Alawa Primary School Newsletter

Welcome to our Week 2 News!

How fast did the first week back go by?  It seemed to me we were just welcoming everyone back and before I knew it we were celebrating Lucinda and our award students at Assembly and seeing our sporting stars off to the Touch gala Day. Well done to Mr Henderson, Ms Ros and our sporting stars who shone on the day.

The majority of our students have been very settled and quickly focused and applied themselves to our twice a year Progressive Achievement testing [PAT]  for Reading and Maths. These will be finished this week for all students in Years 1-6 and will inform learning programs for the term, students individual reflections and goal setting as well as end of year reporting to parents.

Pep Talks

Over the past week I have visited each primary class for my quarterly Pep Talks. We are focusing on identifying the challenges they may face this term and possible solutions / strategies for managing these as well as celebrating what they are looking forward to for the term, I also gave each child a small challenge - an opportunity to sell their message about why Alawa School is special and what makes it that. I am super impressed with the quality of their pitches and will be working with Ms Sullivan to video and release a few sound bites for sharing through the Community.

During the Pep Talks we have also been watching the Term 3 Student Bulletin. Great job once again Jesse, Ameliah, Misha, Ms Tamra & Ms Sullivan. Have you seen it? If not check it out online:

https://youtu.be/631ZiVpJpy8

Individual attendance reports for Term 3 have been provided to each student to review and for their data folder. I have reinforced we fully understand illness and COVID related absences however we continue to be concerned about the number of children not at school at least 90% of the available days.

After school cooking classes

Ms Sullivan let me know that the afterschool cooking classes that started Tuesday this week are all now booked up - fantastic to see so many interested in these sessions and we are very lucky to have had this funding grant from International Education to enable them to be on offer.

Reminder: Pupil Free Day

Just a final reminder this Friday [21st October] no school for the children. This is our final professional learning day for the year where we review our strategic improvement plan and establish goals for 2023.

Parent Concerns / Queries & Mutual Respect

At Alawa we take pride in being client focussed and working in partnership with our parents / carers.  Our team strive to provide the best educational program and support we can for all children in the school. I fully understand at times parents / carers may have concerns or queries. We ask that you show respect for us and approach the class teacher, Gen Donohue or myself rather than have toxic conversations in car parks, post on social media, social gatherings etc. These are simply not productive and not what we encourage and foster at Alawa. Through our recent Parent Perception survey overrall feedback was very positive about the school, the staff and the programs - let's maintain the momentum we have gained over recent years and work together for everyone.

Have a fantastic week and see you around the school

Sandy Cartwright [Principal]

Just a reminder to all families our school start time is 8:30am

Children can arrive, connect with friends and play sport when we open the gates at 8am. This is 30mins prior to the start of the day bell and staff are on duty to ensure safety and wellbeing of all from that time.

We ask that children DO NOT get dropped off / arrive prior to 8am unless a prior arrangement is made with Gen Donohue or myself. Recently we have had upto 30 children sitting in the front office from 7:45am onwards - simply too early and way too congested for the office.

Thanks

Sandy Cartwright

Last Friday we all had loads of fun exploring Fractions with pool noodles in Ms Cartwrights extension Maths group. We had lots of help from Mr Dean who helped us measure each noodle to be 1metre to start with and then cut the noodles all to size. 

After that we worked in pairs to carefully measure our other noodle and divide it up into fractions [equal parts]. Over the next few weeks we will continue to develop our understanding of fractions through the noodle parts we have cut up today.

Ms Cartwright & Taylor Bowman

Welcome to week 2.

For the first 2 weeks of this term Ms Cartwright and I have been spending time in the classes delivering our PEP talks. As you are aware our focus during these sessions include our school values, ALLE’s 21st Century learning tools and other whole school approaches and expectations. We reflect and celebrate events and achievements from last term and look at what’s happening this term. Our focus this term in the early years is the learning tool to PERSIST. You may have noticed the badges the students are wearing when they came home. Please take the time to chat with your children about why it is important to persist and what this looks like with our behaviours at school and at home as well.

In week 1 and 2 our students from years 1-6 participated in Progressive Achievement Tests: (PAT). This assessment is a mandated assessment by the NT Education Department. The purpose of PAT is to provide student achievement and growth data in maths and reading at a student, class, school and system level. It provides information about your child’s achievement level and how much progress they have made since the last testing period. This information is used by our teachers to determine their achievement levels as well as their next steps for learning. Tests use a personalised pathway to determine your child’s ability in Reading and Maths. Previously PAT in NT Schools has been a linear assessment with 10 possible pathways, and in Semester 2 2022 it will change to Adaptive testing. The starting point is determined from the previous year’s result.

Maria Vandergeest has been running our Playgroup sessions on a Friday for the last 5 years. Thankyou Maria for all the work you have done in making this time in Preschool on a Friday a wonderful time for our new families. It is a great opportunity to become familiar with other children and the environment before beginning Preschool. Maria has decided to finish up this year and we are looking for someone to take over this role. If you are interested, please speak with Maria or myself to find out more about what this role entails.

