Holbrook Public School

Last week, I was lucky enough to attend the Year 3/4 excursion to Melbourne. I enjoyed participating in numerous learning experiences with the students and it was great getting to know the students, and staff outside of the classroom and school environment. I was delighted to hear positive comments about our students and, I got to witness their engagement, enthusiasm, and positive behaviour firsthand. 

It is difficult to comprehend that we only have four weeks left of this term and the 2022 school year. Within these four weeks, we have a jam-packed calendar with K-2 swimming, Semester 2 reports, Presentation Night, the Year 6 Farewell, and more Kindergarten and High school transitions. Staff are busy planning many end-of-year events, which our school community are most welcome to attend. 

Aurora College 

Nathaniel Atkinson and Ada Ryan (Year 5) have successfully gained entry to the Aboriginal High Potential and Gifted Students program - Aurora College Virtual Opportunity Class for 2023. Nathaniel, Ada, and Will Glass will have shared enrolments with Aurora College, where they will complete their curriculum's mathematics, science, and technology components with other high-potential and gifted students from around the state. 

Inclusive Engaging Respectful Schools (IER) 

The new IER reform has seen our school implement the new Inclusive Practice and Behaviour Policy (Term 4, 2022), and next year we will implement the Restrictive Practices Policy. Staff have completed additional hours of professional learning in Inclusive Practice and the Behaviour Policy. This involved developing frameworks and procedures that aim to strengthen the engagement and participation of all students, including those with a disability, complex and challenging behaviours, and additional needs in line with the NSW Department of Education policies. 

Home Readers for 2023 

I want to thank the P&C for funding the purchase of our K-2 home reading decodable texts to support students in building on early literacy skills learnt in the classroom. We look forward to sending these new readers home with students early in Term 1, 2023. 

Remembrance Day 2022 

On Friday, 11 November, Holbrook Public School was proudly represented by Abigail Pincott and Sybil Triggs at the Holbrook RS Sub-Branch Remembrance Day Service. The service was held at the Cenotaph in town. Our leaders laid a wreath created by Ruth Millard on behalf of Holbrook Public School and other community members. The school leaders conducted a service back at school for students and staff to commemorate Remembrance Day. 

2023 Planning

Planning for 2023 is well underway. There will be more updates regarding school organisation for 2023 in the upcoming newsletter. 

Have a great week! 

Louise Purss-Semple
Principal

Parents can now access the school calendar using the calendar tab on the SENTRAL Parent Portal app.

We were very spoilt for weather on Friday for the Super 8s cricket gala day held at Culcairn. Thirty Year 5 and 6 students attended the day, which involved playing some cricket games and participating in a cricket clinic run by Cricket NSW representatives. Although the day is a gala day, the points are calculated, and a grand final was held. It ended up being a Holbrook Blue versus Holbrook Yellow grand final. Holbrook Blue came out on top. All students showed excellent sportsmanship and teamwork throughout the day. A big thank you to Sarah Triggs, Courtney Maclagan and Vanessa Purcell for managing the teams on the day. Your help is very much appreciated.   

Chrissy Lavis 

As part of their Aurora lessons, Justin Nisbet and Abby Pincott have been part of a team that entered the NSW Game Changer Challenge. The Challenge is a state-wide competition that centres on discovering solutions for a real-world, wicked problem. Teams work through both the creative and advocate processes to produce a robust solution to one of our society’s most pressing issues.

In a team of five, Abby and Justin reached the grand final and were flown to Sydney recently to compete. This year, the challenge was centred around ensuring healthy lives for all, at all ages. Their team, Team MAJAM, was successful in winning the grand final. A huge congratulations to both students for their teamwork, collaboration and creativity.

The grand final pitch can be watched by following this link Grand final pitch live stream (nsw.gov.au)

Chrissy Lavis
Aurora Co-ordinator

Last year, the children and families of Holbrook Public School generously donated gifts to go under our Giving Tree, believing that Christmas was a time to be caring and sharing and reaching out to people.  

Our school community showed that a kind gesture could go a long way; consequently, we donated more than 80 gifts to children who were not as well off as ourselves. 

This year, our Giving Tree will again go up and wouldn’t it be amazing if we could again show how caring and generous we are as a school community?    

Once again, our students are encouraged to consider purchasing a small gift to leave under the tree for an unknown student of their own age. Please wrap the gift and attach a gift tag stating the gender and age of the intended recipient. In return, each child will be able to take from the Giving Tree a small Christmas memento to adorn their own Christmas tree as a thank you. Please bring in your small gifts by Friday, 9 December.

The presents will go to the Uniting Church in Albury, and they will then distribute them to children of homeless and underprivileged families in Albury and surrounding districts. 

Mrs Dionysius and Mrs Jones 

This term, Holbrook Public School will be running tennis clinics using the Australian Government's Sporting Schools grant and initiative to bring schools and sports together to help students get active. Every Monday, from 24 October to 28 November, all students will be involved in tennis clinics as part of the PD/H/PE curriculum.

Students can wear their sports uniform on Mondays to participate in these clinics.

Louise Purss-Semple

Principal

ICAS Assessment awards will be presented at the Week 8 school assembly (Friday, 2 December).

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