Dear Families and Friends

It’s hard to believe that we are at the end of the school year.

After the last few years, this year we returned to a ‘normal school year’ where we experienced minimal disruption unlike previously. We would like to thank everyone for their ongoing support, with special thanks to the parents and friends who have supported the various school activities, excursions, and sports programs. This level of support has allowed us to provide these valuable extra-curricular activities.

Our teaching staff have again shown a strong commitment to doing their best for the children they teach. They approach their work with positivity, enthusiasm and a focus on continuous improvement, with our work around Literacy a real highlight. Thank you for your dedicated, hard work again this year.

Similarly, we would like to acknowledge and thank our learning support and administration teams for their efforts and work. They have provided invaluable high-level intervention support for students and successfully managed school operations in the areas of front office, finance, technology, library and grounds.

To all the school staff I say a massive thank you for all your hard work and effort throughout 2023. You spend many, many hours, teaching, supporting, and nurturing our next generation and whatever your role you make Coro a better place … so thank you!

Thank you to Dennis and all the OSHC staff for providing a fantastic service to all our families. Also thank you to Matthew and all the canteen staff and volunteers, including the students who have helped out. Students always look forward to the great selection the canteen provides.

Throughout the year, Coro students have shown positive attitudes to learning, upheld our school learner profile attributes and been involved in the broader aspects of school life, including: after-hours school/SAPSASA sports, sports days, choirs, special days, SRC, crossing and flag duties, school garden activities, buddy classes, assemblies, excursions, lunchtime clubs, and much more. We trust they’ve had an enjoyable year, and we’re sure they’ll be looking forward to the holiday break.

We would like to thank members of this year’s Governing Council for their advocacy and support of our school. Special thanks to Sam Neville (Chair), Andrew Redman-Wenham, Emma Collingwood, Chelsea Mount, Ben Sanderson, Laura Kool, Sally Woolford, Angelica Crabb, Anna Forgan, Declan Page, and Janita Bentley. Strong parent support contributes to our school in so many positive ways.

This has been the last week of primary school for our Year 6 students. We look forward to saying farewell at their graduation ceremony Thursday evening. They have been a terrific group of young people with bright futures ahead of them, and we wish them the very best for the next stage of their schooling.

Each year we farewell families, many of whom have been heavily involved in school life. We thank you for your support over the years and extend our best wishes for the future. Thank you for being part of the Coromandel Valley Primary School community.

We also say farewell to several teachers and wish them all the very best.

Maria Drakos has been at Coro for the last 5 years working in the Early years and middle primary sections of our school. Maria will be missed but is also excited to be taking on a new teaching role at Woodcroft College. All the very best Maria.

Thank you to Katie Magarey for her work in 2GM this year, as well as all the regular TRT work she does. It’s not really a farewell as I’m certain we’ll see lots of Katie again next year.

Finally, best wishes to Lara Pike who has been with us for three terms and is going to be very busy next year with the arrival of a new family member. Best wishes Lara.

Last but by no means least, thank you to Kat, Kate and Sue, who have provided excellent support and leadership across all aspects of school life.

We have very much enjoyed working with students, staff and families this year, and we wish everyone a safe and happy Christmas/New Year. We look forward to seeing you all back at school on Monday, 29th January 2024.

Kind regards,

Rob Warncken

Principal

2024 Student Free & Closure Days:

Term 1 – Tues 12^th March (day after Adelaide Cup)

Term 2 – Fri 7^th June (prior to the King’s B/day long weekend)

Term 3 – Mon July 22^nd (All of partnership – Day 1 of term 3)

Term 3 – Fri 6^th Sep (SCHOOL CLOSURE)

Term 4 – Fri 8^th Nov (day after Dance Night)

New School Year – 2024

Please note that:

• The Front Office will closed for the Christmas / New Year holiday period from Wednesday 20th December to Monday 22nd January. For any important/urgent messages during this time, please email the school dl.0104.admin@schools.sa.edu.au
• Teaching staff officially return to work on Wednesday 24th January, in preparation for the new year.
• The first day of the school for students is Monday 29th January.

Class Placement & Teaching Staff List for 2024

Today, your child had the opportunity to visit their class for 2024 meeting with their teacher(s) and new classmates.

We encourage you to have a positive and supportive conversation with your child regarding their new class, having trust in them to be able to adjust to a new learning environment and make new friends. Students generally adapt to their new classes quickly.

Please note:

• Placements in classes are final. We are not in a position to move students. Moving a student from one class to another inevitably changes the environment of multiple class groupings and for this reason, changes are unable to be made.
• Teaching arrangements may change due to unexpected circumstances during the school holidays or at any time throughout the school year. In these situations, we endeavour to appoint suitable replacement teachers.

