Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Welcome back to Term 4. It was great to see all our students return on Monday, happy and full of holiday stories to share with their friends and staff. We look forward to a fun-filled, jammed-packed Term 4 to finish off a fabulous 2025!

World Teachers Day

World Teacher's Day is celebrated this term on Friday, 31/10. As this is our Pupil Free Day, we will be celebrating this special day with our teachers a bit earlier. Modbury School P-6 is so fortunate to have such a dedicated and caring teaching staff, who work incredibly hard in providing rich learning opportunities for our students. World Teacher's Day is a formal opportunity to say 'THANK YOU' to your child's teacher/s for their hard work, dedication and commitment to education and supporting our children and young people.

World Teachers’ Day honours the dedication, hard work, and passion of teachers who play a crucial role in shaping the minds and futures of our children.

World Teachers' Day is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the incredible work teachers do every day. By celebrating this day and showing our appreciation, we can help create a supportive and encouraging environment that allows teachers to thrive and continue making a positive impact on our children's lives. Let's celebrate our teachers! Feel free to send an amazing Modbury School educator a ThankED below to thank them for their dedication, hard work and commitment to our students. They would love to receive one!

To celebrate World Teachers' Day, ABC Kids listen radio is asking primary students to shout-out their favourite teacher. Learn more and submit audio via the ABC Kids listen website.

Celebrating Diwali

Happy Diwali to all our families celebrating Diwali this year. Diwali is the biggest and most important holiday of the year in India, Nepal and many other countries around the world. Students will be learning about Diwali over the next week in their classrooms to support our multicultural community.

The festival gets its name from the row (avali) of clay lamps (deepa) that Indians light outside their homes to symbolise the inner light that protects them from spiritual darkness. Traditionally, Diwali is a Hindu festival of lights and has different variations across India. Although the meaning can differ, it is known to commemorate stories about good defeating evil and light overcoming darkness.

During Diwali, paper lanterns and traditional oil lamps known as Diya are lit around homes, temples and even the streets. People also participate in ceremonies, prayer, firework displays and lively gatherings where sweets and food are served.

Diwali occurs on a different date each year according to the Hindu Lunar calendar. It typically coincides with the first new moon of October or November, usually during the darkest night.

Wishing all our families a HAPPY DIWALI.

Open Afternoon

Please join us for our Open Afternoon on Wednesday, Week 2 (22/10) from 2.00 - 3.00 pm to share in your child's learning at Modbury School P-6.

Volunteer Training Session

Our last Volunteer Training session for this year is held on Thursday, 23 October (Week 2). If you would like to volunteer at our wonderful school, please contact Alysia in the Front Office to reserve your spot in our upcoming training session.

Pupil Free Day

Our upcoming Pupil Free Day will be looking at our 2026 Site Learning Plan directions and engaging staff in meaningful discussion around the Department for Education's Strategy for Public Education.

Pupil Free Day - Preschool only

The Preschool have a Pupil Free Day scheduled on Monday, 10 November (Week 5) for educators to engage in looking at the Exceeding Themes in our Preschool, in relation to the National Quality Standards. Please note, OSHC is not available on this day for preschool children.

Staffing Update

We are looking forward to a new Pastoral Care Worker (PCW), Rahul Nair, who will be joining our Modbury Team this term. His contact days will be Wednesdays and Thursdays. We look forward to welcoming him to our Modbury Community. Our PCW is funded through the National Student Wellbeing Program.

The National Student Wellbeing Program aims to support schools in promoting the well-being of students. The program provides funds that contribute to the delivery of pastoral care or wellbeing support services in the schools. We are super excited to have Rahul on board and working within our community.

At our school, the PCW Worker predominantly works with students and classes. Rahul will be available to speak to students. They may see him in the yard or in the classroom when he visits to work with students. Individual visits can be arranged following parental consent. Students, parents or teachers may initiate this option. If you would like to connect your child with Rahul, please make a time to pop in and see Sara.

