5 March 2025

PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

Dear families,

NT LEARNING COMMISSION

On Monday our ten newly elected Learning Commission students spent a day learning with students from other schools about interrogating data and improving their schools. The students looked closely at the student school survey data from 2024 and posed questions about this. These students will meet regularly to develop a project, make recommendations, and action their plans. We are excited to be part of the NT Learning Commission for the first time, joining more than 40% of schools across the Territory. Thanks to Mrs. Mullins who supported the students on Monday. Congratulations to Everleigh Malpas, Markus Albert, Hayley Deans, Smokey Schofield, Chloe Wehipeihana, Azalea Ryan, Joseph Matthews, Alicia Reid, Mason Mabasa and Alfie Lijanga.

NAPLAN

A reminder that NAPLAN testing commences next week for students In Year 3 and Year 5. Please make sure your child is at school on time every day and has had breakfast at home or at school.

SCHOOL COUNCIL AGM

The Larapinta School Council Annual General Meeting will now be held on Tuesday 25th March at 5.30pm in Room 16. If you are interested in being on our Council, please phone, call in or email to let me know and we will put you down as a nomination. Elections are held as part of the AGM. School Council is a great way to be more involved in the school.

HARMONY DAY

We are still calling for any families who would like to share at our Harmony Day assembly on 28^th March after our Big Family Breakfast. You can contact me or the office to let us know.

UNIFORMS – BACK TO SCHOOL VOUCHERS

Please come and utilize your back-to-school vouchers to purchase uniforms if you haven’t done this yet as they expire at the end of the term and can’t be used after that. Our school uniform is navy-blue shorts or skorts (or trackpants for winter). Students should not wear black, brown or other coloured bottoms. Please make sure you have plenty of items so they can come in uniform every day. In winter they must wear the school jumper or jacket, so have these ready for when the weather cools down (soon I hope!)

Kind regards,
Brenda

Spotlight on Learning - Social Media and Your Child - Mrs. Mullins

We know that students perform best when they are well-rested and in a safe, supportive environment. At Larapinta, we work hard every day to create this environment in every classroom. When problems arise, we make it a priority to follow up with all parties involved as soon as possible. While we do not discuss other children’s situations with families, rest assured that we make contact and apply consequences when major incidents occur.

One of the greatest challenges we face today is the growing complexity of managing issues related to social media in the school environment. Social media and online gaming platforms have made it easier for conflicts to escalate beyond school grounds and reach students' homes, disrupting their personal lives and wellbeing. This presents a unique challenge for schools in terms of how to address these issues effectively.

Platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, and online games like Fortnite are often mentioned by students when discussing problems that they've encountered online. We believe primary school students should not be using these platforms without close adult supervision. It is crucial for families to be aware of what their children are doing online, who they are interacting with, and what content they are posting or consuming. Although children may be digital natives, they need guidance on how to engage responsibly in the digital world. It is also important to note that many of the apps children are accessing are designed for older users—13 years and over, or 15 in the case of Fortnite – an acknowledgement that primary school children are not mature enough to fully comprehend the consequences of their online behaviour, and its potential, lasting impact, both online and offline.

The best way to address online issues is for schools, families, and students to work together. I encourage you to have a conversation with your child about their digital presence and online behaviour. Even if your child isn’t the one causing problems, being aware of online issues and not acting can result in things escalating. Please talk to your child about blocking, ignoring, and reporting inappropriate content, and encourage them to avoid engaging with strangers online.

There are legal implications to online behaviour. It is illegal to use the internet or devices to threaten, harass, or bully others, or to share images without consent. Once a photo or message is sent, the sender loses control over where it goes, and it can be shared in ways that cause significant harm.

Our school is dedicated to addressing both bullying and cyberbullying, and we believe that maintaining a strong partnership with families is crucial in tackling these challenges. If you are aware of online issues affecting your child, we encourage you to report them to the authorities. It’s also helpful for us to know if there are ongoing problems, so we can support your child effectively.

To help protect your child’s social health and wellbeing, we encourage families to closely monitor online activities, set clear boundaries about which platforms are acceptable, and ensure personal information is protected. Everything posted online has the potential to be stored and retrieved, even if deleted.

If your child engages with social media or online gaming platforms, we kindly ask that they avoid bringing related issues to school or discussing topics that are inappropriate for a primary school setting.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Until next time,

Jackie

SCHOOL SNAPSHOT

IMPORTANT DATES 

ROOM 13 EXCURSION - STUDENT REPORTS

On Wednesday, we went to the police department.  The best part was the police dogs and cars.  We did learn lots of things and I liked it so much!

