Deputy Principal's Report
Term 3 has certainly started with a bang! From our Whole School Athletics Carnival, Grandparents and Special Friends Morning, 100 Days of Prep celebrations, Junior Hoop Time, Aero Aerobics, and our upcoming Little Long Walk tomorrow. It has been wonderful to see our school community come together in so many special ways. Thank you to our dedicated staff, supportive families, and wider community for the encouragement, time, and commitment you continue to show in making these events such memorable experiences for our students.
Whole School Athletics Carnival
Our Whole School Athletics Carnival, that was held on Friday of Week 1, was a wonderful day filled with participation, encouragement, and school spirit. We extend our sincere thanks to all of the volunteers who generously gave their time to support the smooth running of the day and ensure our students had such a positive experience. A special thank you to Mrs Tania Thompson for her outstanding organisation and coordination of the event. We greatly appreciate the time, effort, and dedication that went into preparing such a successful day for our students and school community.
Grandparent's and Special Friends Morning
Last Thursday, we welcomed our grandparents and special friends into our school for our annual Grandparents and Special Friends Morning. It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces, as well as new visitors, joining us for this special celebration of connection and community. The morning is highly valued by many within our school community, with some families travelling from near and far to be part of this meaningful occasion. We sincerely thank all of our families for the time, effort, and commitment that went into attending and to our wonderful Year 6 families for putting on a wonderful morning tea for all our Grandparents and special friends.
A special thank you also goes to our classroom teachers for creating such warm, welcoming, and engaging learning spaces, and for their positivity and support in hosting our special guests.
Social Emotional Learning - Respect
Over the past few weeks, our students have been focusing on respect (our PBL whole school focus). The students have explored what it looks like, sounds like, and feels like, both in the classroom and on the playground. Another key area that we want to encourage the value of respect is in the way we treat one another online. We’ve been talking about kindness as a daily habit, not just something we switch on when things go wrong. A big part of this has included reminding students that the same expectations apply in digital spaces: messages, group chats, gaming platforms, and social media.
To support this learning at home, here are a few simple ways families can help children navigate online interactions respectfully:
• Set clear expectations: Talk about what respectful communication looks like online. Keep it short, simple, and consistent.
• Check in regularly : Ask your child who they’re interacting with and how those interactions feel. A quick daily chat goes a long way.
• Keep devices in shared spaces: This helps children make thoughtful choices and gives adults natural opportunities to supervise.
• Model kindness: Children learn from what they see. Showing calm, respectful communication, online and offline, sets a powerful example.
• Use age‑appropriate privacy settings: Ensuring accounts and chats are secure helps children feel safe and reduces exposure to negative interactions.
It is understandable that technology seems overwhelming to monitor with our kids. If you feel like this and need some help in what to do, we are more than happy to work through it together with you so that everyone is feeling safe and happy online and in the real world. There are also plenty of learning opportunities parents can sign up to, including some upcoming webinars Michelle has shared with you in her newsletter piece this week.
Thank you for your ongoing support,
Peggy McDonald & Laura Zeeng