News

Coronavirus - Department of Education statement

Tue, 28 Jan 2020 19:04:59 AEDT

The department is working with the Ministry of Health to monitor and respond to the unfolding international novel coronavirus situation.

Get up-to-date information about the department's response to novel coronavirus.

#Ready2020 – a great year starts here

Tue, 21 Jan 2020 13:27:04 AEDT

Starting school is a big moment in a child’s life. Here’s how to make the most of it.

We can’t wait for you to join us for a great year – the first step towards a lifelong love of learning.

Visit the department’s primary school resources for hints, tips and checklists to make a great start to the new school year, whether your child is starting Kindergarten or Year 6.

You’ll find:

Getting ready for primary school booklet – everything you need to be #Ready2020
Daisy’s First Day – the story of Daisy the koala’s first adventure at Kindergarten
advice from teachers – they’ve been through this before.

Video – #Ready2020: First day of Kindy

Duration – 1:00

Staying healthy into the new school year

Fri, 20 Dec 2019 16:48:02 AEDT

Immunisation is a simple, safe and effective way to protect your family from harmful diseases this holiday season and into 2020. Visit your doctor for general health and vaccination advice.

Immunisation not only protects you and your family but also others in your community, by reducing the spread of preventable diseases.

Children starting school in 2020 must have up-to-date immunisations to enrol.

These vaccinations help protect children from highly infectious and severe diseases including whooping cough and measles.

Travel health

If you’re travelling overseas during the school holidays, you may need vaccinations or medication – both for general health protection and for region-specific diseases.

If you’re travelling to the Northern Hemisphere, you may even need a flu shot.

Find out more about staying healthy while travelling.

NSW schools respond to bushfires

Mon, 11 Nov 2019 17:13:38 AEDT

Many schools are responding to the catastrophic fire rating that is affecting communities across the state this week.

We are continuously updating the School safety page with a list of government and non-government schools, as well as TAFE NSW campuses that are currently non-operational.

While some schools are temporarily non-operational due to localised fires, many others in high-risk areas are non-operational as a precautionary measure.

Schools in some areas are being used as emergency evacuation centres at the direction of the Rural Fire Service.

For schools that are currently operational, school pickups and dropoffs will continue as usual. If your school is currently non-operational, it will likely remain so tomorrow.

Large scale distressing events affect our school communities in many ways. Headspace’s mental health support resource (PDF 100.52KB) is available to help students, teachers and school staff respond to the bushfires.

Visit the School safety page for updates. The department’s Facebook and Twitter accounts will also provide updates during this period.

Grab a ticket to Schools Spectacular 2019

Tue, 22 Oct 2019 16:02:20 AEDT

Will you be joining us at Schools Spectacular 2019? Tickets are on sale now. Experience our live show featuring a cast of thousands of public school students from across metropolitan, rural and remote regions of NSW.

Students from different ages, cultures and backgrounds will share the spotlight as they dance, play and sing for you. Choose from one of our four massive performances at Qudos Bank Arena on Friday 22 November and Saturday 23 November.

This year's events will feature:

more than 380 schools
5,500 performers
a 3000-strong choir
2,300 dancers
an 80-piece symphony orchestra
a world-class stage band.

Group bookings

Need to make a group booking for over 10 people? Complete the Schools Preview Order Form 2019 (PDF 110KB) to attend the discounted 11am Friday matinee. The Friday matinee is discounted for school students and accompanying teachers.

If you’d like to grab a spot at one of the other three remaining shows complete the Group Booking Form 2019 (PDF 110KB).

Tickets for you and your family and friends

Save you and your family a spot online or by phone on 132 849.

Video – Schools Spectacular 2019

Duration: 0:26

Have your say on before and after school care

Fri, 13 Sep 2019 13:37:53 AEST

We want to better understand your needs for before and after school care in NSW.

Have your say today on before and after school care.

Fill out the survey by Service NSW to share your specific care needs and to register interest to stay informed of new developments.

Your input will provide insights into where there are gaps in service availability and help us to deliver extra places where they are needed.

You can also contact the team responsible for rolling out the before and after school care commitment at BASCreform@det.nsw.edu.au.

Book yourself in for Reading Hour

Thu, 12 Sep 2019 11:24:25 AEST

This Australian Reading Hour, encourage your child to discover or rekindle their love of a good book. Take the time to learn, escape and relax on Thursday 19 September and read for one hour.

Get involved at home

Join in at home and read your child a bedtime story. Studies show that reading a bedtime story six days a week can give kids almost a year’s head start when they begin school. Reading has also been shown to develop empathy, promote critical thinking and help children find a sense of self.

Join in from the classroom

Bestselling children’s author and illustrator Matt Stanton will broadcast live to primary school children across the country from the Sydney Opera House on Tuesday 17 September. We invite schools to register for the livestream of this free event.

Stanton’s author talk is among more than 140 events happening across the country involving more than 50 authors.

Take the Book Swap Challenge

We all have favourite books that we come back to again and again.

To help celebrate Reading Hour take our Book Swap Challenge. We want students, teachers, staff and parents to try reading something new on the day. To get involved, simply pair up with someone and swap your favourite books.

Take a photo and tag it with #ReadingHour so we can see how you got involved.

Video – #ReadingHour authors talk about their favourite place to read

Duration: 0:38

Looking for a good spot to open a book? We asked authors Benjamin Law, Morris Gleitzman, Jacqueline Harvey and Mick Elliott about their favourite place to read.

How to be smart and safe on social media

Thu, 05 Sep 2019 11:44:40 AEST

Use our new Digital Citizenship toolkit to empower your child to understand how their online behaviour affects themselves and others.

You and your child can find information on:

how to ‘be positive’ by understanding online behaviour and its effect
'be smart’ by thinking critically and being digitally aware
'be safe’ by protecting your security, privacy and wellbeing.

A toolkit to empower you and your child

You can find articles and videos to equip and empower your child to minimise the risks and maximise the opportunities in our digital future.

We’ve partnered with leading researchers to produce a curated toolkit – aligned to the curriculum – which teachers and you can share with the young people in your lives.

Guide your child through important concepts such as:

managing privacy settings in social media
collaborating online
avoiding scams and hoaxes
understanding the law when it comes to online speech
Internet banking, shopping online and much more.

Keep your child safe and happy online

Visit and bookmark the Digital Citizenship website. We’ll continue to add articles and resources to ensure the best possible tools are available to help you guide your child to be positive, smart and safe online.

Education Week – Every student, every voice

Thu, 01 Aug 2019 14:09:08 AEST

We are celebrating our students and their powerful voices this Education Week Monday 5 August to Friday 9 August. Every year Education Week celebrates the achievements of public schools, our students and the value of public education.

This year, the theme is Every student, every voice.

Join us for #EdWeek19 as we celebrate our students and their power to shape the world.

Video – #EdWeek19 – Every student, every voice

Duration: 0:34

Voting Now Open- New Playground for Towradgi Public School

Sun, 21 Jul 2019 13:35:31 AEST

Voting is now open for the NSW government My community Project funds. Towradgi Public School would love your vote for a new playground.

Our vision is a new playground that replaces the worn-out equipment with a new play structure. The 176 children who attend the school will benefit through daily physical activity, social interaction and active play.

Towradgi Public School is very much a hub for the community of Towradgi and neighbouring communities. We invite our community in through movie nights, events such as trivia and sausage sizzles after voting on our premises. The children in the community grow up knowing each other and their families through the school. The new playground will be a place where the community’s children will learn, grow and make new memories.

