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Parental involvement in school activities
It has been wonderful to see so many parents and family members involved in recent school activities. From attending recent school events such as the Easter Hat Parade and Mother’s Day breakfast, joining in and supporting learning during rich learning events or helping out with fundraising events with our school P&C it is no doubt having a huge impact on student engagement. As we continue to experience life after COVID which changed the way we often interact, it is important that we continue to show our kids that education is important and the positive effects of being active in your child’s learning and school life is backed by years of research. We can’t wait to see you at future opportunities that may arise.
New funding agreement between State and Federal Government
The biggest news in respect to public education is that $4.8 billion in federal funding to NSW public schools over ten years has been signed off between state and federal government to ensure all schools meet their 100% resourcing standard. This will see more funds flow into public schools over the next ten years which will help lift facilities and educational support for those who need it most. More details around how and when these funds will land in schools will be announced soon
Reporting to parents
You will notice some changes in your child’s next student report when it arrives at the end of term. Following a change in guidelines for NSW public schools, parents will see a much simpler report, which is much easier for parents to understand. This includes a focus on English and Mathematics, and a general comment to outline how your child is progressing in other areas of schooling. They also include a change of language from SOUND (C) to EXPECTED as this was always concerning to many parents when their child was getting a ‘C-Sound’ when achieving what was expected at grade level.
Small Group Tuition
As part of the NSW Education’s priority of improving literacy and numeracy standards, schools will be receiving some additional funding for Students in Years 4 and 6 who landed in the ‘Needs additional Support’ category of NAPLAN last year. At our school this will include a 10 week intensive program to uplift identified students in these years (approx. 3 times a week for 20-30mins) in Literacy and Numeracy which will start this term.
High Potential and Gifted Education
Along with other NSW Public Schools, Bellbird devoted one of their school development days in Term 2 towards a focus on High Potential and Gifted Education to ensure we are catering for the individual needs of all students. Our school focused on developing our knowledge and practice around the four domains of high potential including:
- Intellectual domain – refers to natural abilities in processing, understanding, reasoning, and the transfer of learning.
- Creative domain – refers to natural abilities in imagination, invention and originality.
- Social-emotional – refers to natural abilities in self-management and relating to and interacting with others.
- Physical domain – refers to natural abilities in muscular movement and motor control.
It was great to improve our knowledge and understanding in this space and reflect on the many initiatives and activities already offered at Bellbird which fit within the domains. We have some great plans on how to further build on these going forward.
Parking Reminders
Can I please remind all parents and visitors to our school to ensure they are both following parking rules around our school, and being considerate of our school’s neighbours when dropping off and picking up children or visiting our school.
This includes:
- Obeying all parking signs such as no stopping, no parking, bus and kiss and drop zones.
- Not parking across laneways or driveways
- Driving cautiously around our school and neighbouring streets to keep our kids safe.
Winter School Uniform Reminder
As we head into Autumn, it is now time to start organising those school jumpers ready for those cooler mornings and days ahead. These can include official maroon jumpers from Flanagans menswear or plain maroon jumpers from other suppliers such as Big W, Kmart or online.
Wearing school jumpers each day is an important part of school uniform which:
- Easily identifies our students as Bellbirdians, keeping everyone safe
- Promotes unity and a sense of belonging for all students
- Reduces bullying, pressure or social comparisons based on student clothing.
We understand that at times, there may be a time that students can not wear their uniform jumper to school (e.g. lost or in the wash). To ensure that they can still wear uniform and fit in with other students we have a supply of clean loan jumpers we lend students on any given day. If your child comes home with one of these, we ask that you wash and return as soon as possible.
Explicit Teaching
Explicit teaching happens every day in classrooms across NSW, including Bellbird Public School. But what is it?
Explicit teaching is a powerful evidence-based teaching practice that has been proven to improve student performance.
Neuroscience has given us a greater insight into how we learn, and explicit teaching aligns with how students process, store and retrieve information. It works for students of all ages, and all backgrounds.
Our staff have been strengthening their knowledge around explicit teaching practices to select the right strategy at the right time for the right purpose. We have begun with building a shared understanding of how learning occurs, the limitations of working memory and having high expectations for student learning to embed these strategies into our teaching and learning programs.
