As we approach the middle of the school year, I would like to take this opportunity to discuss two crucial aspects of our school community: attendance and participation. These elements are foundational to academic success and the overall growth of our students. Recently we celebrated with students their effort in application to their learning and attendance growth.

The Importance of Attendance

Regular attendance is essential for students to achieve their full potential. When students attend school consistently, they are more likely to keep up with daily lessons and opportunities, leading to a better sense of belonging and connectedness. Here are some key points about the importance of good attendance:

• Academic Success: Students who attend school regularly are more likely to perform better academically. Missing classes can create gaps in knowledge that are hard to fill.
• Social Development: Regular attendance helps students build strong relationships with their peers and teachers, fostering a supportive and inclusive school environment.
• Future Opportunities: Consistent attendance is often a predictor of future success in higher education and the workforce. It demonstrates reliability and commitment, qualities highly valued in any field.

To support our students, we have several initiatives in place:

• Early Intervention: Our Home Group Teachers and Sector Leaders monitor patterns and reach out to families if we notice frequent absences.
• Support Services: We offer counselling and other resources to help address any underlying issues that may be affecting attendance.
• Flexible Provisions: We offer a number of learning programs that build social and emotional skills and knowledge to build a student's confidence to engage in their learning

Encouraging Participation

Active participation in school activities, both academic and extracurricular, plays a significant role in the development of a well-rounded individual. Participation helps students to develop various skills and enhances their educational experience. Here’s why participation is vital:

• Skill Development: Engaging in activities such as sports, arts, and clubs helps students develop teamwork, leadership, and time management skills.
• Academic Enrichment: Participation in classroom discussions and group projects can deepen understanding and foster a love for learning.
• Community Building: Extracurricular activities build a sense of community and belonging, encouraging students to take pride in their school.

We encourage students to get involved in the numerous opportunities available:

• Clubs and Organizations: From the debate team to the science club, there are many ways to get involved.
• Sports Teams: Joining a sports team can boost physical health and provide a sense of camaraderie.
• Arts and Performance: Opportunities in music, theatre, and visual arts allow students to explore and develop their creative talents.

How Parents Can Help

Parents play a crucial role in supporting their child's attendance and participation. Here are some ways you can help:

• Set a Routine: Establish a consistent daily routine to ensure your child is well-rested and prepared for school.
• Stay Informed: Keep track of school events and encourage your child to participate in activities that interest them.
• Communicate: Maintain open lines of communication with teachers and school staff. Let us know if there are any issues affecting your child’s attendance or participation.
• Limit access to social media: Encourage your child to interact with their friends and family face to face and focus on positive aspects of their day.

Together, we can ensure that every student has the opportunity to succeed. Let’s continue to work as a community to support regular attendance and active participation in school life. Thank you for your ongoing support and dedication to our students' education and well-being.

Across the school community we are focusing on students gaining the most out of their class time. Students are to be in class on time, ready to learn. Students who are continually not following the reasonable requests of teachers and interrupting the learning time of their peers will be followed up and managed. We ask that you support us by reminding your child that we have a shared responsibility to improving their learning and for them to experience success they must make every effort during the school day to be kind, respectful and positive. This includes attending all timetabled lessons.

High Expectations for Learning

At Port Dalrymple School we believe that every student has the potential to achieve greatness. By setting high expectations, we encourage our students to push their boundaries and strive for excellence. Here are some ways we foster high expectations for learning:

• Rigorous Curriculum: Our curriculum is designed to challenge students and stimulate critical thinking. We aim to prepare them not just for tests, but for lifelong learning.
• Supportive Teaching: Our teachers are dedicated to providing the guidance and support necessary for students to meet and exceed their academic goals. Personalized learning plans and additional resources are available to help every student succeed.
• Growth Mindset: We promote a growth mindset, encouraging students to view challenges as opportunities to grow rather than obstacles. This mindset helps build resilience and perseverance.

