Term 3 Week 2

Principal's Report

Open Day - less than a week to go!

With our Open Day scheduled for next Tuesday, its time to make sure that the date is circled in your calendar, your boss has been reminded and your partner is ready to join you for this fun and informative day.

With the day being filled with an assembly showcasing performances by some of our extra-curricular groups, a visit to the Book Fair, classroom visits with your child and the opportunity to share in a picnic morning tea with your child in our beautiful school grounds, there will be plenty of opportunities to learn more about your child’s learning and the school’s many programs.

To help you fit your visit around your busy schedule, please find following a copy of the day’s schedule.

• Assembly: 9:15-10:15am in the Hall
• Classroom Visits: 10:20-11:00am
• Picnic recess: 11:00-11:30am
  Please bring a picnic blanket and morning tea for yourself and your child
• Book Fair: in the library, opening times:
  Monday - 8:30-9:00am and 3:00pm-3:30pm
  Tuesday - 8:30-9:00am, directly after the Open Day assembly and 3:00pm-3:30pm
  Wednesday - 8:30-9:00am and 3:00pm-3:30pm

While it is often difficult to find the time for these days, the time spent is a valuable investment into your child’s learning journey... see you there!

Term Overviews

For the last few months the teachers while teaching, assessing and reporting... have also been planning this term’s work.

Overviews of these programs can be found below:

Please print these out and place them somewhere where you can be reminded of the work that your child will be engaging in this term... the overviews may be a great hook for a conversation... and will send the message to our kids that this learning journey is one that is exciting, worthwhile and relevant.

SUPPORT UNIT OVERVIEW TERM 3

Welcome back from the Purple team! We hope you had an amazing break and are ready to start another wonderful and busy term.

Please welcome some new teaching staff to our wonderful Purple team, including Miss Urio on Violet and Miss Kavanagh on Iris!

As always, please contact us anytime with questions.

STAFF DETAILS

EVENTS & EXCURSIONS

ENGLISH & INTEGRATED UNIT
Our integrated unit this term is “Transport: Past and Present”. We will learn about different types of transport like trains and planes, and how they have changed over time. We will read stories about transport and write sentences describing how vehicles move. In Science, we will explore push and pull forces using toy cars, boats and planes. All activities in the integrated unit will focus on building students’ vocabulary and language.

Students will continue to complete differentiated phonics, phonological awareness and reading activities. These foundational skills are critical for learning to read. They are practised every day at school and are included in students’ homework for additional revision.

MATHEMATICS
In Mathematics this term, we will have a team wide focus on multiplication and division. We will be learning to use real objects to make equal groups or to share equally. We will continue to practise counting, numeral recognition, and numbers before and after. Students will learn to measure the length and area of lines and shapes.

Students will continue to have access to Mathletics. Mathletics is an online learning tool and app that engages students with interactive activities, games and challenges. To access the site/app, students need to log in using the URL https://login.mathletics.com/ and enter their details (found in their homework book). Students can pick and choose from the activities available. Try and obtain a weekly score of 1000 to earn Mathletics awards!

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION (PD/H/PE)
PE Programs, run by Mr McDonald, are designed to develop agility, flexibility, balance, hand-eye coordination and foot-eye coordination. We will also learn about Water and Sun safety.

Sports Uniform is to be worn on Fridays.

LIFE SKILLS
This term, we will be connecting hands on learning experiences with core literacy and numeracy skills in our life skills lessons. Students will learn how to shop for food and use play money. We will then work as a class to make simple recipes and taste test our creations! We will then write about what we have made as a class to build our literacy skills. We are going to have a lot of fun! Keep an eye out for a note informing you of the program and asking for information about any food allergies or accommodations.

HOMEWORK AND HOME READING
Weekly homework resumes this week. Homework is due on Friday morning and will be sent home on Friday afternoon.

