Dear Families
What began as a busy term has continued that way. The students in Year 6, in addition to in-term swimming lessons have participated in two leadership events. The Year 4 students have been completing their five-week Bike Education course with Richard and Jim from the Bike Smart team; The Year 4s, 5s and 6s participated in our Faction Swimming carnival last week; children from Pre-Primary to Year 2 have started their Protective Behaviours sessions with Ali Fisher; and the Year 6s in 6H hosted our first assembly, celebrating International Women’s Day. I hope you have enjoyed participating in or hearing all about these valuable events and activities. For those who haven’t there are snapshots captured in today’s newsfeed.
Tomorrow, the students in Years 3 and 5 will start NAPLAN. Completing a NAPLAN assessment should not be different from completing any other assessment. Students are familiar with online literacy and numeracy assessments, and Year 3 students will complete the Writing assessment on paper. In terms of advice to families with children involved in NAPLAN, it is the same advice we offer for other school days – eat well, sleep well … and do your best.
Next week will feature individual parent-teacher interviews on Thursday (information including an electronic sign-up will be emailed on Wednesday morning) and a music assembly to celebrate Harmony Week on Friday. The assembly will be hosted by our Year 6 music leaders. It will showcase the Choir and then all students from PP to Year 6 will sing as a group. Everyone is invited to (not required to) wear something orange that day (Friday 22 March). It could be a t-shirt, shorts, socks, cap, wristband, scrunchie etc
Just over a week ago we farewelled long-time Education Assistant and part-time library officer Mrs Sandra Carrick. Sandra has provided valuable support to many, many Kapinara students (and teachers) over the years. We also learned that another long serving Education Assistant, Mrs Liz George has decided to retire. On behalf of the Kapinara PS community I thank them sincerely for their years of service and wish them every happiness and success in whatever they do in the future. Thank you, ladies!
Finally, I will be on leave for the remainder of this week and next Monday. Mrs Ros Kay will be here in my place. Mrs Dixon will also be taking leave, commencing this Friday, 15 March. She will return for the start of Term 2. I hope to see some of you at tonight’s P & C meeting, where I will talk briefly about some of the things related to school funding that you hear in the media from time to time – ‘Gonski’, the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) and PISA results, and their relevance to us as an Independent Public School.
Best wishes
Elizabeth
Elizabeth Blackwell