School News

Marni Naa Pudni

COVID Update

We have been fortunate by comparison to other schools that COVID hasn't had a massive impact on the day to day running of the school. 

We have had a number of classes impacted over the past two weeks but we have been able to manage effectively.  It has been great to see students returning to school over the past week and reconnect with friends and teachers.

Staffing is still a concern due to the shortage of temporary relief teachers; we have been able to cover most staff absences so far but there have been a few days where we haven't be able to source a relief teacher and we have had to use internal resources. 

We will continue to ensure that disruptions to learning is as limited as possible. We ask that parents continue to contact the school as soon as possible if their child tests positive. Thank you for your support and understanding. 

Communicating with your child about Coronavirus (COVID-19)

While the start of the school year can be a time of excitement and anxiousness; uncertainty during times of transition can be unsettling, both for children and the adults who support them. 

The return to school in 2022, within the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, has been challenging and brought about further anxieties and uncertainties for all. 

Across the country, education settings are navigating how to operate and provide a safe environment for children and educators. The broader community is also continuing to adapt to rapid changes and expectations. 

It is natural for children, parents/caregivers and families to feel a heightened sense of anxiety during these times. While sustained periods of uncertainty can have longer term mental health impacts, there are actions you can take to support children’s wellbeing. As a result, many parents and carers may be wondering about communicating with children about COVID-19 and what information to share. 

Talking 

Communicating with children about COVID-19 will help you and your children come together to make sense of how the virus is impacting on your family.

Talking can:

• Help children make sense of what they have been seeing, hearing and feeling.
• Promote hope by sharing information about the actions being taken in the community and at home to respond to COVID-19 and its implications.

The resource attached is designed to help you to prepare for these conversations.

How you feel matters

Children use the people around them to judge how safe situations are – when you feel safe and calm, so do your children. Being a calm presence in uncertain times is hard, but understanding your emotions and how they might be seen by your child is a great first step. If you are calm, you are showing your child you are there for them; they can rely on you to listen and to help them understand their emotions, thoughts and behaviour. 

All families are always welcome and encouraged to reach out to staff at LNPS if they require any support. 

Harmony Day

Harmony Day is an Australian celebration, an acknowledgement of multiculturalism in our country. It is particularly relevant to children of today, and especially to children at our school, as we continually welcome families from overseas who come to Australia to study, work and contribute to our community. It is an opportunity for children to develop an understanding of the rich social, cultural and religious diversity that we see in the world today. With so many different nationalities making up our school community, we have much to celebrate!

Schools have a key role in preparing young people for responsible citizenship and effective participation in Australia’s society. We are continuing to enhance our culture of tolerance, where harassment is not accepted, where everyone’s contribution is valued and where we can begin to understand Australia’s place in the world. This celebration is enabled through:

• Our diverse curriculum
• The way we encourage all children to identify and share their cultural heritage in the classroom
• Whole school programs

At LNPS we assist children to develop their skills by: 

• Encouraging positive social skills
• Helping children to understand harassment and how to deal with it
• Acknowledging and celebrating special events from other cultures
• Looking at our own families, our community and our country to explore our heritage

We believe that it is important for students to have a global perspective at an early age and this is key in preparing caring, nurturing and responsible adults of tomorrow.

All students will also have the opportunity to connect with their buddy class, with the purpose of:

• further establishing relationships with their peers
• building a culture of positive and respectful team work skills
• celebrating diversity, inclusiveness, being unique
• promoting a sense of belonging
• participating in a fun learning experience that might align with the arts, design and technology, cultural awareness and other languages.

It was great to see so many students wearing orange yesterday and the highly engaging and relevant learning occurring in the classrooms through out the day. 

Assembly

As everyone would understand it has been quite difficult to host an Assembly due to COVID and the weather! 

We are planning to have an Assembly on Friday 8th April (Week 10). 

The agenda will include:

• Aussies of the Month
• Graduate Speeches
• Student Ambassadors appointments

Further details to follow closer to the date.

Nagaityalya

Tyson and Mirjana