Is there a better way to spend your Friday afternoon at Newlands Primary School stretched out on the grass, eating sausages and reading an overly comprehensive Leadership Report? Look around at all the people next to you… you’re the only one. The recommendation is simple: stop reading and join in on the fun. A big thank you to the PFA for starting the year with such a great vibe.

The excitement of excursions has well and truly begun. Our 3/4 students returned from Bundoora Park demanding that the school immediately house a wide assortment of animals, while our 1/2 students are preparing for an incursion next Thursday as the Resilience Warriors arrive at Newlands.

School Council Nominations

We are fortunate to be part of a school where parents are eager to be involved and support what we do. Unfortunately, we are only able to appoint three new parent representatives to School Council this year. As we have received four nominations, a ballot is required. Today, each family received candidate biographies and a voting ballot via their eldest child. Families may vote for up to three candidates by placing an X next to their preferred nominees. All ballots must be returned to the office, where names will be marked off to ensure due process is followed.

School Visit

We were pleased to welcome visitors from Dendene Primary School this week, who came to see how Newlands uses Facts on Fire and the impact it has had on strengthening our students’ number fact knowledge. It was a fantastic opportunity to share our journey, which unexpectedly led to a phone call with Brian Poncy himself. Brian will be visiting Australia later this year for several conferences and has invited Newlands to present alongside him. A wonderful recognition of the work happening in our classrooms.

Newlands Basketball Training

Information has been sent to families interested in representing Newlands in basketball. While details are still being finalised, teams will begin training before school in the coming weeks. We are seeking parents who are interested in supporting as coaches, team managers, or training helpers, if this sounds like you, please contact Raul.

We would also like to acknowledge our strong and valued relationship with the Newlands Basketball Club. Students who are currently playing for the club will remain with their existing teams and will not be eligible to play for the school team. However, they are warmly invited to participate in morning training sessions. This initiative is about creating additional opportunities for students while respecting and supporting the incredible basketball community already in place. Thank you to Lucia and Liz for their ongoing support.

In the Classroom…

Foundation

“La Letra O” was the focus of the morning as I rudely interrupted a perfectly calm classroom. Students were sitting attentively on the floor, practising O words and sounds. As I prepare to visit kindergartens next week, I asked students what they love most about primary school so far:

Wilke – “I like all the water play.”
Miles – “I like spinning on the roundabout.”
Flarian – “I love the library because you can borrow books.”
Bonnie – “I like playing with Frankie at the Bee Hotel.”
Luca – “I like going to school with my brother and collecting sticks from the Kimjiami.”
Clem – “I like playing on the playground.”
Sienna – “I like doing gymnastics outside my classroom.”
Sunny – “I like watching the basketball through the windows.”

A strong endorsement of sticks, libraries, and basketball.

1/2

Vida’s visible disappointment in my lack of Spanish grammar knowledge cut deep, as Eva confidently explained pronouns and their usage. Christine stood proudly as hands shot up across the room. Apparently, ella, él, nosotros, and vosotros are considered basic knowledge. I clearly need to attend more lessons.

What made students laugh this week?

Jude – “When Luke said ella wrong.”
Mischa – “When Simon makes really funny jokes.”
Luna – “When Leila’s dog peed on the concrete… it was still cute.”
Casper – “At OSHCS we made hilarious animals by mixing different animals.”
Leila – “When my dog kisses me on the lips.”
Audrey – “When we watched a really funny Spanish video.”

3/4

I sat at the back with June, one of the cool kids, who taught me about sound buttons as students mapped and read y and ey words. I wanted to hear about their excursion to Bundoora farm, all the students were busting to share their highlights:

Phoebe – “Seeing the guinea pigs.”
Vera – “The trailer ride.”
Art – “Making scones. Mine were kind of delicious.”
Romy – “When the cows licked my hand.”
Winston – “The parrot who repeated everything I said.”
Frankie – “The goat called Messi!”
Gus – “The sheep that ate really fast.”
Enid – “The llama—and I know the difference between llamas and alpacas.”
Milana – “Feeding the sheep and llamas.”
June – “The baby goat.”

The formal proposal to convert Newlands into a functioning farm is currently under review.

5/6

Remember the first time you walked into HMV and were surrounded by every CD imaginable? That was the feeling walking into STEAM today. Students were creating remixes, sampling sounds, and producing original tracks.

Ariana’s remix of “Call Me Maybe” and Wallace’s version of “I Like to Move It” were so impressive that Tiesto may want to start considering alternative career pathways. I didn’t interrupt, I simply stood back and appreciated the creativity.

That’s all for this week.

Have a fantastic weekend, and we look forward to seeing everyone afterschool!

Thanks,

Luke

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