Leadership

Term 2 wrap up

Here we are in the middle of the year, and we are still recovering from the Covid pandemic. It certainly has been a term! The kids, staff and parents have been magnificent with maintaining a very positive outlook this term. We can see how much the students really enjoy being at school with their friends and teachers.

Finishing off the term with a week of cultural activities delivered in Spanish has really been a highlight for the kids and you can see how pumped they are learning songs, culture and of course practising their Spanish.

Last week we sent out student reports and held interviews on the Friday, which also extended into this week after school. For this midyear we changed the format so parents could speak with the child’s English and Spanish teachers. The feedback has been very positive both from the teachers and parents. We will continue this for the 2023 school year.

On Sunday afternoon Sonya and I were attendees at the Grand Hyatt as part of the DET recognition of 40 years of service. It was a wonderful afternoon and I know that Sonya really appreciated the recognition of her dedicated service to the many families and students that were part of Newlands and other schools Sonya taught at during those forty years. Thank you, Sonya.

School Student Leaders Lunch

On Wednesday Luke and I joined the students at Degani’s for a thank you lunch. These students have been instrumental in supporting the 2023 information tours for perspective parents in terms 1 and 2. As a school we have engaged the students into these tours for several years, and the students have both grown in confidence and developed their public speaking skills.

Farewell Imogen

This week has been Imogen’s [2/3 class] last week teaching with Isabelle and at Newlands Primary School. It has not been an easy decision for Imogen, but she feels she needs to look after herself, and the best way to do that is not to be a teacher for a bit. We wish her all the best and hope she may come back and join us at Newlands sometime in the future.

Imogen will be replaced for the remainder of the year by Rebecca, who has been working with the children during Imogen’s absence. Welcome aboard Rebecca and thank you for accepting the position for the remainder of 2022.

NAIDOC WEEK – Term three

The first week of term three Newlands will be engaging the students many activities marking NAIDOC week. Included in these activities and events will be a smoking ceremony, and performance by an aboriginal dance group. The Newlands PFA and the school will be funding most the costs involved, but we are asking that families pay $5 per child to support the week’s celebrations.  

Assembly moved to Friday 

This term our usual weekly assemblies have not happened as we had hoped; weather, Covid you name it. Like family’s schools are incredibly time poor, and teachers want more time with their students than it is possible to create. We are revamping our school assemblies with a new format beginning Term 3. Assemblies will now be held on Friday at 3.00pm and will be based on a 3 week rotation. The staff have agreed and see the move of the assembly to the last hour slot on a Friday a positive one for the students. 

Enjoy the break

In closing I would like to thank the staff for their professionalism and doing their best to keep their classroom programs on track even when they were not feeling at the top of their game. To the students it has been wonderful to see so many happy kids in the classrooms or outside in each other’s company just playing, like kids should do at a primary school. To the parents it’s been a big term and your patience and support to the school and staff has been much appreciated.