Dear all,
We are nearing the end of our first term of school for 2023. It has been a big term with a lot of interesting parts to it.
In Weeks 7 and 8, Madhavi Nawana Parker presented on 2 occasions to families and staff. While there were only four of us in attendance in the first session, it was super worthwhile and valuable for us all. It ended up being an individualised and personal session where Madhavi could answer all of the questions that arose. The second presentation was attended by 12 families and again provided a lot of useful and sensible strategies and information.
The feedback from our attendees was positive and we would like to have Madhavi present to us again.
Staffing
We farewell Mrs Susie Chandler this week. Susie is heading off to enjoy the adventure that is parenthood. We wish her every success and happiness at this exciting time. We have employed 2 teachers to teach Performing Arts in her absence, both of whom are well known to our students.
Sebastian Braim (Mr B) will teach Performing Arts to all classes from Reception up to Year 4/5. Sarah Smale will teach Performing Arts to the Year 5/6 classes. She will also teach both choir lessons and coordinate assemblies. We are certainly grateful for their flexibility.
We congratulate Amy Harris on securing the permanent Administrative Officer role at the front desk, which she has filled temporarily for the past 18 months.
Governing Council walk
In the Week 8 Governing Council meeting we conducted a site walk to inform the creation of a Dilapidation Report. We are very lucky that one of our Governing Council members, Jake Fitton, is able to complete this report for us. The Governing Council members are keen to organise a working bee to target areas of need and create a more acceptable environment for our students.
More information will be provided after the next meeting in Week 3, Term 2 (16th May).
PRIME drinks
As you would have seen on Class Dojo this week, I have made the decision to ban PRIME drinks from the school. The bottle clearly states that this drink is not suitable for children under 15 years old.
Our children’s brains and bodies are still developing and, unless there is a medical reason, they don’t need to fill up with energy drinks. Water continues to be the best option for our students and the only drink that they should access in class time.
Social Media
We continue to have challenges with cyber bullying on social media across the school. We have shared information and conducted lessons around this challenge but we still have issues arising. Unfortunately, these are out of school issues and not something that we can control. The best way to combat these issues is for parents to maintain a level of vigilance when their children are online. There are age limits on most social media platforms and it is important to adhere to these to protect our children. We have a new page on our website dedicated to Online Safety that I recommend visiting.
Take Care,
Marie