THERAPISTS
Many students in the Support Unit are engaged with a range of specialised therapists such as OTs, Speech Therapists, or Behaviour Therapists. These specialists are wonderful sources of information, and classroom teachers look forward to collaborating with them to share goals and strategies. Many therapists request that sessions be held onsite during school hours. Wherever possible, we ask that therapy be held offsite, outside of school hours, to protect the learning time and routines of the school setting. With 6-8 students in each class, each with multiple therapists, it would not be possible to maintain a classroom structure if all therapy was held onsite. Please communicate with your child’s classroom teacher in regards to any therapy requests. Each request will be considered by the Learning Support Team. Any therapists coming onsite will need to be screened by the Department of Education. Sessions onsite will need to be arranged carefully with the classroom teacher, with the intent of minimising disruption to class routine. While all requests will be considered on an individual basis, our therapist policy guides that 2 hours of therapy onsite is the maximum for each child that can be reasonably supported.

QUERIES OR CHANGES
Please contact your child’s teacher with any concerns or questions. We are available on the ClassDojo app, or via email. We look forward to working with you to support your child’s educational journey!

Miss Rankine, Mrs Nathaniel, Mrs Stansbury, Miss Urio and Miss Kavanagh.

KINDERGARTEN OVERVIEW TERM 3

In Kindergarten for Term 3, we continue to focus on not only developing our students’ literacy and numeracy skills in all Key Learning Areas, but also developing their social and emotional skills. We have an exciting term ahead and we can’t wait to get started.

If you need to contact your child’s teacher, their details are below:

Term 3 Key Learning Areas

English

This semester we will continue our knowledge of phonics, learning some additional consonant digraphs and revising medial vowels before moving into vowel digraphs at the end of the term. Students will continue expanding their understanding of phonological awareness (words, syllables, rhyme, onset-rime, phonemes) during our daily literacy lessons. As well as guided reading groups targeted to student need, modelled reading and daily reviews will assist in revising and expanding upon taught concepts. Continuing our focus on crafting our own ideas as writers, students will begin to explore writing for different purposes.

Students are enjoying their regular weekly news. In Weeks 3, 6 and 9 we will follow the outline below while all other school weeks will remain free choice. To encourage and build confidence in your child, please have a brief discussion about these topics prior to their news day. This is an opportunity for students to gain confidence in speaking for a purpose. No written palm cards or planning is required.

Mathematics

Students will be engaged in daily reviews and ‘Number of the Day’ activities to revise number skills and taught strands of Mathematics. This term students expand on the concepts of addition and subtraction and develop their ability to share and form groups as the basis for multiplication and division. Students will learn about different strands of measurement including area, position, 2D shapes and 3D objects. All areas of maths can be revised at home through Mathletics. Usernames and passwords are found in the front of each student’s homework book.

 Geography

Our unit ‘People Live in Places’ looks at how and why we deem places to be special. Students are introduced to simple mapping skills before the unit delves into a focus on place through the lens of Indigenous Australians. Kindergarten will learn about the places we live in, why they are important and explore how and why places should be looked after. Students will develop an understanding of how the importance of place can differ for different people. 

Science & Technology

As part of Science & Technology this term, students will explore the characteristics, needs and uses of living things in the unit ‘Hen House’. Students will be learning about how to care for living things. Each class will be growing seeds as part of the unit and will design and make a model of a hen house. We will also be visited by a hatchery with chicken eggs that the students will be able to observe and see hatch.

Creative Arts

Creative Arts activities will continue to have focus on the phonics focus of the week to help reinforce knowledge from English activities. Students will also have the opportunity to experiment with different media and materials including paint, pastels, washes and crayons when depicting different farm animals in art works. A continued focus will also be on using scissors correctly and improving fine motor skills.

PDHPE

Mr McDonald will continue to provide PDHPE lessons to all students. The unit 'Communicate & Care' focuses on recognising safe and unsafe situations. Students recognise and distinguish emotional responses people experience in different situations and are provided with opportunities to practise interpersonal skills to interact positively with others. Students also explore personal identity to promote the health, safety and wellbeing of themselves and others. Students develop strategies to manage change and challenges and learn how to protect themselves and others in a range of situations. In the PE unit 'Moving My Body" students develop specific fundamental movement skills while participating in individual/group/team physical activities. They apply decision-making and problem-solving strategies to develop and perform movement skills and sequences, building their self-awareness and communication skills in the process.

Students are to wear their sport uniform on Friday for Kindy sport. Please ensure their hat is in their bag.

