MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Dear Parents and Carers,
It was with much excitement that we welcomed students back to school over the last few weeks.
After many weeks learning from home it was wonderful to see our students playing, laughing, and learning together. Thank you to our parent and carer community, teaching, and SAS team who have worked incredibly hard to prepare our students for a safe return to school.
We have been incredibly proud of the way students have transitioned back to face to face learning. Please remember, it is ok for students to have different feelings about transitioning back to school life. Students may feel worried, nervous, angry, happy or any feeling in between. Some parents have reported their children displaying heightened emotions and reactions, while for others it is business as usual. Everyone will settle back to school in a different way. Identifying and talking through emotions can be helpful for both parents and students. Maintaining healthy eating and sleeping patterns is also helpful. Parents who are concerned about their child’s wellbeing are encouraged to contact the school directly. Our school counselling service is available to students of concern. Parents may also seek support through their GP.
Term 4 promises to be very exciting with teachers planning explicit informed teaching and learning activities, as well as fun activities for students. Please keep in mind that changes can occur at any given time in relation to COVID-19 guidelines. We will keep you informed of any changes as soon as possible.
Ms Phillips
PLANNING FOR 2022
Planning for 2022 is underway. Please remember to notify the office as soon as possible if you are aware that your child will not be returning to Kearns next year.
Similarly, if you know of any neighbours, friends, or family who have Kindergarten aged children or older, ask them to contact the office. Our virtual orientation process is about to commence.
SEMESTER TWO REPORTS
The Commonwealth Government of Australia has permitted schools to adopt a revised approach to assessment and reporting, reflecting the current teaching and learning environment during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Revised reports for Semester Two will provide information relating to progress in English and mathematics during home learning, without the familiar A-E grading.
CHECK-IN ASSESSMENT
Students in Years 3-6 participate in a reading and numeracy Check-in Assessment in Week 7 of this term.
The Check-in Assessment is a NSW Department of Education online reading and numeracy assessment available to support schools to assess and monitor student learning.
The assessments supplement existing school practices to identify how students are performing and help teachers tailor their teaching more specifically to student needs.
TELL THEM FROM ME
Parent survey
This term our school will be participating in the Partners in Learning parent survey on student engagement. The survey asks parents and carers questions about different factors that are known to impact on student wellbeing and engagement. Although participating in the survey is entirely voluntary, your responses are very much appreciated.
To complete the survey, please click on the following link:
http://nsw.tellthemfromme.com/9wxqy
If you have any questions, please contact the school.
Student survey
This term our students in Years 4, 5 & 6 will once again participate in the Tell Them From Me survey. The survey asks students about a range of school experiences, including their engagement, learning, sport, and wellbeing at school and beyond. This survey takes about 20 minutes to complete and will assist our school in understanding how to further help students with their engagement, learning, and welling, which will also improve student outcomes.
Teachers will not be able to identify individual students from their responses. To ensure confidentiality, participating students will receive a unique username and password.
If parents or carers do not wish their child to participate in this survey, please contact the front office.
ATTENDANCE
As we return to normal school and classroom routines it is important that children attend school every day.
Every day counts, as regular attendance helps students to:
- develop a sense of belonging
- develop and maintain friendships
- be more engaged at school
- progress with their learning
- be more aware of career and life options.
It is also important that students arrive to school on time. This ensures:
- students do not miss out on important learning opportunities scheduled early in the day
- students learn the importance of punctuality and routine
- students have time to greet their friends before class
- classroom disruption is reduced
If for any reason your child does not attend school, it is important that you notify the front office as soon as possible. This can be done via SkoolBag, email or phone. If an explanation is not received within two days, the school may contact you to discuss the absence as per our attendance procedures and in compliance with the Department of Education attendance policy.
READING
We are very excited to have our students back on site where they can once again enjoy our library and the many books available to read and/or borrow.
Parents and carers who read aloud with children in a secure, safe, and comfortable context motivate their children to read.
Parent’s perceptions, values, attitudes, and expectations play an important role in influencing their children’s attitudes towards reading, and subsequent literacy development. When children share a book with someone who makes them feel special, the attitude that reading is pleasurable is transferred to other reading encounters.
