2025 Term 2 Week 6

Important dates

Principal's Report

Welcome

Winter is here! As the weather gets cooler, it's the perfect time for a friendly reminder to ensure all school jumpers and jackets are clearly labelled with your child’s name.

We've had a few parents let us know that some labelled items have gone missing and haven’t turned up in the Lost Property tub or at the Front Office. Please help us keep track of everyone’s belongings by checking that your child’s name is still clearly visible on their clothing.

Just a gentle reminder: please don’t take anything from Lost Property if it has another child’s name on it. If you happen to come across a uniform item with someone else’s name, we’d appreciate it if you could hand it in to the Front Office.

We kindly ask that all students wear the official Eastwood Public School jacket as part of their winter uniform. Wearing the correct uniform fosters a sense of school pride and belonging and helps maintain a consistent and respectful appearance across our school community. Wherever possible, please avoid non-uniform outerwear during school hours.

We’ve also noticed a variety of stocking colours being worn. Just a reminder that stockings should be dark blue in line with our school uniform policy.

Thank you for your ongoing support in helping us maintain high standards and a strong sense of Eastwood pride this winter!

School Communication Platform Change

We wish to inform our school community that from the beginning of Term 3, Eastwood Public School will no longer be using Schoolzine’s Szapp for communication. Instead, we will transition to School Bytes—the same platform currently used for payments and permission notes.

The last day messages will be sent via Szapp will be the final day of Term 2. From Term 3 onward, all school communication will be sent through School Bytes.

To ensure a smooth transition and to stay up to date with important school information, please download the School Bytes app before the start of Term 3.

Thank you for your support as we move to a more streamlined communication platform.

A Reminder About School Communication Protocols

We kindly remind all parents and carers that if you have any questions, concerns, or issues regarding incidents that have occurred at school, these should be directed to the school—not to other parents or students.

In particular, no parent should approach another student on school grounds, and no parent should attempt to address a situation that is currently being investigated by the school. These actions can compromise the wellbeing of students and the integrity of the school’s processes.

If you do have a concern or would like to discuss a matter, please contact the school on 9874 1600 to arrange an appointment with the appropriate staff member. We are here to support our students and families and will work with you to resolve matters in a respectful and appropriate manner.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Each Can Step Walk-a-thon - Tuesday 1st July

With just four weeks to go until our Each Can Step Walk-a-thon on Tuesday, July 1, we’re proud to share that we’ve already raised over $27,000—a fantastic effort! But we still have a little way to go to reach our goal of $50,000.

While we have over 500 individual fundraisers registered, only 355 are currently active. That means a smaller group is doing the heavy lifting—and we know that with over 700 students at Eastwood, we can spread the load and go even further, together. If every student raised even a small amount, we’d smash our goal in no time.

To give you some perspective, in 2023, our Colour Run raised $38,000, and in 2024, we raised over $29,000. Let’s make 2025 the standout year—let’s hit that $50,000 target together.

Every dollar raised goes directly to Eastwood Public School to fund exciting new fixed playground equipment and a purpose-built sensory room—two projects that will make a lasting difference for all our students.

If you haven’t already, help your child create a fundraising profile and share it with friends, family, and neighbours. Whether it’s $5 or $50, every contribution helps.

Let’s keep the momentum going and make 2025 a year to remember for the Eastwood community.

To get started or make a donation, visit:

👉 https://eastwoodpswalkathon.goraiseit.com.au

Thank you for your continued support—we can’t wait to step it out together on July 1.

Week 5 WINNERS

Stage 3 Canberra Excursion

I had the privilege of joining both our Year 5 and Year 6 students on their Canberra Camps in Weeks 3 and 4. Over two fantastic weeks, I was reminded just how proudly our students represent Eastwood Public School wherever they go. Their enthusiasm, responsible nature, and consistently good manners were on full display, earning praise from guides and staff at every venue we visited.

