Port Augusta West Primary School Term 3 week 3
Principal's Report
It has been lovely to see all our new reception students settle in to school this term. We have welcomed 16 new receptions to PAWPS. It is wonderful to have Mrs. Cornhill back from maternity leave working in our mid-year reception class. Her kind and nurturing personality is the perfect fit for our littlest learners. A special welcome to the Phuyal family who have joined our school community.
YEAR 3 AND 5 NAPLAN RESULTS – IN LINE WITH STATE AVERAGE
We’re pleased to share that our year 3 and year 5 students performed at the state average in this year’s NAPLAN assessments. This is a positive result that reflects their hard work and the support of our dedicated teaching and SSO staff. We’d like to remind families that NAPLAN is only one part of the broader picture when it comes to assessing your child’s learning. While it provides useful information about literacy and numeracy skills at a point in time, it does not capture everything your child knows or can do. We also use a range of classroom-based assessments throughout the year to monitor progress and support learning in a more personalised way.
We’re proud of our students for approaching the tests with confidence and we continue to focus on developing their skills across all learning areas.
BULLYING NO WAY – WEEK OF ACTION
Next week we will be acknowledging 2025 Bullying No Way week. We have an engaging day of activities planned for our students on Monday the 11th of August. Activities include anti bullying, building resilience, self-esteem and team building. We have some fun lunch time activities for students as well. We warmly welcome Mayor Linley Shine who will be officially opening our new ‘buddy bench’. Later in the week, each class will be introduced to our new ‘Bullying and Harassment’ policy and will spend time ensuring that our students are aware of the procedures to follow. You can find the new policy on our website. At Port Augusta West PS, we believe that every student deserves to feel safe, valued and respected every single day. We are providing clear behaviour expectations and school values, whole school anti bullying programs, peer support and buddy systems and open communication with students and families.
CONNECTING THE CURRICULUM
Our classes have been busy working on our Connected Curriculum initiative. We are looking forward to sharing our progress with you later this term at our ‘Open Night’ which is scheduled for week 9. Connecting the Curriculum refers to the practice of linking different subjects, concepts and skills within a learning program to create a more holistic and meaningful educational experience for our students. This approach helps students see interrelationships between various areas of knowledge, building a deeper understanding and fostering connections in their own lives and experiences. There are some exciting things happening across the school with a focus on ‘how do we make all cultures feel valued at PAWPS?’
PARENT PERSPECTIVE SURVEY
Please see your email from the Department for Education to complete the Parent Survey. This information will tell us what we are doing well, what we could improve on and what is important to you as a parent. Be sure to have your say this year to help us to continue to improve education in South Australia. Your answers are confidential. Only collated feedback will be provided to your child’s school. The survey closes at midnight on Sunday 7 September 2025. If you did not receive a link, please contact the school.
Sarah Bury
Every Child ~ Every Classroom ~ Every Day
Deputy Principal
We are thrilled to announce the installation of a new "Buddy Bench" at Port Augusta West Primary School, an initiative aimed at fostering friendship and inclusivity among our students. This project was brought to life through a collaboration between our Student Representative Council (SRC) and Bunnings, who generously donated both materials and expertise. We were extremely lucky to be approached by Bunnings who were completing a number of 'Community Projects' in our local area, our 'Buddy Bench' being one of these projects.
The concept of the Buddy Bench was raised by our SRC as a way to support students who may feel lonely or need a friend to play with. The idea is simple yet powerful: students who wish to find a playmate can sit on the bench, signalling to others that they are looking for companionship. In turn, students who notice someone on the bench are encouraged to invite them to join in their activities, creating an opportunity for new friendships to occur.
Bunnings played a crucial role in this project, working directly with our SRC members to build the bench. Their team not only provided all the necessary materials but also dedicated their time and skills to ensure the bench was constructed to the highest standard. We are incredibly grateful for their support and commitment to our school community.
The Buddy Bench is more than just a piece of furniture; it is a symbol of our school's dedication to inclusivity and kindness. We hope it will serve as a constant reminder of the importance of reaching out to others and making everyone feel welcome.
A huge thank you to Bunnings for their generosity and to our SRC for their initiative and hard work. Together, we are building a more connected and caring school environment.
We invite all students to make use of the Buddy Bench and to continue spreading kindness and friendship throughout our school.
Jack Menzies
Assembly Awards
Term 3, Week 3 Assembly awards. Congratulations to Ellie-Faye, Steve, Leena, Charli, Spencer, Evie, Lynton, Aseem, Elliot, Cooper Oaklee, these students all received awards at assembly for demonstrating Respect, Resilience and Responsibility in class or out in the playground.
Welcome to our new students
We welcome Arya in Mrs. Maloney/Mr. Kalfas' year 1/2 class.
Pictured below are our midyear intake Reception students: Daxton, Aadit, Tommy, Zahin, Alfie, Emersyn, River, Brock, Aseem, Gemma, Taizael, Elliot, Keziah, Vicky, Edward. Absent Emerson.
Classroom Chatter from 1A
Year 5/6 Camp Day Recount
Day 1 Today was the first day of our exciting school camp, and it started bright and early! We left school at around 6:45am and made our way to Adelaide. Thankfully, the weather was on our side and stayed pleasant all day. Our first stop was Parliament House, where we explored the importance of democracy in Australia. We learnt about voting, the role of the Australian Electoral Commission, and even got to visit the lower and upper houses where bills are proposed and debated. It was fascinating to see where real decisions for our state are made! Afterwards, we walked down to Rundle Mall for a delicious lunch and had some time to squeeze in a little shopping and explore the city atmosphere. Next, we visited the South Australian Museum, where we were amazed by the incredible displays and rich history, from ancient fossils to cultural artefacts. There was so much to learn and discover. By the late afternoon, we arrived at our campsite, settled in, and spent some time unwinding on the playground. We had a great dinner at The Watermark, before heading back to camp for the night. It was a long, fun and exhausting day, filled with learning, laughter, and great memories. We can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings!
