Congratulations Sally-Ann Thompson!

            Sally-Ann Thompson has been successful in being appointed the Acting Principal for Norfolk Island Central School in 2020.  Sally has been instrumental in partnering me to effect strategic change and improved practices across the school over the last two years in her role as Deputy Principal.

Sally’s appointment brings continuity in the school’s senior leadership team to build on the great foundations she has played a significant role in.  As Principal, knowing my term will come to a close at Norfolk Island Central School in 2019, I am content knowing that the school will continue to grow through upcoming opportunities under Sally’s leadership.

            I’d like to personally thank Sally for her committed practice, support and relentless pursuit for what is best for our students at Norfolk Island Central School.  Sally, I hope I have taught you as much about effective leadership as you have done for me.  Congratulations on your astute appointment as Acting Principal for 2020.

Love Bites – Respectful Relationships Program

On Tuesday, August 27, the school hosted the Love Bites Respectful Relationships Program in partnership with the community.  The day was a great success with students from Year 7 through to Year 12 engaging in activities designed to raise awareness around quality relationships, quality interactions with others, and ways to access support when needed.

The success of this program relies heavily on the support, time and dedication of teachers and key community members outside regular work hours.  I’d like to thank all who were involved for leading another great day.  Thanks also to our Head Teacher Wellbeing and Engagement, Chris English, for coordinating the team.

Tell Them From Me – Partners in Learning Survey

            Every year we invite parents to give us valued feedback about the school and the quality of our service delivery.  The ‘Tell Them From Me’ survey window is currently open between now and the end of the term.

            Advice on how to access the ‘Partners in Learning Survey’ will be sent to parents and carers next week.  We encourage all parents and carers to participate, so we can make accurate and informed assessment on areas for future development, to strengthen what we do.

Ancillary Staff Positions

I’d like to thank Claire Quintal from Department of Infrastructure for her assistance and support over the last few weeks as we have engaged in recruiting for additional support staff at the school.  Excitingly, we will be able to announce the two people joining our team in our new positions:

School Learning and Support Officer – Early Intervention P-2

Norfolk Island Engagement Officer

We have been very fortunate to have had such strong applicants throughout this recruitment process.  Thanks must also go out to Emma Cullen for her expertise and involvement in with the recruitment of the shared SLSO position between Banyan Park Early Learning Centre and the school.

P&C Meeting – Open Invitation

            Our next P&C Meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 4, at the school.  All are welcome to attend.  Our meetings kick off at 7pm in Room 21.  We hope to see you there!

Things coming up Term 3 - Week 7:

• Book Week Parade – Tuesday, September 3.
• Book Week Disco – Tuesday, September 3.
• P&C Meeting – Wednesday, September 4.

Regards,

Brett Carr

Please 'contact us' for more information.

Please 'contact us' for more information.

New Staff

            I’d like to welcome several new staff who joined Team NICS this week.  We have Carly Ellis in PDHPE, Kylie Ward in Primary and Lisa Johnson as School Counsellor.  We also welcome Russell Moore in Secondary as Head Teacher Mentor.  Russell is a substantiative Head Teacher from Toronto High School with several years of leadership in curriculum, assessment, data analysis and professional learning.  Russell’s executive position is an above establishment position funded by the Commonwealth to continue our work in strengthened student outcomes.  We welcome the expertise of all our new staff, complementing the great team of educators we have here at NICS.

Parent Teacher Evening

            Parents of students from Years 7-10 are invited to meet with teachers on Tuesday, July 30, at Parent Teacher Evening.  Interviews will be held in Rooms 20 and 21 between 4:30pm-6:30pm.  I encourage all parents and students to attend to discuss feedback from mid-year reports, sent out over the break, and to work in partnership to set authentic learning goals for Semester 2.  I look forward to a busy evening of discussing “all things learning” early next week.

100% Attendance

            We had 54 students achieve 100% attendance for Term 2.  This is a great achievement given that Term 2 crosses the dreaded flu season.  We will be recognising these 54 students at next week’s assembly.  I’m looking forward to seeing this figure improve in Term 3.  As always, our average attendance school-wide was above state average again for Term 2…and opening the gap between the two averages is our ongoing goal!

