Hi Solway Community,

NAPLAN

This week our Year 3 and Year 5 students began their NAPLAN assessments. Despite the well-publicised connection issues yesterday, our Grade 5 students handled the disruption with patience and maturity. I would like to acknowledge the way they took the situation in their stride and showed resilience in returning to the assessment with a calm and positive attitude. NAPLAN provides an important system wide measure of student learning and helps schools and the education system understand how students are progressing in literacy and numeracy. At the same time, it is important to remember that NAPLAN is only one snapshot of a child’s learning on a particular day. It does not capture the many qualities that make our students who they are such as their creativity, kindness, resilience and curiosity. We are proud of the effort our students are showing and the way they are approaching the assessments with focus and a willingness to do their best.

Grades 5 and 6 Camp

Our Grade 5 and 6 students headed off to camp last week at Cave Hill Creek with a visit to Sovereign Hill as part of the program. Camps are a special part of the primary school experience and provide opportunities for students to build independence, strengthen friendships and challenge themselves in new ways. Our students represented the school proudly, demonstrating our values throughout the camp. I would like to thank the Grade 5/6 team, Mr Mitchell, Mr Chapman, Mrs Dunbar, Mrs Dordevic and Mrs Airdrie for the significant planning and care that goes into making these experiences possible. Thank also to Miss Peterson and Mrs Watkins for their attendance and support at camp. A sincere thank you also to the parents, Andrew Stobie, Shaun McIlroy and Blake Miller who gave their time to attend camp and support the program. Without the support of our staff and parent volunteers, experiences like this simply would not be possible.

Food at School

We have seen an increasing number of students visiting the office during recess and lunchtime to say they are hungry. While we do keep a small supply of emergency snacks and lunches at school, these are intended for students who genuinely have no food for the day or have forgotten their lunch. We ask families to please support us by ensuring students are coming to school each day with enough food to sustain them through recess and lunch. Having sufficient food helps students stay focused, regulated and ready to participate fully in their learning.

Breakfast Club

It has been wonderful to see our Friday morning Breakfast Club continue to grow. It provides a relaxed way for students to start the day, catch up with friends and connect with staff before heading into class. I am looking for a small number of parents who may be willing to assist with Breakfast Club on Friday mornings from 8.15am to 8.45am. No more than two parents are needed each week. If you are interested in helping out, please let me know. Your support would be greatly appreciated.

Possible Industrial Action

You may have seen recent media coverage indicating that the Australian Education Union is considering possible industrial action in the coming weeks. At this stage we are awaiting formal confirmation and further guidance from the Department of Education. If protected industrial action is approved, we will communicate with families as soon as possible regarding any arrangements that may be required for the day. Please be assured that student safety and supervision remain our highest priority and schools are required to remain open. We will provide clear information to families once further details are confirmed.

Thank you for your continued support and lets all strive to be “our best always”.

David Rosser