Messages from the Principal - Mr. Barclay.

Hello NPS Families! 

This will be my final 'lengthy' newsletter piece for the year. Thank you to all families who take the time to read our newsletter and the information within! :)

I recently read the quote above in an email circular I received and it had me thinking about being optimistic and being that 'glass half full' kind of person! 

In the midst of day to day operations and navigating the complexities of life admin and work, it's easy to get caught up in negativity. However, cultivating a positive outlook can significantly impact our overall well-being and resilience which for me personally is something I am putting a fair bit of energy into. At least, I am trying to! 

In reading a little about optimism and why it matters I've found out that it; 

• Improves Mental Health: Optimistic people tend to experience less stress, anxiety, and depression.
• Builds Stronger Relationships: A positive attitude can enhance our connections with others.
• Initiatives Better Physical Health: Optimism has been linked to lower rates of heart disease and a stronger immune system.
• Breeds Increased Success: A positive mindset can lead to greater motivation, perseverance, and achievement.

Now as brilliant as that sounds, we need to know and understand how to cultivate optimism so we do not fall into the negativity space! Ways in which we can do this are; 

1. Practice Gratitude: Take time each day to reflect on what you're grateful for.
2. Challenge Negative Thoughts: When negative thoughts arise, question their validity and replace them with positive affirmations. 
3. Focus on Solutions: Instead of dwelling on problems, focus on finding solutions.
4. Surround Yourself with Positive People: Spend time with people who uplift and inspire you.
5. Take Care of Yourself: Prioritize self-care activities like exercise, meditation, and spending time in nature.
6. Set Realistic Goals: Break down large goals into smaller, achievable steps.
7. Learn from Mistakes: View setbacks as opportunities for growth and learning.

Are we/you incorporating these practices into your daily life? I know there are areas there that I can improve on to cultivate a more optimistic mindset and with two weeks remaining of the school year - I'll be leaning on the above as much as possible! 

Final 2024 School Council Meeting

On Tuesday evening we held our final School Council meeting of 2024 and I want to express my gratitude and thanks to all who were involved, especially our School Council President, Georgia Lea. Our School Council involves a special group of people who have the BEST interests of the school and its development at heart and I have thoroughly enjoyed the discussions that were had during the year! Thank you very much for all that you have done this year and for being the high-quality and driven people that you are. 

VSBA building works update

As I am sure many of you have noticed, our building works are going full steam ahead. This will continue next week and the week after when the roof and canopy is set to be completed by the end of the term. In the Christmas break, a number of buildings will be restumped with new carpet going into the MLA which will be great and long overdue! 

Whilst on the VSBA, I was notified last night that we were unsuccessful in our THIRD attempt to have an external fence built to ensure the safety of our students and staff. My optimism for the VSBA declined significantly. I will be writing to the VSBA as well as the local member of Parliament, Ms. Christine Couzens MP, to express my concerns regarding this decision and I encourage all families to do the same. 

Notification from families intending to leave NPS EOY 

As we do at the end of the year, we have a number of families leaving NPS for multiple reasons, mainly due to graduating students in year 6. For families that will be leaving our great school, I ask that you complete the NPS Families EXIT FORM, linked HERE

Final assemblies 2024 - Wk 10 (Friday 13th Dec, 3:00pm), Wk 11 (Thursday 19th Dec, 

2:45pm)

A reminder that our final two assemblies for the year are scheduled as listed above. Our final assembly will be a big one where we announce house captains, school captains, draw our Christmas raffle, and of course farewell our Yr 6 graduates for the FINAL time! I hope that you can all make it. 

Volunteer Morning Tea Reminders - Tuesday 10th December

On Tuesday 10th December, we have our volunteers and helpers' morning tea in the Multi. This is a small token of appreciation for all of the families that have assisted us throughout the course of the year! I have said it a lot and will say it again... the success of our school increases significantly when we have strong support and partnerships with our families!  I'll be baking a cake for the morning so if you ever needed another reason to attend, there it is! 

Sports Colours Day - Wednesday 11th

Our SRC has been planning this day for quite some time so here it is! In recognition of the diverse sports and activities our students engage in, we'll be having a Sports Colours Day for students to dress up in their favourite sporting colours/attire! We might even get a glimpse of Mr. McKinnis in his new PE uniform! 

That is it from me. Please have a great and relaxing weekend,  

Corrie. 

Principal

Newtown Primary School