St Leonards Primary School

Newsletter 1, 31 January 2020

From the Leadership

Hello and welcome back to St Leonards for 2020. We have had a brilliant start to the year so far, with lots of happy learners bouncing around the school. We would like to welcome our 65 new students and their families into our community

 We start the year with a record 422 students.

We also welcome a number of new and returning staff to our school: Jess Ogilvie Year 1/2, Tayla Kemp Year 6, Kathleen Rollings Year 3, Liz Condous, Music/Choir/Year 7, Mei Lin- Mandarin LOTE.

We welcome back Di Hannagan from her leave.

We also welcome back our highly valued SSO’s Sue Smith, Courtney Schultz, Tair Vaidenfeld, Heather Pronk, Shannon Baker and Julieanne Whitehead. 

We have a brilliant staff at St Leonards. 

 2019-2021 School Priorities 

The staff have been busily developing our new Site Improvement Plan in consultation with the Education Department. We will share this document with you once it is approved. We will have three goals:

· To improve student achievement in writing across the whole site.

· To increase the number of students in the top levels of achievement in reading.

· To increase the number of high achieving students in numeracy from Years 3-7.

Grievance Policy

From time to time things don’t go as planned and you may need to discuss your concerns. At St Leonards we have a defined grievance procedure that has been designed to help this process.

1. Arrange a time to speak to the relevant teacher(s) about the problem as a first course of action. Let the teacher know what you consider to be the issue. Make a mutually appropriate time to discuss the concern. Please note: It is not appropriate to use class or learning time.

2. Allow a reasonable timeframe for the issue to be addressed.

3. If the grievance is not addressed and you have unsuccessfully requested feedback, arrange a time to speak with a member of the leadership team. Explain that you have a difficulty to Mel in the Office when making an appointment – this allows for follow-up and information gathering. Or you may feel more comfortable emailing one of the leadership team at the addresses below:

Dave Henty-Smith: Principal: dave.hentysmith171@schools.sa.edu.au   

 Jo Meredith: Deputy Principal  jo.meredith57@schools.sa.edu.au

 

Parking

Please be aware that there is a no parking zone before the crossing on the school side from 8:00am - 9:00am and 3:00pm - 4:00pm. If people park in this safe zone, it really disrupts the flow of traffic. Thank you for helping to keep our children safe.

Dave Henty-Smith, Principal

Jo Meredith, Deputy Principal

Kathy Baker, Inclusive Education Coordinator

Diary Dates

Week 2

School Banking - Tuesday 4 February

2:30pm Volunteer Workshop - Wednesday 5 February

Week 3

Children's University Lunchtime Workshop - Monday 10 February

School Banking - Tuesday 11 February

8:15am School Banking Account Opening and Information Session - Tuesday 11 February

From 5:30pm Acquaintance Night - Tuesday 11 February

7:15pm Governing Council AGM - Tuesday 11 February

2:30pm Volunteer Workshop - Wednesday 12 February

Scholastic Book Club orders due - Wednesday 12 February

9:00am Assembly - Friday 14 February

Hats on for Term 1

Inclusive Education Coordinator

Welcome to the 2020 school year. My name is Kathy Baker and I would like to introduce myself to new and existing families who may not know me or be aware of my role. The term “inclusive” centres around being a team. At St Leonards, we are a team and we work towards ensuring that everyone in our community feels connected and supported in the education and well being of our students and their families.

My office is in the main building closest to the main exit/entry point from the canteen and the walkway between this building and the Year 6/7 learning space. My e-mail is kathy.baker287@schools.sa.edu.au and I can also be contacted by phoning the school on 82949811

If you have concerns or queries of any nature that may impact on your child having the best possible educational experience at SLPS, please speak to their teacher, Dave, Jo or myself.

Our community includes students from various cultural backgrounds, beliefs, languages and religions. Our students have different interests; sports, music, technology. Our students have different learning needs, including those who find learning relatively easy, to those who no matter how hard they try, learning is a chore. There are students who make friends easily and those who find it hard to feel as though they belong. And we have students and families who struggle with communication, addictions, illness, loss, grief, separation, financial difficulties, trauma and more.

Some of the programs/ support we offer include:

EALD (English and Language Dialect) Sonia Tu

CPC (Christian Pastoral Care) Karen Marks

MaqLit/MiniLit (Programs designed to support student’s ability to decode text)

SSO Support in classrooms

What’s the Buzz (Social Skills Program)

In-School Psychology (An opportunity to access the expertise of a psychologist during school hours for your child/family) 

Kathy Baker, Inclusive Education Coordinator

Inclusive Education Coffee and Chat

Notices

Reminder

Students and families are not to enter the classrooms or hallways before 8:45am as these areas are unsupervised at this time. 

All classrooms can be accessed from designated doors to the hallways. Students and families are to use those doors so that the Office area can remain clear for inquiries, first aid, appointments and late arrivals/early leavers.

The Library is open from 8:30am - 8:45am for students and families and again at 3:05pm - 3:15pm. Please enter via the Art Room.

Yard Duty begins at 8:30am. Students can play in the large playground area facing Russell Street and the Oval. If your child needs to be here earlier due to work/family commitments, please organise care through OSHC.

Thank you for your consideration.


Wanted

The students will be constructing models in Technology lessons this year. We will need lots of flat cardboard. If you have any cardboard you can donate it would be appreciated. Please note we will not be using whole  boxes but if you are willing to cut them into flat pieces we can use them.

Dennis Moyle, Technologies

Canteen

Welcome to Term 1.  A few changes have been made to the canteen menu please check Qkr or call in to the canteen for updates.

This term we are selling Vili’s products, the new sausage roll is slightly bigger and is beef and lamb. 

Volunteers are welcome, if you can spare some time please call in.

Thanks

Katrina, Canteen Manager

Beachfront Hub Music

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Music Lessons

Piano and Keyboard Lessons
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OSHC

We would like to welcome Bernie Clarke who is the new Assistant Director for our OSHC. 

Lou, OSHC Director

 

What's Been Happening at St Leonards

Student Ambassadors 2020

Our Student Ambassadors play an important part in our school community. They help run assemblies and conduct tours of the school to prospective families and represent our school at important events. 

This year we have six new Ambassadors from the Year 7 class.

Neijla Samic, Kayleigh Darbyshire, Lilli Miles, Jacob Newrick, Mason Rees and Owen Jarrad.

We know they will do our school community proud.


Kitchen Garden

The garden is thriving despite the heat and we started with fresh tomatoes, cucumber, basil, garlic and passion fruit delivered to the canteen. Katrina is already using them for wraps and salads.  Huge thanks to the wonderful families who came and watered over the holidays.  It was an amazing team effort to keep the garden green through the heatwaves.  We have many exciting  projects planned for 2020. If you would like to know more about the garden you can follow us on Facebook,  SLPS Kitchen Garden.

Nicola Ross, Gardens



Kitchen Garden

Tomatoes
Yummy wraps using ingredients from our garden

Community Notices

World Taekwondo

KIDS TAEKWONDO CLASSES

Fitness, Resilience, Confidence, Discipline, Respect. 

ENROLMENTS OPEN NOW

  • Children can start at the age of 5
  • Experienced & Qualified Instructors WWCC cleared
  • Classes starting now
 Enquiries Ph: 0412 965 905 or Email: info@worldtaekwondo.com.au

Netball

Mitcham Girls Parent Information Night

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St Leonards Primary School

Learning Together

Respect, Resilience, Readiness

"Building a community that inspires curious, creative and innovative thinkers."

Principal: Dave Henty-Smith

Deputy: Jo Meredith

Inclusive Education Coordinator: Kathy Baker