avismhwz87o...students have embraced technology and project-based learning, staff have worked...

Principal: Charmaine Borchert

P.O Box 896, Lavington NSW 2641 T: (02) 60406284 F: (02) 60402320

E: [email protected] Learning & Achieving W: www.wewakst-s.school.nsw.edu.au

Tuesday 15th December

11am

Awards Presentation

Students and Staff only

https://youtu.be/aVISMHWz87o

Last Day of Term 4 2020

Wednesday 16th December

First Day of Term1 2021

Friday 29th January

*Every Student is known, valued and

cared for at Wewak Street School

Please don’t forget printed newsletters on request only.

Visit school website:

www.wewakst-s.school.nsw.edu.au

https://youtu.be/aVISMHWz87o

Kindly be advised the link will be LIVE at 11am Tuesday 15th December and will be

recorded to view later at your leisure.

https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjPpe-ij4feAhUVMN4KHXyCAEUQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=https://www.thinglink.com/scene/790230656314507264&psig=AOvVaw25Tt2CT8rr8gyJLFWsgao8&ust=1539646616450380




Key Word Sign

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What a year we have had, drought, bushfires and terrible smoke to start the year. Followed up with terrible floods

throughout Australia. Our school community is still feeling these effects and may continue to feel the effects for

a long time.

We have also seen the terrible effects of COVID19 throughout the world and tragedy of lost lives. Everyone in

the school community has experienced isolation and sad times of missed time spent with friends and family, job

loss and restrictions. Students at Wewak Street school have not only experienced all these events but also the

anxiety around Learning at Home and the uncertainty about finding a new routine and a new normal.

Wewak Street Staff have also undergone incredible stressful and uncertain times. Staff have had to design and

create three ways of quality and meaningful ways of learning - learning from work packages that can be

delivered at home or school and meaningful and positive experiences at school. A totally new and challenging

way of teaching.

Parents and caregivers (including staff who have children) have undergone job instability, working at home

while dealing with their children learning at home, restrictions and not being able to find necessities in the shops.

Parents and caregivers have also dealt with no or limited respite, lack of services and allied health professionals

as well as the day to day dealing with students with complex needs. A very stressful time that takes a huge toll on

the community. A very depressing and stressful year, while this is true it is not the whole story of the year.

2020 has been a year of incredible progress and success. The Wewak Street School community has shown

unbelievable resilience and huge character, rather than reading and seeing student progress reports that are

negative and filled with failed learning, the student reports show an overwhelming story of students working hard

to achieve their very best, wonderful academic achievement and a growth in resilience and personal

achievements.

Students have embraced the three-break day and this has led to increased positive playground experiences.

Many excursions and celebrations were not held but the school community created different ways to participate. I

have been overwhelmed at seeing the versatility and success of students trying new ways to learn. Every student

and their family should be proud and celebrate the wonderful and unique ways students achieved this year.

Students have embraced technology and project-based learning, Staff have worked incredibly hard this year to

embrace new technology and professional learning. At the beginning of the year staff were able to participate in a

trial of updated computers to deliver programs, the school used the time while students were learning at home to

engage in professional learning in technology (I think we have all become very skilled in using “Zoom “or

“Teams”).

During the year the digital technology in the school has been updated and the school has successfully become a

leading participant in the Digital Improvement Plan announced by the NSW government, this will have a huge

impact on our students in the coming years, with increased hardware access and support.

The school has also undergone the rigorous and rewarding External Validation and Situational Analysis that has

given myself and the executive information to move forward in working with the whole school community

around the School Improvement Plan. We look forward to working with our parents and carers to refine what this

looks like for Wewak Street School.

Principals Message




Staff have continued to develop new ways to challenge and extend students. Our high school students have

flourished under project-based learning. Staff and students have shown both enthusiasm and resourcefulness in

think “outside the box”. This has shown some outstanding student results, I look forward seeing where this will

be developed next year.

In this last week, I have been able to sign off on the program “Duke of Edinburgh Awards” to be initiated in our

Secondary school. I am sure that many of our students will benefit from this program. I am also looking forward

to an increased focus on our school being responsible community members, through environmental and

wellbeing programs.

