A note from Mr Jackson
Assembly Invite: Fri 9 February 2:45pm
We are looking forward to our first assembly on Friday. It will be held in the Hall and we will have a story written by one of our teachers and read by one of our students who has illustrated it.
Classes have been busy over this start up period as they elect representatives of both the Junior School Council and their Sustainability Agents. The Badge Ceremony will be scheduled once the badges have arrived and the students leadership representatives have been elected. Students of the Week are quietly shared with parents via Compass on Thursday afternoons as parents may wish to be attend the assembly. We are looking forward to the Preps joining the assemblies later in the term.
FORPS Gathering
A relaxing welcome BBQ is planned for Friday 1 March on the oval. It is a chance to throw a rug out and unpack your own picnic dinner or feast on some sausages. More information will follow but save the date so you don’t miss out!
Working Bee Sat 24 February (9:00am to 12noon)
This time of the year we invite parents and students to help refresh the softfall underneath our playgrounds. A large amount of softfall for the upper and lower playgrounds will be delivered and will need to be spread across the playground space. Our softfall is important in maintaining our playgrounds and keeping our yard safe. All are invited to join us with or without a barrow! Bring along some sturdy shoes and gloves! Consider it your gym workout for the week. While our softfall effort will take priority, there will also be a few other jobs around the yard to complete! Don’t miss the BBQ at 12 noon.
Parent Teacher Meetings
A reminder that our parent teacher interviews close on Monday morning. Parent Teacher interviews are scheduled for Tuesday 13 February. If you require an interpreter for the meeting please contact the office. Thanks to all who have sought to schedule a meeting with their classroom teachers.
Surveys have been distributed to all students. Please ensure these are returned to the classroom teacher in preparation for the meeting. I ask that parents note that these meetings are only 10 minutes. I encourage all to ensure that they adhere to the timeframes scheduled so as not to impact other families.
Readiness for School: Numeracy and Literacy
Pencil in Wednesday evening 13 March at 7:30pm. It is a chance for our Prep parents and parents from local kindergartens to join us and dive into numeracy and literacy. The evening will explore some central strategies to support children as they engage in early literacy and numeracy concepts. Further details will be made available shortly so keep an eye on Compass.
Parent Payments
As we invest in the days ahead, we are thankful to all who have completed their Parent Payments. This payment covers a range of costs detailed in the Parent Payment Policy available online. Last year many made significant contributions to the Library and Building Funds. This enabled the installation of the projector in the Chandler Hall as well as the refreshing of take home readers. These voluntary payments can be made by visiting the office or simply through QKR! Give the office a call of you wish to find out more.
Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) Reminder
A reminder that CSEF is available for eligible parents. To be eligible, parents/careers will need to hold a valid means-tested concession card or are a temporary foster parent. More information can be found here. The CSEF application form is attached below. We are more than happy to support you to complete the form or provide a hard copy. It is a great way you can be supported to meet the needs of students.
School Council Elections Announcement
At this time each year, we take a moment to thank all those who have served on the School Council over the previous year. All their voices, staff, students and teachers, have shaped and enhanced our community. This year we note a number of parents who have completed their term of two years as School Councillors. These parents are: Jane Banovac, Jacquie Arbuckle, Ange Romas, Nathan Hinks and Mark Etheridge. A number of teachers have also served over the year and should be thanked for their contribution; Bronwen Brasch, Lynda Whitechurch, Shannon Mitchell and Eleanor Kaiser. It has been a collaborative team and each contribution is greatly valued.
While we have one more meeting of our 2023 School Council on Monday next week, we have scheduled our Annual General Meeting for Monday 18 March at 7pm. This is a public meeting and all are invited to attend. It will be followed by the first meeting of the 2024 School Council.
Please find attached the Notice of Elections and Call for Nominations for our School Council and a Timeline for Elections. If you wish to nominate a member of our community or self- nominate then please contact the office to receive a Nomination or Self Nomination Form. I have also attached an information sheet that may support your considerations. Please feel free to speak with me if you would like to explore any thoughts about nominations or the role of School Council.
Consent Forms
A range of consent forms have been made available on QKR! for signing. The consent related to the use of digital technology has been circulated today in hard copy. In doing so we hope that it will be an invitation for an intentional conversation with your child on strategies and understandings of online safety. We urge you to take the time and ensure that your child has a good understanding of what to do when things go wrong online! These other important documents provide parental consent for the following; Local Excursions Annual Consent, Online Publishing Consent and the Seesaw Consent.
Please speak with the office if you would like to receive a hard copy of and or all of these documents. We will shortly distribute consent forms for those parents/carers who wish to participate in Christian or Islamic religious education.