For more information around the background of our explicit teaching journey, visit
Kindergarten 2026
A reminder that now is the time to enrol your child for Kindergarten 2026. This allows us time to get everything we need to support enrolment, including liaising with any early childhood settings or external providers to ensure we best support a successful start to school.
If you have a child at home or know someone who does who is starting school next year, please fill out an enrolment form online or contact the office for support in completing a paper enrolment form.
If you have any questions about the enrolment process or starting school, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
ANZAC Day
On April 25th, a number of our Bellbird students proudly represented our school at the Cessnock ANZAC Service. As they participated in the march and attended the service, they displayed tremendous respect and attentiveness, honouring those who have served or continue to serve to ensure the safety of all Australians. Upon returning to school on Wednesday, May 1st, we held our own ANZAC Service. During this event, our school leaders, Ebony a placed a wreath in memory of the ANZACs and their courage. Our whole school listened to The Last Post and observed a minute of silence to honour those who have fought for our nation and those who are still serving. Lest We Forget.
Just Like Me
Years 1-6 enjoyed a visit from Kylie who shared with us an insight into her world, living with impaired vision. This valued program, generously delivered for free to schools by The Variety Club, builds awareness of our similarities and differences, abilities and challenges; but most of all, our opportunities to be kind to everyone.
Acknowledging others and accepting our differences develops empathy, supporting inclusiveness. These lifelong skills continue to develop over time through effective opportunities like Just Like Me. Thanks for visiting Bellbird and we look forward to seeing you again next year.
Keeping Safe and Healthy with Harold!
To round off Term 2, Harold made a visit to Bellbird to share his messages around safety, healthy lifestyles and respect. Most students participated in visiting the van with their skilled teacher presenters, meeting Harold for the first time or reconnecting with him once more. The Life Education Program is a valuable addition to our classroom learning with engaging interactive online lessons continuing with Harold throughout this term in every classroom.
Rockit Cyberbullying Workshops
Adding to an already hectic Week 11 of last term, Stage 2 and Stage 3 were fortunate to participate in workshops building upon identifying, proactively acting upon and preventing bullying on a variety of platforms.
Our school bases its culture on kindness, filling others’ buckets and in turn filling our own. Our enthusiastic presenters built self-esteem, presented real life examples and engaged our students to identify and discuss how to improve relationships with others to prevent bullying behaviours occurring.
We thank Rockit for this valuable free opportunity for our students.
Busy Bellbird Bees
We have almost harvested 50kg of honey from our flow hive at Briar Ridge since placing it there at the end of last year, our colony is thriving! Last year we sent out taster pots to our Stage 2 families and we are looking forward to sending home some sweet gifts for Mothers’ Day! We have noticed that each of the 5 different collections we have received have all looked different, reflecting on the flowers that were in abundance at the time.
When our next batch arrives, we will be offering it to our school community. We will let you know when we have excess so you can send in your jar for filling.
Children’s University
Students are building their hours of learning both outside of school and at lunchtimes. We meet each Monday in S2R at lunch play to learn a variety of new skills. Remember to write down the hours you are collecting in the community or online on the portal, I will remind you when to bring in your passport to be updated.
Remember we will be heading off to Newcastle University towards the end of the term to take part in a variety of experiences, we look forward to you coming with us.
Easter Hat Parade
Thank you to our wonderful school community for coming along and attending our Easter Hat Parade, one of the most exciting days on our school calendar. The weather was spectacular, students looked amazing in their Easter hat creations and it was the perfect finish to a busy Term 1. We extend our sincere appreciation to the P & C for organising the colouring-in competition and the fantastic Easter raffle prizes. Thank you to everyone who purchased tickets and made prize donations. Lastly, thank you to Year 6 for the delicious bake sale.
STEM
STEM Sparks Creativity with Micro:bits, LEGO SPIKE Kits, and Podcasting!
