EXTRA CURRICULAR

Parents will see Sentral messages, Facebook posts and dedicated parts of the Newsletter advertising upcoming extracurricular activities (such as Recorder, Dance, Choir, Drumming, Craft Club, Sketching Club, Circus, Multicultural Public Speaking and sporting team and representative sports trials). We are doing this in response to requests for parents to be kept informed of when things are occurring so you can encourage your child to attend, trial and participate. If at any time you require additional information and clarification, or would like to know when something is occurring on the calendar, please contact the office. A list of extra curricular activities and relevant information for Term 1 is below;

Primary Choir – Coordinating staff – Mrs Sharon Cafe and Mrs Alana Datt in the McMullen Hall every Thursday during Break 2.

Circus Skills – Coordinating staff – Ms Sam Hall. Held on the grass area between the Main Building and Lambert Street building (near flag pole garden) during Break 1 every Monday and Tuesday. Children need to bring their hats, please.

Mindful Mornings is a calm and welcoming space available each morning in the library from 8.30am to 9.00am, coordinated by Ms. Lloyd. Students are welcome to drop in and start their day in a peaceful way with quiet reading and gentle activities that help them feel settled and ready for learning. Children do not need to bring anything to attend.

Library Monitors are student leaders coordinated by Ms. Lloyd who support the smooth running of the library each day. This leadership role takes place in the library from 8.30am to 9.00am and during Break 2 daily, helping with organising resources, supporting all students, and keeping the library a welcoming space for everyone.

Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2) Drumming - Coordinator - Ms Amanda Nelson

When: Tuesday- Break 2

Time: 1:30 - 2:00pm

Where: McMullen Hall

Introduction to drumming- come and have fun finding out about drums and how to play them.

Primary (Years 3, 4, 5 and 6) drumming - Coordinator – Ms Fernanda Puebla

When: Wednesday- Break 2, commencing Week 4, Term 1 2026

Time: 1:30pm-2:00pm

Where: McMullen Hall

Organisation:

There are approximately 20 positions for the drumming group. Due to this, there will be auditions for Year 3 and Year 4 on Break 1 Week 4 Wednesday, and for Year 5 and Year 6 Break 2 Week 4.

Audition criteria will be:

To be able to echo/copy 3 rhythms on a djembe drum (a. Slow, b. Fast, c. Broken)
To be able to play and maintain a simple rhythm on a djembe drum

Students who are interested in auditioning for the Primary drumming group will need to write their names down during Week 3. Lists will be outside the executive office. Auditions will be held Wednesday 18th at Break 1 and Break 2 as mentioned above.

Expectations for students who meet the criteria:

- To attend each drumming session promptly (an attendance record will be kept weekly).

- To be respectful, responsible and safe to those around them and to the instruments.

Once a term, the Primary drumming session will be open to Primary students who are not part of the drumming group - a fun creative session! All these announcements will be clear on Sentral messages for students to read before the day begins.

Chess Club is a fun and strategic extracurricular activity held in the Library during Tuesday- Break 1, coordinated by Ms. Lloyd. Students can utilise the school chess boards to play and practise their strategies, and on some weeks the club will venture into the playground to enjoy games on the giant outdoor chess set. Children do not need to bring anything to attend.

Student Representative Council (SRC) is a student leadership extracurricular activity coordinated by Ms. Lloyd and held in the 5/6B classroom during Wednesday- Break 2. Student representatives change each term, giving many students the opportunity to be involved. The SRC fosters leadership, responsibility, and a strong sense of community by giving students a voice in school matters.

Book club – Coordinator – Mrs Woolfe – Book Club are book catalogues sent out twice a term where parents and children can purchase books through Scholastic. All orders are completed on Online LOOP. The first Book Club orders for 2026 are due by Thursday 12th February. Books are then sent directly to the school and we then hand them out to children once they have arrived.

Craft club - Coordinator - Ms Roberts - Craft Club is a fun activity designed to make friendships and build a community of makers in our school. We meet on Wednesdays- Break 1 in the library. This term we are learning to weave with recycled materials. Materials are supplied. Towards the end of the term we discuss what we are interested in making next term, so that each term we try something new -possibly a sewing project next term.

Sketch club - Coordinator - Ms Roberts - Sketch Club is for those students who just love to draw. We will be meeting on Fridays at Break 1 in the Library. Sometimes we will draw inside but it would be nice to draw outside occasionally, weather permitting. Students are welcome to bring their sketch books and drawing supplies if they would like to, however paper and pencils are supplied. Drawing club is for anyone who likes to spend time developing their drawing skills.

Band - Band lessons have commenced for 2026. It is not too late to enrol your child in the band program for the year. Band lessons are taught by teachers from the Mitchell Conservatorium, will be 30 minutes in duration and occur each week. The school has many instruments we can loan children so they can participate in the band program and to assist in reducing the cost. If any parent is interested in having their child taught an instrument and having lessons, please contact the office at school.

School Library – Our School Library is open Break 2, 1.30-2.00 each day. Children are able to attend the Library and read books, draw and play board games.

An exciting new year is kicking off in our school library!

All classes will be visiting the library each week. Students will need a library bag to be able to borrow books.

Kindergarten students are permitted to borrow one book and students in grades 1-6 are permitted to borrow two books.

This term, the library will be open before school each day from 8.30am (weather permitting), as well as at Break 2.

Students may return and borrow any day as long as they bring their library bag.

Library bags are important because they:

Provide a place for your child to store their library book where it will be easy to find on library day
Protect the library books and keep them clean
Serve as a visual cue to your child that they will be going to the library today
Allow lost books to be returned easily, if your child’s name is on the bag.

To help keep library books safe and in good condition, students are required to have a library bag with the following features:

• Made from durable fabric or waterproof material such as nylon, canvas, or plastic-coated fabric

• Large enough to fit A4-sized books

• Lightweight and easy for students to open and carry independently

• Clearly labelled on the outside with the student’s name and class

• In clean condition and in good repair, with no holes or broken fastenings

Plastic or paper shopping bags are not suitable as they tear easily and do not protect books.

Families can also start signing students up to the Premier's Reading Challenge, which is starting on 23rd February 2026.

Bathurst Public School families are also encouraged to join the Bathurst Library located on Keppel Street for more literary fun and holiday activities. This service is free for all Bathurst residents.

Happy reading, everyone!

Breakfast and Lunch Club – Breakfast Club operates 5 days a week from 8.30-9.00. Lunch Club also operates from 1.15-1.30 5 days a week. At Breakfast Club, children can get toast, fruit, and at times, cereal. At lunch time, children can get a sandwich (vegemite, jam, honey). In Term 1, Lunch Club will operate from the executive office. We are always happy to receive donations of bread, fruit, spreads (vegemite and jam), cheese slices and margarine.