From Questacon to the AIS, the Australian War Memorial (where students showed great dignity and respect), the National Museum, National Art Gallery, New and Old Parliament House, the National Film and Sound Archive, and the National Arboretum—each day was packed with learning, laughter and memorable experiences. The food was plentiful and nutritious, with more than a few students quite happy to see sausages for breakfast each morning.

And while the story goes that the students tucked themselves into bed nice and early each night to get some much-needed sleep… let’s just say the late-night chats with friends were very much part of the experience too.

A big thank you to our wonderful teachers who gave up time with their own families to provide this opportunity for our students.

It was a terrific week of learning, exploring, and representing Eastwood with pride.

Stage 2 and Stage 3 Multicultural Speaking Competitions

This Term we were proud to conduct the Stage 2 and Stage 3 Multicultural Perspectives Public Speaking Competition Finals here at Eastwood Public School. Our finalists delivered a series of thoughtful, engaging, and well-structured speeches that truly showcased the depth of understanding and empathy our students hold for multicultural issues in Australia.

Each speaker demonstrated impressive technical skill—employing clear speech structure, persuasive language, rhetorical devices, effective use of pauses, eye contact, and vocal variety to engage their audience. Their ability to articulate complex ideas with clarity and confidence was nothing short of outstanding.

Judging the competition was no easy task, with every student presenting strong arguments, personal insights, and meaningful reflections. The calibre of public speaking made it extremely difficult to select just a few winners.

A huge congratulations to all participants—you should be incredibly proud of your achievement. Your preparation, poise, and passion were evident, and you represented your stage with excellence. Well done.

Stage 2 Winners - Sherrie X and Svojas V

Stage 3 Winners - Clara K and Kayla S

State Table Tennis Championships

On Monday, 31 students from Eastwood Public School proudly represented our school at the State Table Tennis Championships—a fantastic event that brought together schools from across New South Wales.

Throughout the day, our students showcased impressive skill, focus, and agility across both singles and doubles matches. From quick reflexes to strategic shot placement, it was clear just how much effort they’ve put into developing their game.

What stood out just as much as their playing ability was the excellent sportsmanship on display. Our students encouraged one another, showed respect to their opponents, and embraced the spirit of friendly competition. The camaraderie and support among the Eastwood team created a wonderful atmosphere, with students celebrating wins and bouncing back from losses with resilience and grace.

Eastwood 2025 State Table Tennis Achievement：
1. David Y (3K) won Mixed group Gold medal
2. Nathan B (3B) and Nathan Y (3B) won Junior boys Bronze medals
3. Vivid T and Eddie C from 6R won Senior boys Bronze medals
4. Josilyn W (5L) and Kayla S (6R) won Senior girls silver medals
5. Riley C (2G) won Infant girls bronze medal
6. Helen H (6R) won first place in Senior girls single repechage 
7. Athena C (5/6L) won second place in Senior girls single repechage

Well done to all involved—you represented Eastwood Public School with pride, integrity, and enthusiasm.

Zone Cross Country Carnival

On Monday, students from Eastwood Public School competed in the Ryde PSSA Zone Cross Country Carnival at Meadowbank Park. With schools from across the area taking part, it was a great opportunity for our runners to challenge themselves and represent Eastwood with pride.

Our students showed fantastic effort and determination across all age groups. Some powered through with top results, while others dug deep to finish strong. Regardless of placing, they supported one another with cheers, high-fives, and plenty of encouragement along the way.

The team spirit and sportsmanship on display were outstanding. It was great to see students giving it their all, staying positive, and enjoying the experience.

A big congratulations to all who competed—you did yourselves and Eastwood Public School proud.

Reports

Semester 1 reports will be available on the SENTRAL Parent Portal from 4:00pm on Thursday July 3

The school uses the A to E grade scale summarises the standard (or quality) of achievement associated with each grade.

The scale describes:

• the depth of knowledge and understanding and
• the range of skills that students working at that standard typically show.
  

Grades are given for individual achievement. Students will get the grade that best matches the standard of their achievement.

Teachers make professional on-balance judgements to decide which grade description best matches the standards their students have achieved at a particular point-in-time.