Please note the teaching staff list for 2024

• Reception – Alicia Melbourne
• Reception – Alex Long
• Reception – Michelle Govett 0.6 & Emma Niland 0.4
• Year 1 - Chris Popplewell
• Year 1 – Kate Trengove
• Year 1 – Kerri Campbell
• Year 2 – Leah Osborne 0.8 & Anna Taylor 0.2
• Year 2 – Wendy Thompson
• Year 2 – Kylie Gardner 0.8 & Anna Taylor 0.2
• Year 3/4- Chris Gully
• Year 3/4- Sean Murphy
• Year 3/4- Sarah Bullitis
• Year 3/4- Lauren Langley
• Year 3/4- Hallie Stewardson 0.6 & Eve Hooper 0.4
• Year 5 - Tanya Taylor
• Year 5 - Juli Bryan
• Year 6 - Dan Johnson
• Year 6 - Laura Barnes (0.8) & Janita Bentley (0.2)
• Year 6 - Kylie Mueller
• Teacher Librarian/Autism Inclusion Teacher (0.1) – Michelle O’Connell
• Japanese – Hiro Yamamoto 1.0
• Japanese (R-1) - Carey Greenslade 0.4
• PE – Bernie Delyster 0.8
• Performing Arts – Stacey Stutterd 0.8
• Science – Sarah Todd 0.8
• Kate O’Driscoll – Assistant Principal
• Kat Morgan – Deputy Principal
• Rob Warncken – Principal

Reminder

Our school community is so lucky to be full of amazing volunteers, parents, carers, grandparents, coaches, teachers and students. Each year we do a call out for those who have gone above and beyond to help the school community, and provide recognition and a small token of thanks. The well deserved winners for this year are:

Rob Nadin

Rob Nadin has been a constant in the CVPS school soccer coaching lineup for longer than most of us have been parents! His no fuss personality and can-do attitude has been greatly appreciated by the numerous Soccer Coordinators Rob has worked with over his many years of tireless volunteering. With no more children left at primary school, Rob can finally look forward to some Saturday morning sleep-ins in Winter 2024! Thank you so very much Rob for all that you’ve done for so many Coro kids over the years.

Nathania Hall

Nathania Hall  is our Scholastic coordinator for the school, and has been doing it for a number of years now. Each term she organises book orders, collates and distributes them so efficiently and is always willing to follow up with Scholastic if required.

The Scholastic state rep said that we had raised more than $1,366 worth of additional resources for our school. This is on top of the $1,000  raised from the Book Fair. If we didn’t have these people doing these programs, we wouldn’t have the additional resources at no cost to us.

This money goes towards buying new resources for our library and classrooms.

Robin Morton

Robin is a grandparent and has been instrumental in the heavy lifting for event set ups for Election BBQs, Halloween Disco and Colour Fun run. He can always be relied upon to lend a hand and can cook a magnificent snag.

Special mention also to Jodie Morton from the Parents and Friends committee, who without which, our events and extras would not be possible. A simple Volunteer Award does not convey the multitude of work Jodie puts in for our school and our kids. People like Jodie are especially rare, and we appreciate your support and effort immensely. 

Thank you to the following local Businesses who donated gifts towards the volunteer prize bags; Chantelle Leicester from Responsive Plumbing and Gas, Taylor Jones from Watkins Wines, Steve & Lisa Richards from Check Finance, Lisa Halpin from Bec Hardy Wines and Sam Neville from Mortgage Choice Blackwood. 

On behalf of the entire School Community I want to say a massive THANK YOU to all volunteers this year, from the coaches, canteen staff, uniform shop, gift wrappers, and a couple others who asked not to be named - you know who you are. You are all amazing.

 Sam Neville

Governing Chair

Thank you to our Governing Council Members for 2023; Sam Neville, Andrew Redman-Wenham, Chelsea Mount, Ben Sanderson, Laura Kool, Emma Collingwood, Sally Woolford, Angelica Crabb, Anna Forgan, Declan Page, Janita Bentley, Andrew Brown, and retired members Adam Pope, Eve Evans and David Hodges. Thankyou also to Rob, Kat, and Kate from the staff side of the Council also. Your support and input over the year has helped our school continue to run smoothly and ensure school related decisions have been thoroughly vetted before getting the seal of approval. Your time and effort this year has been invaluable to me also as your Chair.

If you are a new parent/carer to the school, or have been considering joining the council over time, please consider nominating yourself for the 2024 Council at the AGM in Week 3 next year. Nomination forms are available on the schools website, and on the P&F page. You can nominate yourself, or grab a fellow parent and nominate each other. We will have at least 10 positions open for the 2024 council, for a 2 year term. Executive positions (Chair, Deputy Chair, Secretary, Finance Committee) will also be nominated and voted upon at the AGM. Governing Council meetings runs from 6-7:30pm on Tuesday in Weeks 3 & 8 of each term and are held in the school staff room. We are seeking interested parents/careers to be on the sub committees that oversee Canteen, OSHC, Sports and Parents and friends. If you have another area in which you'd like to represent, we can create a subcommittee for this also. We are Governed by you!

