Term 4, Week 9 | 2025
Our End of Year Presentation Day was a wonderful celebration of our students’ achievements and talents. A huge thank you to Mrs Norman and Mrs Praz for their exceptional organisation and preparation—events like this shine because of the dedication behind the scenes. The performances from our Koori Choir, individual performers and whole-school choir were a true highlight and showcased the depth of talent across our school. Congratulations to all of our award recipients and our 2025 captains. It is an incredible achievement, and I am proud of every single student who walks through our gates each day.
A very special acknowledgement goes to Nic Webb, who has set such a positive tone for the SSO role at WPS this year. His professionalism and calm presence have made a significant impact across the school. We look forward to welcoming Red to our team in 2026 and continuing to strengthen this important role.
To our amazing SLSOs—thank you for the unwavering support you provide to our students each and every day. Your work in supporting wellbeing, personal goals and student development over the past 12 months has been outstanding. Our move to assigning SLSOs to single stages and year groups has clearly shown the benefits of consistent relationships and students knowing they have a trusted, safe adult at school. This has been a highlight of the year.
Our office staff deserve enormous appreciation for their commitment in what is an extremely fast-paced, busy and at times complex environment. Managing front desk enquiries, supporting students, and keeping on top of countless administrative tasks requires extraordinary skill and patience. We are incredibly grateful for all that you do.
To our teachers—thank you for your selfless dedication to providing WPS students with every opportunity to grow, achieve and thrive. This year has brought the challenges of new syllabus implementation, a sharpened focus on explicit teaching, and new approaches to Literacy and Numeracy. Despite this, you have continued to put students first and maintain high expectations for learning. Your hard work does not go unnoticed.
Our Team Around a School, including our wellbeing support network, Aboriginal Education team, Director and neighbouring schools, continue to play a vital role in our success. We value the strong relationships and shared commitment to supporting the students and families of WPS. Building this broader community of support is something we truly cherish.
We also extend our thanks to Central Coast Health for their involvement in the Got It! program and other much-needed supports throughout the year. These partnerships are incredibly important for our community, and we are grateful for their continued presence.
To the many families who have championed the direction of our school, thank you. Strong connections between home and school make a profound difference. We deeply appreciate those of you who understand the journey we are on and who continue to offer support, patience and encouragement as we work to build a school that is both responsive to community needs and committed to high expectations for every child.
Looking ahead, 2026 promises to be an exciting year. Our class structure will include:
- Three Kindergarten classes
- Six Year 1/2 classes
- Four Year 3/4 classes
- Three Year 5/6 classes
- Two Opportunity Classes
- Three Intensive Learning Support Classes
We are pleased that most teachers will remain in their current stages. Next year, Mrs Arnot (Kindergarten), Mrs Thornton (Years 1 & 2), Mrs Bennett (Years 3 & 4) and Mr Byrne (Years 5 & 6) will all be leading from their classrooms, which we are thrilled about.
Mrs Stokes will lead 3–6 Engagement, and Mrs Buckley will lead K–2 Engagement.
Mrs Bath will support K–2 curriculum and learning, while Mrs Marler will support 3–6.
And we are delighted that Mrs Peterson continues in her role leading our wonderful Intensive Learning Support Classes.
Please keep an eye out for your child’s 2026 class postcards next week.
Finally, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our P&C. Your incredible support over the past 18 months has made a real and lasting difference to our school. We are truly grateful to work alongside such a passionate, dedicated group committed to the very best outcomes for our students and families.
Wishing all our families a wonderful Christmas break spent with friends and loved ones. Please stay safe over the summer, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back on Monday, 2 February 2026.
Mitchell Welham | Principal
Wyong Public School
YEAR 5 ASPIRING LEADERS AFTERNOON TEA | I had the opportunity to enjoy an afternoon tea with our Year 5 students who presented leadership speeches recently. As part of this afternoon tea, we generated ideas for rewards day and playground activities. Thanks champions!
CHILDREN'S UNIVERSITY | On Thursday 4th December our students were privileged to attend Newcastle University at Ourmbah Campus to graduate Children’s University. The university Chancellor, The honourable Patricia Forsythe AM personally presented our students with their graduation awards. Our CU Students should be commended for their commitment, dedication and engagement in such a valuable opportunity. - from Mrs Arnot
From Mrs Marler and Mrs Bath
Assistant Principals, Curriculum & Instruction
Term 4 | Week 9
🌟 Yearly Wrap-Up: Celebrating Learning at WPS
As we come to the end of the school year, we would like to take a moment to reflect on and celebrate the learning that has taken place across our school community.
Presentation Day was a wonderful celebration of our students’ achievements, growth and effort throughout the year. It also provided an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the learning of our teachers.
Throughout 2025, staff at Wyong Public School have engaged in a significant amount of professional learning to strengthen teaching and learning across the school. This has included deep learning in the new NSW syllabuses, including PDHPE and Creative Arts, professional learning in spelling using the Components of Spelling, phonics using Decodable Readers Australia, and The Resilience Project, supporting student wellbeing and positive mental health.