Ron Miles

Sad news came through in the holiday break of the passing of Ron Miles.  Ron was principal at NICS in 2000-2002.  Ron was also the principal of Granville South and Dulwich Hill.  Ron was 71 years of age.  On behalf of NICS and the education community, I’d like to acknowledge his commitment to, and leadership of, student learning and wellbeing and extend our condolences to Ron’s family.

NAIDOC Week

Our school is celebrating the importance of tradition and culture throughout Week 2, as part of our NAIDOC Week celebrations.  We currently have three Year 11 students off Island representing Norfolk Island at a Lions Culture Camp for Youth.  We are looking forward to hearing about the similarities and differences between Norfolk Island Culture and other cultures around the world as part of their experience.  As we all agree, Norfolk Island culture and tradition is a significant way of being on Norfolk Island…so sharing ideas about the preservation, celebration and sharing of culture is important for our students to carry forth the legacy of a proud identity.

Employment with Us

            A reminder that the following employment opportunities below close on Friday, August 2.  If you need assistance with applying for these positions, please contact People Plus on 22562 or call in to the office at 115a Taylors Road.

School Learning Support Officer – Early Intervention P-2:

https://www.seek.com.au/job/39431725?type=standard&searchrequesttoken=1ccf0d2c-35bf-4c14-ab8f-ebee04058821

Norfolk Island Engagement Officer:

https://www.seek.com.au/job/39431928?type=standard&searchrequesttoken=19d8fa8f-3f82-4b74-83d3-b4dd52e06c02

School Learning and Support Officer – Years 3-12:  (Casual Pool)

https://www.seek.com.au/job/39471435?searchrequesttoken=c0aa53de-a9a9-48dc-9090-21e4be962d1d&type=standard

P&C Meeting

Our next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 31.  Meetings are held in Room 21 and commence at 7:00pm.  This is an open invitation and I encourage all people interested to attend.

Things coming up Term 3 - Week 2:

• NAIDOC Week – Celebration of Culture.
• Year 7-10 Parent Teacher Evening – Tuesday, July 30  (4:30pm-6:30pm).

Things coming up Term 3 - Week 3:

• Education Week – ‘Every Student, Every Voice’.
• Semester 1 Academic Assembly – Tuesday, August 6, 10:00am-10:30am.

Regards,

Brett Carr

Please 'contact us' for more information.

As part of our ongoing strategy to support student learning we are advertising for two new roles at NICS.  These two roles will add to our growing Wellbeing and Engagement Team designed to assist students through proactive and productive programs and intervention.

More information about these advertised positions can be found on SEEK via the links below.  Prospective applicants can also find this information by searching ‘Norfolk Island’ on the SEEK home page.

 

School Learning Support Officer – Early Intervention K-2:

https://www.seek.com.au/job/39431725?type=standard&searchrequesttoken=1ccf0d2c-35bf-4c14-ab8f-ebee04058821

Norfolk Island Engagement Officer:

https://www.seek.com.au/job/39431928?type=standard&searchrequesttoken=19d8fa8f-3f82-4b74-83d3-b4dd52e06c02

In addition to these two new positions, we will also be advertising for additional School Learning Support Officers to add to our existing casual pool.  This advertisement will also be available on SEEK.  Successful applicants will join our casual pool to provide cover for our School Learning Support Officers, as needed, to provide student support when staff are away sick, on leave, or engaged in professional learning.

All opportunities are very exciting for the school and the community and I hope we get a great field of applicants.

Regards,

Brett

Please 'contact us' for more information.

Pink and Grey

            On the last day of school, Friday, July 5, the SRC are hosting a ‘Pink and Grey’ day to raise money for breast cancer and brain cancer research.  Students are asked to bring a gold coin donation and wear either pink, grey or a combination of both.  Students will also be involved in old-fashioned games after lunch to round out the term with some fun.  Thanks in advance for supporting our SRC.

Careers Market

            Our annual Careers Market was again an absolute success, with representatives from university and TAFE on hand to assist students as they firm up ideas about their post-school options.  The special relationship the school shares with the community was very much on show with many recent graduates returning to the school to share their experiences and advice to our students.  We also had a significant number of representatives from local businesses on hand to give students explicit advice about their workplace and the world of work.