Last term, our Stage 2 students have been explored the exciting world of STEM through hands-on learning and creativity. Using Micro:bit micro controllers, they learned how to write simple code to control lights, sensors, and buttons. Students turned the Micro:bits into pedometers, to track the number of steps taken and coded games like Paper, Scissors and Rock and Snap the Dot, which tested their hand-eye coordination and reaction times. With LEGO Education SPIKE kits, students then brought their ideas to life by building breakdancing robots and clever hopper machines which were designed and built to race, all powered by code.
Meanwhile, our Year 5 and 6 students also stepped into the world of media and communication, learning the basics of podcasting. From writing scripts and recording audio to using editing tools, they’ve been preparing to launch our very own school podcast! It was an exciting term full of innovation, teamwork, and discovery across all year levels. Be sure to tune into our first ever school podcast episode which we will be aiming to launch later in Term 2.
Harmony Day
For Harmony Day 2025, students across K-6 participated in a variety of activities to support cultural awareness and diversity. Each class participated in a range of activities that highlighted our support and commitment to cultural diversity and creating an inclusive Australia. Some activities classes participated in were, investigating a Country or language, discussing family cultures and traditions, moving to music and creating diverse artworks. Each class shared their learning and activities on Seesaw throughout the week and at the Week 10 assembly.
Busy Bee Readers
This term, our Busy Bee readers buzzed over to Honey Tree Preschool as part of their Book Week celebrations! The students read stories to the preschoolers and shared their knowledge about books — teaching them all about the front cover, back cover, spine, author, and illustrator. The preschoolers absolutely loved the visit, and we’re excited to return throughout the term to share more stories!
Mothers Day Breakfast
Thank you to our families for supporting our annual Mothers Day breakfast.
Kindergarten
Last term was full of exciting activities for our Kindergarten students as they explored the "War on Waste" theme, learning about materials that can be recycled and the importance of protecting our environment. The children engaged in hands-on activities that sparked their curiosity about how waste can be reduced, reused, and recycled. They were especially excited to take part in their first rich learning task which included family members joining in to make a bird feeder, glass jar candles, sensory bottles and paper beads.
As we look ahead to next term, our students will explore the theme of Space. This will be an exciting exploration of our Earth and universe, where children will engage in a variety of hands-on tasks, experiments, and artistic projects to learn about the planets, stars, and beyond with a focus on Earth and Weather. We can’t wait to see where their imagination takes them as they explore the vast universe!
Stage 1
War on Waste Comes to Life Through Music and Making in Stage 1!
Last term, students in Stage 1 learnt about the War on Waste—exploring its importance and how we can make a difference by recycling and reusing materials. To deepen this learning, we invited our school community to join us for a special Rich Task event that brought together music, sustainability, and hands-on creativity.
As part of our music unit on pitch, tone, beat, and rhythm, students worked alongside their parents to design and build their own recycled musical instruments. With examples provided on screen and support from staff, families collaborated at workstations around the room, experimenting with materials and sounds.
It was a joyful and engaging experience that celebrated learning through play, problem-solving, and connection. Thank you to all the parents who joined us—we loved seeing your enthusiasm and creativity in action!
Stage 2 & 3 Community Clean Up Challenge
The weather was kind as we headed across Pittman Avenue to Bellbird Creek to work some magic! Terry from Cessnock Council joined us, sharing his vast knowledge of weeds and the garden plants that had unfortunately made their way from homes to our bushland and waterways. Students and parents identified and removed a variety of plants, raising everyone’s awareness of what should and shouldn’t be growing in our area. Unfortunately, amongst the rogue plants were many small and large items of household waste that had also been dumped.
We also investigated the state of the water and the few creatures we found living in it. The water was generally okay with an acidity level of 7 but the turbidity level was quite cloudy due to the many particles in the stagnant water. We found mainly mosquito larvae, a red worm and a water snail, not an overly appealing place to live in stagnant water.
We thank those parents and family members who joined us on the day, and we look forward to continuing the clean-up so we can water test more often, enjoy the space and rejuvenate the area back to its native plants. Thanks also to Cessnock Council’s Terry and Jane for their assistance with this project.
