NSWRL Regional Roadshow

'On our roads, one decision impacts an entire community.'

The NSWRL Regional Roadshow visited Guyra Central School to deliver a valuable message to students in years 9,10, and 11. The NSWRL and the NSW government have teamed up to bring road safety messages to schools in rural NSW as part of their 'Knock-On effect' campaign. The campaign aims to encourage students to make safer and smarter decisions when operating motor vehicles, while also highlighting the devastating impact that road trauma can have on families and local communities. The visit to Guyra Central School was made extra special by the presence of True Blues Andrew Ryan and Trent Hodkinson, who were on hand to lend their support and expertise to the campaign. We would like to extend our thanks to the NSWRL for this important initiative, and for visiting our school.

PSSA State Athletics

Congratulations to the students of Guyra Central School who participated in the NSW State Athletics Carnival during week 3! The event must have been an exciting and challenging experience for them. Lincoln Atkin, who ran in the 12/13 year boys 1500m, and Sammy-Rose Dowden, who ran in the 12/13 year girls 200m, both achieved personal best times, which is a great accomplishment. It's always great to see young athletes pushing themselves and achieving their goals.

In addition to their individual events, Sammy-Rose Dowden, Oakley Brazier, Taearliegh Torrens, and Manatu Ashman also participated in the 4x100m relay, which must have been a thrilling event for all involved. It's wonderful to see Guyra Central School represented in such a competitive and exciting event.

Overall, Lincoln, Sammy-Rose, Oakley, Manatu and Taearliegh should be proud of their efforts and outstanding achievements in Athletics this year. They have proven themselves to be dedicated and hardworking athletes, and their successes are a testament to their commitment and talent.

STEM PUNKS 2101 ADVENTURE

Exciting Space 2101 Adventure for Students at Guyra Central School on Wednesday 18th October 2023, year 7, 8, and 9 students had an incredible experience exploring space! They had the chance to handle "flown metal" that has been to space, code sensors powered by Micro:bit to measure CO2, and worked together to design rocket launch facilities in Minecraft. This group of learners is truly talented and has a bright future ahead!

Premiers Debating Challenge: A Statewide Competition

The Premiers Debating Challenge is an exciting annual competition that gives students in Years 5 through to Year 12 the chance to showcase their public speaking skills. In each debate, teams have just one hour to prepare, and they won't know the topic or which side of the debate they are on until the clock starts ticking. Three speakers from each team take turns to speak, with a fourth teammate helping out during both preparation and the debate. Debates can be held in-person or over Zoom to suit the schools involved.

Guyra Central School students have had great success in this year's competition, with two teams making it to the regional finals. The primary stage 3 debating team – Sammy-Rose Dowden, Lincoln Atkin, William Collins, and William Vidler – made it to the regional finals. Meanwhile, the Year 8 debating team – Rose Kliendienst, Summer Tibbs, Dixie Orford, and Georgette Loeb – won the Regional Finals and secured a spot in the state finals in Sydney. This is the first time that Guyra Central School has had a team progress this far in the competition, and we wish Rose, Summer, Dixie, and Georgette the best of luck in the upcoming event.

Tremane Patterson joins the Guyra Central School team

Guyra Central School is delighted to announce that Mr Tremane Patterson will be working as an Aboriginal Education Officer in both our primary and secondary departments. Tremane joins the Guyra Central School team with a strong connection to our students, staff and community. Tremane was educated at Guyra Central School and has dedicated his career to conservation land management at Wattleridge Indigenous Protected Area and sharing his knowledge about Country in school and community settings. Tremane is an involved and respected member of several community groups and is the current President of the Guyra Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (AECG) during 2023. He has been extensively involved in the organisation of cultural school and community events. Tremane will work directly with Miss Eunice Blair with families and collaboratively across Guyra Central School assisting students to build their personal strengths and engage in school life to improve our students’ learning outcomes. Tremane is passionate about expanding culturally inclusive learning programs in our school community and will be a valuable member of our team at Guyra Central School.

Kindergartens Teddy Bear Picnic

in week 3, Kindergarten Rainbow went on their very first excursion to Thalgarrah Environmental Education Centre for a teddy bear picnic. There was an abundance of excitement as we boarded the bus. With our teddies tightly gripped in our hands, we ventured off the bus for a day filled with fun activities. Kindy learnt about the important things that keep things alive. Their attention started to shift when they realised the classroom was filled with peculiar insects, bugs and fish.

Morgan very bravely volunteered to hold a peculiar leaf insect. As did Ned, though the nerves crept in as it began climbing his arm. We also played fun teddy bear games while learning about koala bear habitats. Soon it was time for lunch. Upon returning to the lunchroom, something wasn't quite right. Their lunch boxes had gone missing......... And the teddies were nowhere to be seen. Theodore, the leader of the teddies left a note with clues. Kindy had to go on a bear hunt! After a long trek through the scrub, Kindy stumbled upon a fascinating sight. The cheeky teddies were having a picnic, snacking on their sandwiches, fruit and treats. It was only fair that the hard-working students joined in. It was a fantastic day!

"Year 6 into 7" Experience Day

On October 31, Guyra Central School hosted its second "Year 6 into Year 7" experience day. During these two days, students have the chance to attend both mainstream and Big Picture classes. The students thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to get a taste of high school, and we're excited to welcome the Year 6 students as part of our secondary cohort in 2024.

Beneficial Insect Garden Funded by Woolworths Junior Landcare Grant at Guyra Central School

Woolworths Junior Landcare has provided a $1000 grant to Guyra Central School to create a beneficial insect garden. Students have participated in both practical and classroom activities. They've researched beneficial insects, constructed bee hotels for native bees, and planted garden beds with shrubs, grasses, and flowers that attract beneficial insects. In addition, they have planted vegetables that will thrive in the presence of these helpful insects.