            Special thanks goes out to Ro Peterson for her organisation and passion for Careers Education.  The contacts the school has built up over the years really places our students on the front foot as they graduate to post-schooling options.

Gardening

            Thanks again to Sarah Robinson for her work in outdoor education.  Sarah partners with our Primary School students in the gardens to grow fresh produce, which the students then sell to raise money to invest in donations throughout the local community.  Recently the students received a formal thank you from the Norfolk Island Hospital Auxiliary, as the students have made contributions that have funded residents with a cuppas and ice creams.  Sarah and her crew of echo warriors also have a popular following on our Facebook page with the work they are doing and the difference they are making.  Thanks for us for the valuable learning you are leading for our students!

100% Attendance

            We have 68 students with 100% attendance so far this term.  One more week to go…hopefully all these students can maintain their exceptional attendance.  Great effort.

Melbourne International Comedy Festival – Class Clowns @ Norfolk Island

When the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow comes to Norfolk Island for a performance on August 3, 2019, a fabulous opportunity is available for Year 7-12 NICS students to attend a Class Clowns workshop.

Class Clowns is Melbourne International Comedy Festival's development program for young people around the country. From comedy workshops in schools to a national comedy competition, Class Clowns engages and inspires young funny peeps to hone their potential. With alumni including Joel Creasey, Rhys Nicholson, Aaron Chen, William McKenna and Tom Ballard, Class Clowns truly is a one-of-a-kind experience and a springboard to success!

The Workshop will be run by comedian Xavier Michelides. Xavier has a unique brand of surreal character comedy. He has been an active writer and stand-up comic performing across Australia, travelling to each corner of the country.  Xavier has written for television; he is currently a writer on The Project and has previously worked on Good News Week, You’re Skitting Me and Dafuq? He has also appeared on TV programs such as ROVE live, SBS’s Stand Up @ Bella Union and ABC’s Comedy Up Late.

The workshop will be held from 3.30pm to 5.30pm on Friday August 2, in the Bean Shed and is free of charge. Workshop size is strictly limited so contact Mr English ASAP to be included.

Mark Meehan

            I’d like to formally thank our outgoing School Counsellor, Mark Meehan, for the significant contributions he has made to our school over the last 18 months.  Mark has been a fantastic support for students and their families, and has played a pivotal role in championing a full time School Counsellor at NICS.

            Mark, your dedication to wellbeing and learning is inspiring.  While we are very excited to have Lisa Johnson come on board as our full time school Counsellor, we are equally sad that our time with you ends.  On behalf of the school and the community, I wish you and your family all the very best in your future endeavours.

Reports

Over the last few weeks, staff have been working on mid-year reports for their students.  This year we are using a new school management program called Sentral to write our reports.  Sentral is a platform that we introduced at NICS in 2019 with the help of our P&C.  I hope the community like the way reports are set out using this new system.

Reports will be sent out to families prior to the upcoming holidays.  It has been encouraging reading the students’ reports, and I ask that students and their parents take the time to engage in discussion around reports in support of ongoing improvements in learning.

Things coming up Term 2 - Week 10:

• Wear Pink and Grey – Friday, July 5.

Things coming up Term 3 - Week 1:

• School Development Day – Monday, July 22 (Staff only).
• First Day Back For Students – Tuesday, July 23.

Regards,

Brett Carr

Please 'contact us' for more information.

Bounty Day Celebrations

What a treat it was again to be part of the Bounty Day celebrations. The excitement leading up to this event was very much on the minds of all our students and the stories of how much they ate… which pie, baked tatie, Tahitian fish, crackling, phili, trifle was the best, has been the topic of conversation this week. The weather was absolutely magnificent, and with the beautiful warm sunshine, students and their families dressed in bounty clothes and took pride in their culture and history, keeping alive the Norfolk Island spirit that shines through where ever you go on the Island.

