSTRUMENT EXTRAVAGANZA: October 8/9/10

On October 8th, 9th and 10th, Wodonga Primary School will be hosting a musical genius and inventor by the name of Jon Madin, who will be running workshops with students in Years 4, 5 and 6 and concerts for F, 1, 2 and 3.

Jon Madin is a one-of-a- kind inventor and musician who will arrive at Wodonga Primary with a trailer full to the brim with custom-made, awesome and wacky instruments for students to play and admire. He will also be working with Year 6 students on building some new marimbas which the school will be able to play and use for years to come.

Jon will run concerts at the end of two of the days where students in Years 4 and 5 will perform musical arrangements they have learnt to students in Years F, 1, 2 and 3. Parents are welcome to watch these performances too (more information to come).

Consent and the payment of $8.50 is now due via the link on Compass.

If you can help to build a marimba over the school holiday break, please contact Mr Silver.

Aaron Silver, Music Coordinator

YEAR LEVEL ASSEMBLIES: Next week

Each term, we celebrate learning progress and achievement of students across the school through our Year Level assemblies. This term’s assemblies will be held as follows…

REMINDERS

Stay in touch with Events / Activities – using Compass as your information base

Event / Activity Event Date Who Information on Compass Consent / Payment Due Date

Write Around the Murray

Sept 12 Selected students Consent required, no cost Sept 11

Colonial Incursion Sept 12 Year 4 Consent & payment required $20 Sept 10

Fly Away Gymnastics Sept 17 Year 2 Consent required, no cost Sept 12

PUPIL FREE DAY October 7 Whole School NO SCHOOL: Club 37 is open Book Now

Wacky Instruments October 8-10 Whole school Consent & payment required, $8.50 Oct 7

Scholastic Book Fair Nov 11-15 Whole School Come and visit the library N/A

Wodonga Cup November 29 Whole School Public Holiday – NO Club 37