Dernancourt School R-7 Newsletter

This year we have been able to introduce our upper primary learners to a bank of school laptops. Classes have used the laptops to research and investigate as well as present their work electronically. We are continuing to investigate ways to skill our learners and prepare them for digital learning, submission of work and feedback.

We know that many of our local secondary schools are using technology instead of "work books"  and we want to ensure that our learners are prepared for this and are able to continue to be the best learners that they can be. Accessing learning in multiple modes is one way of setting up a successful learning journey. 

We look forward to continuing to develop our skills in this area and are working with Governing Council Committee to develop a 1:1 device plan for our school. 

Digital Technology Committee meets before school in week 7 so if you are interested in joining this committee, we would value your input. Please contact the front office via email to register your interest and be part of our meeting reminders.

Over the next few weeks we will be sending home "enrolment updates" and we would like all families to complete these forms as part of our roll over to a new data management system.

Please don't wait for these forms to update your details; we ask that you remain mindful that we need the most up-to-date contact details (including phone numbers) for all parents/carers so you can be quickly contacted in the event of a temporary closure or regional closure due to COVID -19.  To ensure that your contact details are up to date in the meantime, please use our Skoolbag app.

We think that our working bee volunteers did an amazing job on the weekend. It was fabulous to have 30+ volunteers working together to beautify our grounds.

As you can see in our photos, small teams worked on weeding, planting, repairing some damaged pipes and distributing the mulch. Many hands ensured that these tasks were completed in 3 hours. We were particularly impressed with the number of students working together to ensure that the we finished the jobs and crossed them off our  jobs board.

The teams worked together to plant over 100 new plants and move a truckload of mulch to garden beds along the front of our school and in the Japanese Garden.

We have a small amount of mulch in the carpark that our Eco Warriors are moving to the Japanese Garden to complete the work that they started last term and then to finish the weeding at the front of the school from the electronic sign to the corner near our neighbours. We are hoping to have another Working Bee near the end of the term and look forward to seeing many more families involved.

Last week we were able to return to the Gym for a whole school assembly. We haven't been able to celebrate our learning together since Week 3 Term 1! 

It was a very different assembly in lots of ways...we have all improved our skills in digital technology while we have been learning our way through COVID-19. We saw the presenting class (P10) use the screen to help us to transition between presenters and ensure we were focused. Although we started with a few technical hiccups, our students waited patiently and quietly demonstrating our values for respect and collaboration.

While we did miss our parent and community audience this time, we look forward to having you rejoin us hopefully before the end of this year. In the meantime know that we are practicing and perfecting our skills and cant wait to share with you!

Congratulations to the following students who have completed the Premier's Reading Challenge:

J4   Bobby, Oliver, Chloe, Aprameya, Kayode, Alice, Tyler J, Ella, Elijah, Blaine, Taylor, Mikayla, Max, James, Marcello, Charlotte, Dhyan, Samuel, Charlize, Tyler.S, Ziyi

P5   Bailey, Zayde, Payton

P6   Ethan, Daniel & Amelia

P8   Luke, James, Kiyara, BJ, Hasini, Paige

P10 Rannvir

P11 Burak, Oli

P12 Isabelle, Ramsay & Dylan

P14 Sarah, Lachlan, Pa & Rebeka

Over the next two weeks the crossing monitors below will be helping to keep our community safe. Please support them by ensuring you cross at the crossing and are not parking illegally on yellow lines and obstructing their view of oncoming traffic. 

WEEK 5  -  Sammy (P12), Nitya (P12), Summer (P14)

WEEK 6 - Michelle (P12), Rebeka (P14), Shahanna (P14)

 We are looking for expressions of interest for children wishing to play Summer netball in Term 4 2020 and Term 1 2021. Please fill in the  Skoolbag eform and submit by 3:00pm Wednesday 19th August.

Matches will be Friday nights - time and venue to be confirmed. Training possibly Thursdays (to be confirmed). Cost $70.00 per player. Once a team has been formed we will send notification about payment options. Children must be minimum of 8 years old by 31st December, 2020 (born 2012).

We are always looking for parents to help out with coaching teams. Without coaches we will not be able to submit teams.

For further information please call Jodie 0407 826 343.