St Edward's Primary School, Tamworth

Principal Reflections

Dear Parents and Carers,

 

Welcome back everyone! I hope you all had a restful and enjoyable holiday break. As we begin this new term, I look forward to embracing the opportunities ahead with enthusiasm and dedication. Here's to a fantastic and productive Term 3!

School Building Works- Infants

While the children have been recharging in readiness for a busy term, we have been getting ready with a number of improvements at the Infants Campus. All classrooms have been fitted with reverse cycle air conditioning which will support all learning spaces to continue to be calm and productive. The school has also had a number of accessibility features added. These include a ramp to the Kindergarten classrooms, an entrance from the hall to the library and an accessible bathroom opposite the hall entrance. These will continue to be in the construction phase during Term 3, with handover anticipated early in Term 4. 

Attendance 

Education is important and regular attendance at school is essential for your child to achieve their educational best and increase their career and life opportunities. When your child attends school every day, they develop routines and learning becomes easier as they are able to build on what was learned the day before. Did you know that just one day missed per fortnight equates to one whole year over a child's school life?

 

At St Ed's classes start at 8:45am, so students should arrive at least ten minutes prior to this to ensure they have time to put their bags away and greet their friends. Arriving after the bell disrupts the flow of the class, and important daily reminders and learning opportunities are missed. Across our school we commence the 'English Block' at 9.00am.

 

Schools, in partnerships with families, are responsible for promoting the regular attendance of students and for ensuring that non-attendance is addressed effectively. Thank you for prioritising your children’s attendance at school and please do not hesitate to contact us if your require support in this area. Please also see the attached note that details some answers to commonly asked questions from parents.

ACS Attendance Matters.pdf

Social Media

In today's digital age, ensuring your child's online safety is more crucial than ever. The internet offers a wealth of educational resources and opportunities for social connection, but it also poses significant risks, including exposure to inappropriate content, cyberbullying and online predators. 

 

As parents, it is our responsibility to guide and protect our children in this vast digital landscape. By actively monitoring their online activities, setting clear rules and boundaries and educating them about the potential dangers, we can help create a safer online environment for them to explore and learn. Engaging in open conversations about their online experiences and encouraging them to come to us with any concerns can foster trust and awareness, empowering our children to navigate the internet safely and responsibly. 

 

One of the great concerns we all share is that students of primary school age do not have the maturity to fully understand the wide range of issues and the implications that come with the use of social media. It is important that parents are aware of such implications, so I have attached some examples in the links below:

St Edward's School has no control over children accessing these sites at home, nor takes any responsibility for the way the children are communicating while away from school. The school will continue to provide education to students and parents through visits from Police Liaison Officers and links to online webinars for parents. This term we have engaged with Real Talk to support us with up to date information to support teaching and learning in our classrooms. Please continue to be diligent and ensure that your child is being safe online. 

 

We suggest that you thoroughly check your child’s devices and please make some well informed decisions about your child's use of social media. Please use the links below to guide you in accessing up to date information on how best to support your child in being safe online.

 

RESOURCES

 

Until next week,

Keep smiling,

Alison Hatton