There has been a lot happening in our space over the last two weeks. Firstly, I must thank Beth for all her amazing work in setting up the Scholastic Book Fair in the library, creating wish lists with our students and running a very successful event. Thank you also to all the families who supported this fundraiser, there were a lot of very happy children with fabulous new books, posters, pens and more.

Last week was National Reconciliation Week. A time for our classes to learn together and celebrate indigenous history, achievements, and culture and to explore how each of us can contribute to reconciliation in Australia. It was really lovely to hear the students discuss the theme Now More Than Ever, reminding us that the fight for justice is ongoing. Many of our students also completed some artwork in their sessions.

Today, the grade 3-6 students are already on their way to Bayview Secondary College to participate in the SPSSA Cross Country. I am very excited to be on the bus with them and watch them all give 110% and represent our school with pride while demonstrating great sportsmanship – as they always do! Go team Swansea! The event is open to spectators, so we hope to see some of you there.

While we love to see our students eager for the day of learning and fun, I must reiterate that they cannot be onsite until 8:30am. Duty of care for our young people does not start until 8:30am. Before this time, staff are very busy completing final preparations for the day, ensuring classroom spaces are ready and that we have time to communicate necessary daily information. What we like to call our "arrival window" is from 8:30-8:50am when the bell goes to start our learning. Students should be onsite by this time, ready to start their day.

Save the Date – Term 2 assembly, Wednesday June 26^th, 1:30pm in Swan Hall.

Thanks for your continued support,

Kendal King

Principal

It is with mixed emotions that I must inform you of two amazing staff members that will be departing Swansea at the end of this term.

Mr Lachlan Smith (5/6 Teacher) has made the decision to return to Canada with his young family and Mrs Heike Stocke (School Psychologist) will be moving to New Zealand to be closer to her family.

These two wonderful individuals have made a truly positive impact in our space and we are all going to miss them dearly as we support them with their decisions. 

We will celebrate their time at Swansea in the coming weeks as we wish them all the very best on their new adventures.

We are in the process of finding staff to fill these roles next term, and will keep you updated as we gather information about this. 

Kendal King

Reminder to all of our families this Friday the 7th of June is a  student free day.  

Our teaching staff will be working with our East Coast Cluster Team at Triabunna District School, moderating grade groups in Numeracy and Literacy. 

Our teacher assistants are heading to Hobart to take part in Qualiteach Professional Learning at the Blundstone Arena.

Reminder also Monday is a Public Holiday.  We wish you all a warm long weekend and look forward to seeing all  students back on Tuesday the 11th of June 2024.

Swansea Primary School is very excited to announce the return of the whole school musical; our unique and student-led version of The Wizard of Oz!

Students in grades 4, 5, and 6 have been cast in roles, and students from kindergarten through to grade 3 have already been rehearsing their parts with Miss Brozgul.

This is a show not to be missed and it will be staged at Swansea Town Hall during the Last week of term 3. Tickets will be announced closer to the performance.

We are staging two matinees (day shows) and 2 early evening shows.

SAVE THE DATES: 25^th and 26^th of September!

We gladly provide the opportunity for every student to take part in our inclusive performance and ask families to inform us as early as possible if your child will be away on Wednesday 25^th and Thursday 26^th of September.

Please get in touch if you can help create costumes and props with the students – we'd love your help!

Looking forward to keeping you updated in the coming months,

Sophie Wilson

Our Winter Wonderland was extreme with fake snow, icebergs, antarctic animals, snowmen and even snow cones!! What a fabulous time we all had almost turning into snowmen ourselves!

To help us understand what National Reconciliation Week is about, we have been reading some First Nations books to learn about history and culture.

After reading Somebody’s Land, Prep students commented about what it would be like for First Nations people to have land taken away from them.

The book was written by Adam Goodes and Ellie Laing, and illustrated by David Hardy.

Jaxon – It would feel sad if someone took your land away.

Daisy – I think that it was rude when they said it was nobody’s land.

Amelia – It was making the Aboriginal people who were there for thousands and thousands of years feel sad.

Indie – They didn’t like it when the people took their land.

Lucy – It is not nice

What can people do when they realise they haven’t done the right thing?

All – Say sorry!

We also read the book No Way Yirrikipayi!

It was a fun story about Yirrikipayi the crocodile who wanted to eat lots of animals!

We drew pictures and wrote about our favourite part.

Students in the Tiwi Islands with Alison Lester wrote the book.

Also, enjoy some photos of the Prep students who were invited by Mrs King to explore her Winter Wonderland activities in Swan Hall this week.

In the last newsletter Grade 1/2 ’s shared our ‘tuning in’ phase of our inquiry into our big question ‘What is above us?’

Now we would like to share how we are going with the ‘finding out’ phase. Students have been very curious, asked more questions and started using some books to research their questions. We used the iPads and padlet to communicate some of our research. Our learners have also used their senses to investigate the weather and recorded their finding onto calendars. 

