Dear Families,

As I sit down to write this newsletter, I can’t believe that we are more than halfway through Term 2. As our days cool down to signal that winter has arrived, our thoughts are with all school communities across the Central, Mid and North Coasts, inland regions, Blue Mountains and other areas currently impacted by severe weather conditions. We are fortunate here in Orange that our schools and families haven’t been subject to power outages, connectivity issues etc. and that we have been able to go about school business without being affected.

Calare Support Dog

For a while now, Calare staff have been interested in providing students with the opportunity to engage with a support dog with the following benefits:

1. Emotional Support: Support dogs provide comfort and companionship, helping to reduce stress and anxiety for students, particularly those with emotional or mental health challenges.

2. Improved focus and Engagement: The presence of a support dog can create a calming environment, which may help students focus better on their tasks and engage more actively in lessons.

3. Social interaction: Support dogs can facilitate social interactions between students, promoting friendships and collaboration.

4. Enhanced Learning Environment: The calming effect of a support dog can lead to a more positive classroom atmosphere, which can enhance overall learning outcomes.

5. Development of Empathy and Responsibility: having a support dog in the classroom can teach children empathy, compassion and responsibility as they learn to care for and interact with the animal.

There are very strict Department of Education guidelines around having a trained support dog in a school. We have developed a policy to address all these requirements. Please note that family dogs are not permitted on school grounds.

If you have any concerns around this proposal please contact the school office for further information.

School Show

As you would be aware, our school show based on the Icons of Music will be held in the last week of Term 3 this year. Each class will be performing to a song or songs sung by a world icon of music. Please note that some songs may not be used in their entirety and others have had words changed to suit our context. We are all looking forward to performing for you.

National Simultaneous Storytime.

National Simultaneous Storytime is an annual event held since 2000 falling on the last Wednesday in May. The book for 2025 is The Truck Cat written by Deborah Frenkell and illustrated by Snell. The event took place at 12pm on Wednesday of Week 4 simultaneously with libraries, other schools, preschools and family homes around Australia. Now in its 25th successful year it is a fun way to promote the value of reading and literacy.

Grow Your Mind

At our school, we're excited to be using the Grow Your Mind program—an evidence-based wellbeing initiative designed to help children understand and care for their mental health. The program uses fun, age-appropriate language and engaging resources to teach students about the brain, resilience, emotional regulation, and positive relationships. Through stories, classroom activities, and mindfulness practices, children learn that mental wellbeing is just as important as physical health, and that it's something we can all nurture and grow. Our goal is to empower students with the tools and confidence they need to flourish both in and out of the classroom.

Check-in Assessments

The Check-in assessments are online assessments designed to identify how students in Years 3 to 6 are performing in literacy and numeracy. The assessments supplement existing school practices and can help teachers tailor their teaching more specifically to student needs. They are mapped to the NSW syllabuses and National Literacy and Numeracy Learning Progressions. The assessment window at Calare is Term 2 Weeks 6 to 9 (Monday 25 August to Friday 19 September).

Semester 1 Academic Reports

All students will receive their Semester 1 academic report on Wednesday of Week 10, 2nd July. The report will provide you information relating to their learning and achievement for Terms 1 and 2 of this year. If you ever have any queries about your child’s academic progress, please ensure you make an appointment to speak with their teacher.

Reconciliation Week

Last week we recognised two significant events in our school and national calendars – Sorry Day and National Reconciliation Week. We acknowledge the detrimental impact of government policies and reflect with compassion as we commit to building more genuine relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. At Calare we strive to create learning spaces that are culturally safe and respectful environments for all students. Our classes completed activities throughout the week to show recognition and show how we can contribute to reconciliation in Australia for generations to come.

Maxine Thompson

Proud Relieving Principal

Calare P.S.

Debating - Team A

On Thursday, the Calare Debating Team A travelled to Manildra to debate in Round 2 of the Kerrie Parkes Western Challenge Debating Competition. The topic was 'Handwriting should no longer be a required subject at school' and Calare was the Negative. The team did a lot of preparation and have certainly improved their rebuttal skills this year. Calare was declared the winner by a thin margin, with the Adjudicator, Mrs Eccleston, calling their performance 'convincing and compelling'. Well done, Team! A huge 'thank you' to Mrs Keen for providing the transport (again)!

Calare A Debating Team: Paddy, Reuben, Francis, Beck and Archie

Junior AECG

Last week, the Junior AECG had the privilege of visiting the Winhanganha Centre (Aboriginal Learning Centre, TAFE) to engage with the Storylines Project. Tate led an Acknowledgement of Country in front of 40 fellow students and teachers from around Orange. Aunty Lyn Brown then captivated the group with her insights about animals, our origins, and the connections we share that we may not have been aware of. Throughout the day, we deepened our understanding of our culture, Reconciliation Week, and Sorry Day. We also created videos that will soon be showcased on the Storylines website, highlighting the rich narratives we explored together.

Netball

Our Calare PSSA netball team won their match against Bowen Public School, with a score of 9-4! The players demonstrated excellent skill and sportsmanship, and we are very proud of their teamwork and effort. We also want to thank Bowen Public School for being great sports during the game! Next Friday, our team will compete against OSSA in Round 3.

Girls Touch

It was a thrilling match for our PSSA girls touch team, who faced a tough challenge against OSSA Green in their recent game. After a nail-biting contest, the girls fought hard but ultimately lost in a drop-off, finishing with a score of 3-2.

Throughout the game, our players exhibited remarkable sportsmanship, dedication, and persistence. They gave their all on the field, showcasing their skills and teamwork. Although the outcome was not in our favour, we are incredibly proud of how they represented our school and the spirit they displayed.

Thank you to everyone who supported the team during this exciting match. We look forward to seeing these talented girls continue to grow and improve in their future games!

Basketball

Congratulations to the boys’ softball team who are the runners-up in the Western Region softball competition.

Recently, the team participated in two gala days at Jack Brabham Park, where they had the chance to develop their softball skills while competing against other teams in the region.

The team played their first competitive game against Milthorpe Public School. It was a challenging game as Milthorpe fielded well, however, we were still able to put many runs on the score sheet to win.

Our second competitive game was against Orange Public School. The Calare team worked hard to stop them from making runs and batted well against a skilled pitcher. We had a good game, however, Orange Public School won by 7 runs. Well done to the boys in the team for their sportsmanship and teamwork!

NSW Softball

Lara and Mia are set to showcase their skills at the NSW Softball Tournament, proudly representing the Western Region. Calare wishes them the best of luck as they compete against some of the top players in the state. Lara and Mia are sure to shine as they aim for victory and create lasting memories on the field. Go Girls!

The Raffle will also be drawn on Wednesday 11th June.  Tickets are $1 each.  Please come to the office if you would like to participate.

Art Auction