Stage 3
During Term 1, Stage 3 students immersed themselves in a powerful unit of rich learning focused on the War on Waste. Students explored the environmental impacts of waste, particularly from the fast fashion industry, and investigated how landfill affects animals and ecosystems. They also examined the types of products and packaging we bring to school in our lunchboxes, brainstorming practical ways to reduce waste and proposing ideas for future improvements — including introducing a Return and Earn system at school for recyclables.
As part of their learning, students visited the local creek to investigate water quality and assess whether it could support life. They also worked with Cessnock Council to identify invasive weed species and took action by cleaning up rubbish around the creek, aiming to make the area more usable and enjoyable for the local community.
In Term 2, Stage 3 students will embark on an exciting exploration of all things space! They'll dive into research on the planets and the solar system, learn about the fascinating Mars rovers, and understand how we measure distances between planets. The journey will also include studying star constellations and creating space-inspired artworks, sparking creativity and curiosity. It's set to be an out-of-this-world term of learning!
Term 1 Highlights
This term, we proudly held our Leaders Induction Ceremony and welcomed our new class representatives. Since then, our student parliament has been meeting fortnightly to share ideas, raise class voice, and discuss initiatives across the school. Students have suggested exciting games for leaders to run during break times and explored charity options for upcoming fundraisers.
Year 6 kicked off their first fundraiser with a successful Easter Bake Sale, raising money towards their end-of-year farewell celebrations. Meanwhile, our Communications Team has launched the school podcast and is now calling on the community for creative and inspiring name suggestions!
Students have also proudly represented Bellbird in touch football and cricket, with upcoming gala days for soccer and netball just around the corner. We're also looking forward to the cross country and athletics carnival this term — it’s shaping up to be an active and exciting time at Bellbird!
To finish off the term, we celebrated student achievements with a school-wide dojo celebration. Students who made it onto the Grapevine enjoyed a fun disco with glow sticks, and those tracking towards Platinum status were treated to a special hot chips lunch with Mr Anderson — a fantastic way to wrap up a successful first term!
KF
KF have had a wonderful start to Term 2 and have returned to school after their first holidays excited and keen to keep growing their knowledge. They have been busy learning their sounds s, a, t, p, i, n and have started to blend them together to read words. Students can now count to and back from 10. Last term our rich learning task was ‘War on Waste’ and students investigated different ways to recycle paper and this term they will be exploring `Space.’
KM
KM finished off last term with so many exciting activities! We got a visit from Healthy Harold, who taught us all about keeping ourselves safe and who we can call if there is an emergency. Our Rewards Day celebration was amazing, where we got to show off our fantastic dance moves at the disco. We also celebrated Easter by completing some writing about the Easter Bunny and designing a home for the Easter Bunny to live in. The Easter Bunny visited our classroom, and we had tons of fun at the Easter Hat Parade with our wonderful hats!
After a refreshing holiday, KM have returned to school buzzing and ready to jump back into their learning. Stay tuned for what we get up to in Term 2!
KT
KT had a fun filled Term 1 that included lots of engaging learning and exciting activities. Our families visited our classrooms to participate in our rich learning where we made bird feeders using recycled materials. Our last day of term included a visit from the Easter Bunny and our Easter Hat Parade. We farewelled Mrs Taplin and this term have welcomed Ms Fiona McDonnell to our class. Our theme this term is Space and we are very excited to learn all about it. Our class have many questions we would like to find answers to, such as, How do you become an astronaut? And Is Pluto a planet? We look forward to sharing our learning with our families, so keep an eye on Seesaw each week for updates!
KV
Wow, what a great Term 1!
Just in the last week KV visited Healthy Harold, hosted our RICH task and participated in the Easter Hat parade.
At Healthy Harold we were learning all about how to stay safe and how to seek help. We learnt to recognise safe and unsafe situations and environments, where and who we can go to, to ask for help and how to respond in an emergency situation - call 000.
For Term 1’s theme ‘War on Waste’, KV made sensory bottles using recycled water bottles. Thank you to all the parents who visited and donated some recycled bottles for us to use.
Everyone’s Easter hats were fantastic, and we got to showcase them during the Easter Hat parade.
