Click on the link below to read the latest edition of the WSR Refugee Connect Newsletter. Refugee Connect Newsletter (pdf, 510 KB)... Read more

You can now easily subscribe to updates from the award-winning website for parents, School A to Z. Each term you'll receive newsletters with the latest information to help you manage your child's homework and study, health, development and technology use. School A to Z has been created by parents at the education department to answer the common questions and challenges we all face as we support our kids growing up. This month's newsletter includes: a series of videos to help you when bullying becomes an issue for your child tips for getting... Read more

Transition to School Newsletter Parent's Page April, 2012 Thousands of children have started school in 2012 and by now are probably feeling well settled into the routine. Many are probably excited about the prospect of their first end of term holidays. Parents can sometimes be challenged to find activities to keep the children occupied during school holidays. Here are just a few examples of cheap, fun things to do: o Have a picnic in the backyard o Make and fly kites o Have a treasure hunt outside o Collect some autumn leaves and make... Read more

An MP3 player, such as an iPod, is an essential item for many kids but listening to them for long periods of time can cause permanent hearing loss. And the experts say the volume doesn't have to be ear-splitting to cause damage. The loudness of sound is measured in units called decibels (dB). Conversation is generally 60dB. Traffic noise can be around 80dB. Louder noises, such as a plane taking off, a motorcycle or firecrackers can range from 120dB to 140dB. Listening to music at levels above 80 decibels is going to damage hearing. The... Read more

A new website and mobile app have been launched to help parents and students address bullying. The Bullying, No Way! website includes interactive applications, including a choose- your-own-adventure game for students to learn how to deal with bullying, and videos for parents and students. The site also includes information on: helping your child if they are being bullied identifying the signs that your child might be bullying others getting help and support. The website and the Take a Stand Together mobile app were launched to coincide with... Read more

All Colyton Public School students are invited to enter our very first "Colydoodle Competition". To enter all you have to do is create an artistic picture from the Colydoodle which can be printed off from the attachment below or by picking up an entry form from the school's front office.All entries will need to be submitted to the front office by Friday 30th March 2012, the winner will be chosen by the "Colyton Colydoodle Panel" and will receive a $20 Smiggle voucher. Colydoodle Entry Form (pdf, 14 KB)... Read more

You may have already heard of ‘Pause, Prompt, Praise' or the ‘Three Ps' as the strategy is sometimes called. These three catchy words describe a simple technique that, used well, will help your child practise their reading and develop their reading confidence. The principle of pausing, then prompting and then praising is handy to remember any time your child is reading aloud to you. Teachers and trained tutors often use a more structured version, but the following tips can help you to try out the Three Ps when reading with your child at home.... Read more

Don't forget to keep all your receipts from back-to-school expenses so that you can take advantage of the Education Tax Refund. The refund gives eligible parents and caregivers a 50 per cent refund on a range of primary and secondary school education expenses, including school uniforms. For the 2011-2012 financial year you may be eligible for the following: Primary school child You can claim a maximum of $818 for each of your primary school children – that is a refund of up to $409. Secondary school student You can claim a maximum of $1,636... Read more

A suite of resources, including the School A to Z website and the annual back-to-school hotline, is available to help parents prepare for the new school year. School A to Z website The School A to Z website provides you with practical help to get involved and support your children's learning and includes a webcast on the theme of ‘Getting off to a great start at school'. The School A to Z webcast answers commonly asked questions that range from how to motivate children for learning, to tips on how to manage technology use at home, bullying,... Read more

The state's most talented young singers, dancers and musicians displayed their skills during four exciting and extravagant performances at the 2011 Schools Spectacular, held recently at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. If you missed the live shows or if you just want to enjoy it all again, you can catch the highlights on ABC TV. Two telecasts are scheduled (check your local TV guide for confirmation): 7.30pm Sunday, 18 December on ABC1 (1hr version) 7.00pm Saturday, 31 December on ABC2 (2.5hr version). The brilliantly choreographed and... Read more

Royal Life Saving NSW has emphasised the importance of swimming and water safety education, saying 50,000 children are leaving primary school every year unable to swim. The organisation says participation in swimming lessons has been in decline for the past 10 years and many Australian children are at risk of drowning. Both Royal Life Saving and the NSW Government agency Sport and Recreation offer learn-to-swim lessons throughout the state under the Swim and Survive banner. The Sport and Recreation program caters for children aged between 18... Read more

You can't always trust what you read when researching information for assignments. Here are ways your child can tell a good website from a bad one. With so much information on the web and no-one responsible for fact checking, kids need to look out for: bias and hidden agendas factual errors outdated information information which is country-specific commercially motivated information. Play the detective The ability to question information is a vital tool for all school kids. People can publish something that looks great but is full of factual... Read more

You don't have to be an expert to help your child with writing. Simply supporting your child with the areas of writing that you feel confident with will benefit them. When you're writing something down such as the shopping list, sending an email or filling in a form, talk to your child about what you're doing, why you're writing it and who you expect to read it. When writing at home, make it purposeful and interesting for yourself and your child. It's essential that kids learn that we write for a purpose It's important that your child... Read more

Parents can now access quality information to help with their child's homework and assignments while on the go. The School A to Z mobile app, available free for iPhone, iPad and Android devices, is part of a new online parent resource developed by the education department. The app features: plain-English definitions of maths, English and technology terms, including videos and help sheets information and useful links to help with common classroom assignments Maths Monkey times tables learning game Spelling Bee learning game. The Spelling Bee... Read more

Parents can support their child's learning with a new purpose-built resource that includes a website, mobile applications and social media channels. The School A to Z online school community, developed by the education department, provides practical advice about homework, tips on learning, wellbeing, technology and resources to help parents and carers support their child's social, physical and mental development. It includes a free mobile application for iPad and smartphones that features hundreds of definitions about maths and English terms,... Read more

Here are some practical tips to help your child work out the best way to express themselves through their writing. Help your child to understand writing tasks that they may have been given for homework. Ask them to talk about what has to be done. Help your child to use reference materials such as dictionaries, thesauruses, encyclopaedias, DVDs and the internet. Before your child attempts a task, help them to understand what reference materials are needed by talking about the task and asking questions which will guide the child's planning.... Read more

The following is a message received from Ms Sellen on behalf of Year 6 students and staff. So far we've had a great time at camp! Yesterday we went to Parliament House, the War Memorial and Questacon. Today we've been fitted with our snow gear and as we write this, we're heading to Perisher. Everyone's enjoying the bus drive with the beautiful views of the snow on the top of the mountain ahead. The highlights so far have been the 'Free Fall' ride at Questacon, viewing the World War Two exhibition at the War Memorial, and the games night back... Read more

Year 6 students who have chosen to participate in the excursion to Canberra and the Snowy Mountains are reminded that the bus will be leaving from the school at 6:30am on Monday 27 June. Students and parents should arrive at the school at 6.00am to ensure rolls are marked, bags are packed onto buses and departure occurs on time. Students should take warm clothing and a few extra pairs of socks as there have been significant falls on snow in the areas being visited during the excursion. Students will return to the school at 8:00pm on Wednesday... Read more