It seems as if winter if finally here and therefore that means we are close to the end of Term 2.

This week we have had two events in which our students have participated.  On Monday, Ms Day and Mr Creagh-Barry accompanied 24 students to a SEQ Football Championships at Highfields in Toowoomba.  Then on Tuesday, Mrs Stanford took five students to the Darling Downs Readers' Cup competition.  Both events provided an opportunity for our students to mix with those from larger schools which is something that we are always keen to do.  On Friday of this week, some of our children will also participate in a TCS Chess competition, again with other schools from our diocese.

This week has also seen the annual visit of Healthy Harold.  The messages from these sessions are important reminders to the students about how to:

• be safe, including when on line.
• build healthy relationships and emotional resilience.
• eat healthily.
• stay informed about things that can potentially harm us.

Please take the opportunity to talk with your child about the presentation they were part of this week so that they messages can be reinforced and contextualised to life outside school.

This time of the semester brings with it some added intensity as the children complete final assessment tasks to enable teachers to make summary judgements about their academic achievements.  The reports, which will be made available to families in the final week of the term, will have a slightly different format from the previous template.  However, they have been designed to give parents information as to the strengths of their child as a learner as well as areas for improvement in Semester 2.  It is important to realise that the Achievement Standard against which we report for each child is an end of year standard and so this is essentially an interim indication of achievement.  We will have Parent Teacher Consultations in Term 3 to allow for further discussions regarding how each child can continue to embrace all the opportunities presented to them. Parents are encouraged to attend these so that we can continue to work in partnership to support all the children.

As the weather has turned colder, the children have welcomed the opportunity to have hot chocolate once a week during the last two weeks.  I thank Mrs Blaxland and the Vinnies and Student Council members for organising this.   The P&F Hamburger Day was also successful and thanks to Mrs Vedelago and her many helpers for their work in providing this delicious lunch.

I have had the opportunity this week to talk with some parents about things which were worrying them about school life.  I would like to remind all parents that I welcome your phonecalls or emails if there is something that is causing you concern.  If I am not made aware of situations, then I cannot deal with them.  It is important that we work in partnership to support the children.  

With God's blessings

Sarah Yates
Assistant Principal Primary & Teaching & Learning