Supporting students with learning difficulties including dyslexia

Staff have been undertaking professional development with the DET Inclusive Classrooms: supporting students with diverse learning needs this term. This has been a mix of online and in person led by Jarrod Hogan and Kerry Carman. Staff are implementing strategies from this learning which will be helpful for all students.  More information in coming weeks.

School council elections – information for parents

This year we have 4 vacancies for School Council: 2 for returning councillors and 2 new vacancies. Please consider nominating for council. We also have a vacancy for a community member to join our council. 

If you know of someone with a connection to the school and local community who would have skills to offer our council, please encourage them to contact the school. Nomination forms will be available from the office on Monday 6th March. Our AGM will be held on 30 May at 6pm, followed by the March School council meeting.

School Council meets on the last Thursday of each month at 6:30pm. 

Time line for School council elections

9th March: Call for nominations

20 March: Close of nominations and assess whether ballot is required (more nominations than positions available)

23 March: Send out ballots

28 March: Poll closes

29 March: Count and declare election results

30 March: AGM 6pm and March School Council Meeting 6:30pm with new councillors

Nomination forms are available in the office: parents can self nominate 

New flags raised

Lisa Chesters, our Federal member for Parliament visited on Thursday with new flags. She also presented our House Captains with their badges and asked students if they could tell the Prime Minister anything, what would it be?

Students responded with a range of suggestions which included: cut single use plastics, stop littering, make housing cheaper, make more electric vehicles, make petrol cheaper and why are there nuclear subs that cost so much? 

Meet Cloud!

 Cloud has been introduced to your child's classroom to teach us about the feelings happy, sad and mad. Cloud is the character who can be moody, so sometimes it's hard to get along with friends. When Cloud is happy, everyone feels fantastic, but when Cloud is sad or mad it can be difficult. Cloud has a hard time controlling anger, so people may be hurt even though it's not intentional. Cloud can help children develop patience, tolerance and understanding for friends who are still learning to express upset feelings in a positive, healthy way.

Some ideas you can talk about and try with your children

Common Language

Calm-down breath: Strategy of taking a deep breath to calm feelings before speaking or acting

• Remind your child to take a calm-down breath when needed. “Stephen, let’s take a calm-down breath.” (Take one yourself so you are doing this together.) 

• Model and tell your child when you need to take a calm-down breath. “Aunty Sue is going to take a calm-down breath so I can make sure I can talk calmly because I feel mad.” 

• Acknowledge when you see your child use a calm-down breath. “Did you take a calm-down breath? I notice you are feeling mad, and you are talking to me so calmly! Thank you.”

Family Fun: Playful Ways to Practice

Blow Out the Candles This is the same action as using the calm-down breath. For fun, light as many candles as you can find, or bake a cake and add candles. Take turns with your family using your calm-down breath to blow out the candles! 

Marching Madness With your family, describe things that can make you feel mad. Show your child how you can use your body in positive ways to shift the madness to a smaller place. March in place and say, “I feel so mad because …” (name something that can make you mad). Let your child march out madness by imitating your marching model. 

Basket of Comfort Talk to your child about sad feelings. Explain that everybody feels sad sometimes, so we need to learn ways to soothe/comfort those sad feelings. Share what you say and do to feel comforted when you feel sad. Ask your child to describe what he/she does. Use a basket to collect things from around your home that might comfort feelings of sadness. Some suggestions: happy pictures, comfort toys, a favourite storybook, a stuffed animal, music. Now you have this “go to” basket of comfort next time your child needs soothing and comfort for sad feelings. 

From the Office

Absences

Please remember to promptly record student absence reasons. This can be done through Sentral. Please see Kitty in the office if assistance is required.  

Alternatively, if you can not access Sentral on the day please phone in or email your child's teacher and cc Bernadette/Kitty.

Camps, Sports & Excursions Fund (CSEF)

CSEF is provided by the Victorian Government to assist eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities.

If you hold a valid means-tested concession card or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible for CSEF. A special consideration category also exists for asylum seeker and refugee families. The allowance is paid to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions or sporting activities for the benefit of your child.

 .The annual CSEF amount per student is:

• $125 for primary school students

• $225 for secondary school students

• New applicants should contact the school office to   obtain a CSEF application form or download from the website below.

• If you applied for CSEF at your child's school last year, you do not need to complete an application form this year unless there has been a change in your family circumstances. 

• You only need to complete an application form if any of the following changes have occurred:

• new student enrolments; your child has started or changed schools this year.

• changed family circumstances; such as a change of custody, change of name, concession card number, or new siblings commencing this year.

Check with the school office if you are unsure.

School Uniform Trial

School Council have decided to have a trial in Term 1.

Week 7 and 8: Optional- choice of wearing uniform or casual clothes (clothing must be appropriate for school) (13th March-24th March)

Week 9 and 10: Survey of school community- students, parents and staff to find out views on uniforms. Final date for survey response

School Council to review staff feedback and initial parent survey response at our 30 March meeting.

Jobs that need doing... 

Working Bee 9:30am-11:30am Sunday 19th March 

Mulching, weeding, compost, clean garden shed, green waste to tip (trailer needed)

Serena needs access to the compost bays as students will be learning about composting in coming weeks!

Can't make the working bee? Have a spare hour or two that you can offer the school? 

Can you take a load of green waste to the tip?

We have a google doc that shows jobs that are needed. Please put your name to one and mark when complete. Many hands make light work. 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XaBY5PpytuXhLlmffMAMG752ysMIo-QsEzgzS9pJCcE/edit?usp=sharing 

Community Notices

Dja Dja Wurrung websites

Djaara (Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation)  https://djadjawurrung.com.au/ 

DJAARA - Home | Facebook 

Nalderun Education Aboriginal Corporation https://nalderun.net.au/