Book Week:

This week we have all enjoyed celebrating Book Week 2023 – Grow, Read, Inspire!

It was great to see so many parents attend our special opening Book Week assembly on Monday morning and I really enjoyed seeing the students dressed up as a book character.

The students enjoyed the live performance of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and participating in the Book Week parade. The enthusiasm and participation was truly outstanding!

I would also like to congratulate the school band for their wonderful performance at the Book Week assembly. What a great way to open the assembly and celebrate the joy of music. If you missed it, you can go to the ARPS Facebook page to watch a play back of the live stream.

On Monday, the staff and students also participated in multi age rotation activities throughout the day and got into the true spirit of Book Week.

Book Week helps children appreciate imagination and creativity and helps children bring many cherished books to life. I am sure you will appreciate the wonderful photos in the newsletter and clearly see the enjoyment and celebration of Book Week.

I am looking forward to the special closing Book Week assembly tomorrow at 2.30pm in the hall. Parents and friends are welcome to attend Friday’s closing assembly of Book Week to see and hear about all the weekly activities and watch the live performance of 'How the Queen got her Waggle Back'.

Bringing the school community together to celebrate special events is so important and I encourage all our families to attend.

Remember, if you are unable to attend, you can go to the ARPS Facebook page to watch the live stream or a play back of the live stream at a time that suits you.

NAPLAN:

On the NAPLAN page of this newsletter, I am thrilled to share with you the exceptional results that our school has achieved this year. These results are a testament to the unwavering dedication to learning demonstrated by our incredible staff and students.

While we recognise that NAPLAN is just one measure of academic progress, it is an important milestone that highlights our collective efforts and achievements.

These results mirror the dedication by our teachers and support staff who have consistently gone above and beyond to provide a nurturing and inspiring learning environment.

It's important to note that NAPLAN scores are just a part of the larger picture of student growth and development. Our school values a holistic approach to education, emphasising not only academic excellence but also social emotional learning, critical thinking skills, and a lifelong love of learning. While NAPLAN results provide valuable data, they do not define our students' worth or potential. Instead, they serve as indicators of the progress we've made and the areas in which we can continue to improve.

As we celebrate these remarkable NAPLAN results, let's remember that they represent the collective efforts of our entire school community and the supportive partnerships we have built. Every teacher, student, parent, and staff member has played a role in reaching this milestone.

It’s a reflection of the Professional Learning Community we have built and our shared school vision which we promote and demonstrate in our daily practice.

Athol Road PS Vision

Create a vibrant learning community where lives are transformed and individuals inspired to achieve beyond what they ever believed possible.

CANTEEN:

Due to unforeseen circumstances the school canteen will be closed for the remainder of Term 3. I apologise for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience and understanding.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

Online Safety: please monitor your children at home as some children are using apps/platforms which are not age appropriate which puts the children at risk, such as, chatting with strangers online, playing violent games and watching inappropriate material.
Online Bullying: some students are engaging in online bullying, such as, making threats online, posting pictures without a person’s consent, making fun of others and writing mean comments. Once again please monitor what your children are doing online when at home.
Sleep: Please refer to the Sleep article attached with this newsletter. Students are presenting with sleep deprivation at school due to technology use before bed and developing poor sleep routines. It is important all students get enough sleep every night. Children aged 6 -13 years should be sleeping 9 - 11 hours a night.
Money: Students are not to lend or give money to each other. Please reinforce this message with your child.
School Crossing: a message to all drivers and pedestrians from the crossing supervisor :

DRIVERS - DO NOT drive through the crossing until the crossing supervisor has completely walked off and back on the footpath.

PEDESTRIANS - DO NOT walk onto the crossing until the crossing supervisor is centred with the STOP sign and blows the whistle.

Carmel Nigro

Acting Principal

Sleep Facts