Respecting Opportunities

Every day at Port Dalrymple School presents numerous opportunities for learning, growth, and development. Respecting these opportunities means making the most of them and recognising their value. Here’s how we instil this respect:

• Active Engagement: We encourage students to be actively engaged in their learning, participating in discussions, and asking questions. Engagement is key to deep understanding and retention of knowledge.
• Extracurricular Involvement: Our school offers a wide range of extracurricular activities. Respecting these opportunities means participating fully and appreciating the chance to develop new skills and interests.
• Community Service: We promote community service as a way to give back and learn valuable life lessons. Participating in community service teaches respect for others and the importance of contributing to society.

How Parents Can Support

Parents play a vital role in reinforcing high expectations and respect for opportunities at home. Here are some ways you can help:

• Encourage Effort: Praise your child's effort and perseverance rather than just their grades. This helps build a growth mindset.
• Promote Responsibility: Teach your child to take responsibility for their learning by being organised, completing assignments on time, and seeking help when needed.
• Foster Curiosity: Encourage your child to explore their interests and passions, both academically and through extracurricular activities.

Our commitment to high expectations for learning and respecting opportunities ensures that Port Dalrymple School remains a place where students can thrive. Together, as a community, we can support our students in reaching their highest potential and making the most of their educational experiences. Thank you for your continued support and dedication.

Assembly

We celebrated students achievement in application and attendance at a whole school assembly last week with 37 students receiving 100% attendance, 17 students receiving 99%, and 16 students receiving 98%. In sector assemblies across the week 63 students also received certificates for attendance between 95%-97% attendance. Students were also acknowledged for their efforts in the Interim Reports with 40 students being recognised.

NHSSA Cross Country

Congratulations go to our Year 10 girls who won the NHSSA Inter-High Cross Country Division 2 Champion Pennant, well done girls on your outstanding efforts!

As we reach the midpoint of Term 2, it's a great time to reflect on the fantastic activities and accomplishments of our students in Years 5 - 8. This term has been packed with exciting events, learning opportunities, and community engagement. Here are a few examples of the activities that have been on offer:

Our students showed high energy at the annual Cross Country Carnival. It was wonderful to see the enthusiasm and sportsmanship displayed by all participants. Congratulations to everyone who completed the course and to our top finishers who have advanced to the NHSSA Cross Country interschool carnival.

Following the school event, several of our standout runners represented Port Dalrymple at the NHSSA Cross Country interschool carnival. Competing against other schools, our students showed impressive stamina and determination. Our students who represented the school did an amazing job and we got plenty of positive feedback from the community.

Promoting health and safety, some of our students participated in Walk Safely to School Day. It was encouraging to see so many students, families, and staff walking together, reinforcing the importance of physical activity and road safety awareness.

In celebration of reading and literacy, our students participated in National Simultaneous Storytime. Joining over 2 million students across the country, they enjoyed a shared reading experience that highlighted the joy of storytelling and the importance of literacy in our lives.

The Hands On Learning program continues to be a highlight, with students actively engaged in the Build and Cafe groups. These hands-on activities are not only fun but also teach valuable life skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, and practical craftsmanship. The Build group has been working on several small construction projects, while the Cafe group has been learning about hospitality and food service.

Our Sewing Group has been busy this term, creating beautiful and practical items. Students are learning valuable skills such as stitching, fabric selection, and pattern making. This group not only fosters creativity but also promotes patience and attention to detail.

The Cultural Arts group has been exploring Aboriginal art, learning about the rich traditions and stories behind the artworks. This has been a fantastic opportunity for students to gain a deeper understanding of Aboriginal culture and history, while also expressing their creativity through art.

Our students have also been active in the NHSSA interschool sports roster, participating in various sports including soccer, netball, and football. These events provide a great opportunity for students to develop their athletic skills, teamwork, and school spirit.

Adding to the sports excitement, our students took part in a 3 on 3 basketball tournament. This fast-paced event was a hit, with students demonstrating their basketball skills and enjoying the competitive yet friendly atmosphere.

Our Year 5/6 Wellbeing Warriors have been doing amazing work promoting mental health and wellbeing across the school. They have been organising activities and spreading positive messages to encourage a supportive and caring school environment.

The Drum Beat groups have been a wonderful addition to our extracurricular activities, providing students with an outlet for creative expression and stress relief through rhythm and music. These sessions have been beneficial in building confidence, teamwork, and a sense of community among participants.