Staff development days this year and next year will be digging deep into student wellbeing, communication,

trauma informed practice, attendance and increasing student growth in reading and numeracy.

Over this last year, the school has benefited with building and playground changes, due to increased need for

safety verandas and poles have been moved and reinforced. Work on reducing student’s access to unsafe places

has been increased. Applications have been put in to “revamp” the play equipment in the Primary playground

and the sensory area. This year we were very lucky to benefit from a grant from Justin Clancy’s office that will

go towards improving the playground.

Thank you to the hard-working staff and students that spent their own time to change an office into a sensory

space for students to “chill’ during morning, recesses and lunch. Students and staff have really enjoyed music

during breaks, we are developing quite a good group of dancers.

A big thankyou goes to the parents and caregivers this year. Thank you for allowing the school to be part of

your lives with unprecedented increased contact through phone calls, emails, Zoom, digital meetings and face to

face meetings.

Thank you for your patience as we have had to work through restrictions, laws and Department of Education,

Health Department and government regulations. At times it has been confusing and contradictory and just plain

hard.

A big wonderful positive of this year has been the relationships and the closeness of school and parents/carers

working together to ensure the wellbeing, health and education for the most important reason – our students.

On behalf of the Staff of Wewak Street School and myself, we wish you and very happy and blessed Christmas

and a safe, healthy and happy 2021

Charmaine Borchert

Principal




On behalf of the P&C

I would like to thank everyone for their support in making the Christmas raffles a success.

We raised just over $1200.00, Congratulations to everyone who won a prize, enjoy

We would also like to thank the following for all the donations for our raffles, Pat Cunningham,

Bunnings Albury, Susan Davies/Body Shop Consultant, SS & A Club, Regent Cinema, Intensity

and Purple Chicken.

A big thank you to all the staff and families of Wewak Street School for your support and to

Sheryl Pitman for helping sell raffle tickets.

Thank you to all

On behalf of the P&C, we wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

See you all back in 2021.

Tracey Coates

School Messages




Wewak Street School Students entered the Challenge Community Services Art competition this

year.

The theme was ‘Out of This World’ in line with our Discovery unit of Learning. The Challenge

Community Services supports people with a disability of all ages and young people in foster care

throughout NSW. The exhibition and competition were held in Tamworth to coincide with

International Day of People with Disability.

The students from Wewak Street School enjoyed developing their wonderful art works and the

school entered 50 art works. The students were able to view the exhibition online and were very

excited to see their works hanging.

One of our students was successful in receiving an encouragement award, congratulations to

Jack Howell Year 11.




JANUARY SCHOOL HOLIDAY WORKSHOP INTENSIVES

HOTHOUSE THEATRE

NIGHT SKIES

Is our future determined or is the sky the limit?

These January school holidays we traverse the beautiful summer night sky, to explore the meaning of myth, the perfect

chaos of nature and rediscover what this world has to offer.

This workshop is for lovers of drama and theatre making, who wish to create and perform their own performance.

Participants are required to wear comfortable clothing, bring their own lunch, snacks and drink bottle and adhere to all

current COVID-19 regulations, including the wearing of masks.

Showings will have limited audience capacities due to social distancing requirements. We will advise of numbers closer to

the date.

Cost: $180.00 Inc GST

Primary, ages 8-12: Jan 18-20

9:00 AM-3:00 PM each day with a showing 2:00 PM on Wed Jan 20

Studio space, Butter Factory Theatre

Junior, ages 13-15: Jan 13-15

9:00 AM-3:00 PM each day with a showing 2:00 PM on Fri Jan 15

Studio space, Butter Factory Theatre

Senior Intensive, ages 16-18: Jan 13-15

9:00 AM-3:00 PM each day with a showing 2:30 PM on Fri Jan 15

Theatre, Butter Factory Theatre

To enrol please log onto our website hothousetheatre.com.au

For further information please email [email protected]

Please see our website for enrolments www.hothousetheatre.com.au

Or call (02) 60217433

Due to COVID-19 restrictions places are limited; so, get in quick so you don’t miss out!

Community Messages

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.hothousetheatre.com.au/

avismhwz87o...students have embraced technology and project-based learning, staff have worked...

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