Dungog Public School Newsletter Term 4, Week 4 2025

Calendar of events

• Monday 3rd & 17th November - Fortnightly PBL Assembly
• Tuesday 4th & 18th November - Dungog High School Jump Start
• Tuesday 4th & 11th November - Breakfast Club
• Tuesday 4th & 11th November - Learn & Grow Playgroup
• Friday 7th November - Dungog Show Junior Farmhands
• Monday 10th November - Kindergarten Zoo Excursion
• Tuesday 11th November - School Remembrance Day Service
• Thursday 13th & 27th November - Whole School Fortnightly Assembly
• Friday 14th November - Kindergarten Transition
• Wednesday 19th November - Meals on Wheels
• Friday 21st & 28th November - Kindergarten Transition
• Friday 21st November - P&C Trivia Night
• Friday 28th November - Dowling Street Christmas Party
• Wednesday 3rd December - School Musical
• Friday 5th December - Presentation Day
• Monday 8th December - Stage 3 Day Out
• Thursday 11th December - Year 6 Farewell
• Tuesday 16th December - Year 6 Day Out
• Friday 19th December - Last Day of Term 4

Principals MESSAGE

Hello Families,

It's getting hot and despite just starting, the term is also creeping towards the exciting end of the year.

Speaking of heat, making sure our kids come to school each day with their hat (with their name on it of course) and drink bottle is really important. With the heat we are also encouraging our kids to seek cooler activites while still giving opportunities for those who love to move and blow off some steam.

Term 4 has also brought some changes in our playground organisation for Stage 2 & 3. Students are no longer allocated to playground groups and have the choice of playground activities which occur on a rotating basis. With this change though it is important to emphasise to our kids the importance of sportsmanship and positive choices when things get competitive and we would appreciate our families echoing this at home.

The end of year also sees a large number of events which our staff are busy planning. Activities and excursions such as the Swim School and Sport, Dungog Show, our Musical, Activity Days, Presentation Day, Year 6 Farewell and Day out are filling our calendar fast ahead of our last day of school for the year on Friday December 19th.

Looking forward to a cracking end to the year

Mark Cridland - Relieving Principal

Principals Award

EARLY STAGE 1 & STAGE 1 NEWS

KP with Miss Petersen

KP have had a very busy and exciting start to Term 4! In English, we have been exploring Persuasive Writing and learning to use strong words to share our opinions and convince the reader. The students have enjoyed practising their writing skills by talking about topics they care about and using powerful words to persuade others. It has been wonderful to see their confidence grow as they share their ideas with the class. In Mathematics, we have been learning all about maths symbols and practising how to decide whether to add or subtract when solving number problems. Students have worked hard to use their number knowledge to solve real-life maths stories and explain their thinking using maths language. Everyone is becoming more confident at recognising patterns, using symbols, and showing their working out. During PDHPE, we have been learning about ourselves and exploring how to recognise and regulate our feelings and emotions. Students are learning ways to calm their bodies and minds, make positive choices, and support their friends when they are feeling different emotions. We are also practising teamwork and kindness during games and activities. We have also started creating our class musical piece, and the excitement is building as we practise keeping the beat and using instruments to create rhythm and melody. It’s been fantastic to see the students showing creativity, confidence, and collaboration. We are also looking forward to our excursion to the Hunter Valley Wildlife Park on the 10th of November! This will be a wonderful opportunity for students to learn about animals and their habitats. Please make sure you have given your child permission and completed payment so they don’t miss out on this exciting day. There will be a small change to homework this term due to Kindergarten Transition. Students will still hand in their homework on Friday, but it will now be sent home the following Monday. As the weather gets warmer, please remember to pack a hat and a drink bottle each day to help everyone stay sun safe and hydrated. KP are working hard, showing kindness, and continuing to make amazing progress as we head towards the end of the year!

1L with Mrs Long

Wow! I can't believe it is the last term of the year and it is nearly Christmas. Apparently it is ( at the time of writing) 56 days!! So we only have about 50 days to finish all of our work, have a Musical, have a Mini Fete, Presentation Day , end of year parties and the list goes on. This term Stage 1 are reading the Roald Dahl novel the Twits. I hope you are enjoying reading it parents because the students certainly are. In Geography we are learning about where Australia is located in the world and in Science we are learning about different types of energy and carrying out some experiments. Sport this term is before Lunch 1 where hopefully it will be in the cooler part of the day. Can you believe it next newsletter is the last one for the year??

