Some words from the Principal

Thankyou so much to the families that were able to come in during Education Week Open afternoon last week.  It was lovely to walk around and see children proudly showing their parents their classroom and work they are proud of.  A focus of the last few years has been voice and agency for students around their learning goals.  It is important for students to be able (with teacher guidance) to identify goals and articulate how they will develop these skills.   Education Week open afternoon was another opportunity for them to articulate their learning growth. This is also great practice for the upcoming Student Led Conferences on Tuesday 25th June and Wednesday 26th June.  More information will be shared with families in the lead up to these as parents also play an important role.  We are very excited to be able to continue to enhance our practices at Karoo by introducing Student Led Conferences.  

Education Support Day 16th May 

On Thursday 16th May we celebrated the hard work and achievements of our fabulous Education Support (ES) team. Our ES team are the backbone of the school and are made up of administration, integration, wellbeing, OSHC and in class support staff. Their wide ranging abilities and skills help to ensure that our school can function so productively and positively. We are extremely grateful for their dedication to everything they all do and how much they support and contribute to the success of Karoo PS. If you see an ES staff member around, don't ever hesitate to say thank you! 

Year 3 and 4 Concert - Dancing through the Decades  (Wed 5th June)

Yesterday our Year 3 and 4 students had a fabulous session with a dance incursion (Active Arts Education) that the teachers sourced for Karoo.  Students learnt their finale dance "Time Warp" and are getting ready for the big night on 5th June.   

Sorry Day - Sunday May 26th 

National Sorry Day is held on the 26th May each year to remember and recognise all those who were affected by the ‘Stolen Generation’.  This day gives people the chance to come together and share the steps towards healing for the Stolen Generations, their families and communities. 

What is reconciliation in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples? 

At its heart, reconciliation is about strengthening relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous peoples, for the benefit of all Australians. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Australia’s colonial history is characterised by devastating land dispossession, violence, and racism. Over the last half century, however, many significant steps towards reconciliation have been taken. Reconciliation is an ongoing journey that reminds us that while generations of Australians have fought hard for meaningful change, future gains are likely to take just as much, if not more, effort.  

Reconciliation Australia

This afternoon our students have been reflecting on the importance of this day and acknowledged the events that took place during this time in our History.

PEPS - Raising Children in a Digital World 

Last week we had our parent/carer online safety webinar hosted by founder and educator, Martin McGauran and psychologist, Carley McGauran. One of their key messages was how we can be mentor parents and have those early important, age-appropriate conversations with our kids. Here’s 3 things Carley advised to tell your child today:

1. I can help you sort any problem. 
2. I will love you and support you no matter what has happened.
3. I will not take your device off you if you come to me with a problem.

 If you didn’t get the chance to tune in, please find more info and resources below. 

https://www.informandempower.com.au/parents

• Replay (available for 30 days) - To access the webinar replay, the password is informempower
• Toolkit (slides, links & resources from the session) 
• Blog posts 
• Printable family poster

Sports Shirts

I was very disappointed and concerned to see some students wearing the new shirts with some pulling / runs in them after only a couple of washes.  I have contacted KLAD to discuss the quality of the shirts and they have offered families to replace any damaged shirts.  They are also following up with the manufacturer to discuss the quality of the batch.  Please take any shirts into the store for a replacement if you have one with poor quality. 

Curriculum Day

A reminder that our Curriculum Day for Term 2 is Friday 7th June. There will be no school for students on this day. OSHC will be available for those who have booked in.

Have a wonderful weekend, 

Regards,

Danielle Heatley

Principal