Looking forward to an awesome Term 2!
S1C
It has been so wonderful watching the children in S1C grow in confidence, form lovely friendships and improve their literacy and numeracy skills.
This term, in History we continue to explore significant people, sites and environments in our community. In Science and Technology, we are investigating Earth’s resources and learning all about digital systems. In Creative Arts, our students will participate in a drama program from Amplify and create a variety of art based on our Space theme. In PDHPE, we will continue to develop our fundamental movement skills, learn how to make healthy life choices and build our understanding of empathy.
We would love to see more students reading at home and filling in their reading record card. The kids love receiving dojos and certificates. If you’ve lost the reading passage or blue reading record card, please message us on Seesaw and we will send a new one home. Remember, please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
S1M
In Literacy S1M have been working hard improving their sentence writing, creating compound sentences from two ideas.
In Maths, S1M had fun finding different ways to measure classroom items and worked hard telling the time with analog and digital clocks.
In CA, S1M have been enjoying learning about musical concepts like pitch and duration and even investigated different objects in our classroom that we could hit, shake and scrape to make music.
The Rich Task was a great end to a term learning about the ‘War on Waste’, with some awesome instruments being created from recycled materials. S1M even had the chance to put their instruments to the test in our music lesson. Who knew you could make music out of rubbish?
The last day of Term 1 was a highlight with our PBL Rewards Day Disco in the morning and our Easter Hat Parade in the afternoon, rounding out a busy Term 1.
S1O
Last term S1O got up to some wonderful things in and out of the classroom. In the last couple of weeks of Term 1, S1O learnt all about recycling with our theme ‘War on Waste’. For rich task, Stage 1 welcomed parents and families into the school to use recycled items to make musical instruments (Stage 1 are so creative!!). Later, we then got a visit from Healthy Harold and learnt all about not giving up, parts of our body that keep us safe and how to stay fit and healthy. Then, we got to get right into the Easter Festivities. In S1O we got our own little Easter chicks to take care of for the week. They were so cute!
S1W
Reflecting on Term 1, we had so much fun with our learning and different activities within the school! I am so proud of everyone for their growth and achievement last term. It was wonderful to watch children develop their confidence and create new friendships. S1W loved the visit from Healthy Harold and enjoyed learning about making healthy choices and using different strategies when dealing with fear or self-doubt. We finished off the term with our PBL rewards day and our school disco which was so much fun! We also enjoyed the Easter hat parade, and everyone looked incredible with their Easter hats!
We have a very exciting and busy term ahead, introducing our new theme of ‘Space’ into our learning. Stage 1 will be continuing their learning and literacy and numeracy, supporting and extending their skills and knowledge. In History, students will be continuing to investigate life in the past and present. In Science, students will be exploring the solar system and Earth and utilising digital technology and processes. In CAPA, students will be experimenting with drama and creating artworks relating to our theme of space.
It is so lovely to see all the students who have participated and engaged in their homework and home reading passages. This is so important as it contributes to their success in the classroom. I am looking forward to watching everyone in S1W grow this term!
S2B
Term 1 went by in the blink of an eye! S2B enjoyed many activities during our 'War on Waste' theme last term. Some highlights were setting up our worm farm and our rich task where we went across to the creek for some water testing and examination as well as learning all about weeds and garden plants that have been taking over the area. STEM lessons were the big highlight outside of our theme learning. Everyone was focused and enjoyed learning how to program the Microbits and building a Lego Hopper.
This term we will be exploring space which will be full of exciting things to learn so that we can answer some of the long list of questions we have. Looking forward to another great term where we can support each other to grow and learn, strive for personal goals and celebrate our successes.
S2G
What an end to the term! S2G continued to meaningfully engage in our ‘War on Waste’ theme, looking to make an impact on our local area. During writing lessons, we composed persuasive pieces to convince an audience to help our environment as well as create emotive haiku and cinquain poems about our oceans.
Time, addition facts and number patterns were our final focuses of the term during Maths. S2G also worked with arrays to explore the relationship between multiplication and division.
