28 February 2020

Newsletter Articles

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

During first term we are focusing on high expectations and the importance of developing good routines. I would like to commend students on their positive start and their fantastic presentation in the first four weeks; we appreciate the support from parents in ensuring our students are wearing our uniform and are well presented for school.

It has been wonderful to visit classes and to see the great learning opportunities that are already underway as well as the priority every teacher has on maintaining calm and focused learning environments. The vast majority of our students have welcomed this approach and are making the most of their opportunities to engage in deep learning. I have spoken with many of our new students and it has been great to hear their positive responses to starting school at St Marys District School and to see them settling in so quickly.

St Marys District School Values

It is timely revisit our school values which are central to how we work together as a school community. The Values are Respect, Aspiration, Growth and Courage. These values underpin all that we do and provide the foundation for our school positive behaviour support processes.

Mobile Phone Policy

As you would now be aware, in Term 2 we will be implementing a new Mobile Phone Policy, aligned to updated DoE requirements for all schools. This will mean that for students, mobile phones are required to be switched off and securely stored during the school day. While we live in a world surrounded by technology, we are also becoming increasingly aware that mobile phones are causing a distraction from learning and impacting on the development of respectful and supportive relationships. Very clear expectations will be communicated to all students with regards to mobile phones at school and we will be seeking your support with these. We are confident that this will be a positive move in supporting a very focused learning environment. The policy will include the following conditions:

Mobile phones must be switched off from the start of the school day, to the end of the school day.

Students with ‘smart watches’ must have them set to ‘aeroplane mode’.

Please be aware that any communication between parents and students during the school day, will need to be through the School Office.

Grip Leadership

On Thursday the 18th February all members of the Student Leadership Board attended the Grip Leadership Conference with Miss Ellis. Every year this conference provides students with some wonderful experiences, ideas and strategies that will inform their leadership. These students will continue to focus on building their understandings of leadership as they meet regularly during the year.

Upcoming Events:

Please be aware that we have some important events coming up in the next couple of weeks:

Glover Exhibition Excursion – 13th March
Grade 7-12 Swimming Carnival - 18th March
K-6 Athletics Carnival - 19th March
ENE Athletics Carnival – 25th March
Inter High Swimming Div 2 – 2nd April

PRIMARY ATHLETICS CARNIVAL – CHANGE OF KINDER DAY

Our Primary Athletics Carnival will be taking place on the main school oval on Thursday 19th March. Kinder students will attend school on Tuesday 17th, Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th. Launching Into Learning participants are also invited to attend the carnival.

MDT UPGRADE

Work is continuing to upgrade our MDT area and implement classes. Mr Richard Levett has been working with students on design concepts, with some students beginning to work on a mirror project. Students have been using our new machinery to work on their projects. Another delivery of machinery and tools today and our grade 7/8 students were lucky enough to unpack and assemble some of the tools.

UNIFORM POOL:

If your child has outgrown their uniform, please consider donating it. We are looking for donations of official school uniforms in good condition for our Uniform pool. Donations of pre-loved uniform items can be left at the school administration office.

STUDENT WELLBEING SURVEY

In 2020, the Student Wellbeing Survey will run from 10 March to 3 April for students from years 4 – 12.

The survey helps us understand the link between our students’ wellbeing and their learning, and how we can best support them to do well at school.

Our staff will be working with students to help them feel comfortable about doing the survey and to reassure students that it is not a test and that there are no right or wrong answers.

Support will also be given to students after the survey.

Further information will be provided to parents and students closer to the survey date. Our grades 4-8 students will be receiving a copy of the wellbeing booklet, attached in the PDF below.

PRIMARY NEWS

Primary Lunch time activities

We have commenced our first lunch time activities during this week. Grade 10 student, Mackenzie Woods is running a lunchtime netball group for interested students. Hannah Rubenach-Quinn, our school Chaplain, runs activities on Tuesdays at St Marys and Fingal on Wednesdays, and School Nurse, Esther Beveridge runs activities at Fingal on Tuesdays and at St Marys on Wednesdays. All lunch time activities will run from 1pm-1:20pm. As the year progresses we hope to organise a range of activities which will interest students throughout our Primary sector. Please encourage your child to join in when an activity is of interest to them.

