Principal's Report

Hello everyone,

This newsletter is truly full of news. For parents who may not have seen the uEducateUs message from yesterday.

Farewell 

We will be saying farewell to Kerry Hammond from term 3.

In an exciting career promotion, Kerry has gained a position in regional office, coordinating the School Wide Positive Behaviour program (SWPBs) across 21 schools in our Region.

Kerry has regularly demonstrated exceptional skills in this area of the curriculum and was instrumental in providing critical administrative guides to other schools during her work on SWPBs here at Newham. It was no wonder that her abilities were noticed by regional staff.

We will miss Kerry’s effervescence as well as her teaching and learning capabilities. It is fortunate that we will still be able to access her SWPBs skills as our regional coordinator.

I’m sure you will join me in congratulating Kerry on her promotion and wish her all the very best in this exciting new venture!

The wheels on the behemoth that is the Department of Education do not turn quickly and therefore I have not been able to confirm Kerry's departure until now. Under current DET and pandemic circumstances, obtaining staff is proving to be a long and drawn-out affair. This is becoming more common across all schools, and Tuesday I received permission from regional office to retain Kerry for the beginning of Term 3 should we need her, in the meantime we have actioned another job advertisement which will complete the required processes during the term break.

Our aim is to welcome a new teacher to Newham before Term 3 begins. As soon as we have a result, families will be informed.

Following please find a personal message from Kerry.

 Farewell message

I am excited but saddened to let you all know that I have accepted a secondment promotion to the Department of Education Regional Office in Bendigo, working as a School Wide Positive Behaviour Coach. This promotion is an amazing opportunity for me, allowing me to continue my work with SWPBS and support other schools to implement, develop and embed positive behaviour systems.

I want to thank each and every child I have taught over my time at Newham Primary School, for all the warmth, the memories, and the learning that we have shared together. To my students, I say ‘THANK YOU!’ For when I teach, I also learn. A little bit of each of you will always be with me. Always strive to be the BEST that you can be! As I believe in all of you.

To the parents, I say ‘THANK YOU’, for working with me and sharing a small piece of your child with me. It has been a pleasure teaching them all, as every child brings their own special personality to the classroom.

Although I am leaving as a classroom teacher, I will still have some involvement with NPS, as I will be the Support Coach for the new SWPBS Coordinator at Newham. This will enable me to visit from time to time and stay in touch with the staff, who I will miss very much.

So, this is not so much good-bye, more like see you all soon.

Kerry Hammond

Welcome

I would like to welcome Caitlin Hanks to Newham Primary School. Caitlin worked with us a couple of years ago (precovid) and she has returned to us one day a week as our PE teacher! Welcome back Caitlin! 

Also, welcome to Narelle Reino! Narelle has been working with us for a couple of weeks now as education support staff, a second pair of hands supporting students and teachers in the 456 and 1/2 rooms. Narelle has an educational background in early learning. 

Enrolments

Enrolments for 2023 are open. Please see the information provided in the notices/reminders section of this newsletter and submit your forms directly, to assist with planning for 2023. Enrolment packs for siblings and new enrolments can be collected from the school office or downloaded from the school website.  

Parents and Friends

I would like to encourage any interested folk to support the reformation of our Parents and Friends group. Either by joining and helping with the organisation of fundraising or by buying raffle tickets etc. and supporting P&F activities with funds.

Biomimicry Excursion- Cancelled

Stop Press! We have just received confirmation from the organisers that the excursion to Gisborne Botanical gardens next Tuesday for the 456s has been cancelled due to COVID. They have offered the program to us online instead. They hope get to us to the Gisborne botanic gardens for the face to face session in Term 4.

Student Reports and Parent Teacher Interviews

Also, next Tuesday 21st student reports will be released after school with 2 evenings of parent teacher interviews to follow next Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23rd. If you are yet to book, please do so. It is important that students also attend so that teachers, students, and parents are all aware of goals and expectations for Terms 3 and 4.