If you'd like to speak to a Governing Council Member about what's involved, please reach out, you can find us on the P&F page, in the school yard or you can email your contact details to cvpsgc.council298@schools.sa.edu.au and I can get in touch with you directly.

Sam Neville

Governing Chair

We did things differently this year running the colour run ourselves which means that all money raised goes back to the school and local community.  It certainly looked like everyone had fun!

A big big thank you to all who donated, we raised $6,600.

We look forward to seeing the plants and landscaping for the new pathway outside the library, early next year and will donate a percentage of it to our local Coromandel Valley CFS who help out on the day of the colour run, they do an outstanding job keeping our community safe all year long.

A big THANK YOU to all the Volunteers on the day - Robin, Pip, Cassandra, Cyndy, Denise, Eve and Jen

Also big thanks to Keith and Sue, it was sad that we did not get to slime Mr De Lyster or Mr Warncken but.... maybe next year.

Thank you 

Jodie Morton (Family and Friends Committee)

Exploring Digital Frontiers: Year 2 Classes Dive into a Coding and Robotics Adventure

In a whirlwind of excitement and creativity, the Year 2 classes recently embarked on an immersive coding and robotics workshop with Ben from Learn with Bricks. As part of their Inquiry into Digital Life, students applied their learning about the fascinating world of coding and robotics through hands-on activities and engaging challenges.

This coding workshop aimed to unravel the mysteries of how scientists and engineers utilise rovers to explore remote places that are beyond human reach. Students learned that when scientists and engineers encounter obstacles, they view them as challenges that demand innovative solutions, demonstrating resilience and determination.

During the creation phase of the workshop, students eagerly dove into building Milo, the Science Rover, using Lego kits. This hands-on experience served as a "first build" encounter with WeDo 2.0, fostering teamwork and problem-solving skills. The critical step of connecting the motor to the Smarthub and linking it to the device laid the foundation for their coding journey.

In the programming segment, students were tasked with programming Milo. The flexibility of the program allowed students to experiment with different parameters, encouraging them to explore various features such as changing directions, altering speeds, and incorporating sounds.

As the workshop concluded, the buzz of excitement echoed through the Make and Design Room. Students not only honed their practical coding and robotics skills but also discovered the thrill of problem-solving and collaboration. The workshop with Learn with Bricks provided a gateway for the Year 2 classes to step into the world of digital exploration, laying the groundwork for a future where they may become the scientists and engineers of tomorrow.

Last week, all the Year 1 students visited the Adelaide Zoo as part of their inquiry into habitats. They attended the Education Centre, and met a Hosmer Skink, who they had to build a habitat for. The themes explored during this session included; features of habitats and animal needs; including food, water and physical features of Australian animals that help them survive and thrive in habitats. Although it was 35 degrees, everyone had a wonderful day.

On Monday I went on a Zoo excursion to the Adelaide Zoo. First my group and me went to the Education Centre and learnt about habitats. Next we saw the squirrel monkeys and they were very funny. Lastly we saw the pandas getting fed and it was fun.  Isabella – 1T

Yesterday we went on a bus and it took us to the Zoo. I saw crocodiles, penguins, pandas and snakes. We saw some other animals too and then we had a play on the playground. Maybe you would like to go here some day too.  Sacha – 1T

Thank you, Bandicoot Buddies!

The 2022/2023 YELP group had their last partnership meeting as a team. 

They enjoyed meeting Bev from Minton Farm and handing over the donations the school had collected. She explained to the group how to care for orphaned wildlife and brought two young ring-tailed possums in a pouch to show the students.

They prepared a slide show of their successes and observed other schools sharing their projects.  They especially loved sharing their BTN episode with the other schools.

I wish them all the best for heading to high school in 2024.

Welcome to 2024 YELP students.

Freya, Flossie, Mila, Lily, Lila, Adeline, Mia, Sophie T, Poppy, Marnie!

Did you know we have a STEM Professionals in Schools Partnership?

Dr Declan Page has been visiting on Thursday afternoons for the year, working together with Sarah Todd to provide opportunities for students to engage with a scientist!

His work with the CSIRO as a Principal Research Scientist in Groundwater Systems, linked in well with the Year 3/4 and 4/5 unit on water.

A highlight this year was visiting Frank Smith, testing creek and dam water and looking for differences in a variety of levels.  It was valuable for the students to have some field experience, a little insight into what being a scientist is like.

To the Coro School Community

Thank you so very much to everyone who donated food and Christmas items towards the Salvation Army’s Christmas Cheer appeal. Your generosity to others was heart-warming to see.

We were able to support with many, many bags of food and the Salvation Army greatly appreciated our support.

Thank you, and Merry Christmas!

Jenni Forder

Pastoral Care Worker