6 December 2024 | Term 4 | Week 8

Kaurna Acknowledgement

Niina Marni. As we feel the earth beneath us, the wind around us and the sun above us, we acknowledge the Kaurna people, the traditional owners of this land. We pay our respects to past Elders and will work with present and emerging Elders to protect and care for this unique land of ours. We also extend this respect to other First Nations peoples.

Principal's Report

One week to go of what has been another wonderful year! 2025 is around the corner, but we remain focused on finishing 2024 with enthusiasm. We eagerly anticipate building on today’s transition and class visits with Graduation, the final Assembly, Student Reports and Portfolios, and class parties still to come.

Checkmate Challenge!

On behalf of our girls’ Chess team, I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone in our school community for your incredible support of the team as they prepare for the Nationals this week.

Last Friday, our Checkmate Chess Day was a resounding success, with the Gym scattered with bright minds engaged in battles of strategy, and the staff and students adorning monochrome attire. Thanks to your enthusiastic participation and contributions, we raised over $1,200! These funds will significantly assist our team with their travel expenses, allowing them to focus on showcasing their skills and achieving their best at the national competition.

Let's continue cheering on our outstanding chess team as they make their way to what we hope will be a successful tournament!

Class Placements for 2025

We are pleased to announce that class placements for the 2025 school year have been finalised. These placements have been thoughtfully created using the information provided by parents, feedback from students, and the expertise of our teachers. Our goal is to ensure balanced and nurturing learning environments for all students. We deeply appreciate your input and trust in this process as we strive to support every child's educational journey. Today students visited next years' classes to meet their teacher (if working) and their 2025 classmates. 

Graduation Awards

As is tradition, the Year 6 students’ success will be acknowledged at Graduation next Wednesday evening. Every child who participates will have cause for celebration with several individuals being acknowledged for specific endeavours and achievements. All members of staff have the opportunity to nominate students worthy of these awards. The nominees' merits are explored and the awards are allocated after careful consideration, often heated debate, by the Year 6 team, specialists and other staff who have oversight of the areas the Awards are aligned with.

The Awards are as follows:

• The Steele and Cooper Award recognises exceptional individuals who embody leadership, courage, and determination in all aspects of school life. 
• The Sanders Sport Award is presented to a student who exemplifies leadership, active participation, commitment, sportsmanship, a positive attitude, and pride in both themselves and their school.
• The Vicki Porter Award for demonstrated creative thinking and artistic talent.
• The Bruce Award awarded to a student who displays endeavour, persistence, a positive attitude, outlook, and school pride.
• The Community and Service Award is conferred upon a student who demonstrates a commitment to community engagement, initiative, and leadership, both self and school pride.

For those who are successful it is cause for celebration; for those who are disappointed it is an opportunity to develop the resilience that comes from not always succeeding.

Our heartfelt appreciation goes out to our students, staff, and volunteers for their incredible efforts this year. Through their creativity, curiosity, and commitment, they have brought learning to the forefront of all we do at Linden Park Primary. Thank you for being a vital part of our vibrant educational community.

I wish all a safe and festive holiday,

Fiona Voigt, Principal

Assembly Awards

Wellbeing News

Thank you

I can’t believe how fast this year has flown by.  It was a year ago that I accepted the Student Wellbeing Leader position at LPPS and I have to say it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

I want to give a huge thank you to all the staff and families for the welcome that has been extended to me throughout the year.

It has been an absolute privilege having the opportunity to work with so many students throughout the year. Equally, I have been humbled by the way you as parents/ carers have accepted me into your community and the support you have given me. It hasn’t gone unnoticed.

I wish everyone a safe break and a healthy and prosperous new year.
I’m excited to see what 2025 brings and hope to get to know more families.

So again, thank you.

Student Action Committee Representatives (SAC) and Student Wellbeing Ambassadors.
A massive shout out and thank you to all the students who nominated to be a SAC representative or Student Wellbeing Ambassadors.

These students have shown a commitment making sure improvements in their school happen, whilst also thinking of the needs of others in the wider community.

I have thoroughly enjoyed our meetings and have been impressed with the ideas students have brought to these meetings.

With the money students have raised this year, with your support, we have been able to donate $1972 to charities, put $960 towards new sports equipment.  The money raised from next week’s Crazy Clothes Day, we are hoping to start a native garden, where not only will students have a calm space to relax, but will also have opportunities to learn about indigenous medicinal and food plants.

