Principal's Report
Family Communication Survey
An email was sent out on Monday asking families to complete a communication survey. The survey closes on 30 June and aims at streamlining our current communication processes.
Thank you to those families who have already completed the survey. I’d like to capture the perspective of as many families as possible, so please click on the link below and complete the survey:
https://forms.gle/8dwg3D4P2f3496CEA
Over the holidays, I will work with the leadership team to review the feedback and share the findings with families in Term 3.
Celebrating our Students
STEAM Enrichment Project
Ms Nguyen has worked with our STEAM enrichment junior and senior students to create a submission for the Hermitage Schools Plant Science Competition (see link for more information):
https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/news-media/campaigns/schools-competition
Over the term, the students have created an incredibly detailed portfolio explaining their experiment, measuring the impact of using a sustainable process, such as utilising the worm casings from our worm farm to improve soil quality. Using two different planter boxes, the students planted turnips, and over six weeks tracked the quality of the soil using our recently purchased PH testing kits and microscopes. Box 1 was regularly fertilised with worm casings while Box 2 was just regularly watered.
At the end of the six weeks, the students harvested the crops from both planter boxes. To measure the impact on the crops, the students weighed the turnips from each planter box. Box 1 weighed in at 2.4kgs and the second planter box, the one being regularly fertilised weighed in at 2.6kg. The students observed that not only was there an increase in produce but also an improvement in Box 1’s soil PH levels.
Once the turnips were harvested, Ms Nguyen made a radish and chicken stock. The stock was served with wonton and vermicelli noodles to make a soup and enjoyed by the students.
I wish our students the best of luck with the competition but regardless of the results, I am sure they have thoroughly enjoyed this highly engaging experience and have heard the students already applying this knowledge to a range of other sustainably focused initiatives.
Primary Concert Band
Lina M and Anjali S are our Primary Concert Band representatives. They recently performed at the National Eisteddfod and received a gold certificate for their performance. Incredibly they were the only primary school band in their category with all the others being junior high school bands. I am extremely proud of Lina and Anjali’s dedication to their craft and am excited that all their efforts have paid off!
Staffing shortages
As we move into the colder months of the year, we’ll likely experience staffing shortages due to ill health, as many schools across the ACT do. Continuity of learning is a priority for your children and with this in mind, we are making plans so that we are prepared for any potential and upcoming staffing pressures.
In the first instance of staff absence, our preference is to cover the educator with relief teachers and/or additional Learning Support Assistants. In circumstances where relief cover cannot be provided for a class, we have options for class cover depending on the age and development stage of the cohort. This includes classes being combined across their year level with extra adult support, classes being shared into other class groups with pre-prepared learning materials, as well as the use of specialist and executive staff to cover classes.
In situations where all of these options have been exhausted, students will be supervised in larger groups in shared learning spaces.
I appreciate any feedback from families, so if your child/ren comes home with questions and possible concerns please contact me.
Well, it is Week 8!! I am not sure how we have landed here, the term is flying.
Take care,
Erin Minehan