To the Kindergarten to Year 11 students who participated in the Bounty Ball on Saturday evening, congratulations to you all. Seeing our students suited up and frocked up, and gracefully waltzing and participating in many other dances around Rawson Hall was a glorious sight. I must say that the Barn Dance looked to be the favourite dance of the night. Our heartfelt thanks go to Robin Butterfield and Jan Reeves who have nurtured our ballrooms dancers through the weeks; you are very much appreciated.

2019 Bounty Ball Winners

Kindergarten  -  Ruby Quintal and Cooper Eales

Year 1 and  Year  2  -  Memphis Leigh and Xavier King

Runners Up  -  Ciara McGillycuddy and Alfie Ferry

Year 3 and  Year 4  - Timi Snell and Mitchell Randall

Runners Up  - Tyler Schmitz and Myles Fisher

Year 5 and Year 6 - Isabella Randall and Brandon Borg

Runners Up  -  Elliana Henderson and Rawson Buffett

Year 7 to Year 11  -  Mirabelle Creek and Harrison Hayes

Runners Up  -  Tiana Randall and Croyden Snell

General Information

Brett Carr, our Principal, has been off Island all of last week attending a Principals’ Conference in Sydney. I am sure that Brett will share information from the conference through our Newsletter on Tuesday.  

Public Holiday (Queen’s Birthday) will be celebrated on Norfolk on Monday, 17^th June. We wish our students a safe and happy day. See you all on Tuesday, 18^th June, for business as usual.

Lynn Rodgers (Speech Pathologist) and Wendy McLean (Psychologist) will be on Island on Monday for the week. If you would like to make an appointment please phone the School Front Office on 23000.

Careers Market

On Wednesday, 26th June, we will be holding our annual Careers Market from 12:30pm - 3:00pm. All students from Years 9 – 12 will be involved. Students have been surveyed as to their career interests, and we have invited members of the public to come and share their knowledge with the students.

A huge thank you to all our very generous local employers who are giving up their afternoon to come and speak with our students, and impart their knowledge and wisdom about their own career paths and occupations. We cannot express our gratitude enough to you.

Petra Wlodarczyk from Queensland TAFE and Rhys Hinds from Southern Cross University will also be presenting to the students.

This year we are also looking at running a Panel session where students can “Ask an Expert” in order to better understand what university study, TAFE, a gap year or an apprenticeship might be like. This will then allow students to make a more informed decision about what to do once Year 12 has finished. . 

Parent/Community Information Evening – TAFE/University

On Wednesday evening, 26^th June, from 5:30 – 7:00pm in Rooms 20 and 21, Petra and Rhys will be holding a parent information evening. There will be information about courses, entry requirements, pathways of entry, modes of study, accommodation, costs etc. Last year this evening was well attended, with parents able to ask a number of questions in relation to both TAFE and University study.

Interviews with TAFE and/or University representatives are available for community members as well as parents and students. I would strongly encourage you to make an appointment to discuss the individual needs of your children, as this will allow you to plan for what their next stages of education may look like.

Interviews can be booked through the School Front Office to speak with both or either of these representatives on Thursday 27th and Friday 28th June. This is available to students and their parents, as well as members of the community who would like information about TAFE or university options.

Any further information you would like, please don’t hesitate to contact us at the school.

Regards

Sally Thompson

Relieving Principal

Please 'contact us' for more information.

Pacific Nations Tennis

            Good luck to Sam Cribb and Hannah Wright who are representing Norfolk Island in the Pacific Nations Tennis Cup this week in Fiji.  Arki Nobbs and Vanessa Brown round out the Norfolk Island team, with Danny Nobbs as coach.  This is the first time Norfolk Island has entered a full team in this event.  We wish all competitors a successful campaign!

P&C News

Reminder, if you have anything to contribute to the scoping document being finalised to articulate the community’s priorities related to the future of education on Norfolk Island, please attend the extraordinary P&C meeting on June 5 at 7:00pm at the school.  If unable to attend the June 5 meeting, community members can share their contributions with a P&C representative to bring to this meeting on their behalf, or contribute to the conversation via the following dedicated email address:  NI.Education@infrastructure.gov.au

School Counsellor Update

            Mark Meehan is with us until the end of Week 5 (Friday, May 31).  Mark will be returning again in Weeks 9 and 10 later this term.  If you would like to speak with Mark prior to the end of his visit, please contact him at the school.