Click the link below to vote for this wonderful project.

https://mycommunityproject.service.nsw.gov.au/project?projectId=cjy159dr11id10799gcwsvmr4

Creative and Active Kids vouchers now available

Fri, 14 Jun 2019 11:39:38 AEST

Creative kids can now put a $100 voucher towards extra-curricular creative activities outside of school.

Together with Active Kids, this program aims to encourage more NSW children to participate in a range of extra-curricular activities such as coding, languages, circus, performing arts and visual arts.

Parents can apply for one $100 voucher for each child enrolled in school on the Creative Kids website and use it towards the cost of registration, participation or tuition. You just redeem the voucher with a registered provider in your area when making your payment.

This is a great opportunity for your child to become involved in a range of activities that will build on their education, growth and development.

Service NSW is working with industry bodies to deliver the program.

For more information, contact Service NSW on 137 788 or creativekids@service.nsw.gov.au.

The Game Changer Challenge is back

Fri, 31 May 2019 12:25:22 AEST

It’s not too late to become a Game Changer with applications for the Education Week challenge due by 7 June.

The Game Changer Challenge brings 16 teams from public schools across NSW – eight from primary and eight from secondary – to Sydney during Education Week in August for a three-day, intensive design-thinking workshop.

The Game Changer workshops, which start on Tuesday 6 August, includes teacher training in the use of design thinking as a teaching methodology and its application for school planning.

It also includes a team competition where schools will work under the guidance of experts from industry and academia to develop a solution to this year’s critical question: How might we humanise technology?

Department of Education Secretary Mark Scott has encouraged students and teachers to get behind the event as it highlights the critical thinking students will need to develop to succeed in the future.

“The Game Changer Challenge is an exciting initiative that helps educate and inform our students and teachers on how to integrate the problem-solving methodology of design thinking into the classroom,” Mr Scott says.

“It embraces the 21^st century skills our students will need to thrive in a globalised world such as collaboration, creative thinking and communication.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for our students at all levels to be involved in discussing and addressing a real-world issue that will affect their future lives. I encourage every school to get involved.”

The challenge is designed to make strong learning and teaching connections to the NSW syllabus specifically in the area of developing general capabilities such as critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, communication and problem-solving.

The challenge also provides teachers with an opportunity to gain exposure to the design thinking process and includes teacher resources to introduce this creative problem-solving methodology into the classroom.

Finalists will be selected based on a 60-second video that showcases your team’s vision around the question of humanising technology.

For more information email edweek@det.nsw.edu.au or visit the Game Changer Challenge page.

Earn & Learn Stickers

Mon, 13 May 2019 13:33:08 AEST

Your NAPLAN questions answered

Thu, 09 May 2019 15:17:28 AEST

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is a point in time assessment for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. The tests assess the foundational skills in reading, writing, spelling and numeracy that are essential for every child to progress through school and life.

This year NAPLAN takes place between 14 and 16 May for paper tests and between 14 and 24 May for schools participating in NAPLAN Online.

NAPLAN data is used to help monitor student progress over time against a national measure and to identify areas of strength and improvement. It is used in combination with other school assessments to guide and support student learning.

Watch students ask an expert the tough questions about NAPLAN.

Video – Kids ask the hard questions

Duration – 3:45

Apply now for My Community Project funding

Mon, 29 Apr 2019 15:11:28 AEST

Do you have a great idea to improve your area?

My Community Project is a new NSW Government funding program that is all about local ideas, local projects and local decisions.

You can apply now for grants from $20,000 - $200,000 for projects that will make a difference to your community. Projects could include new playground equipment, sports facilities, paths or ramps to improve access, public art or a community service.

The local community can vote for their favourite projects in July and successful projects will be announced in September.

Project applications close 15 May 2019.

Apply for My Community Project funding

Bring back memories, not measles

Thu, 11 Apr 2019 15:21:08 AEST

With school holidays just around the corner, it’s time to visit your doctor to check that you and your family are fully protected against measles, before you travel overseas.

Measles is a serious, highly contagious, viral illness that is easily spread through the air when an infectious person coughs, sneezes or breathes. If you and your family are not fully vaccinated, or have never been vaccinated, you are at risk of contracting measles.

Not sure if you’re fully protected?

In Australia, the measles vaccine (MMR) consists of 2 doses. If you’re not sure whether you’ve had 2 doses of the measles vaccine, visit your doctor. It’s safe to receive another dose.

Children born in Australia

If your children were born in Australia, they may have received the measles vaccine at 12 months old and the second dose at 18 months, in accordance with the National Immunisation Program.
If you have a baby under 12 months old, consult your doctor about getting their measles vaccination.

Adults born in Australia

Born before 1966 – you were most likely exposed to measles as a child and are generally considered to be immune. If in doubt, ask your GP.
Born between 1966 and 1994 – you may not have received 2 doses. Talk to your doctor about the free vaccine if you’re unsure.
Born after 1994 – the National Immunisation Program offers 2 doses, and you can check your vaccination status using the Australian Immunisation Register.

For more information about the measles vaccination, visit NSW Health or consult your local doctor.

5 road safety tips for parents and carers

Mon, 25 Feb 2019 13:29:09 AEDT

Now that students are back to school after a break it’s a good time to chat with your child about safe behaviours when you walk or commute to school.

Here are our top tips to help our students make a safe trip:

1. Be alert and aware

Take note of the dangers you come across on your walk and bring them to your child’s attention. Point out dangers, such as vehicles coming out of driveways. Talk to your child about being alert in a road environment.

2. Hold hands

When on the footpath, at a crossing or in a car park always hold your child's hand. It is advised to do this up to the age of at least 8 years old and closely supervise until at least the age of 10.

3. Choose a safe crossing

Lead by example and choose a safe place to cross the road. Explain why it is the safest place to cross.

4. Set a good example

Your child watches everything you do, so if you cross at the crossing they will too. It is also important to share these messages with other carers who may walk with your child to school.

5. Stop, Look, Listen, Think every time you cross the road

Discuss this important road safety message. STOP! one step back from the kerb. LOOK! continuously both ways. LISTEN! for the sounds of approaching traffic. THINK! whether it is safe to cross.

Practise makes perfect

The more supervised practice your child can get the better, so why not make Term 1 the start of a new routine to walk with your child to school more often.

Older children may be ready to make the journey to school independently. Before they take this step, observe if they are road safe and reinforce the road safety messages.

For more information, check out the department’s pedestrian safety advice for students, parents and carers.

Back to school

Fri, 25 Jan 2019 15:01:36 AEDT

The first day of Kindergarten and the return to school in the new year are busy times for your child – and for the entire family. To help you make the most of this time and enjoy the experience, we’ve compiled some useful tips and checklists. We want every student to be known, valued and cared for in our schools.

Our film #FirstDay2019 captures the excitement – and the nerves – of the rite of passage that is the first day of Kindergarten.

Video – Back to School 2019: First Day at Kindy

Duration – 1:00

2019 school budget allocations

Mon, 12 Nov 2018 16:25:31 AEDT

Like all NSW public schools, this week we will receive a School Budget Allocation Report with our funding for 2019. The report will help us manage our total budget delivered through the Resource Allocation Model (RAM).

The RAM supports schools through needs-based funding to ensure a fair, efficient and transparent allocation of funds. Our school has the flexibility to make local decisions based on the specific needs of our students.

