It gives me great pleasure to welcome everybody back to school this year.
We had 40 Kindergarten students start school for the first time and 15 new families join our school community. We extend an especially warm welcome to our newest families and hope that you enjoy your time here.
We also welcome 9 new staff to our team this year. They are:
Miss Ellie Nalder – Pre-Primary
Miss Keeleigh McCauley – Year 1
Miss Sarah Marshall: Year 2/3
Mr Ryan Hadland: Year 3
Mr Arthur Clarke: Year 5
Teacher Estella Starcevich: Year 5/6
Miss Hannah Cox: Year 6
Mrs Kelly Walker: Physical Education
Miss Anthea Wood: Education Assistant – MiniLit program
I have been so impressed with the way our staff have welcomed and embraced such a big turnover of staff. Our new staff have been ably supported by existing staff and all have worked incredibly hard to be ready for their teaching roles this year. The first week went smoothly and I have been pleased to see students enjoying their new classes, getting to know their teachers and each other. Our Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) focus for the start of term has been on creating a safe and welcoming class ‘family/community’ where everybody can feel a sense of belonging.
Welcome BBQ has been cancelled
The Welcome BBQ scheduled for Thursday 10 February has been cancelled due to updated operating procedures that have come out from the Department of Education, based on the advice of the Chief Health Officer. We have been advised not to have large gatherings of both staff and students. Instead of the BBQ and class meeting teachers will send home their class information that they would have shared with you at the class meeting. This information will come on Thursday, either as a hard copy or via Seesaw.
Today we separated the students into smaller groups to eat lunch and recess. For the time being Year 1s and 2s will eat under the ‘Big Tree’. Year 3s and 4s will eat at the Centenary Tree and Year 5s and 6s will continue to eat in the Undercover Are. We have also created separate gathering places for staff. We are no longer able to have whole school assemblies. I will give you more information on what we will be doing as an alternative in the near future.
I will keep you informed as changes come through from the department.
Have a great week
Kim Knowles
Principal