PRINCIPAL'S NEWS
So much has happened since our last newsletter! We’ve had the two week holiday break and then the 7 day statewide lockdown. I would like to commend our students for the way they switched to online learning and the participation they showed with their classes. Feedback from teachers suggested very high attendance and engagement levels from students and I also thank parents for supporting their children with this. The other groups that must be mentioned here are the teaching staff who were prepared for learning to move online and the support staff who were also flexible with their roles. We were so much better prepared for this move to online learning than we were at the end of Term 1 last year when the concept was quite foreign.
We have had a smooth start back at school this week with staff and students moving to mask wearing without too much trouble. We have disposable masks available for students and they can access a fresh one from their homegroup teacher at the end of each day to take home ready for use the following day.
Student Free Day and School Closure Day
Governing Council had approved a student free day on Tuesday 24th August for us to continue our work on literacy, in particular writing, in a combined student free day with Riverton and District High School. Our guest presenter for this day is from interstate and, due to the unknown nature of COVID restrictions, we have decided to cancel this day. Please remove this date from your diaries.
I have contacted our local primary schools in an effort to coordinate dates and I have some alternate dates to present to Governing Council at our meeting in two weeks. I will let you know of the new dates once they have been approved. We already had a School Closure Day approved for Monday 6th September and this date will go ahead.
Student Led Conferences (formerly known as Parent Teacher Interviews)
Unfortunately, due to COVID restrictions and the Department for Education directive to minimise visitors to the school, we have made the decision to move Student Led Conferences to an online format this year. The conferences will be held on Monday 9th August 2021 between 3:30 - 8pm and a letter with details on the event will be sent home on Monday. If you have any questions about the process or are having issues booking conference times, please contact the front office on 8862 0600.
Baby News
We were very pleased to hear this week about the arrival of Miss Spartley and husband Dan's baby girl, Sadie and we can’t wait for restrictions to ease so we might have the chance to meet her. Next Friday, Mrs Thiel will start her maternity leave and we very much look forward to meeting her little one too. We are still working on a replacement for Mrs Thiel and we will let you know details of that as soon as we are able to.
As always, I am available to speak to parents about any issues or concerns or to discuss any aspect of their child’s learning. I can be contacted at the school via Daymap, email Sonia.Pringle235@schools.sa.edu.au or phone 8862 0600 where you can speak to me directly or make a time to come and see me.
Sonia Pringle
Principal