Dear Learning Community Members,
We hope you are enjoying the first rain free periods (so far) in quite some time!
This week we have welcomed two new staff members. Firstly, Marie Peterson in the stylish Room 28; what a learning environment for our newest students to begin their learning journey at Epsom Normal Primary School! Thank you to all the parents who joined in the celebration to mark the opening of the new classroom.
Suzanne Power has joined the Information Literacy Team and will be based in the library on Mondays (full day) and on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from Midday till 3:00 pm. Suzanne comes with library experience and knowledge and enthusiasm for books and learning. Please pop into the library and welcome Suzanne.
Three of our teachers (who are also new parents) receive our best wishes as they choose to continue their parenting role full time. Emma O’Byrne and her family have returned to their extended family in Ireland, Michelle Webster is relocating to Blenheim and Sarah Shepherd is close by and will continue to be part of the school community. Three permanent positions for 2009 are currently being advertised. We are keen to retain our talented staff and keep the momentum and our focus on the continual improvement of learning and teaching.
As part of their learning some students in Year 3 have been improving the school environment. Read “The Pigeon Report” following on in the newsletter or on the website, to find out just what the students’ cunning plan is. Do you know why pigeons do not come to school in the holidays? Have you checked your child’s lunchbox recently ? This is an example
of students’ problem solving solutions to local issues and is an authentic opportunity to learn and practise all of these Key Competencies in the new Curriculum:
• Thinking
• Using language, symbols and texts
• Managing Self
• Relating to others
• Participating and contributing.
The school is fortunate to have a growing number of volunteers supporting the learning at Epsom. The volunteers are loosely based in the Resource Area near the library and as well as shelving, repairing and sourcing resources, a number are working in classrooms supporting children in the core learning areas. The cultural diversity of this group enables the adults in the school to more closely reflect the diversity of the school. There have been some delicious morning teas too, as we are treated to delicacies from a variety of countries.
A request: please keep sick children at home. This will help prevent germs from spreading. The office staff has been fully occupied sending home children who should never have been sent to school, and looking after those whose parents could not be contacted. Please make sure that the office has your up-to-date contact telephone numbers. When you ring in with your sick child all you have to do is push “1” to leave a message on the absence line.
Yours in Education,
Therese Bakker Shelley Quinlivan Kay Wight