Wow, what a busy term we have had. Teachers and staff have provided students across the school community with many opportunities to share their learning and to connect with community, allowing transference of skills and knowledge. We have celebrated Book Week, Science Week and had many families join us is acknowledging students’ academic success and growth in learning, attendance, effort and attitude for students from Kinder to Year 12. Our winter sports rosters have come to an end with teams celebrating their team work, sportsmanship and representation of the school community. We had a number of Year 5/6 students represent the TPSSA in their chosen sports. Congratulations to Rani, Eboney, Lucy, Jasmine, Charlie, Oscar, Ryder, Saxon, Jesse, Alydia and Jackson for representing Port in the carnival.

Staff Changes

At the end of this term we will farewell two of our early years teachers. Keelie Wood has been with us for 4 years and this week will go on parental leave and will, in a few weeks welcome her little boy into the world. We thank Miss Wood for her commitment, enthusiasm and positive relations that she has shown during her time at Port. We know that many students and families will miss her, but also be happy for her as she begins a new journey with her family. Miss Parker will finish the year supporting 1/2 Wood.

Miss Salter will also be going on parental leave at the end of term and will return to us in 2025. She has been supporting Mrs Wheldon's transition into Kinder to ensure our families and little people are well looked after while she is on leave. All the best on the arrival of your little girl, Miss Salter. 

In week 1 of term 4, Mr Ogden will be joining the teaching team to take over from Miss Walters within the first 4 weeks of term. We are fortunate that we have been able to have our teachers work with our new staff to consolidate routines, relationships and school culture before taking over the class full time. We are so appreciative of the teamwork and support in ensuring we have a positive transition.

Attendance

We are continuing to monitor and seek ways of improving our attendance. The feedback from students in the Student Voice Workshops was that students enjoy coming to school,  that they feel that teachers and staff are supportive, however their biggest worry is how students treat each other both face to face and through social media platforms. From feedback we will initiate an “in on Time Token” that will be given to students who are at school, in class ready to learn by 9am. Students who receive a token will place this in the box. If they arrive on time every day of the week they will receive a bonus token for the weekly draw of a canteen voucher.

Girls Build - Flexible Program

This term every Tuesday, a group of Year 9/10 girls have been involved with a construction program led by Mr Green. We have been building play houses for the Prep‘s. This program has taught us how to work in teams, to be creative and to never give up. As a group we presented the Dinosaur House and Dolls House to the Prep Class as a surprise. The joy we saw on their faces made us all remember why we did this program. It was satisfying to know we contributed in a positive way. We found the program enjoyable and really benefited from it. We would certainly like to be involved in the program again and would recommend it to others. (Imogen and Mia)

Certificate II Hospitality

Our students in Years 11 and 12 as part of their ongoing assessment arrived at school last Thursday at 6:00am to complete a breakfast session for staff. In this session, they were assessed on kitchen operations, packaging and food preparation. As a school we have extensive programs that allow students to learn real work, workplace concepts and transfer these as they gain national qualifications.

Hands on Learning Harvest

Our Hands on Learning students celebrated their first Food Ladder Hothouse harvest with an open afternoon for parents and school community members. Students shared how the hydroponic system works and they then used the produce to cook afternoon tea and shared their learnings. Thank you to the parents who attended and shared in the celebration of learning.

Redevelopment - Health Hub

We will be very excited to return to Term 4 and have our re-development of the Health Hub complete. In this contemporary classroom space we will see an extension of our Foods/Hospitality Café space, a redesign of classrooms to allow for health programs and professional support staff located in a central place. The outdoor learning area will be a well received space for students to spend time building positive relationships and connections during break and class times. The space will also provide indoor access during the colder months for our senior students. Our EFA and Admin staff will furnish the building during the break ready for week 2 of the term.

We are all looking forward to the term break and hope families enjoy the spring weather and students return ready for a positive Term 4. Our office will be open from Monday 30^th September – Thursday 3^rd of October. Stay safe and well.

We would like to thank Mr Dean Gibbons for his contribution to our school community over many years as Chair of our School Association. His time, effort and commitment has been valued by many over time.

