Term 1, week 9, 4th April, 2023
Principal's Report
Over the last three weeks:
- Our Gr 9 and 10 boys and girls participated in the AFL 9s Football Reclink Cup
- Our Gr 7-10 students went to Glenora District High School to participate in the Forestry Career Expo
- We participated in the SSPSA Athletics Carnival
- We participated in the District Athletics Carnival
- Our Kinder, Prep, Grade 1 and Gr 2 students had a visit from Bloss Flower Farm
- Our Gr 3,5,7 and 9 students took part in NAPLAN
- We Celebrated our student achievements at the End of Term Assembly
- Welcomed 8 new sheep to our school
- Sarah Barrington and James Wicks sized up our students for their new school jumpers
We received some great feedback about our Gr 9/10 students from Brett Geeves (former Tasmanian and Australian cricketer) who works with Reclink Tasmania. We’re really proud of the way our students represent themselves, their families and our school in the greater community. Brett wrote:
Firstly, I wanted to acknowledge the phenomenal levels of sportsmanship that your group presented yesterday. The girls had a go, despite the score being against them, and didn’t complain once. The boys were dominant but remained humble. They’re an excellent group of kids.
The boys are in their final on Wednesday against Kingston High School and Sorell High School. We wish them all the best!
In Term 2 we welcome new staff members. Dr Shelley O’Rielly will be working with our high school students on Mon, Tues and Wed. We are pleased to announce that Jo Cash has locked in some TA days with us and Eric Vreman returns two days a week. Jennifer Wise is still on leave.
We welcomed new sheep to our school, our Gr 9/10 Students are participating in the Merino Challenge, we’ve got until the last week of Term 3 to get prepare ourselves to compete in the following categories.
- Sheep handling. Each of the sheep must be halter trained, this requires the students to spend lots of time with the animals, breaking the sheep in and learning how to handle them correctly.
- Best fleece: This requires optimising the feeding and general care of the animals.
- Carcass competition: This requires optimising the feeding and general care of the animals.
- Most knowledgeable school: The students will be asked a number of questions throughout the day on topics they have learnt throughout the program.
Guy Ellis hosted us at his farm where our students worked with Damian Whitley and Matthew Haney to select 8 sheep and then ran through the skills we need to be competitive. Guy donated 8 sheep for us to prepare for the competition, Guy delivered them to us last week. The competition is going to be red hot and ‘we’re playing for sheep stations!’
Social Media and schools have an interesting relationship which is slightly different to the social media connections we have with our friends, groups and other news agencies.
It is a great way of connecting and communicating with each other and has lots of positives, but it can also cause unwanted outcomes. As individuals we can’t control what people post on their social media accounts, but we can be aware of the impact that they have.
Social media is an easy and convenient way to get news and entertainment. In some instances, it is a forum for you to ask questions and share your concerns, but it can also lead to misunderstandings due to the lack of context and the way that posts can spread like wildfire.
According to research from Australia's eSafety Commissioner, 76% of parents in Australia use social media, and many use it as a way to communicate with their child's school. However, the same research shows that there can be negative consequences when parents use social media to discuss school-related issues. For example, a post about a perceived problem with a teacher, occurrence or school policy can quickly gain traction and be shared widely, leading to misunderstandings and potentially damaging consequences for the school and its community.
Once you post something it leaves a digital footprint that is difficult to erase, especially as the post spreads. The post quickly loses context as people share and react to it with an emoji or a thumbs up. When you engage with it, whoever you are linked to on social media may see you’ve engaged with it and as mentioned the post spreads like wildfire and the original intent of the post is lost. It is critical to understand the difference between ‘liking’ a post and showing support for your friend who posted it. If you give it a ‘thumbs up’ you can also be seen as supporting a post where the context is lost when you are actually trying to support your friend who posted it.
Social media algorithms are designed to promote content that is engaging and likely to be shared. This means that posts that are emotional, controversial, or sensational in nature are more likely to be seen and shared than those that are neutral or factual. As a result, a single post that is misinterpreted or taken out of context can quickly spiral out of control and lead to unnecessary conflict and damage to the school's reputation.
To avoid these negative consequences, it's important to communicate directly with the school. By doing this, we can ensure that everyone in the school community has accurate information and context. We want to work together with you to create a positive and collaborative relationship that benefits your child and the entire school community.
Social media can be a useful tool for communicating with schools, but it's important to be aware of the potential for misinterpretation due to the lack of context and the way that posts can spread quickly.
If you’ve got a question or concern, please touch base with us.
A big thankyou to our students who have been recognised for living our school values and setting a great example to us all. You will notice that some of these recognitions have been written by our students.
Peer feedback is a powerful tool for personal and professional growth. It allows students to learn from each other and take ownership of their own learning and behaviours, while also developing communication and critical thinking skills. Peer feedback creates a collaborative and supportive learning environment that encourages active engagement and academic success.
