Ms Brea Terris
Dear Families,
Where has this term gone? It’s hard to believe we are already halfway through! We have been incredibly impressed with how well our students have settled into school and the enthusiasm they have shown towards their learning.
Thank you to everyone for their support this week with having to move offsite. This is a wider issue in the community. An email will come out later today about the rest of the week.
There are many exciting opportunities and events coming up in the second half of the term, and we look forward to sharing these experiences with our students.
e held our Student–Parent–Teacher Chats, providing a valuable opportunity for families and teachers to connect and share insights to support each child’s learning journey this year. It was lovely to see so many families in the classrooms and to hear such positive feedback about how the year has begun — all signs point to a great start.
We would also like to sincerely thank our classroom teachers for the time, preparation and care they put into these meetings. Their ongoing dedication to our students and school community is truly appreciated.
NAPLAN
Students in Years 3 and 5 will take part in NAPLAN from Wednesday 11 March to Monday 23 March (including catch-up days for any students who are absent).
What is NAPLAN?
NAPLAN (National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy) assesses the reading, writing, spelling, grammar and numeracy skills students are learning at school.
The results give families an idea of how their child is progressing against national standards. The results also help us review and strengthen our teaching and learning programs.
How will the tests work?
- Most tests will be completed online.
- The Year 3 Writing test will be paper-based.
- The online tests are adaptive, which means the questions may become easier or harder depending on how students answer.
This helps provide a more accurate picture of each child’s learning. If your child finds some questions challenging, that may simply mean they are working through more complex questions — this is completely okay.
A student’s final result is based on both the number of questions answered correctly and the level of difficulty of those questions.
Supporting All Students
NAPLAN is completed by students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 across Australia. Adjustments can be made for students who need additional support. In very rare cases, exemptions may be granted.
If you would like to discuss your child’s needs, please contact their classroom teacher.
Supporting Your Child During NAPLAN
It’s normal for some students to feel nervous. Please remind your child that NAPLAN is just one small snapshot of their learning — it does not define them.
At school, we focus on keeping students calm and confident. Teachers will:
- Remind students that this is just another learning activity
- Practise question styles so there are no surprises
- Encourage effort, not perfection
- Keep normal routines as much as possible
At home, you can help by:
- Focusing on effort rather than scores
- Keeping regular bedtime routines
- Providing healthy meals and plenty of water
- Allowing time for play and relaxation
- Avoiding comparisons with siblings or friends
If your child is feeling particularly worried, please reach out to their teacher. We are here to work together to support every student.
Pre-Service Teachers
We’re proud to continue our partnership with Monash University and CEP, and this term we’ve had the pleasure of hosting three pre-service teachers as part of a wider placement group across the Swan Hill area. It has been wonderful to welcome fresh faces into our classrooms and to support the next generation of educators as they build their skills and confidence. Our students and staff have really enjoyed working with them, and we thank them for the enthusiasm and care they’ve brought to our school. We wish Will, Mia and Naba all the very best in their future endeavours and look forward to seeing where their teaching journeys take them.
If Your Child Is Unwell, Please Keep Them Home.
As we head through the term, we’re seeing the usual coughs, colds and tummy bugs pop up.
To help keep everyone as healthy as possible, we kindly ask that you keep your child at home if they are unwell. As a reminder, if your child has gastro symptoms (vomiting or diarrhoea), they must remain at home for 48 hours after their last episode before returning to school.
School Council
If you are interested in joining our School Council, I encourage you to Tim Dunstan or I for a conversation about what the role involves. Nominations for School Council will be open next Wednesday. These will be sent home to all families.
2027 Enrolments
If you know of any families who would like a tour of the school, please encourage them to contact the office.
Look out for our 2027 enrolment information!
Thank you to our families who are getting the good word out in the community about our school. 'Word of mouth' is the most powerful form of advertising and consequently, we are fielding many enquiries about our school.
Duty of Care
Families are reminded that teachers are on duty before school from 8.30am-8.50am and after school from 3.20pm until 3.30pm. Children should not be unattended in the school grounds before or after these times. Thank you for your support and co-operation with this.
Have a lovely weekend.
Kind Regards
Brea