Filter Content
Thank you to the parents who turned up for last weeks ‘Senior Parents evening’. This is a very important transition for our older students, and by planning early, and attending over successive years you are able to glean information from recent parent experiences and meet a range of service providers. Mark your diaries now for the bus trip offered to Karonga parents to facilitate post-school providers: Wednesday June 5th 2019.
Staffing at Karonga has been at a critical level recently, along with sickness and Extended Leave we have also had a teacher transfer to another school and of course one on maternity leave. This is not peculiar to Karonga School but is a prevailing issue amongst all schools, but significant in Special Education where we struggle to provide for our unique cohort. As a consequence of this I have had to take permanent and regular teachers off their RFF roles and have them cover classes so that we can provide the consistency and safety we need in our classrooms. Unfortunately this may well be reflected in the reports which are due to go out at the end of the term, where RFF teachers have not had consistent evidence on which to base their comments. This has not been an easy decision, but it has been the right decision, and I know that parents would support such decision-making.
Building works on the oval are proceeding as planned. The pathway is under construction, and the tennis court is emerging (it is all in the preparation). We will have to resort to indoor duties as the new bike shed is constructed but this seems the safest and most considered practice when fences are removed or workmen are needing access.
Simultaneous Storytime was celebrated yesterday throughout the junior school. Some classes combined to share the fun, and the resources: musical instruments were used, and the event took on a fun- musical themed session!
Swim School was an (exhausting) big hit in weeks 2 and 3 this Term where junior students excelled with consistent tuition. We now have the rest of the term to put those new skills into practice.
Warm Regards
Ruth Rogers
The P & C, who continue to meet at 7.30pm on the third Mondays of the month, are desperately in need of a Treasurer. Do contact the school if you are interested to know more, and a member of the P & C will contact interested parents/ community members to give an outline of the scope of the role. Remember it is through the strength, commitment and drive of previous parents that Karonga School was established in the first place. Do support the P &C, without them we would not be able to meet the demands of some great programs, nor invest in some great facilities.
On Wednesday 8th May, with the Australian flag at half-mast, the whole school attended an Anzac Day Assembly in the school Hall.
This semester, in their history lessons, the senior students have been learning about the Gallipoli Campaign and the origins and importance of Anzac Day. Their new topic for investigation this year has been the life of a soldier, in particular the soldier’s uniform, equipment and living conditions.
The students have discovered the symbols and traditions associated with Anzac Day and what they mean. Using their knowledge during class discussions, the students decided what should be included in our school Anzac Day Assembly and made poppy wreaths in preparation.
This year we had two special guests. Students were thrilled to meet Corporal Alistair Perkins, a serving member of the Australian Defence Force with the 6th Aviation Division, and certainly the tallest soldier they had ever seen.
Our other special guest was Bob Whitson who plays the bagpipes with the Castle Hill RSL Pipe Band. He played two traditional pieces during the assembly. Several students took part in the Assembly including our School Captain Joshua, Vice-Captain Jacob and senior student Joel. Congratulations to all these students who were excellent in performing their responsibilities.
After the Assembly the official party were piped out of the hall down to the flag poles at the front of the school where the school leaders laid the poppy wreaths.
Thank you to Megan and Jennifer for making Anzac biscuits for all to share.
Janelle Simpson-Goodwin, Assistant Principal
It has been a busy start to the term for Room 5. On Fridays, we have started going out on community access to recycle the bottles and cans at ‘Return and Earn’ in Baulkham Hills. The students are good at separating the containers and loading them in to the machine, and are very curious as to how the machine works.
We are also collecting ‘Earn and Learn’ stickers from Woolworths. Joseph, Winfred and Gavin have been sticking the stickers on to the sheets and have so far collected 2279 stickers. If you have and ‘Earn and Learn’ stickers, please send them in to school to help us get some new equipment.
We are very excited that swimming has started again this term. Sharon particularly enjoys floating in the pool and Gordon has been working hard on kicking his legs in the water. Kugan enjoys being in the water and is demonstrating excellent water safety skills.
As well as all of this, we have been continuing with our other class programs such as going to the gym, TAFE and music therapy.
Until next time, Room 5
Susan Hong, Emma Taylor
Room 7 has had many adjustments to make this term with our changes in play spaces and our two new students, Sunday and Timmie. The boys have done really well helping them to settle in and showing them the right things to do.
Om has worked enthusiastically in literacy and completes his cut and pasting activities very well.
