Message from the Principal Team
Week 2 Term 3
Parent/Carer-Teacher Interviews
We would like to thank all our teachers for their hard work in preparing for and conducting the parent-teacher interviews this week. These meetings are a crucial part of our commitment to developing strong partnerships between home and school, and we greatly appreciate the time and effort our teachers put into making them successful.
Parent-teacher interviews are invaluable for several reasons. They provide an opportunity for parents to gain insights into their child's academic progress, strengths, and areas for improvement. These conversations allow teachers to share personalised strategies to support each student's learning and address any concerns or questions parents might have.
The positive impact of parent-teacher interviews on student learning outcomes cannot be overstated. When parents and teachers collaborate effectively, students benefit from a consistent and supportive learning environment both at school and at home. This partnership helps to reinforce the importance of education, encourages students to strive for their best, and ensures that they have the necessary resources and support to succeed.
NAIDOC Week Celebrations: A Visit from Craig Holloway
On Tuesday, we continued our NAIDOC Week celebrations with a special visit from Craig Holloway of the Yorta Yorta Nation. Craig engaged with all our year levels in sessions throughout the day, sharing his rich cultural heritage and knowledge. For our Foundation students, Craig spoke about living on Country, totems, and traditional methods of catching food, including emus, eels, fish, and ducks. The students learned that Yorta Yorta is where the river runs, referring to the Murray River. They were also captivated by a short movie about Bunjil the Eagle and his flight to the stars.
Students from other year levels also thoroughly enjoyed Craig’s stories and engaging antics. He is an exceptional orator and his visit was both educational and entertaining. Craig is always welcome back to CNPS, and we look forward to future opportunities to learn from him.
A special thank you to Kylie (Jethro and Baxter’s Mum) for arranging Craig’s visit and to Marnie (Charlee and Alia’s Mum) for attending and supporting the sessions.
Curriculum Day (Student Free Day)
We are excited to share the highlights from our Curriculum Day held yesterday. Our classroom teachers participated in an introductory training session to explore a new online platform, Elastik, designed to improve outcomes for students by supporting teachers with tech that analyses assessment data to identify student learning gaps.
During the training, our teachers were introduced to the various features of Elastik, including its dashboard, data analytics, and personalised learning plans. The hands-on session allowed teachers to navigate the platform, explore its functionalities, and understand how to integrate it into their daily teaching practices effectively.
Our classroom teachers also examined new data spreadsheets recently developed by Kara, Brendan, Billy and Erin.
All staff attended tiered intervention sessions with our school’s Inclusion Outreach Coach, Ashlee Hassell. Staff considered instructional practices/interventions and how they fit within a tiered instructional/intervention model at CNPS.
Reminder: Mobile Phones and Wearable Devices Policy
We would like to remind everyone that the Department of Education has implemented a mobile phone ban requiring students to have their mobile phones switched off and securely put away during school hours. At CNPS this ban includes wearable devices.
The purpose of this ban is to ensure that our school remains a learning environment free from unnecessary distractions and disruptions. By keeping mobile phones away during recess and lunch times, we encourage students to interact face-to-face, fostering better social connections without the distractions and social pressures that mobile phones can cause.
We ask for the support of all our families, staff, and students in continuing to uphold and implement this policy at our school. Together, we can create a focused and engaging learning environment for all.
Students and Tik Tok
We have recently observed a few TikTok trends emerging among our students. The latest trend is extremely offensive and discriminatory against the LGBTQIA+ community. We want to reaffirm that inclusion is one of our core values at CNPS, and we do not tolerate any form of discrimination within our school community.
It is important to note that none of our students should be accessing the TikTok app, as it is intended for users aged 13 years and over. Video-sharing apps like TikTok and Instagram typically promote users to share videos with little or no moderation, allowing potentially harmful videos to spread very quickly.
We ask all parents and carers to please ensure that your children are not accessing TikTok. Additionally, please be vigilant about any potential discriminatory viral trends that may be being replicated by our children.
By working together, we can foster a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all our students. Thank you for your cooperation and support.
Staff News
Carlye and Chris will be continuing to teach at CNPS for the remainder of 2024. They are no longer travelling abroad to teach. Both Carlye and Chris are excellent teachers, and their presence ensures continuity and stability for our students.
Year 3/4 Camp
Wishing all of our Year 3/4 Campers a safe camp next week as they head off to Phillip Island Adventure Resort. We look forward to hearing all about your adventures in particular we want to hear all about the Penguin Parade!