Benefits of reading are:
- strengthens relationships
- self-confidence improves
- vocabulary develops
- writing skills improve
- comprehension develops
LIBRARY
It is wonderful to have students back at school and borrowing from the library. We still have many overdue books from Term 2. With the extended remote learning period, many children have forgotten about books borrowed earlier in the year. This is understandable, so we are seeking your support to look for any resources that may still be at home. You will know if it is a library book as it will have a school barcode on the cover. Sometimes the barcode is located inside the front or back cover, so please check there too. We budget a considerable amount for library books as we want to ensure students have access to current and popular titles. Please help us by returning any books that are still at home.
SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR - NOVEMBER 15-19
Our annual Book Fair will still go ahead, with a few adjustments. The books will be on display in the library for a week. Students will have an opportunity to browse and create a wish list. Parents can then pay for books to purchase online. The books will then be sent home with each child. Unfortunately, due to current restrictions, we can't allow parents onsite to purchase books. All purchases support the school, as we will receive vouchers depending on what we sell. There are some fabulous books at bargain prices that would make great Christmas presents. Stay tuned!
CANTEEN
The school canteen will remain non-operational until further notice.
P&C AGM
The P&C Annual General Meeting will be held Tuesday, 23 November at 7:00 pm via ZOOM. The link will be shared with our parent community closer to this date.
TRANSITION TO SCHOOL TIP
Once children start school, they are presented with many instances throughout the day that require decision making, sharing, teamwork and responsibility.
Encourage your little person to help out with a job at home. Some examples include sorting out the washing, setting the dinner table, feeding the pets, making lunch, tidying up a space, planting some veggies – the possibilities are endless!
Independence skills are important for children to learn prior to school as they are become more responsible and autonomous in their learning and daily life. Providing children with age-appropriate experiences and appropriate support will assist them in developing these key independence abilities.
PRESENTATION DAY AND END OF YEAR CELEBRATIONS
Health guidelines for assemblies including end-of-year assemblies and award ceremonies remain unchanged. Staff are currently planning for virtual end-of-year assemblies and award ceremonies.
HEALTH CARE PLANS
ASCIA have released updated versions of the ASCIA Action Plans (2021), with the following important changes now in place. ASCIA Action Plans do not expire, and therefore the plan is still valid beyond the recommended review date. Copies of the updated plan will be sent to parents/ carers who require them.
Any student who requires a health care plan for anaphylaxis, allergy, asthma, epilepsy or other high-risk conditions will be receiving a pack with the required documents for schools towards the end of this term. Parents will then be invited to a health care meeting in early 2022 to ensure appropriate risk plans are in place.
HEALTH
Students are expected to attend school unless they are unwell or have even the mildest symptoms of COVID-19. Any person with any COVID-19 symptoms must be sent home and not return to school unless:
- they have isolated for 10 days when no medical certificate is available
- they have a negative COVID-19 test result and are symptom free.
In circumstances where children have other medical reasons for recurrent symptoms, a letter from their GP is sufficient to negate the requirement for a negative test.
Anyone who is unwell with COVID-19 symptoms is strongly encouraged to get tested and self-isolate until a negative result is received.
NSW Health has prepared a range of factsheets to answer questions about self-isolation and what to do if you, or your child, is named as a close or casual contact.
LEARNING LABS - UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG
The University of Wollongong invites your students to LITTLE and EARLY LEARNING LABS, an academic and creative arts enrichment holiday program. We are targeting students from Year 1 to 6 who are passionate, self-motivated and curious learners.
Dates:
- Little Learning Labs (Years 1 and 2): 10th – 12th January 2022
- Early Learning Labs (Years 3 to 6): 17th – 21st January 2022
Venue: University of Wollongong (Wollongong campus only)
Applications close: Wednesday, 17th November 2021
https://documents.uow.edu.au/content/groups/public/@web/@dvce/@in2uni/documents/doc/uow266653.pdf
This is an academic and creative arts enrichment program designed for students who are motivated and passionate learners and performing excellently in their area of interest. First-time applicants are required to demonstrate their suitability for the program.
KINDERGARTEN ENROLMENT 2022
As previously shared, The Department of Education has released a new enrolment procedure, meaning that families can now enrol their child at any time. Once enrolled, it is our understanding that your child will then qualify for Active Kids and Creative Kids vouchers. Remember to encourage your family or friends in our local area to enrol now.
Enrolment link:
https://enrol.education.nsw.gov.au/#/?schoolCode=4593
Active Kids Voucher:
https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/apply-active-kids-voucher
Creative Kids Voucher: https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/apply-creative-kids-voucher