📘 Curriculum Updates and Looking Ahead
From Term 1, 2026, teachers will begin teaching the new Department of Education PDHPE units, with Creative Arts units to follow from Semester 2. These units are designed to support student engagement, skill development and wellbeing through clear, structured learning experiences.
Looking further ahead, 2026 will also see teachers engaging in professional learning for the new HSIE and Science and Technology syllabuses, in preparation for implementation in 2027. This ongoing professional learning ensures our teachers remain current, confident and well-prepared to deliver high-quality learning for all students.
As shared in our previous newsletter, our school will also be using the Department of Education’s Lesson Library. These resources support consistent, high-quality teaching by providing clear, curriculum-aligned lessons and materials, allowing teachers to spend more time focusing on student learning and support.
📚 Highlights from Our Reading
Throughout the year, students across Wyong Public School have engaged with a wide range of quality texts as part of their English learning. These texts support the development of reading skills, comprehension, vocabulary and a love of reading.
K–2 Reading Highlights
Students in Kindergarten to Year 2 explored rich picture books and early chapter books from a range of well-known authors, including:
• Mem Fox
• Pamela Allen
• Oliver Jeffers
• Jackie French
• Alison Lester
Years 3–6 Reading Highlights
Students in Years 3–6 engaged with novels, series and quality literature from authors such as:
• Anh Do
• Andy Griffiths
• Aaron Blabey
• Morris Gleitzman
• R.A. Spratt
We encourage families to continue supporting reading at home by talking with children about what they enjoy reading, visiting the local library and sharing books together. Maintaining regular reading habits helps students return to school confident and ready to learn.
🎄Thank you for your continued support throughout the year. We wish all families a safe, happy and restful holiday break and look forward to welcoming everyone back in the new year.
| table (striped, bordered) | |||
| TERM 1 | TERM 2 | TERM 3 | TERM 4 |
| 11 February ✅ | 13 May ✅ | 5 August ✅ | 28 October ✅ |
| 18 March ✅ | 17 June ✅ | 9 September ✅ | 2 December ✅ |
We operate Wesley Out of School Hours Care (Wesley OOSH) at Wyong and are committed to providing high-quality care for children.
Central Coast Schools as Community Centres
Wyong SaCC Programs & Registration
Central Coast Schools as Community Centres are dedicated to the continued support of our families.
Follow our Facebook page for updates and interactive sessions for you & your little ones.
Parents can check their child’s attendance in the Sentral Parent Portal app by following these steps:
1. Log in
- Open the Sentral for Parents app on your phone or tablet.
- Sign in with your registered email and password. (If you haven’t registered yet, you’ll need to use the access key provided by your child’s school to set up your account.)
2. Select the Student
- From the home screen, choose your child’s profile.
- If you have multiple children linked, you can switch between them.
3. Access Attendance
- Look for the Attendance or Daily Attendance option in the menu.
- Tap on it to view your child’s records.
4. Review Records
- You’ll see a breakdown of absences, lateness, partial absences, and full-day attendance.
- Many schools colour-code the entries (e.g., green for present, yellow for late, red for absent).
- Some schools also allow you to submit explanations for absences directly in the app.
5. Notifications
- If your school has enabled push notifications, you may also get alerts when your child is marked absent or late.
- You can usually send an absence note via the app straight to the school.
1. Open the App & Log In
- Open the Sentral for Parents app.
- Sign in with your registered details.
2. Go to the Absence Section
- From the home screen, select your child’s profile.
- Look for Absences, Attendance, or sometimes Notifications (the exact wording depends on your school’s setup).
3. View Unexplained Absences
- You’ll see a list of absences marked as “Unexplained”.
- Tap on the absence you want to explain.
4. Add Explanation
- Enter the reason for your child’s absence (e.g., “illness”, “family reasons”).
- You may also need to select whether it was a full day or partial absence.
- Some schools allow attachments (e.g., medical certificates).
5. Submit
- Tap Submit (or Send) to forward the explanation to the school.
- The absence will then change from Unexplained to Explained once processed.
Extra Notes
- If you can’t see the option to submit explanations, your school may only accept absence notes through phone/email.
- You can usually also lodge future absences (e.g., family holiday) if the school has allowed this in Sentral.
1. Collect the Leave Form
- Parents/carers need to request a leave application form from the front office.
- This is often called an Application for Extended Leave – Travel/Exemption form.
2. Provide Supporting Information
-
The form must be accompanied by relevant details, such as:
- Travel itinerary (if going overseas/interstate).
- Reason for leave (e.g., family event, cultural reasons).
- Dates the student will be absent.
-
Supporting documents (e.g., flight details, invitation letters) should be attached.
3. Submit to School
- Return the completed form and attachments to the school office before the leave begins.
- The school staff will record the application and pass it on to the Principal.
