Newlands Fortnightly

Library News

Story Box Library

Just a reminder that you can access this from home:

https://storyboxlibrary.com.au/

Username: Newlands

Password: Library2020

We have free access to Story Box until mid-June so please encourage your kids to have a look at it. You can filter the stories by age range, theme, author or story teller. So have at it. There has been more than 50 views since last Friday and the most popular book so far is Cat and Dog by Jonathan Bentley, read by Arthur McBain.

Free Succulents for you...

Friends, are you in the need of a good succulent? Is your garden crying out for a Crassula Justus Corderoy Variegata or an Aeonium castello-paivae? I know mine is... and that's why here at Newlands Primary School we are offering you all of our succulents at 100% off prices! That's right, from now until Monday, all those super succulents you know and love just outside the office stairs are up for grabs, free! Bring a shovel, a pair of gloves (not the Covid-19 variety but sturdy garden gloves) and a good attitude and many of these treasures can be yours! But only until Monday! A slice of Newlands history living in your backyard right near the petunias! We are open until around 4.00 on Monday (including the weekend) for you to dig - after that, they will be retired to the home for old succulents.  

Why you ask. Well a number of entrance points are being upgraded so those in the community who need a ramp to access the school will be able to do so. To install the ramp for the main entrance does require the removal of the garden bed. 

I have to run - gotta get to Newlands for a Dioscorea elephantipes! 

Student Wellbeing

Managing Home Learning: Here are some tips and ideas to help you during this time of home learning.

1. Focus on what you can do:

Significant events that are largely outside our control, like the spread of COVID-19 or a school closure, can create a lot of anxiety in both children and adults. 

Give kids responsibility for tasks at home to help make them feel more in control.

When there is any kind of uncertainty and confusion, it’s important to focus on the things we can do as this can help to allay some anxieties.

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Give children responsibility for tasks at home like helping care for a sibling, looking after a pet, keeping their room tidy or assisting with meals which helps to focus attention on what can be done.

2. Establish a daily routine:

Support your child to maintain a routine while at home. This will look different depending on the age of your child – for example, older children are more likely to adhere to a timetabled school day.

Irrespective of age, keeping your child to a routine schedule will create predictability and reduce anxiety.

Ensure that the daily schedule includes a balance of academic, creative, physical and social activities with clear expectations for wake-up and bedtimes.

3. Stay connected

While social distancing is vital, staying in touch with friends is also important for all children.

Providing opportunities to interact socially with family and peers will help children maintain connections and boost their mood.

4. Stay active

Our kids spend a lot of time moving around at school, so it’s important to ensure that they are still engaging in activities they enjoy while they’re at home.

If it’s practical, spend some time outside riding, jogging or walking.

Take the opportunity to do something together, whether it be playing board games, or working on a project in the house or garden.

5. Handling anxiety

Parents and carers must make particularly sure to listen to children and hear their concerns about what is happening around them.

It’s important to provide them with age-appropriate information that is based on the facts. For example, for younger children keep answers simple, “sometimes people wear masks when they are sick so others don’t catch it”.

Remember that children will take a lead from adults about how to behave in difficult situations, maintaining a sense of calm will help children cope.

It is also equally important to look after yourself as a parent or carer; keep an eye on your sleeping, eat well, spend time doing activities you enjoy and look into relaxation and mindfulness techniques to help maintain your calm (something you will need with potentially bored kids at home).

You may find article created by Distance Education Victoria useful:

https://childmind.org/article/what-to-do-and-not-do-when-children-are-anxious/#.WNqu07YJJA5.twitter

Reference: Dr Chelsea Hyde

Educational Psychologist, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne 

SEESAW Information

Some families have communicated that their activities are building up on their child’s SeeSaw account. These activities can be moved into your child’s journal by completing the following steps.

1. Open up an activity
2. Press Response to the activity
3. Click draft (Please note: some activities you may have to add text to create a draft option)

This will remove the activity and now can be found in your child’s journal which can be accessed at a later date.

ANZAC Day

Australians will gather in spirit to commemorate Anzac Day this year rather than at dawn memorials, on beaches or shoulder-to-shoulder at marches and in crowds.

Gatherings have been canceled nationwide due to restrictions enforced as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

But that doesn’t mean we won’t be together.

The Returned and Services League is encouraging Aussies to “light up the dawn” and pledge to stand in their driveways, on balconies or in living rooms this Saturday morning with candles, torches or mobile phones in hand.

Please upload a photo of your family to SeeSaw so that we can make a school video of what we did for Anzac Day.