We would like to welcome Mr Andrew Taylor as our new Chair. Andrew's knowledge, connections and passion to supporting our young people will be invaluable as we continue to advocate for our school community. 

Chair - Mr Andrew Taylor

Vice Chair - Ms Tamara Burt

Treasurer - Mrs Tammi Trudgeon

Secretary - Mrs Rachel Mowat

Committee Members - Mrs Pam Barron, Ms Renee Wilson, Mr Paul Wilson, Ms Prue Leslie, Mrs Heather Ashley

Wow! Where has Term 3 gone? The last 9 weeks have flown by and there have been so many opportunities for our young people to engage in and further develop in core subjects, electives and other on-site events and off-campus excursions.

We look forward to a very busy, productive and important Term 4. After the holiday break, students will be expected to continue focusing on their studies to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of learning tasks that will contribute to their end of year assessments and reports. Also, we have our annual Athletics Carnival in Week 4, College Enrolments, Year 10 Celebration events, Year 9 Student Leader Board selection process and many more activities in a short space of time.

All the best to our Year 9/10 students (Duke of Edinburgh and Port Sport Leaders) who are travelling off on a three-day adventure, leadership and teamwork camp this week to Bakers Beach. I’m sure it will be a very challenging, rewarding and memorable experience for both students and staff.

I would like to reflect on some highlights from Term 3:

• NHSSA Sport (well done to our soccer team for making the Grand Final)
• Year 9 Mental Health First Aid Sessions
• Student Voice Workshops
• Police Session – Staying Safe Online
• Newstead College – Health Experience Session
• Newstead College – ‘A Day in the Life of a College Student’
• AMC Site Tour and Pool Survival Practical
• Peace in Schools and Dubsy Talk
• 9/10 Sport Leaders coaching, scoring, umpiring 5/6 TPSSA Friday Sport
• Year 10 Exams
• Year 11/12 Hospitality Breakfast
• Whole School Assembly – Recognition of Academic Achievement and Growth
• Year 9/10 Polish Program – Career Preparation
• Year 9/10 Northern Employment Business Hub Careers Expo
• Year 9 Excursion – Launceston College Production - Bring It On
• Girls in Construction Program
• Year 11/12 Career and Life Planning – weekly visits to the George Town Library
• Year 9 and 10 students participating in programs at Studentworks in Art, Metal, Construction and Catering
• Year 9/10 Art Classes having guest artists Ben and Paul lead students through various sessions
• Year 11/12 VET Courses – students progressing in Hospitality and Engineering
• National Endangered Species Day – PDS has adopted a Red Panda at Tasmania Zoo, Riverside
• Hands on Learning

Term 3 has been a busy term for the Duke of Ed and HPE FLP classes as they have prepared for their camp at Bakers Beach. Learning to set up a tent, cook on a trangia and packing a hiking pack are the main areas students have been developing.

The camp started with a wet forecast, but against all odds students were greeted with sunshine and blue skies at Badgers Head, where they commenced their walk. Loaded with packs at about 15kgs students worked together to hike the 6kms to Bakers Beach, only to discover the beach was 6kms long, so they were only half way. A head wind made the beach trek hard going, but with a positive attitude they made it to the end.  

Tent set up commenced and whilst some completed the arduous task with ease, others took longer to complete the jigsaw. The first evening was spent by the camp fire, admiring the stars and avoiding the social possums.  

A fresh morning greeted students on day two, but the sunshine promised a wonderful day.  A quick hike up Archers Knob, followed by some beach games and an afternoon of fishing and swimming were welcomed in the spring sun.  

We look forward to sharing our whole journey with you next term and helping to plan our next adventure.   

As the school term comes to an end the cold air that made our noses red is beginning to feel a bit warmer, and the days are starting to get a little longer ready for spring. This change in the weather feels like a big, cozy hug, making us all excited for the new adventures that our final term for 2024 will bring. With just a short amount of time left in this term, it is a great opportunity to look back on the fantastic events and achievements of the Years 5-8 sector.