If you would like to volunteer your time to help with kindergarten sport on Friday morning, please email Miss Anderson (rebecca.anderson41@det.nsw.edu.au).

The K-2 Athletics Carnival will occur during Term 3. It is an exciting day where our younger students have the opportunity to participate in a larger sporting carnival and gain points for their sport house. More details about this event will be available during the term.

During Term 3, all students will participate in Child Protection lessons with their class teacher. The Kindergarten Child Protection program uses the Bravehearts ‘Keep Safe Adventure’ to facilitate learning and discussion on the following topics:

• Yes and No Feelings
• Warning Signs
• Scared and Yucky Feelings
• Private Parts and Privacy
• It’s OK to say NO if you don’t feel safe
• What to do if you feel unsafe or unsure

Further information about the Bravehearts program can be read using the following link

https://bravehearts.org.au/what-we-do/education-and-training/for-professionals/educators/early-learning/

Homework and Home Reading

Weekly homework resumes this week. Homework is due on Friday morning and will be sent home on Friday afternoon. Please read the homework update that will be glued into your child’s homework book at the end of Week 1. Many helpful ideas are included. It is also important to look back on the previous high frequency words introduced last semester, for additional revision. These lists are glued in at the beginning of each term. 

We encourage students to be reading daily. This can be a combination of their Home Reading texts (a decodable book and guided reader are sent home weekly) and books they have at home. Students should keep a log of the book they read each day on the Vardys Road Home Reading Log sheet and hand the sheet in to the class teacher once complete. The teacher will give a small Home Reading Award to the student. These awards should be kept in a safe place as they are part of our whole school award system. Once you have 3 awards, hand them in to your teacher for a Home Reading Certificate.

100 Days of School

Our 100^th day of learning is fast approaching. A note about this event has been emailed to parents/carers. Wednesday 30th July is our 100th day of school. We would like to invite students to dress up in the 100 days theme. This could include dressing up as if they are 100 years old, wearing clothing that says 100 days of Kindy, wearing 100 things. There are lots of inexpensive ideas online. Google ‘100 days of school dress up’. Our Kindy students will be doing lots of fun ‘100’ activities on the day. We can’t wait! 

Farm Excursion

Kindergarten will visit Calmsley Hill City Farm on Monday 11th August (Term 3 Week 4). The bus will leave school at 9:00am. Please be at school by 8:40am to allow for final organisation and boarding of the bus. We will return by 3:00pm. Students are reminded to wear their school uniform, school hat and sport shoes. Please bring recess and lunch in a small backpack labelled with your child’s name. Remember to pack a bottle of water. We are all looking forward to a ‘baa-rilliant’ day!

Queries or Changes

Please contact your child’s teacher if you wish to discuss their progress, inform of any changes to circumstance or have any queries. We are looking forward to another rewarding term of Kindergarten. Thank you for your continued support.

Miss Anderson, Mrs Davis and Mrs Davies

STAGE 2 TERM 3 OVERVIEW

Welcome to Term 3! After a busy and successful first semester, our Stage 2 staff have planned a whole new range of engaging activities and programs for Term 3. Highlights this term include Book Week, ICAS assessments, Dentist visits, Year 4 Sleepover, Blacktown Festival of Performing Arts, Check-ins and our annual School Disco and P&C BBQ. Public Schools Education Week is in Week 3, with our open day assembly and classroom visits on Tuesday 5th August. As usual, Education Week will also feature our popular Book Fair.

English
Our English units based on mentor texts will continue. Year 3 will be studying Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes, Malala’s Magic Pencil and Our Dreaming by Kirli Saunders, which has a focus on the purpose and structure of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural narratives. Year 4 will be studying The Callers, The Little Refugee and We Are Australians. Combining these texts with explicit teaching of phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension and creating written texts provides our students with deep knowledge and understanding of a variety of key concepts. The Stage 2 public speaking competition will be held towards the end of the term with the stage winner speaking at Presentation Day. Worthy Year 4 students will also start to be presented with their pen licenses. These certificates are highly prized and encourage our students to write with care and fluency.