Stage 2 have been studying insects this term. These photos depict their class stick insect.

It is housed in the classroom and students have to follow instructions to ensure it is fed and watered to ensure it's survival.

They are also caring for caterpillars that will grow into butterflies. There was much excitement as the stick insect made it's way around the group.

Engaging Students in Environmental Conservation with the Woolworths Junior Landcare Grant - As part of our beneficial garden project, we have provided students with the opportunity to plant grasses and shrubs, and observe bees in the garden to determine which plants attract them. This initiative has been made possible thanks to the Woolworths Junior Landcare grant.

As part of our beneficial insect initiative, students are planting grasses and shrubs. We're thrilled to announce that this project has been made possible thanks to funding from the Woolworths Junior Landcare grant.

We are thrilled that our project is moving forward thanks to the Woolworths Junior Landcare grant. As part of this initiative, Stage 3 students have been busy constructing Bee Hotels. And now, they are eager to paint them to make them more visually appealing to our buzzing friends.

Stage 3 bee hotels

Researching Australian Native Bees and Creating a Safe Haven in Stage 3 Mint's Garden. In an effort to promote the well-being of native Australian bees, our team at Stage 3 Mint conducted research and discovered that these bees are under threat due to the loss of nesting spaces. We also learned that these bees are crucial for pollinating many fruits and vegetables. With this knowledge, we decided to take action by attracting more native bees to our garden and providing them with a safe space to call home. We began by creating our own "bee hotels" using a tin can, hollow stems from our hydrangea plants, and wire for hanging. To add a creative touch, we painted the hotels in our own unique designs.

To expand our knowledge of bees, we visited the school farm and had the opportunity to observe a European bee hive. Mrs Smith provided us with an informative lesson on the "bee highway" and the unique dance moves that bees use to communicate with one another. Additionally, we had the chance to dress up in bee suits and calm the bees with smoke. Although the weather was not ideal for viewing the bees, we look forward to visiting them again soon.

Celebration Time for Year 12 Students!

The final HSC exams took place on Friday, November 3, followed by the Year 12 formal held on Saturday, November 4 at Guyra Bowling and Recreation Club. As we wait for the results of the exams on Thursday, December 14, 2023, we take pride in watching the 'Class of 2023' grow into resilient, hardworking young adults. No matter which path they choose, whether it is further education or work, our graduating students are bright, courageous, and well-equipped for their futures. Best of luck!

Congratulations to Guyra Central School's 9/10 students for a spectacular catering job!

Guyra Central School is proud to be the host of the Principal Network Meeting held on Tuesday 7 November 2023, and our students have pulled out all the stops to make it a success! Our 9/10 students are impressing our guests with their excellent food and barista-style coffee skills using our top-of-the-line coffee machine. This experience not only provides our students with valuable catering experience but also gives them a glimpse into the inner workings of the industry. We would like to extend our congratulations to all the staff and students involved in making this event a memorable one!

Inspired Readers Book Festival

Dymocks Children’s Charity generously sponsored Year 7 students to attend the Inspired Readers Festival in Armidale on Tuesday, November 14, 2023. Each student was gifted a book and had the opportunity to attend an author presentation. Afterwards, they were able to get their books signed by the author. The Guyra Central School students were wonderful representatives, showcasing excellent behaviour and serving as great ambassadors. We would like to extend a special thank you to Gwyn Pearson for accompanying us on the trip.

Participating in the Northern Schools Steer Competition in Armidale

On Wednesday 22 November, our school drove down to Armidale with a group of ten students from years 7-12 to participate in the annual two-day Northern Schools Steer Competition. Despite being up against 90+ steers and 300 students from schools across the region and beyond, our three steers - "Milo" (bred by the school), "Cookie" (donated by Mara and Anthony Grills), and "Panda" (a donation organized by Graeme Grady) - were paraded with the skills well-developed for their level of experience. All students, ranging from years 7-12, took part in the parading and judging, gaining valuable skills. Brooke Grills showcased "Cookie" in his heavy-weight division, achieving a 5th position in a very large class of excellent steers. Over the two days, the students cared for the steers, washed, dried, groomed, and judged the steer classes, with each student stepping up and contributing exceptionally well. Taking this group of students away for two days was an absolute pleasure, and we would like to extend our gratitude to Gwyneth Pearson for her invaluable support and assistance during the excursion.

Mrs Rebecca Smith

Agriculture Teacher

The Premier's Debating Challenge: A Recap of Guyra Central School's Year 8 Debate Team

Premiers Debating Challenge 2023: Our Journey to the State Championships

In the Year 7 and 8 Premiers Debating Challenge, 342 teams participated, with Guyra Central School's Year 8 Debate Team emerging as regional champions. The team qualified to attend the highly anticipated State Championships, where only ten regional teams were invited to compete.

The championship, which spanned over three days, was held at the Women's College of the University of Sydney. Our team, consisting of Summer Tibbs, Rose Kliendienst, Dixie Orford and Georgette Loeb, showcased their impressive debating skills on a range of contemporary issues relevant to junior secondary students. Despite the challenges of one-hour preparation debates, the team remained unfazed, and their hard work paid off.

After facing three losses on the first day, the girls were a little disheartened, but they bounced back on day two with a win that reinvigorated their confidence. Throughout the competition, the girls remained positive and motivated, and their skills improved significantly.

Overall, our team had a fabulous time at the State Championships and learned a great deal from the experience. Their outstanding performance is a testament to their hard work and dedication, and they should be extremely proud of their achievements this year.

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