In Geography, we learnt sustainability and the importance of looking after our planet for the future. S2G viewed texts, images and websites to gather information about First Nations Peoples’ connection to Country and how they care for the land and pass on this knowledge.
We have loved engaging with the Amplify music program to build our knowledge of beat, rhythm, musical notation, different instruments and song structure.
It has been great to see students return after holidays, ready to blast into our new theme of ‘Space’.
S2K
Welcome to our latest class newsletter! We have had an exciting start to the year, filled with engaging activities that foster creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking.
Our students have been diving into the world of STEM with our Robotics program! They have been learning the basics of coding and robotics through hands-on activities. The children worked in teams to build and program their own robots, which they then put to the test in various challenges. It's been wonderful to see their problem-solving skills grow as they troubleshoot and refine their designs!
In our recent rich task, students collaborated to create a stunning mural using bottle caps. This project not only creativity but also raised awareness about recycling and sustainability. The mural represents our commitment to caring for the environment. We hope to display it in the school for everyone to admire!
As we look ahead, we have some exciting activities planned for our students that promote teamwork, creativity, and a love for learning. Here’s what you can expect in the coming weeks:
Outer Space Theme
In class, we are embarking on an exciting rich task with the theme of Outer Space! Students will explore various aspects of space, including planets, stars, and galaxies. They will work in groups to create presentations, models, or artwork that reflect their research and creativity. This project not only encourages collaboration but also sparks curiosity about the universe. We can’t wait to see their imaginative projects!
History
The Country and Place unit invites students to explore and investigate the diverse characteristics of countries and places around the world. Through inquiry-based learning, students will develop an understanding of cultural, geographical, and environmental aspects that define different locations. There are opportunities for students to develop an understanding of the Aboriginal heritage of their local area and explore the historical concepts of perspectives, empathy, sources and continuity and change.
We are looking forward to an exciting few weeks ahead! Thank you for your ongoing support and encouragement.
S2R
Welcome back to Term 2 and I trust that everybody has had a relaxing and enjoyable holiday.
Term 1 saw students from S2R participate in many learning opportunities across all Key Learning Areas around the theme ‘War on Waste’ which culminated in our rich task activity of tidying up the creek opposite the school.
Literacy
Through reading and writing, students learnt about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and composed articles to inform readers about this and persuade them to ban plastic. They also looked at recycling and learnt how different musical instruments have been made from trash. To finish the term, the students wrote different forms of poetry around the theme.
Creative Art
Using bottle tops of various colours, the students designed and created an artwork of a turtle swimming in polluted water.
We are looking forward to another great term of learning around our Space theme.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.
S3B
We are thrilled to announce that S3B has had an incredibly busy and productive Term 1, which flew by in the blink of an eye! Our theme of 'War on Waste' allowed students to explore the vital concept of sustainability, engaging deeply with the challenges and solutions surrounding waste management. Their enthusiasm for this topic fostered meaningful discussions and innovative ideas.
In Mathematics, students focused on mastering place value and delved into various units of measurement, including length and perimeter. Their hard work and dedication have laid a solid foundation for future mathematical concepts, and we are proud to see their progress.
A highlight of Term 1 was the visit from Healthy Harold, where students gained valuable insights into positive and respectful relationships. This experience not only enriched their understanding but also reinforced the importance of empathy and kindness in our school community.
Additionally, we received some impressive submissions for our termly homework project on biomes, showcasing the creativity and effort of our students. A selection of these projects can be seen below, reflecting their hard work and commitment to learning.
As we embark on Term 2, we look forward to building on the successes of the previous term and continuing to foster a love for learning within S3B. We can't wait to see what this term has in store for our students!
S3J
S3J had an eventful and exciting end to Term 1! One of the highlights was our local creek exploration, where students tested water quality, investigated local wildlife, and learned to identify native and introduced plants—thanks to the support of a knowledgeable local council member.
STEM lessons with Mrs Morton were another favourite, as students coded Microbits to play Rock, Paper, Scissors and used LEGO Prime kits to build and program their own Hoppers for a thrilling class race. It’s been a fantastic term of hands-on learning, creativity, and discovery!
