In this week’s issue …

Principal’s Message

Positive Behaviour for Learning

Face to Face Teaching

Attendance

Reporting and Assessment

The Resilience Project

The Resilience Project Principles

STEM

Learning Snapshot

UPCOMING EVENTS

Fri 5th June Possible Assembly – Item Yr 5/6 Curlews, Leading Yr 3/4

15th – 19th June

Parent – Teacher – Student Interviews

Fri 3rd July Assembly – Item Kinder, Leading Yr 5/6 Emus

27th – 30th July Reports Sent Home

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE Welcome to Week 4.

It was a beautiful weekend with crisp frosts followed by warm sunshine. I hope that you managed to soak up some rays while you shared in some wonderful company.

This week we continue in phase 1 of the managed return to school with students attending one day a week. Some children are attending more than one day due to their family work commitments or challenges with learning from home.

This morning Gladys Berejiklian has announced that students return to face-to-face learning as of Monday 25th of May. This return to school will be phase 3 of the managed return to school plan and there are still some restrictions in place. Our newsletter outlines the return to school processes.

Please be aware that coming back to school after so long at home may feel like starting school again for your child. It is helpful to acknowledge their feelings and talk to your child’s teacher or myself about any concerns you have.

In week 8 of this term we will be conducting parent-teacher-student interviews to share your experiences of home learning. Formal written reports will follow those interviews

2020 NSW Term 2 Week 4 Newsletter T: 03 54 532 133 19/05/2020 F: 03 54 532 972 E: barham-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au www.barham-p.schools.nsw.edu.au

BARHAM PUBLIC SCHOOL

and will be sent out in week 2 of Term 3. This is later than normal as we have only just received guidelines on reporting requirements.

We thank you for your continued support in the education of your child during remote learning.

Roslyn Buchanan

POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR FOR LEARNING Our school Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) system reflects the expectations for behaviour in different settings throughout our school. However, remote learning is a completely new experience and we have created a set of expectations to address the unique expectations of learning remotely. Students in the primary classes engaged in discussions with their teachers to develop the content of the matrix which will now become the focus for our learning throughout the rest of this term. Assembly awards will recognise and reward students who display or improve their skills in following expected behaviours for remote learning. We stick the matrix up in the classroom as a prompt for positive behaviour. Displaying the matrix near your child’s learning area would create a common approach for success if we require to revert to home learning in the future.

FACE TO FACE TEACHING Students will be returning to their normal classroom routines and learning. Online learning packs will cease. Teachers will continue to follow the same school curriculum with the exception of some activities that can’t go ahead for now. Students will be able to use the school library and play non-contact sport at school. Excursions, interschool activities and visitors to the school will not be possible. We continue to encourage drop off and pick up procedures that avoid you entering the school grounds.

ATTENDANCE Your child should attend school where possible. If they are sick, they are to stay at home. Your child requires a medical certificate if they are absent for more than three days. If your child has a medical certificate stating they are unable to return to school, they may be supported with learning from home. However, this may look different to what is currently being offered to students. Please contact the school if you are in any doubts, or require support.

REPORTING AND ASSESSMENT Your child has been assessed during the learning from home period and will receive additional assessment on their return to school.

You will receive your child’s semester 1 report in week 2, Term 3.

This will be a simplified version of the report you normally receive. Teachers will be discussing your child’s progress at a parent-teacher-student interview in week 8 of Term 2, before the written report is issued – so they can take into account your observations from the learning from home period.

THE RESILIENCE PROJECT Barham Public School and Barham High School are using ‘The Resilience Project’ to support student wellbeing in 2020. We had planned to start the program in Term 2, along with the Got It program. Both programs have been delayed due to the COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) outbreak and we intend to implement the program on full return to school. However, ‘The Resilience Project’ have released learning from home modules so we have started lessons on Monday afternoon as an interim step.

THE RESILIENCE PROJECT PRINCIPLES The Resilience Project develops the wellbeing principles of gratitude, empathy, mindfulness and emotional literacy.

Gratitude – Paying attention to the things that we have right now, and not worrying about what we don’t have. We practise this by noticing the positives that exist around us.

Empathy – Putting ourselves in the shoes of others to feel and see what they do. We practice this through being kind and compassionate towards other people.

Mindfulness – Our ability to be calm and present at any given moment. We practice this through slowing down and concentrating on one thing at a time. This could be our breathing, completing a colouring sheet or noticing the noises we can hear.

Emotional Literacy – Our ability to label our emotions as we experience them. Labelling our emotions helps us to manage our emotions (soften negative emotions and find positive emotions). We practice this by labelling our emotions as we experience different parts of our day.

If you want to learn more or engage in some activities with your family head to their

website - theresilienceproject.com.au/at-home/everyone

STEM This term our school had the PC Robotics Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) kit booked. Fortunately, this loan has been extended until the end of term 3 so there will be plenty of time to engage in these technology resources. Some classes are beginning to engage in robotics lessons with children at home able to access coding lessons to learn the same skills and knowledge.

Students had the dash-bots out last week and were learning how they functioned.

LEARNING SNAPSHOT Learning looks different in the classroom, with students working from their chromebooks, sitting at desks on their own and following their learning pack instructions. Do you have some photos of your children learning from home? Send them in to include in next week’s newsletter.

Student using sticks to play the mathematics games and learning about number.

Student using scissors for a learning pack activity

Student using chromebook to communicate with his teacher.

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Transitioning Back to School

Anxiety: It is normal to be anxious or worried about children

going back to school – for both children and parents. Let your

children know that there are lots of health professionals working

hard to make sure that it is safe for them to return. Health

professionals are monitoring schools and the current situation.

Connect: Talk to other parents. Check in on how they are feeling.

Let them know how you are feeling. We are all in this together,

but each of us have our own situation and feelings too –

remember to be kind to others. Try to support and care for each

other during this time.

Feelings: Ask your children how they are feeling about returning

to school. Check in each day, as their feelings can change. We

know that some children will not want to go back and it may be

hard for some parents. Let them know that it will also be a time

that they can see their friends. Your school will be able to support

you.

Feelings: Ask your children how they are feeling about returning

to school. Check in each day, as their feelings can change. We

know that some children will not want to go back and it may be

hard for some parents. Let them know that it will also be a time

that they can see their friends. Your school will be able to support

you.

Feelings: Ask your children how they are feeling about returning

to school. Check in each day, as their feelings can change. We

know that some children will not want to go back and it may be

hard for some parents. Let them know that it will also be a time

that they can see their friends. Your school will be able to support

you.

Routine: Try to start getting back into routine – or into a new

routine. For example, going to sleep earlier, waking up earlier,

getting dressed, not staying in pajamas all day. This will be

different for everyone. If you start now, it will be easier next week

– but know that not every day will go to plan, be kind to yourself

and your family.

Feelings: Ask your children how they are feeling about returning

to school. Check in each day, as their feelings can change. We

know that some children will not want to go back and it may be

hard for some parents. Let them know that it will also be a time

that they can see their friends. Your school will be able to support

you.

Take Care: Remember to take care of your own and your

children’s mental health. There have been many changes during

this time – going back to school is another big change. Find

something that works for you and your family. For example, still

do things you enjoy, take deep breaths when you feel anxious,

practice mindfulness using the SmilingMind app, go for a walk,

talk to friends and family.

Feelings: Ask your children how they are feeling about returning

to school. Check in each day, as their feelings can change. We

know that some children will not want to go back and it may be