As researchers we think we will use the internet next to do some more finding out. We wonder if we could ask an expert next…

Staff Spotlight - Mrs Gadd!

Tuesdays are the day that we are very fortunate to have Mrs Gadd spend lots of time working with our class. Mrs Gadd spends much of the morning with us, working on reading, spelling and small group activities.  Maths groups happen in the middle session on a Tuesday, where Mrs Gadd assists to deliver hands-on and fun activities to small groups. Tuesday afternoon is Art time and grade 3/4/5 students have been creating some wonderful self-portraits inspired by Frida Kahlo and Vincent van Gogh.

Thank you so much for all you do for us, Mrs Gadd!

We've had some great fun in Maths this fortnight.  Gone are the days of "1 times 9 is 9, 2 times 9 is 18..." We've loved continuing our learning of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division strategies through a variety of games and hands-on activities.  Our 9 times tables are becoming especially proficient (please ask your child to show you our hand trick!)

OK, we've got a big day at the SPSSA Cross Country tomorrow... see you all next fortnight!

Sunshine and smiles, 

Mrs Sparshott

What Matters? 

The grade 5/6 students worked hard and completed their entries for this years Gough Whitlams 'What Matters' writing competition. Students were required to choose a topic that they believed mattered to them and write 600 words or less in a style of their choice. This is an Australia wide competition and due to it being competitive, students had minimal editing support from teachers.

Topics were varied and included 'Family,' 'Friends,' 'My Future,' 'Health,' 'Animals,'      'Sports,' and 'Unfair conditions in the African Cocoa trade.'

I hope that you will all get to read your childs entry this year because they were all amazing. Due to the length, I am unable to share them all in the newsletter, I have selected just one of the amazing pieces of writing to share now. Enjoy reading. 

My Different Worlds  

By Fred Wood

When I open the first page of a new book, I feel like I’ve entered another world.  Books make my imagination open up to other worlds, because I feel like I'm in the first person view of the scene in the words.  

Snap! I’m entering the cave of monsters, with an iron sword, magical armour, and my fearless stallion. The harpies and possessed humans are emerging from the darkness to guard the treasure, and hoping to feast on my fresh flesh. The possessed people are muttering incredibly old ancient languages that I don’t understand but I think it’s something to do with killing me. I saw the treasure and I was running towards it when.... 

Snap! I'm eating at a magnificent feast in a giant castle in 1991 with King Charles the 3rd and his wife, and also a few other people. His butlers were asking everybody if we want any more drinks or snacks with exceptionally good manners, so no one started complaining that they were being discourteous and told the king to chop their heads off. 

Snap! It’s World-War-2 and I'm down in the trenches reloading my magazine and getting more grenades to throw at the Nazis. Oh no! A bit of shrapnel from a grenade got stuck into my leg and blood is oozing out quickly. In a few minutes I might have serious blood loss and it might cause death. Everything was so loud, cannons were deafening me and firing of machine guns and so many other guns weren't helping either. 

Snap! I'm in a getaway vehicle with other criminals wearing the same sort of black ski masks, and orange jumpsuits. We are each holding a big bag of cash with dollar signs on them, and I can hear police sirens behind us. I was thinking we weren’t going to make it, when at that moment we turned down an alley way and we were about to hit a wall when the driver pulled a leaver. We somehow teleported to a place I'd never seen before but I guess everyone else had because I was new to this gangster group. 

Snap! I'm diving deep into the depths of the ocean seeing breath takingly amazing sea creatures that I’ve never seen or heard of in my life. There are so many incredible colourful fish swimming past me, Manter Rays gliding so graciously through the water and there were also octopus, and eels, and so many more things I couldn’t name. But my amazement didn’t last long because all the sea creatures swam away so quickly. Then I saw why, a great white shark was swimming towards me......  

I've reached the last page of my book. 

Books are one of the many things that matter to me, they make me feel happy and safe, I don’t know why they do that. I think books are one of the things that makes this world better. Think of one of the times you’ve read books when your sad or angry or feeling negative and it makes you feel better. If books weren’t there, the world might be a whole lot more annoyed, and you might not have the friends you have now. 

The National Reconciliation Week theme for 2024, Now More Than Ever, is a reminder to all of us that no matter what, the fight for justice and the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will —and must —continue.

There have been many moments in Australia’s reconciliation journey that make us want to turn away. But when things are divisive, the worst thing we can do is disengage or disconnect.

Now more than ever, we need to tackle the unfinished business of reconciliation. We know that the 6.2 million Australians who voted YES are committed to better outcomes for First Nations people, and are with us.

Reconciliation supporters must stand up to defend and uphold the rights of First Nations peoples. To call out racism wherever we encounter it, and to actively reinforce the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across this continent.

Now more than ever, the work continues. In treaty making, in truth-telling, in understanding our history, in education, and in tackling racism. We need connection. We need respect. We need action. And we need change.  