- Bailey Y demonstrated RESPECT when he helped to set up the laptops and headphones on NAPLAN days, making it easier for students who were sitting the tests
- Chloe D demonstrated ASPIRATION, COURAGE, GROWTH and RESPECT by participating in the AFL 9s competition even when she was injured
- Andrew P demonstrated COURAGE when he participated in the sports carnival
- Harry B demonstrated ASPIRATION, COURAGE, GROWTH and RESPECT by lifting his classmates with conversations and encouragement when they need it the most
- Bailey M demonstrated ASPIRATION, COURAGE, GROWTH and RESPECT by encouraging his peers and teaching our students how to do the long jump
- Mitchell B demonstrated RESPECT when he helped to clean the classroom at the end of the day
- Grace D demonstrated GROWTH by giving thoughtful answers during the whole class discussion
- Ella P demonstrated ASPIRATION in the way she completed her Geography
- Brayden C demonstrated ASPIRATION, COURAGE, GROWTH and RESPECT by competing in the AFL 9s with a competitive and fair spirit
- Hayley K demonstrated COURAGE when she participated in the sports carnival
- Brodie S demonstrated ASPIRATION, COURAGE, GROWTH and RESPECT by showing sportsmanship in the way he helped his injured opponent off the ground in AFL 9s
- Malcolm G demonstrated GROWTH and RESPECT in the way he followed instructions in music and set a great example to others in class
- Michael P demonstrated ASPIRATION, COURAGE, GROWTH and RESPECT by being a fair and fierce competitor in the AFL 9s competition
- Lilli B demonstrated GROWTH when she applied her new learning to unknown situations in Maths
- Robert P demonstrated RESPECT when he helped to set up the laptops and headphones on NAPLAN days, making it easier for students who were sitting the tests
- Danielle B demonstrated COURAGE when she participated in the sports carnival
- Mason C demonstrated ASPIRATION, COURAGE, GROWTH and RESPECT by always being a great friend and respectful to everyone in the classroom
- Andrew P demonstrated ASPIRATION, COURAGE, GROWTH and RESPECT by showing he can be a great friend and ‘can lighten the mood’ when his friends need him
- Brock W demonstrated ASPIRATION, COURAGE, GROWTH and RESPECT by being respectful to his friends, he always gives me a handshake and gets things done efficiently
- Danielle B demonstrated ASPIRATION, COURAGE, GROWTH and RESPECT by always being positive towards everyone and making sure that we are all OK
- Hayley K demonstrated ASPIRATION, COURAGE, GROWTH and RESPECT by displaying leadership skills and helpfulness by taking control of the long jump and helping people at the Athletics Carnival
- Isabella E demonstrated ASPIRATION, COURAGE, GROWTH and RESPECT by showing courage and respect in the way that she played footy and how she treated her opponents
- Xavier R displayed GROWTH when he concentrated really well and maths and showed his learning in shape work
- Lukas M displayed GROWTH in the way he completed his learning independently
- Bonnie H demonstrated ASPIRATION, COURAGE, GROWTH and RESPECT in the way she always does her best, even when she isn’t confident.
- Matilda S demonstrated GROWTH by persevering on the monkey bars at play time.
- William R demonstrated GROWTH by completing his work independently and being pro-active by choosing to read when he was waiting for others
- Jack W demonstrated RESPECT when he helped to set up the laptops and headphones on NAPLAN days, making it easier for students who were sitting the tests
- James B demonstrated ASPIRATION, COURAGE, GROWTH and RESPECT by giving 100% all the time at the AFL 9s, he respected his opposition and his team mates and the game. He didn’t stop he kept on going
- Bailey M demonstrated ASPIRATION, COURAGE, GROWTH and RESPECT by being honest and giving the ball to the opposition when it went out of bounds in AFL 9s and he could have had a free kick
- Ava B demonstrated RESPECT by always making sure everyone has a clean working environment.
- Katelyn N demonstrated ASPIRATION, COURAGE, GROWTH and RESPECT by always being available if you have a problem, she can help you.
Have a restful break, see you in Term 2!
Ryan Kinder
Upcoming Events
Wed - 5th April - Whole School Assembly - 2.15. Please log in at the Office.
Thurs - 6th April - First Day of School Term 1 Holidays
Fri - 7th April - Easter Friday
Tues - 25th April - ANZAC Day at Bothwell Park
Wed - 26th April - School resumes.
School Value - Respect
Resilience Project
Little People having fun at LiL
Matilda S having fun with a magnetic fishing puzzle and Amy J is making a mud road for the her cars. They look like the are having a great time. Everyone with young children is welcolme to come along and enjoy the fun, see you soon.
Harmony Day
Harmony Day was celebrated in the Library.
Brigette and the Preps, Grade 1, Grade 2 and the Grade 3/4 students. They had fun doing the activities.
Holiday Break
On behalf of all the staff, we hope you all have a fun Easter. Enjoy a good break and come back recharged and ready for the next term of Learning.
Don't forget to come to the ANZAC Day ceremony at the Bothwell Park.
Easter Art Grade 5-6.
Grade Five and Six students making Easter baskets and cards in Art, ready to share with their families.
Class One enjoying Music
Class One students are all enjoying playing lots of instruments in music with Mr Ives.
The sound coming from the Music room sounds wonderful.
