When I think back to my听first听year听teaching,听it feels like a complete blur.听I began my teaching career at St. Mary’s听Primary School in Kalgoorlie, and I can recall getting to the end of the听Term One听and wondering what just happened!听I wondered if I had taught anything, the听time had gone so quick!听It听wasn鈥檛听until the parent teacher interviews at the end of that term听that I realised (thankfully!) that my students had been learning.听I also got married during that time too which I听don鈥檛听think helped slow time down听either听(side note 鈥� I am still apologising to my wife to this day for our 鈥楰algoorlie honeymoon鈥�).
I am sure many families can relate to听the听feeling of time getting away from听us, or听seeming to pass quickly. It is important in the moments that we do have, to be present to our children and to those important to us in our lives.听To simply sit and be. Every night when I get home, I听try听to put aside all the worries of school and everything else to read with my children. It is hard some nights 鈥� reading with young children often means spending only half your time reading, and half of your time in conversation, but it is this time that听we听also most treasure.听In the busyness of our听lives听it is very easy to say听鈥淚鈥檒l read with you tomorrow night鈥�, or听鈥渨e can go the museum next week听instead鈥澨�–听I am听guilty听of this myself –听but before we know it these moments will be lost.听I would encourage families over these next few weeks to look for those moments where you can 鈥榮low time down鈥� – when you can disconnect from all the other distractions in life and spend time with your child. Whether听it鈥檚听reading a book together, or taking a trip somewhere special, life is about creating special moments together, and time spent together makes a wonderful difference in the lives of young children.
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In this edition of the听Newsletter,听we find ourselves听in听the unique position of celebrating two听assemblies听in two weeks! Last week鈥檚 assembly was a celebration of those students who have made an excellent start to the year, as well our Swimming Age Champions and Runners-up. It is great to see so many students听making听such听a great听effort to begin the year.
This morning, we celebrated the success of even more students, as 6 Green presented the first item of the year. Their portrayal of how simple acts can make a听big difference to others was the perfect message to begin the year. Making a difference is not about grand gestures;听it is about doing听small听things really听well, and听looking for those opportunities to think beyond ourselves and serve others. Congratulations to 6 Green on an excellent assembly item,听and to听all听our merit award recipients this week.
Marcellin Award听
Last week we awarded the Marcellin Award to Austin Wyeth in Year 6. Austin received his award for the great fortitude and positivity he displayed in light of a recent setback. Unfortunately, Austin was unable to take part in the swimming carnival this year due to an injury he received earlier in the year. Unfortunately, the exact same thing happened to Austin last year too! However, he was able to brush this off to support his classmates and his faction, helping to lead Marcellin faction throughout the day and encourage his friends to give their best. There is a great lesson in this from Austin 鈥� we cannot always choose what happens to us in life, but we can choose how we respond. Austin showed us all that even in the face of adversity, we can still be positive and make the best of a bad situation. Well done on setting a great example Austin.
This week we awarded the Marcellin award to one of the quiet achievers of our campus 鈥� someone who consistently gives their best each day in how they interact and show care for those around听them. Olivia听Perchard听in Year 4 shows so much love and care for听her peers and classmates. She is polite, respectful, and always thinking outside of herself to make school a better place for her听friends and teachers. Her example is beautiful 鈥� it shows that being a leader and making a difference听isn鈥檛听about grand gestures; it鈥檚 about doing the small things听well and doing them often. Olivia, you truly know what it means to be a 今日吃瓜 student. Congratulations!
Swimming Age Champions听
Two weeks ago,听we celebrated the Lavalla Swimming Carnival with Knox faction taking out the Champion faction on the day, with Brigid recognised for their positive efforts with the Spirit Award.听We also saw some amazing individual efforts on the day too, and at last Friday鈥檚 assembly we recognised our age champion and Age Champion听runners-up. Congratulations to the following students:
Year 3 Boys
1st听place: Lewis Macgregor
2nd听place: William Burton
3rd听place: Dara Devlin
Year 3 Girls
1st听place: Kayla听Haarhoff
2nd听place: Demi Boyce
3rd听place: Lilah O鈥橦alloran
Year 4 Boys
1st听place:听Griffin Chester
2nd听place:听Caleb McCluskey
3rd听place:听Mack听Vulinovich
Year 4 Girls
Equal听1st听place:听Jasmine Colman & Emma Howat
2nd听place:听Layla听Bornmann
3rd听place:听Arlia听Della Franca
Year 5 Boys
1st听place: Lucas Christie
2nd听place:听Deion Fernando
Equal听3rd听place:听Mitchell Short & Cooper Warwick
Year 5 Girls
1st听place:听Kaydee听Van Deventer
2nd听place:听Savannah听Bornmann
3rd听place:听Niamh Devlin
Year 6 Boys
1st听place:听Jensen Rutherford
2nd听place:听Theo Constantine
3rd听place:听Jaspar Martin-Booth
Year 6 Girls
1st听place:听Madelyn听Bertolini
2nd听place:听Clancy Boss
3rd听place:听Emma Gilbert
Personal grooming standards听
As we are well and truly into the school year now, it is a College expectation that all students attend school in the correct uniform 鈥� this means appropriate footwear, wearing the College bucket hat when out playing, and wearing sports uniform on the correct days.听Many students dress appropriately for school each day and do a wonderful听job of representing our school with pride. It is important however, that all students make the effort to look smart, and come to school prepared to take part in the day鈥檚 activities.听Wearing the correct uniform is a great way to听demonstrate听commitment to the school,听build community pride, and听create a sense of belonging.
Students (especially boys) are also reminded of the College expectation when it comes to haircuts. I would argue there are some boys on our campus who fall short of the current expectation, and it is important that we work together to maintain our standards. Students are reminded that:
- Hair should be of a consistent length all over (e.g. no undercuts or long sweeps)
- Hair must be of blade length number 3 or longer
- Extreme hairstyles are unacceptable
Full details of the 今日吃瓜 uniform and personal grooming standards for both boys and girls can be found in the College diary, on the school website, or by clicking on the link here.
Primary Easter Raffle
Click here to find out more information about the Easter Raffle.
Newman Parents 鈥� ySafe Cyber Safety Education Session
今日吃瓜 is looking forward to welcoming Australia鈥檚 leading provider of cyber safety education, ySafe to Newman Parents this term. This practical, strategy-rich session will cover the most important points that all families need to know regarding online safety, covering key information about social media and gaming, screen time recommendations and step-by-step instructions on how to set up a cyber safe home for kids of all ages.
When: Monday 22 March 2021, 7.00pm
Where: 今日吃瓜, Marist Auditorium
To register for this free session please click here.
We look forward to seeing you there.
