We have 4 new students start with us at Karonga over the remainder of this term. Alongside 2 new Kindergarten students we have a Year 2 student move to the area and the return of an ex-student into Year 9. We welcome them all and look forward to sharing even better facilities and resources with them over semester 2.

Murray and his wife are expecting a baby this month so they are self-isolating with their other 2 children in the lead up to the delivery so that they can all be approved to attend the hospital at the given moment. In his absence Mel Currey has agreed to act up as DP, so please use her as the school contact re areas of concern or communication. I will keep you posted about Baby Graves’ arrival when we know anything.

The car park area has led to some anxiety for some people. In the approach to the school, we have a new house being built- so there are cranes and delivery lorries at sometimes very inconvenient times, then we had a burst water main necessitating Sydney Water being on-site for almost a week locating, remediating and resurfacing the area. Additionally, we have far more students being collected by families currently, either because they are concerned about social distancing on school buses or because we cannot allow them in through the front entrance in line with current Department of Education policy. Thank you for bearing with us. As a consequence of longer bus lines we have made some adjustments to pick-up/ drop off venues, but school will contact you directly if you are affected.

Don’t forget there is a long weekend this weekend for the Queen’s Birthday! No school on Monday June 8^th.

Warm Regards, Ruth Rogers

Since we have returned back to school full time there has been endless fun and engaging learning activities in Room 8. We have been following a regular morning circle where we have been practicing our skills of waiting, taking turns, matching letters and writing our names on the smartboard.

Viki, Paige and Steven have enjoyed matching the letters of their name and writing their names on the smartboard. Ma’afu has enjoyed our sensory and occupational therapy activities of experimenting with playdough and matching activities.

We have had fun painting and developing our fine motor skills to squeeze and place a peg matching a picture to its shadow. Ma’afu, Viki, Paige and Steven all enjoyed listening to our simultaneous reading of “Whitney and Britney Chicken Divas” and were so excited to complete their paper plate chickens.

This week we also welcomed a new student to Room 8. Thomas has settled in extremely well and enjoys drawing on the smartboard and interacting with his new friends on the playground.

Debra Whittaker, Classroom Teacher and SLSO's Jennifer and Liesa

The recent social isolation caused many restaurants to close or adapt by providing a takeaway service. It was a sad day for our customers when the Karonga Canteen pulled down its roller doors back in March too. But due to popular demand and the loosening of restrictions, we are pleased to announce that from next Wednesday, 10th June, Room 14 will again open the Karonga canteen but with a difference! This time we will be a classroom DELIVERY service with new and improved social distancing between our display trolley and our customers.

The same healthy and delicious items will remain for sale including dip and crackers, boxes of juice, a variety of rice chips and boxes of sultanas. Families and carers can rest assured that all food items will be "fresh" in the original factory packaging, so there will be no contamination.

All products are $1. Any customers (Staff and Students) are asked to bring in a $2 coin if possible so the Room 14 students can exchange money in the transaction to build up their retail skills. The coins will be hygienically disinfected. We will begin to make the rounds to each classroom from 10am starting at Room 1 and working our way back to Room 14. Hopefully, the trolley will become lighter on the journey up the Karonga hill.

Room 14 would also like to send "get well" wishes and virtual hugs to our lovely SLSO, Anna who is at home  for several weeks while she is recovering from a knee injury. We miss you Anna and hope to see you back at Karonga when you are all better!

Shani Kennedy, Classroom Teacher