august Newsletter 

Dear Families, Caregivers and Friends

                                                                                                                                                                                                               Welcome to Term 3 Families and Friends

I hope that you all had a wonderful break from school routine and were able to enjoy the crisp winter weather!

Professional Learning

Professional Learning is essential for our wonderful teachers and SLSO’s as it enhances their skills, knowledge and effectiveness in the classroom.

Engaging in ongoing professional development helps educators stay current with the latest pedagogical strategies, educational technologies and curriculum changes, ultimately leading to improved student outcomes. By participating in collaborative learning communities, staff can share best practices, receive constructive feedback and foster innovation in their teaching approaches. Additionally, professional learning encourages educators to reflect on their teaching methods, adapt to diverse student needs and cultivate a growth mindset, all of which contribute to a more dynamic and responsive educational environment.

Last Monday, teachers had an early start to travel to Sydney to attend the 2025 SEPLA Conference. The SEPLA (Special Education Professional Learning and Advancement) Conference, which was held at the ICC in Darling Harbour, focuses on enhancing the skills and knowledge of educators working in the field of special education. It brings together educators, specialists and professionals to share insights, best practices, and innovative strategies for supporting students with diverse learning needs.

The conference typically features a range of workshops, keynote speakers and networking opportunities, allowing participants to deepen their understanding of inclusive practices and collaborate with peers. By attending SEPLA, educators can gain valuable resources and tools to better support their students and promote equitable learning environments.

The sessions and keynote speakers were outstanding and the technology that was on display was an insight into what is available to support our students. In particular, the eye gaze technology was exciting and we look forward to perhaps trialling some of the equipment in the near future.

The executive stayed for the leader’s day on the Tuesday and engaged in sessions designed to assist leaders in a complex setting, support the compassion fatigue that staff and families experience and recognise the wonderful work that is being undertaken in specialised settings across Australia and New Zealand.

The conference was amazing and certainly was an inspiring way to start a busy term.

Our wonderful support team had a great day of learning at school. Lead by the very experienced Amanda and Vicky, the team explored TARS 3 plans, participated in an active listening session and partook in a yoga session designed to assist with manual handling strain. Fabulous work team!

Everyone is excited about Semester 2!

Welcome

We love having pre-service teachers work alongside of us! This term we welcomed two wonderful education students to HRCS. Zali is working alongside the team in Rooms 3 & 4, with Ethan joining the team in Rooms 5 & 6.

Changes to Routine 

As you may be aware, the Senior Food Technology ‘Canteen’ has changed days and will now be open for business on a Friday. This will enable the students to plan for each week, shop for the ingredients and complete any food preparation.

There are lots of delicious food on the winter menu, so do not forget your weekly order! Great work Canteen Crew!

Work Experience Program 

This week our friend Blake commenced a supported Work Experience Program at a working dairy farm in the Vacy area. Working alongside a local farmer, Mr Williams and supported by SLSO Mat, Blake was looking forward to learning about farm life, helping look after the animals and developing skills in farm work.

We are so incredibly grateful that Farmer Williams has come on board as a community partner and we cannot wait to hear all about the exciting things that Blake learns.

Ten Pin Bowling Trials

Next week students from across the school will participate in a ten-pin bowling trial to determine the representative teams for the upcoming Schools in Sport Regional Carnival that will be held later in the term.

If you have not yet replied to the School Bytes Expression of Interest, please do so as arrangements will be finalised Monday morning.  

Good luck to all our athletes!

P&C Fundraiser

It is certainly the weather to snuggle up and eat a delicious chocolate bar or two!

This term the P&C are once again hosting a Chocolate fundraiser. Boxes on offer include:

• Goody Box Carry Box (Cadbury Twirl, Cadbury Cherry Ripe, Cadbury Twirl Crispy (formerly Breakaway), Cadbury Picnic & Fry's Turkish Delight)

•  Funpack Carry Box (Cadbury Dairy Milk Freddo and Cadbury Dairy Milk Caramello Koala)

A School Bytes form was distributed during the holidays, if you would like to place an order, please complete the form and submit.

A huge thank you to everyone who has already taken boxes to sell to families, friends and community.

Donations and Support

We are always humbled by the support we receive from families in support of our programs.

We would like to thank Phoenix’s family for their support in setting up can collection bins at their workspaces to provide items for Room 11’s Return and Earn Program. The class was very excited to break their previous record of items put through the machine! Great recycling everyone!

We would also like to recognise the creativity of Edith’s family in designing and creating sensory boards that support those young people that are wheelchair users! There were lots of excited investigations in Rooms 5/6 this week!

Thank you everyone!

PLSP Meetings

Teachers will be contacting you to coordinate a Semester two Personalised Learning and Support Plan. This meeting will provide an opportunity to review the past two terms of learning, unpack the Semester 1 Report and plan for ongoing individual priorities. It will also provide a platform to discuss any NDIS therapy that was delivered over the past semester and plan for upcoming interventions.

We hope to meet with all our families and care agencies this term.

Public Education Week

Public Education Week 2025 will be held from 4-8 August 2025. This year's theme is ‘Ignite your Potential’.

This is a time to come together and celebrate the strength, diversity and achievements of NSW Public Education, where every student is supported to learn, grow and thrive.

Public Education Week is a great opportunity for schools to open their doors, welcome parents, carers and community members and highlight the incredible learning experiences happening every day. From Early Learning to Year 12, Public Schools across the state will be celebrating the people and programs that make a difference in students’ lives.

We encourage families to get involved by attending open days, school events or community celebrations. It is a chance to see firsthand how schools are igniting potential in every child, through creative classrooms, dedicated staff and inclusive school cultures.

HRCS Celebrating Public Education Weeks & Book Week New Week (6.8.25 - 11am)

Children's Book Week in Australia in 2025 will be held from 16 to 23 August. The theme for the week is "Book an Adventure!". This theme encourages children to explore new worlds through stories, according to the Positive Education Enhanced Curriculum. The official poster for Children's Book Week 2025 was created by Julie Flett and features the slogan "An Ocean of Stories". This slogan celebrates the vast collection of stories we read, share and tell. 

Children's Book Week is an annual event that celebrates books for young people and the joy of reading. It is the longest-running national literacy initiative in the United States, established in 1919.

In Australia, it is a chance for children to celebrate their love of reading, books, authors and illustrators, with libraries playing a significant role in the festivities. 

Our celebrations will be held on August 6 and will include a Book Week Parade and Public Education Week Assembly. Festivities will kick off on 11am.

I cannot wait to see everyone in their favourite costume. 📚

I hope that everyone has a wonderful week.