From the Principal 

Flags in Classrooms

The Australian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders flags are on display in every classroom as they are at the front of the school.

Sorry Day

Last Friday, students participated in a range of activities to mark the special day. Artwork was created and now on display in the school foyer. Students gave moving speeches at assembly. It was not a day for the students to apologise for anything they had done personally. Rather, it was a day of reflection, acknowledgement of what happened, feeling empathy, and feeling gratitude for the pathway we are now on, looking to a more caring future.

Reflective Garden

Next week, a lone standing soldier and The Ode plaque will be mounted near the flag poles and will complete the reflective garden project. New trees have been planted to resemble Ballarat’s Avenue of Honour (Remembrance Drive lined by trees). This project was funded by the Suburban Rail Link grant and the Dept. Veterans Affairs Community grant . As the trees, shrubs and flowers grow, the space will increase in beauty.

Interschool Cross Country Run

Last week students ran in the annual event. Some were challenged stamina-wise, but all students made it to the finish-line. Luke M in Year 4 took out a top 10 place and moves onto the next level of the competition.

First Aid Training

Today students in all year levels participated in basic first aid training. Much was learned and students enjoyed the sessions, facilitated by first aid educators. Next term, the staff will complete courses in first aid with a major focus on CPR and asthma response management. Annually the staff also complete mandated online modules of first aid study, and practise using the EpiPen.

Attendance and Punctuality

When we are unwell, we should stay home and rest. We all have mornings, when we struggle a little, and would rather stay warm and cosy under the doona.  Students have made a great effort to increase their attendance rate across all levels. However, there are still students arriving late to school on a regular basis. Being late on a regular basis, results in reduced learning. At the start of each school day, the students F-2 have explicit teaching of phonics (Little Learners Lover Literacy). The focus is on learning to read. The Year 3-6 students have explicit literacy teaching. The focus is on reading to learn. Students regularly arriving up to 30 minutes late miss out on fundamental learning and fall behind. Families are encouraged to make it a priority, to arrive on time. Families struggling with morning routines are encouraged to speak with teachers or the administration team, to discuss strategies to support punctuality. 

Early Departures

There are times when students need to leave school early for many reasons, e.g., for a 1 or 2 o’clock doctor’s appointment. The school is supportive of this and has students ready for early pick-up on parents’ requests. However, at the end of the school day from 3.15pm, when teachers and students are wrapping up the day, sorting the room, packing up and preparing for home, and the front office is at its busiest, parents are encouraged to wait until the students are dismissed at 3.30pm. Having regular and many requests daily via telephone from 3.15pm onwards has become demanding and very disruptive to the school’s operations. Students will no longer be called to the office after 3.15pm, for an early departure. On Friday afternoons 3.00-3.30pm, the students are at assembly. And likewise, students will not be called over the PA system, as such interruptions are disruptive. Parents wanting to collect their children from assembly due to unforeseen circumstances, are encouraged to go directly to the hall and discretely take their children and inform the teachers directly. 

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People 

Covey’s seven habits are composed of the primary principles of character upon which happiness and success are based.  The approach puts forward a principle-centred approach to both personal and interpersonal effectiveness. Rather than focusing on altering the outward manifestations of our own behaviour and attitudes, it aims to adapt our inner core, character, and motives. Practicing the seven habits helps us move from a state of dependence to independence, and finally to interdependence. While society champions independence as the highest achievement, Covey argues that it’s interdependence that yields the greatest results. Interdependence is a more mature, advanced concept. It precludes the knowledge that you are an independent being, but that working with others will produce greater results than working on our own. To attain this level of interdependence, we must cultivate each of the seven habits.

Thought for the Week

“To change ourselves effectively, we first had to change our perceptions.” Stephen Covey

Have a great weekend everyone.

George Danson