            Recruiting is being finalised for the appointment of our full time counsellor.  We are hoping to have our successful candidate announced next week.  Our full time School Counsellor is expected to commence their appointment at the beginning of Term 3.  We are very appreciative of DIRDC’s investment in additional staffing to provision this increased entitlement in support of our students.

Evacuation Drill - Week 5

            As part of our commitment to keeping everyone safe on our site, we undertake emergency drills each term.  These drills ensure we are prepared in the unlikely event of needing to engage an emergency response in an actual crisis.  This is a notice to ensure there is no cause for alarm (pun intended) when our emergency alarms sound next week as part of our evacuation drill.

NI Active Kids Program

            NI Active Kids is a trial program designed to encourage and support school aged children living on Norfolk Island to be physically active.  All children currently enrolled at Norfolk Island Central School are eligible to apply for a $100 NI Active Kids Voucher. This $100 voucher can be used for their choice of one sport or other activity provided by registered local providers on Norfolk Island within a 12 month period.

Application forms can be collected from NI-Connect, located in the Bounty Centre on Taylors Road, or you can email niactivekids@hospital.gov.nf and a form will be emailed to you.  Forms can also be found at the NIHRACS website (www.norfolkislandhealth.gov.nf).

Completed forms are to be returned to NI-Connect.  NI Active Kids Vouchers can be collected from NI-Connect.  Please allow two working days for your voucher to be prepared.  Parents can then use their NI Active Kids voucher with their chosen registered sport or activity provider in lieu of payment.  A great initiative in keeping our youth active and engaged in physical activity.

           

Things coming up Term 2 - Week 5:

• School Evacuation Drill – Time TBC.
• School Counsellor visit concludes Friday, May 31.

Things coming up Term 2 - Week 6:

• P&C Meeting – Wednesday, June 5 at 7:00pm at NICS.

Regards,

Brett Carr

Please 'contact us' for more information.

Athletics Carnival

            We are on track (pun intended) for our Athletics Carnival on Wednesday, May 22.  As I said last week, we are looking forward to a great carnival and putting the new tiered seating area to use!  Students have been eagerly participating in long distance events throughout this week and we have held marching practice over the last two Fridays, in preparation for the main event on Wednesday.

             Can Philip House continue their dominance shown at the Beach Carnival, or will another House step up and take the glory?…Time will tell.

P&C News

            Since November 2018, the P&C have been working in partnership with the Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities (DIRDC) to develop a scoping document that articulates the community’s priorities related to the future of education on Norfolk Island. 

This framework of opportunity is being designed to communicate a clear vision and direction for the school, and will assist DIRDC in their work, identifying a new education provider for NICS.

            There is going to be an extraordinary P&C meeting on June 5 at NICS at 7:00pm.  This meeting will be the community’s last chance to contribute to this scoping document. 

If you have anything to contribute, P&C members invite you to attend this meeting.  If unable to attend the June 5 meeting, community members can share their contributions with a P&C representative to bring to this meeting on their behalf, or contribute to the conversation via the following dedicated email address:  NI.Education@infrastructure.gov.au

Rugby League News

            Thank you to Norfolk Island Rugby League Club and the NRL for coordinating our Rugby League clinic held on Monday for our K-6 students.  It was great to see our students out and about, learning new skills, being active and most importantly, having fun together.  Thanks also goes out to John Howell for being the conduit between Norfolk Island Rugby League Club and the school, and to our senior student helpers who assisted the NRL representatives to make this workshop great yet again.

Restoration Project

            Our Year 11 Industrial Technology class are embarking on a special project for the school that will showcase their learning and skills beyond the classroom.  Our students are working on designing and building display housing around the original school yard bell. 

As part of this project students are linking in with community members to learn about the history of the bell, traditional building techniques to restore the thatched roof, and using this project to complement their studies as they literally build towards their HSC (pun intended again).

            To assist our students with their research, we are asking community members to email their teacher, John Howell (john.howell@det.nsw.edu.au), with any information, pictures or stories related to the bell.  This is a great joint project sponsored by the Department of Infrastructure.  Watch this space for more news as things develop.

