Dear Families,

Miss McCoy and I have just completed a 6-week course in Mindfulness facilitated by the Smiling Minds Program. Currently classes across the school are using meditation sessions when students return to the class after a break. The impact on the children is impressive. Research has shown us that practising mindfulness strengthens areas of the brain that control ‘executive function’ such as the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and amygdala. For this reason, mindfulness leads to better attention, memory, regulation of emotions and self-awareness. In turn, improvements in these areas can lead to reduced stress, anxiety and depression, and better academic skills, social skills and self-esteem. The Smiling Minds app can be downloaded for free.

Once in the app, if you select Explore at the bottom of the screen you will find a range of meditations suitable for adults, children, classrooms etc. I have a granddaughter who finds her mind races at night when she is in bed. In the Kids section I have been using the Sleep for Kids program with great success.

As we continue to implement the program across the school, we will keep you updated on our progress. I have included a link below if you would like to find out more about the program.

https://youtu.be/MkzwIP-ZMPk

WONDERFUL DISPLAYS

How lovely it is once again to see our school filled with displays of children’s work. Children have been exploring a range of techniques.

SCHOOL COUNCIL AGM

We will hold our AGM on Monday 28th March at 6.30pm where the Annual Report will be presented. This will be followed by our first meeting of the newly formed Council. Refreshments and a light meal will be provided.

We would like to sincerely thank our retiring members Emily Crawford, Michael Evans and Meaghan South. These members have made extremely positive contributions to our school community, and we thank them for their commitment.

I am pleased to announce that Mark Turner will stay on as a member of the Land Acquisition Subcommittee along with Kevin Moran and myself.

Congratulations to the new members who are joining our Council. It is fantastic to have such an enthusiastic group coming onboard, they include Jon Calvert, Ashlee Clowes, Tayhlah Sammut, Shae Stewart, Carly Tuhan and Justin Young.

NAPLAN

This week we have been preparing for the transition to online NAPLAN in May. Today students in Grades 3 and 5 will participate in a practice session. Hopefully our internet capabilities will be up to the challenge.

TOOLAMBA ATHLETICS

Our Toolamba Athletics will be held next Friday on the Community Oval. Parents are welcome to attend. P & F have organised a coffee van for the day. Students are asked to wear a t-shirt in their house colours. Bayunga is red, Goulburn blue and Hovell white. Students will assemble in the amphitheatre at 9.10 am.

P & F ACTIVITIES

P & F had their AGM on Monday night. Congratulations to Keira who has taken on the dual role of President and Secretary and Amanda who will continue as Treasurer. Your efforts are certainly appreciated. Parents and Friends have two projects on the go at the moment, firstly the Easter Raffle and then the Mother’s Day Stall in week 2 of Term 2. Donations for both activities would be greatly appreciated. Funds raised from the Easter Raffle will go towards some furniture for our new outdoor learning space which will be built shortly. It will be an area at the end of the Central Learning Street.

CHOOKS

We are seeking a donation of chooks for our pen. Preferably familiar with each other and we are hoping for five. Please contact the office if you can help.

COVIDSafe MEASURES

As you are aware, several of the schools in our area have had COVID cases. Keeping our school community as safe as possible is a focus currently. Our strategies are:

Vaccination
Ventilation - We can open the louvre windows in the classroom and the upper windows in the central learning street and in other rooms the windows with screens. Purifiers are installed in areas where there is less ventilation.
Vital COVIDSafe steps
1. Social Distancing
2. Face masks for Grades 3-6 are now compulsory unless there is a medical exemption and highly recommended for F-2. (Supplied by parents)
3. Hygiene and testing, sanitising and washing hands at key points throughout the day, if a child or adult displays any cold or flu like symptoms, they are not to attend school.

In Victorian government schools, parents, carers and other adult visitors (excluding students who visit a school to complete a secondary school subject) who enter school buildings must be able to show evidence of two doses of COVID-19 vaccine or have a valid medical exception.

The following limited exceptions also apply:

when attending to administer medical treatment to their own child when the treatment cannot be administered by the school
when attending to collect their child who is unwell and cannot leave the school building unaccompanied by their parent/carer
when attending for a momentary period that does not involve any sustained contact with staff or students, for example, to collect a completed art project, collecting a packet of rapid antigen tests or similar.

Have a great weekend,

Regards Heather

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