Now more than ever, we need reconciliation.

National Reconciliation Week - Reconciliation Australia

What a wonderful experience our first Sharing of Learning afternoon was!  Our grade 1/2 class shared their very descriptive narratives, demonstrating great writing and speaking skills.  Our grade 3/4/5's showed their technology and research skills by creating animal fact files through the use of Powerpoint, followed by printing these to create lovely books.  It was a joy to be able to share our learning with our K/P friends too. What a delightful afternoon!

Swansea Primary School would like to show our appreciation to two of our teacher assistants who are busily studying at the moment.

Mrs Janine Gadd is studying her Diploma in Education Support and Mrs Susan Kean is studying her Certificate III School Based Education Support.

Welldone Ladies for meeting all your study deadlines and receiving wonderful feedback and marks for your assignments that you have both submitted so far.

Swansea Primary School is needing to cover our wonderful Steve and Linda from the East Coast Salvos whilst they are busy on other duties.

The Lunch Program dates we are needing volunteers to support this program are Friday the 14th of June, 21st of June and Thursday the 27th of June.  All items arrive prepacked and just need assembling, heating and serving.

If this sounds like something you may be able to assist Swansea Primary School with. 

Please make contact with the school office on 62578126.

All volunteers will need to have a WWVP and have completed the very short video training.

Swansea Primary School is Supporting  Hero for HeartKids 2024 and would love for you to join us! You can make a donation to Hero for HeartKids 2024 online at: https://www.hero4heartkids.org.au/s-primary-school

Thanks for all your support!

Swansea Primary School is taking part in the Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal.  If you would like to make a donation we have a tin on the front office counter.

LAST DAY of TERM 2 FRIDAY THE 5TH OF JULY COME DRESSED WITH A SPLASH OF RED ALONG WITH A DONATION FOR OUR RED SHIELD APPEAL TIN.

Swansea Primary will be having a canteen day for the last Friday of term 2 all proceeds will go to the Red Shield Appeal.

Swansea Primary School Staff would like to say thank you to our wonderful Uniting and Anglican Church Ladies.  Each year the ladies make cakes for local volunteers/organisations in appreciation for their time and wonderful work in looking after the residents of Swansea.

Our staff where very fortunate and humbled to receive one of Mrs Gwenyth Bryan's amazing homemade cakes.

We would like to say thankyou and greatly appreciated.

Morning Tea was fantastic!

Share your thoughts on school attendance

Help us better understand any barriers that may be in the way, and what supports are needed to help with getting to school.

The Department for Education, Children and Young People is doing statewide consultation on school attendance. 3P Advisory is independently running the consultation. Your answers are confidential, and you won’t be identified.

We want to hear from you. You can take part in an online survey, share or vote for suggestions, or join an online drop-in session via the 3P website. The survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete.

You can also share your thoughts about what you like or don’t like about our Every school day matters campaign.

As a parent or carer, please have your say. Please encourage your child/ren, too.

Every piece of feedback counts. Thanks for helping shape future DECYP initiatives, school-based engagement strategies and public awareness campaigns.

Careerify – Career choices made simple

In collaboration with Year 13 (external provider), the latest Careerify social media campaign is now live. In particular, it will focus on Technology, Agriculture and Health to provide young people with information they may not be aware of. 

The Careerify website also has an exciting new portal called Industry Insights. Students can learn about jobs that are in-demand, current fast-growing industries, and a diverse range of occupations across the state – many of which may be new to them.

Everyone in our school has a role to play in educating students about vaping and the Department for Education, Children and Young People’s (DECYP) is committed to prioritising the health and safety of all children and young people.

DECYP recently worked with the Department of Health to develop an online vaping teaching package.

Teachers, support staff and school health nurses can now access additional online training, classroom resources and lesson plans about the risks of vaping, what the law and regulations are, and how to support someone in quitting.

At our school, we will continue to support your children by giving them factual information about the impacts of vaping.  With these new resources, we will be able to build on this message so students can make informed decisions about their health.

This may lead to more discussions about vaping at home. You might like to have a conversation with your child to help reinforce what they’ve been learning at school. 

There are some useful vaping resources and fact sheets available on DECYP’s website aimed at supporting families.  The Department of Health’s website is also a good source of health-related information.

Families with children 5 – 12 years old

Training in the form of an animated video is available for our volunteers and service providers. They must complete this before working with any children or young people this year.

The training for volunteers and service providers can be found at Safeguarding Training on the DECYP website.

Open - Wednesday to Sunday 10.30 – 3pm (including Public Holidays)
Venue - Community Hall (former Council Chambers Building) Vicary St. Triabunna. All proceeds
are donated to community organisations and activities.
Enquiries: Chris 0458560753; Beth 0407571181; Margaret 0438606446; Caroline
0411895067
www.facebook.com/PopUpBookStall; email popupbookstall@hotmail.com