Principal's Update

Restorative Practices

Our school has made a very important decision lately and that is to become a Restorative School. Using Restorative Practices isn’t something we take lightly. We’ve been watching what’s been happening in the world of education when it comes to creating a strong school culture, to building effective relationships, to resolving conflict and to improving student behaviour and bullying. The bottom line is that we think there’s a better way.

Restorative Practices is that way. Working restoratively is really all about asking the right questions to students when things go wrong. You see, most approaches have us putting our detective hats on and focusing everything on the past. It really doesn’t get us very far because we never get to the present or the future.

Put simply, we’ll be asking your children questions like:

· What happened?

· How has that made people feel?

· And what action needs to be taken to make that better?

It’s all about teaching responsibility for your actions and knowing that nobody is going to do it for you. Our job is to help them do just that … better and better and better.

There’s a LOT more to Restorative Practices and we’re going to ensure you find out all of it. Our ongoing partnership with Real Schools is supporting and resourcing us to make this change and you have access to all the resources too. Just head to the Member Login tab at www.realschools.com.au and use the login & password – dundasps - to have a look at all that we’re working on at school.

Stay tuned for more information on this exciting development for our school. And we will arrange an opportunity to meet our Expert Facilitator Brenda Quayle and hear about everything our partnership has to offer.

NSW DET Attendance information for parents

Dear parents and carers            

It’s been great to have our students back in classrooms and settling into the school year. I know all our teachers are looking forward to a successful 2024 and are excited to work with you to make this a memorable year for your child. 

The evidence is clear that consistent attendance is the essential first step for your child to have a positive experience at school. 

Every day matters for your child’s learning. In recent years we’ve seen too many students miss a day of school here and there. Missing school for students means missing assignments, time with friends, an important maths lesson or getting picked for a sports team. With days missed, years are lost. 

Students are required to attend school every day, whether it’s the first or last day of the term, Mondays, Fridays or days dedicated to sports carnivals, school excursions and incursions. 

Help us make sure your child is achieving their best and stays ahead in their learning with regular school attendance. The more time your child attends school, the greater their opportunity to learn, make new friends and improve their wellbeing. Together, let’s build positive attendance habits for a lifetime. 

If your child is absent from school, please let us know why as soon as possible, even if it’s just a few minutes at the start or end of the school day. Of course, there will be times when your child is unable to be at school (like when they are unwell). Medical appointments should take place outside school hours where possible and family holidays should be taken in term breaks.

If your child is feeling anxious about coming to school and you need support, please reach out to your child’s teacher or me directly. Our staff are here to work with you and your child to help them attend school each and every day. There are also helpful resources for parents and carers on the Every Day Matters website. 

Thank you again for working with our teachers and support staff to make sure your child is at school, on time, every day. We all want to see our students learn, grow and belong in our equitable and outstanding education system.

Transition from Year 6 to Year 7 enrolment

Apply for Year 7 placement in a NSW Government high school in 2025

Year 6 parents and carers will be able to submit their EOI (expression of interest) form from Wednesday, 6th March.

To start this process, parents/carers must go to the Dundas PS website and select ‘Enrolment’ at the top of the screen Link to DPS website

There is a short video there that explains the enrolment process. 

Meet the Teacher afternoons

Meet the Teacher afternoons are happening next week. I thank the 170 parents and carers who submitted their survey, indicating 162 parents/carers are attending the information sessions next week. 

A friendly reminder that the information sessions are not a time to have a meeting with the teacher regarding your child. Please organise a mutually convenient time with your child’s teacher to discuss your concerns.

The Meet the Teacher information sessions should be for adults only. It can be very distracting for the teacher presenting if they are also managing younger students at the same time. 

We are looking forward to seeing everyone there. 

Cubby Village

To make the Cubby Village space safer for our students to play, we have received quotes to remove the rocks from the area and place colourful artificial grass in that space. We also plan to purchase digging tools and toys for the students to use in the digging pits as well as some additional items. We have been assured that all works will be completed by the beginning of next term. We thank everyone for their patience and understanding. 

Lost Property

Lost Property has been moved from the Devlin verandah to the covered walkway near the library stairs. 

We have installed new shelving and hooks to this space to better accommodate the lost items. 

The new location is also protected from the weather. All students are aware of the new location.

A reminder to please label all clothing and personal items so they can be returned easily. 

Communication protocols (previously shared)

A reminder to our parents and carers that the class teacher is the first point of contact if you have a concern you would like to discuss. On occasion, matters may need to include the Assistant Principal that is supervising that specific stage. Below is an overview of 2024 Assistant Principal structure.

Kindergarten, Stage 1 (Years 1 & 2) – Ms Edwards

Stage 2 (Years 3 & 4) – Ms Chan

Stage 3 (Years 5 & 6) –Mr McSeveny relieving for Mr Yee

Communication Platforms