Dear mums, dads, carers and colleagues

Week 3 was another great week of learning and opportunities at school and many more lay ahead in the coming weeks.  We had a very RED day at school today and raised $1330 as we recognised Day for Daniel (Red Day).  This is an annual event and we use it to highlight personal safety for students.  

Thank you to our community and P&C for their lovely tokens of appreciation as we recognised our staff appreciation day.  Our morning tea was delicious!

Student safety and personal development programs 2020

Come along to the P&C meeting this Tuesday to meet to discuss the programs and plans we are intending to have in place in 2020 regarding personal safety for children. 

• Prep - Year 3:  Keep me safe program - Teaches personal safety in a healthy positive way.
• Year 4: Looking after my body - Begins to address changes during puberty
• Year 5&6:  My life cycle - Growing minds and bodies - Covers puberty, reproduction and body image.  The program also looks at respectful relationships, decision-making and peer pressure, media and body image and puberty.

All of these programs link directly to the Australian Curriculum.  The session starts at 5:30pm and will conclude at 6:00 for the P&C meeting to begin.  Click here to visit the True website.

Swimming starts next week (Year 2&3)

The 'Learn to Swim' programs begin next week for Years 2&3.  The Prep and Year 5 programs will commence later in the term.  Please see your child's teacher should you have any questions.

Student Free Day

While students had an opportunity to sleep in on Monday, the school staff was hard at work.  The program for the day focused on better understanding learners and we completed workshops on Pasifika and Indigenous students and their needs.  We then dived into what is called 'Deep Learning' - an approach that will be visible in our school next year.  It is very exciting.  Part of our staff also invested time developing their digital learning skills, focusing on iPads to leverage learning.  It was a great day.

Respectful driving

Please remember to drive respectfully, patiently and safely in and around the school - especially the school car park area.  Please join the queue and never try to push into the traffic line.   Quite a number of accidents happen when motorists do this. 

Public speaking

The finals of the public speaking competition at AB Paterson were held this week and the calibre was outstanding.  What out Year 5 and 6 students are capable of never ceases to amaze me.  Delivering a public speech is never easy but to deliver a polished public speaking performance is even more difficult.  Our finalists this week made it all look so easy.  Congratulations to all of them.  Details of the performance are following in this edition.

Plovers

Our resident family of plovers have had 2 little additions this week.  The parent birds are understandably very protective so we are helping by staying back from them as much as we can.  The babies are up and walking and are looking very cute.  The students are absolutely amazed to watch them - but we don't like the swooping very much.  Mind you, the plovers will not actually hurt anyone.  They will simply squawk a lot and try to scare strangers away with their swooping.  We are hopeful that the babies grow quickly and safely.

Medical alert

We have a confirmed case on chicken pox in Year 3.  If your child is unwell, please consult your doctor for advice.  If the doctor diagnoses something that other families need to know, please contact the school office.

Kind regards

Vic