And now a word from
Mrs Richards...
In the final week of Term 1, the Foundation to Grade 4 students all participated in a Friendship workshop with Tyson from URSTRONG.
URSTRONG is all about empowering kids with friendship skills! Tyson and his team have developed a proven, skills-based strategy that provides a host of kid-friendly concepts, skills and language to help them build and maintain healthy friendships.
Parkdale Primary School has signed up to become a URSTRONG school and our students (F-4) will be following up on the concepts and skills introduced at the workshop in explicitly taught lessons across the rest of this year. The aim is to enable all of our students to become Friendship ‘Ninjas’ who surround themselves with friends in the healthy end of the ‘Friendometer’ and are kind and friendly to everyone. Read on and you will find a description of the program and an explanation of the major themes as well as a glossary of the language used.
A valuable part of this program is that they also provide FREE access to parents. Follow this link https://urstrong.com/parents/ and receive access to an 8 Language of Friendship video series with your child to learn lingo and strategies to foster healthy friendships. With a growing library of over 100 resources, parents & carers can choose from videos, activities, worksheets, and art projects all year long.
Walk or Wheels
We're pleased to announce our participation in the WOW (Walk or Wheel Once a Week) program, in collaboration with the City of Kingston.
What's WOW? It's our initiative to promote walking or wheeling to school every Friday, starting 2 May until 6 June. Each class will track their participation on a WOW wall calendar, competing for the prestigious Golden Boot Award!
Why WOW? Along with the Council, we want to encourage healthy habits and reduce traffic congestion around the school. By walking, riding, scooting, or skating to school, students improve their health and contribute to road safety awareness.
Speaking of road safety, let's brush up on some important tips:
Use 'Stop, Look, Listen, and Think' before crossing the road.
Slow down near driveways.
Always exit the car on the footpath side for safety.
Let's make every Friday a WOW day, promoting health, safety, and community spirit!
BULLYING SURVEY
Thank you so much to the many parents who responded to the Bullying Survey that we sent out on Compass at the end of Term 1. We also surveyed the students and staff and we have accumulated some very valuable data. Watch out for the next edition of Focus as we will publish the results of these surveys and will also discuss the next steps that we will take. Jarrod Sing and I are working closely with Kristie Giannakis who is an Education Improvement Leader ( EIL) to further improve and develop the Wellbeing Program at Parkdale Primary School.
PUNCTUALITY
At Parkdale Primary School, we believe that good habits begin early, and one of the most valuable habits a child can learn is punctuality. Arriving at school on time is about more than just beating the bell—it sets the tone for a successful day of learning and growing.
Why Being on Time Matters:
🌞A Calm Start to the Day
When children arrive on time, they can settle in, greet their friends, and get ready for the day ahead. Rushing in late can leave children feeling flustered, anxious, and unprepared.
📖They Don’t Miss Out
Morning routines are important! Our day starts with settling in activities and start of day routines that enable children to begin the day calm, organised and ready to learn.
🤝It Teaches Responsibility
Punctuality is an essential life skill. Helping your child learn to be on time now builds habits that will help them succeed at secondary school, in future jobs, and in everyday life.
🚪 It Minimises Disruptions
Late arrivals can interrupt the whole class. When everyone arrives on time, we can start our lessons smoothly and without distractions.
Tips for a Punctual Morning:
Prepare school bags and uniforms the night before.
Set a regular bedtime to ensure enough rest.
Allow extra time in the morning for breakfast and getting ready.
Use a checklist or routine chart to help your child stay on track.
CYBERSAFETY INFORMATION EVENING
As posted in Compass, don’t forget to reply via the link if you would like to attend the Information evening on Monday 5th May on CyberSafety.