Facebook

Eastwood Public School has so much to be proud of—and we love celebrating the talents, achievements, and spirit of our students with our community. To showcase the many wonderful things happening across the school, we regularly post photos and highlights on the Eastwood Public School Facebook page.

This page is dedicated to celebrating our students—whether it’s classroom creativity, sporting achievements, performances, or special events. It’s not intended for day-to-day school communication or distributing notes, but rather as a place to share and acknowledge the amazing things happening at Eastwood.

We invite all families to take a look and join us in recognising the efforts of our students and staff.

Please have a look:

Eastwood Public School Facebook

Student's Arrival and Departure Times - A Safety Reminder

We are becoming increasingly concerned about the number of students arriving at school well before supervision begins, as well as those who are not being collected until well after dismissal time. While we understand that occasional delays happen, regular early arrivals and late pick-ups pose a serious safety risk.

The school’s expectation is that students arrive from 8:40am onwards and are collected no later than 3:10pm. There is no teacher supervision before or after these times, and in the event of an emergency, the consequences could be significant. Student safety is always our top priority.

If you are running late in the afternoon or need to make alternate arrangements, we ask that you please call the school as soon as possible, or organise for a trusted friend or family member to collect your child. For families requiring more regular support, our Before and After School Care service offers a reliable, safe option for both mornings and afternoons.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support in keeping our students safe.

School Grounds

We’d like to remind all families to please use the designated pedestrian entrances when entering and exiting the school grounds. The staff car park is not to be used as a walkway, and it is not an approved access point for students or parents at any time.

Unfortunately, last week two students were nearly hit by a car while walking through the car park with their parents. This is a serious safety concern. Once repairs are complete, the car park gate will be locked at all times, including weekends, to prevent further risk.

Please note that the car park is strictly for staff use only. Parents are not permitted to drive into, park in, or walk through the car park under any circumstances. We appreciate your cooperation in helping us keep all students safe during drop-off and pick-up.

Thank you, 

Michael Kammerer, Principal

Deputy Principal's Report

Kindergarten Happenings - KA

This week, KA students have been engaged in a variety of exciting activities that foster curiosity and learning.

Science: Students have been investigating physical forces, exploring concepts like push and pull through hands-on experiments.

Emotions: They've been identifying and expressing different emotions, enhancing their social-emotional development.

English: In writing, they've been crafting sentences about animals and insects, building their literacy skills.

Dramatic Play: The Vet Clinic role-play area has been a hit, allowing children to care for stuffed animals and develop empathy.

STEM: Building bridges has been a fun way to explore engineering concepts and teamwork.

Math: Students have been learning about mass and practicing telling time on the hour, strengthening their mathematical understanding.

These activities not only align with our curriculum but also spark a love for learning.

Stage 1 Happenings - 1S

This term, 1S have engaged in a wide range of activities and have been working diligently across all learning areas. Recently, they have been exploring data by collecting information and creating picture graphs. The class has also enjoyed expressing their creativity through beautiful artworks and craft projects. A highlight for many students has been the opportunity to read and connect with their Year 5 buddies, which they have found both fun and meaningful.

Stage 2 Happenings - 3K

3K has been busy in English learning about informative texts using two focused texts that look at Antarctica. Students wrote an information report on Emperor Penguins and used this for our art. They incorporated information from their reports including habitat and behaviours into their artworks. In history students have been learning all about celebrations in Australia and around the world. They conducted research on different celebrations and presented these in small group to share their knowledge with their peers.

Stage 3 Happenings - 5/6L

Students in 5/6L have recently completed two stunning artworks inspired by famous modern artists. Our first piece combined the abstract styles of Jackson Pollock and Wassily Kandinsky, using bold colors, expressive lines, and dynamic splashes of paint to explore emotion and movement. For our second artwork, students took inspiration from Wayne Thiebaud, creating vibrant, dessert-themed pop art that celebrated everyday objects with rich colors and playful compositions.  We hope you enjoy them. 