SAC News

Reminder that Student Action Committees (SAC) have decided to hold a Crazy Day at the end of term. Crazy socks, crazy clothes, crazy hair for a gold coin donation. 

Let’s Go Crazy!!

Did you know?

There are roughly 35,000 native plants in Australia, with 1500 to 4500 classed as bush food. They range from tubers, to grains, nuts and also fruits. These bush foods have amazing qualities.

The Kakadu plum for instance contains more than 100 times the vitamin C of oranges, and some species, of tea tree, have more than 10 times the antibacterial power of the New Zealand plants used to produce Manuka honey.

Over 1511 plant species have been recorded as having been used medicinally in Australia. Most of these medicinal plants have been recorded from the Aboriginal communities in Northern Territory, New South Wales, South Australia, and Western Australia.

I think there is still a lot we can learn from Aboriginal people.

NAIDOC Week Competition Winner

In June the students from Room 41 entered the ‘Koori Kids’ school initiative creative writing competition.
This competition aimed to provide students with a greater understanding of the importance of NAIDOC Week, around the 2024 theme of ‘Keep the fire burning!’. The entries were judged by a panel consisting of Aboriginal Elders, Agency Delegates and other members of the community.
Congratulations to Kenisha S for winning the ‘NAIDOC Medal of Excellence’.
This award is only one of 25 awarded across the state!

Library News

Reading Over the Summer School Holidays

Our students at Linden Park Primary School are encouraged to read over the upcoming summer break.  Summer is the perfect time to dive into new books and enjoy some quality reading time.

Reading over the school holidays offers a range of benefits, both academic and personal, helping to keep the mind active and foster a love for learning.

Here are seven key advantages:
1. Keeps the Mind Engaged
Reading helps to maintain cognitive activity during the break, preventing the "summer slide" or the academic regression that can occur when students stop learning for an extended period. It encourages critical thinking, comprehension skills, and memory retention.

2. Improves Vocabulary and Language Skills 
Regular reading introduces new words and phrases, enhancing vocabulary and improving grammar. It also helps with language fluency and can develop and deeper understanding of sentence structure and writing style. 

3. Encourages Imagination and Creativity 
Reading fiction, especially, stimulates the imagination, helping children and teens think creatively. This kind of mental exercise can boost problem-solving skills, as they visualize scenarios or imagine themselves in different settings. 

4. Promotes Focus and Concentration 
Unlike multitasking on digital devices, reading requires sustained focus and concentration. Practicing this skill during the holidays can help improve attention span and prevent the mind from becoming too distracted. 

5. Boosts Mental Well-being
Reading can be a relaxing and enjoyable activity. Whether it's diving into a thrilling adventure or a light-hearted story, reading provides a healthy escape from daily stresses, promoting mental relaxation and well-being. 

6. Fosters Lifelong Learning
Encouraging a habit of reading during the holidays sets a positive precedent for lifelong learning. It shows that learning doesn't end at the school bell - it can be part of a fulfilling personal routine. 

7. Strengthens Family Bonding
Reading together as a family or discussing books can strengthen family bonds. It encourages shared experiences and provides opportunities for meaningful conversation, helping children develop communication skills. 

Our students (year 2 to year 6) have access to the Wheelers eBooks and audio books site throughout the school year including over the school holidays. Students can access via our school library home page (lindenparkprimaryschoollibrary.weebly.com) using their usual school usernames and passwords.

The Burnside Library (and other local libraries) also have a wide variety of reading materials available (or can be brought in from other libraries) for the students to enjoy as well as hosting many school holiday activities. Enjoy the holidays!

Russell Hanson, Teacher-Librarian

Uniform Shop

The School Uniform Shop will be open at the following times during the School Holidays and Week 1 of 2025. 

School Holidays 
Tuesday 21st January - 9am to 1pm 
Wednesday 22nd January - 9am to 1pm
Thursday 23rd January - 1.30pm to 4.30pm

Week One, Term One 2025
Tuesday 28th January - 8am to 9.15am
Wednesday 29th January - 8am to 9.15am and 2.30pm to 3.45pm
Thursday 30th January - 8am to 9.15am 
Friday 31st January - 8am to 9.15am 

Linden Park Girls Crowned Joint State Tennis Champions!

The Linden Park Primary Girls Tennis Team has achieved an incredible milestone, being crowned joint State Knockout Champions after an outstanding performance at the State Final Carnival on Thursday 5^th December. This remarkable achievement caps off an unbeaten campaign that showcased their skill, determination, and team spirit.

