Deputy Principal's Message
How wonderful to be back at Ben Venue at the start of a very exciting term! I am looking forward to the challenges and growth that Term 4 always brings.
School Attendance
We know that school is the best place to learn. Through regular attendance, your child will be able to get the most out of their learning and also work on building relationships and confidence. Schools, in partnership with parents, are responsible for promoting the regular attendance of students. On occasion, your child may need to be absent from school. Justified reasons for student absences may include:
- being sick or having an infectious disease
- having an unavoidable medical appointment
- being required to attend a recognised religious holiday
- exceptional or urgent family circumstances e.g. attending a funeral.
When your child is absent it is important you let the school know, including the reason why, on the day or the day before. This helps make sure we know where our students are and offer support for you and your family if needed.
Missing a day here or there may not seem like much but absences add up and can impact your child’s learning more than you think. When your child misses one day a week that’s 40 days of school and 8 weeks of learning in one year. Over an entire school journey this adds up to 2.5 years of lost learning.
Cyber Security Safety
October is Cyber Security Awareness Month. It is important to instill cyber-secure behaviours from an early age to help children learn how to identify cyber threats and how to mitigate them. Parents and carers play a vital role in helping children stay safe and secure online. The department has some excellent information and resources to help and support families in this area.
Cybermarvel - Cyber safe parents
The Cybermarvel program aims to build online safety awareness in primary school students, high school students, staff and families. It is a collaborative initiative of education departments around Australia that helps to build students’ cyber safety awareness and skills as well as inform parents and carers on how to keep their families safe online.
State Debating
Congratulations to Ryka Pankaj in S3P who has been chosen to represent the New England team at the Primary school state debating championship in the first week of November. The championship will be held in Sydney.
Ryka has been a diligent and engaged member of Ben Venue debating teams for the past two years. At the end of Term 3, Ryka participated in debating trials in Nemingha where a squad of debaters was selected. We wish her well on her representative journey and look forward to hearing about her experience when she returns.
Jeanenne Gale
Relieving Deputy Principal