Last Day of Term

There are a number of things happening on the last day of term. There will be an Amazing Race style challenge for all our students as their requested reward for achieving 2000 values cards. Well done to all our students for achieving their goal so early in the year! Kerry has put out a request for help. If you have some time to spare, we would love to see you. There is also going to be a morning tea for parents and volunteers at recess. We are also calling out to anyone who is able to come along and support our tree planting exercise which will begin after the morning tea. 

Camp

For families with children in years 3-6 please don’t forget that the first week back next term will be our camp to Sovereign Hill. The main thing to remember is that our activities do not end with sunset on the first day. After dinner, we will be able to see the Winter light show in Sovereign Hill's Main Street before we are picked up for our evening show called Aura. BOTH of these evening events will require layers of warmth. Being winter it means that it gets dark early which is important for these events BUT of course it is Ballarat, and it WILL BE COLD. Please pack coats, beanies etc. There WILL NOT be any spending money allowed but students may bring a small plastic bottle to collect their panned gold from the creek (should they be so lucky to find some!)

Conversations Around Mental Health

I am pleased to be able to promote a further Webex session featuring Dr. Billy Garvey Paediatrician. A number of our parents took advantage of the last Webex and found it beneficial. For this session Dr. Garvey is joined by Jennifer Dix a clinical psychologist. Together our community, families and the school have weathered social upheaval, isolation, and illness. Things are not ‘back to normal’ now that students are back at school, and we see on a daily basis the anxieties and stresses students carry. Staff here at Newham have undertaken professional development and continue to support students. Families are reporting to school how difficult it is to obtain an appointment with mental health professionals so it’s wonderful to be able to provide this opportunity for parents to connect with professionals. Please also see the flyer in the community news section of this newsletter. Here is the link for registration. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScB2OoXMGmEvmrYVUCVfpCbN0sTLfnViYLILiLeH-69XrTf1Q/formResponse

Unacceptable Behaviors and Consequences

Unfortunately, another of the repercussions from social upheaval, isolation, and illness in our community has been an increase in unacceptable parent behaviors not only state-wide but in our school.                                                                                                                                   Schools are positive places of learning where everyone has a right to a safe and healthy learning environment. Schools are also workplaces, and school staff deserve to work in an environment where they don’t feel threatened or unsafe. When a small number of parents and carers behave unacceptably towards a staff member or another member of the school community, this can affect their health, safety, and wellbeing. The impact can also be felt by the wider school community.

Unacceptable or unreasonable behaviours include, but are not limited to:

• being violent or threatening violence of any kind, including being physically intimidating, aggressive hand gestures or invading another person's personal space
• speaking or behaving in a rude, aggressive, or threatening way, either in person, via email, social media, or over the telephone
• sending demanding, rude, confronting, or threatening letters, emails, or text messages
• discriminatory or derogatory comments
• the use of social media or public forums to make inappropriate or threatening remarks about the school, staff, or students.

If a parent or carer behaves in an unacceptable way, they may be contacted by the principal or DET representative to talk about this further and there may be consequences. 

Unacceptable or unreasonable behaviour may be escalated to the Department, where it will be assessed and managed by:

• requesting that the parties attend a mediation or counselling sessions
• requesting all communications be in writing
• written warnings
• conditions of entry to school grounds or school activities
• exclusion from school grounds or attendance at school activities
• reports to Victoria Police
• legal action.

Building a positive relationship with our school

Parents/carers and school staff have a relationship that can last many years. This is an opportunity to work together to create a positive relationship in the best interests of the child. When this relationship is built on respect and trust, students learn better and feel like they belong in the school. The foundation of a good collaborative relationship is based on:

• open and honest communication
• trust and respect
• working together
• fair and reasonable expectations by all.

To understand more about how to build a positive connection to our school, the Family Engagement in Learning resource has been provided in the notices section of this newsletter.

Baby Furphy

Time is drawing closer for Tim Furphy and his wife Alex to welcome baby Furphy into their lives! It could be any moment but in preparation Mr. Furphy will be taking 2 weeks of parental leave at the beginning of Term 3. Sue Hiland will step in for those two weeks in the year 3 room. Should there be an earlier arrival we will share the good news as soon as we hear.

There will be a small newsletter next week to update events and share dates for calendars.

Have lovely weekend and stay well for the last week of Term!