A message from Margie  

Engaged

We have been continuing our work this term on learning to be fully ENGAGED in our learning. Focus is a big part of being engaged. We have been considering, How can we catch ourselves losing focus and what strategies can we use to refocus? Students have been reflecting on what they do when they begin to lose focus and teachers have been helping students to build strategies to help them refocus. As parents, what can we do to help our children focus? Can we notice the signs of losing focus? Can we offer help, but be careful not to complete the task for them? Can we give them a break from the task and then come back to the task with fresh eyes? Can we limit distractions? Can we take them somewhere to inspire them (art gallery, zoo, meet an engineer)? 

Other strategies we can do to help can include planning the task out, breaking it down into small pieces, rewarding ourselves when we complete a small step, and turning the task into a challenge.

"What helps you to be more engaged?"

This week as part of our ENGAGED theme I asked some students around the school what they do to re-engage in their work if they become unfocussed. Here's what they had to say!

Callum: Sometimes moving somewhere else helps me to focus.

Isabelle: I write things down, or I ask an adult to help me. If the teacher is busy I ask a friend to help me. If I get stressed I take a big breath and that helps.

Jemima: I normally just look really closely at what I want to focus on and that works.

Ned: I stare at it for a long time and it goes back to when I was focused on it and I can do it again. 

Ivy: If someone's trying to talk to me while I'm working I don't answer them; I just try to put my head down and keep working.

Ila: I take a break and then come back to it.

Patrick: I sometimes fiddle with something like this pen; I open and close the lid and stuff

 and then that helps me to focus. 

Ella: The easiest way for me to focus is when everything's quiet. If it's not quiet then I just try to block it out. 

Campbell: I think of the reward and then do the work. Like, I know I won't have to do it at

 home if I get it done at school! 

Batsiba: I just keep thinking of the work I am doing and that helps me to focus. 

Mia: I think, if I finish this then I'll get to do something fun after. And also I know I'll feel proud of myself when I'm done. 

David: When I think  about finishing it makes me happy because I might get some free time. Also having a little break and coming back to it helps me. 

As a staff we have been learning about the benefits of mindfulness this week as part of our engaged focus, and we are all practising in our lives outside of school with meditation, mindful walks, listening to music mindfully, mindful eating and focussed breathing.  More on this in another edition! 😊 

Thank you also to Cherry's mum Alice who replied last time, In response to your newsletter we like listening to insight timer it has lots on there for kids and parents. I had the calm app before, thanks it reminded me to download it onto my new phone. It's good to have some more sleep  stories. Thanks 🙏 Alice

We love hearing your ideas so please email or SeeSaw me if you have ideas to share!  

Assembly

We are being creative with assemblies this term. While we are not allowed to gather as a group, last week we held our first assembly of the year by Zoom. Here are a few photos! Next week I will invite you all to join us via Zoom by sending the link through SeeSaw. Hopefully I will work out how to 'spotlight' the classes so you can see your children! 

Pupil Free Day 

We will be having 4 Pupil Free Days for staff professional development and 1 school closure day this year.  Our first Pupil Free Day will be Monday 28 February. Staff will be beginning training (online at present) in the Berry Street Education Model to support students' social and emotional learning. OSHC will be open for the full day; you can make bookings by contacting OSHC directly.  

Other Pupil Free Days scheduled for the year so far are: 

Monday April 11

Monday May 15 

Monday November 7 (School Closure after Uraidla Show) 

Pick up after school 

You may be wondering why your kids are not able to play on the playground after school. This is just a temporary measure due to COVID-19. We have been asked to do what we can to minimise families gathering. We are asking families to do a quick pick up, and to remember to wear masks. As a school community we've had a great start, with no recorded COVID cases in these first 4 weeks; let's see how long we can keep it that way! :)  

We can't wait for the time we can all gather together again in the school yard. Until then, thank you for helping to keep everyone COVID-safe. 

Student Absences

In these COVID times the school has to report all student and staff absences daily to the Department for Education. We would appreciate it if you could notify the school as soon as possible on the day if your child will not be at school and let us know the reason for the absence; this can be by SeeSaw message to your child's teacher by 8:30am or by phone call to the front office if later, since teachers can't check their messages once the day has started. We have to report to the Department for each child by 12 noon each day so we would like to know well before that please. This will save front office staff having to make many follow up phone calls. Thank you!

Emergency procedures test test message 

Earlier this week all parents and caregivers should have received a test text message in preparation for bushfire or other emergencies. The message read: This is a test message from Uraidla Primary. Please do not reply. If you did NOT receive this message, please contact the front office to inform us or to update your contact details. 

In case of bushfire or other emergencies, we will use this service to communicate with families, for example changes to school pick up times or school closures. Note that our school is scheduled to close on catastrophic days. Our school has detailed plans in place to keep your child safe in the event of a bushfire: 

We encourage you to read the Department’s Bushfire and your child’s school or preschool brochure for more information on school closures and how we will act if threatened by a bushfire.  Search ‘bushfire information’ at www.education.sa.gov.au.

Playground  improvements 

Students are loving the revamped Fairy Garden. Thank you to Kieran, Emily and Darren for making this such a magical place for the children's imaginary play!  We'd also thank Kieran very much for all of his hard work and contributions over the past 3 years. Kieran is leaving us to concentrate on his university linguistic studies and tutoring and we wish him all the very best! We welcome Darren Bond who is taking on the groundsman role starting on Monday.  

Next week we are able to start the next phase of getting back to normal, with music lessons and choir starting back. It will be great to fill the school with music once again, since this is such an important part of our school culture. 

Have a great fortnight until next time, everyone! 

Margie