Mathematics
This term, we will continue to focus on the explicit teaching of Mathematics concepts with lessons complemented by daily reviews where students practise and build their accuracy, speed and confidence. Areas of focus include representing numbers using place value knowledge, applying a range of strategies in additive and multiplicative relations and understanding fractions including tenths and hundredths, as well as exploring data, angles, compass directions, tessellation and symmetry, measuring in millimetres, square centimetres, grams and kilograms, and telling the time to the nearest minute. Students are always encouraged to discuss and explain the strategies and choices they make when solving mathematical problems.

Science, Geography and Creative Arts
In Science, Stage 2 students will investigate the relationship between the Earth and the Sun. They will develop an understanding that the Earth’s rotation on its axis causes regular changes.
In History, students will consider their local community and discover how significant individuals, groups and events contributed to changes in the local community over time.
Term 3 will also allow us to expand our Creative Arts knowledge through the study of Music. Using body percussion and boom whackers, students will learn and explore the concepts of rhythm, beat and metre, including playing along to some well-known tunes.

Child Protection
Child Protection lessons will be taught by your child’s classroom teacher throughout the term. The lessons will focus on a child’s right to be safe and cover topics such as support networks, bullying, body parts, puberty, secrets and strategies for responding to unsafe situations.

Supporting your child at school
If you have any concerns regarding your child’s progress or wellbeing, please contact the class teacher or Stage 2 Assistant Principals. A reminder that the School Counsellor and Community Wellbeing Officer work with the school Learning Support Team to provide additional support when appropriate.

Teacher days and contacts:

The Stage 2 teachers are eager for another exciting and rewarding term, showcasing all that Vardys Road Public School has to offer our students. Our aim is to make sure every child can strive for their best in an environment where everyone belongs.

Kylie O’Brien and Ellen Christian Stage 2 Assistant Principals

STAGE 3 TERM 3 OVERVIEW

Mr Bartlett, Mr Bromhead, Mrs Mayfield, Mrs Sachdev, Mr Salekin and Mr Uren are looking forward to another engaging term with Stage 3. Camp awaits!

In English, Year 5 will be studying the mentor text ‘August and Jones’ by Pip Harry and will be learning about characterisation and narrative. Students will explore the development of characters as depicted through their appearance, words, thoughts and actions. They will explore the models of behaviour presented and whether characters draw on stereotypes or archetypes. Students will create imaginative texts, applying the skills they have learnt throughout the unit.

Students in Year 6 will focus on Argument and Authority. Students will analyse texts to establish reliability, validity, authority and perspective. They will also plan, revise and publish factual news articles and manipulate language features to compose a fabricated news article. In the second part of Term 3, Year 6 will use the mentor text ‘Worse Things’ to gain a deeper understanding of the textual concepts of ‘perspective and context’ and ‘theme’. Students will examine and analyse how perspective is influenced by personal, social and cultural contexts and made evident through authorial choices.

In Mathematics, students will continue to develop their understanding of new mathematical content and terminology that link directly to the new Mathematics curriculum. Students will be learning about multiplicative relations, representing quantity fractions, geometric measuring and three-dimensional spatial structure.

Our History unit will explore the significant events and people that shaped the Gold Rush. During our Science and Technology unit, students will investigate contact and non-contact forces through a variety of games and experiments. For Creative Arts students will listen to and analyse the concepts of duration, pitch, dynamics, tone colour and structure in Music lessons. Students will also have opportunities to create and perform.

Homework will continue to be completed online and can be accessed on the Stage 3 Google Classroom. As always, for students who do not have the option to be working online at home, we will have hardcopy versions available.

This term we are thrilled to once again strengthen our partnership with Seven Hills High School by attending Smooth Walking sessions. Year 5 students will participate in a one-day experience of high school programs. In the past, lessons have included Maths, PE, Science, Music and Food Technology. This is always a wonderful day that is thoroughly enjoyed by the students.

Camp is on in Week 9. Over the three day camp all students will have the opportunity to participate in a range of different activities that may include Archery, Bushcraft, County Fair, Orienteering, Rock Climbing, Giant Swing, High Ropes, Power Fan, Commando Night and Canoeing.

