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Hello everyone,
We hosted a Carlingford Network meeting here at school on Wednesday August 17th. It was attended by the 21 schools in the Carlingford network (Karonga is the only SSP). The other Principals were very impressed with our grounds, our facilities and for some, our surprising location! The Immersive Classroom was of particular note, and some want to return with school staff to explore it further. It is great to have our school celebrated for the work it is doing, and the provisions we have for our students. Other schools were impressed by the support the P&C gives to Music Therapy, Art Therapy and Swimming- at no expense to families, and without exhausting fund-raising.
We have recently been holding Review meetings to ensure that all students are appropriately placed and well-supported. We did this in consultation with the counsellor Megan Williams-Thompson, additionally reporting on the NCCD (Nationally Consistent Collection of Data).
We have been running recruitment and advertisements for staff at our school. Along with five SLSO appointments last term, we are holding interviews for two permanent office staff and an Assistant Principal in place of Melanie Currey who left at the end of last semester. Watch this space for announcements of appointments.
The annual Founders Day is fast approaching: lock 12- 2pm on Wednesday September 14th into your diaries. You are welcome to join your child at school as they are offered a variety of fun activities and experiences. We have live music – with our Music therapist offering a drop-in session, as well as Kings School students giving performances in the Technology courtyard; we have a petting zoo in the SEACH playground (courtesy of the P&C); an Art Therapy drop-in session with the fabulous Lissette; our Sensory Room and Immersive Classroom will be available supported by Kings School students and we will have water play, sand play and ball play in different spots around the school.
We have wet-weather contingencies for all these activities, and we are sending home a social story about it next week for you to share with your child. Feel free to stay on afterwards as we will be hosting a light lunch at 2pm outside our new canteen- and there are even gift bags prepared by our P&C to share with the family.
Our five playgrounds have been named after some of these early founders, and I am pleased to report that the nephew of Betty Aston, the first Principal of Karonga House Special School whose salary was paid by those early parents, is joining us from the Central Coast.
Yesterday (Thursday August 25th) I was pleased to be called up to Gibson, the multi-sport court to see Room 9and PPTC sharing a games session where students were doing throwing, kicking, aiming and carrying activities (using bean bags, league balls, soccer balls and an egg-and-spoon replica). They had great fun, and students from Karonga and PPTC were very cooperative and respectful. A great on-site activity in a known space!
Next week is SASS Recognition Week. This is an opportunity for us to recognise the great work that our auxiliary staff do on site. This reflects the work of the SLSO’s, the office staff and the GA- Jim. Please remember to send a kind word of appreciation in Communication Books. Teachers at Karonga will be putting on and serving a breakfast before school at the end of the week.
The students of Room 11 participated in an excursion to Calmsley Hill City Farm in the first week of August 2022. It was evident that they were confident and involved learners when they displayed dispositions for learning such as curiosity and enthusiasm. Haley fed a horse, Julie stared at the beautiful ducks while Thomas, Jedi and Issa stared in awe at the camels.
This event initiated their science learning, exploring the physical world. The students thereafter observed short documentary films about plant life and insect life. To reinforce their understanding, they continued to explore the beautiful natural environment of Karonga School with the intention of understanding and classifying living things and non-living things.
Heba picked a cluster of flowers, Jedi and Thomas engaged their sensory skills with moss, Julie ran among the beautiful plants, Haley touched leaves and Thomas observed the plants around him while walking among them.
The students visited Greenie the chicken with green anklets in Room 9 too.
Firstly, I would like to welcome our new student, Mason Mottlee and his family to our awesome Room 13 team. We have been getting to know him over the last week and we are all having fun together.
Secondly, it has been a very busy and exciting term. We went to visit a farm and practiced being farmers for a day. We had confident farmers in Room 13 who were keen to milk the cows, feed the horses and listen to talks about the animals.
Thirdly, we have been working hard on our Life Skills program. We have been making a Room 13 Cook Book and practicing the recipes in class. It has been very hard work taste testing our recipes, as you can see in the photos.
Lastly, but not least, we have been active learners and we love it!
Anyone for tennis???
Room 12 showed up to repay the favour of support to Tess, our pets therapy dog during a dog wash session on a very chilly day. Thank you Room 12 for being such good friends to Tess.
