KIDS OF SPIRIT: Classrooms buzzing with learning
Your weekly roundup of all the news from our Clarence Valley Schools
Grafton
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Iluka Public School
It has been 7 weeks since the return of students back to school, and in the last few weeks Iluka Public School has found its rhythm once more. It has been just wonderful to have the grounds filled with laughter and activity and to have the classrooms once more buzzing with learning.
In preparation for Semester 1 reports, teaching staff have been assessing how students have fared during their absence from face-to-face learning. Teachers have included into this evaluating process a meeting with parents, to be able to include and incorporate their perspectives on the home learning period. Assessments have shown some very positive results for the majority of students, that despite the disruption in their learning journey most have maintained and often improved in their academic performance. Many students are now displaying improved skills with technology that can be linked directly to the learning from home period. With such positive outcomes in this area, certain activities that originate from online learning are now being incorporated into daily classroom activity.
However, not all positives are based around academics. The children seem to be bursting with energy. It may be the glorious weather we are currently experiencing or the upcoming IPS Athletics carnival that is getting everyone into a sporty mood. Whatever may be the driving force, we are thrilled to see our wonderful school grounds a hive of activity.
Westlawn Public School
Stage 2 students at Westlawn have begun a series of Enrichment rotations which are held each Friday. Enrichment programs promote critical thinking and problem solving skills, improve student's ability to concentrate, and make learning more meaningful, valuable, and rewarding. We are expanding our learning experiences to really emphasise the fun and collaboration among the students in an engaging and meaningful way.
The four activities are quite varied, each focusing on different aspects of student holistic wellbeing. Mrs Alford incorporates maths and science concepts into cooking and baking with the students using our outdoor kitchen. Mr Pereira and Mrs Salvestro are teaching the children about Rock and Water (building social and emotional capabilities in students) as part of our Positive Behaviour for Learning initiatives.
Mrs Scott is setting STEM challenges for the students to use their creativity and engineering skills. Ms Ellem and Miss Ryan are teaching the children about drumming and percussion with the classes forming a bucket band.
Our Enrichment rotations are closely followed by our Stage 2 Sport rotations, which focus on Athletics skills such as high jump, long jump, mid-distance running and shot put.
Fridays at Westlawn PS are most definitely something to look forward to!
St Joseph's Primary School, South Grafton
Can you believe that this is the last week of Term 2 and we are halfway through the year!
So much has been happening since our return to school this term, both in the classroom and playground (in addition to our most important jobs of teaching and learning!), and, with continued planning, there is much more in store.
The Junior Joey's room is set up and ready for the program to commence next term. Should you have a child starting Kindergarten in 2021 and would like to find out more about our wonderful school, kindly contact our office on 6642-2899.
Turf has been placed under the huge, shady trees in our courtyard and these spaces will be lovely spots for children to play during lunch and recess. The grass is very sturdy and suitable for high traffic areas. These spaces will also be used for stamina reading in class time and will be highly used, especially during our hot summer months.
The children have indicated that they are very keen to have a fairy garden as part of their play area and have many suggestions to design this magical space. A Fairy Garden Committee has been formed and our Principal, Mrs Denton, is looking forward to meeting with the students to share ideas and see this wonderful plan come into fruition.
We wish all our families a safe and restful holiday and look forward to welcoming our students back on Tuesday, 20 July. Monday is a Staff Development Day with the focus being on Literacy through literature.
St Joseph's Stage 3 students have been working on Mexican inspired tile art and have created a magnificent wall tile mural which will be displayed in our new library area. There is nothing more colourful than a Mexican celebration and this is certainly represented here using vibrant colours, historically from natural resources such as plants, minerals and insects. Cactuses and their magnificently coloured blooms along with beaded lizards form a common theme, set in the desert sun, as well as those famous Mexican hats, the sombreros. Fabuloso!
St Andrew's Christian Community School
St Andrew's Christian School is currently on its mid-year break. School will resume Monday 20 July.
The school would like to wish our K/1 teacher, Mrs Emma Winkels all the best as she commences her maternity leave. For the remainder of the year, Mrs Karen Logan will be teaching K/1.
The school will be holding a Year 11 Information Night on Tuesday 28 July from 6.30pm to 8pm in the School Library for our current Year 10 students and any student interested in studying in Year 11 at St. Andrew's Christian School in 2021. The night will cover NESA requirements to achieve a HSC, course outlines by teachers and give parents and students an opportunity to informally chat with teachers over tea, coffee and dessert.