Primary Assembly

Thank you to all of the parents who took the time to attend our Primary Assembly on Thursday 20th of February at both our Fingal and St Marys Campuses. We had so many parents attending we did not have enough chairs. We will make sure we have enough for the next assembly!!

We opened our Assembly by singing the National Anthem together and we will continue this sign of respect at future assemblies.

Congratulations to the following students who were awarded values certificates:

Thank you to our Grade 10 Student Leader Board members for conducting our assembly and well done to the students from 3/4 Gray/Kelly. Your performance of the Three Little Pigs was exceptional and very entertaining!!

Active 15

Week 3 of Active 15 is now completed with some amazing efforts from Students at both the Fingal and St Marys Campuses. We have now collectively travelled over 1252km on our journey. Last week we arrived in Melbourne and we walked to Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton and the City of Wangaratta. We are now 70km into our trek towards Albury/Wodonga just over the Victoria and New South Wales border. We have included the map of our journey so far and some photos from the Fingal Campus this week.

Base Testing

Base testing, formerly PIP’s testing, will be conducted with all of our Prep students from both campuses in the next two weeks. An information brochure is included in our newsletter and has been sent home to families.

GRADE 4-5 BENNETT/KELLY

Many students in our class were affected by the bushfires which occurred during the summer holiday. We have created this art as a response to these events.

GRADE 3-4 GRAY/KELLY

We have started learning about the Zones of Regulation. First of all we explored different emotions and feeling people have.

We learnt about expected and unexpected behaviour and how we behave can affect or change peoples feelings. Our behaviour can also make others have comfortable and uncomfortable thoughts about us. We have painted and drawn portraits that show different emotions/feelings.

USE OF MOBILE PHONES BY STUDENTS AT SCHOOL

From the commencement of Term 2, 2020 all Tasmanian Government Schools from Kindergarten to Year 12 will need to implement restrictions on the use of mobile phones by students at school. The Minister for Education and Training announced this policy in November, 2019.

Kindergarten to Year 12 – “Off and away all day”

The decision to restrict the use of mobile phones by students during the school day will support schools to minimise distraction from learning and encourage healthy and positive personal interactions.

The policy has been developed in consultation with schools, School Associations and students.

From the start of the school day to the end of the school day, students must have their mobile phones switched off and stored. All communication with students during the school day must go through the school office.

This policy applies to all students, unless they meet the requirements of an approved exemption.

Exemptions may be considered where students require the use of their mobile phone for educational adjustments, monitoring health conditions or other extenuating circumstances. There may also be instances where teachers permit students to use their mobile phones for educational purposes.

If you would like to discuss an exemption for your child or have any questions about the policy please contact the school office on 63 723 900.

GRIP

On Tuesday 18th, the Student Leader Board attended the GRIP leadership conference in Launceston. The Student Leaders came away with many useful strategies and a clear understanding of what it means to be a leader. Some of the key ideas were: how to engage others, keeping the balance between asking and instructing, never ask someone to do something you wouldn’t, be a role model, make sure your actions match your words and think about a school’s needs before the wants.

We have begun to prioritise our goals and are looking forward to working together to write an action plan to achieve those goals and create a legacy.

GRADE 5/6B GOALS

FINGAL CAMPUS

Prep

Students have been busy in the past few weeks learning about Australian native animals. They have looked at the uniqueness of the Echidna. Echidnas, sometimes known as spiny anteaters, belong to the family Tachyglossidae (what a big word!!!) in the monotreme order of egg-laying mammals. The echidnas and the platypus are the only living mammals that lay eggs.

GRADES 2-4 HASS

The Fingal students have been learning about the history of Fingal. Fingal is a small Australian town in Fingal Valley in the north-east of Tasmania, on the Esk Highway.

The town of Fingal came into existence in 1827 as a convict station and experienced a boom when Van Diemen’s Land’s first payable gold was discovered in nearby Mangana. Fingal Post Office opened on 1st June 1832.

Our Campus has been striving to follow our school Values and are striving to live up to them in our daily classroom activities and learning programmes.

