From the Office

A message from Jenny Greenway

Hi everybody,

It’s Jenny here, writing to you from Haasts Bluff, also known as Ikuntji. I’m living in a community about 230 km west of Alice Springs.

Haasts Bluff is a small community of around 150 people, and school is very different here. There are 19 students enrolled at the school. There are three teachers — Geoff, the principal, Kym, and I— as well as four Aboriginal Team Teachers: Daphne, who works with me, Glaudia, Vronita, and Verjillia. I am teaching the Tjupi class, which includes Kindergarten and Foundation students. Tjupi means honey ant.

Some things are the same here, and some things are different. The students come to school for breakfast every morning, just like lots of children at Clayton North. They also have a ‘Lunch Club’ each day. Everyone plays together at recess and lunchtime. There is lots of space, and the students are allowed to ride bikes around the school. The younger children love playing on the slides and in the sandpit, while the older students enjoy playing softball.

The children here speak a language called Luritja, as well as other Indigenous languages. So, just like many students at Clayton North, they are learning English as an additional language.

In the Tjupi classroom, we love learning about letter sounds, writing, counting, drawing, and reading stories together. After recess, we always have PMP. The older students do literacy with Kym and maths with Geoff. After lunch, it is time for sport, music, or inquiry learning, depending on the day. School finishes at 3.00 pm each day, except Friday, when it finishes at 1.00 pm.

I miss everybody very much and I’m looking forward to seeing you all again.

Cheers,Jenny

EARLY PICKUP

Early Dismissal 

If you need to pick up your child earlier than the scheduled time, please visit the office and use the Compass Kiosk to enter your child's "Parent Pick-up" on the day of the early dismissal. Remember to call or email the school office to ensure that your child is ready.

Please note no collection of children between 11 – 11:30 am and 1.45 – 2.30 pm (unless previously arranged with your child’s teacher/school office), as this is morning tea/lunchtime and the students are out playing and the teachers are having a break.  

If a person other than a parent is calling for the child, the school must be notified in writing or by telephone in advance.