Many parents in our Amaroo defence community attended the morning tea, catered for by our very own Amaroo School hospitality classes. Thanks to all who came and shared in this special event.
Thanks also to a fabulous group of secondary students who helped to sell poppies, badges and scarves for the local RSL over at Coles and Aldi and had some lovely conversations with our local Amaroo community. Primary students were also very helpful in selling to the school during break times this last week. We managed to raise over $800.00!
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Landscaper/Horticulturalist required
As part of the sustainable school program TCCS - Yarralumla Government Nursery has donated a selection of trees to Amaroo School. Planting of these trees will increase the local biodiversity, promote canopy cover within the urban environment and add a visual impact, and additional shade for students as Amaroo School.
If you are a qualified landscaper/horticulturist and would like to donate a few hours of your time to help our school community by planting the donated tress could you please contact our Facilities Manager, Karen Jermyn on 6142 1266.
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2024 Leavers Form
If your child is not returning to Amaroo School in 2024, please click the link to complete this Leavers Form. This will assist the school in planning for the coming year including class placements and staffing.
Street Library Project 2023
Our library technicians have teamed up with Nick and Hannah, two very creative senior students, Mr Lowry in woodwork, and Cashelle Warry in the media department to take on a community based “Street Library Project". As the project is well and truly underway, we are keen to share the progress that is being made. Watch this space for a final update on our exciting, combined effort that is being created to inspire students to share their love of reading with each other.
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‘Pack the Bus’ - 106.3 initiative for Christmas
The Primary Community Projects Club are setting up for another successful ‘Pack the Bus’ initiative to help families in need over this Christmas period. Amaroo School will be a donation point. We invite all families to bring in new toys and non-perishable food items to the ‘giving tree’ we will set up in the Front Office. The Community Projects team will be communicating and campaigning over the next few weeks to gather donations before the big bright bus arrives to collect it all! You can bring items in from Week 7.
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2024 Student-free Days
From 2024, there will be 4 student-free days for ACT public schools. These are the first day of each school term:
· Term 1, Monday 29 January 2024
· Term 2, Monday 29 April 2024
· Term 3, Monday 22 July 2024
· Term 4, Monday 14 October 2024.
We use student-free days for staff development, enabling us to plan in a student-free environment. Student-free planning days have been expanded from 1 to 4 days from 2024 as part of our new Teaching Staff Enterprise Agreement which prioritises better teacher workloads for educational leadership, teaching and learning. For all school term dates, visit the Term Dates page: https://www.education.act.gov.au/public-school-life/term_dates_and_public_holidays
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A Gentle Reminder: Safeguarding Our Students Against Peanut Allergies
As part of our commitment to create a safe and inclusive environment for all students, we wish to remind you of the importance of vigilance concerning food allergies, specifically peanut allergies, within our school community.
We currently have students who suffer from severe peanut allergies; for them, exposure to peanuts can lead to a life-threatening reaction known as anaphylaxis. It is imperative that we work together to ensure the well-being of these children.
To minimise risks, we kindly ask that you minimise sending your child to school with peanut-containing products. We understand that this request may require a slight adjustment to your usual lunchbox preparations and greatly appreciate your cooperation and support.
Furthermore, we strongly advise all students to refrain from sharing their food with others. Even the smallest trace of an allergen can trigger a severe reaction, and without full knowledge of the ingredients in a shared item, the risk is unnecessarily heightened.
We also encourage you to have conversations with your children about allergies and the importance of respecting each other’s health needs. Empathy and understanding from peers make a significant difference to the experience of children with allergies.
Together, we can ensure a safer environment for every member of our school family.
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Regards
Rebecca, Ed and Nic
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LEARNING SPOTLIGHT - KINDERGARTEN
Welcome to our Kindergarten ‘learning spotlight’! Each newsletter we will feature a ‘learning spotlight’ from one of our grades across primary. We will share with you their words and reflections of why the learning we do at school is important and why it matters. Join me in celebrating our students thinking about their learning.
Student interview - Thanish & Kira
Learning area - Inquiry unit “Turning back time”
What have you been learning about?
Thanish: The olden days. We learnt that there were no screens to work on in the past, so people had to write their notes on chalkboards.
Kira: In the past, people had to use old fashioned bikes to get around, they were rusty and had really big wheels. Before that they had to ride around on horses.
What was something new that you learnt about the past?
Thanish: It was really hard work to wash, clean and even teach in the past. School was really different!
Kira: In our inquiry learning room we had a look at a lot of old machines. The typewriter was good because it had so many different parts that can move.
Why is this learning important?
