It has been an action-packed fortnight at Syndal South. It was wonderful to see so many families in attendance at our Meet and Greet sessions this week. These meetings play an important role in fostering a strong home-school partnership, something that is fundamental to your child’s social and academic development throughout the year.

Special Presentation Assembly

On Monday, Matt Fregon MP our local member and valued supporter of Syndal South Primary School attended our special assembly to present our leadership badges to our Year 6 recipients and the special Library Bags supplied by the Department of Education to our Foundation students. It was great to see so many parents attend this outdoor assembly. Our Year 6 leaders did an amazing job hosting the event.

2023 GATEWAYS Challenge Results

We now have the fabulous results from the 2023 GATEWAYS Challenge that I can share with you. Congratulations to all our teams, they did an amazing job preparing and presenting their challenges. The GATEWAYS Challenge is a team event for primary students. Each team consists of four students. Teams compete in the Year 3/4 or 5/6 competitions. Competitions consist of four challenges. Challenges are interdisciplinary and designed to extend children’s leadership and problem-solving abilities through a series of original, creative and exciting real-life or hypothetical scenarios.

A special mention to the ‘Problem Solving’ team members: Lincoln, Annie, Nivy and Bella who won the Year 3/4 Division Prize. Certificates will be presented at our assembly on Monday. Thank you to Miss Petrucci for her work and support in preparing the teams for the competition.

The Resilience Project

This year, we are excited to continue with The Resilience Project in our school and implement their wellbeing curriculum throughout our classrooms.

Current research tells us:

1 in 4 adolescents have a mental illness
1 in 7 primary school students have a mental illness
1 in 5 adults will experience mental ill-health throughout the year
65% of adolescents do not seek help for mental illness.

The Resilience Project delivers emotionally engaging programs and provides evidence-based, practical strategies to support positive mental health and build resilience. Presentations will include stories and research on how we can support the mental health of the children in our care.

Fabulous Foundations

The Foundation students are truly amazing they have settled into their classroom routines like they have been at school for much longer than three weeks. The individual assessments taking place each Wednesday until the first week in March, are vital so the teachers can understand the needs and capabilities of each child.

Annual Privacy reminder for our School Community

Our school collects and uses student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the Schools’ Privacy Policy and the Schools’ Privacy Collection Notice.

Our Privacy Collection Notice, describes how we collect and use photographs, video and recordings of students. The policy also explains when parent consent is required and how it can be provided and withdrawn.

We ask parents to also review the guidance we provide on how we use Google Workspace for Education safely at the school and what parents can do to further protect their child’s information. If after reviewing the guidance, you have any questions or concerns regarding your child using Google Workspace for Education, please contact the school.

For more information about privacy, refer to: Schools’ Privacy Policy — information for parents. This information is also available in community languages.

AERO/SOLAR LAB Professional Development Program

I am excited to announce that we have been successful in securing a place in a research project that investigates how to best support educators to implement explicit and systematic reading instruction, through a Structural Literacy approach in the early years, Foundation to Year 2.

The Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) and the Science of Language and Reading (SOLAR) Lab at La Trobe University, are conducting a research project to understand how to best support educators to implement explicit and systematic reading instruction in the early years (Foundation to Year 2), and ultimately, to improve students’ proficiency in reading. The project involves providing teachers, teaching support staff and leaders with online professional learning in the science of reading and in the use of explicit and systematic early reading instruction and examining changes in teaching practice and students’ reading achievement over time. Some schools will also participate in coaching activities. Overall, this project will provide important information about how best to support schools to adopt high-quality reading instruction in the early years for the benefit of teachers, students and whole-school communities. For us at Syndal South participation in the project provides further quality professional learning for our staff and, a fabulous number of new resources to be utilised by the students in their classrooms.

Playground Improvements

Great news! From the money raised from our sensational Move-a-thon last year the goal post protectors have now been installed and look fabulous. It won’t be long, and we will have our new basketball back boards up and ready to go.

Pupil Free Day

Just a reminder that Friday 1st March is a curriculum day (pupil free day), students are not required to attend school. If you need care for your child you can register and book them into TeamKids. Andrea Hillbrick, educational consultant will be working further on the writing process with the teachers.

Retirement Celebration

After 55 years in the Education Department Merrilyn Mann has now retired. We would like to celebrate this auspicious occasion with a whole school assembly on Wednesday 28th February at 3pm. All parents are invited to attend this special assembly.

We encourage students to bring a gold coin donation to school before the assembly to contribute to a gift for her from the Syndal South community.

Welcome Picnic

School Photos

This years school photos will be held on Wednesday 6th March. All orders and payments will be made online with Leading Image, please look out for a Compass Newsfeed with the information in it.

Save the Date - Camp Out on the Oval

On Friday 15th March we are having a Camp Out on the Oval to fundraise for Outdoor Learning Yarning circle. Bring your tent (or borrow one) and camp out on the school oval, share a bbq dinner with other families, watch a movie and sleep under the stars. Enjoy breakfast before heading home.

More details will be sent home shortly.

Have a great fortnight.

Helen

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