The Newlands Times

Leadership Report

It was a pleasure to spend five full days with the wonderful students at Newlands this time, compared to just the three during Week 1. The holidays are firmly behind us, and we’ve fully shifted into gear for this term. A big thank you to all the families who dedicated their Saturday and Sunday to the Working Bee double feature. Your hard work and commitment are truly appreciated, and the area looks fantastic as a result. While everyone was busy working, Kristy took some amazing photos. Here are a few from the days! I know you’re all eager to hear about the exciting events unfolding, but before we dive in, let me share some key updates.

 

New Staff Welcome

We’re thrilled to welcome Carolina, Ruth, and Juliana to the Newlands staff! Carolina has stepped into Mandy’s role, while Juliana will be replacing our beloved British Steff, who unfortunately needs to return home in a few weeks' time. Ruth is joining the 5/6 team as an additional Educational Support staff member. We’re excited to have them on board, and we’re confident they’ll thrive at Newlands Primary School. If you see them around, be sure to say hello!

 

Outdoor Cinema Night

The anticipation for tonight’s Outdoor Cinema featuring Paddington in Peru has been building all week, with chants of “Paddington in Peru” echoing through Newlands. It’s always a fantastic evening before the cold weather settles in. Be sure to bring a blanket, snacks, and thick socks! As always, the PFA will have plenty of food options to keep you warm. While I can’t guarantee traditional Peruvian food, I’m pretty sure there will be empanadas next to the classic sausage and onion combo! The movie will start at 6:15. 

 

Voting at Newlands

For those of you who’ve voted at Newlands in the past, please note that tomorrow, the polling booths will be moving to the brand new school gymnasium. Once again, the PFA will be staying overnight to ensure the sausages are transformed into a democracy. You can cast your vote once you wake up (but not before 8:00am—unless you’re an early riser, in which case, feel free to grab some extra sleep and enjoy your Saturday morning).

Mother’s Day Breakfast

Next Friday, the Values Bun is back for all the wonderful mums at Newlands! Yes, we know that many of you enrolled your child at Newlands based on this delicious treat alone. Breakfast will be served from 8:15am, and trust me—you won’t want to miss out. First in, first served! Mums are the priority, but students will also get their chance to indulge in this iconic treat. *Please note it is Friday the 9th of May!

 

Colour Run Update

The school has already raised over $2,000 for this year’s Colour Run! Last year’s event was a blast, and we can’t wait to share all the exciting changes this year. Information was sent out earlier this week, but if you need more details, find the Colour Explosion page!

 

Classroom Highlights

Here’s a quick peek into what’s been happening in the classrooms:

 

Foundation:

I visited the Foundation class to see what their favourite lesson was for the week. They were outside collecting leaves for their leaf sketching activity, so I quickly caught a few of them for an impromptu interview:

  • Alice: "I loved playing with Alison, Aisling, and all my friends at recess."
  • Timmy: "It was fun going for a walk to Merri Creek. We took photos, hugged trees, and had lots of adventures."
  • Jack: "It was awesome going to Merri Creek with everyone and taking lots of photos!"
  • Juniper: "I’m really enjoying tracing the leaves" (I think this was her way of saying, "Leave me alone, I need to work!")
  • Casper: "I liked going to the library because there are lots of books to read."

 

1/2s:

 

 

I managed to get a few comments from the 1/2 students on their favourite moments or most looked forward to Term 2 moments.

  • Apollo: "In PE, we practiced landing with control."
  • Vida: "Art was awesome. We drew animals that we made with clay."
  • Xanthie: "In Music, we’re learning to do a surprise performance for assembly."
  • Beatrix: "I’m so excited for the outdoor movie night on Friday!"
  • Barra: "I can’t wait for the Colour Run."
  • Quinn: "In STEAM, we’re doing experiments on changing plant conditions."
  • Casper: "I love playing with Haziq in the sandpit."
  • Anta: "I loved playing cops and robbers with Marlowe and the others at recess."
  • Marlowe: "I loved the soccer training session with Emmanuel."
  • Catalina: "I loved making snowflakes in English."
  • Unax: "I love Maths!"

 

3/4s:

In 3/4B, students were busy completing a pre-assessment on Explanatory Information Reports to help their teacher identify areas for support and challenge in their next unit. The students mapped out their ideas using graphic organizers to structure their work. Here’s a glimpse into what’s trending in the 3/4 classrooms:

  • Jock: "I’m obsessed with football."
  • Bracken: "I love the One Piece book series."
  • Evie: "I love playing Roblox—I didn’t get to find out which game, though!"
  • Elsie: "I love cats (not the musical!)."
  • Mala: "I’m writing about a typical day at NPS (another amazing day, I say!)."
  • Daphne: "I’m writing about Newlands Primary School’s big events—Paddington and his duffle coat need their own report!"

5/6s

 

The 5/6s have been all over the place this week! A group went to South Morang to practice for the State Spectacular, another group went on an excursion to the city as part of our Indigenous perspectives unit, and they were also off to Term 2 Interschool Sports. They’ll be back on school grounds next week, so I’m hoping to catch a glimpse of their smiling faces then!

Specialist Timetable Change

Due to all the Foundation tours, we’ve made a slight change to the timetable on Wednesdays. The 1/2s will now have their specialist sessions in the morning (9:00am–1:00pm), and the Foundation students will have their sessions in the afternoon (1:30pm–3:30pm). A big thank you to the teachers for their flexibility in making this transition run smoothly.

Tiered Intervention Starts Next Week

Starting next week, we’re kicking off a new initiative. During Term 1, students were taught a mathematical concept for 4 weeks, with pre-, mid-, and post-assessments to ensure we were meeting their needs. This term, we’ll be grouping students within their cohort based on the post-assessments to provide targeted support. We’re excited to see the impact of this new approach!

2024 Annual Report and 2025 Annual Implement Plan are now on our Website!

 

The 2024 Annual Report and the 2025 Annual Implementation Plan are now available on our school website. In next week’s newsletter, I’ll be sharing a short video summarising the key highlights from the Annual Report and outlining our goals for 2025.

This will give families the opportunity to engage with the information at their own pace and come prepared with any questions or comments for our Annual General Meeting (AGM), which will be held online on Tuesday, 13th May from 6:15pm to 7:00pm.

We encourage all families to tune in, learn more about our progress, and be part of the conversation about Newlands’ next steps.

 

 

Looking forward to seeing you at the BBQ, where we can all practice Paddington’s perfect English!

 

Thanks,

Luke