Celebrating Public Education Week

It has been wonderful to spend time celebrating NSW Public Education this week with the theme “Ignite your Potential” highlighting the important job we do as schools to start kids on their educational journey, sparking a love of learning and supporting their individual potential as they progress through school, both in the classroom and through a range of extracurricular activities.

It has also been an opportunity to recognise some students, staff and community members for their efforts and achievements. The following amazing Bellbirdians were recognised by the Cessnock Community of Great Public Schools (CCGPS) at a special assembly on Monday.

School Achievement Award

• Bellbird Public School STEM and Podcasting initiative - For providing high-potential students with opportunities to extend their academic abilities while developing digital literacy, communication, and leadership skills.

Student Achievement

• Hudson B - For consistently demonstrating an enthusiasm for learning in all classroom activities
• Dorothy HN – For excellence in academic achievement, natural leadership, and her outstanding contribution to our school’s core values of being a Safe, Respectful Learner
• Jaya W - For outstanding commitment to learning and embodiment of our school’s core values of being a Safe, Respectful Learner.
• Kingston M – For enthusiastic engagement in all learning opportunities whilst always striving to improve, while treating everyone with respect and friendship.            
• Lorelai YS - For her creative, positive and enthusiastic approach to all learning opportunities, and whose nurturing and empathetic interactions with all she encounters reflects our school values. 
• Jett C - For being a positive role model showing consistent effort and excellence in all areas of learning.
• Celeste C - For approaching every learning opportunity with enthusiasm and commitment, setting a high standard for her peers through her exemplary behaviour and strong leadership.

Excellence in Teaching

• Beth Thompson - Demonstrated excellence in teaching, including the capacity to mentor and support the professional growth of others.
• Linda Mackenzie - Demonstrated commitment to the learning and wellbeing of students, with building positive relationships at the heart of her practice.

Outstanding Contribution by a Non-Teaching Staff Member

• Jo Pearson - For dedication to the support of student learning and wellbeing, showing initiative and care for all students. 
• Natalie Kronholm - For dedication to the support of student learning and wellbeing, showing initiative and care for all students. 

Outstanding Contribution by a Community Member

• Amanda and Lincoln Moncrieff - Outstanding contributions to the support of Bellbird Public School’s students and community.

Excellence in School Leadership

Carmen Shultz – For commitment and dedication to the development and support of effective transition into the school environment. 

Bullying No Way

Bellbird Public School strives to reduce bullying behaviours in our school environment through a range of proactive strategies throughout the year including explicit teaching of social skills, special events and PBL focuses. In addition to these, next week is the Bullying No Way -National Week of Action which we recognise and participate in each year as an additional focus. As part of this week’s focus all students will be  involved in the following Anti-Bullying activities to ensure students have the knowledge and skills to help prevent and respond to bullying.

Monday 11^th August- 1.20pm - Kids Helpline Largest online Anti-Bullying lesson (All students)

Monday 11^th August – Student led Assembly. 2.30pm Our school leaders will also be holding a special student led assembly instead of our usual weekly assembly.

Week 4 and 5 Explicit teaching – Kindness – Our explicit teaching in social emotional learning and PBL lessons will be focusing on Kindness with lots of in class learning and activities.

Stage 3 Virtual Classroom – Be an ESafe Kid: Your choices in chat

Stage 2 Virtual Classrooms – Be an ESafe Kid: Being online should be fun for everyone!

For more information on how Bellbird Public School addresses bullying visit our School Behaviour Support Management Plan 2025

https://bellbird-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/b/bellbird-p/BellbirdPS_-_Behaviour_Support_Management_Plan_2025.pdf

Explicit Teaching

At our school, we are committed to ensuring that all students thrive in their learning environment. Every day, our dedicated teachers across NSW engage in explicit teaching, a method that helps clarify and enhance the learning process.

In Semester One, we focused on setting clear Learning Intentions and Success Criteria for each lesson. This approach provides our students with a roadmap, making it easier for them to understand what they are learning and how they can succeed.

As we move into Semester Two, we will continue to build on these strategies. Our goal is to not only plan and model effective practices but also to provide plenty of opportunities for students to practise giving and receiving feedback. We believe that developing these skills will empower our students to act on feedback, helping them to grow and improve in their learning journey.

Thank you for your continued support in fostering a positive learning experience for our students!

Supporting Our Students Through Targeted Assessments

Effective teaching first involves knowing your students and where they are in their learning journey.  Part of that process involves regular assessment to help our teachers understand each student's progress and determine how to best assist them in their learning journey.

From Best-Start assessments in Kindergarten to NAPLAN and the HSC, our students participate in various assessments throughout their schooling. When new assessments are introduced, they undergo thorough testing and receive feedback from schools. Schools may choose to participate or may be invited to contribute.

At Bellbird Public School, we view opportunities to take part in these trials as valuable. They help us stay informed about educational changes, enhance our teachers' skills, and allow us to provide feedback to the department before new assessments are rolled out statewide.

Recently, our Year 1 teachers and students participated in a new Year 1 Numeracy Check-In. This quick, 15-minute one-on-one assessment focused on students' number and addition skills. We are proud of our Year 1 students for their patience and cooperation as our teachers learned to deliver the assessment. The results will guide our future teaching strategies.

Great job, Year 1! Thank you for your hard work and support!

School Musicals coming soon! 

What’s better than an amazing school musical? Two amazing school musicals!!! To support our Term 3 Rich Learning Theme “Around the World” and support our students with potential in the creative arts we will be holding some musicals towards the end of Term 3. Due to increasing school numbers, we have decided to split our K-2 and 3-6 students to provide more opportunities for students to be involved and ensure we can fit parents in to see their amazing performers. All students will be involved in some way as part of a class item, with some talented drama students also chosen to support each story. Keep your eye out for more information soon but in the meantime put the following dates into your calendar.

• K-2 Musical – Wednesday 10^th September
• 3-6 Musical – Wednesday 24^th September