We will use our 2019 funding to support students and improve educational outcomes. The school executive will continue to work with the school community as we implement the school plan using this needs-based funding.

Learn more about the 2019 RAM funding.

Halloween Movie Night

Wed, 31 Oct 2018 10:34:00 AEDT

University of Wollongong Sport

Tue, 26 Jun 2018 11:24:29 AEST

A description of the UOW Sport.

Athletics Carnival 2018

Mon, 06 Aug 2018 13:38:12 AEST

On Monday 25 June, we held our annual athletics carnival at Beaton Park. With perfect weather for the day, an excited and energetic group of participants took to the track to compete in a variety of running events such as the 800m, 100m and 200m races. Children from K-2 took part in action packed and fun filled novelty rotations. After a short break, children returned to take part in the afternoon field events. The students participated in long jump, shot put, discus and high jump events. There were great examples of sportsmanship and encouragement throughout the day, with outstanding rates of participation for each event, demonstrating the Towradgi spirit! There will be a ribbon presentation for children who were placed in the top three for their age group in each event at the Week 10 assembly. Unfortunately, we were unable to complete all field events and there will be a Skoolbag notification sent out next week advising of the event day. Thank you for teachers, parents and UOW volunteers for supporting the event. Thanks also to Mr Fleming, Mr Santos and Miss Hunter for organising the successful day.

School Cross Country Carnival - 2018

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:10 AEST

On Friday 6 April, we held our annual school Cross Country Carnival at Towradgi Public School. Congratulations to all children for participating and putting in maximum effort in warm conditions. The first six children from each race have qualified for the Brokers carnival at Towradgi Park on the 11th of May. Thank you to Mr Fleming and Mr Santos for organising the day.

Last Day of School 2017 - Obstacle Course

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:08 AEST

Students (and some teachers) had fun on the obstacle course that we had for our last day of school on Friday 15 December. It was a great day to finish off what was a fantastic year at Towradgi Public School. Each Stage took turns throughout the day running, jumping and crawling through the course with a chance to cool off going through the water mister set up as part of the course.

Below is video of the day.

Year 6 Farewell

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:14 AEST

It's hard to believe that it is once again time to farewell some of our students and families as they move on to high school communities in 2018. We are a fantastic night celebrating at the Year 6 Farewell dinner on Tuesday 12 December with lots of dancing, photo booth. lolly bar and a cake and of course. Many thanks to Mr Pritchard and Mrs Pivovarski for organising what is promising to be a magnificent event and thanks also to Mr Ratcliffe for producing the outstanding movie. Following the Year 6 Farewell, we will post some photos of the evening on the school website for you all to enjoy. We will also post a link to the Year 6 movie which you will find in the videos tab. I am sure you will really enjoy it! It has been an amazing year filled with fantastic memories. It has been a pleasure to see these students mature into young adults and lead the school with pride. We wish them all the best in the next chapter of their lives. To the families who are in their last year with us, we wish you all the best. Thank you for your ongoing support over all the years you have been part of our community

K-2 Christmas Play - The Magic Christmas Tree

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:06 AEST

The junior school did a fabulous job entertaining the school community on Friday 8 December with their Christmas Play ‘The Magic Christmas Tree'. Congratulations to all of the students involved, you made your teachers very proud and did an amazing job singing, dancing, acting and showing off your talents to the audience. A special thanks to Mrs Green, Ms Hockin and Mrs Warner for organising and preparing the students, and to Mr Ratcliffe for your assistance with music and sound during the performance. The play was enjoyed by all who were in attendance and finished with some christmas carols, special prizes from the P&C Christmas Raffle, and a visit from a very special visitor, Santa Claus himself

SEA Excursion

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:10 AEST

Students from Years 3-6 had a ‘beachy' day on Friday 24 November when they participated in Surf Education Australia's surf safety program at Sandon Point. The students had a fantastic time learning rescue techniques. They were taught how to identify a rip and most importantly learnt what to do should they ever find themselves caught in one. The day's activities concluded with many students enjoying the waves and successfuly trying their hands at surfing. It certainly was a fun-filled, vital educational opportunity for our students.

New Kinders Eager to Learn at Orientation

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:09 AEST

It was wonderful to have over 30 very eager and excited children visiting our school on Wednesday 25 October, as they took part in the first session of our Kindergarten Orientation Program. Their orientation continues with two more sessions. There is also a Parent Information Session on 1 November at 9am in the school library. Many thanks go to Ms Hockin and Mrs Green for their coordination of this year's program. Special thanks go to our senior buddies who helped with the transition program and who will be there waiting to help again when these children start on their first day in 2018. We look forward to all of these children and their families joining our wonderful school community.

County Fair a Great Success

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:05 AEST

On Friday 13 October, the students, teachers and school community came together to raise funds for classroom resources by holding the annual County Fair! There was an array of cupcakes and treats to eat and many treasures from the Trash and Treasure stall to buy. The students thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to throw a very wet sponge at the teacher and had great fun throwing frisbees as far as they possibly could! We wish to extend our gratitude to all of our parents/carers and community members who supported us through donations and with their time. Such successful events happen when we all work together as a strong team and I believe that the ToPS community is exactly that! Thank you to our dedicated teachers who always work incredibly hard for our children.

Wheelies Day 2017

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:13 AEST

The excellent behaviours of our students were rewarded through participation in the very popular ‘Wheelies Day' activity, which was held at the end of term 3 on Friday 22 September, Participating students brought everything with wheels, ranging from bikes, scooters, roller blades and skates. The students negotiated a special track that was laid out across the asphalt section of our playground and they certainly had a very enjoyable time.

Opportunity Class Placements 2019

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:10 AEST

Some primary schools across NSW offer places in ‘opportunity classes' for gifted and talented students in Years 5 and 6. To be considered for placement students must sit the Opportunity Class Placement Test. For information about applying and the placement process go to https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/selective-high-schools-and-opportunity-classes/year-5.

Selective high schools cater for the specific needs of high achieving gifted students who may otherwise be without sufficient classmates at their own academic and social level. Selective schools help gifted and talent students to learn by grouping them with other gifted and talented students, teaching them in specialised ways and providing educational materials at the appropriate level. Parents apply when the student is in Year 5. The students sit the test in March of Year 6.

To be considered for placement students must sit the Selective High School Placement Test. For information about applying and the placement process go to https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/selective-high-schools-and-opportunity-classes/year-7.

Some selective high schools have vacancies in Years 8 to 12. Applications open in late June for placement the following year. For information about applying and the placement process go to https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/selective-high-schools-and-opportunity-classes/years-8-to-12.

Book Week

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:04 AEST

What a fantastic Book Week we have had! The week started off on Tuesday with a full day visit from the Story Crowd, where authors Louise Park & Sandy Fussell and illustrator Jules Faber inspired us with their tips for writing a great story, and shared some of their work with us. Jules Faber taught everyone how to draw WeirDo and drew caricatures of some of the teachers! It was great sharing the experience with some students from Tarrawanna and Bellambi Public Schools as well. Students also had the opportunity to purchase books and get autographs from their favourite author/ illustrator of the day. It certainly was a pleasure watching the excitement as students got to meet their favourite writers in person. Book Week continued on Wednesday with our annual Book Character Parade. The students (and teachers!) looked absolutely fantastic in their costumes. It was great to see so many creative ideas. Everyone I spoke to was able to explain what book they came from, no matter how simple their costume. Thank you to everyone for getting involved in the day, and dressing up. A special thank you to Mr Ratcliffe for lending us his skills as DJ and MC!

