A message from Tami -Jo

Welcome back to Term 4. I cannot believe how quickly the year has flown by. The preps have come back after the September holidays so tall and confident and most of the students are beginning their transition to the next year level. There is still substantial learning time left and we are working with the children to optimise that time as much as possible; please support us with this. 

Assemblies

At assemblies this term, we have been focusing on the idea that we are the captain of our own ship; in control of our own emotions, actions and behaviours. I shared lines for the poem Invictus by Wiliam Henley, ‘I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul’ and the students brainstormed what they meant and were able to understand the concept. The students discussed what it means to be in charge of themselves and /or influenced by others and how this affects their growth as a person and their academic growth. The students are continuing to unpack these ideas in their sub-school assemblies. It would support our work to discuss these ideas around the dinner table as a family and allow the children to personalise their thoughts and feelings.

Turf

You my have noticed that we have had some areas covered in artificial turf over the holidays. Turf has been laid in front of some buildings in Marram and Balam Balam in some high traffic areas.  We have also had a soccer pitch laid behind the Waa building. We are currently working with the same company to design and build a sensory playground. 

School Council

On Tuesday night, we held our October school council meeting. During this meeting we discussed 2024 projections around students and classes; the proposed new buildings and staffing needs. We discussed that the Canteen contract is due for renewal and it was agreed that we have been happy with the service and will ask to have the canteen open 5 days/week in 2024. Council members raised some concerns form the community which we discussed and answered. 

Teachers Day

Teacher’s Day is celebrated on October 27th. This is a wonderful opportunity for the students to celebrate the work of their teachers and to thank them for the effort and care they show them. Simple, honest, handwritten notes are often the best gift a teacher can receive. Please encourage your child to make their teacher’s day a special one. 

Prep and Year 7 Information Night

Thank you to those families who attended our information nights this week. It is a wonderful opportunity to learn about the curriculum and expectations for the children. It is also important to continue to build and strengthen the home/school relationship. I have sent the slides out to the relevant year levels. 

BYOD

Below is communication sent out to families about the BYOD program for 2024.

In 2022, the school leadership team in conjunction with the School Council made the decision to extend the BYOD program to years 5/6 in 2023 and to Year 3/4 in 2024. Earlier this year, 30 families attended the online information session where the details of the program were presented. The feedback we received was positive and supportive of the initiative. We have summarised the information given at the information night to answer some of the questions that have been asked lately regarding the extension of the program for 2024. 

There are several reasons to extend the BYOD program to Years3/4. 

NAPLAN testing and most standardised testing is conducted electronically. The expectation for all children from years 3 and above is to not only record their answers digitally but also to write their stories. Testing will not accurately reflect the student’s understanding if they do not have adequate computer and touch-typing skills. Touch typing skills are different to those developed on an iPad. The digital curriculum for Years 3-6 includes the development of a range of IT skills from coding to research to presentation.

Research suggests that learning to navigate the internet and social media as a teenager is problematic. It is difficult to monitor a teenager’s movements on social media at the same time as they start to move away from parents and make more decisions for themselves whilst aligning themselves more with friends than adults. Having the time and opportunity to build children’s understanding systematically and with intent supports the students using laptops in a controlled environment where skills are taught responsibly and in a timely manner. 

Thes students will learn to use Google Drive/Classroom; access their work, save and store documents and have access to their work both at school and remotely. This gives parents the opportunity to see their work, development and progress at any time.  

The students currently use iPads and laptops at school and have learnt to use them responsibly. Systems will be in place for the children to store their devices safely at school. We currently have systems in place for the Years 5-8 students which is working very well. We feel confident of the students’ abilities to manage their devices given clear processes and expectations. Part of the program will be dedicated to learning about how to manage looking after their devices, use them responsibly in the online spaces and manage their time when using electronic devices. The curriculum program is a balanced one, utilising both the online space and hands on resources for optimum learning opportunities. 

There are specific schematics which each device needs to have in order to be able to be used at school. This does NOT mean that the students need to have a new or expensive laptop. Many students are using an older device and a number of families have invested in inexpensive devices. 

As we are developing global, digital citizens, the students, with the power of technology, can transcend boundaries, access a universe of knowledge, connect with global communities, and create solutions that will shape our future. We want them to embrace it, harness it, and let it be their guide on the path to innovation, knowledge, and a brighter tomorrow. We want to give them the opportunities to explore technology’s infinite possibilities and set them up for success for the future.

Hats

As the weather gets warmer, it is important that our students wear hats in the playground and we would encourage that they wear them to and from school. In order to ensure that they are returned to the classroom if they are left outside, they need to be named in large bold letters and in several places. 

We still have a big term ahead with many events, preparation for end of year exams and reports, Step Up Day and much more. Let’s hope the sun stays out for us but isn’t too hot too quickly!