The Newlands Times

Leadership Report

Is there a better way to start the day than with a Cultural Morning Tea?

A huge thank you to Marta and Nicole for organising our Spanish celebration. Not only was there an incredible turnout of Newlands parents, but also a delicious spread—food, more food, and churros! Thanks so much to our Spanish Sub Committee for putting together these morning teas. They’re not just a wonderful way for our community to connect over food but also an opportunity to celebrate culture and gather must-visit recommendations.

 

 

First 2026 Transition Day

I’m still in shock that our 2026 Foundation students arrived at Newlands for the very first time today! We welcomed 80 fresh new faces, all ready to begin their journey. A big thank you to Jess and the Foundation team for making the morning session a fantastic success!

 

 

Wear It Purple Day

Newlands Primary School stands united in promoting inclusion. Today, our school was a sea of purple, showing solidarity with anyone who identifies as LGBTQIA+. Our school leaders collected donations to support Minus 18 and their ongoing work creating resources. Events like this make me incredibly proud to be part of Newlands and to appreciate the strength of our community.

 

 

 

Foundation

I popped into the Art room during Margaret’s session with the Foundation students. Margaret was reading Boo, Boo, Butt! 'The book with no pictures' which had the kids totally engaged, hanging on every word. I didn’t dare interrupt the reading but later asked the students about their day. They eagerly showed me their own versions of Pete the Cat instead of talking about it. Here’s a collection of their amazing work!

 

 

1/2 

I joined the 1/2 Literacy class where they were reading a Spanish story. The students were exploring the title, characters, and setting while making predictions. Juliana shared she’s nervous about her first day at Newlands, but here’s what the others had to say about their Spanish teacher, Sole:

 

 

  • Sonny: “The Foundation students are lucky because she helps us learn in Spanish.”
  • Maher: “Because she is the best.”
  • Indigo: “I like learning Spanish with Sole, and everyone loves how she teaches.”
  • June: “She’s an awesome teacher.”
  • Nina: “Because she is nice.”
  • Violet: “She makes Spanish more fun!”

 

3/4 

In the 3/4 class, I joined the collective session where Lucinda was giving a fantastic lesson on converting improper fractions to mixed numbers. I sat with Shatha, who was rocking her beanie while helping me understand the process. Huge shoutout to Lucinda for her clear, explicit teaching and impressive whiteboard work! When I asked what they found easy or hard about numeracy:

 

 

  • Shatha: “Converting improper fractions to mixed numbers.”
  • Rudi: “Multiplication is easy; you just add the number repeatedly really fast.”
  • Emmy: “Division is hard because I’m still learning.”
  • Milana: “I don’t know what’s easiest or hardest because once I learn it, it’s easy.”
  • Issac: (Quiet, but I overheard him helping Savannah using skip counting—a great strategy!)
  • Layal: “The addition algorithm, once you learn it, it’s super easy!”
  • Ace: “Fractions, it's just numbers on top of each other.”

 

5/6 

I sent Graeme undercover to check on the 5/6s while Clara’s away. We agreed they’re doing great as Term 3 wraps up. Though Graeme tried to stay low-key during Israel’s numeracy lesson, he couldn’t resist joining in a bit and gathered these insights:

 

  • Lucas: “Maths is fun! We’re learning new ideas like converting fractions into decimals. Two lessons in, and I’ve got it.”
  • Hayley: “I was sad because Kaya was sick for three days this week—she promised us fish and chips .”
  • Charlie D: “It’s great having Israel; he’s energetic and makes learning fun.”
  • Henry: “Israel is funny and tries to scare us, making us jump out of our seats.”
  • Max: “Israel understands what we’re thinking before we even think it—he’s really good at teaching Maths.”

 

Upcoming Events

 

  • Assemblies: Only two left this term! Next assembly is Friday, 5th September, and the final one is Friday, 19th September at 2:00 pm.
  • Open Day of Learning: The last day of term will kick off with an Open Day from 8:50 am to 9:30 am during the soft start.
  • On-Site Evacuation: Monday at 12:00 pm—this drill aligns with Department expectations to keep our safety procedures sharp.
  • Father’s Day Breakfast: Next Friday, we’re back to our beloved Egg, Bacon, and Cheese Muffin “Values Sandwich,” with the Keystones Bun as a vegetarian option. Food will be served in the quadrangle from 8:15 am.
  • Newlands Comedy Gala: Don’t miss Declan and Josh on stage next Friday for a night of laughs and stories about Newlands. It’s one of the best nights of the year—get your tickets now or it’ll be noted!

 

Have a great weekend...bring on the draft!

Thanks,

Luke