Welcome to Week 7
We have had a very busy but productive start to the year. I have admired the many achievements that our students have accomplished so far this year and I look forward to the continued success of all our students as the year progresses.
Medical Letters
Any students who have a medical condition would have received a medical condition letter. These letters need to be completed and returned as soon as possible so that we can put the relevant process into place and notify staff. This is to ensure that in an emergency situation we have the necessary documentation and the steps to follow in relation to each medical condition. If you have a child with a medical condition and have not yet returned it, please return the letter to the office at your earliest convenience.
Hammondville Public School - Behaviour Flowchart
I have had many queries over the last few weeks around contact slips, Reflection room and how the process works. I am attaching the behaviour flowchart that was presented at Meet the Teacher nights so that you can revisit the process to clarify your understandings. I know the PBL team have had the flowchart and Reflection room procedures in previous newsletters. I would like to highlight that behaviours are broken up in minor and major behaviours. Minor behaviours are documented with contact slips and after three minor behaviours students can be placed in Reflection room to be provided with the re-teaching of expected behaviours. For major behaviours, Reflection room can be an immediate process. When in the Reflection room we re-teach the behaviours we would like to see, it allows time for restorative conversations to take place and supports students in taking ownership of their own behaviour.
A restorative approach focuses on building, maintaining and restoring positive relationships, particularly when incidents that involve interpersonal conflict or wrongdoing occur. When executive staff prioritise a restorative approach to relationships across the school community and provide adequate staff training and support for implementation, schools can reduce the frequency of behaviour incidents and improve school culture. Restorative practices work best when the whole school community is on board. There are many examples in literature of schools reducing suspension rates and improving student behaviour by adopting this approach.
There are some key elements which underpin any restorative encounter:
•honesty and sincerity •positive regard for individuals •empathy •individual responsibility •shared accountability •an optimistic view of personal growth and change.
Immunosuppression - MEDICAL ALERT
We have a child in our school who due to medical reasons is on immunosuppressive medication. Due to these medications, this student has no immune system and gets sick very easy. A common cold can impact this child for over a week at times, so harsher viruses and bugs can cause much greater longer term impact. As a community I urge you be extra vigilant when it comes to any illnesses by ensuring you contact the office immediately if your child has a sickness that is contagious or easily transferred between students. Thank you for you cooperation in this very serious safety matter.
Attendance Information –Key Fact
Notes! Notes! Notes!
As a school, we have a legal duty of care when it comes to the safety and wellbeing of all the students enrolled at Hammondville. To this end, communication between home and school is VERY important. The main way that parents communicate to school staff is in writing.
· Absentee notes: If your child is sick, or there is a family emergency, we need to know. You can write an absentee note through Skoolbag, call the office or send a written note to the office to explain the absence.
· Late notes: Life happens, especially in the morning for some reason! If your child is late for school, please send a short note in with them. Make sure they know to give this to the office.
· Time limits: Lots of parents don’t realise that schools are only able to accept absentee notes within a certain time frame. Legally, the school can only accept notes explaining an absence within 7 days of that absence occurring. After this time frame elapses, the absence must be marked as unexplained.
P&C Meeting AGM
It was wonderful to see some new and returning faces at our AGM last week. It was a time to thank our outgoing committee for the amazing work they did over 2019 and to welcome a newly appointed committee for 2020. Congratulations to Stephanie Philpott – President, Nichole Burrows – Vice-President and Marissa Edwards – Secretary. We are still awaiting a treasurer and look forward to having that position finalised by next meeting. I cannot wait to continue to build our strong relationship with the P&C to continue to improve our school.
Contacting Fundraiser
I would like to thank the school community for their ongoing support of our fundraising efforts. The contracting fundraiser was a huge success from both the number of parents purchasing contacting for their children and with the number of volunteers that covered books on Friday. Well done Hammondville!
Regional Swimming
Good luck to our competitors who are swimming at the regional carnival this Tuesday. I’m sure you will make our school community proud. All the best in your races.
World’s Greatest Shave – Parker Douglas in 1/2 Titanium
I would just like to ask the community to support Parker as he tries to raise money for the World’s Greatest Shave. There will also be a donation box located in the office for cash donations or alternatively you can label an envelope ‘World’s Greatest Shave’ and pop it in the office letter box.
Please see Parker’s message below:
Hi my school friends, teachers and the Hammondville school community,
I have wanted to take part in the World's Greatest Shave for the Leukaemia Foundation for a few years. So 2020 is the year! I will be shaving my head after school on Friday the 13th of March. I’m taking part in honour of a family friend who lost his little sister to Leukaemia at the young age of 4. While I never got to meet his little sister, it makes me sad hearing how much she is missed by her family.
Please sponsor me to give families facing blood cancer the emotional and practical support they need. You'll also fund vital research to help more people survive blood cancers, while improving their quality of life. Will you help by sponsoring me? You can donate by the link below to my fundraising page or by placing cash in the Leukaemia Foundation box in the school office.
http://my.leukaemiafoundation.org.au/parkerdouglas
Thank you for your support,
From Parker
Mr Royce – Charity Ride
Our wonderful General Assistant Mr Royce is doing a charity bike ride from Sydney to Surfers to raise money for Youth off the Streets Charity. He would like to raise $2000.00 and so far he's raised $695.75. If you would like to support Mr Royce in his charity ride, please donate at the link below.
https://sydneytosurfersride2020.everydayhero.com/au/riding-for-a-cause-youth-off-the-streets-2020
Positive Stars Week 6
Each week I ask teachers to send students to visit me for being a positive star. These students are chosen as they have been recognised for producing excellent work, demonstrating outstanding work habits and being exceptional learners. Well done to the following students on being Positive Stars in Week 6. Harry, Nandipha, Aenea, Jordan, Indira, Alice, Tahlieah and Joanna in K Red, Ayla in K Blue, Isaac, Amy, Elleanor, Kaitlan, Saoirse, Samir in 3/4 Titanium, Lucas, Georgia, Bella, Indiya-Rose and Chloe in 3/4 Silver. Keep up the great work and I can’t wait to see more students this week.
Have a wonderful week of learning!
Mrs Rebekah Murray
Rel. Principal
