Around the School

NSW Department of Education Cultural Diversity Calendar

The calendar for cultural diversity promotes intercultural understanding, cultural and linguistic diversity, community harmony and social inclusion across NSW public schools and their communities. 

The theme of the 2022 calendar for cultural diversity is 'in my language'. 

2022 is the Lunar Year of the Tiger/Tasmanian Tiger.

This year Guyra Central School Visual Art students entered their art works, for consideration, to be included, into this very illustrious competition. Only 12 artworks, from across NSW, are included annually into the Department of Education Cultural Diversity calendar.

Last week we received notification that Leigha McElroy, Year 8 Guyra Central School student, had been successful with her submission. Leigha’s artwork ‘My Yorta Yorta’ has been shortlisted for inclusion into the 2022 Calendar for Cultural Diversity. Congratulations Leigha, this is a very big deal! Mr Simon Hanly, Visual Art Teacher has been instrumental in providing this great opportunity for our students. 

Thank you Mr Hanly.

It’s Time to Celebrate You: PSA Schools Recognition Week 2021

Schools Recognition Week was held in early September and the Public Service Association (PSA) were promoting the wonderful work School Administrative School Staff members do and encouraging the school community to recognise and thank these members.

The PSA know it has been a tough year and hope all members have the opportunity, even in the midst of everything that is happening, to celebrate and to take a moment to reflect on the outstanding contribution these members of staff make to education in NSW. 

Along with the huge contributions of our SASS members, including School Admin Managers, School Admin Officers, Aboriginal Education Officers and School Learning Support Officers, we also celebrate those in other non-teaching roles in schools such as our wonderful General Assistants, Farm Assistants and many others who all make significant contributions to the school community.

The celebrations were delayed due to Learning from Home, however SASS staff from Guyra Central School were celebrated, the important work they do was acknowledged and thanked in a morning tea recently. 

Murals – turn drab into fab

On the 16th September a small gathering of the community, restricted due to COVID-19, bore witness to the unveiling of the community mural at Volunteer Park in Bradley Street. This project began three years ago with our then senior Guyra Central School Visual Art student, Bronte Stanley, taking up the role as the Project Manager. Bronte, Eunice Blair, Aboriginal Education Officer and Clea Townsend, Guyra Central School Visual Art Teacher, collaborated with members of the Council’s Arts and Cultural Advisory Committee. The Guyra Central School team engaged artists Brian Irving and Kay Smith to conduct 5 art workshops and most Guyra Central School K-12 students produced art works at this time. A panel of judges, from the Armidale Council and including Miss Clea Townsend, from Guyra Central School, selected the winning artworks. These artworks, selected from hundreds of student artworks that were produced in 2018, have been honoured and transformed into two beautiful banners located on the adjoining bus shelter and adjacent to the final murals. 

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this process in 2018 and to the wonderful team who have worked so hard to ensure that these efforts have not been lost.

The final murals were completed by our very talented local artists, Brian Irving and Kay Smith.

Thank you to the students for their talented submissions and for their patience in reaching this final accomplishment/completion of the project. To the Guyra Central School Parents & Citizens for their contribution and to Mrs Donna Davidson and her team for their tenacity and ability to make things happen, thank you.

Stage 3 Platinum

This term, Stage 3 Platinum are exploring cardio drumming and working on creating their own performance that they hope to present to others. The aim of cardio drumming is to keep students engaged in movement, rhythm, and provide a fun group experience, while exploring the creative arts syllabus. Students have shown enjoyment in these lessons so far. 

Stage 3 Platinum are also working on creating their own board games. Students have been involved in evaluating different materials that could be used to create their board games. They have been exploring a design process to plan and create their board games.

Most groups are up to using their plan to start making their board game for others to play and evaluate. 

Mrs Emma Vidler 

From Early Stage 1 Rainbow

For the first two weeks of Term 4, Kindergarten enjoyed an author study on Australian author, Julia Donaldson. Kindergarten completed literacy and art activities based on her books. They made a Gruffalo mask, a Stickman out of sticks from the playground and a beach themed plate with a paddle pop stick with the snail and the whale. 

Mrs Sjaan Mitchell 

Early Stage 1 Maths

This term in maths, Kindergarten is learning about Time. The students have worked on ordering days of the week, sequencing daily events and are now learning about how the analog clock works. 

We discussed what we might do at each of these ‘times on the hour’. Then we created a poster so students could represent their school day using formal units of time.  

Mrs Nikki Robinson 

Year 9 Woodwork

In year 9/10 Woodwork,  Jada Alefosio as given the challenge to produce a product as a 

major project during term 3.  Jada has designed and built a beautiful blackboard, Jada

personalised her design with her artistic flair adding a flower she had sketched using pyrography.  

Well done Jada, your design is fantastic!