23 April 2025

PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

YEAR 6 CAMP

Our Year 6 students are out at Hamilton Downs on camp this week. A big thanks to all staff involved in the preparation and facilitation of camp; from excursion paperwork, to packing swags, shopping, cooking and more. It’s an extra for our teachers who give their own time to make sure students have the invaluable opportunities and learning that occurs outside the four walls of the classroom.

STUDENT-LED CONFERENCES

A reminder that student-led conferences are on next Tuesday 29th. We have kept the same times that were initially allocated. Please contact the school if that time doesn’t work for you now.

WORLD TEACHERS’ DAY NT AWARDS

The World Teachers’ Day NT awards are open and will close on Friday 23^rd May. This is a great opportunity to recognise and celebrate the fabulous work of our staff (it’s not just teachers). It doesn’t take long to nominate: World Teachers' Day Awards and it is a lovely acknowledgement.

ENROLMENT MANAGEMENT

Due to the high numbers now enrolled at the school, an Enrolment Management Plan has been implemented. This means that families enrolling need to live in the area and are required to provide proof of residency to enrol.

SHORT WEEKS and ATTENDANCE

It’s another short week with the ANZAC Day holiday falling tomorrow. We then have a full five days at school in Week 3 before May Day public holiday on Monday the following week. This makes for a somewhat disrupted start to the term so please make sure that, unless they are sick, children are at school every day to support their learning.

Please note that children should not be kept at home to help look after younger siblings – this is not considered an acceptable reason for absence. Parents are responsible for ensuring children attend school every day. When children miss school, they miss the sequence of learning, and this affects assessment of learning and reports.

Kind regards,
Brenda

SCHOOL SNAPSHOT

IMPORTANT DATES 

PRESCHOOL NEWS

Werte from Preschool

Term 2 has commenced and although the first couple of weeks have been short, the learning has been strong! The children enjoyed some fun easter craft activities (particularly basket making), sharing stories of their break (ice creams at Parrtjima), and were happy to be back with their friends and teachers. The beautiful weather has meant some long periods of outdoor play – building sandcastles, playing chasey, blowing bubbles, exploring the climbing equipment, and playing basketball and soccer.

Unit 1 have been making symbols in the sand following their interest in using the Aboriginal symbol playdough printing toys. They have also been learning about bush tucker, how the food is gathered, and cooked. As part of their learning about recycling the children have also been interested in sourcing, sorting and collecting metals.

In unit 2, the children finished off last term enjoying telling stories through the puppet window, however this is quite a small frame meaning only 1 or 2 children max could perform in the puppet show. So, over the break, Miss Katie sourced a ginormous box, cutting a window in it, and adding a curtain to the front. This has been used as not only a puppet show frame but also a bed for the baby dolls, a shop front, and the window of a cubby house. It is great to see the imagination and creativity of our children come to life from a simple cardboard box! We look forward to watching how else it will be used over the next few weeks.

Look out for the Bangtail Muster parade note which will be coming home over the week. Every year the preschoolers participate in this community event, and it is talked about by them for long after – they love having the opportunity to see each other and their teachers outside of the preschool environment. Please return the note ASAP. An adult must accompany your child throughout the event.

Leading up to the parade, we will talk about safety in our community and on bikes, which will coincide with us bringing the bikes out in the preschool yard. We will conduct a safety audit of the bikes and talk about the bike rules at preschool with the children. At preschool, the children must wear a helmet (fitted by a teacher) and shoes when they are riding. They also must stay on the path and ride in a clockwise direction – this ensures the safety of the riders as well as the non-riders in our space.

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!

A Warm welcome to Term 2

We kicked off Term 2 with a big breakfast celebration for our CFC families. It was a morning full of laughter, tasty food, and engaging activities to help everyone ease back into learning mode. Little ones thrive when their adults are there to guide them and help them explore and understand the world around them. It’s great to see so many families involved in their children’s learning.

Over the holidays, we were fortunate to receive many generous donations from the Alice Springs community, including clothing, shoes, linen, and more. We set up a special ‘Op Shop’ for our families to enjoy. These generous donations really make a difference for our families as we head into the cold season. What a great community we have!

Thanks to everyone who joined us and helped make the morning so special.

Lhere Pirnte Impatye x Bikes Mwerre x Neighbour Day

During the school holidays, the CFC team co hosted a special park event, and it was a huge hit with our families! There was something for everyone to enjoy, from Bikes Mwerre and creative art activities to games and more. Children and families came together to explore, create, and share meaningful conversations, all while strengthening our sense of community.

The day was filled with laughter and connection, as kids and families enjoyed quality time and worked together on various activities. To top it off, we all shared a delicious hot lunch, further bringing us closer as a community. It’s moments like these that remind us of the power of togetherness and the importance of building strong connections.

Kele Mwerre!