Kindergarten Orientation

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:07 AEST

Kindergarten orientation is coming soon and we are very excited to welcome our new students and their families into our vibrant school community. The dates for these are 25 October, 1 November and 8 November. A parent information session will be held on 1 November at 9am in the library. If you have a child ready to begin kindergarten in 2018 or you know of a child in our local area who may not have enrolled yet please share this information with them. Please contact our school office for further details.

The Smith Family – Saver Plus program helping families with school costs

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:12 AEST

The Smith Family – Saver Plus program helping families with school costs

Saver Plus is a 10 month financial education and matched savings program that assists families to gain financial skills, establish a savings goal and develop long term saving habits. As an incentive to save, participants receive up to $500 in matched savings when they complete the program which can be used for educational costs such as computers and tablets, text books and uniforms.

Join Saver Plus and match your savings dollar for dollar, up to $500 for education costs. To find out more visit www.thesmithfamily.com.au/programs/financial/saver-plus or call or SMS 1300 610 355 or email saverplus@bsl.org.au

Athletics Carnival 2017

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:04 AEST

The athletics carnival was held once again at Beaton Park. It was a great day, with everyone down there participating and having a go. We saw some outstanding performances from our talented athletes who will represent us well at the district carnival. A special thanks to Mr Santos and to all the parents who help out on the day.

3-4 Sapphire's Tribute to our fallen heroes

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:03 AEST

After listening to Mr Santos' story about his great uncle who lost his life in World War 2 got us interested in learning about other Australians who gave their lives during this war.
So in pairs, we used the Australian War Memorial and Commonwealth War Graves Commission website to research an Australian who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Most of us tried to find someone who shared our surnames so that we could make it more personal. We hope you enjoy our tributes to these fallen heroes.

Sensory Gym in the Classroom

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:11 AEST

Sensory Gym is a program involving rhythm and movement and is designed to organise the nervous system and support attention and focus.

Students' will adopt strategies for effective engagement and connection to support overall emotional regulation, social relationships, focus, attention, problem solving and motor planning.

Here at Towradgi we incorporate a Sensory Gym Program into every day to assist the children with Self-regulation. We have seen a big improvement in the children's ability to maintain their focus and engage in lessons as well as improvements in behaviour. We have seen improvement in fine motor skills Reverse integration for kinder students who have difficulty settling and or behaving.

Click here for more info

Cross Country Carnival

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:05 AEST

With all the rain we had at the end of term 1, we finally managed to run the cross country on Wednesday 6 April. Every student that paticipated did their best for their house team and ran well in their age race. It was wonderful seeing the whole school cheering every student in the race as they ran past. There were also a few Stage 3 students who ran with the younger competitors and encouraged them along the way. Thank you to Mr Santos for organising the rain modified carinival. Many of the students qualified for the Brokers Cross Country which will be held on Wednesday 3 May.

Easter Hat Parade

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:05 AEST

The students looked absolutely amazing as they paraded around with their Easter hats in front parents and the whole school. The P&C appreciated all Easter egg and basket donations for the raffle prizes and presented prizes to the winners of the Easter raffle at the conclusion of the Easter Hat Parade. Thanks go to all members of the school community for the support provided.

Farewell to Year 6 Class of 2016

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:06 AEST

It has been an amazing year filled with fantastic memories. It has been a pleasure to see these students mature into young adults and lead the school with pride.We wish them all the best in the next chapter in their lives.

This is a video of Year 6 Class of 2016

Only Smiles for our New Kinders

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:09 AEST

It was wonderful to have 20 very eager and excited children visiting our school on Wednesdays for three weeks as they took part in a session of our Kindergarten Orientation Program. Many thanks go to Ms Hockin and Mrs Green for their coordination of this year's program. Special thanks go to our senior buddies who helped with the transition program and who will be there waiting to help again when these children start on their first day in 2017. We look forward to all of these children and their families joining our wonderful school community.

Below is the presentation for the parent info session with Mrs Broadbridge

Kinder Orientation Info (pdf 2410 KB)

Students Reap Great Rewards On Wheelies Day

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:12 AEST

On Friday 23 September, the excellent behaviours of our students were rewarded through participation in the very popular ‘Wheelies Day' activity. Participating students brought everything with wheels, ranging from bikes, scooters, roller blades and skates. The students negotiated a special track that was laid out across the asphalt section of our playground and they certainly had a very enjoyable time.

Skoolbag App Trial

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:11 AEST

As part of our school plan strategies. Towradgi Public School is conducting a trial of our own Skoolbag App to help us communicate more effectively with our Parent and Student community. As part of the trial, we are able to download the iPhone version of the Skoolbag App for a period of 30 days. If we continue with the App after the 30 day trial period, we will then be able to have the Android version made available for download in the Google Play Store. Downloading the App is free and will remain free after the trial, should we decide to continue with its use.

To get the most out out of the the 30 day trial period and to enable us to gather data regarding its effectiveness as a communication tool for our community, we are asking parents and students to install our Skoolbag App. To install it, just look for our school name "Towradgi Public School" in the Apple App Store, and install it on your iPhone.

Towradgi PS School Plan 2015 - 2017.

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:12 AEST

The new Towradgi Public School Plan for 2015 - 2017 is highly strategic and focusses on 3 key areas for improvement; Student Learning and Global Citizenship, A Culture of Professional Practice and Inclusive, Engaged and Informed Community. These directions were determined by the school in consultation with our school community.

The school plan brings together a number of reforms that will assist us to meet the needs of our community, to improve the quality of teaching in our school and to improve outcomes for all students.

Many thanks go to those members of our school community who contributed to the development of the new Towradgi Public School Plan for 2015 - 2017. We are excited by the new directions for the school and look forward to celebrating many successful milestones with our school community throughout its implementation.

To view a copy of the school plan, please click on the link below:

School Plan 2015 - 2017 (pdf 362 KB)

Anzac Day

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:03 AEST

Anzac Day

Anzac Day is part of our Australian culture and we believe it is important to teach our students the significance of this event in Australian history. In every class, teachers discuss the sacrifice these men and woman made for our country and the effect that it had on the country we live in today.

Our SRC representatives from Kindergarten to Year 6 led us in a special School Anzac service and this year, to commemorate the 100 year anniversary, students were invited to contribute flowers to a special commemorative display. We were honoured to have Lieutenant Ian Phillips address the assembly and the real highlight was the attendance of David Arnold who undertook the role of trumpeter. Thanks go to Miss Hockin, Mrs Tier and the SRC for their coordination. Families were then invited to accompany Mr Santos and Mrs Broadbridge to the community dawn service, which was held at Wollongong Cenotaph.

Education Week Celebrations

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:05 AEST

To celebrate Education Week, the school will be having open classrooms followed by a sausage sizzle on Wednesday 30th July. Please click on the following link for further details.

Education Week Flyer (pdf 183 KB)

Towradgi Public School's 60th Anniversary Celebrations!

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:12 AEST

The school is celebrating its 60th birthday on Saturday, 5th April 2014. Please refer to the poster below for more details.

PLASST Trial

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:10 AEST

During the next few weeks our school, along with other public schools in the area will be participating in the trial of a new tool (PLASST) being developed by the Department of Education and Communities for teachers to identify the learning and support needs of their students.

