Hallett Cove East Primary School

We would like to acknowledge and pay our respects to the Kaurna people, the traditional custodians whose ancestral lands we gather on. We acknowledge the deep feelings of attachment and relationship of the Kaurna people to country and we respect and value their past, present and ongoing connection to the land and cultural beliefs. 

• 23rd - 27th March: R-4 Swimming Week
• 23rd - 27th March: Student - Parent - Teacher Learning Discussions
• Monday 30th March: District Athletics Day @ Reynella East College
• Wednesday 1st April: School Tour, 9am
• Thursday 2nd April: Autism Acceptance Day
• Friday 3rd April: GOOD FRIDAY
• Monday 6th April: Easter Monday 
• Friday 10th April: Last day of term 1 - Early Dismissal

Dear families,

Student Learning Discussions

In Week 9 we will hold our Student-Parent-Teacher Learning Discussions. These 15-minute discussions are an opportunity for teachers, parents, and students to come together in meaningful conversation about learning achievements and successes, early learning progress, and future learning and behaviour goals for term 2.

Learning discussions are also an opportunity for teachers to share their observations on student learning, behaviour and engagement, noting any successes as well as areas where further support may be needed. Social skills and wellbeing are also addressed, ensuring a holistic view of each child’s development.

You will also have the opportunity to ask questions and share perspectives on your child’s learning and progress. These discussions are a valuable opportunity to celebrate achievements, collaborate on future goals, and strengthen partnerships between home and school for the benefit of everyone. It’s a lot to pack into 15 minutes. We hope that by holding learning discussions in term one, you are well informed of your child’s start to the year and their next steps.

Governing Council

On Tuesday evening, we held the inaugural meeting of the 2026 Governing Council for Hallett Cove East Primary School. It was wonderful to welcome both new and returning members to the council and heartening to see the energy and sense of community that our parent volunteers bring as they step into new roles. These dedicated people will play a vital part in guiding and supporting school initiatives throughout the year.

I would particularly like to acknowledge our office bearers for 2026:

• Chairperson: Amber Pellerin
• Deputy Chair & Secretary: Yvie Eglinton
• Treasurer / Finance: Laura Sizer

Their commitment, along with the contribution of all council members, strengthens our school in countless ways. We are truly grateful for the enthusiasm and support of our volunteers, who help HCEPS thrive and create positive opportunities for all students. We look forward to working together to continue building a vibrant and inclusive school community in 2026.

Lighthouse Leaders

This week our Lighthouse Leaders represented our school at the Chief Executive’s Student Forum where they learnt about Learning Mode and Performance Mode. Lighthouse Leaders considered the different ways to activate learning mode and heard from other schools about how they were activating this concept across their schools. Throughout the year, our Lighthouse Leaders will be completing some action research to introduce, understand and monitor how the concept of learning and performance modes are enacted to enhance student learning. Their goal will be to build awareness, plan, monitor and evaluate action research on the two different modes so that our whole school benefits from their voices and insights. I was really impressed with their confidence to share their thinking with other schools, contribute ideas to the shape system thinking and their enthusiasm for what is possible at our school this year.

With regards

Matthew Chapman

Principal

Numeracy Check- Year 1

All Year 1 students at our school recently completed the Numeracy Check.

The Numeracy Check helped teachers see each child’s strengths and where they may need more support in maths. The check looked at four number areas:

• Counting
• Place value
• Addition and subtraction strategies
• Multiplication and division strategies

During the check, teachers asked students questions and used hands-on materials such as teddy counters, popsticks, cards and blocks. Students counted objects, solved simple number problems, and shared groups into equal parts.

The check took about 20 minutes for each student.

The Numeracy Check was not a pass or fail test. It gave teachers the opportunity to observe how students think about numbers and how their skills are developing.

Teachers also looked at:

• the strategies students used to work out answers
• any areas where they may need more support
• their mathematical thinking and language
• how they approached problem solving.

The information gathered will help teachers plan learning so that every student continues to grow and succeed in numeracy.

