Principal's Report

School Attendance

Further to my comment in the last newsletter on the importance attending school each day, I would like to acknowledge there are valid reasons why absences occur. Supporting a child to manage anxiety is just one such example of a challenge that can be presented to us as parents, making regular school attendance hard.

I am really proud of the way our staff go over and above to support our families with these challenges. The wellbeing of the children at our school is always our number one priority. We are lucky to have ready access to our social worker, speech therapist and occupational therapist to better support our students and their families. We also know many external agencies that can help. If getting your child to school is a challenge, please let us know and we will do all we can to support you. 

GeoGuesser Success

A former student, Oscar Pearce, is experiencing great success as a GeoGuesser. He will soon be off to complete in the World Cup in Stockholm and has featured on the news and national radio recently. Oscar is also a bit of a YouTube sensation, having recently reached over 100,000 subscribers.

Please feel free to check out the links below to find out more about Oscar and his amazing skills as a GeoGuesser. I found it fascinating. Well done, Oscar!

Adelaide man takes exploring the world to the next level using Google Street View clues

Attitudes to School Survey (AtoSS)

The AtoSS is currently underway, with our students in Years 4, 5 and 6 getting an opportunity to provide feedback to the school. This is an annual student survey offered by the Department of Education and Training to assist us to gain an understanding of students' perceptions and experience of school. The survey will be completed by the end of next week. Participation in this survey is voluntary.

National Reconciliation Week

Last week was National Reconciliation Week (Saturday 27th May to Saturday 3rd June). This year's theme 'Now More Than Ever' was a reminder to all of us that no matter what, the fight for justice and the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will —and must —continue. National Reconciliation Week is a time for Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements. 

Further information about National Reconciliation Week this year is available on the Reconciliation Australia website. https:// www.reconciliation.org.au/our-work/nationalreconciliation-week/

Parent-Teacher Conferences   

Parent-teacher conferences will be held in the second week of next term on Monday 22nd July and Tuesday 23rd July from 3.30pm-7.00pm. Booking details will be made available in a Compass alert next week. Please keep an eye out for this as our teachers would welcome the opportunity to discuss the progress of your child/children at this time.

Semester 1 Reports will be released via Compass on Thursday, 27th June.

Prep Enrolments 2025

If you have a child who will be attending Spring Gully Primary School in Prep next year, you are most welcome to enrol now. 

Prep enrolments for 2025 close on Friday, 26th July. Parents will be notified of the outcome of their application within a week of the closing date.

Mid-Year Student Reports and Student Absences / Late Arrivals

As absences are included in Student Reports, parents are asked to verify any outstanding unexplained absences/late arrivals. 

Winter Health – Beating the Bugs    

Unfortunately, a number of our staff and students have have been knocked around by illness over the last few weeks. It is just not possible to stop all bugs from spreading at school, however, a lot of illnesses can be prevented and controlled simply by practising good hygiene.

Handy hygiene tips for you and your family

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing
• Throw used tissues in plastic-lined rubbish bins
• Wash your hands with soap and water, preferably warm water if available
• Reduce the spread of germs by avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth

Further information on influenza is available at the Better Health Channel (https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au).

What can you do to prevent the spread of infectious diseases?

The three main ways of preventing the spread of infection are:

1. Remind your child of effective hygiene methods.

2. Keep your child home when they are unwell. Your doctor will let you know if your child has an 'excludable' condition. You will need to advise the school as soon as possible and keep your child home for the length of time that your doctor advises. 

3. Ensure your child's immunisations are up to date. Do you know when you should keep your child home from school?

The Department of Health and Human Services outline the minimum period of exclusion from school for various infectious diseases. To find out more about the minimum period of exclusion for infectious diseases, search online for: School Exclusion Table.

End of Term 2 – Early School Finish and Assembly

Term 2 will conclude at 2.15pm on Friday, 28th June.  Please make appropriate arrangements for the safe collection of your child/ren due to the earlier dismissal time.  

There will be a brief assembly at 2.00pm in the Hub.

Bus Travellers – End of Term Pick UpEnd of Term 2 – Early School Finish and Assembly

The school bus will be collecting our students an hour earlier than normal on the last day of term.  This means that the bus is scheduled to arrive at our school at approximately 2.45pm on Friday, 28th June.