NEWSLETTER

2022 CAMP

As you would recall, last year we had to cancel our R-7 camp to Illawonga, due to the lockdown. That camp has been rebooked for Years 1-6 for Week 2 of Term 2 this year, which many parents have already paid for. With our current COVID restrictions, I am becoming nervous that we may again have to reschedule. Currently, only some SACE camps are allowed to occur. As of Week 7, other camps can resume, providing that they have no indoor communal settings (including dorms). Our camp does, of course, have indoor facilities for sleeping, eating and recreation. I am hoping that in the eight weeks from Week 7 until our camp, that further restrictions will be lifted. However, we will also have to be realistic, in terms of how much notice both families and the camp managers will require to go ahead with the camp. I will keep you updated, as I receive further information.

NAPLAN 

All students in Years 3 and 5 will be taking part in the NAPLAN tests early next term. On 24th March, these students will also take part in a practice test. The purpose of the practice test is to allow the students a chance to become familiar with the online format of the test and to also test our IT capabilities.

Please see further on in this newsletter for the NAPLAN – privacy collection notice.

GOVERNING COUNCIL AGM – Tuesday 8th March @ 6pm

All parents are invited to our AGM. This year the meeting will occur via Zoom: an invitation to join this meeting will be sent out on the Skoolbag app tomorrow.

Agenda:

1)     Welcome & Apologies

2)     Minutes of Previous Annual General Meeting – 9th February 2021

3)     Business Arising from Previous Annual General Meeting

4)     School Annual Report – 2021

5)     Chairperson’s Report – 2021

6)     Finance Report – 2021

7)     Other Reports

8)     Election of Governing Councillors – 2022

9)     Other Business

10) Governing Council Meeting Schedule & Next Annual General Meeting

11) Close

Nominations:

Thank you to the parents who have already completed a nomination form to become members of our Governing Council. Nomination forms were sent home with the oldest child in each family and are due back tomorrow (Friday 4th March). If you would like to self-nominate and you missed out on a form, you can request one from me, via email. 

Principal

Gail Holland

It is recommended that healthcare plans and medication agreement forms be reviewed every 12 months.

This year we are asking you to update your child's healthcare plan & medication at the beginning of the school year so that your child is covered for the whole year.

Updating plans & medication at the beginning of each year  will be more convenient for parents, will ensure that your child is supported appropriately for their medical condition and will reduce administration time for staff.

Asthma Care, Allergic Reaction plans and a Medication Agreement form is available on the Skoolbag App for parents to access and take to your doctor or you can ask at the Front Office.    

Greenock Primary School will participate in the Premier's Reading Challenge again this year.  We had great participation last year with 62 students completing the challenge and receiving awards.  The challenge will conclude on 9 September 2022.  Awards are presented each year at an assembly late in Term 4.  Each teacher has received a pack which will include a brochure and reading record as well as the guidelines for the challenge.  A wealth of information can be obtained on the website such as the guidelines, reading lists, posters, the reading record and ideas for families.

https://premiersreadingchallenge.sa.edu.au/parents-families/

Issue 2 of the Scholastic Book Club is now available online.

Scholastic.com.au/Loop

All orders need to be placed via the online LOOP facility.  Your orders will now be delivered directly to students rather than to the school.

The due date for orders is 25/3/22.  

March 3rd ‘22

Hi everyone,

Welcome to another ‘natter’.

It’s autumn, yay! The best time of the year weather wise, where hopefully soon, the temperature will start to drop and the colours of the leaves change from green to magnificent bronzes, yellows and burgundies. I love it. I have memories of my mum raking up all the leaves and us kids jumping into the piles and throwing them everywhere, much to her disgust, I might add. She would tell us to rake them back up but we were hopeless, so she’d grab the rake and do it all again only for us to jump back in. Hee! Hee!

I’m sitting in our home office typing this and watching the sunrise from the window. It’s magnificent. The colours are so intense. There is not even a whisper of a breeze. Everything is so still. Apart from the noise of the washing machine, I can only hear the sound of the birds starting to wake up. It’s a time to be peaceful and calm and thankful.

So many of us suffer from anxiety: children and adults and it comes in many forms. Sometimes it takes over our lives for a long time and sometimes it happens only briefly. Sometimes it’s connected to one particular thing. Sometimes we don’t even understand it at all. But watching someone you love have anxiety is extremely difficult and we reach out wanting to help but not sure how to.

There are many websites that offer help and support for all ages. For me, I breathe. I focus on my ‘happy place’ - and breathe. Breathing is the key. Slow deep breaths in through the nose and slowly out of the mouth. Breathe in and count to five, then slowly exhale counting slowly to five again and increase. Focusing on your breathing is so important and it really does help. Unfortunately, it seems that this is the age of anxiety but we can help ourselves so easily by just breathing and refocusing. If the anxiety persists or it's so overwhelming, please see your local GP. And remember, kids get anxious too but there is help out there and we can help them also.

Until our next natter, take care.

Cheers,

Nettie