1G with Miss gregory

1G have had a busy start to Term 4. We have started our assembly item for Week 5, our musical item and our visit to Lara Aged Care Centre was a success! In English, we are practicing our creative writing skills and have created some very interesting stories that we can't stop reading. In Mathematics, 1G have been learning about the time between 2 events and when we should start planning for those events. We have also been enjoying all the different sports we have been playing in sport including Tennis, Cricket, Soccer, Bowling and Volleyball. 1G continue their busy term of performances and excursions and can't wait to show you our musical item!

1N with MRs NAsh

We've had a busy start to Term 4 in 1N! Musical practice is well underway and we all can't wait to perform at the end of the term! In English, we are exploring Creative Writing, working on how to write an engaging complication that leaves our readers wondering what's next! Geography has been so fun, with us working on our computer skills to explore Google Earth to learn about the oceans that surround Australia and identifying other continents on a map in relation to us. We loved having all our Grandparents and special friends visit us at school and work on a newspaper project with us. It's going to be a busy term, keep up the great work 1N!

release from face to face with Miss Muddle / Mrs Morgan

Our students have been busy exploring the world around them through exciting hands-on Science lessons. In Kindergarten, students are learning about our planet and the sky above—discovering things like the weather, the seasons, and what makes day and night. Stage 1 students have been investigating different types of energy, such as light, heat and sound, and how we use them in our everyday lives. Stage 2 students are learning how forces can make things move, stop, or change direction, through experiments with magnets, pushes, and pulls. In Stage 3, students are diving deeper into how energy is transferred and transformed, and how it powers the systems and products we use every day. It’s been wonderful to see students’ curiosity and problem-solving skills shine as they test ideas, make predictions, and share their discoveries!

SUPPORT CLASSES NEWS

dhurrumiri with Mrs allison

We’ve had a fantastic start to Term 4! Everyone has settled in beautifully and there’s a real buzz of excitement around the room. There’s been lots of talk about our upcoming Musical — students are eagerly sharing creative ideas and can’t wait to help make props (keep an eye out for costume updates soon!) We’ve also been busy finishing our artworks for the Dungog Show and even built a scarecrow — be sure to check it out if you’re visiting the show! In Writing, we’re learning how to use our opinions to persuade others, while in Mathematics we’ve been exploring addition and subtraction symbols and practicing our number bonds. It’s shaping up to be a fun-filled and productive end to the year, and we can’t wait to see what the rest of the term brings!

barrangga with Miss Coleman

Can you believe it's Term 4 already? Time is flying by and it won't slow down anytime soon with all of the cool end of year events coming up. We loved spending time making props for our musical on Grandparents' Day and hope you will be impressed with our creations when you see us on stage! We are still learning lot's in between all of the extra events too - feel free to ask us about how to find the perimeter of irregular shapes and which graph is our favourite. Fridays are even more exciting now that we go to the local pool for our school sport but it will be even better once the water warms a litttle more. We are also working on our own imaginative stories in Writing, creating new characters and our own maps to help with world building. This term has already been a blast!

STAGE 2 & STAGE 3 NEWS

2M with Miss Maytom

Can you believe it’s already November? Term 4 has kicked off with a bang, and 2M are diving right in (sometimes quite literally, thanks to swimming on Fridays!). Our playground activities have been an absolute hit — it’s been wonderful seeing everyone join in with smiles and teamwork. In the classroom, we’ve been busy writers in English, exploring how to “show, not tell” in our stories to keep our readers hooked. In Maths, we’ve been practising our levelling strategy for quick addition, and next week we’ll move on to subtraction. We’ve also begun preparing for our musical performance — "A little sound of China!” The students’ excitement and enthusiasm as they rehearse have been contagious; it’s shaping up to be a performance to remember. In PDHPE, we’re setting personal goals and reflecting on our own strengths and challenges — some great conversations are coming out of this. Meanwhile, in Geography, we’re exploring important places around the world and learning why they hold significance to different people. This week, we’re also looking forward to the Dungog Show! It’s always such a fun and memorable day for our students. Please make sure notes are returned as soon as possible so everyone can join in the festivities. The class has created some incredibly creative artworks and newspaper clippings showcasing our amazing school — we can’t wait for you to see them on display! The Stage 2 Intensive Swimming Program note has now gone home — lessons begin in Weeks 5 and 6. This is a fantastic opportunity for students to develop confidence, skills, and safety in the water. It’s a busy and exciting term ahead, and 2M are ready to make the most of every moment!

