PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

End of Term Reflection

As Term 2 is drawing to a close, we look back at some of the highlights from the last 10 weeks which include but are not limited to:

• The creation of a 6th Year 3/4 class to cater for student enrolment growth.
• Moving our newsletter to a digital platform.
• The Year 5/6 Costumed School 2-day program.
• The Lucas Primary School P-6 Cross Country event.
• Teams battling it out in the Winter Sports competitions, including soccer, netball and AFL.
• The Sturt District Athletics and Zone Cross Country Events.
• Our student leaders attended the GRIP Leadership Conference at Federation University.
• The Parent Helpers Course was conducted to encourage parents, carers and extended family members into the classroom as reading support.
• A range of incursions and excursions were conducted, including the Year 5/6 police information visit, the Year 1/2 Art Gallery excursion and the Prep’s very first excursion to visit some features of the Lucas community.
• We celebrated ANZAC Day with our school leaders marching in the Ballarat parade, our school ceremony around the Gallipoli Oak and the creation of 500 poppies for the Lucas Art Installation.
• We won the Begonia Festival Art prize with a wonderful painting of the Blue Tongue Lizard.
• The expansion of a Hands-On Learning program to support student engagement.
• The continuing focus on our House meetings and Tomodachi sessions to bring focus to the importance of building multi-aged connections across the school.
• We organised for two shipping containers to be placed on site to assist with our storage issues until a more permanent shed can be erected.
• The Grade 3/4 Camp to Cave Hill Creek.
• We welcomed 30 new students and 3 new staff to the Lucas Primary School family.

All of this on top of maintaining our high standards of teaching and learning. I am sure you will agree that our teaching and support staff have done a wonderful job this term, once again!

As this is the final newsletter of the term, we wish all students and their families a well-earned rest over the holiday period and we look forward to another action-packed term of learning, starting on Monday July 15.

End of Term Organisation

The last week of term brings about a number of adjustments to our normal program. Please ensure these are in your diaries.

Tuesday June 25 - Early finish at 1.30pm for 3 Way Conversations

Friday June 28 - Final assembly of the term in the gym starting at 12.45pm.

Friday June 28 - Last day of term. Early finish at 1.30pm.

Mid Year Report, Portfolios and Individual Education Plans

This Friday June 21, there are a number of important documents to keep an eye out for after school. 

• Mid-Year Student Report - On Friday afternoon, your child’s Midyear Report will be made available on Compass. Please keep an eye out for a notification alerting everyone to these becoming available.
• Portfolio - your child will bring home their portfolio of work from the semester. This is a wonderful opportunity to allow your child to explain some of the learning that has taken place this year.
• Individual Education Plan (IEP) - For some students there will be a hard copy of an IEP included in the portfolio. This will provide a review of the goals that the students have been working towards this semester. Parents of students with IEPs will be well aware of this document.

3 Way Conversations and Parent Teacher Interviews

Next week allows us to formally celebrate the learning journey of all students via our 3 Way Conversations. During these conversations, students will lead their teachers and parents through some highlights and struggles they have experienced this semester.

The 3 Way Conversation sessions will also be an opportune time to discuss the midyear report and showcase some student work samples. The students have been working hard to prepare for this moment and we appreciate all those who have been able to book a time.

Bookings for 3 Way Conversations and the Specialist Parent Teacher Interviews are open on Compass until Monday June 25. 

Please note that on Tuesday June 26 students finish at 1.30pm in order to allow interviews to take place.

To assist with preparing for the 3 Way Conversations, the following advice is provided for parents and carers.

Yarning Circle

Over the weekend our Yarning Circle was installed in the area north of the Specialist Pavillion. This idea has grown from a Koorie Champion meeting with our Aboriginal families. A grant was awarded to the school to assist with building a culturally aware environment. We also teamed up with Integra to have some local rocks delivered onsite for the seating. We look forward to the design being further developed over the years.

A Yarning Circle is a place to talk, share, discuss, educate and have a yarn together; a place to build respectful relationships and a space to enrich students’ learning experiences.

We look forward to having this space available to students in Term 3.

Year 3/4 Camp

This week we said farewell to our Year 3/4 students who set off on their first 2-day camping experience with Lucas Primary School. The students were very excited as they went through their pre-trip organisation before loading the bus and heading off to Cave Hill Creek, just near Beaufort.

The camp is split into two separate camps with 3/4 A, D and F attending Monday - Wednesday and 3/4 B, C and E attending Wednesday - Friday. The camp is an opportunity for the students to form connections outside of the school setting, hone their independence skills and to build teamwork skills as they participate in a variety of activities.

We look forward to hearing about all their adventures at the final assembly of the term.

Lost Property

Our lost property is overflowing at the moment. If your child is missing an item, please ask them to have a look at lost property. Parents are advised to come and have a look for themselves. Lost property is located in the administration building.

Next week, we will put the table of lost property outside the admin building in the morning and afternoon for you to see if you recognise anything. Any unnamed lost property that is not collected by the last day of term will be donated to our second-hand uniform sale or to charity.

Fundraiser - Movie- Inside Out 2

Our fundraiser for Term 2 is a special screening especially for Lucas Primary School students and their families of Inside Out 2. 

This movie enters the mind of newly minted teenager Riley just as headquarters is undergoing a sudden demolition to make room for something entirely unexpected: new Emotions! 

Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust, who’ve long been running a successful operation by all accounts, aren’t sure how to feel when Anxiety shows up. And it looks like she’s not alone. 

PLEASE NOTE: This event is not supervised by the school therefore adult supervision will be required on the day. If you could please ensure that you have purchased a ticket for an accompanying adult as well. 

Tickets are available on QuickCliq - Events at a cost of $18

Please ensure you put your child/s name in the notes when buying your tickets as all tickets will be handed out to students prior to the event.

All proceeds will go towards our outdoor learning centre and kitchen garden.