Alawa Primary School Newsletter

Wow, can you believe it is Week 7 already? Our annual Community concert and family fun night is only a few sleeps away. Our students and staff as well as our parent organizing group are super excited to be bringing to you all  - 'We are One' - an opportunity for us to embrace and celebrate the cultural diversity and richness in the Alawa School Community.

A few reminders to ensure we all make this a safe and respectful event for all:

• If you are unsure as to what you child is asked to wear - just check out the list further below in the newsletter
• From 6pm students will be asked to join their teachers in their rooms and then stay with their classes till the last item of the concert
• Food and drinks are for sale - cash free - please purchase tickets in advance through the front office or at one of the 3 ticket booths on the night
• Gates open at 5pm
• Older siblings are expected to adhere to the Alawa School values and stay with families, not roam around the school during the concert
• Families are welcome to bring along a picnic if they wish to
• Student art work which will be on display through the trees can be taken home at the end of the event
• Areas of the school are out of bounds and will be blocked off - we ask that you stay within the designated areas
• Entry should be through the front gate
• Car Parking is available about the front and on the back oval
• Sanitiser stations are available through the event

Industrial Action

Further to a communication you may have seen in social media some of our staff will be taking part in the industrial action on Thursday 1st September 2022 for the duration of the school day. As much as is feasible we will run usual programmes that day.

I have sought advice regarding which attendance codes to use for families who advise they are staying away due to the industrial action. I have been advised to use an N code [sanctioned] which will then NOT count as away/ absent  for camps etc.

If you choose to keep your child home for the day we would appreciate notification via Skoolbag, email or phone so we can note this in our attendance system.

 Alawa Primary School will remain open, and appropriate supervision of students will be in place to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our students.

I can also assure families our fabulous community event ‘We are One’ will be going ahead Thursday 1st from 5pm.

 If you have any questions please contact the front office – 89977666.

Looking forward to seeing you all on Thursday,

Cheers

Sandy Cartwright [Principal]

Welcome to Week 7

2023 Enrolments: It is that time of year when we begin looking at enrolments for next year. Please ensure you have informed the front office if you have a younger child beginning school next year so they are on our enrolment list. We have started interviewing new families/students to our school. If you already know that you will be leaving Alawa next year please contact your classroom teacher or the front office.

What is the SRC up to? Just a reminder that this week we will be setting up our Father’s day stall.  Gifts will be available on Thursday and Friday before and after school. Please get in early for gifts ranging from $1.00 to $8.00

A funny moment and a mini lesson in Year 1 this week:

Mrs Donohue: Can you please answer the phone with your best manners.

Child: Hello Mr Wilson’s room.

Mrs Donohue: [who wasn’t looking at the child] Who is it?

Child: It’s too soft. I cant hear.

I turned to see the child holding the phone upside down. He was talking into the earpiece…..so a mini lesson for the week. 

How to hold an olden day phone.

I cannot wait for our Whole School Performance this week. We have some super activities and wonderful dance moves to keep you all entertained.

Looking forward to seeing you there

Kind regards

Gen Donohue [Assistant Principal] 

Last Friday our Student Commissioners shared their 2022 Line of inquiry and findings to date with our School Community at Assembly. I was super impressed with their presentation, their passion for their work and their ability to communicate effectively and with enthusiasm.

Findings to date:

1. Alawa students have an understanding of data and benchmarks

2. Alawa students  are still learning to set SMART goals, identify next steps and the strategies for improvement

3. Alawa teachers are fairly confident in using data to inform their teaching however they are still developing their skills to help students become data literate.

Next steps:

• Continue the ladders of participation to ensure we have whole school engagement
  

• Come up with clear recommendations for teachers about how to teach data literacy so students can reach their full potential as 21st Century learners
• Create a resource for teachers, possibly instructional videos, about HOW to set SMART goals with their students so their students can become data literate
• Inform non commissioner teachers, students and the wider school community about our findings and recommendations via assemblies, newsletters and communication platforms.

  
  

  We will keep you posted as we continue next term and wrap up with a pitch to the minster for Education in November,
  

  Alawa Learning Commission, Ms Katie, Mrs Baines & Ms Cartwright

The Department is committed to a smoke free environment - this includes VAPING. To promote the health and wellbeing of students and staff, smoking is not permitted in, or on, any departmental premises or within 10 metres from an entry point to, or boundary of, a school. For the purposes of this policy smoking includes electronic cigarettes. 

