This week the students in Years 3 and 5 have participated in the NAPLAN tests in the areas of Writing, Language Conventions, Reading and Numeracy.  All of the students took the tests in their stride and demonstrated their knowledge and understanding to the best of their ability.  They should be very proud of themselves.  The results of these tests usually arrive in school within the first few weeks of Term 3. Thank you to Mrs Campbell, Mr Fleming and Miss Canavan for their support of the students in the lead up to this week and also throughout the testing period.  Any students who missed some/all of the tests will have the opportunity to sit them next week before the testing 'window' closes on 21 May.

Since the last edition of the newsletter, we have had a number of teachers and principals from other Toowoomba Diocese schools visiting our classrooms and talking to our students, who have become very adept at answering questions and showing off their school.  The visitors have been keen to see the differences that adopting an approach to learning which centres around empowering students can bring. Last week I shared the feedback with the staff on the Primary Campus, recognising that it is the steps that we have taken as a collective team that has made the difference for our students - and which will facilitate further improvement in the future. For your information, the feedback included references to the high level of articulation of the students around their learning, the innovative use of space and resources, the sense of purpose in each of the classrooms and the respectful and collaborative way in which the students work with, and assist, their peers. As one of the original Light House Schools for Visible Learning, it is gratifying to be able to showcase our journey so far to the new schools who have only been involved with this project from January this year and help support their development.

Congratulations to all those who have been involved in any Granite Belt sporting events over the past two weeks.  The weather was not particularly conducive to running cross country, but the students who took part in the GB event did themselves proud.  The Darling Downs event takes place next Monday and we wish them well.   In the soccer competition, Isaak, Jye and Will participated well and whilst they were unsuccessful in getting into the DD team, their efforts were recognised by the convenors.

Our next big event is the Border District Eisteddfod in Week 6 and hopefully all students are preparing their poems in preparation for this.  We thank Mrs McLucas for her preparation of the students for this event and also Dr Cuskelly for his work preparing the choirs.  Good luck to everyone.

With God’s blessings

Sarah Yates
Assistant to the Principal Primary