Library News

Book Week Author Visits

We have some exciting author visits next week. We are thrilled to announce that next week our school library will be hosting three wonderful author visits, giving our students a fantastic opportunity to meet published writers and learn about the creative process behind their favourite books.

Tuesday 19 August – Lian Tanner (Stage 2)

Lian Tanner is an award-winning Australian author, best known for her popular children’s fantasy series such as The Keepers trilogy and The Rogues trilogy. Her stories are filled with adventure, mystery, and strong, courageous characters. Lian will share insights into her writing journey, discuss how she creates her imaginative worlds, and encourage students to think creatively about their own storytelling.

Wednesday, 20 August – Jeremy Lachlan (Stage 3)

Jeremy Lachlan is the author of the acclaimed Jane Doe series, celebrated for its gripping plots and richly drawn characters. His books transport readers to thrilling fantasy worlds and have won numerous awards. Jeremy’s talk will cover what inspires his stories, the importance of perseverance in writing, and how students can develop their own ideas into exciting tales.

Thursday, 21 August – Gus Gordon (Kindergarten & Stage 1)

Gus Gordon is a much-loved author and illustrator, known for charming picture books such as Herman and Rosie, The Last Peach, and Finding François. His books are celebrated for their warmth, humour, and delightful illustrations. Gus will share how he combines words and pictures to tell stories, inspiring our youngest learners to explore their creativity through drawing and storytelling.

We encourage parents to talk to their children about these upcoming visits and to nurture their love of reading and creativity. It’s a wonderful opportunity for students to connect with real authors and discover the fascinating world behind the books they enjoy.

The Book Fair

As I mentioned in last week’s newsletter, the show of support for our library during the Book Fair was truly incredible. We were delighted to see so many parents and students visit, eagerly selecting books either for themselves or as generous donations to our library.

Earlier this week, I received an email from Burns Bay Bookery with the final total of donations made during the Book Fair, and the amount was an astounding $3,611!

Our staff were absolutely blown away by the remarkable generosity of our school community. This incredible support is a testament not only to our dedicated parents and their commitment to their children’s education but also to the wider community spirit that surrounds our school. It also reflects the genuine love of reading that our students share.

On behalf of myself, Mr Jones, and all our teaching staff, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you. Your generosity and enthusiasm mean so much to all of us and will make a lasting difference in enriching our library resources. The donated books and resources will start finding their way into the library soon, ready to be borrowed by our students.

Thank you once again for your wonderful support! Until next week—have a great week and keep on reading.

Debating News

On Thursday 14 August, our debating teams ventured to Lane Cove Public School for our ‘Responsibilities’ debates. Both teams put forward strong arguments, demonstrating excellent reasoning skills.

Our Chatswood Wizards were up first, with Natasha, Richelle, Nikita, and Lucy forming the negative team for the topic, “That schools should give every Year 6 student a turn in student leadership instead of appointing a few kids for the whole year.” Their arguments highlighted how student responsibility can be demonstrated in various ways beyond formal leadership roles, and how such a structure might be implemented. 

The Year 6 Wizards made excellent use of a counter-model and spoke with confidence and eloquence when presenting their ideas. In a close finish, the affirmative team from Lane Cove emerged victorious. The adjudicator noted that this debate was conducted at a higher level than he usually witnesses in primary schools and described it as one of the closest debates he has ever adjudicated.

Following this, our Chatswood Bards took the stage with Angelica, Scarlett, Cyrus, and Khloe as the affirmative team for the topic, “That all school canteen jobs should be done by students with a supervising teacher.” Their arguments addressed practical considerations such as safety practices in a food-handling environment and how students might balance this responsibility with their other commitments. 

The Year 5 Bards delivered strong and confident rebuttals to support their perspective. Ultimately, Lane Cove were successful once again. The adjudicator praised both schools and commended our students’ sophisticated debating skills.

All students should be proud of how they represented both themselves and Chatswood Public School. They were confident, courteous, and respectful, demonstrating our school values with pride.

Congratulations, debaters!

Mr Simon Matthews and Miss Andi MalmDebating Coaches 2025