Dear Families,
CURIOSITY GRADE THREE CULTURAL DAY
This term, the Curiosity Grade Three students have been learning about the different social, cultural and religious groups to which they belong. As part of their learning, on Wednesday, May 21, students participated in a special day which allowed them opportunities to engage in activities and rich conversations about the varying groups to which they belong. Students came to school dressed up in clothing representing a group they belong to. They participated in activities that enabled them to explore different countries and their flags, along with sports and dance genres that are common within certain countries. Some students also brought lunch representative of their culture.
Macey, Curiosity One:
During our cultural diversity celebration, I liked the activities, I liked playing Guess the Flag the most. I learnt how to play badminton. We did dances from other countries. We had a parade and listened to people’s presentations.
Hana, Curiosity Two: 
During our cultural diversity celebration, I liked how I got to see some people’s presentations and how I got to see other people’s cultural clothing. I also liked how we learnt some dancing, and they were Hip Hop, Indian, and African American. We also guessed countries and flags; it was very fun to play and dance.
Zayn, Curiosity Three: 
During our cultural diversity celebration, we walked in a parade to show how we all dressed up. I got to experience some brand-new sports. I learnt badminton, footy, basketball and soccer.
Eyob, Curiosity 4:
During our cultural diversity celebration, I learnt how to play many sports like soccer, badminton, basketball and football. I also learnt how to do three different dances, Bollywood, West African, and Latin.
Wellbeing Continuum
The Children’s Wellbeing Continuum was designed by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) and the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH). This is what we use throughout the school to support students in identifying how they are feeling at a given point in time.
By helping to identify those children who are struggling and need support, the Continuum assists with prevention and early intervention efforts. It may also help to
prevent the development of more serious problems that need treatment.
The Continuum is designed to reduce the stigma that often accompanies mental health issues, especially for parents, and facilitate them seeking help early when they
see their child is not coping. It is not designed for use as a screening or diagnostic tool.
Stay well,
Courtney Daly
Wellbeing and Mental Health in Primary Schools Leader
PARKING AROUND SCHOOL & SCHOOL CROSSING
We have had some concerns raised by the houses located around the school that parents and guardians are parking across their driveways when dropping children off or collecting them at the end of the day. Can we please request that you park in the allocated spaces and not across the driveways of local houses, please? We would like to keep our neighbours happy!
We have also had a request from the School Crossing supervisors for parents and guardians not to drive through the school crossing while they are still on it. I’m not sure we want one of them to be knocked over. Again, please make sure, if you are crossing Waterway Boulevard, you use the school crossing provided.
SMART WATCHES/EXPENSIVE WATCHES AT SCHOOL
Our teaching staff have requested that I remind parents and guardians about the use of Smart Watches at school. Children should not have devices that enable them to communicate with others during school time. Children who have mobile phones are required to hand them in to the school office at the start of the day and collect them at the end of the day. This is a Victorian government requirement.
Smart watches are a bit of a grey area. I appreciate that these can be put into a no-communication mode and just used as a watch, and this is legitimate. We have become aware, however, that some children are using them to communicate with or from parents during school time, which breaches the Victorian government restrictions. If I am concerned about children doing this, the child will be asked to put the watch in the school office to be collected at the end of the day, and the relevant parents or guardians will be contacted. It might just be easier for your child to have a normal, old-fashioned watch at school.
The teachers have also noted that some children have expensive watches at home. Kids being kids, these are very easy to get broken or damaged, which leads to upset children. We would prefer expensive watches to stay at home for use outside of school time.
Your cooperation in this is appreciated.
SCHOOL COMMUNITY TEAM MEETING
We have rescheduled the date for our School Community Team meeting for Thursday, June 12 @ 6.00pm, as we did not get enough parents and guardians to attend last night. I am working hard to provide opportunities for parent engagement with the school, and the school community team is a way in which parents and guardians can make a positive contribution to the life of our school. The work this group does directly impacts your children.
At the moment, for instance, we are trying to organise fundraising efforts for the school so that this money can be used to provide things like extra seating for the children and parents outside the front of the school, sensory play areas etc. The more parents and guardians we have supporting this group, the better ideas we are able to develop and the more the load for organising these events is shared across many parents rather than just a few (or left to our hardworking admin team)
UPCOMING DATES
TERM TWO
Please note the change of date for the Discovery Grade One assembly to Thursday, June 5.
Please note that we have a student-free day next Friday, June 6. There is no school on this day. The following Monday, June 9, is a public holiday, and the following day (June 10) is another student-free day (you have the opportunity for an extra-long weekend!)
June
04/06: Grade Two & Three / Grade Four – Six @ 2.40pm
05/06: Junior School Assembly: Grade One
06/06: Student Free Day
09/06: Public Holiday
10/6: STUDENT-FREE DAY
12/06: Senior School Assembly: Grade Three
13/06: St Anthony’s Feast Day Prayer Service: Snr School @ 9.15am/Jnr School @ 11.30am
18/06: Prayer Service: Exploration & Discovery Grade One/ Curiosity Grade 4 – Challenge Grade 5 & 6 @ 2.40pm
Eucharist Sacramental Retreat (Grade Three students)
19/06: Junior School Assembly: Exploration
21/06: Eucharist Masses @ St Anthony’s @ 5.30pm
23/06: Semester One Reports to Go Home
25/06: Three-Way Learning Conversations: 12.30 – 6.00pm
26/06: Three-Way Learning Conversations: 12.30 – 6.00pm
July
30/06 – 04/07: NAIDOC Week Celebrations
02/07: Prayer Service: Discovery Grade Two & Curiosity Grade Three / Curiosity Grade 4 – Challenge Grade 5 & 6 @ 2.40pm
04/07: End of Term Two: Early Close @ 1.30pm
God bless,
Bill Hill
PRINCIPAL