From the Principal's Desk

• On Friday we welcomed our wonderful grandparents and older friends into our school. It was so good to see everyone and the feedback from our visitors was fantastic. Stage 3 students shared how to use virtual reality googles, Google classrooms and Kahoots. Stage 2 read stories and made spaghetti towers. Stage 1 made puppets, performed a play, did some Halloween craft and read stories. Kindergarten showed off our phonics skills in class and how to program a Ozobots in the Library. Photos from this special time are included in this issue of GULGOS.
• A huge thank you to Tyler Riggall for his initiative in organising an out of uniform day and the buying of bandannas for Canteen. Canteen provides free and tailored support to young people aged 12-25 who are impacted by cancer. Over $800 was raised to support this worthy cause. Well done Tyler and thank you to the Martin’s Gully community for supporting this.
• Quick reminder: Safety at the front gate - Mr Schaeffer has painted a yellow line at our main front gate for students to safely stand behind in the afternoons before they are picked up. We would encourage all parents to please come to the gate or near the gate to collect their children and not encourage them to run across the road to you. There will be a staff member at the gate each afternoon till 3:15. After this time any children still waiting will need to please be collected from the front office. Thanks for your help with this.
• On Wednesday, The Royal Lifesaving Society are visiting our school and Stage 3 classrooms. During this time, Stage 3 will be hearing about water safety and CPR.
• Family Connect and Support (FCS) assists children, young people and families experiencing life challenges to access specific and appropriate support services in their local communities and minimise the impacts from escalating to a point of crisis. Their services include: • Parenting challenges • Financial stress • Substance use • Family dynamics and breakdown • Housing issues • Mental health concerns • Domestic and family violence. To find out more information call 1300 006 480. 
• The Armidale Triathlon Club would like to invite schools to enter teams of students to participate in our Schools Team Triathlon Challenge on 13 November 2022.  Students are encouraged to enter a school team using the registration published in COMPASS.  Teachers will not be responsible for students at this event, however are happy to assist students with forming teams.
• Stage 1 swimming continues this week and our students are continuing to enjoy learning about being water safe and water aware. Years 3-6 will also participate in a water safety lifesaving program in weeks 6-9.  A note will go out on COMPASS.
• If parents and carers need to make contact with students during the day, we would ask that you please contact the front office. Dawn and Leanne will take your message and then contact your child/children. All phones and other electronic devices that are brought to school, should be handed in each morning to the front office and then may be collected at the end of the day. Thank you for your cooperation with this.

Enjoy the rest of your week.

Felicity Pennington and Peta Deiderick