We continue to hold our Reward Assemblies to recognise students who exemplify our department-wide values of Respect, Courage, Growth, Responsibility, and Connection. These assemblies are a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our students' achievements and encourage them to continue striving for excellence in all areas.

The first half of Term 2 at Port Dalrymple has been vibrant and full of opportunities for our students in Years 5 to 8. We are proud of their achievements and look forward to more exciting events and learning experiences as the term progresses. Thank you to all the students, teachers, and community members who have contributed to making this term so successful.

Well done to the following students

What an awesome day our students had!

Recently, our students entered the annual Science and Engineering Challenge at UTAS Inveresk Campus.

Throughout the day, Year 9 and 10 students drew on their teamwork and creativity while building bridges, testing water turbines, constructing earthquake-proof towers, and building structures based on ancient fish traps made by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

These challenges required them to think outside the box and rely on each other to complete the problems given to them with no assistance from their teachers.They competed against other schools in the Launceston area and performed very well in many of the activities involving communication skills.

On Tuesday, May 21st, the Tamar Primary School Sports Association (TPSSA) hosted a lively sports event with young athletes from various schools. Port Dalrymple School proudly sent 40 students from Years 3 to 6 to compete.

The day was a success, with 14 Port Dalrymple students placing in the top 10 in their events, showcasing their dedication and skill. Additionally, five Port Dalrymple Sport Leaders assisted throughout the day, ensuring the event ran smoothly and efficiently.

The event was filled with enthusiasm, sportsmanship, and memorable moments. Congratulations to all our students for their hard work and to the teachers for their support. We look forward to more opportunities for our students to excel and enjoy the benefits of sports. Well done, Port Dalrymple!

A reminder to families that mid-year reports will be distributed in our 3 way conversations in week 10.

The report will show your child’s learning achievement on a 9-point visual scale for students in Years 1 to 10 (and for Prep students at the end of the year).

The 9-point scale shows where your child’s learning achievement is against the expected standard for their year level.

There will be no teacher comments in the report. This term parent/teacher conferences will be offered in Week 10 These are a great opportunity to discuss how your child is progressing with their learning. Online bookings will open week 6 to book for parent/teacher 3 way conversations. Instructions on how to make a booking will be sent home with students soon.

For more information about reports:

School reports - Department for Education, Children and Young People (decyp.tas.gov.au)

Year 7 students in the Visual Arts program recently embarked on a captivating exploration of portraiture, culminating in the creation of impressive half-cut tonal portraits.

Through this project, students delved into the fundamentals of light and shadow, learning how to use shading techniques to create depth and dimension on a two-dimensional surface. They honed their observational skills by studying facial features and practiced translating their findings into expressive portraits.

The resulting artwork showcased a remarkable range of styles and interpretations. Students experimented with various shading techniques, from smooth blending to bold crosshatching, to bring their portraits to life.

The half-cut tonal portraits are currently on display in the Art Room. We encourage everyone to stop by and admire the fantastic work of our talented Year 7 artists!

Responsibility and Respect in our playground 

Our Year 3 and 4 students are working on the values of Respect and Responsibility in the playground. We have had a whole grade meeting, completed a role play and some student have participated in a ‘Think Tank’ where they have shared ideas for playground activities including, hands on science fun, treasure hunt and team challenges. We all look forward to starting some new activities in Week 3.

Some student ideas about safe play include:

“We can play with our friends and be safe in team games” Makinley

“We can help others by including them in our games” Bel

“I can join in with activities on the oval” Henry

Learning can be very different for all students.  At Port Dalrymple School we currently have students from Prep – Year 10 involved in over 28 different Flexible Provisions.

Flexible provisions provide students with a range of learning opportunities that foster positive relationships, develop confidence and engage students in purposeful learning.   

Flexible provisions are designed to enable learners across our school to access quality learning through a commitment to inclusive education. 

Our flexible provisions currently included:

• Extension Maths & English
• Gross Motor
• Reading time with Gus
• Life Skills
• Choir
• Esk Band
• Hands on Learning – Build & Café
• Drumbeat
• Cultural Arts
• Wellbeing Warriors
• Dance 
• Stitching & Sewing
• Understanding Worry
• Positive Play
• Cooking
• GFG