Places are filling fast for the 2021 school year. If you would like to enrol at St. Andrew's Christian School or know anyone who does, please contact the school on 66434770 or book a tour on our website to view the school facilities and have an interview with the School Principal.
The school wishes all our families a safe holiday break and looks forward to seeing everyone back in Term 3.
Yamba Public School
South Grafton Public School
As the end of the term is fast approaching it is a very good opportunity for all of us at South Grafton Public School to reflect on what has been a truly challenging but highly successful term for our school and community. Our wonderful school has continued to approach each and every day in a very positive manner and it has been remarkable how seamless the transition back to normality has been within the guidelines we have been allowed to operate in. Congratulations to our SGPS community!
Our school is endeavouring to still ensure our students have every opportunity to participate in activities which would normally be part of our school calendar even though they may not have the opportunity to progress to the next level. We have also had discussions with some local schools regarding sport and we are very hopeful our sporting teams will have the opportunity to represent our school next term in a format where rules align to the PSSA knockout requirements. This is particularly essential for our Year 6 students.
Congratulations to our class representatives Jacob Everson, Isabella Roughley, Elise Grimes, Layla Brown, Pippa Brown, Lacey Byrant, Isla Vercoe, Isabella Bailey, Violet Nicholson, Flynn Street, Allyrah Hunt, Kaylen Bartkowski, Taylor Ball, Mitchell Kelly, Elisha Scott, Damian L, Dallas Vidler, Alexander Harper, Zoe Rayward, Riley Lolic, Azari Higgins, Jesse Really, Jake Grebert, Izaac Christian, Lily Vidler, Monique Fisher for their participation in the Spelling Bee finals last Friday. The Spelling Bee finals are a part of the Premier's Spelling Bee challenge which is held every year. Congratulations to our Stage 2 runner-up Violet Nicholson and winner Isabella Bailey and our Stage 3 runner-up Izaac Christian and winner Zoe Rayward.
Our Aboriginal Language program resumed last week for Year 4 students on the Primary campus. Our students have really enjoyed this program which began in Term 1 and we are looking forward to the program progressing for the rest of this year.
Mangahigh maths is one of our excellent online programs we offer our students. Many of our students used this program during the phase attendance period both at home and at school. Mangahigh consistently communicate to our school to notify us of students and classes who are performing well using this program. Recently we received an email outlining the top ten students from our school from the 1st January to the 22nd June. Congratulations to the top ten students with their point score. 1: Hayden Howard 141, 2nd: Michael Mundine Rafferty 134, 3: Jessica Zomer 108, 4: Riley Lolic 98, 5. Jake Grebert 94, 6: James Drewett 90, 7: Jalani Bannerman 69, 8: Addison Brown 69, 9: Arafura Elliott 64, 10: Nathaniel Pohlmann 64.
National NAIDOC Week 2020 celebrations will now be held from the 8th-15th November. The November dates follow the decision by the National NAIDOC Committee (NNC) to postpone NAIDOC Week from the original July dates due to the impacts and uncertainty from the escalating coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic across our communities and cities.
We look forward to our school celebrating this very important week on our school calendar later this year.
This week our school is holding our End of Term Rewards days for our Infants, Wednesday 1st July and our Primary Day, Friday 3rd July. Both campuses have a range of fun activities planned. Our Primary Campus are having a Pyjama Rewards Day. Our Infants Campus may wear their favourite mufti clothes. Kindergarten students may also bring their favourite teddy bear for a Teddy Bear's Picnic. We are looking forward to fun filled days!
Our students who have shown outstanding efforts throughout this term will also receive their AAA certificate on Friday 3rd July. Congratulations to all these wonderful students at our school.
Earlier this week we received communication from our Director of Educational Leadership Mrs Meghanne Wellard that she has chosen our school to have NSW DEC 'brand' photos taken this week. This is an outstanding recognition of our school. The 'brand' photos are used by the NSW DEC for advertising Public Schools across NSW and beyond.
Our SRC are running a jelly bean guessing competition until the end of Term. Students will be able to enter each day at the Primary Campus and each Wednesday at the Infants Campus during lunch time breaks.
Student banking will resume on Tuesday 21st July.
Canteen
PRIMARY
Tuesday Julieanne Parente, Riley Burton
Wednesday Kelly Gavin, HELP NEEDED
Thursday Belinda Wormald, HELP NEEDED
Friday Trudy clydesdale, Suellen Davies
INFANTS
Tuesday Barbara Tibbett, Rhonda King,
Wednesday Suellen Davies, HELP NEEDED
Thursday Jasmin Wyse, Rebecca Milligan
Friday Simmone Skinner, Sara McClymont
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