Dernancourt School Newsletter

Thursday 12th August, 2021

From the Leadership Team

Book Week 2021

The Children's Book Council of Australia's annual Book Week returns in 2021 with the theme "Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds ". Our Book Week  events will take place between August 22-27. 

Activities:  All students will have the opportunity to participate in daily activities in the library at lunchtimes.

Canteen Special Lunch:  Tuesday 24th

Book Week Performance:  Thursday 26th for J2/J3/J4/J5/J6/J7 and P6. Unfortunately this year we are unable to accommodate the whole school in the gym due to COVID restrictions.

Book Week Parade / Pageant:  Friday 27th.  We are currently mapping a route which will allow parents to view the parade outside the school grounds.  Information will be updated closer to the day via a Skoolbag notification.

Raffle:  Students are also invited to purchase entries into our Book Week Raffles with prizes being drawn R-2, 3-5 and 6-7.

All purchases can be made via the QKR! App:

*  Lunch Order is under the Canteen Menu - special food day.

*  Raffle tickets are available from 'Payments' (please ensure you purchase per child if you are purchasing for more than 1 child).

*  Incursion payments - go to Payments, then select 'Excursions/Incursions'.

COVID Updates

We are thankful that members of our community are now coming out of quarantine and that we remain healthy.

In line with the Premier and SA Health announcements and DfE advice, the following arrangements are in now place. 

  • Families are respectfully asked to to please not enter school grounds - please call ahead and we will arrange to meet you or have your child ready for collection at an agreed gate. 
  • We remind adults that at the end of the day when waiting for children to ensure that you are maintaining recommended physical distancing and to  please wear a mask as per government advice.
  • Assemblies will resume, although modified to ensure density and distancing requirements are met.
  •  School sports teams have resumed with restrictions on spectator numbers.

We will continue to update families as restrictions and recommendations change. Once again we thank you for your ongoing support and co-operation. 

Audition Success!

Congratulations to Grace Sweeney  who has been successful in gaining a position in the Festival of Music Klemzig Orchestra for the 2021 concert series. Grace and The Klemzig Festival Orchestra rehearses weekly on Wednesday evenings. 

We are proud of you and your commitment Grace, we hope that you find this experience rewarding. 

Congratulations to Reikaya Everwinter who has successfully auditioned for a position as  presenter in the Festival of Music for the 2021 concert series. Reikaya and her co presenters will now participate weekly rehearsals until their performances . 

We are proud of you Reikaya and hope that you enjoy this rewarding  experience.

Parent survey

You’re invited to complete the 2021 annual parent survey, which is now open.

On Monday 2 August you would have received an email or SMS from the Parent Survey Team with a unique link to participate in the survey.

If you did not receive an email or SMS with your unique survey link, please contact  and include our school’s name in your email.

The survey takes less than 10 minutes and will help us understand:

  • what we’re doing well
  • where we can improve
  • what’s important to you.

It has been coordinated centrally so that added administration workload isn't placed on the school.

Your answers will not identify you or your child. Only collated feedback will be provided to our school.

Information collected will inform school improvement planning and activities at the school.

The survey closes 5pm Sunday 29 August.

PREMIERS READING CHALLENGE 2021

Congratulations to the following students who have completed the 2021 Premier's Reading Challenge.





J2    Alice

J7    Sina & Navya

P2   Ella, Ryder, Oscar, Zara, Madison and Janiesha

P4    Ben, Liam, Sunny, Radin, Harrison, Toby, Felix, Aaroosh, Taylor, Willem, Akshika, Drishti and Mia   

P5    Aisha, James.H, Hayden, Alice, Lucas, Jacob, Parthavi and Matthew.

P6    Reika 

P8    Jayden, Radhika, Chloe, Jessie, Cooper, Layla and Damien.

P10    Vanessa, James.B and Lincoln.

P12    Ruby, Olivia, Dylan, Rutva, Marcus and Ellie.

P14    Lilley, Samantha, Riley, Jake, Jayden, Josh, Matilda, Cooper and Reikaya.

Crossing Monitors

Thanks you to our rostered monitors. We appreciate your efforts in  keeping our school community safe.

WEEK 5 - Dain (P12), Paige (P12), Emma (P8), Oscar (P8) (Thurs/Fri pm only)

WEEK 6 - Kevin (P8), Jacob (P12), Ray (P14)

WEEK 7 - Rudra (P5), Rutva (P12), Tanvi (P8)

Important Dates

Term 3, 2021 Calendar - All dates marked on the Term 3 calendar also appear on our Skoolbag Events Calendar.

Governing Council News

Uniform Reminder

 The students of Dernancourt School proudly wear our school uniform, which helps build and maintain school spirit, pride and a sense of identity and belonging. We ask that parents  ensure that their child is wearing the appropriate uniform.

Please check that your child has navy blue track pants / leggings/ shorts/ skorts. Denim, black or logo bottoms are not permitted. Tops must be navy with optional logo. These can be long or short sleeve. As hoods are a choking hazard they are not to be worn.

Only 2021 commemorative tops or regular DSR-7 jumpers are to be worn by Year 6 and 7 students.

Education Committee

Parenting Workshop with Madhavi Narwana Parker

Book in now for the last two workshops. The next workshop takes place on the 18th August with the focus on well being and resilience and the last workshop being held on 15th September (PLEASE NOTE New Date) will cover digital technologies and the impact this has on children.

What is resilience?  Resilience is mentally and emotionally coping with and adapting to challenges in helpful, constructive ways in order to return to a healthy state of wellbeing in a reasonable amount of time.

What isn’t resilience? Never getting upset or worried when something goes wrong and being happy, confident and calm all the time. How to develop resilience (confidence and courage)

  • Help children develop confidence through competence. Children need to know they can do things on their own and that they are coping for their age. E.g carry their own school bag, pack their bag, put on their own clothes, make their lunch, bed etc. 
  • Help children develop confidence through challenges.  It is ok if a child has "small" failures. This helps them learn that if things don't go the way they want it is still ok.  E.g  Forgetting their school hat.  While it may seem like a catastrophe to a child it really isn't the end of the world.
  • Develop confidence through character.   Who they are as a person is what matters most. Not what they can or cannot do. Provide a home environment where your child is loved, cared for, nurtured and shown kindness. 
  • Develop confidence and courage by teaching children to be generous and teach empathy.  (Knowing how another person is feeling)
  • Love your child for who they are not who you want them to be.  Look for good things  about your child (traits not abilities) and tell them often.  
    • Madhavi allowed time for parents to ask questions which was a valuable part of the workshop. If you missed this workshop there are still bookings available for the next two.  The next workshop on 18th August will focus on resilience and well being whereas the last one on 15th September will have a focus on digital technologies and the impact this has on children, as per the request of parents.

    Both workshops run between 7:00 - 8:30pm but please note the change in date of the last workshop due to the Festival of Music performance on 8th September.

    Bookings essential.  https://www.schoolinterviews.com.au/code?code=67c53

    COMMUNITY NEWS

    Savers Plus

    Cheerio Netball Club

    Baseball

    Dernancourt School