4. Principal’s Approval
- The Principal must review and sign the leave application.
- Only the Principal (not classroom teachers or admin staff) can authorise student leave.
5. Notification
- Once approved, the office will notify parents/carers.
- The leave is then entered into Sentral as an “Explained Leave” with the Principal’s authorisation.
✅ Key Point:
Short absences (1–2 days) can usually be explained directly through the Sentral Parent App.
Extended leave (5+ days, especially for travel) requires the formal leave application process outlined above.
The right support early makes the biggest difference.
Find the care your child needs to help them be the best they can be.
What We Offer
- Access support for children (0-12 years) without the need for a diagnosis or referral.
- Timely advice and support that best suit your family’s needs.
- A friendly, safe place for everyone.
How We Help
- Provide a timely initial triage process that facilitates access and referral to services
- We build a therapeutic partnership with the whole family unit to ensure that both children and their families are supported during their engagement with the Kids Hub
- Provide family support and education when other services are not available
- Provide current or up to date evidence-based treatment and therapies over the short term when other services are not available
- Care navigation and supported transition to connect your child to the right services during their time with or after their discharge from the Kids Hub
- Our team consists of several specialist services including mental health, allied health, care navigation, peer work and Aboriginal health
Do I need to come in for appointments? After an initial assessment at the Kids Hub, the team can meet with you at a location that suits you. This includes your school, home or in the community.
Who Can Refer? The Central Coast Kids Hub is a self referral service. You can self refer via phone or by walking into our friendly hub at Tuggerah.
Eligibility | Any child aged 12 or under who is experiencing
mild-moderate mental health or behavioural health challenges can be referred to the Hub.
Exclusion criteria:
- Child is already engaged with an alternate provider
- Child has access to a package of care that addresses the presenting concern (including NDIS)
- Childs needs are not mild-moderate in nature
- Child is not a resident of the Central Coast
What are Urgent Care Services?
NSW Urgent Care Services have been introduced across the state to help reduce pressure on emergency departments. These services give you the care you need quickly for an illness or injury that is not an emergency such as:
• minor cuts
• sprains or suspected fractures
• sports injuries
• minor infections
• urinary tract infections (UTIs)
• minor burns
• rashes
• insect or animal bites
• cough, cold or flu
• mild asthma attacks
• earaches
• fevers or chills.
Eligibility
You may be eligible to access an Urgent Care Service if you are:
• a resident living in a community located in NSW or near its border
• experiencing an acute injury or illness that is not an emergency
• needing medical treatment in the next 2 to 12 hours; and
• unable to get an appointment with your own General Practitioner (GP) or at nearby medical centres.
How do I access a NSW Urgent Care Service?
To find out if urgent care is the right care for you, call healthdirect on 1800 022 222 for free at anytime (24 hours a day, 7 days a week).
A registered nurse will ask you some questions about your symptom. Depending on the assessment made by the nurse, you may be advised to visit a NSW Urgent Care Service.
If you are advised to visit a NSW Urgent Care Service, the nurse will provide you the details to access the service, which may include making an appointment on your behalf.
Other ways healthdirect can help you
Accessing the right care at the right time for your particular health need is important. If urgent care isn’t right for you, the healthdirect nurse will help you access alternative options for medical care. These might include:
• Find you a nearby doctor or pharmacist
• Connect you to a virtual care service by phone or video
• Call you an ambulance or direct you to the nearest emergency department if your situation is an emergency.
At Wyong Public School, the Student Support Officer (SSO) is a non-teaching member of the wellbeing team who works closely with students, families, staff, and external agencies to strengthen learning and wellbeing outcomes. The SSO supports students through individual, small group, and whole-school programs that build resilience, positive relationships, and social skills. They help families by attending enrolment and support meetings when requested, coordinating initiatives such as the Breakfast Club, and establishing referral pathways to youth, health, and family services. The SSO also assists with transition programs, community partnerships, and crisis support, while maintaining regular communication with parents and carers. By connecting students and families with appropriate supports, the SSO plays a key role in fostering a safe, inclusive, and supportive school environment.
Our 2025 SSO, Nic is now working in another Central Coast school.
Our new SSO, Red will start at Wyong PS in 2026.
Mental Health Line – 1800 011 511
Kids Helpline – 1800 551 800
Parent Line – 1300 130 052
Lifeline – 13 11 14
Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467
Emergency Accommodation – 1800 152 152
Police (non Emergency) – 13 14 44
Child Protection Helpline – 13 21 11
Domestic Violence Helpline – 1800 656 463
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander support – 13 YARN
Family Relationships Advice Line – 1800 050 321
Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia (PANDA) Helpline – 1300 726 306
Where there is immediate risk of harm to self or others, call 000 or present to the Emergency Department.
Behaviour Support & Management Plan
Learn about our approach to supporting positive behaviour at Wyong Public School.
School Information Handbook
Find key details about our school, policies, and procedures.
Previous Newsletters
Catch up on past school news and updates.