Sidney has made wonderful progress in his therapy activities with Kathy.
Raj has developed confidence in swimming and can now tread water in the deep end. He works very well in Literacy and numeracy activities.
Timmie is beginning to settle into Room 7 and is enjoying music therapy, puzzles and his communication board.
Sunday has learnt to thread beads and do puzzles and loves his breaks on the I-pad.
Harry has become quite adventurous in the playground and managed to climb up the rope wall and onto the platform with a little encouragement to keep trying.
All Room 7students, including our two new boys, have been independent in their daily routines of unpacking bags on arrival, locating their lunch and drink and packing away their belongings, at the end of the day.
Deb & Foozieh
Swim school in weeks 2 and 3 was hugely popular with the students. With one-on-one instruction for each student, it was a fun and unhurried way of learning swimming skills. No wonder there were tears from some of the students when they had to exit the pool each day after our lesson was over!
With the bike track being unavailable, the students are availing of movement related sensory breaks in the two playgrounds, in class and at the YMCA. The latter continues to be very popular with the students. They watch a social story in power-point which prepares them about the expectations at the YMCA and the structure of the lesson. The students are demonstrating significant improvements in their mobility, balance and confidence. We are particularly proud of Shresh and Jake. Shresh, who at the start refused to climb on the lowest balance beam, is now able to walk independently on the highest balance beam and even manage obstacles! Jake does enthusiastic pull-ups at a low set bar, even though he comes to school after completing a session in physiotherapy!
Room 12’s special thanks go to Suzanne, our volunteer who accompanies us each Tuesday (YMCA) and Thursday (Epping Library).
Preparations for Mothers’ Day kept the students busy and engaged as they painted shells and placed them around candles in glass jars, for their mums. They enjoyed the sensory experience of paint on shells and playing with sand.
We are looking forward to seeing what other excursions and activities will unfold in term 2.
Until next time,
Sabrina and Anna
The seven students attending the RDA are continuing to develop their physical skills. Many have improved their posture and balance when mounted. Some are so relaxed in the saddle with the walking rhythm of the horses that they have fallen asleep for a moment! Rest assured the RDA volunteers have a firm hold of the Karonga students’ pelican belt loops.The students pay close attention to the volunteers’ instructions, especially when in line formation and need to look for the “lollypop” sign that says “Halt” on one side and “Walk on” the other. As we were returning to our Karonga minibus, which is driven each week by the valued volunteer, Suzanne, Julie said “Walk on!” to Shani.
The RDA is a very special place. Timothy celebrated his 8th birthday during one of the RDA session. Om and Harry’s Mums came to watch one day too. The RDA centre at Marsfield also have a lovely garden so if the students need to have some quiet time, they can have a walk with one of the Karonga staff who accompany our group before returning to the horse arena.
We are looking forward to our weekly visits to the RDA until the end of this term.
Shani, Karonga RDA Co-ordinator
Thank you for your support so far in collecting Woolworth Earn & Learn stickers for Karonga. We have until June 25th to collect as many stickers as possible to go towards resources for the school, so remind family and friends they can place stickers in the box at the front of the store at Woolworths Carlingford, or in the box located at the School office.
This year The Rotary Club of Ryde, along with International Entertainment, is once again hosting a FREE Circus Quirkus for special needs people of Sydney - suitable for ALL AGES! It is an eclectic and entertaining mix of Circus acts brought to you from all over the world. Internationally renowned clowns, jugglers and acrobats deliver acts of unbelievable skill.
The venue accommodates wheelchairs. Circus Quirkus does not use animals in its performances.
There are a number of shows available and, for all, the venue is Blacktown Workers Club at 55 Campbell Street, Blacktown. Show times are:
Sunday 14th July - 11am & 2pm and Sunday 25th August - 11am & 1:30pm
While every effort will be made to acquire tickets they are delivered on a first come, first served basis and as such there is no guarantee that they will be available.
If you would like to apply for tickets please contact the school office no later than Thursday 30th May, 2019 and provide the date and session time you would like to attend along with the number of tickets required.
Further information can be obtained from www.circusquirkus.com.au
Advertisements published in the Karonga Courier are provided for information only and their inclusion in no way constitutes an endorsement of the product or service by Karonga School.
Links to information on websites are for your convenience only and are not an endorsement or recommendation of those sites. Please note we do not guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness or completeness of any information on these external websites.