Mandarin Matters

In the first few weeks of Term 2, students in Chinese groups diligently engaged in revision and assessment tasks covering Term 1 topics. They then eagerly transitioned to exploring Term 2’s learning themes while celebrating a cherished Chinese cultural tradition: the Dragon Boat Festival. Captivated by the festival’s story and customs, students enthusiastically shared personal experiences of celebrations with family and insights into what they had observed or heard. They actively participated in age-appropriate, engaging activities, joyfully commemorating the festival with classmates. Below are snapshots of students immersed in Dragon Boat Festival activities.

Early Stage 1

Students creatively decorated illustrations of Zongzi, the traditional sticky rice dumplings enjoyed during the Dragon Boat Festival. The KA and KF Mandarin groups crafted their own Fruit Zongzi by incorporating drawings of their favourite fruits, aligning with Term 2’s fruit-themed lessons. They were proud of their innovative twist on this cherished traditional dish.

Stage 1

Students crafted 3D models of Zongzi, the traditional sticky rice dumplings central to the Dragon Boat Festival.

Year 1 students identified the "rice" radical in the Chinese character for "rice dumpling" and enthusiastically participated in a lively reading of the "Dragon Boat Festival" rhyme, incorporating actions. They also practiced tracing the character for "rice dumpling" and engaged in rainbow writing to reinforce their learning.

2G and 2BJ Mandarin students deepened their exploration of the rhyme by illustrating its themes and writing simple characters to complete a cloze passage related to the rhyme.

2G and 2BJ Mandarin students deepened their exploration of the rhyme by illustrating its themes and writing simple characters to complete a cloze passage related to the rhyme.

Stage 2

Students crafted 3D models of Zongzi, the traditional sticky rice dumplings, and independently wrote the Chinese characters for "Zongzi" and/or "Dragon Boat Festival" on their creations. The 3B and 3C Mandarin groups enjoyed engaging in Word Search, Snakes and Ladders, and small whiteboard writing activities, which helped them meaningfully practise saying, reading, and writing key words related to Dragon Boat Festival traditions.

Stage 3 Chinese Group

In Term 2, Stage 3 students are learning about zoo animals. The Dragon Boat Festival provided an engaging opportunity to discuss animal diets. Students enthusiastically responded to the question, "What type of Zongzi would you give your favourite animal as a Dragon Boat Festival treat, and why?" Through lively discussions and sharing, they creatively designed Zongzi with special ingredients tailored to the dietary needs of herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores. They illustrated their chosen animal and Zongzi, completed a structured text to describe their unique Zongzi, and explained why the ingredients suited the animal’s preferences.

🌟 Life Skills Go Wellbeing Update – Term 2, Week 5 🌟

At Eastwood Public School, student wellbeing is a key focus. Through our whole-school use of Life Skills Go, students regularly check in to build emotional awareness and give teachers valuable insight into how they’re feeling and ready to learn.

We’re proud to share that 698 out of 699 students checked in during Week 5 – showing strong engagement and a growing culture of emotional literacy across the school.

😊 Positive Wellbeing Trends

• "Happy" continues to be the most frequently reported emotion across the school.
• Increases in "Calm" and "Content" suggest that many students are feeling safe and settled in their classrooms.
• Our overall school readiness to learn remains consistent with previous weeks.

📊 Insights & Patterns

• Senior students showed a slight emotional dip in earlier in the term, which coincided with NAPLAN and selective high school testing. This is a timely reminder of the emotional demands these assessments can place on students.
• Week 4, which saw ongoing wet weather and indoor play, also showed a noticeable drop in overall wellbeing, with increases in emotions such as "Tired" and "Sad."
• Check-in data reveals a mid-week dip in emotional energy, with students generally feeling more tired on Wednesdays and Thursdays — a pattern we are monitoring to guide classroom pacing and support.

💬 Supporting Student Wellbeing

Teachers are using this real-time data to adjust routines, support student conversations about emotions, and strengthen classroom strategies to build resilience. As always, we appreciate our partnership with families in reinforcing emotional wellbeing and helping all students feel ready to learn.

