General Information

MANUKA AND WATTLE' PRESENTATION - MR VIN HEALY

Last Monday we welcomed Vin Healy, who guided the Year 5 & 6 students through his 'Manuka and Wattle' presentation.  During the session Vin used music and movie clips to guide the students through the Anzac Story.  He also explored The Unknown Soldier monument which serves as a symbolic grave for all war dead whose remains have not been found or identified.  During the session Vin unpacked the story of Villers Bretonneux, a town in France, whose school was rebuilt after WW1 by donations from Australian families.  During the session the students learnt about The Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels who help our Diggers on the Kokoda Trail and the sacrifices made by our soldiers at Long Tan.

ANZAC DAY FLAG CEREMONY

Last Wednesday we gathered as a school community at the flagpole to commemorate ANZAC Day.  The 25th April is a day of commemoration for Australians and New Zealander where we remember victims of war and we recognize the role of our armed forces. This date marks the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War.  The acronym ‘ANZAC’ stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.

WELCOME MS LAURA HAUGHIN 

We are very pleased to announce that we have been able to secure a suitable teacher who will oversee the Year 5 Baldwin from Week 3, Term 2. 

Ms. Laura Haughin commenced as the classroom teacher yesterday. Laura has joined us from New Zealand and is looking forward to working with the class for the remainder of the year. 

I would like to acknowledge the work done by both Mrs. Rosalie Baldwin and Mr. Rueben Vande Kraats who have overseen the class during our recruitment process. From the commencement of the year they have shown a commitment to providing the students with a nurturing and highly effective learning environment.

I would like to thank the parents of the students in this Year 5 class for their trust and support in allowing us the time to source a suitable class teacher.

NEW ZEALAND PRINCIPAL VISIT

Last week we had a special visit from Mr Alister Bridgman, a principal from Auckland, New Zealand. Alister's school building is similar to our being an open plan design. He had heard about our success in devising an approach which uses the advantages of the design to bring about high student outcomes along with a positive school culture which is well connected, calm and supportive. 

We received encouraging feedback from Alister who gained many insights he will share with his staff back home.

DENTAL HEALTH PRESENTATION 

Staff from the Sempa Dental Van ran Hygiene Clinics with students from Prep - Year 4 on Friday 19th April.  During the session they:

• Explained the importance of regular brushing, flossing and having healthy eating habits
• Showed children what decayed teeth look like and what happens to them
• Highlighted the need to keep your teeth in good order
• Gave children the opportunity to ask questions.
   

YEAR 6 BOMBER JACKETS

Students in Year 6 were very excited with the delivery of their Year 6 Bomber Jackets, last week.  The students were an integral part of the design process and should be proud of their creative designs for the front and back of the jackets. Families who have not yet paid for the jacket should forward $65 to the office and we will then present your child with the garment.

STAFF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY - FLOURISHING LEARNERS

Last Friday the staff travelled to Thomas Carr College and joined 700 teachers from 27 local school, for a day of learning and professional development. This was part of our commitment to the Flourishing Learners Program we are currently part of. On the day we were presented with the latest research around effective routines and structures required for optimal learning opportunities for all students. 

AEDC Surveys -Building a national picture of child health

From May 2024, our school, along with thousands of others across the country, will participate in the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC).

The AEDC is a teacher-completed census (similar to a questionnaire) which provides a comprehensive picture of how children have developed by the time they start their first year of full-time school. The AEDC is an Australian Government Initiative and is completed nationally every three years.

Children don’t miss any class time while the AEDC is completed, and parents/carers don’t need to supply schools with any new information.The data collected through the AEDC is used by schools, communities and governments to better understand children and families’ needs, and identify the services, resources and support they need.

AEDC data is reported at a school, community, state/territory and national level. AEDC results for individual children are not reported and the AEDC is not used as an individual diagnostic tool.

Some teachers have found that completing the AEDC made them more aware of the needs of individual children and their class, and that the data was useful for planning for transitions to Year 1 and developing programs.

Participation in the AEDC is voluntary, however the AEDC relies on all schools with children in their first year of full-time school participating in the collection. Parents/carers don’t need to take any action unless they choose not to include their children in the census.

To find out more about the AEDC and how it is being used to help children and families visit: www.aedc.gov.au.

AEDC Questions & Answers

Parent Poster

PROPOSED SCHOOL FEES 2025

The school is currently looking at budgeting for the 2025 year. Part of this involves the review of school running costs. It is envisaged that the school family fee will increase by around $70 and the student levy by $10.

Please see our proposed fee structure below for 2025. This will be confirmed later in the year.

ASSEMBLY LIVE STREAMS

Each Friday the students gather for a whole school assembly in the Hall.  This event is usually streamed to our Vimeo channel.  Families can view assembly by clicking on the link which is emailed via your Operoo profile. The email only goes to those parents who have ‘“receive correspondence” checked in their settings.

SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCIL 

I would like to thank our new memgers to the school advsiory council. Ruth Avena has expressed her willingness to represent the parish at the meetings as well as the school parent community. Melissa Campbell-Matulich also has nominated and been accepted as another parent representative.

Thanks once again to our Advisory Council members for their ongoing commitment to our school community.  The current members of teh council are listed below:

• Simon Dundon (Principal)
• Adrian Smith (Chairperson)
• Michelle Dobai (Secretary)
• Tiana D'Souza (Staff Representative)
• Ruth Avena (Parish and Parent Representative)
• Melissa Campbell-Matulich (Parent Representative)
• Fr Albert Yogorajah (Parish Priest)

Members of the council give parents ‘a voice’ in advising the principal about important matters related to the ongoing education of the students.  The Advisory Council meets six times over the year each meeting limited to a 90 minute duration.  

Below are the scheduled meeting dates for the remainder of the year:  

• Tuesday, 30th April at 7pm
• Tuesday, 28th May at 7pm
• Tuesday 30th July at 7pm
• Tuesday, 27th August at 7pm
• Tuesday, 22nd October at 7pm

CHILD SAFETY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SLEEP 

With the return to school routines, it is important that students get back into good sleep habits.  Medical experts advise that school-age kids need 10 to 11 hours of sleep a night. Bedtime problems can start at this age for a variety of reasons. Homework, sports and after-school activities, computers, TVs, mobile devices, and hectic family schedules all can contribute to kids not getting the sleep they need.

Sleep-deprived kids can become hyper or irritable, and may have a hard time paying attention in school.  It's important to have a consistent bedtime, especially on school nights. Leave enough technology-free time before bed to allow your child to unwind before lights-out. Try switching off the electronics at least an hour before bed and keeping TVs, computers, and mobile devices out of kids' bedrooms.