Having qualified for the state finals following their dominant showing at the qualifying carnival two weeks earlier, the team joined five other top schools from across South Australia, including representatives from the Clare Valley and Yorke Peninsula. The event, held at Millswood Tennis Club, saw the introduction of a modified "Fast 4" scoring system to accommodate the warm weather forecast, ensuring a fast-paced and thrilling competition.

The Linden Park girls started their finals campaign in style, demonstrating their blistering form in a commanding 6-0 victory over St Martin de Porres in the opening match. Undeterred by the heat, they carried their momentum into the second match, delivering another impressive display with a 5-1 win against Stirling East. This dominant performance secured Linden Park the top spot in their group and a place in the highly anticipated final.

In the final match, the Linden Park girls were set to face St Peter's Girls in a showdown for the state title, with hopes of achieving back-to-back championships following their victory in 2023. However, as the temperature soared to 37 degrees, the match had to be abandoned due to the hot weather policy. As a result, Linden Park Primary and St Peter's Girls were crowned joint State Knockout Champions for 2024.

This outstanding achievement is a testament to the dedication and teamwork of the players, as well as the invaluable support and guidance of their parents and school community.

Congratulations to the Linden Park Girls Tennis Team on this historic accomplishment!

Year 2 Art Incursion

This week, all five Year Two classes participated in a festive printing activity led by Evie Hassiotis.

The students engaged in a creative process where they designed their own stencils and printed three unique Christmas cards each. Additionally, they printed on brown paper, which was then used as Christmas wrapping paper for the presents they give to their parents.

Despite the busy schedule with 125 students involved, everyone had a wonderful time. Two students even remarked that it was the best lesson they had ever experienced!

Student News

Special congratulations to Maxwell for being chosen as a runner-up in the Jack Batty MP Christmas Card Design Competition.

All of the Year 2 students were asked to draw their favourite Christmas memory. Well done, Maxwell!

Year 6 Student, Murphy P has just returned from her trip to Sydney, where she competed in at the School Sport Australia National Track and Field Championship. Murphy was selected to represent South Australia in shot-put and discus after her performance at the State Athletics Carnival earlier in the year.

Murphy set personal bests in both events, demonstrating her growth and determination. We are really proud of Murphy’s achievements and wish her all the best in her future sporting endeavours.

Tennis SA - Year 3/4 Hotshot State Metro Final

On Monday, November 25th, Linden Park Primary School was proudly invited to the Year 3/4 Tennis SA Metro Hot Shot State Final. The team was awarded an invitation to the State Final after winning the Adelaide South East Carnival in September.

Tennis Hot Shots School Carnivals provide the opportunity for students of all abilities to play with their school friends and meet other students from surrounding schools. With a round robin style draw, the schools play doubles matches with simple scoring and time keeping to ensure all students are actively able to participate on the day.

Eighteen teams across Adelaide were invited to the State Metro Final after all qualifying by winning their respective district tournaments. Linden Park Primary School demonstrated their expertise by engaging in seven games during the day, going through the pool stage undefeated. This outstanding play earned them a position in the Grand Final against a formidable PAC team who equally had been undefeated throughout the day. In the Grand Final, the team displayed resilience, respect for their opponents and extremely high levels of skill. A few too many unforced errors ultimately proved the difference in a very close match up, which certainly could’ve gone either way, losing 5 matches to 3. A result that the team looks forward to hopefully turning around in January, where the excellent results throughout the day have earned them an invite to play at the Adelaide International tournament.

A huge congratulations extends to Jessie L, Sayna V, Evan Y, William K, Oliver R, Billy S, Louis S, Brian Z and Sparsh T who represented Linden Park Primary with unwavering pride across the competition.
Special appreciation is also extended to the parents whose invaluable assistance in transporting the team to and from the venue played a pivotal role in achieving this remarkable milestone. Without their support, this accomplishment would not have been possible.

Harry Slee, Sports Coordinator

Out of School Hours Sport - Parent Volunteers

As the year comes to an end, Linden Park Primary would like to thank our parent volunteers who gave their time to coach their children’s sporting teams in 2024. Your efforts have given our students the chance to enjoy playing sport for their school, and we are so grateful for your support. Our teams couldn’t happen without you. Thank you!

Harry Slee, Sports Coordinator

Community News