PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

Dear Parents,

As we head into the final 2 weeks of the term, it is an opportune time to reflect back on an 11-week term to acknowledge the journey we have travelled. A few highlights included:

• We celebrated ANZAC Day with our school leaders laying poppies at the Arch of Victory and our school ceremony around the Lone Pine Tree.
• The Lucas Primary School P-6 Cross Country event.
• Teams battling it out in the Winter Sports competitions, including soccer, netball and AFL.
• The Sturt District Athletics and Zone Cross Country Events.
• Our student leaders attended the GRIP Leadership Conference at Federation University.
• A range of incursions and excursions were conducted, including the Prep Community Garden visit, the Year 1/2 Wild Action Animal incursion and the Year 3/4 Earth Ed excursion.
• Joining with Siena Catholic PS to participate in the Deadly Sprouts program.
• Beginning the planning for the new school playground and master plan for the school grounds. 
• Our very first Mother’s Day Classic where students and their mother/mother figures joined together for a walk around the Lucas community. 
• Participation in the Begonia Festival Art competition with a wonderful painting of the Tasmanian Devil.
• The continuing focus on our House meetings and Tomodachi sessions to bring focus to the importance of building multi-aged connections across the school.
• The Year 5/6 Camp to Anglesea where students participated in surfing and a range of initiative and challenge activities.

As this is the final newsletter for the term, we thank everyone for their ongoing support and wish you all a safe and relaxing holiday period.

School Council Report

The School Council met on June 16 to discuss key matters related to the ongoing development and operations of the school. Highlights from the meeting include:

• Traffic Update: Gerard Ryan from Roadsafe Central Highlands attended to provide an update on local traffic works and answered questions from council members.
• Teaching and Learning: An overview of current staff professional learning and teaching initiatives was shared.
• Inclusion and Wellbeing: Council received a report on our ongoing Disability Inclusion work and plans for Term 3.
• Finance Report: The Finance team presented updates, including a profit statement for the Lucas LEAP program.
• Policy Review: Council reviewed and updated two policies; Asthma and Sun Protection and approved changes to several Lucas LEAP policies.
• Excursion Approvals: Excursions for July and August were ratified.
• Subcommittee Reports: Updates were provided from the Fundraising, Buildings and Grounds, and Curriculum subcommittees.
• Council Composition: A motion was passed to expand the council to 8 parent representatives, 4 school staff, and 2 community members. This proposal has been submitted to the Department for approval.

With the potential expansion, a vacancy for a new council member may soon be available. If you're interested in joining the School Council, please contact the school office for more information.

Routines and Expectations

Throughout Term 2, we have focused on supporting students during transition times, those moments when they move between activities, from inside to outside or between home and school. These transitions are critical to maintaining orderly routines, reducing cognitive load and strengthening effective learning behaviours.

Key routines we’ve emphasised include:

• Lining Up and Entering the Classroom: Students now line up in a specific order before school and after breaks. This approach helps minimise competition and frustration, creating a calm and respectful start to each session.
• Preparing for the Next Session: We’re working on helping students take responsibility for tidying up their learning spaces. Research supports that this practice encourages reflection and sets up a smoother transition into the next task. This includes putting away resources and organising their workspace.
• Orderly Exits: To reduce congestion and ensure calm movement, students are exiting classrooms in a staggered and structured way.
• Healthy Eating Routines: We’ve also been reinforcing positive eating habits by encouraging students to eat at their tables during designated times, often while listening to a story or reflecting on the day’s learning.

These routines not only support smoother transitions but also contribute to a more focused and respectful learning environment.

End of Term Organisation

The final week of term brings about a number of adjustments to our normal program. Please ensure these dates are in your diaries.

Mid-Year Reports

 This Friday June 27, there are a number of important documents to keep an eye out for after school. 

• Mid-Year Student Report - On Friday afternoon, your child’s Midyear Report will be made available on Compass. Please keep an eye out for a notification alerting everyone to these becoming available.
• Report Explanation - There will be a Compass message sent home at the same time as the report with some important details explaining the report and how to read it.

3 Way Conversations and Parent Teacher Interviews

Next week, we look forward to celebrating each student’s learning journey through our 3 Way Conversations. In these sessions, students will lead their teachers and parents through the highlights and challenges of Semester 1.

The conversations also provide a valuable opportunity to discuss the mid-year report and view student work samples. Our students have been working hard to prepare, and we appreciate all families who have booked a session.

Bookings for 3 Way Conversations open on Compass until Monday, June 30.

Please note that on Tuesday, July 1, students will finish at 1:30pm to allow time for these important meetings to take place. Specialists, tutors and our wellbeing staff will be available during the sessions for drop in conversations. 

To help you get the most out of the 3 Way Conversations, we’ve included some tips below for parents and carers.

Second Hand Uniform Sale

If you have any uniform that you would like to donate to our second-hand uniform sale, we would be really grateful. Thank you to all the families who have kindly donated items already. Donations can be dropped off at the office at any time. 

Sustainability News

We are thrilled to share that Alfredton Rotary Club has generously donated 800 native plants to our school! This amazing contribution will not only support our ongoing sustainability efforts but also help beautify our school grounds.We are planning to plant these around National Tree Day 25 July A huge thank you to Alfredton Rotary Club for their kindness and continued support of our school community. We can't wait to get our hands dirty and see the impact these plants will have!