Welcome back to school. We had such glorious weather here in Sydney, hope everyone had great weather and a wonderful break wherever you were. It was wonderful to see some our students recording their books on their reading logs for The Premier’s Reading Challenge during the holidays.

Congratulations to Claire Killen (1G) for being the first at our school, to complete her reading challenge for this year. Gabrielle Natal (3B) has also completed her challenge, with Elisabeth Marshall (1B), Sally Old (2B), Eli-Raphael Stamatopolous (KG) and Arthur McLagen (2G) close to finishing – well done! The challenge finishes mid August, so still plenty of time to enter all our books read, either at school or at home.

Did you know that children who develop a love for reading, open doors to a world of endless possibilities. Through the pages of books, they embark on adventures to far-off lands, explore different cultures, and meet characters who inspire and challenge them. Reading enhances their vocabulary, improves comprehension skills and fosters critical thinking. It ignites their imagination, allowing them to dream big and envision worlds beyond their own. Reading cultivates empathy as children step into the shoes of diverse characters, understanding their perspectives and experiences. Ultimately, the habit of reading not only enriches their minds but also nurtures their souls, shaping them into curious, compassionate and well-rounded individuals ready to tackle the challenges of the world. 

On May 22^nd, we will literally drop everything and read for the National Simultaneous Story Time. Every year, a picture book written by an Australian children’s author/ illustrator is selected and read simultaneously in libraries, schools, preschools and bookshops around Australia. This year’s book is ‘Bowerbird Blues’ by Aura Parker. We have several copies of the book which our Year 6 will read and share with their Kindy buddies. We will also have a link to watch and listen to the author reading her own book.

Library times are Tuesdays and Fridays this term, with Library Lunch Club every second lunch on Tuesdays. Please check your child’s class timetables for their library day. Kindly return all overdue books before new borrowing can commence. Books can be returned to the library on any day. Looking forward to see all our students in the Library.

Issue 3 is out now. Brochures will be sent home later this week. Book Club is all about providing value for families and they are offering this to families in 3 ways.

• 177 titles for just $10 or less,
• Everyone purchasing on LOOP receives a $5 promotional credit on this issue, to be used on Issue 4,
• PLUS - parents can spend their $5 credit earned from Issue 1.

Our school also receives rewards from sales to purchase books and resources for our school. 

Happy Reading! 

Cecilia Jago and Josie Spano