Welcome all families to Week 4
We see our Year 3 and 5 students sitting for NAPLAN this week. Here is a message to all our students we know will try their very best in these challenging tests and have done so during the weeks and months leading up to them.
I’d like you, your family, friends and teachers to remember that these tests are unable to measure all of what it is that makes you the valued person who you are. The people who have created these tests and those that mark them don’t know you as well as your teachers know you, to the extent to which I know you and certainly not the way your family and friends know you.
They don’t know that children at Scotts Head Public School speak a language other than English. They also don’t know that you may be a great singer and dancer or that you can play a musical instrument really well. They also don’t know how well you can draw beautiful pictures.
They don’t know that you have a sense of humour which can bring a smile to your friend’s faces and make them laugh or that they can rely upon you to support them when they need a kind and encouraging word. They wouldn’t know that you can create art, play all types of different sports and have interesting and enjoyable hobbies.
They also don’t know that you probably accept responsibility for taking care of your brothers or sisters from time to time. They don’t know that you have a beautiful coastal environment for your backyard with fascinating places where you have amazing experiences.
They don’t know how much you love spending time with your family and your close friends and they won’t know how much you are appreciated and loved by them.
You are trustworthy, kind and thoughtful and you try to do your best every day. Do they know that?
The NAPLAN test results give you some very specific information about yourself but it can’t say everything about who you are and what you have achieved.
I hope you are happy with your effort and receive results that they inspire you to do even better in literacy and numeracy. Just remember that there is so much more to describe who you are that can’t be shown in these scores. I am so proud of all Year 3 and 5 students this week who will be using their habits for learning to do their best during NAPLAN.
This week the tree removal works will begin onsite around the perimeter of the school grounds. The majority of the trees will remain and branches will be lopped from trees that encroach on the fence height of 2.1 metres. The tree works should continue for approximately three days and then the construction of the fence is scheduled to begin. It has been estimated that this process will take about 4 weeks. This will be a time of change around the borders of our school and our priority is keeping everyone safe, especially when entering or exiting school grounds.
Congratulations to both the boys and girls PSSA soccer teams who played with grit, determination and fabulous teamwork while displaying outstanding sportsperson ship at their matches in Toormina last Wednesday.
Scotts Head Public School students are once again stepping up to compete in the Multicultural Perspectives Public Speaking competition and also Interschool Debating Rounds. Both public speaking and debating, promote confidence and increase higher order critical thinking skills. These opportunities are developing and enriching invaluable long term skills for our students, the ability to communicate confidently and articulately with an audience while expanding students’ knowledge of current affairs. These building blocks of public presentation are important both in and out of school and allows our students to become more conscious of their personal potential. Thank you to Pak Chris for organising the logistics around these competitions.
“Learn as you Grow”- Scotts Head Public School
Mrs B - Relieving Principal