Semester 2 is always a busy time for Stage 3, where students and teachers begin to plan several of the Year 6 Events that will take place before the end of the year. Planning for the Farewell Item Dance and Year 6 Games Day will begin, which will definitely be a highlight this Term.

Save the date:

• The Year 6 Farewell will be held on the evening of Monday 15th December at Toongabbie Sports Club
• The Year 6 Graduation Assembly will be held on Friday 19th December, 2pm in the Hall

We are extremely proud of the dedication that the Stage 3 students have displayed in the first semester of 2025 and we look forward to an exciting and successful Term 3!

High School Zoning

As mentioned in previous newsletters, there has been a change happening with high school local intake areas from next year.

From 2026, families who were previously zoned only for Blacktown Girls and/or Blacktown Boys High School will now have a co-educational option as well.

If needed, have a look at  the school finder website: https://schoolfinder.education.nsw.gov.au/ to see which co-educational high school is now an option in your area.

This may help you make an informed choice about which high school you can enrol your children into for Year 7 and beyond.

New Staff Members

Our Inclusive Education Support Classes have seen two recent staff changes with Ms Monique Urio taking the reins of Violet on Fridays and Ms Cait Kavanagh teaching Iris for the reminder of this year.

Both teachers’ previous experience with our kids or previous experience with support settings have placed them in good stead for their roles and their transition into their respective classes has been smooth and embraced by the kids, staff and community.

Please welcome them if your paths cross... they are already proving to be significant assets to our school and its community.

Check In Assessments

During Term 3, students in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 will participate in the now traditional Check-in assessment.

The Check-in assessment is a NSW Department of Education online literacy and numeracy assessment available to support schools to assess and monitor student learning.

The assessment can supplement existing school practices to identify how students are performing in literacy and numeracy and to help teachers tailor their teaching more specifically to student needs. Students with disabilities may receive the same level of support during the assessment they would normally receive in the classroom.

• The assessment will be scheduled for our Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 students during Weeks 6-9.
• All students will complete a reading assessment and a numeracy assessment. Year 6 students will also complete a writing assessment.

Have a happy and safe week,

Ian Short 
Principal

100 Days of School

Today Wednesday 30th July is our 100^th Day of School!

Kindy was invited to dress up for the occasion and they blew us out of the park! We had students dressed as little old men and little old ladies. Some students said they had ‘100 days sprinkled with fun’ or had been ‘shining’ for 100 days. All very creative!

Everyone had a great time making and creating 100 in different ways. We read books, were creative with art works and did plenty of counting when completing rotation stations, STEM activities and exercises. Kindy even got to see what they might look like when they turn 100 and did some writing based on what they would like to do when they turn that milestone age.

The rain did not dampen our amazing day!

Miss Anderson
Early Stage 1 Assistant Principal

Mrs Kelly's News

Book of the Week:

Spiro by Anna McGregor is a fantastic book for children aged 4 to 7 years old.

This book has been nominated for the book of the year awards and has been a real hit with our Kindergarten and Stage One classes.

Fun in the Library:

Thanks to Mrs Flores and Mr Watling, Stage 3 students have been meeting in the library to start their own Dungeons and Dragons Club!

This club is still learning, but if you have a child that is super keen to play Dungeons and Dragons at lunchtime, please, let Mrs Kelly know.

Larrikin Book Fair:

Next week is the Larrikin Book Fair, which will coincide with Education Week.

We are trying a new company to host our Book Fair this year. So come visit the library next week and see what new and exciting books will be available. Books may also be ordered online via the Larrikin website as long as you put 'Vardys Road PS' in the comments section of the order. EFTPOS is also available at the Book Fair.

Our students are very excited to get their hands on these new books!

Guessing Competition:

Students have the opportunity to guess their teacher’s favourite book.

One winner from each grade will be chosen to receive a $10 voucher to spend at the Book Fair!

TERM 3 K-6 ASSEMBLIES AND CLASS ITEMS

During Semester 1, we welcomed back class assembly items with fantastic performances from several of our Stage 1 and Stage 3 classes.

These engaging presentations will continue in Term 3 as part of our K–6 Assemblies, held at 2:10pm on Wednesday in Week 4 and Mondays in Weeks 7 and 10.

