Principal Newsletter
Sunsmart - The warm weather has been a fantastic way to start the week, but it is also a timely reminder of the importance for our students to remember to wear a hat when outdoors at school. This isn’t just for recess and lunch, but for all outdoor activities such as moving between classes and Physical Education lessons. As staff members are not allowed to apply sun screen, it’s also good to encourage your kids to apply their personal SPF over break times. Having grown up in an era of not paying significant attention to sun damage, I am now well aware of how important it is to protect our children from too much exposure.
Student Learning – Parents often ask questions and have varying opinions about homework. Essentially there isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ approach to this, and the individual needs of all students are different. Firstly we need to distinguish between homework and extra tuition or assisting students with their learning. The DET and our school has clear guidelines suggesting that in the earlier years homework should mainly consist of daily reading and informal practising of skills already taught in the classroom. In the senior years of primary schooling, this that may extend to include work on projects or assignments that might include an element of research. Homework should not be an onerous task for students (and parents) but should rather complement the skills or knowledge they have already learnt at school. Try and set a specific time of the day to maintain a routine, and always remember that just as reading is important to academic achievement, so too is a healthy lifestyle and physical activity. (Extra tuition is quite different to homework, and is essentially focussed support or intervention to assist a student in a specific learning area they might be having difficulty with.)
Torquay Festival – Please come and support the school this Saturday at our first ever food festival. There will be plenty of fun activities on offer for all ages and some lovely food to indulge in. This is certainly a ‘smaller affair’ than the traditional Easter Fetes that the school used to run, but an important event for the community to further build relations with the school. Besides the food vans, there will be music, face painting, kids activities, beverages on offer and also raffles. The day runs from 10am to 3pm so please spread the word!
Staffing – I would like to congratulate Glen Wise who has taken up the Acting Assistant Principal position now that Jo Loader has moved to Torquay Coast PS. Glen is a trusted and experienced staff member with a lot to offer the Leadership Team. His class will be covered by Andrea Rayner for the remainder of the term and Mel Sayers has taken over as the Grade Two Team Leader. We wish them all well in their new roles.
School History – Maurie Dale, from our local RSL, has been doing some significant research about one of our ex-students, Harold Rosser. Why ‘Harry’ is significant, is that he served in World War One but unfortunately also died in action, making him the first Torquay student to have lost their life serving the country. Maurie and Meryl Dale recently visited his grave and returned with photos they have given the school. Presently we are trying to establish a more formal memorial site at the school in the area surrounding where our ‘lone pine’ is planted. The School Council will further explore some ideas as to how we can best commemorate past students who have served their country.
Enjoy this run of mild evenings, and together with extended daylight, makes this time of the year an ideal opportunity to get outdoors and be active with your family. Unfortunately the warmer weather also means some of our dangerous reptiles become more active, so be careful when enjoying the great outdoors!
Adrian Waters