Classes for 2026

Teaching staff will begin constructing our classes for 2026 this term. Thank you to all our families for returning the 2026 Student Placement Form by the end of last term, as this supports our work for classes.

Head Bump Reminder

All children who visit our sickroom with a head injury will receive a stamp on their hand. This stamp indicates that your child has visited the sickroom that day for a possible head injury. We will continue our standard procedure of notifying families whenever a head injury occurs. Please remember to monitor your child when they come home with this stamp.

End of Year Concert

Save the date - Tuesday, Week 7 - 25/11 is our End of Year Concert and our 2025 theme is 'Music through the Decades'. More information regarding the End of Year Concert will be sent out soon. Thank you to our staff who have already begun working on this event. Please keep an eye out for your Class Dojo to find out what your child may require for their costumes etc.

End of Year Fundraising

This year we are seeking help from our community to support our ever popular raffle at our End of Year Concert. Each class has been allocated a fundraising theme and we are asking each student to donate an item that fits their class theme. For example: beach, gardening, movie night etc. Please look on your child's Class Story on Class Dojo for more information.

Year 6 Graduation

Save the date - Wednesday 3rd December, we will be celebrating our Year 6 Graduates. Year 6 teachers have already begun sending our communication to their families via their Class Story on Class Dojo.

End of Year Excursions

The date we have set for all End-of-Year Excursions is Friday, Week 7 - 29 November. Staff are busy preparing for our End of Year Excursions, and EdSmart notes will be emailed soon. Please check your child's class story on Class Dojo to keep up to date with any information.

Spring Safety Reminder - Staying safe while exploring nature

As we welcome the beautiful season of spring to Modbury School P-6 and along Dry Creek, the warmer weather brings fresh blooms, vibrant greenery, and the arrival of wildlife. This includes an increased presence of insects, bugs, and snakes. While exploring and enjoying play outdoors, it is important to remain vigilant in grassy areas and under rocks, where wildlife may be hiding.

We encourage our families to discuss with their children the importance of safety when interacting with nature. Please remind our children not to disturb animal homes or pick up insects or creatures, as this can frighten the animals and lead them to bite or sting as a defensive response. Respecting wildlife and their habitats ensures safety for everyone and supports the balance of biodiversity in our local environment.

If your child notices a snake or other wildlife that may pose a risk, they should immediately inform an adult—whether a staff member at school or yourself if you're exploring together. Reporting sightings promptly helps keep our community safe.

Thank you for helping us champion spring safety and encouraging respectful exploration of nature.

Reporting Student Absences

We kindly remind families to please notify the school of any student absences before 9:30 am wherever possible. Absences can be reported by calling the front office or by communicating with your child’s classroom teacher via Class Dojo.

Thank you for your cooperation in helping us maintain accurate attendance records and ensuring the safety and well-being of all students.

Staying safe in public spaces

We would like to share some important reminders to help keep our children safe when spending time in public spaces, including Civic Park. We have recently been made aware of reports of inappropriate behaviour involving older children in these areas, and we want to ensure our students are protected and safe.

Parents and caregivers are encouraged to:

Know where your child is at all times and who they are with.
Establish regular check-ins with your child when they are out with friends.
Discuss appropriate behaviours and strategies for staying safe in public spaces.

By working together, we can create an environment where all children feel safe and supported.

ThankED

Do you know an amazing staff member who’s making a real difference? Every day, those working in public education shape futures by inspiring children and young people to reach their full potential.

ThankED gives you the chance to celebrate and thank public educators, as well as those people who work in support of them.

You can say thanks any time, to anyone working in public education who has made a difference to you – visit www.education.sa.gov.au/ThankED.

If you have any questions regarding your child, please feel free to come and see us.

Thank you for your support, and we look forward to a fabulous Term 4!

Warm regards,

Sara, Jade and Sheila.

Leadership Team

School Calendar

Term 4 Planner

2025 Pupil Free Days

Term Dates for South Australian Schools