Thanish: Life is easy for us but it wasn’t easy in the past. You think that it would have been easy for them but it wasn’t, you had to do everything for yourself. In the past people only had lunch to eat at school, no snacks and not even any fruit break. We are very lucky.
Kira: Our grandparents know more stuff than we do and they can teach us about how things were in the past. We can do things much easier now because they can teach us a different way to do things.
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LEARNING SPOTLIGHT - SECONDARY
Spotlight on the Arts: A Celebration of Creativity
Our art classes are buzzing with excitement! Dance students are creating vibrant stories with their bodies, while drama enthusiasts captivate us with compelling performances. Music fills our corridors, as students compose and play with heart. Visual arts are flourishing too, with stunning paintings and sketches on display.
Our media students are also pushing boundaries, producing engaging digital narratives. Every note, brushstroke, and frame is a testament to our students' passion and hard work.
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In week 8 you can come and see some of the amazing pieces completed by the year 9 and 10 students.
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STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL
Let’s celebrate the Primary Student Representative Council
This week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jamie K (5MGG) and Jeremy D (2NDE) about the achievements of the Primary SRC in 2023.
How did you get involved with the SRC?
We were voted as SRC reps for their classes. We attend an SRC meeting each week in the Community Room at B2 on Fridays.
Why did you want to be an SRC rep this year?
Jamie: I like to do things, make things, and help others. I like the fundraising stuff we do.
Jeremy: I had no idea I would be involved in decisions for fundraisers for the school and for other reasons. I just really wanted to be in it because I like to help the school.
What does the SRC do at meetings?
At these meetings, Ms. Booksmythe gives a progress update on the projects we have been doing. She usually then holds a vote about the current projects and our future projects. After this we work on our projects or our other jobs, like the collection of Yellow Recycle Boxes from classes, or brainstorm ideas.
What are the current projects the SRC are involved in?
- SRC Stalls (Book store, Popcorn, Book marks, Guess the Lollies in the Jar), to raise money for our new Buddy Benches, we were blown away by another parent who donated hundreds of dollars for a second Buddy Bench. Did you know that the buddy benches are made from recycled plastics? Being sustainable is very important to us.
- Hand making book marks for the Multicultural Day stall, raising money for our partner school in Kenya.
- We collect cans and bottles for our Container Deposit Scheme (CDS), 10c from each of the classrooms from across the school.
- We also look after the Indigenous Bush Tucker Garden with Mr. Campbell, he runs a Garden Club at lunch times that check the plants are doing ok.
- We also tried to get the bubblers completely fixed on the courts. Mrs. Jermyn was able to have the water refill repaired but sadly, vandals broke the bubblers again.
What do you think are some future projects for the SRC in 2024?
We are investigating a way to recycle pens and textas instead of throwing them in the bin. Something we would really like is lots more shade at our school. We would like to have more shading places to play and learn. Natural shade, like trees, and also some built up shade. I shared with them, that this is also something Mrs. Graham is working on and that I need their help!
…Mrs. Graham took Jeremy and Jamie to see around 30 free trees the school has received from the Yarralumla Government Nursery. See photo! Jeremy and Jamie will walk the school with Mrs. Graham and Mrs. Jermyn (our Facilities Manager) and a Landscaper to help decide on the placement of these beautiful trees in the coming week.
A big congratulations to the 2023 SRC team. Amaroo School is very lucky to have you busy working all year to make our school great!
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P & C Meeting - 7pm, Monday 20 November
Everyone is welcome to attend the last Amaroo School Parents & Citizens Association meeting for the year in the Main Administration Building at 7pm Monday 20 November 2023.
We're going to be talking about plans for 2024 and discussing the review of the Personal Electronic Devices policy in ACT public schools. You can join the meeting online at the link below or attend in person. https://meet.google.com/zeg-wjff-qzu
Get your good quality, second hand uniforms ready for next year at our uniform shop sale on Friday 24 November. The shop will be open from 8.35am until 9:30am and 2:45pm until 3.30pm on the day. All logo items and dresses will be $2 and non-logo items $1.
The sale will be located in the classroom next door to the school's main administration building, not in the uniform shop. This will make it easier to browse the items. You can also purchase new items such as house hats ($16.50), hoodies ($35) and skirts ($5).
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Religious Education Programs
As part of the Australian Curriculum ACT Public Schools offer religious education programs that parents and carers can choose to register their children in. In Term 4 Christian education will experience a ‘journey’ to Bethlehem to discover all that happened on the very first Christmas.
To register for the Christian Education program in school or the Islamic Education program please complete the registration/permission forms included in the buttons below.
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