Day 2 Our second day of camp was packed with fun, learning, and new experiences! We kicked off the morning with a fantastic tour of the iconic Adelaide Oval. Students were amazed by the behind-the-scenes look at one of Australia’s most famous sporting grounds. We explored the historic cricket scoreboard, sat in the commentary boxes, and checked out the interchange benches. Our guides shared fascinating stories from the Oval’s rich sporting history, leaving many students feeling inspired and excited. After lunch, we made our way to the Adelaide Zoo, where we discovered a world full of incredible animals, both big and small. From cheeky monkeys and happy meerkats to the adorable pandas and colourful birds, there was something to capture everyone’s attention. It was a great chance for students to learn more about conservation and animal habitats. To wrap up our day, we enjoyed a delicious BBQ dinner, which gave us the energy we needed for our exciting evening activity – a trip to the cinemas! We watched How to Train Your Dragon, and the whole group was completely hooked. There were laughs, gasps, and plenty of smiles as we followed Hiccup and Toothless on their epic adventure. Overall, Day 2 was a perfect mix of education, exploration, and entertainment – another brilliant day on camp!
Day 3 Our final day of camp started bright and early as students packed up their bags and tidied their rooms one last time. After a busy few days, there was still one more adventure to be had! We headed off to Bounce, a trampoline venue filled with wall-to-wall fun. Students bounced, flipped, and dodged their way through the different areas, showing off impressive tricks and plenty of energy. With hearts still racing, we made our way to St Kilda Adventure Playground – a paradise of giant slides and the much-loved flying fox. After riding everything multiple times, we sat down for a relaxed lunch. Finally, it was time to hop back on the bus and head home. After three action-packed days of learning, laughing, and leaping, we arrived back tired but full of memories. We’re sure every student will sleep very well tonight – and they’ve definitely earned it!
Thanks, and Regards
Scott Nicholls
Classroom Chatter from 3C
This term in science, we are learning about Chemical Science. Last week we investigated how materials and food change under different conditions by using heat. We watched a candle melt after it was lit and used the heat from our bodies to change the state of different foods such as, butter, cheese, chocolate and ice blocks.
Jacob- I like it when the candle melted because the wax went runny then it went hard.
Hazel- The chocolate melted because I used my hands and they were warm.
Lachie- The butter went liquidly when we squeezed it in the plastic bag.
Zayn- The chocolate was hard to melt at first because it was hard.
Prudence – The ice block was my favourite because we got to eat it after it melted.
Toby – When you pushed the zooper dooper up, it melted and made liquid.
Asher – The sun is hot and if you put the ice block in the sun it will melt.
Liara – The chocolate melted in my hand.
Mason- I had to eat my ice block quickly as it started to melt from the heat on my hands.
Arya- The Cheese went all squishy when I put my hand on it.
Daisy – I liked squeezing the cheese so it melted.
Family and Friends
Hot Shot Tennis
Hot shot tennis was a lot of fun we were split up into teams, my team was called PAWPS Pirates, we learnt to serve, hit the ball, we got a few points. Most of the day we played tennis and watched other teams when we had the bye, at the end we got timed, to see how fast we could pack up; we bet last years record with 11min 26sec. But in the end, we learnt about tennis, played with friends and had lots of fun and that is all that matters. Lexy
On Tuesday students from 2B and 2A went to the tennis courts for the Hot shot tennis day. We had lots of fun, and we got to play against other schools. Some students won awards, I was very lucky to win an award. We were lucky to have a nice sunny day. Bye, Charlotte
I liked Hotshot tennis because other people played against us from other schools, and I could talk to my cousin. It was fun and excellent, and I liked it. Isaac F
NAIDOC Celebrations
NAIDOC WEEK 2025
As Term 2 came to a close, our school proudly celebrated NAIDOC Week. The week was filled with engaging activities that brought our school community together and helped deepen students' understanding of Aboriginal culture and identity.
One of the highlights was a personalised visit from Mayor Linley Shine, who spoke with students about what it’s like being the mayor of Port Augusta. Mayor Shine shared insights into her role, the importance of listening to community voices, and the responsibilities of local government. Her visit sparked thoughtful questions from students and inspired conversations about leadership and civic involvement.
We were also fortunate to welcome Aunty K in Week 1 of Term 3, who shared her cultural knowledge through dreaming stories, language songs, and language lessons. Aunty K taught students the Adnyamathanha language, giving them a meaningful and hands-on connection to the language of the land and its people. Her visit created a powerful opportunity for students to engage with First Nations culture in an authentic and respectful way.
The celebrations continued with a visit from our local Country Fire Service (CFS) volunteers, who brought in a fire truck for students to explore. They spoke about their roles in keeping the community safe, what it's like to be a CFS volunteer, and how students can help during fire season. The interactive experience was both exciting and educational for students across all year levels.
In addition to these visits, our Upper Primary students created stunning Aboriginal-inspired art pieces on calico, reflecting NAIDOC week and Aboriginal culture. A big thank you to Tracey in the library, who beautifully sewed the calico artworks onto colourful fabric, creating a vibrant and eye-catching display now proudly hanging in our school library.
To further celebrate student voice and creativity, our ABED (Aboriginal Education) team hosted a whole school NAIDOC Week poster competition. Students were invited to design posters reflecting the 2025 NAIDOC theme and their own cultural understanding. We’re excited to announce that the winning posters will be featured on the front cover of our brand-new ABED Newsletter, which will be launched in early Term 4.
Kiesha
Miscellaneous
