Monday was another welcome opportunity to gather again as a school at our swimming carnival. Our students who were so well behaved and very supportive of each other. Thank you to the parents who attended and helped in various roles. We couldn't have provided the opportunity without you. Thank you also to the Year 3 and 4 teachers who organised the carnival.

The ribbons for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th place winners of the carnival will be handed out at the morning assembly on Friday 12th March.

Creating a safe and calm learning environment

There are many ways we create a positive and safe learning environment. It includes our learning routines such as Literacy Daily 5 and Maths Daily 3, providing support staff for students with more complex needs and having a culture of positive and clearly defined expectations every day.

Our community all know that our three fundamental rules in the school are Respect Others, Respect Self and Respect the Environment. Our students are able to recite it. Each week we have an example of how we do this in our community as a focus. Our focus each week is shared with you at the beginning of the Newsletter.

This year we are spending more time consistently teaching and expecting simple and reasonable respectful behaviours from students. We're beginning with the times we gather: morning assembly, lining up after recess and lunch, Thursday afternoon assembly and the 5 minute afternoon gathering.

During these times we're expecting:

• silence and listening
• being at the lines on time
• walking from the gathering to the classroom in a silent and orderly way

When this doesn't occur a student will have a brief conversation with an Executive Team member and then a 10 minute Time Out at lunch time (no Time Out sheet will be sent home at this time). If it involves a whole class then the entire class will return to the Rainbow Top at lunch time for a two minute practice.

This may seem pedantic. To be honest, we actually don't mind that word. What we know is that for students to learn effectively at school, they need to feel calm and safe. Students feel calm and safe when they know exactly what's expected of them, that these expectations are simple and within their capacity and they know exactly what will happen when they don't meet these expectations. Clear boundaries and consequences, based on core values such as respect, and well known by everyone, create a safe and happy environment for learning.

Over the course of this year we'll focus on other areas where we can show respect for others, ourselves and our environment.

Student technology use

Implementation of our Year 4 1 to 1 Chromebook Program beginning in Year 4, and all other technology use by students, has been slowed a little due to some reconfiguring of student log in credentials across our system.

Students are just starting to get on to technology now and we expect all students online next week.

Pick up in our car park

The afternoon drive-thru pick up area is running more smoothly thanks to the section of curb that was cut out over the holidays. To ensure all students are safe in such a busy space we have created dedicated sitting areas for each year level. Students must stay in that space until they are called up. The two teachers on this duty cannot supervise the entire length of the curb so the last three places are the designated drive through pick up areas. Students are not to go to cars before this point. Three spaces appears to be enough to keep up with the capacity to exit the car park afterwards.

We're having a kitchen garden working bee!

We'd like to get the kitchen garden ready for winter planting and it needs a little tidy up that really only adults can do. Our Working Bee will be held on Sunday morning 21st March, 9.00am to 11.00 am. We'd love to have as many people as possible. If you can make it please register below. Children are welcome to come with parents or grandparents to either help or play nearby. Refreshements will be provided.

God Bless,

Matthew Garton

Principal