24 February 2023

Newsletter Articles

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

Welcome back to the 2023 School Year!

We are off to a flying start and I would like to begin by thanking families for having their children organised and ready for the school year. Students returned prepared for learning and staff have been impressed with all students who are in full school uniform across the entire school. Our facilities look great too, with considerable work completed in our grounds and classrooms over the holiday break. Many have commented on our improved bike shed, and we thank our School Association for their support of this project. Our main science lab is now being upgraded. We continue to have issues with our playground being completed in a timely way and look forward to some positive news on this front in the near future.

Thanks also to those families that have signed up for School Stream. Moving forward this will be the key way in which we communicate with you, so if you are yet to do so, please sign up asap. Information on how to do so is in the Admin News below or call in and see our fantastic admin team.

We welcome many new families this year, and have an Open Afternoon, beginning at 2:15 on Thursday March 9th. We hope to see all families, new and returning, on this day. Further details will be available over the coming weeks, but I wanted to let you know the date now, so that you can try and juggle your commitments to join us on this day. We also have some new staff members and welcome Mr Rob Ash, Ms Shanti Sundram, Ms Claire French, Mrs Kim Braslin and Mrs Tina Blair to our staff. Mrs Lisa Harrison has also returned after a period of leave.

You may have seen advertisements on TV lately, reinforcing the importance of attending school every day. The link to this is below.

Good attendance is important for good learning outcomes. It is important that your child attends school every day, except when they are unwell. If your child is unwell, please contact us to let us know. I also ask you to support your child by ensuring they get adequate sleep, so that they are able to make the most of their school day. Sleep is essential for brain development and recovery following busy days!

Finally I would like to thank our grade 6 families for supporting our camp in week 2! Students completed many team-based and personal challenges and embraced all experiences in a positive, caring and enthusiastic manner. It was a privilege to spend this time with them and watch their interactions and confidence grow.

Kind regards,
Anita Haley
Principal

NAPLAN INFORMATION 2023

Students will be sitting NAPLAN between 15 and 27 March 2023.

The National Assessment Program-Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) assesses literacy and numeracy skills that students are already learning at school. On its own, NAPLAN is not a test that can be studied for, and students are not expected to do so.

NAPLAN is just one aspect of a school’s assessment and reporting process – it does not replace ongoing assessments made by teachers about student performance; however, students and parents may use individual results to discuss progress with teachers.

This is the first year NAPLAN will be held in March, having previously taken place in May. This change was made so school systems would have access to results earlier in the school year, so they can be used to inform teaching and learning plans for the remainder of the year.

OUR FIRST WEEK IN KINDERGARTEN

CANTEEN SPECIALS – TERM 1

ADMIN NEWS

These school holidays have continued to be a hive of activity at the school.

After a restful break between Christmas and New year our cleaners were back to shampoo carpets, clean windows and ensure that the entire school was clean and ready for the start of the 2023 year.

With funding from our School Association, Pete the groundsman worked on redesigning and recladding the bike shed. It will now have greater capacity for all different sized bikes and a safer method of storing bikes and scooters. I would like to thank our School Association for their ongoing financial support that allow us to fund these types of projects.

We were successful in obtaining a grant from Huon Aquaculture to implement a composting system at the school. We are attempting to reduce the amount of waste we are sending to landfill, and I look forward to seeing this implemented before the end of term 2.

The office staff returned before the start of the term, working hard to ensure that book sales went off without a hitch. They are learning all about our new communication tool, School Stream, which enables parents to receive important updates, forms, reminders and information about events taking place at our school. A flyer giving instructions on downloading the School Stream app was given out at book sales. Below are instructions from the School Stream website on downloading the app.

Did you know that you can report your child’s absence via Schoolstream?

On your home screen you will see an attendance tab. Press on the icon to open the absence form.

Fill in the necessary sections of the form.

Add your signature then press the submit button at the bottom of the page. Our admin team will receive a notification of the absence and record it.

If you know your child will be away on a particular day, you can input this absence prior to the date.

If you need assistance with the app, reach out and we will do our best to help you.

I am looking forward to a productive 2023. Some key projects that we are working towards include a refurbished home economics kitchen (term 1 holidays), the reinstating of the science laboratory (work in progress) and the preservation of the brick work on the original school building, which celebrates its 149th birthday this year.

Regards,
Sam Terry
School Business Manager

2023 GRADE 6 STUDENT LEADERS

Introducing this year’s Grade 6 Student Leaders:

Hi, my name is Addison and I am a Grade 6 Student Leader. I enjoy netball, footy and being with Lydia and a lot more. As a Student Leader, I hope to be able to help as many people as I can and be a good role model to everyone.

My name is Alex. I think a Student Leader should uphold every school value – Growth, Respect, Aspiration and Courage. I like footy, basketball and video games. I am in 5/6 Romet and I am in Grade 6. I need to set a good example and know what’s right and wrong.

G’Day! My name is Dolly Gable. I am in Mr Campbell’s 5/6. I am a Student Leader this year along with Izzy, Sara, Lydia, Addi, Jackson, Lennox, George and Alex. My favourite things are basketball, footy and skateboarding. My job as a Student Leader is to help students when in need. My goal this year as a Student Leader is to be serious about problems and help children when in need.

Hi, my name is George. This year I got elected to be a Grade 6 Student Leader. Here are some things about me. I like basketball, football, cricket and mountain biking. This year as a Student Leader I hope to make kids feel welcome at school and ready to learn. I’m in Mr Campbell’s class and my school values are Respect, Growth, Aspiration and Courage.

Hi, my name is Izzy Taylor. My favourite subject is MDT which is where we build with wood and work with tools. I’m a student in 5/6B with Mr Jordan. I am a Student Leader with big ideas.

My name is Jackson Ransley. As a Student Leader I would like to help others. I like programming, history and geography. Those are my favourite subjects. I am in 5/6C Harrison/Sundram. I hope that I can help myself and others.

Hi, my name is Lennox. Some of the things I like are basketball, football and my PC. I hope I can help you and others.

Hi, my name is Lydia. I am a Grade 6 Student Leader. I enjoy netball, hanging with my friends, the beach and much more. I hope to achieve, as a Student Leader, to be able to help many people when they need with whatever it may be and to also be a good role model to everyone, particularly the younger students.

Hi! My name is Sara. I am a Grade 6 Student Leader. I’m here with my fellow Student Leaders. I am here to help students in my grade and lower. By helping I mean running assemblies, lunchtime games, organising different events and listening to your requests. Hope to see you in the yard!

ENJOYING A LUNCHTIME BREAK

KLUB INDONESIA

“Klub Indonesia” is up and running in the Indonesian room on Wednesday lunchtimes for grades 3-6. They can be seen here making Wayang Kulit for an Indonesian shadow puppet performance.

GRADE 10 GRADUATION DINNER PHOTOS

Just in case you missed out on seeing our beautifully presented Grade 10 class of 2022 getting ready to have a fab night out at their graduation dinner – here they are!

COMMUNITY EVENTS AND INFORMATION

FORKLIFT COURSE AT TRADE TRAINING CENTRE

BRIXHIBITION COMPETITION – ST HELENS LIBRARY