Have a wonderful week.

Gen Donohue [Assisting Principal] 

Last week we celebrated our latest honour distinction award winner and principal for the day, Miss Lucinda Ronayne. Lucinda has been at Alawa School since Preschool. Even though she is in Year 4, she has been coming to Alawa for over 6 years. This is because Lucinda has an older sister and she has been coming to Preschool with her as well.

Principal Lucinda had a fantastic day being Principal. 

"My favourite part of the day was not having any classwork. I loved the extra art time with Ms White and going into Transition with Ms Hughes"

Great job Principal Lucinda ! 

On Monday Preschool Red had their first visit to the Transition area. Each week we will visit a Transition class to join them in their Investigations. This will help children become familiar and confident with the space and form friendships with the Transition children.

The best thing about visiting Transition …..

Eleanor – going to the airport!

Toby – making new friends!

Kira – playing with the mermaids and witch toys!

Reuben – making Halloween costumes!

Jackson – playing with the marbles!

Emma Connelly, Emma Churchman & Kelly Crawford

Orlando and Taylah recently competed in the NT BMX Championships at Satellite City in Palmerston.

Orlando started BMX riding this year and this is the first time he has competed at the NT State Titles. Orlando earnt his trophy in the 7 Year Old Sprocket category.

Taylah competed in the 12 Year Old Girls 20” category in which she came away with a 1st place. Taylah also earnt a second place on the 15/16 Year Old Girls Cruiser category. Taylah has been competing in the NT series this year, competing at different locations throughout the NT. During these competitions the riders earn points, at the end of the series the points are tallied and a winner of the NT series is announced.

Congratulations to Taylah who was the 2022 NT Titles winner for 12 Year Old Girls. 

During the school holidays Findlay competed in the 2022 NT Junior Titles for Eight Ball. He played 3 hard days of games and was awarded the Under 12 runner up for this competition.  Findlay has been selected to represent the Northern Territory at the National Titles next year.

We are looking for bus drivers to help out with the Early Years Swimming Program starting on the 21st November. 

If you are interested and can help out for a day or 2 [between 8:30am and 1:30pm] please contact Ms Tamra with your availability. 

tamra.caruana@education.nt.gov.au or 8997 7666

Please note you will be required to have appropriate license to drive a 21 seater coaster and hold a current ochre card. [Ms Tamra can help secure an ochre card if needed] 

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 expectations.

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 1 of Term 4 was....4/5 Lawrence with 166 points!!!

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 1 of Term 4 Goyder was ahead of Manton and Finnis with 2035 points!!! 

In the lead for the year we still have Finnis with 84453 points!!!

Primary School Average for Week 1 Term 4: 90.58%

The class with the highest attendance for Week 1: Year 5/6 Henderson with 99.17%!!! Amazing job!!!

Arriving late for school has a significant impact on your child’s learning and engagement in the education program.

There were 22 late arrivals in Transition—Year 6 in Week 1 Term 4!

For Week 1 the classes with the least lates were: Preschool Red Group, Transition Henschke, 1 Wilson and 5/6 Henderson with 0 lates!!!

Alawa Recycling is not only an important part of our fundraising activities here at Alawa with all proceeds going directly back into the farm, but also a vital step in helping us achieve the goal of creating a more sustainable farm and garden program.

Items can be deposited into the house bags in the back car park and  each item earns a point for each house. 

Our last Book Club of the year the BUMPER Christmas edition headed home late last week. The massive 40 page Catalogue is packed full of great deals with many individual books priced at $10 and under. There are Halloween reads, Advent Calendars, Christmas books, Graphic Novels, Best of 2022, Book Sets and much more.

Books that won’t break the budget can be found on the front page and page 36 of the issue and include:

Imaginitis by Nick Bland $3

Have yourself a Mouldy Minecraft Christmas – Diary of a Minecraft Zombie $3

Gigglers Christmas Jokes $3

Where’s Santa $3

I Wanna Be A Great Big Dinosaur $5

Michaela Mason’s Big List of 23 22 Worries $4

Christmas Gift Orders: When you order online you can choose the Gift function so that when your order is delivered to the school it will be marked as a gift and be set aside for you to collect separately. If you are ordering through the school please let us know when you order if you would like your order set aside when it arrives and we will contact you.

Orders are due back by Friday the 27th of October. You can view the catalogue and order online through the Scholastic Bookclub website at scholastic.com.au/LOOP, download the LOOP app From Google Play or from the App Store or return your order form and payment to the office. Spare catalogues will be available at the office if you miss out.

 Please feel free to give me a call if you have any questions.  

Miss Sacha [Library and ICT Manager]

Playgroup is back on every Friday 9:30-11:30 in the Preschool. Spread the word and come have a fun morning filled with activities. Great to see new families joining in!!!

Miss Maria [Playgroup Coordinator] 

If you have plans to leave our school for 2023 we would really appreciate early notification as this can assist with our class planning and structure and budgeting.

Please just email or phone the front office to advise.