Principal's Report
Year 2 Toy Excursion
I had the privilege of popping into the Year 2 toy incursion on Tuesday. I don’t normally reflect on our incursions in the newsletter but this one was one for the ages. The focus was toys of yesteryear.
I can tell you that the teachers were almost more immersed in the incursion than the Year 2 students, however watching the children learn about old toys (you know, the ones we played with) and how engaged and interested they were in them was brilliant. It reminded me that if we can show children the way we used some of these toys, scan a few op shops and garage sales kids these days will be engaged in this type of highly beneficial play (and perhaps have less screen time).
Road Safety Reminder
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, road safety around our school during drop off and pick up times is of incredible importance.
I continue to receive reports raising concern about the way cars are parking in no standing zones, or calling students into the slip lane to hop in the car. Everyone has a role to play during these busy times around our school to ensure all students arrive and leave school safely.
Key reminders:
- Use the school crossings to safely cross Warrandyte Rd
- Ensure students only get into cars parking in a designated parking spaces or the staffed pick up zones
- Don’t park in no standing zones or across people’s driveways and refrain from utilizing the Health and Wellbeing Centre as that parking is for their clients only.
Thanks in advance for your support in this matter.
Sibling Enrolments
As mentioned in previous newsletters, we are very keen to know what our sibling enrolments are likely to be for 2024 so we encourage you to enrol your child as soon as possible. This will assist greatly with our forward planning!
Simultaneous Story Time and Open Morning
These are some of the highlights of the year. Having parents and grandparents in classrooms enjoying some great literature and completing an activity is a wonderful thing. I got to walk around to most classrooms, and it was interesting to see the different angles each year level took with the book “The Speedy Sloth”.
I must admit I do enjoy reading it each year as I do miss being in the classroom (at times). Thanks to all parents and grandparents who came along, our teachers for preparing an activity and Mrs Soutar for organizing the event.
Student Illness
As Term 2 has progressed, we have been required to send a number of students home during the day due to illness. Viral infections, flu and Covid are slowly, but surely, working their way through our school community.
I understand that it can be difficult juggling unwell children and work commitments. However, students who are unwell before school rarely get better during the day at school. Please keep your children at home if they are unwell.
It is becoming increasingly difficult to find replacement teachers for staff who are unwell (or may have sick family members).
Every effort is made to source a Casual Relief Teacher (CRT) but at times we do need to ‘split’ a class across a year level or two. We do our best to not allow this to happen 2 days in a row however, the pool of CRT’s is not what it used to be. We often receive an email from the agency when CRT’s are no longer available for the following day.
Building and Grounds
The oval is ready to have the turf laid. However, now that our 20,000L tank has been removed we must wait another week to have the 79000L installed. The reason we need to wait is that if the truck will need access through the oval. If the turf has been laid there would be a few upset people if a truck was going to drive on it!
The Farm is coming along nicely. Most works are now completed and we have organised a clean out (with a big skip) on Tuesday. Once the cleanout is done, we will get the carpets steam cleaned and order some nice new furniture for it. Hopefully it will look 20 years younger and have many more years of LPS kids enjoying the space!
The sensory garden is also progressing nicely and will be an additional chill out space for students visiting the farm.
I look forward to having the farm and oval re-opened early in Term 3!
Reconciliation Week
This week is National Reconciliation Week (27th May – 3rd June). I had the pleasure of attending the EMC flag raising ceremony along with Mrs Humphrey, Ms Chila and Mrs Pask along with our Deadly Little Langy group. Thanks Mrs Humphrey for organising this and to EMC for their invite!
Have a great fortnight,
Mark Moorhouse