Swimming Week Reminder – Week 9

A friendly reminder that our R–4 Swimming Week will commence in Week 9 at the Marion Swimming Centre. Students will be accessing the pool indoors at Marion Swimming Centre. This program is an important part of our Health and Physical Education curriculum and provides students with valuable opportunities to develop water safety and swimming skills.

Students will catch a bus to the pool with staff and participate in a swimming lesson each day during the week.

We look forward to a fun and active week helping students build confidence and skills in the water.

Kind regards,

Robyn Physick

Deputy Principal

Harmony Week 

This week we celebrated Harmony Week, providing a wonderful opportunity to recognise and celebrate the diversity within our community.

A highlight of the week was the range of lunchtime activities led by our Year 6 Student Wellbeing Leaders. These students showed fantastic leadership as they organised and facilitated inclusive activities such as chalk messages on the pavers, musical games, bookmark making, fitness games, colouring and wristbands. It was wonderful to see so many students actively participating, connecting with one another, and embracing the spirit of inclusion.

Today we concluded the week with our casual day, where students and staff wore orange or cultural clothing. This created a vibrant celebration of the many cultures within our school and reinforced the important message that everyone belongs. 

Wellbeing at Home: Supporting Our Students Together

As part of our ongoing focus on student wellbeing, we will be sharing small, practical tips in each newsletter to support children at home with some of the most common areas of concern. These strategies align with the language and approaches we use at school through the Zones of Regulation and The Resilience Project, and are designed to be simple, realistic, and easy to use in everyday family life.

Supporting Friendships (Empathy)

Tip: Encourage your child to “check in, not assume.” In the yellow or red zone, it’s easy for children to jump to conclusions about friendships (e.g. “They don’t like me anymore”). Encourage your child to pause and check in with their friend or a trusted adult instead. This builds empathy by helping children consider other perspectives and strengthens healthy friendships.

Supporting Anxiety (Mindfulness)

Tip: Name the feeling, then shrink the problem. When your child is in the blue or yellow zone and feeling worried, start by naming the feeling (“It sounds like you’re feeling nervous”). Then help break the worry into smaller, manageable steps. This supports mindfulness, helping children notice their feelings and feel more in control.

Supporting Big Emotions (Mindfulness + Emotional Regulation)

Tip: Match the strategy to the energy level. When children are in the yellow or red zone, different strategies work for different people. Some children need movement to reset (e.g. running, stretching), while others need calming strategies (e.g. breathing, quiet time). At school, we talk about finding the right “tool” to help us get back to the green zone — there is no one-size-fits-all approach.

If you ever have questions or would like further support, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Working together helps us build consistent language and strategies for students both at school and at home.

Warmest wishes,

Katrina Leucuta

STUDENT WELLBEING LEADER  (Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday)

Teachers are well into planning Autism Acceptance Day. On Thursday 2nd of April, in addition to students being about to wear casual clothes, teachers will be sharing information with your child’s class about neurodiversity. It might involve reading a story, discussing neurodiversity and doing an activity connected to their discussions. The canteen has also offered a special lunch order on this day. The purpose of this is to create a supportive environment where neurodiverse students feel safe and accepted, and therefore, creating a culture of empathy among peers.

Each school holidays Autism SA has a holiday programs available. They focus on a range of different activities and are suited to specific age groups. If you would like more information about this, follow the link below.

https://autismsa.org.au/groups-programs/school-holiday-programs/

Kind regards,

Renee Fisher

Volunteers are important to our school community. Our canteen relies on help from volunteers to deliver a meal service to our pupils.

To enable us to provide a varied recess and lunch menu offer to our pupils we really do need your help.   

If you have a spare hour or more we would welcome your support.

Not registered with the school as a volunteer?  Volunteer application packs are available from the front office containing all the information you need to submit your registration as a volunteer...... WE NEED YOU

The shop is stocked with a variety of second hand uniform items. The money raised is given back to the school and utilised in fundraising projects.

Remember that if you have any unused uniform items in good clean condition, we'd love to receive them.  They can be left at the office anytime. Thank you.

Qkr App (pronounced quicker) is Hallett Cove East Primary School and Out of School Hours/Vacation Care preferred form of payment. 

Please click for more details Qkr App

Download on the App Store or Get it on Google Play