If you would like further information about this trial, please click on the following link:

PLASST Trial (docx 16 KB)

Farewell Mr Hearn

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:06 AEST

It is with deep sadness that I inform the Towradgi Public School community of the passing of Mr Phil Hearn after a long battle with cancer. Mr Hearn taught at our school in 2009 as part of his return to work program. He was much loved and respected by the staff, students and community during his time at our school. His passing is a great loss to his family and to those of us who knew him. If you wish to attend Mr Hearn's funeral, please check the Illawarra Mercury next week for details.

John Santos

Kindergarten Orientation

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:08 AEST

Kindergarten orientation began on Tuesday 30 October with 19 eager and excited children arriving for their first taste of 'big' school. There were some tears (mainly from the parents!), but all in all, it was a great day. We look forward to seeing our new kinders again next year.

The parent information session presentation is available by clicking on the following link: 'Kindergarten Orientation' (pdf 4614 KB)

The Best Start schedule is available by clicking on the following link: Best Start Schedule 2013 (docx 14 KB)

Kindergarten Information Evening

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:06 AEST

Towradgi Public School is holding an information evening for parents of children starting Kindergarten in 2013 or 2014.

Further information can be obtained by clicking on the link below:

Kindergarten Info. Evening (doc 25191 KB)

24 Hour Stop Work Action 27th June 2012

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:03 AEST

We have been notified that the New South Wales Teachers Federation has authorised all Federation members to participate in 24 hour stop work action on Wednesday 27 June, 2012. The school will be able to offer minimal supervision only. Classes may need to be combined and normal lessons will not be conducted.

We apologise for the inconvenience.

Best Start Assessments for Kindergarten 2012

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:04 AEST

The Best Start assessments for all new kindergarten students in 2012 will take place between Monday 30th January and Wednesday 1st February. All new kindergarten students have been allocated an assessment day and time. Please click on the table below to view the timetable.

Best Start Assessment Times (pdf, 7 KB)

Please contact the school as soon as possible if you cannot make your scheduled appointment.

Kindergarten Orientation 2011

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:07 AEST

The kindergarten orientation program has now concluded, bringing to a close another successful orientation process. We have 25 students enrolled for kindergarten in 2012 and all were keen to take part in the many activities that were planned for them during orientation.

Many thanks to Mrs Green and the senior buddies who helped to make orientation such a positive experience for our newest students. I know that our new kindergarten children will appreciate the familiar face of their senior buddy when they start 'big school' on 2nd February 2012.

I hope that parents found the information session (held in Wk 2 of orientation) to be informative and helpful. For those who were unable to attend, please click on the link below for a copy of the presentation. As always, if you have any questions prior to the beginning of next year, please don't hesitate to contact the school and we will do what we can to help.

We took a number of photos of orientation this year and these can be viewed in our photo gallery. We have also uploaded a video of orientation which can be accessed from the 'videos' tab at the top of the webpage. Please take some time to have a look at some of the fabulous experiences your children had at orientation.

David O'Connor

Principal

Parent Information Session (pdf, 1776 KB)

Maths and iPad Information Night

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:08 AEST

Last Thursday evening a Maths and iPad information night for parents was held in the library. The maths portion of the night focussed on the way we teach maths in today's classroom. For the information of parents who could not attend the evening, the presentation delivered by Mr Santos, along with supporting documents can be accessed by clicking on the links below.

Maths Presentation (ppt, 1446 KB)

Addition & Subtraction (pdf, 54 KB)

Multiplication & Division (pdf, 72 KB)

Allyson's Recipes

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:03 AEST

For those of you who were lucky enough to try some of Allyson's delicious slices at the kindergarten orientation parent information session, it will be no surprise to you that the recipes for her slices are in hot demand!

For your convenience, and for the benefit of those poor souls who didn't get a taste, click the link below to get a copy of the recipes.

All royalties and acknowledgements must go to Allyson :))

Caramel Coconut Slice (pdf, 6 KB)

Passionfruit Slice (pdf, 6 KB)

P & C Disco

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:10 AEST

The P & C are holding a disco for all current Towradgi Public School students on Monday 28th November at the Fraternity Club, Fairy Meadow. More details can be obtained by clicking on the link below:

P & C Disco (pdf, 74 KB)

Stop Work Meetings 2nd November

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:12 AEST

On Wednesday 2nd November members of the NSW Teachers Federation have been called to attend stop work meetings from 9am - 11am.

This means normal operations at our school will be significantly affected during that time. Please note the following:

* The school office will be open.

* The Early Intervention Unit and ASPECT satellite classes will operate as normal. Children from these classes may come to school as normal.

* Teachers from all other classes are taking part in the industrial action and therefore those classes will not operate on Wednesday between 8.55am and 11am (K Pink, 1 Orange, 2 Green, 3/4 Blue, 5/6 Ruby and K-6 Purple)

While the school will remain open, there will be only minimal supervision.

Parents and carers are requested to make other arrangements for the supervision of their children for this time.

School will resume as normal at 11.15am with teachers on duty from this time.

Thank you in anticipation of your understanding and cooperation.

John Santos

Relieving Principal

Local Schools - Local Decisions

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:08 AEST

As most of you would know, Towradgi Public School is one of only two schools in the Illawarra and South East Region taking part in the 47 Schools Pilot (School Based Management Pilot). This has meant that since the beginning of the pilot in 2010, our school has had more flexibility in the decisions we make about staffing, maintenance and cleaning at our school. Our involvement in the pilot has allowed us to do some really interesting things and we have seen some significant improvements in student outcomes as a result.

The 47 Schools Pilot will finish at the end of this year and the NSW State Government is committed to developing a new state-wide school based management system which they are calling Local Schools - Local Decisions. As they work through the development of this system of school based management, principals, other school staff and parents are being asked to contribute to a discussion paper as part of the consultation process.

For more information, please click here to visit the Local Schools, Local Decisions website.

A special meeting for parents has been organised to provide information and address any questions people may have. Click on the link below for a copy of a flyer for the meeting.

Parent Information Session Flyer (pdf, 105 KB)

Southern Stars

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:11 AEST

Congratulations to our Southern Stars!
What a fabulous show it was and what a wonderful job our students
did in both the choir and dance groups in this year's performance
of Southern Stars. I would like to sincerely thank Mr
Santos, Mrs Hammonds and Miss Griffiths for their tireless efforts
in preparing our students for their performances. I would
also like to thank the many parents who supported the school
by helping with transport for rehearsals and performances and
also with costume preparation.
The quality of Southern Stars is a credit to the thousands of
students and scores of teachers who take part. It is also a reflection
of the outstanding quality of public education and the
excellent opportunities students have to learn and shine in our
wonderful public education system.
Congratulations to all involved!

Stop Work Meetings Thursday

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:12 AEST

Stop Work Meetings on Thursday 8th September

Dear Parents,

As previously advised in the school newsletter, this Thursday 8th September members of the NSW Teachers Federation and the Public Service Association have been called to attend stop work meetings regarding the state government's cap on public service workers' pay increases.

This means that normal operations at our school will be significantly affected. Please note the following:

The Early Intervention Unit and ASPECT satellite classes will operate as normal. Children from these classes may come to school as normal. The school office will also be open.

Teachers and school learning support officers from all other classes are taking part in the industrial action and therefore those classes will not operate on Thursday (K pink, 1 Orange, 2 Green, 3/4 Blue, 5/6 Ruby and K-6 Purple).

Due to classes not operating as a result of industrial action, parents are asked to make other arrangements for the supervision of their students on Thursday.