2V with Mrs middlebrook

Welcome to Term 4 in 2V where we aim for a vibrant and cheerful learning space! This term is already bubbling with excitement and positivity. Our super swimmers have started weekly swimming for Sport, greeted by heaps of smiles and a real eagerness to dive into the water. The creative energy is alive and well in our Musical rehearsals with Mrs Morgan—our talented dancers are shining bright and loving every moment of the fun and enthusiasm. We’re also preparing our masterpieces for the Dungog Show student art competition and our very own school display, showcasing the fantastic creativity flowing through our classroom. In English, 2V’s imaginations are soaring as we dive into creative writing, crafting stories full of wonder and originality. Our reading adventures take us through exciting chapters from various novels by the brilliant David Walliams, sparking lots of laughter and discussion. Mathematically, we’re mastering levelling as a strategy in addition—adding new skills to our learning toolkit every day. It’s been an exciting, colourful, and busy term already, with each day bringing new opportunities to grow, create, and shine together! Keep up the fantastic work, 2V!

3D with miss donnellY

We've jumped straight back into learning in 3D. In Science we explored the various effects that the Sun has on the Earth as well as the phases of the moon. We're then moving onto all different forms of energy. In English we've been looking at ways to write a complication that don't give away the solution to the problem. In Maths we've been learning various subtraction strategies including a way to add to subtract. We're gearing up for our Musical at the end of the year, discussing options for music, costumes and dances. We'll be representing Ireland, with a Irish Dance. We're very excited!

3c with miss rodgers

Term 4 is well underway and 3C have jumped straight into an action-packed term! They have shown their fantastic creative skills by putting the finishing touches on their artworks for the Dungog Show. They have also been demonstrating their creativity and coordination as we begin learning our dance routine for the upcoming musical. In English, 3C have been working on their inferencing skills, using clues from texts and their own knowledge to make meaningful connections in stories. Their imaginative writing is shining too as they explore emotions, describe vivid settings and bring their ideas to life. In Maths, 3C have been tackling conversions between fractions, decimals and percentages with confidence and showing great determination. Our Term 4 Friday afternoon swimming sessions have been a hit, giving everyone a splash of energy and fun to end the week!

3b with Miss Blissett

In English, 3B has been diving into Imaginative Writing, learning how to craft engaging stories that capture the reader’s attention. We’ve been focusing on using sizzling starts to hook the audience, building strong orientations to set the scene, and tightening tension as stories develop towards exciting complications. Students have enjoyed experimenting with language and structure to make their writing more powerful and engaging. In Mathematics, we’ve been exploring the connections between fractions, decimals, and percentages, learning how these concepts relate and how to use them to solve real-world problems. In the lead-up to the Dungog Show, 3B has been busy creating show art based on students allocated theme, showcasing their creativity through colour, design, and originality. Students have taken great pride in their pieces, experimenting with different materials and techniques to produce artworks that reflect their individuality and effort. 3B has also been preparing for our musical performance of “Walk Like an Egyptian”, bringing enthusiasm, rhythm, and teamwork to the stage — we can’t wait to share it with you!

Library/STEM with miss donnellY

Welcome to a new term. The Library is ready for spooky season. There are books to celebrate Halloween and Day of the Dead on display right now for students to learn about these traditions. Miss Donnelly is attempting to ensure that we celebrate as many different holidays and cultures in the Library, because reading is the best way to learn more about the world around us. In STEM we're still growing plants in our aeroponic garden, which is chilling outside the Library building. Mrs Coleman and Barrangga are also attempting to grow plants in our tower. So far we've got lettuce, spinach, strawberry, mint, and beans. We've also had a return of a favourite kit. The Podcasting Kit has returned for students to enjoy. Whether they want to interview each other, their favourite teacher or student, or even the Principal, students will have access to this resource when Miss Donnelly is on duty in the library.