We Respect each other’s as learners.

We display Courage to try when tasks may become difficult.

We show Aspiration and ambition to do our best work every day, and

We are showing Growth because we are developing classroom skills to be independent, reliable and focused to carry out our lessons.

SCHOOL ASSOCIATION AGM

The School Association Committee has vacancies commencing 2020. There are 3 parent member vacancies on the Committee. Positions are for a period of 2 years.

Nominations for these vacancies close on Wednesday 18th March 2020. If there are more nominations than vacancies, elections will be held on Wednesday 25th March at a Special General Meeting, St Marys District School Performing Arts Centre, 5.30pm.

St Marys District School Association invites you to consider nomination for one of these positions. To nominate please complete the attached nomination form and return to Sharlene Ridler-Mason, Returning Officer c/- St Marys School Administration Office by 4.00pm Wednesday18th March, 2020.

Further information on the School Association can be found at:

The School Office

• https://www.education.tas.gov.au/community-and-providers/school-associations-tasmania/

SCHOOL ASSOCIATIONS IN TASMANIAN GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS

Did you know?

An Association is made up of the parents, staff and community members of a school. An Association exists for each Tasmanian Government School, including primary schools, high schools, district schools and colleges.

The purpose of an Association is to provide members with a way to participate and be involved in supporting the school.

The Association for each school has been established under the Education Act 2016 (Tas).

What are the main functions of the Association?

• Associations participate in:
• development of school policies, school improvement plans and the formulation of school objectives, priorities, strategic directions and values
• planning the financial arrangements to support these objectives
• evaluating the school’s performance to achieve those objectives, priorities, strategic directions and values
• the selection process of a Principal, where a permanent vacancy exists
• fostering the value and benefits of education
• encouraging co-operation among teachers, students, parents and the school community
• raising funds to benefit the school.

Who are members of the Association?

• The following people are automatically members of the School Association:
• all parents (parents or guardians who have children or young people enrolled at the school)
• all staff (permanent and fixed-term employees at the school); including the Principal Community members need to apply to the School Association Committee to become a member of the School Association.

How can I be involved in the Association?

• As a member of the Association you can:
• attend General Meetings of the Association
• nominate for the Association Committee
• where they exist, you can join a Subcommittee of the Association Committee
• support Association events or fundraising.

How can I get more information?

• If you would like further information about Associations, you can contact:
• Your school or college, including:
• any current member of your School Association Committee
• the Principal or staff at your school
• Tasmanian Association of State School Organisations (TASSO):
• email info@tasso.org.au or visit the website www.tasso.org.au

The Department of Education:

• School Associations website
• phone the Department of Education on 1800 816 057 (Free call)
• email schoolassociations@education.tas.gov.au

Homework Table for Newsletter

STUDENT HEALTH

With the return to school and working in close quarters with others from the community, often comes the return of coughs, colds, sniffles, rashes etc. Bearing that in mind, now is a good time to remind children of handwashing and cough covering protocols. Please refer to the fact sheets below:

SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS

These notices have been sent home to parents in the last fortnight. If you did not receive one and would like to receive a copy of the notice, please contact the school office on 63 723 900.

PRIMARY

Welcome letter from teacher

SECONDARY

Welcome letter from teacher

WHOLE SCHOOL

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

Ticket to play

The Tasmanian Government is pleased to announce the Ticket to Play sports voucher program is now open for 2020. Please share the following information in your school community.

Ticket to Play – sports voucher program

Ticket to Play provides vouchers up to $100 in value towards club membership for children aged 5-17 years and listed on a Centrelink Health Care or Pensioner Concession Card or in Out of Home Care. The key objective of Ticket to Play is to increase the number of young Tasmanians playing sport and supporting the Tasmanian Government’s objective of Tasmania being the healthiest population by 2025.

Get your Ticket to Play and join a club in 2020!

• Tasmanian children aged 5 to 17 may be eligible for a voucher of up to $100 towards club membership.
• Children who are listed on a Centrelink Health Care or Pensioner Concession Card, or who are in Out of Home Care are eligible.
• For information and to apply for a voucher go to https://www.communities.tas.gov.au/ticket-to-play .