Dear families & friends, 

We are now over halfway through term 1 and everything is speeding along. Our Inquiry ‘belonging, identity, community’ has begun now along with our full literacy, numeracy and arts programs and interventions. Students are getting into the routines of learning and enjoying the thinking and learning in inquiry.

FOREST IS OPEN!

Our tree work has finally been completed in the forest and we can now see the structure of the area and are excited to rebuild and replant the area. Our Environment Club, with the support of Steve and Camille will be cleaning up and prepping the area ready to run a family working bee early in term 2 to do planting and mulching. Keep an eye out for further information.

Everyone has already been enjoying being able to go back into this space to enjoy learning in a natural environment again.

NAPLAN

This week and next week year 3 and 5 students will be participating in the NAPLAN assessments for writing, reading, conventions of language and numeracy. It is important to remember that NAPLAN is just one assessment on one day and does not measure all the other amazing things we know each student is capable of. We ensure students know that these assessments are more about giving us information about how we are supporting them in their learning and to help us identify next steps.

Volunteers

We are looking at continuing to build our volunteer pool. Thank you to those of you who came along to our first morning tea and induction session with Di. We already have some volunteers up and running doing sports team coaching, supporting the kitchen garden and helping out in the library. We are looking forward to getting more programs and opportunities up and running with the support of our volunteers over the next few months. Look out for opportunities to get involved and speak with Di or Gillian if you would like to volunteer.

Congratulations to Hannah

A big congratulations to our fabulous OSHC Director Hannah who is expecting her first baby in July. Hannah will be taking leave towards the end of Term 2 until the beginning of 2025. We wish her and her husband well in their new role as parents.

Hannah is a fabulous director and person and we know we will all miss her while she is gone. Governing Council have decided that we will be advertising the position externally to ensure we have the best possible chance of finding the best possible person to keep our OSHC program running to Hannah’s standards while she is on leave.

Cheers Skye 😊

Everyone should have received their invoice for this years school fees and excursion levy in your letterbox , if not please let Gillian know so  I can check we have your correct postal address.

The amount owing is $415 total which is including the $100 rebate.   Due at the end of the term, please contact Gillian for a payment plan if you are unable to meet this deadline.

If you think you are eligible for school card please put in your application online as soon as you can please.

Our annual Easter Raffle will be drawn on Wednesday 27th March.  

Numerous Easter basket prizes to be won. 

Tickets are $1.00 each. More booklets are available at the front counter.

Breakfast Club has been well attended by students. We will be having some themed breakfast sessions including Toastie Tuesday, Tutti Fruiti Thursday and Fairy Bread Friday.  The Club is open from 8.30am to 8.50am, Monday to Friday in the OSHC kitchen. All students and their families are welcome, just drop on by (there is no need to book a place). Thank you to Claire (Adelaide's mum), Laura (Anastasia & Braxtan's mum) and Lucy (Nora, Maggie & Hugo's mum) for their helping hand.

Breakfast may include:

Toast and various spreads

Fruit

Cereal

Milk

Tea/Coffee (for adults)

Its a great opportunity to have a bite to eat and socialise with other students/families. 

We are also looking for volunteers so if you are interested please let Kelly, Di or Gillian know.

Volunteers are a vital part of our school community and we are very lucky to already have some dedicated and talented people who provide our students with amazing support in many different ways, however, we are always looking for more volunteers. 

We held our first coffee and information session on Friday 8th March and have another taking place in week 9 on Friday 5th April from 9.45am, following Banba Ban Balya (assembly).  

Volunteers make a difference! 

Looking forward to seeing you at our information sessions. 

Library lessons

Both the Junior and Primary classes have attended their first library lessons of the year. J1 and J2 classes heard a story about a Library Lion and learned about what is expected of them when they are using the Resource Pod space. Primary students worked together in small groups to come up with their own expectations and two suggestions about what they would like to learn and any ideas to improve the library space.

The Premier’s Reading Challenge (PRC)

We would like to encourage any year 1-6 students who haven't already started the PRC to do so. Forms can be downloaded from the link below. If you have a problem accessing the form then paper copies are available from school. Juniper’s class will receive their forms in Term2. The final day of the Challenge is Term 3, week 7. Record sheets must be handed in to Kelly or Gillian no later than this date but can also be handed in any time before if the student has completed the Challenge. Awards are given to students who have completed the Challenge (once the school has received them) at an assembly in Term 4. The Premier’s Reading Challenge website: 

Breaktime Activities

The Resource Pod is open at one breaktime a day, offering students a variety of activities to participate in or just a safe space to relax and read a book. We will be holding some themed sessions in the near future and welcome any suggestions the students may have. 

Anastasia (P1): We get to do quiet stuff like colouring in and it is so much fun!

Zofia (P1): On Fridays we get to play bingo and this time I won!

Borrowing/Returning Books

Students have the opportunity to borrow books from the Resource Pod during scheduled class times and when the Pod is open at break times. All books are on loan for two weeks and the due date can be found on a slip attached to the inside back cover of the book or on a book mark. Please return the books by the due date or before if finished, as other students may be waiting to borrow them. 

Book Club has arrived! Look out for your copy of issue 2 coming home in your child's schoolbag!  By ordering books through Scholastic you are helping to support the Resource Pod as we receive reward points which we use to purchase books for the library. 

All orders must be made by 3.30pm on Friday 29th March so they can be processed. Once the school receives the books we will issue them to the students.

All orders are made on line through LOOP and you can download the app (see image below).