20 July 2016

Newsletter Articles

Principals Report

Hello everyone and welcome to the first edition of our eNewsletter!

We are very excited to be moving to this new platform and are expecting that you will find Focus more informative, interesting and easy to read. I am keen to hear your thoughts and will be setting up a survey in the near future to get your feedback and ideas.

Term 3

I always enjoy the start of a new school term the sense of excitement that fills the school as the children return ready to share their holiday stories. For me the school holidays are a good time to recharge the batteries, spend time with my family and friends but I also take the time to reflect on the term that was and begin planning for the up-coming term. This Term we have a number of exciting learning opportunities coming up that are sure to enrich and diversify the learning program. Some of these include the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Children's Day, Annual Exeter High School Science Expo, Literacy and Numeracy Week Celebrations, The Devonport Eisteddfod, the MAT Maths Relay, Tasmania Science Talent Search, and the Country Gold Carnivals. This is in addition to our regular classroom programs, excursions and sporting events. We are also continuing our Grade 5/6 Options Afternoon and our partnership with Bitlink. So as you can see we have another action packed Term of teaching and learning.

In reflecting on the term I did think about how fortunate I am to be part of Exeter Primary School. It is a great school with many wonderful qualities and opportunities for learning. I then started to formulate My Top 5 attributes about Exeter Primary School. Number one, of course, being the students:

1. Wonderful students

A wonderful group of children who show determination, kindness, form positive and productive relationships. They are problem solvers who adopt a growth mindset to achieve their goals. They demonstrate excellent leadership qualities, mentor younger children and are always willing to help others. They are high achievers and this is evident in our results which are equal and above many other schools in our region. Exeter students have high expectations of themselves, treat people with respect and take pride in their school and care for their school environment.

2. Positive school culture

Our school environment is second to none. From the moment you enter our school you are made to feel welcome by our wonderful office staff who go out of their way to offer you excellent service. People are known by name and everyone is made to feel special. The feedback from visitors to our school in invariably positive. They describe our school as having a warm and friendly feel and one in which children and adults alike welcome them. The people in our school are happy, work well together and watch out for each other. When our students are out and about in the community it is common to hear the positive feedback about their exemplary behaviour and the respectful way in which they interact with the people they meet.

3. Strong sense of community

Our school supported by a wonderful community of people who work tirelessly to better our school. A large number of volunteers who come together on a regular basis to fund raise, advocate for and support our school to be the best that it can be. The members of our School Association and Parents and Friends represent our school community in such a professional and consistent manner and are always looking for ways to promote our school in the wider community. Their tireless fundraising efforts ensure ongoing school improvements and the enrichment of our learning programs. Garden volunteers, Uniform Shop helpers, Canteen helpers, literacy support people as well as the wonderful work our parents do on a daily basis helping out in classrooms all contribute to a strong sense of community and build a rich and robust school culture.

4. Beautiful environment

Our beautiful school environment is an absolute pleasure to work in. Access to the beautiful Kanamaluka (Tamar River), a tranquil rural setting amongst trees and wildlife, create a child's dream playground. With plenty of space for children to run around and play, well-maintained buildings, beautifully kept gardens and an outdoor classroom in which to plant and grow our own produce we are lucky indeed.

5. Quality learning programs

At Exeter our teachers work hard to ensure that our students have access to a range of high quality learning programs. These include Music, Esk Band Program, Arts and Science and Technology. As a school we seek innovation and endeavour to keep our learning goals relevant to the changing needs of students and the future world of work. Our staff take risks in their learning, are open to new ideas and are committed to life-long learning. All things which contribute to our students receiving a high quality education.

Video – Take a moment to view the video clip below which celebrates my top 5 attributes and the year to date at EPS

Parent Teacher Conversations

Thank you again to all the families who attended our Parent Teacher Conversations at the end of last term it was great to see so many productive conversations. Regular and on-going communication with your child's teacher is one of the most important investments you can make in your child's education and reinforces to your child that you care about their education and are working with the school to ensure the best learning outcomes for them. For those families that were not able to make an appointment last term there will be appointments available every Wednesday or Monday (for teachers who do not work on a Wednesday) after school for the next 6 weeks. Appointments can be made online at the link below using the new code mudx4. I urge all families who have not yet done so to take advantage of this opportunity.

On a very somber note it is with sadness that we begin Term 3 by saying a very sad goodbye to an esteemed colleague. Ben Dennis passed away last week and as a school community we are all coming to terms with his loss. Ben was an integral member of our Exeter Primary School community and he will be deeply missed by all of us here. We pass on our deepest sympathy to Ben's family. Ben was a friend to everyone, he was the welcoming smile as you walked down the corridor and was always willing to lend a hand and help others. He will be remembered by the students for his encouragement and friendly nature and for his amazing ability to retrieve the balls that ended up on the roof! I would like to acknowledge the wonderful work he did in our school and the permanent mark he has made, both in the warm relationships he established and his dedication to improving our physical environment.

Regards

Lift

Kinder Enrolment 2017

We are currently accepting enrolments for children who will be attending Kindergarten in 2017. If you have already received an enrolment form we encourage you to complete it and return it to the office as soon as possible. If your child was born any time during 2012 they are able to attend Kindergarten in 2017.

We ask that if your child does not currently attend a Pre-kinder session or you know of anyone who is of Kindergarten age, that you contact the school office on 6394 4700, as attending Pre-kinder is an important support for children entering school. Pre-kinder during Term 4 is when children attend without their parents in readiness for Kindergarten in 2017. Please contact the office for more information regarding days and times Pre-kinder is held.

As we become more certain about our Kindergarten numbers for 2017, decisions will be made regarding class placements. Confirming Kindergarten numbers for 2017 is important in determining the class structures for 2017. Your support in completing the enrolment process swiftly will ensure class placements can be confirmed for 2017. Please remember an original birth certificate and copy of immunisation history are required on enrolment.

There will be an information session for all Kindergarten parents for 2017 and you will be advised of this date in Term 4.

If you have any further queries please contact the school on 6394 4700.

Look at all the happy faces keen to be back at school.

Birthdays

We wish the following students a very happy birthday.

School Association

Launching into Learning

Respectful Schools

Here is some information that may be helpful when talking with your children about grief and loss by Maggie Dent. Maggie is an Australian author, educator, and parenting and resilience specialist with a particular interest in the early years and adolescence.

Our Learning Community

Parent Noticeboard

Book Club Issue 5

The fifth issue of book club has been sent home. If you would like to place an order, please put your child's and teacher's name on the front of an envelope, place the order sheet and money inside the envelope and bring to the school office by Tuesday Aug 02nd