Thank you for supporting our ongoing wellbeing journey!

Zone Cross Country Carnival

Students from Years 2 to 6 proudly represented our school at the recent Zone Cross Country Carnival, competing against other local schools in a challenging display of endurance and determination.

All students showed fantastic sportsmanship and gave their very best on the day. A special congratulations to Clara, Skye and Dora, who each placed in the top 10 in their age groups — an outstanding achievement!

We are very proud of all our runners and the way they represented our school with pride and perseverance.

Debating

On Tuesday, our 2 debating teams - Eastwood Golds and Eastwood Blues, visited Eastwood Heights Public School for our first clash of the Premier's Debating Challenge.

It ended one win a piece for each school, with the topics being 'Debating should be compulsory for all Year 5/6 students' and 'All primary school students should learn a language at school'. We were the affirmative team for both debates.

It was an amazing effort from our debaters and a good-spirited and hard thought effort from both schools.

We look forward to the debates still to come!

Music

Mid-Year Concert is coming soon! - Tuesday 17th June at 6：30pm: School Hall

Please join us for an entertaining evening of music! Tickets are limited so get in early!

To book your tickets, please click on the link below:

https://www.trybooking.com/DBNXT

🎉 Congratulations, Minchan! 🎺

A big shoutout to Minchan, one of our talented band members, for winning 1st Place in the Brass Solo (12 Years & Under) at the Sydney Eisteddfod!

Well done, Minchan—we’re so proud of you! 👏🌟

🎶 Ensemble Openings

Concert Band –Saxophone player needed.

Junior Piano – 2 Spots Left! We have 2 remaining spots for Junior Piano next term.

👉 If you are interested, please complete the form below, and we will reach out with further details:

Expression of Interest Form

🎼 2025 Performance Schedule

📅 Term 2:

• Monday, 16 June (9:00 AM) – Sydney Eisteddfod (String Orchestra)
• Tuesday, 17 June – Mid-Year Concert (All Ensembles)
• Thursday, 26 June (9:30 AM - 1:30 PM) – FOIM Rehearsal (Chamber Orchestra)
  

📅 Term 3:

• Monday, 28 July (TBC) – Ryde Eisteddfod (Junior Piano)
• Tuesday, 28 July (TBC) – Ryde Eisteddfod (Senior Piano)
• Tuesday, 12 August (TBC) – Ryde Eisteddfod (String Orchestra)
• Tuesday, 26 August (All Day) – FOIM – Banksia Concert (Chamber Orchestra)

📅 Term 4:

• October (TBC) – Granny Smith Festival (Chamber Orchestra)
• 3-4 November – Music Camp (2 Days & 1 Night) (All Ensembles)
• Tuesday, 25 November – End-of-Year Concert (All Ensembles)
• December (TBC) – KU Performance (String Orchestra)

🎻 2025 Ensemble Groups & Rehearsal Schedule

• Senior Piano: Monday, 7:45 - 8:45 AM
• Concert Band: Tuesday, 7:50 - 8:50 AM
• String Orchestra: Thursday, 8:00 - 9:00 AM
• Chamber Orchestra: Thursday, 8:00 - 9:00 AM
• Junior Piano: Friday, 7:45 - 8:45 AM

🤝 Get Involved with Us!

To keep fees low, we rely on parent volunteers to help coordinate and support our music program. If you're interested in assisting, please reach out at music.eastwoodps@gmail.com.

📌 Note: All parent volunteers must have a valid Working with Children Check, which can be obtained via the Service NSW website. Thank you for your support!

Any other information: 🔗 EPS Instrumental Music Program Website

Thank you for supporting our young musicians! 🎶✨

Canberra Camp

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Students from our school have recently undertaken an education tour of the national capital. Students were given the opportunity to participate in a variety of educational programs with a focus on Australia's history, culture, heritage, and democracy. 
The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist families in meeting the cost of the excursion the Australian Government is contributing funding to our school in the amount of $30 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program towards those costs. The rebate is paid directly to the school upon completion of the excursion. 

Merit Awards

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