It's the Principal. 

Hello everyone, 

We acknowledge all the support our families are providing their children who are working from home. Thankyou for the care and support you show each day. In this edition you will find some important tips on supporting your child at home during remote learning.

Yarrabah School has been active with students and families over recent weeks. In this edition you will read and see students engaged in:

• Science Week activities
• Book week activities including the great reading and dress up activities
• Checking in with each other both on and offsite
• Student use of new facilities and resources including the ‘Crash and Bash’ room
• Regular PMP sessions in our PMP room
• Establishment of school garden facility - welcoming our resident chooks
• Continued focus on communication and life skills

Over the next few weeks we have specific focus on:

• Well-being - RUOK week
• School transitioning parent information events

The wellbeing focus at Yarrabah School is a reflection of our ‘big heart’. Yarrabah School continually reflects on ways we can improve our support for students, their families and our staff. Next week during RUOK week, we have planned many activities and supports that focus on the wellbeing of one another.

Some of these include:

• Providing each of our staff a wellbeing pack before the curriculum day on Friday the 3rd of September
• A curriculum day focused specifically on maintaining staff wellbeing for the purposes of improving student outcomes
• The Principal will run a live event for families discussing the importance of focusing on student wellbeing at Yarrabah School
• Students and staff will run mindfulness activities each day across all sections
• Students and staff will strengthen relationships through sports and physical activity
• The Mental Health Practitioner will host a staff meeting to discuss student anxiety and stress
• A number of student led activities will focus on recognising peer and adult strengths and attributes
• Carers Victoria will provide a session for families

2022 information sessions

We are coming to the end of term three and that means many of you are beginning to wonder about next year. I am really looking forward to parents joining us for information sessions about students moving from primary to secondary school in 2022. The transition for students and families is exciting and Yarrabah would like to help our families better understand the transition process.

If your child is coming to the end of their primary years at Yarrabah and going into lower secondary next year, you are welcome to join the information session coming up.

Postponed Events

Unfortunately we have had to postpone a number of major events this term. Two of which involve senior secondary students. We hope that these events can occur next term. We will stay in touch with you about the running of the Queensland Camp and School Formal when restrictions change.

There are also a number of student camps planned for term four. We will review these camps on a case by case basis based on operation guides change.

Curriculum Day

This Friday we are running our fourth Curriculum day. The day is focussed on maintaining the wellbeing of educators to ultimately have a greater impact on student wellbeing.  Next term we will run a final curriculum day on Monday 1st of November, before cup day. This curriculum day will be for 2022 planning purposes.

Social Communication

Over the course of this term we have been trialing a new social communication program for some students in the middles. We are pleased to provide some students in the upper junior section the opportunity to be involved in this initiative next term. This program will be supported by Laura, our new speech pathologist. Unfortunately not all students will access this program this year. In the years to come it will expand and become embedded across Primary years of schooling.

Early Years Department

I am also very pleased and very excited to share news of a new school department. The Early Years Department will be led by a newly recruited leading teacher. This department will share policies, processes, curriculum delivery and instructional strategies for students in EEP, Foundation and year one. A big part of the success of this department will be the department head. We will announce that leader in the next edition of the REAL news. 

If you need additional support or guidance I welcome you to complete our online wellbeing referral form. This will notify Lauri or I of the support needed. Otherwise, feel free to contact us at school directly on 95800384 during school hours. 

Take care everyone.

Matthew Harris

Principal