Dear families,

Welcome back to the whole school community. It has been great to see the smiles on student faces as they returned to school last Thursday- so many have grown, and so many were sporting new haircuts. On an annual basis we review class groupings and of course move staff around to maximise skill sets and refresh teaching programs, so some students have been a little unsettled. This should settle down as students get used to new class friends, new staff and for many- new rooms.

A reminder that the weather continues to be very hot, so please dress your child in NAMED school wear appropriate to the weather. A/C is widely used across the school so be assured that your child is learning in a sympathetic temperature. Just as when it rains however, if it is very hot we keep students in at breaktime, as they are too exposed to the heat and sun (even with sunshades everywhere).

For a number of years now we have held a ‘Meet the teacher’ event at the beginning of Term 1. Much of this information is duplicated when parents meet with the teacher for their child’s IEP or ITP planning meeting when the individualized program is determined. We can see that this is not good use of family time, so we have decided to just have the one IEP/ ITP meeting.

We hope that this suits family time and your range of commitments, and better reflects what happens in many mainstream schools. Please therefore ignore the printed reference in the school communication books/ diaries. We will be hosting our annual Harmony Day multi-cultural lunch on Thursday March 20^th, so please use this time to meet other parents, sharing phone numbers etc.

The Minister for Education has asked Principals to cap any request for Voluntary Contributions given the current economic climate. We will not be asking for any school contribution for the rest of the school year, though may on occasion ask for petrol contributions for individual excursions.

Tess has now officially retired. I had hoped that the medications prescribed for her arthritis would have been more successful in managing her mobility, but it is now impossible for her to get in and out of the car. She remains in good health in all other respects, but at 13 she deserves longer day rests! We will apply for another dog through the Guide Dogs Australia - Pets as Therapy program (PAT) in due course.

I am pleased to announce that the Department of Education has installed a fascia to our fences in the SEACH and MAXI’s playgrounds to prevent students from scaling the fences. Our younger students have proven speedy and opportunistic – so we are pleased to improve safety for all without it compromising light, or making these playgrounds look punitive.

Finally, we have been successful gaining a beehive from Paramatta Council which will be installed in the orchard area next week. I can assure you that these are native stingless bees, and we have an active range of staff who are keen to assist students to care for our grounds and focus on realistic horticultural life-skills. Photograph to follow in the next newsletter.

Warm regards,

Ruth Rogers

 

 

 

Room 5 is back!

We have been so fortunate to stay together for another school year, so we can carry on with all the boys' good work!

We are excited to welcome Timothy to our Room 5 family. He has already taken huge strides to fit in with his new classmates and has been a fantastic participant across all activities and learning opportunities.

While we get back into the swing of things, we've kept ourselves very busy with a range of activities. Art Therapy is back, and the boys couldn't be happier! They love the opportunity to engage with different materials to express themselves.

Gym is back in full swing every day. This has been such an important part of our daily routine, and nothing has changed. Working up a sweat is a great way to blow out the cobwebs each morning! We've even made a trip up to Gibson (Multi-Sport Court), and tried our hand at a bit of cricket!

We've already made a trip to the Music Therapy Suite to bang a few drums, strum some guitars, and tinkle the ivories on the piano. We continue to be a very musical class! As well as enjoying another favourite, the cooking program.

We're so glad to be back and can't wait to sink our teeth into some fantastic learning as the year progresses. Watch this space for some exciting Community Access outings down the line!

From Liam and Shiraz

 

 

The students in Room 11 have been very busy learners and have had a wonderful few weeks settling into the new year, full of many exciting learning experiences. Lucas T, Harvey, Hasnain, Maddie, Lucas W and Pranay have all enjoyed exploring our school grounds and transitioning to a variety of locations to: deliver messages, walk around the oval, practice climbing in Aston playground and to the Karonga Kiosk to name a few.

Room 11 were very excited when our weekly Wednesday morning visits to the Mini-Woolies Kiosk began this week. We enjoy practicing and develop our purchasing skills within a safe environment. Students wait patiently and together as a class, before entering the Kiosk where they practice their communication skills to select a drink and a snack. Hasnain especially enjoys purchasing Oreo mini biscuits for his snack.

In art therapy Harvey, Hasnain and Lucas W were very engaged and loved making beautiful, marbled designs with shaving cream and dye. Lucas T loves to show his independence and deliver messages to the office with Jess. Maddison enjoys exploring and creating wonderful masterpieces, especially painting our book covers and making our Valentines art.

Warm regards,
Deb W and Jessie

 

 

Room 14 has had a fantastic start to the school year! We are thrilled to have our 2024 group together again, providing a great opportunity for students to build on their skills from last year.

Our students have been actively engaged in all Key Learning Areas, with a special enthusiasm for PDHPE and Food Technology. They have also been developing their independence in Communication, Literacy, and Numeracy, continually impressing us with their capabilities.

This term, we will focus on attending the gym and preparing for community access by travelling on the bus and taking videos and photos of the Epping area.

We hope you enjoy these snapshots from Room 14, and we look forward to a wonderful year ahead!

 

Until next time,

Kamal and Hyma

 

 

 

 

KIND for being a helpful and responsible student by taking the class blue bag to the office.

 

 

 

 

 

Listening to instruction and being SAFE on the gym equipment.

 

 

 

 

Karonga P&C (Parents and Citizens)

On behalf of Karonga P&C, I would like to give a warm welcome to all new families to the Karonga community.

Joining the P&C is a great way to know what is happening within the school and the wider community, and to help with the development of our school. We operate under a prescribed P&C Federation Constitution.

Karonga P&C is unique. We receive income from the Assisted School Travel Program (ASTP) and do not need to fundraise like other schools. We use this income to:

• fund therapies for all students to enjoy;
• support projects within the school;
• gift graduation clothing for Yr 6 and Yr 12 students;
• fund events such as the petting zoo at Founders Day (2022, 2023 & 2024), and more!

Visit the P&C page

 

What does it mean to be a member of the P&C?

P&C members can vote, pass motions and have a say on how we spend P&C funds on resources that enhance the wellbeing of students. The membership fee is $1 each year. New members are added to the membership register at the close of a meeting. The P&C cannot operate without a minimum number of five members attending meetings. So please help us to help our students.

P&C Meetings

P&C meetings provide a forum to discuss issues related to the school, hear from the principal and get updates on P&C activities. We meet in the PL room at 6.45pm on the third Wednesday each month during school terms. A zoom link is available for those unable to attend in-person. Meetings generally finish by 8.15pm. Everyone is welcome to attend and contribute. It is a friendly, relaxed atmosphere and if you are keen to learn more about what is happening within the school, we would love to have you along.

Our next meeting is Wednesday 19^th February.

If you have any questions, or want to know more, please contact karongapc@gmail.com

Yee-Foong Stone
Karonga P&C President