Looking ahead, we are excited for an engaging Term 2, where our learning will be explored through the telescope of all things space. We are also making a strong commitment to go above and beyond in choosing kindness and performing random acts of kindness for others throughout the term.
S3L
S3L has settled in well as a class and have been very busy learning. Our theme for Term 1 was 'War on Waste' and we learnt lots about how to reduce waste. Through our Literacy we explored various types of ways that waste has impacted the environment and how we can reduce it. The students suggested recycling at school to improve how we can reduce our impact. At the end of the term we went to Bellbird Creek for our Rich Task to observe the impact of not disposing rubbish and garden plants appropriately. Our class has particularly enjoyed STEM and creating podcasts about the environment and we are looking forward to seeing how we can apply STEM and all our learning this term to our new theme about `Space’.
S3T
Students in S3T immersed themselves in the critical topic of the 'War on Waste,' exploring the pressing environmental issues of our time. Through engaging lessons, they have developed their persuasive writing skills, crafting compelling arguments to advocate for sustainable practices. Students conducted in-depth investigations into the impact of fast fashion, uncovering how the clothing industry contributes significantly to waste and pollution. They also examined the pervasive problem of microplastics, learning about their harmful effects on ecosystems and human health. Furthermore, we tackled food waste, discussing innovative solutions to reduce waste in our kitchens and communities. This project not only heightened students' awareness of environmental challenges but also empowered them to become advocates for change. We have produced newspaper articles, infographics and artworks showcasing our learning.
PSSA Cricket Knockout Match
On Wednesday, March 5th, our Bellbird Public School cricket team showcased their spirit and sportsmanship at East End Oval, Cessnock, in a competitive match against the strong Nulkaba Public School side. Despite the challenges of trying a new sport, our team gave their all, demonstrating resilience and teamwork throughout the game.
Batting first, Bellbird faced a tough innings and finished with 30 runs. Nulkaba, however, quickly chased down the target without losing a wicket.
It was a fantastic experience for our players, who supported one another with positivity and enthusiasm. A big thank you to Nulkaba PS and the wicket curator for facilitating this match, providing our students with the opportunity to learn and grow in the sport.
Well done to; Liam W, Liam S, Lincoln W, Quade P, Ryan T, Jayce M, Zavier H, Joel T, Max H and Jayden M.
PSSA Touch Football Gala Day
On Tuesday 8th April, our girls and boys PSSA Touch Football teams took part in the PSSA Touch Football Gala Day. For many, it was their first time playing the sport, and they gave it their all! It was a fantastic opportunity to get out into the community and compete against other schools. Our students worked brilliantly as a team and even managed to score a few tries throughout the day. Well done to everyone who represented Bellbird with great enthusiasm and sportsmanship!
PSSA Netball Knockouts Gala Day and PSSA Netball Trials
On Thursday the 1st of May, eleven Bellbird students represented our school in the Cessnock PSSA Netball Knockout Gala Day and Trials. The students played five full games of netball, winning the first but conceding in the second which took us out of the knockout competition. They continued in the round robin games and finished the day with four wins and one loss! All students played with exceptional skill, respect and integrity, where they celebrated and encouraged each other’s successes while appreciating the effort of their opponents.
Hunter Representation
Congratulations to Quade P, who was recently selected as part of the Hunter PSSA League team to compete at the State carnival in Blacktown from 2nd to 4th June. This is an amazing achievement and we wish him all the best in representing our region and school at this prestigious event.
Students have been busy in the library, borrowing books, reading and completing book activities.
Premier’s Reading Challenge
The Premier’s Reading Challenge has started. Your child should be borrowing and reading Premier Reading Challenge (PRC) books at home or in the classroom every week. Remember K-2 is blue PRC stickers, 3-4 is Yellow PRC stickers and 5-6 is orange PRC stickers.
Students in 3-6 are keeping a record of their PRC books they have read at school. If you would like one to complete at home, please tell your child to ask Mrs Yeatman for a PRC reading log.
This challenge needs to be completed by 22nd August this year. Students who complete the reading challenge will receive a certificate from the Premier of NSW at the end of year Presentation Day. Students will also receive a school merit certificate once the challenge is completed.