Thankyou in anticipation of your understanding and cooperation.

David O'Connor

Principal

Videos Now On Our Website!

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:13 AEST

We are now beginning to post some short videos on our website! The videos might be visual representations of an event or a samples of the great work our students do at Towradgi Public School.

To view the available videos, click on the 'videos' tab at the top of our home-page.

Our videos should play with most media playing software.

We hope you enjoy this new feature of our website!

3/4 Blue Bike Park Excursion

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:03 AEST

On Wednesday, 3-4 Blue travelled to the Bike Safety Park at the Lake Illawarra PCYC. After listening to a talk and watching a DVD on bike and road safety, we split into two groups. One group went for a bike ride

along the foreshore of Lake Illawarra, while the other group rode their bikes around the bike safety track. The track is like a real road with traffic lights, give way signs, stop signs and pedestrian crossings. Each student was given a licence and lost demerit points for disobeying the road rules or riding dangerously.

A couple of students even lost enough points to have their licences suspended for 3 minutes! After lunch, the two groups swapped over and then it was time to come back to school.

We had an awesome time and everyone had heaps of fun. Special thanks to Miss O'Connor for coming with us. Visit the Gallery section of the website to see some photos of the day.

Principal for a Day

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:10 AEST

Mitchell O'Donnell did a fabulous job on Tuesday 7th June as ‘Principal for a Day'. Mitchell really showed us a full range of leadership skills as he did everything from addressing the assembly and looking at students' work to checking heaters and ordering hand towels for the toilets. Principal for a Day is another way we provide leadership opportunities for our students and we will look to continue this special program in 2012.

World of Maths Day

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:13 AEST

Tuesday 14th June, students from K-6 took part in the World of Maths Day. Students enjoyed some fun maths activities and problem solving tasks. Many thanks to Mr Wilson who came to our school to show us how fun maths can be.

Stage 3 Knitting Lessons

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:11 AEST

On Tuesday 14th of June, our Year 5 and 6 students learnt the age old art of knitting under instruction from a
number of community volunteers. This might come in handy for knitting some thick woollen socks or scarves to
help us through this cold snap! Thanks to Mrs Hammonds for coordinating this wonderful opportunity for our students.

Stage 3 Canberra Excursion

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:11 AEST

On Monday 30th May, on a wet and miserable morning 5-6 Ruby headed to Canberra for a three day excursion. Luckily
we travelled into fine weather and had lovely sunny days the whole time. Our extremely busy schedule included visits to
Parliament House, Old Parliament House, CSIRO, Electoral Education Centre, National Museum, Australian War Memorial,
AIS and Questacon.
From our "behind the scenes" tour of Parliament House, to having giant stick insects crawling all over us at the CSIRO
and going in the "Earthquake House" at Questacon, we had a wonderful and educational trip, although it was hard to
come to school on Thursday.
Many thanks to Mr Worthington and Miss Moore for their valuable assistance with our excursion.

By Mrs Hammonds

Athletics Carnival

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:04 AEST

Congratulations to everyone who braved the cold, windy weather on Wednesday to attend our athletics carnival. Once again
the carnival ran very smoothly under Mrs Hammonds' excellent leadership. It is always so pleasing to see our students try their very best and perform so well in all track and field events as well as those fun, novelty events.
Special congratulations to those students who have been selected for the Brokers District Athletics Carnival to be held at
Beaton Park on Monday 20th June. A note will be sent home with those students early next week. Thanks to all the parents
and friends who came to assist and/or support the students.

News story

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:09 AEST

K Pink, 1 Orange and 2 Green had a fantastic excursion to Wollongong on 17th May. The children visited the art galley, harbour precinct, public library and the council chambers. Highlights included the Picture This Exhibition at the gallery where the children were able to create their own pieces of art. They also had the opportunity to sit in the Lord Mayor's chair at the council chambers.

Towradgi Beach Park Art Project

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:12 AEST

Our 5/6 Ruby class went to the official opening of the new playground area at Towradgi Beach Park. Our students were involved in designing and painting the artwork on the totems in the playground in a joint program with Wollongong City Council. Congratulations to all our students who took part in this program. As a special reward, our students were the first children to use this great new facility.

AFL Paul Kelly Cup

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:03 AEST

It was fabulous to see our stage 3 boys and girls participating so well at the AFL Paul Kelly Cup last Friday 20th May. Our school was the only school from our district to enter this competition and our girl's team has progressed to the regional finals after some outstanding results on the day. The regional finals will be held at Thomas Dalton Park on Thursday 9th June. Good luck girls!

Brokers District Cross Country

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:04 AEST

Congratulations to all the students who represented our school at the Brokers District Cross Country Carnival last Friday. Once again, our school performed really well and were percentage champions for the 3rd year in a row! It was great to hear so many stories of courageous efforts from our students. We are very proud of you all!

Special congratulations to the following students for their outstanding individual achievements:

Liam Filan - 1st 11 years boys

Serina Forscutt - 2nd 12/13 years girls

Jade Timbrell - 3rd 8/9 years girls

Amy Simpson - 4th 8/9 years girls

We wish these students all the best as they prepare for the Regional Cross Country Carnival to be held at Cambewarra on 3rd June.

Have a look in our photo gallery for some images of the carnival.

Clean Up Australia Day

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:04 AEST

On the 4th March we held our annual Clean Up Day to coincide with

the Clean Up Australia Day campaign. While our school always

looks clean and tidy, it's surprising how much rubbish we were

able to collect, especially from the perimeter of the school.

Thanks to Mrs Allen for coordinating this event.

Crazy Hair Day

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:05 AEST

Thanks to all the students and teachers who took part in Crazy Hair Day last Thursday 17th March. We managed to raise $85 which will go towards supporting our environmental education programs.

Many thanks to the Student Representative Council (SRC) for coordinating this fun event.

National Ride2School Day

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:09 AEST

Last Wednesday 16th March was National Ride2School Day and loads of our students and parents took the opportunity to ride to school. This initiative is aimed at encouraging children to be active and it was great to see so many of our students take the opportunity to choose the bike over the car.

Students at Towradgi PS may ride bikes to school any day. We ask that all students and parents walk bikes in and out of the school grounds for the safety of the whole school community.

First Day of Kindergarten 2011

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:06 AEST

What a fabulous first day our new kindergarten students had! We have 21 wonderful new kindergarten children this year and Mrs Green has really enjoyed the enthusiasm they have shown for the start of their primary school days.

Please have a look in our photo gallery for some pictures of our new students enjoying their first day of kindergarten.

Welcome to the 2011 School Year!

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:13 AEST

Welcome to the new school year everyone!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday break and took the opportunity to recharge the batteries for what is sure to be an exciting year ahead.

The school will be open for staff only on Friday 28th January. This is a planning and training day for staff, however if you have an urgent enquiry, please call the office on 42844527 after 11am.

Students in years 1 to 6 start term 1 on Monday 31st January 2011.

New kindergarten students begin on Tuesday 1st February.

I would like to welcome our new kindergarten students and their families to our school community. I would also like to welcome Mrs Deane Grogan who will fill the position of Senior Administration Manager in our front office. Mrs Grogan will continue in this role until the position is permanently filled following Mrs Davies' retirement.

I am very much looking forward to seeing everyone again and hope you enjoy the last week of the school holidays.

