6 March 2019

Newsletter Articles

From the Principal

It is hard to believe we are at week 5 and half way through the term! What a busy start to the year we have had with many opportunities for students already. I urge all parents to make the effort to catch up with their child’s teacher before the end of this term. I cannot emphasise enough the significance of effective communication between home and school and the importance of families and school working together to ensure academic success. By keeping in close contact with your child’s teacher you are saying to your child that school is important and you value their education. If you haven’t done so already please let your child’s teacher know the best way to contact you.

Grade 6 Camp and Grade 5 Challenge Day

Next week our Grade 6 students head off to Hobart for their annual Hobart and Port Arthur trip and our Grade 5 students visit Launceston PCYC for Challenge Day. These events are a significant part of our curriculum and it is important that all students attend. Teachers have spent a great deal of time in organising these events and willingly give their time to ensure that our students continue to have access to an annual trip away. Please ensure you have returned the necessary paper work to assist with our planning. We look forward to hearing about their adventures on their return.

School Association

Our School Association works to enable our community and staff to work in partnership to provide the best possible education and school life for the children at our school. Research shows that children do better at school when their parents are engaged and involved in their education. Meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month with the executive committee meeting once a term to discuss agenda items such as school policies and procedures, school budget and expenditures, and opportunities for our students. Committee members are there to advocate on behalf of all parents in our community. Our Annual General Meeting is to be held on Thursday, 14 March. If you would like to have input into our school decisions and would like to nominate for a committee position please complete the attached nomination form.

Student Leadership

Recently all our Grade 6 Students attended the Annual Grip Leadership Conference. The conference provided our students with opportunities to learn about themselves, recognise their strengths and leadership capacity. The conference is very popular with many schools from the Launceston area attending. Students are challenged to think, problem solve and generate new and interesting ideas. Grip Leadership is a great way to kick start the Student Leadership process. After completing the conference students were invited to nominate for one of the many leadership opportunities on offer. This year students will be given the opportunity to apply for a position as: Peer Leader, Zone’s Leader, Sport’s Leader or STEAM Leader. At Exeter Primary School we believe that all students should have the opportunity to be leaders and endeavour to provide a range of leadership opportunities. I would like to thank families who supported their children in writing leadership applications. The Student Leadership Team for 2019 will be announced later this week.

National Day Against Bullying

Every year Exeter Primary School participates in the National Day Against Bullying. As a school we are committed to providing a safe and inclusive space for our students, staff and families, not just for one day but every day of the school year. This is reflected in our School Vision statement: To work together to build a connected school community focused on learning for all in a respectful and supportive environment. This year we are asking all students to wear something GREEN on Friday 15 March. All classes will be participating in activities, a display of their learning will be available for parents and the school community to view after the day, so please take the time to come and view them.

Regards
Helen

Assembly Awards

Growth Mindset Award

Recipient: Mathew Salter

Class Awards

We congratulate the following students:

Allergy Aware

We are a Nut Aware School. We ask that families be as vigilant as possible in regard to packed lunches, avoiding nut products such as Peanut Butter, Mixed Nuts and Nutella.

Parents

School Photos

This week we are sending home to parents/guardians the School Photo envelopes. School Photos will be taken on Tuesday, 26 March and for those that are away on that day the catch-up day will be Thursday, 28 March.

Instructions for ordering are on the envelope, if you do not wish to purchase your child’s photo, photographers will still be taking their photos to be included in the class photo.

If you would like a family photo taken, envelopes are available from the school office.

Please ensure that envelopes are returned before Tuesday, 26 March.

Bullying, No Way!

Friday 15 March 2019 is the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence. At Exeter Primary our classes will be exploring this year’s theme of ‘Bullying. No Way! Take action every day.’ Classes will be discussing their understandings about bullying and discussing what they can do about it individually and as a school community! Watch out for the collaborative works our students will be creating to celebrate this day and to commit to taking action against bullying and violence.

The web site below provides parents with some excellent support to assist their children deal with bullying and to build their resilience.

School Health Nurse Afternoon Tea with Parents

Parents are invited to join our new School Health Nurse, Bec for a casual afternoon tea on Wednesday, 13 March. Find Bec in the Parent Room from 2:00 p.m. onwards. She will discuss the health focuses for 2019 and how she will be working alongside your children teaching them about various health topics. Bec will also available to answer any questions or concerns you may have relating to your child’s health and wellbeing. Please advise the office if you are attending so we can adequately provide you with afternoon tea.

School Improvements

Our car park at the kindergarten end of the school is looking really great now it has been resurfaced and new car parking spaces marked. This is a great space that can also be used for dropping students off for school as they can walk safely through kinder into the main school area.

Arts

EPS 3-6 Choir

Rehearsals started this week for the EPS Grade 3-6 Choir. Students have had the chance to come along and join in to see if they enjoy singing and would like to make a commitment to the Choir for 2019. The Choir meets once a week to learn a range of songs to be performed at local community events and in-school performances. Events the Choir participates in include the ANZAC Day Service at Exeter Community Hub, Assemblies, Singfest at the Albert Hall and our EPS Arts Afternoon.

Esk Band

Esk Band tutors visited last week to present a ‘Show & Tell’ session for all our Grade 3-6 students. Any student from Grade 3-6 can participate in the Esk Band Program learning to play an instrument. The program is organised by Mr Peter Quigley and is run as part of the Launceston College Music program. Tutors from Launceston College visit schools weekly within Northern Tasmania to teach a range of instruments including; flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, tuba, saxophone and percussion. Additional costs do apply for the Esk Band Program due to instrument hire and tuition. Students who are interested in this program can collect an information sheet from the school office.

Enrolments for Esk Band have been extended until Thursday 7 March. Please return all forms as soon as possible to the school office.

Sport

Athletics Information

North Melbourne Football Club Clinic

Three players from the North Melbourne Football Club visited our Grade 3/4 classes to participate in a skills training clinic. Scott Thompson, Taylor Garner and Kyron Hayden joined in with the students to model techniques in handballing, kicking and marking. Everyone had a turn and could ask the players questions, gain essential tips and learn what it takes to be an elite athlete with the AFL. Students enjoyed interacting with the players and hearing stories about being part of the North Melbourne Football Team.

School Association

Annual General Meeting

Reminder: The Annual General Meeting of Exeter Primary School Association will be held on Thursday 14th March.

All parents (parents or guardians who have children or young people enrolled at the school are automatically members of the School Association).

As a member of the School Association you can nominate for the School Association Committee, which meets once a term, which is established to manage the affairs of the School Association.

All positions are vacant as of the 14 March – Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer.

If you are interested in any of these positions and would like further details please contact Sheryl Turner, Returning officer on 63944700.

Nominations are to be forwarded to the school office and addressed – Attention: Sheryl Turner by Thursday, 7 March.

The Association works with the Principal to achieve shared outcomes for learners and the whole school.

The Billy Tea Bush Band EPS LIFT and School Association Event 2019

Our School Association will be holding a Family Dance Event on Thursday 28 March. All students will participate in dance workshops throughout the day, learning to do a range of bush dances with the Billy Tea Bush Band. Families are invited to come along and join the fun that evening with a BBQ and Evening Community Bush Dance with the Billy Tea Bush Band.

Keep the evening free and come along to support our School Association with this fun Family Fundraising Event.

Teachers will be attending this event and it will be a great opportunity to meet your children’s teachers.

4.30-6.30pm: Family BBQ
6.30-8pm: Billy Tea Bush Band Event
Venue: Exeter Primary School Courts and Performing Arts Centre (PAC)
Cost: $ Gold Coin donation and food and drinks will be available to purchase

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