CLASS LIBRARY DAYS
Listed below is the day your child’s class comes to the library to borrow. Please help your child to remember to pack their library bag and books on their library day.
Wednesday – S3L, S3T, S3B and S1C
Thursday – S1W, S1O, S1M, S2G, S2R, S2B and S2K
Friday – KT, KM, KF, KV and S3J
Reading for Pleasure
PLEASE HELP YOUR CHILD TO REMEMBER THEIR LIBRARY BAG AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO BORROW AND READ BOOKS.
READING FOR PLEASURE IS SO IMPORTANT IN OUR LIVES.
Reading is not just something that children should do in school, it needs to be an everyday part of our lives and something we choose to do at all ages! Research proves that Reading for pleasure is positively linked to the following,
- Improved Reading and writing ability.
- Improved comprehension and grammar
- Improved spelling and vocabulary
- Positive reading attitudes
- Greater self-confidence as a reader
- Pleasure reading in later life.
- Greater all-round academic success
- Improved social skills and mental wellbeing.
How to encourage your child to read for pleasure?
Encouraging reading for pleasure for children opens a world of imagination, knowledge and joy. Here are some practical tips to help ignite a passion for reading:
- Create a Reading Space at Home: Designate a cosy, inviting spot in your home just for reading, equipped with good lighting, comfortable chair or sofa and ideally quiet.
- Read books together.
- Discuss What They Read: Talk about books during dinner time or morning drives to school. Ask open-ended questions about the stories or book characters.
- Connect Books with Activities: Pair reading with fun activities like movie nights based on the book.
- Variety is Key: Keep a wide range of books accessible, featuring different genres and topics to match your child’s interests.
- Remind your child to pack their library bag and encourage them to read. If you don’t have many books available at home, sign your child up to the local Cessnock library and encourage them to borrow books from the school library every week.
- Lead by Example: Let your child see you reading regularly. Your enthusiasm can show them what reading for pleasure looks like.
These strategies can help turn reading into a joyful and regular part of your child’s life.
BOOK CLUB
Bellbird Public School participates in the Scholastic Book Club.
Parents can buy new books and gifts from the Book Club online catalogue twice per term.
(One is available at the start of each term and another catalogue will be available around week 5 of each term)
ALL ORDERS ARE ONLINE
HOW TO ORDER
Please view the catalogue and complete the Book Club order online at www.scholastic.com.au/LOOP Please add your child’s name and class.
If it’s your first time to order you will need to register online to create an account.
If you have any issues placing an order, please phone me at school.
LIBRARY HELPERS NEEDED
BOOK COVERING
All new library books need to be covered before your children can borrow them. If you can spare some time to help with covering library books, please contact me by phoning the school. The contact I buy is very easy to use.
NATIONAL FAMILY READING MONTH is an initiative that represents the heart of our business— literacy being the key to learning and achievement. We believe that all children, with the help of their families and reading role models, can benefit from a lifelong love of reading.
This year marks the 29th Scholastic’s National Family Reading Month (NFRM), which encourages families to read together on a regular basis to create strong reading habits. Most of us know how important reading together is and its long-term value to our children’s success in school and in life. However, we also know it is not always that easy to put into practice with our busy schedules and increasing competition with screen time.
That is why we ask you to take the 31-Day Challenge— to inspire you to make reading together for at least 10 minutes every day a focus, to create positive, long-lasting reading habits and lifelong readers!
NFRM will launch on, THURSDAY 1ST OF MAY 2025, AT 11AM AEST AND 1PM NZST where it will be livestreamed all across Australia and New Zealand via Facebook and YouTube. Mr Luke will read his book Guess What We Are Doing Today? together with illustrator Chris Kennett and kick off the 31-Day Challenge, as we
READ EVERY DAY! READ MORE IN MAY!
You are invited to go to our website to download more assets and join the 31-Day Reading Challenge with us. Visit www.scholastic.com.au/nfrm for downloads, reading tips and exclusive content from Mr Luke.
Let’s encourage the 31-Day Reading Challenge and celebrate National Family Reading Month together!