David O'Connor

Principal

New Vegetable Gardens

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:09 AEST

Many of you will no doubt have noticed the new vegetable gardens that have been installed next to the staffroom as you enter the school. This project was sponsored by Bunnings Warehouse who provided all the materials and plenty of helping hands. Every child in the school played a part in putting the garden together which is part of our environmental education program that has been so wonderfully led by Mrs Allen. More photos can be viewed in the "Gallery" section of the website.

Bluescope Enviro Awards

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:04 AEST

Mr O'Connor, Serina Forscutt and Madeleine Starr travelled to the Environmental Education Centre at Killalea to attend the Bluescope Steel Environmental Awards. Serina and Madeleine spoke to the audience about the fantastic environmental activities that are taking place at our school. Both girls represented the school very well. Special thanks to Ms Allen for the many hours she has put into making our school more environmentally friendly.

School Disco

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:10 AEST

Many thanks to the P&C who organised the school disco held on Wednesday 24th November at the Fraternity Club. A great time was had by all! To view some awesome photos of our groovy movers, go to the "Gallery" section of the website.

Kinder Orientation Information

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:06 AEST

2nd November, 2010

The parent information session for new kidergarten parents was held today. Thank you to all the parents who attended.

Mr O'Connor's presentation can be viewed by clicking on the link below:

Kinder Orientation Information (pdf, 1650 KB)

Anna’s Deli Lunch Orders

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:03 AEST

Due to circumstances beyond their control, Anna's Deli has advised that they will no longer be able to supply the school with lunch orders. The final day that lunch orders can be placed Friday 5th November (Friday, Week 4). We would like to thank Norm and Anna for their sterling service to the school over the past couple of years. Arrangements for 2011 are currently being investigated.

End of Year Activities

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:06 AEST

We are heading into the busy time of the year with lots of activities happening in the school, almost on a daily basis. If you help out the school in any way, please keep the date of 25th November free for our Volunteers Morning tea where the school community gets a chance to say thanks for all your help.

Keep a close eye on the newsletter over the next few weeks where any changes to dates or times for all end of year activities will be published.

Remembrance Day Ceremony

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:10 AEST

On Thursday 11 November from 10:45am – 11:05am, students will conduct a ceremony to commemorate Remembrance Day. All parents and school community members are invited to join us.

Kindergarten Orientation

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:07 AEST

Kindergarten orientation began on Tuesday with 22 eager and excited children arriving for their first taste of ‘big' school. There were some tears (mainly from the parents!), but all in all, it was a great day. More photos can be viewed in the Gallery.

We look forward to seeing our new kinders again on 2^nd November. A reminder to parents that an information session and morning tea will also be held next Tuesday. We hope to see you there.

County Fair

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:05 AEST

Once again the County Fair was a great success! There were lots of things happening from sausage sizzles, face painting and hair spray to trash and treasure and cake stalls. Many thanks to those who assisted by donating plants, cakes and items for the trash and treasure stall. Special thanks to Mrs Green who coordinated the County Fair this year. We managed to raise $1129 which will be used to buy resources for each of the classrooms in 2011. To view more photos of the County Fair, go to the Gallery.

Stage 3 Camp

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:11 AEST

Last week the 5/6 students went to camp at the Broken Bay Sport and Recreation Centre on the Hawkesbury River. The weather was a blessing and a fantastic week of fun was had by all students as they experienced many activities outside of what they encounter in their normal day-to-day lives. Mr Batley and Mrs Hammonds also thoroughly enjoyed themselves and reported that this was mainly due to the great behaviour and cooperation of the students. Well done 5/6! Once again a big thank you to Mrs Hammonds, Mr Batley and Mr Worthington for giving up their family time to take our students on a most enriching experience. To view more photos of the camp, go to the Gallery.

Southern Stars 2010

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:11 AEST

This year Southerm Stars celebrated 10 years of high quality entertainment showcasing the talents of public school students from the Illawarra and South East Region. 28 students and 2 teachers from Towradgi PS took part in this year's superb production; "Southern Stars: 10 in 2010". Mrs Hammonds, Mr Santos and 27 students danced and sang their hearts out in the choir, while Jada Brandwood was fantastic in the street dancing segment of the show. Everyone had an awesome time and we can't wait for next year!

Fruit & Vegetable Week

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:06 AEST

Week 7 (beginning Monday 30th August) is Fruit and Veg Week.

Once again this year, staff will be buying and preparing a range

of fruits and vegetables for students to sample at fruito time

throughout the week. This was a very successful initiative last

year and we're sure it will be just as good this year. Thanks to Ms

Hockin for coordinating the initiative this year.

Rewards Day

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:10 AEST

Congratulations to all the students who qualified for Friday's

Outdoor Games Rewards Day. Rewards Days are just one of the

ways we recognise and encourage excellent behaviours at

Towradgi Public School. Once again, thanks to Mr Santos and

Mr Ratcliffe who coordinated the Rewards Day experience.

Book Week Activities

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:04 AEST

This week, students across all classrooms in our school celebrated

Book Week one week early due to a clash with Southern

Stars next week. Our Year 3-6 primary classes have been busy

writing and publishing story books for our junior students. Yesterday,

they presented their published books to the junior students

and everyone shared in the joy of storytelling.

The senior students have done a magnificent job with their

books and it certainly seems we have some budding young authors

and illustrators among us. Our teacher/librarian, Mrs Hancock,

was particularly impressed with their efforts.

Well done everyone!

SASS Staff Recognition Week

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:10 AEST

This week was SASS Staff Recognition Week. Our school's SASS

staff includes our office staff, our general assistant and our

School Learning Support Officers (previously known as

Teacher's Aides). We would like to publicly thank our SASS staff

for the wonderful contribution they make to our school community.

At Towradgi Public School, our office and administration runs

very smoothly for the benefit of students, staff, parents and the

Department of Education. Our grounds are always immaculate

and it is something often commented on by visitors to our

school. Our students and teachers are supported by the assistance

of our School Learning Support Officers in every classroom

in the school.

Without the wonderful support of our SASS staff, our school

would not function as well as it does. Many thanks to all our

SASS staff.

Whacky Wednesday

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:13 AEST

Thank you to all the students who really got into the spirit of the

Whacky Wednesday fundraiser day. We raised $115.30 to go

towards establishing a composting system for the school.

Thanks also to Mrs Allen for organising this fun day and overseeing

the implementation of our composting program. There

are some great photos on our website and in the foyer.

Education Week Open Day Report

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:05 AEST

Thank-you to the many parents and friends who came along to the school yesterday to help our students celebrate Education Week with our Open Day activities.

It was great to see such a wide variety of lessons and activities on show which gave our visitors a snapshot of some of the wonderful things that are happening at our school.

Have a look at the photos of the Open Day in our photo gallery.

Education Week Open Day

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:05 AEST

Our Education Week Open Day will be held next Tuesday 3rd August and our whole school community is invited to join us. Come and see some of the great things that are happening at Towradgi Public School!

The morning begins with open classrooms from 9 - 10:30am. Each class will demonstrate a variety of activities across several Key Learning Areas. Parents and friends can watch and join in on the activities as well as look at their child's books and the work displayed around the room.

Following the open classrooms, visitors can feel free to join the students in their fitness/PE activities from 10:30am - 10:55am.

To finish off, parents and friends are welcome to stay and have lunch with our students at 11am.

We would love to see as many people as possible here at school next Tuesday morning to help us celebrate Education Week 2010!

Technology Information Night

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:12 AEST

Next week is Education Week and we would like everyone to join us for a Technology Information Evening for parents on Monday 2nd August from 6:30pm - 7:30pm.