Our Term 3 Program:

Week 4 – 1 Shamrock and 5 Indigo

Week 7 – 1 Mint and 4 Waratah

Week 10 – K Daisy and 4 Scarlet 

From The Office

Each year, we take a special moment to recognise the incredible dedication, warmth, and creativity of our Out of School Hours (OOSH) educators. Whether it's before school, after school, or during the holidays, OOSH educators play a vital role in shaping the lives of children through care, connection, and learning beyond the classroom.

Today, we say a loud and heartfelt Happy OOSH Educators Day! 

Thank you, Harry, Lauren, Georgia, Monique, Cooper, Ryley and the rest of the team, we appreciate you all so much!

Warm regards,
Mrs Catalanotto, Mrs Anderson, Mrs Alonso and Miss Costa

Do you know someone eligible for Kindergarten in 2026?

Apply on-line now (through our website) for 2026!

P&C News

Uniform Shop:

This term, the shop will be open during the following days and times:

• Mondays: 8:30am - 9:30am
• Tuesdays: 2:15pm - 3:15pm
• Thursdays: 9:00am - 10:00am
• Fridays: 2:20pm - 3:20pm (Closed until week 4)

The Fleecy Zips & jumper have arrived early. 

Online ordering is always available, and orders should be delivered to your child’s classroom within the next day or two (be sure to include your child’s name and class in the Notes section at checkout):
https://www.vrpspc.org.au/s/shop  

Events/Fundraising:

SAVE  THE DATE!

Spring Twilight Markets are coming to Vardys Road Public School on Friday 12th September 2025!

As the golden hour rolls in and spring scents dance in the air, the Spring Twilight Market springs to life on Friday, 12th September! Join us from late afternoon into the evening for a vibrant gathering of food trucks, handcrafted market stalls, and that one-of-a-kind twilight charm. 

Bring your friends, your appetite, and your sense of wonder—you’ll find everything from food stalls and sweet treats to handmade treasures by local creatives. Whether you're hunting for the perfect gift or just craving a delicious bite under the stars, don’t miss your chance to experience this one-night-only spring celebration — because moments like these only come once. 

✨ Entry is free. Joy is guaranteed. 

Applications are now open for stallholders interested in joining our vibrant Spring Twilight Market. If you have something unique to showcase, we'd love to hear from you. 

Contact fundraising@vrpspc.org.au for any enquiries.

We love welcoming new members, or welcoming back old ones, so if you’ve been meaning to join or rejoin we’d love to have you! Send through your membership form or get in touch with any questions via email: team@vrpspc.org.au , or check out our website: https://www.vrpspc.org.au for further information. 

P&C Role Vacancies:

We still have 1 volunteer role vacancy, which is a crucial one for keeping the P&C running, so currently the elected members are sharing the responsibilities on top of their elected roles, which is difficult to sustain.

Please consider whether you'd have the time and organisational skills to make this important contribution to our school community. See the Roles & Responsibilities document for more details, but here's a summary of what's involved:

       P&C Secretary – Responsible for the day-to-day organisation of the P&C, including: 

• checking the Team email account
• following the meeting schedule for requesting agenda items, preparing meeting papers, and recording the minutes 
• maintaining the member register and volunteer register
• assisting other P&C roles with documentation if needed, e.g. to notify our insurance company in preparation for P&C events. Note: there are templates and processes set up to help streamline these tasks. 

Please contact team@vrpspc.org.au to express interest in, or to ask questions about this role. 

Recipe of the Week

Banana-berry breakfast biscuits

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups traditional rolled oats
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 3/4 cup mashed banana (around 2 large bananas)
• 1/2 cup almond spread
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup maple flavoured syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp mixed spice
• 1 cup frozen blackberries
  

Method

Step 1
Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.

Step 2
Reserve 1 tablespoon each of the oats and almonds. Place remaining oats and almonds, banana, almond spread, oil, maple syrup, vanilla and mixed spice in a large bowl. Stir until combined. Stir in blackberries.

Step 3
Place 1/4 cup of mixture, 4cm apart, on prepared trays. Sprinkle with reserved oats and almonds. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden and firm. Stand for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve.

Thought of the Week