School Health Nurse
Part of my role as school health nurse is to provide health information to the students, to help them make the most informed decisions for their health. In each newsletter I will also provide information to families on some of the topics we cover. Recently, I have spent time with the students from grade 7-10 discussing Vaping and its health effects.
What is Vaping?
E-cigarettes, also known as ‘vapes’, are battery operated devices that work by heating a liquid (or ‘juice’) until it becomes an aerosol that users inhale.
Some people mistakenly believe the ‘cloud’ from vaping is a vapour, like steam. It is really an aerosol, a fine spray of chemicals that enter the body via the lungs and small particles that can lodge in the lungs. Using an e-cigarette is commonly called ‘vaping’.
What’s inside an e-cigarette? The short answer is ‘no-one knows’, and that’s a problem.
An e-cigarette can contain many different chemicals – over 250!
Some of the chemicals found in the vape aerosols can cause cancer; others can cause heart and lung problems now and in the future. E-cigarettes are not regulated thus not reliable. There are no rules that require packaging to be correct. Tests in Australia have shown that most e-cigarettes in Australia are wrongly labelled. Whilst they may say nicotine free, testing has found that 90% of these vapes do contain nicotine.
Harms of Vaping
Long-term effects are not yet known, but it’s clear that inhalation of chemicals damage the lung and heart.
- Short-term effects can include vomiting and nausea.
- Nicotine harms adolescent brain development, impacting memory and concentration.
- Even e-cigarettes without nicotine cause harm - ingredients in liquids are often not mentioned, despite being carcinogenic, featuring chemicals used in pesticides and disinfectants.
- There are no quality or safety standards for e-cigarette devices nor nicotine-free liquids, meaning their manufacture, contents and labelling are unregulated.
How Vaping leads to addiction
- Vaping activates the motivation and rewards system within the brain and can easily stimulate addiction formation. If nicotine is present this likelihood increases drastically.
- Nicotine is a highly addictive drug that can be found in e-cigarettes even when they’re labelled ‘nicotine-free’.
- Some e-cigarettes have been shown to contain more nicotine than a whole packet of cigarettes.
- Teens are particularly susceptible to nicotine addiction, and those who use e-cigarettes are more likely to take up smoking cigarettes.
- Nicotine addiction happens fast, which makes it hard to stop vaping.
Tips for Parents:
Educate Yourself - Learn about the causes and consequences of youth vaping, be familiar with the popular brands and devices, know what is being vaped (e.g., nicotine and/or marijuana, flavour types) and be prepared to answer your child’s questions in an honest and credible way.
Have conversations – Speak openly and non-judgmentally. Be ready to listen rather than give a lecture and be sure to focus on health and safety rather than threats and punishment. Try using open-ended questions to get the conversation going such as, “What do you think about vaping?” In these conversations, get their perspectives, acknowledge the potential appeal and help them weigh the risks against the perceived benefits. When answering their questions, offer honest, accurate, science-based information rather than trying to scare them, and try to have these conversations frequently, calmly and, if you can, before they try vaping
Understand why - Most kids start vaping due to curiosity, because friends and family vape, the appealing flavours, to do vape tricks, or because they think it’s cool or want to fit in. Over time, vaping can become habit-forming as kids do it to address other needs such as relief from boredom and anxiety. Some may become addicted to nicotine and continue vaping to avoid withdrawal symptoms. It helps to understand why your child is vaping by asking questions like: “What do you enjoy about vaping?” or “How does vaping make you feel?” Answers to these questions highlight your child’s needs that can be addressed in a healthier way.
Set clear expectations - Share why you do not want your child to vape and point out that you expect your child not to vape. If you choose to set consequences, be sure to follow through and make sure that these consequences are not overly harsh or long-lasting. At the same time, try to encourage and reward healthier choices and ensure that your child has other means of having fun, feeling cool, fitting in, reducing stress and addressing anxiety or depression.
Discuss resistance skills – teach your child to resist peer pressure by role playing conversations at home. You might ask, “What would you say if someone offered you their vape?” See how your child would handle the situation. Practicing something along the lines of “No thanks, I’m not interested,” said with direct eye contact and confident body language can help your child be prepared.
Be your kid’s example - Set a positive example by being vape and tobacco free. If you do vape or smoke, keep your equipment and supplies secured.
It is important to think of youth vaping as a health problem rather than a discipline problem.
It is very difficult to quit vaping, and youth are especially vulnerable to the addictive pull of nicotine. While some may be able to quit unaided, many young people who try to quit will experience withdrawal symptoms, including anxiety, irritability, difficulty concentrating and loss of appetite. The most effective approach to helping a young person quit is through counselling, family and peer support. It’s also important to address potential underlying mental or emotional problems that might contribute to the desire to vape or use other addictive substances.
For more information see the following websites:
E-cigarettes and vaping | Quit Tasmania
Vaping in Australia - Alcohol and Drug Foundation (adf.org.au)
Students can borrow a Device and Hot Spot
Students in years 7-12 can now borrow a device or internet hotspot to take home for short periods of time. Students can request to borrow a device or internet hotspot from the library to work on an assignment, research a topic of interest or complete an application online. If you do not want your child to be able to loan a device or internet hotspot please contact (School Office on 62 595 518).