As you know, we have spent a lot of time, money and resources on new technology for our school. This has been one of our major targets in the current School Plan. With the use of modern technologies, there are so many wonderful things happening in our classrooms every day and we would like to show you some of the things we are doing.

This will include a look at our interactive whiteboards (Smartboards), the Smart Response System, the use of iPads and iPods, digital cameras, computers, laptops and much more.

Mr Santos will be running the session which he plans to be very interactive. We really hope lots of parents can join us for what should be an informative and fun session.

Kidzwish Visit

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:06 AEST

The school received a visit from the Kidzwish fairy last term. For a gold coin donation, students were able to dress in World Cup inspired mufti. The proceeds were donated to Kidzwish. Congratulations to Alexandra, Chloe and Jacob who won the colouring competitions and received some fantastic prizes.

'Wheelie' Rewards day

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:13 AEST

On the last day of Term 2, students participated in a 'Wheelie' rewards day. Students were able to bring bikes, ripstiks, skateboards, roller blades, roller skates, scooters, prams, remote control cars and toy cars and use them after the Fruito break until home time. The new, improved, faster 'driveway' track proved to be a real hit and everyone had an awesome time. One of the highlights of the day was a guest appearance from 'Nanna' Hammonds!! More photos can be found in the Gallery.

Transition to Kindergarten 2011

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:13 AEST

Do you want to know more about sending your child to 'Big School'?

Towradgi Public School is hosting an information evening for parents of children starting kindergarten in 2011.

Come along and learn about the enrolment process, kindergarten orientation and preparing your child for the start of their school life.

The information evening is suitable for all parents, no matter what school your child will be attending in 2011.

Where: Towradgi Public School

Date: Wednesday 21st July 2010

Time: 6:30pm - 7:30pm

A light supper will be provided.

There is no cost involved but for catering purposes, it is helpful if you give us a call at school on 42844527 to let us know how many people will be coming.

For a copy of the flyer, please click on the link below:

Kindergarten 2011 Info Evening (pdf, 127 KB)

District Athletics Carnival

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:05 AEST

What a fabulous performance by Towradgi PS students at the Brokers District Athletics Carnival. Once again our school were percentage champions. That makes it 3 years in a row! Even more impressive is that our school were 3rd overall which means that Towradgi PS outperformed other schools in our district, some of which have up to 3 times more students! Special congratulations to the following students for their outstanding achievements: Liam Filan – 1st- 100m, 200m & 800m ( 1st Junior boys championship) Alex Parker – 1st- 100m, 200m, long jump, high jump & discus. 2nd-shotput. (1st 11 years girls championship) Natalie Lower – 1st- shot put. 2nd- discus. (equal 2nd Senior girls championship) Kiara Celik – 2nd- shot put & discus. ( 2nd Junior girls championship) Will Ruffley – 2nd 100m and high jump (equal 3rd Junior boys championship) Angus Hughes- 2nd long jump (equal 3rd Junior boys championship) These students will all go on to represent Brokers District at the Regional Athletics Championships to be held in Canberra on 3rd September. Good luck to you all!

Photos of the carnival can be found in the Gallery.

1/2 Orange Science Day

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:03 AEST

Students in 1/2 Orange ‘put on their lab coats' this week as they became investigative scientists. The class spent the whole morning doing a number of hands on experiments and explorations using a range of science equipment. Many thanks to Bree McCormick's mum, Laura and Bree's grandmother, Mrs Cahill, who were instrumental in providing the equipment and organising the activities.

It is great to see our parent community so involved in the learning that takes place at Towradgi!

More photos can be found in the Gallery.

Kindergarten Enrolment for 2011

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:06 AEST

Taking Enrolments Now!

It is now time to start thinking about enrolment for kindergarten in 2011. If you have a child who will be starting school next year, we would love the opportunity to show you what a wonderful school we have here at Towradgi.

Please call the school office on 42844527 and I will be happy to talk to you about our school and make a time for a meeting and personal tour.

Towradgi Public School has so much to offer and I strongly encourage all prospective parents to come to our school and see these things first hand.

David O'Connor

Principal

Welcome BBQ

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:13 AEST

A BBQ was held on 17th Feb to welcome new families to the school, and welcome back returning families. The evening was fantastic and great fun was had by all. Thanks to Mr O'Connor, the P & C, staff, parents and children for making the event so enjoyable. More photos of the BBQ can be found in the Gallery section of the website.

School Swimming Carnival

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:10 AEST

The school swimming carnival was held on 10th Feb at Corrimal Pool. It was attended by a large number of students from Years 3 - 6 who competed for points for their house. Congratulations go to all competitors, from those who won a number of events, to those who had a go and earnt a point for their house. The carnival was a tremendous success thanks to the following people: Mrs Hammonds ably assisted by Mr Batley, volunteer judge John MacIntosh, parents who assisted with time keeping, parents and friends who came and supported their children, and the students themselves who competed fiercely but fairly. More photos of the carnival can be found in the Gallery section of the website.

Values Poles

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:13 AEST

Using funding from the Yandelora project, the school purchased wooden poles that were placed at the front of the school lining the entry path. These poles have now been beautifully painted by Kim Frith assisted by Edith Robertson. Each pole has been wonderfully decorated to represent one of the school values. Photos of the poles can be found in the Gallery section of the website. While these photos are great, they do not do the finished product justice. Please take the time to come down to the school and admire Kim and Edith's fabulous handiwork.

First Day of 'Big School'

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:06 AEST

Today was the first day of kindergarten for 14 happy young people. There were a few nervous smiles as the children arrived to meet their buddies but all of our new students soon warmed to the wonderful experience of being a Towradgi Public School student. Mrs Green, the class teacher, was pleased to see such a happy, settled and enthusiastic group of kindergarten students.

Congratulations to all the mums and dads who were so brave as they left their children with us for the first full day. Rest assured, we will take good care of them!

Early next week we will post some photos in our gallery of the the first day at 'big school'.

Welcome to the 2010 School Year!

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:13 AEST

Welcome everyone to what will be an exciting 2010 school year. We hope you all had a fabulous Christmas and holiday break. We would especially like to welcome our new students and families to the Towradgi Public School community.

School starts for students in years 1-6 on Thursday 27th January.

Kindergarten students start on Friday 28th January. A reminder that kindergarten finishing time is 2:30pm until the end of February. From March onwards, kindergarten will finish at the same time as other students - 2:55pm.

Please direct any enrolment enquiries to the school administration office on 42844527. The administration office will be open from 8:30am Wednesday 27th January.

County Fair

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:05 AEST

The County Fair was held on the last Thursday of Term 3. Although the weather was quite warm, a great time was had by all and valuable funds were raised for our school. It was wonderful to see so many parents, grandparents and friends supporting the fair. The students thoroughly enjoyed having their faces painted, their hair sprayed, eating ice creams, guessing how many jelly beans were in the jar and buying 2nd hand goods (although some parents may not have shared their joy when those 2nd hand goods came home!). Thank you to the teachers, parents and students who worked so hard to make the day a success.

Biodiversity Garden

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 22:30:04 AEST

Thanks to the many parents and students who helped to prepare the area for the new biodiversity garden. The space is now ready for the installation of the frog pond and bird/possum boxes and also for the planting of the new native plants. This work will be carried out in week 2 next term. Students will be actively involved in this process. Our new garden should be completed by the middle of term 4.