On Wednesday, Room 13 went on an excursion to the police station.  The best part was when we got to see the police cars, ambulance and firemen. I liked the excursion because it was fun.

Where – On Wednesday, Room 13 went to the police station.

What you did – Interview (very scary). We went to an ambulance, fire truck and police car and got to turn the sirens on.

Best Part – Police siren (type 1,2,3 and all of them together)

How I liked it – 10/10, best excursion ever!

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PRESCHOOL NEWS

Werte from Preschool

How are we over half-way through the term already?

The persistent hot weather has certainly made our exploration of the outside space challenging as we have only been able to venture outside for short periods of time over the past few weeks. However, we have made the most of our time outside keeping active by playing with a new collection of balls. The children have been playing soccer, practicing their big high kicks, playing catch and shooting the ball into the basketball hoop. They have also been burning energy by role-playing some popular stories and songs, singing and dancing around the pathways of the playground.

We have been building children’s resilience and regulation skills by explicitly teaching them what to do if they are feeling hot outside, for example, play in the shade, get a drink of water, play at the water play station, tell a teacher you are ready to head inside.

Children are still learning to keep hats on – this is important during outdoor play so please encourage your child to wear a hat whilst they are outside at home or in the community. This will then become second nature to them, and they will be more likely to keep their hats on at preschool and when they move to primary school. 

We have continued to have some great learning within our inside spaces:

Unit 1: The children have been practising their fine motor skills with cutting and shape-cutters. They have been making some great artwork. They also have loved role playing in their mini pet shop set up, using the soft toys or pretending to be cats and dogs themselves. There has been lots of learning around positive interactions with others. Miss Julia has been using puppets to role-play what is and is not okay when playing with our friends.

Unit 2: The children are continuing to explore colour and using science experiments such as the milk and detergent experiment and the celery absorption experiment. It’s been exciting to observe and make predictions. The children thought the milk experiment was magic as they watched the colours swirl around in the milk. They have also been learning about Clean up Australia day, discovering ways to reduce, reuse and recycle and learning about the impact rubbish has on our local and wider communities – both on the land and in the ocean.

CHILD AND FAMILY CENTRE (CFC)

Our vision is that every child has the best possible start to life.

Children and families are at the centre of all we do.

We live and work on Arrernte Country.

Werte!

FaFT Excursion

Last week, FaFT enjoyed an exciting excursion to the YMCA, where children and families had the opportunity to explore a variety of play resources designed to support the development of gross motor skills. Activities like climbing blocks, parachutes, streamers, and pull toys provide opportunities for our little ones to engage in active play, helping them build strength, coordination, and confidence. These hands-on experiences are essential for young children, encouraging them to experiment with new movements and grow their physical abilities. It’s wonderful to see so many of our confident little explorers learning and achieving something new every day!

Lhere Pirnte Impatye

Exciting things are happening in our Larapinta community! New footpath art is popping up, and the final six bus shelter designs are on their way. We can’t wait for the community to experience what’s coming next. Be sure to keep an eye out on your next walk around Larapinta for the vibrant new footpath art installations, created by our talented local kids. Here’s a sneak peek of one of the upcoming bus shelter designs — a special painting depicting bush foods. This artwork tells the story of the older generation passing down knowledge about bush food names, how to gather them, and the traditional ways of preparing them. Stay tuned for more updates!

Conversational Reading

The CFC held a mini professional development session for families to come and learn about Conversational Reading. This is an approach that teaches parents how to engage with their children on a deeper level when reading. Conversational reading encourages two-way interactions by exploring the steps ‘see, show, say’. It gives children an opportunity to demonstrate comprehension and further extend their language. This strategy can be used anywhere at any time not just with books.

Young Parents

Over the past few months, Kahlia has been working closely with a small group of mums, helping them prepare for their driver's license tests. Through regular practice sessions at the CFC, these mums have been building their skills and confidence to take the L’s test.

We are happy to announce that one of our mums has successfully passed her L’s test! This is a huge achievement, and a testament to her hard work and determination. We can’t wait to celebrate more milestones with these amazing mums as they continue to work towards their goals.

Kele Mwerre!

COMMUNITY NEWS

Sports Voucher Scheme

Key Details:

Semester 1 (2025) opened on 1 January 2025

Applications close on 24 May 2025

Vouchers expire on 31 May 2025

Each eligible child gets two $100 vouchers per year

Open to children Transition to Year 12, including home-schooled students

Can be used for sport, recreation, swimming, and music lessons

How to Apply:

Parents and carers can apply online at 24/25 Sport Voucher Scheme (Parents/Carers) | Search | GrantsNT Administration