We've come to the end of our next Pandemic term and kept our school open for our children. My thanks go to our school staff who have largely managed to stay afloat and keep our boat headed to windward, literally true in this current weather! This is never an easy task but teachers have maintained a positive attitude and kept the focus on providing consistent and dedicated teaching, many times with extras from another class that we couldn't staff. Our teachers have been affected more by this Omicron variant because they work in an environment with a largely unvaccinated population. The persistent wet weather has also made keeping rooms well ventilated a challenge. Thank you to the P&C who have recognised this dedication and the Easter Bunnies who provided tasty treats for morning tea this week. Let's hope for sunny, outdoor holiday weather to give us all a lift.
It was lovely to see many old (and new faces) cheering Y2-6 students at the Cross Country Carnival; a great effort by Miss Robinson, Miss Kalofonos and Miss Guerrera to organise, with continuously changing ground conditions and the ever-present threat of rain. Thanks, parents, for your help and cheering on our runners! The weather was with us on this occasion.
Our school returns for Term 2 on Tuesday 26th April (Staff only) and Wednesday April 27th for all students and the next opportunity for parents to join us will be our ANZAC Assemblies on:
Friday 29th April (week 1, Term 2): Kindergarten - Year 2 @ 9.10 - 10.00am; Year 3 - Year 6 @ 10.10 - 11.00am.
Masks are encouraged if the current COVID wave persists. Thank you to Mrs Taylor and her team for organising this event.
I hope you have also taken the opportunity to meet/speak with your child's class teacher this term. If you missed out, please ask the teacher for a time in the new term. We do have quite a few concerns about the learning development of our younger children and hence it is important to share tips and strategies about how you can support your child at home.
At our next P&C meeting on Monday 16th May at 7.30pm our Assistant Principals, Classroom Instruction, will talk to you about how they are supporting the professional learning of teachers to ensure children thrive once more in acquiring Literacy and Numeracy Skills.
How can you help?
As a holiday gift I leave you with a quote from an article well worth reading Education Today
Education Today
The bedtime story is one way reading skills have been built in children, but the tradition is rapidly falling by the wayside as only 25 per cent of Aussie parents now read to their children once a week or not at all.
www.educationtoday.com.au
Try to beat the poverty time trap and if you do nothing else read with and to your children or enjoy discussing their latest book. It is such a fantastic way to fill the holiday hours and costs you nothing if you use the fabulous local libraries. You will open the world to your children, learn about their interests and dislikes all without leaving home or spending a cent.
Happy holiday reading.
Regards
Susan Allen
Principal