We would appreciate everyone adhering to these guidelines both during school hours AND at after school events. 

If you have any questions or concerns please contact the front office during school hours - 8997 7666

Are you unsure of how to help your children with their developing numeracy skills? I can fully understand that as the way they are taught today is significantly different from when I went through school and I imagine for many of you. I can assure you our students are engaged in a quality program and our results continue to improve across the school since the implementation back in 2014.

In the past we have offered family Maths nights and the opportunity for parents to come in and observe a Maths session in operation in the classrooms. We are very happy to offer these again.

If you would like to know more about our Alawa maths approach please respond to these quick questions in this survey:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3NR8BSS

Survey will close Friday 2nd September. To date we have only had 8 responses.

In the meantime for those interested here are some links to further information:

Alawa Approach to Maths

Maths | Alawa Primary School | Primary School Located in the Northern Suburbs of Darwin

 Parent Information

Families and whānau | NZ Maths

Sandy Cartwright [Principal]

Do you have any unwanted / unused / old pool noodles at home you can donate to the school?

I am seeking some for my maths groups - fabulous for helping students understand fractions.

There appears to be a real shortage around Darwin at the moment.

Thanks

Sandy Cartwright [Principal]

Muster is held at Alawa after each recess and lunch break - this gives us an opportunity for everyone to settle from playtime, share any celebrations and work on consistency of messages and expectation.

Each week we allocate class points during Muster time recognising those students who were ready and waiting to go back to class calmly and quietly after break times. The winning class from each 3 weeks will receive ice-blocks from Ms Cartwright and get to choose 5 songs that will play before our bells for the following 3 weeks.

The class with the most points in Week 6 of Term 3 was....Year 1 Wilson with 114 points!!!

The winner for weeks 4-6 is... Year 2 Ward with 312 points!!! Great job!!!

Students at Alawa receive raffle tickets [house points] for their attitude and behaviour in the playground and out the front of the school at the end of the day. These are then counted on a Friday along with the points for students in full uniform, wearing house shirts etc.  At the end of each term we also include the points earnt through the recycling project and water bottle checks.

In Week 6 of Term 3 Manton was ahead of Goyder and Finnis with 3829 points!!! 

In the lead for the year we still have Finnis with 74476 points!!!

Have you heard about how the Children have been brought in to help judge the Children’s Book of the Year Awards this year?

This year students from around the country were given the judging criteria that the adult judges use to determine the winners of each CBCA Book of the Year categories. 4/5 Griffin was one of 155 groups of students who had the privilege of participating in the inaugural CBCA Sun Project over the past term. During this they took part in Shadow Judging the CBCA Picture Book of the Year category.  The class studied each of the six books in the Picture Book Category through the lens of the judging criteria and creatively responded to books within the category before voting on the book they felt best fit the judging criteria.  As a part of the project the school also had the opportunity to welcome local Author/Illustrator Sandra Kendell to the School last Wednesday. Sandra read one of her books to the Year 4/5s and Year 1 and 2 classes and spoke about the process of creating picture books. Did you know that the standard length of a picture is 32pages? 4/5 Griffin and 4/5 Lawrence also spent time with Sandra creating their own characters and picture book storyboards.

The Shadow Judging Award winners were announced on Friday last week and you can find a list of the winners at https://shadowjudging.cbca.org.au/shadowers-choice-winners/. Take some time to have a look and see the awesome creative responses submitted by the Shadow Judges including those submitted by students from 4/5 Griffin [check out The Inheritance, Blue Flower and Iceberg] at Read - CBCA Sun Project: Shadow Judging

Miss Sacha [Library and ICT Manager]

Our Mission is to provide the Alawa School community with delicious healthy meals and snacks and to create meaningful links to our kitchen garden program. We will do our best to ensure we order the same products as advertised but occasionally have to change due to stock availability.

Cafe Specials Weeks 6-10

LUNCHTIME SPECIALS:

Available every day lunch only:

- mini beef burgers  $3.50

- spaghetti bolognaise small serve $3.50 or large serve $5.50 /Gluten Free Spaghetti $6.50 [Wed and Thu only]

Wednesday – Asian paw paw salad -  $5.50, Small $3.50

Thursday – Beef Nachos - Large size $5.50, Small $3.50

Friday – Homemade Chicken burger - One size $5.50

A reminder that our school Cafe is open Wednesday to Friday ONLY. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. 

Order online at www.quickcliq.com.au