It is with great excitement that we welcome two new permanent classroom teachers to our school. Mrs Kirsty Dyball and Mr Trevor James were successful through merit selection to gain classroom teaching positions at Bidwill. Both Mrs Dyball and Mr James began this term, and I am certain they are as excited to be here as we are to welcome them.  While they are getting to know our school, students, staff and families, Mrs Dyball and Mr James will be taking a variety of classes each week. Please be sure to say hello if you see them and join us all in welcoming them to our amazing school.

Since the beginning of the term several students have been to visit my office to share with me their great work, or to share with me that they have met their goals. Draven, Acacia-Mae, Jazlyn and Jonina, from Mrs Brown’s 2B, have shown me and spoken to me about their class phonics focus. Eljan, from 3/4S came to show me his excellent writing work about football, and Kailem from 3/4C shared with me that he met his goal. It is so exciting to see these happy and successful students and to witness how excited they are about their learning and achievements. 

On Tuesday 25th, stage 3 had a book launch for their recent publication Culture, People, Place: Learning and Growing Together, which was written as a part of the Westwords Writers in Residence program some of our stage 3 writers participated in in term 3. We thank Westwords, Ms Cootes, the School Program manager who facilitated the program and worked with Mrs Khan and Miss Grace to publish the work. We also thank Mr Tim Harris, the author who worked with the students as a part of this program. Each student whose work was featured in the book, took home a copy to keep and we are confident they will share this excitedly with their families. Copies of the book will also be in the library for all student to look at.

The NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (AECG) is an organisation schools across NSW work in parentship with to ensure the diverse voices, peoples, lands, and communities are met. At Bidwill PS we work very closely with the local Pemulwuy AECG. In collaboration with Kerry Burns, the President of our local AECG, we have begun our own Bidwill Junior AECG. Both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students who are 10 and over can join this group. The Junior AECG committee is a platform that gives our students at Bidwill a voice and agency within our school community. Student voice is when students actively participate in the decision-making at school on things that shape their educational experiences. We are looking forward to hearing the voices of our students to help us make sure the feel like they belong, their culture is represented at our school, and they feel engaged in their learning.

As of Monday week 6, we will be holding a morning breakfast BBQ for all students. The Breakfast BBQ will be free, and students will be able to come to school and have a hot breakfast from 8:30am – 9:00am. We will have bacon and eggs, juice and sausages. We will also have fruit and muffins. Parents who bring their children to school may also choose to have some breakfast, so please come along an join us. This will happen every Monday morning from 14th November and continue until the end of the year. Be sure to join us! Also if you would like to assist cooking and handing out food, please let the office know and we will be in touch.

Ms Michelle Drage

Executive Principal