Years 5/6 Sport

Football, soccer, hockey and netball players in Years 5 and 6 have been sharpening their skills this term through the TPSSA 5/6 sport program. Fortnightly games (when not cancelled due to weather) have seen our students travel to South George Town Primary School and Blue Gum Park to verse Beaconsfield, Exeter, Star of the Sea, South George Town Primary School and Lilydale to participate in round robin games. It has been fantastic to see high levels of engagement and great sportsmanship at each of these rounds. Congratulations to the following students for their selection in Country Gold:

Hockey: Alydia & Jackson 

Soccer: Saxon & Jesse 

Football: Ryder, Flyn, Oscar & Charlie 

Netball: Eboney, Rani, Lucy, Matilda & Jasmine 

Amazing Race - Years 6/7 Transition

On Thursday 12^th September PDS welcomed students in Years 5 and 6 for an amazing race. In mixed groups, the teams worked together to decipher riddles and find locations across our school. Teams then had to work together to solve the magic word using letters they collected at each location. It was lovely to see our Year 5 and 6 students demonstrate leadership skills in this setting to help their team get to different places and crack the codes. Thank you and well done to everyone involved.

Years 7-10 Tas Police Visit

During week 8 students from Years 7-10 participated in an informative presentation from Constable Rollins from George Town Police. The session centred around social media education and strategies to be safe online. Some key messages from the session included: once you say or send something, you can’t undo it, an easy first step take if you upset someone is to apologise and think before you say or do something: your digital footprint still exists.

For more information and advice, we encourage families to visit the Esafety Commissioner’s website: www.Esafety.gov.au 

Student Voice Workshops

In Term 3, we started Student Voice workshops to hear what students think about learning, attendance issues, and behaviour challenges. These sessions created a space for open discussion, allowing students to share their thoughts and experiences. By giving students a say, we aimed to find practical solutions to improve their overall experience. Students pointed out problems and suggested new ideas for improvement, showing how important their input is in building a supportive school environment. Together, we’re dedicated to making our school a place where every student feels heard and valued.

Values Tickets – Joker Jackpot

As part of our Positive Behaviour Support at PDS, the 5-8 sector has been handing out values tickets in everyday situations which are drawn at our sector assemblies each fortnight. Recently the stakes were risen with a challenge of Joker Jackpot – our values ticket winners had the chance to pick a joker out of a full deck of cards to win a prize for their whole class. The collective responsibility of trying to earn more values tickets in classes has increased fantastically and 7A are the first class who have luckily pulled the elusive Joker to win a whole class prize - hot chips for lunch!

This term has been a remarkable journey for our Early Years and Lower Primary students, showcasing their growth, achievements, and strong connections within our school community. Our students have actively participated in various excursions that have enriched their learning experiences. These outings not only provided hands-on learning opportunities but also allowed students to explore their local environment, fostering a sense of curiosity and wonder about the world around them. Highlights included the Bass and Flinders Centre, as well as the Fire Station and police visits.

Recently, we hosted a visiting performance ‘Teddies, Bin, Rhyme and Sing’ that captivated our young students, showcasing the importance of arts in education. The children demonstrated excellent audience skills, engaging with the performer through attentive listening and enthusiastic participation. This experience not only enriched their understanding of the arts but also enhanced their social skills as they learned to appreciate live performances.

Overall, this term has been filled with positive experiences that have contributed to the holistic development of our students, strengthening their social skills and enhancing their love for learning. As we look forward to the coming term, we are excited to continue providing enriching experiences that support our students’ growth and development.

Kindergarten Term 3

This term in Kinder we have been learning about the community. As part of this unit of work we made our very own community and called it 'Kinder City'. We each chose a box and had a think about what we wanted to include in our city. We then used a range of craft materials to create our buildings. ​Our community included buildings such as a hospital, a fire station, a school, a supermarket, a hotel, a petrol station and LOTS of houses. ​

Last Wednesday students in the Esk Band program shared with their parents some of the music they have been learning and practising. Over the past two terms students have learnt how to put their instrument together, co-ordinate their fingers and mouths to be able to make a sound with their instrument and how to work as a team. To play music students must work together to play the correct notes at the correct time. Students should be proud in themselves in how far they have come.