Dear families,

School staff are very busy writing reports, scheduling end of year events and of course planning class groupings for 2024 at the moment. We commit to each of these factors in a very planned and structured way: teachers are submitting draft reports to supervisors, we are sending invitations out to dignitaries due to attend our Celebration of Learning and sharing the joy of our students with whole school events such as a musical performance by Carlingford High School in December. With respect to class groupings, we know that this can lead to some anxiety by students and carers alike but do understand that we prioritise student age and learning programs, before considering the rooms that best suit the grouping and any challenging behaviours which have an impact on others. Only when we have these factors agreed upon at whole-school meetings do we consider the skill set of the teaching staff. We will send out notifications of 2024 teacher and SLSO for each class in the envelopes containing reports at the end of the term- and include photographs where possible.

Health concerns:

We all care about the welfare of the students at Karonga. We know that you need to feel that your child attends in as safe a space as possible, and staff at Karonga are concerned about the significant health concerns associated with many of our students.

I have taken advice form NSW Health around 2 ‘relatively common’ children’s complaints and we need to tighten our practice around these factors going forward:

Gastroenteritis- Children should not attend childcare or school until 48 hours after they no longer have symptoms (diarrhea and vomiting).

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/viral-gastroenteritis.aspx.

Additionally, no swimming for 7 days following a bout of diarrhea or vomiting.

Green mucus/ discharge from the nose- If you are sick with flu, stay at home and avoid close contact with other people. Keep sick children away from school and other activities. To avoid infecting others, stay at home for at least 24 hours after your fever has resolved and until you are feeling well. This is especially important if you visit people at higher risk of severe illness, including pregnant women, infants, older people and people in hospital, residential aged or disability care.

Influenza fact sheet - Fact sheets (nsw.gov.au)

Please understand that when our office calls for you to collect your child due to sickness, there is nothing personal about this: we are following guidelines from NSW Health Service.

Celebration of Learning

The ‘Celebration of Learning’ is a special event at Karonga. I was so impressed with the professionalism of it when I joined the school. Everyone is currently voting on award recipients and school captains (Primary School and High School).

I am keen to hold the opening of the sunshades/ road crossing as soon as possible- to formally thank the Epping Club who are our major sponsors, so we are holding it directly after the Celebration of Learning so that we do not have to organize a separate event. Invites to dignitaries are currently going out and family invites will follow, -specifically if the student is getting an award. Please ensure that you put Wednesday 6^th of December in your diaries now. The event will start at 9.30am and be followed by refreshments.

https://education.nsw.gov.au/news/latest-news/authentic-learning-gets-the-green-light-at-karonga

New Student Orientation Days

We recently held the first of 2 Orientations for students joining us in 2024. This is a great opportunity for families to have a tour of our school, and an informed understanding of what we do, what we offer and how we can best support student learning. Email the school if you have any ideas for information to share with new families- particularly if you were new to us over the past couple of years.

Staff Professional Learning in 2024

We have some exciting professional learning planned for staff during 2024. We have 2 school development days given to us at the end of the school year, which from the staff perspective is not a great time of year for meaningful learning, and additionally we cannot embed the practice into the school year while the students are attending. Staff have unanimously voted to do twilights (3.15- 6.15pm x 2 = 6 hours) twice. We are paying 2 external educators to deliver these twilights. I just thought you would like to know:

Sue Larkey: De-escalation strategies, and re-engaging learning

Wednesday 27^th March 2024 (Term 1 Week 9)

Wednesday 3^rd April 2024 (Term 1 Week 10)

Michelle Rushton: Building strong relationships, teams and schools

Wednesday 1st May 2024 (Term 2 week 1)

Wednesday 12th June 2024 (Term 2 Week 7)

Epping Music Festival

Finally, please enjoy some photographs from the dress rehearsal at the recent Epping Music Festival held at the Chatswood Concourse. It was a great evening and the Karonga students were amazing!

Welcome to Room 2.

We have had a busy term so far learning about our letters, writing and reading books during English and counting during math. Tomochika is using communication switches to read the decodable reader while Ria is looking at a book.

We have enjoyed going out on a Friday to recycle cans and bottles at the return and earn bottle collection, placing and watching the bottles go into the machine.

During life skills we have been practicing how to fold shirts, towels and socks and how to hang shirts up on a hanger. We have also been learning how to use pegs and how to pack away objects. Shuyang is putting a shirt on a hanger while Felicia is washing her dishes.

While walking around the school we were able to try out the new traffic lights that we have at school, to teach us how to safely cross the road.

We also walked up to the library to look at books and choose some for our classroom, on our way there, we saw the new stained-glass windows and the water fountain. 

Technology is something that is big in Room 2, we use technology in many ways. We have been using Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices in the class to communicate our needs and wants and to help with our desk work. Felicia is communicating what she wants to eat, Shuyang is making shapes with playdough and stating what the shape is. Ria is using the Go-Talk to communicate while Tomo is using the AAC device on the computer.

Room 2, with some of their Room 1 peers have been using the Immersive Classroom to look at letters of the alphabet and landscapes and landforms. Felicia went onto the laptop to look at the Woolworths webpage to show what she wanted to buy at the shops.

We really enjoy spending time in the ILC cooking with Michell. Our favourite thing to make is cheese on toast.

Creative arts, music and art are favourites in Room 2, we love having Lisette and Jack visit and work with us. We are lucky enough to have our friends from Rooms 1, 3 and 4 join us occasionally for art and music. Tomochika is learning how to use a staple gun to complete a group artwork while Shuyang is playing the ukulele.

We have had a great time learning and playing with our peers this term but we can’t wait for the holidays.

Have a safe end of year, Lowenna and Rupak.

Every week, Room 11 enjoy an adventure to the Art Room where they get a brilliant art therapy session with Lissette. They really enjoy their sessions, playing with all kinds of materials to produce amazing art works.

For Halloween, Room 11 had a very special treat! Lissette made some awesome jelly monsters for us to feel and swish our hands through. While we were helping her make the monsters with jelly, cream and lollies, we got to listen to Hansel and Gretel. It was a fabulous story and the jelly monsters were so cool to play with in our hands.

We look forward to having more fun in the Art Room with Lissette to learn more about colours and materials we can use to create stuff with! It is a very therapeutic time for us!

Under the guidance of the Principal, staff and students, I have been learning the process of how to put the flags up the flag poles at the front of the school.

Therapies

The P&C had their last meeting for 2023 on Wednesday evening. We are pleased to announce that Music, Art, Swim and Physiotherapy will continue to be funded by the P&C as we enter 2024. 

Meetings in 2024

Work to School Workshop

Educators and families can register for the Blacktown Workshop click here: https://bit.ly/SchoolToWorkWorkshopBlacktown2023

For further information please refer to the attached flyer.

School_to_Work_Blacktown_2023.pdf

School_to_Work_Blacktown_2023 _pdf 1.00 MB

  

 

4Titude School Holiday Program

The 4Titude School Holiday Program runs from 2nd January for four weeks.  Please refer to the attached flyer for more information and how to book.

4Titude_School_Holiday_Program_Stanhope.pdf

 

 

 

Family Planning Australia - ScreenEqual Research Project

 

 

Disclaimer:

Articles published in the Community Noticeboard section of the Karonga Newsletter are provided for information for our school community only and their inclusion no way constitutes an endorsement of the product or service by Karonga School.