Wiik F’ Yang Salan

            On Wednesday, May 1, Norfolk Island Central School had the honour of hosting the Opening Ceremony of the inaugural “Wiik F’ Yang Salan”, or Youth Week on Norfolk Island. Working in partnership with Jon Evans from Strength4Life, NI-Connect, Norfolk Island Council, Norfolk Island Youth Council and Key Assets, it was agreed that the school was the perfect place to launch the new event designed to further engage young people of Norfolk in their culture and traditions.

            Students participated in a variety of culturally connected activities, including dance, cooking, music and film.  This was in addition to the large proportion of students who engaged with the numerous competitions available to students, celebrating “Foot I luw lewen orn Norf’k” (Why I love living on Norfolk).  This launched kicked off ten days of activities for our youth in the community. 

Our students thoroughly enjoyed the activities on offer, particularly the boys when they participated in cultural dance!  Again, I’d like to thank Jon Evans for his leadership in this community event and to our Head Teacher Wellbeing and Engagement, Chris English, for his commitment to making the launch a success at the school.  Special mention must also go out to the staff at NICS for getting behind this event in celebration of wellbeing.

We wish Jon and Strength4Life all the best in their endeavours to pursue other connected community wellbeing initatives, planned for later in the year.

Things coming up Term 2 - Week 4:

• Athletics Carnival – Wednesday May 22

Things coming up Term 2 - Week 5:

• Athletics Carnival Back Up Date – Wednesday May 29

Save the Date

• P&C Meeting – Wednesday June 5 at 7:00pm at NICS (Week 6)

Regards,

Brett Carr

Please 'contact us' for more information.

P&C News

            On Wednesday, May 8, we held our P&C Annual General Meeting (AGM).  At our AGM we elected our executive members.  I’d like to formally announce Joel Reeves as our P&C President and welcome the team:

President – Joel Reeves

Vice President – Louci Reynolds

Secretary – David Haberfeld

Treasurer – Tara Patel

Parent Representative – Karen Buffett

Easter Carnival Coordinator – Roz Tierney

            I also need to acknowledge the great work of outgoing executive members, Dave South (President), and Vicki Jack (Secretary), for their outstanding commitment, passion and advocacy for the school and its community.  An extended acknowledgement to Dave South in particular can be read in the published P&C minutes of our meeting.

Athletics Carnival

            Our Athletics Carnival is fast approaching.  Thank you to the Norfolk Island Athletics Association for their work over recent weekends to mark out our oval for the track and field events.  We are looking forward to a great carnival and putting the new tiered seating area to use.  Thank you also to Ngaire Christian for her work with preparing the oval throughout the year in preparation for this big event.

Community Use of the Oval

            It’s great to see people of all ages using the oval outside of school hours.  While we encourage community use, we ask that all people who bring dogs onto the oval be vigilant in cleaning up after their dogs, as we have had incidents where this has not been the case in recent weeks.  Thanks for us in advance for your understanding and support.

Rugby League News

            Saxon Snell and TK Morgan represented the school in a representative selection match to be considered for a spot in the NSW Open Boys NSW CHS Team.  Both boys played exceptionally well and were “unlucky not to have been picked for the final side”, in the words of their team manager, Adam Culbert.

            Both Saxon and TK played in the Northern NSW side with great pride, narrowly missing final selection.  Honourable mention must go out to TK Morgan, who was named in the President’s Representative Team.  Well done yet again gentlemen for representing yourselves, the school, and Norfolk Island with excellence in both your sporting performance and your conduct.  You have been great ambassadors for the school throughout the year.

Things coming up Term 2 - Week 3:

• NRL Rugby League Clinic - Monday 13th May
• NAPLAN Assessment:  Tuesday 14th May – Friday 17th May.

Things coming up Term 2 - Week 4:

• Athletics Carnival – Wednesday 22nd May

Save the Date

• Athletics Carnival Back Up Date – Wednesday 29th May (Week 5)

Regards,

Brett Carr

Please 'contact us' for more information.

Welcome to Term 2

            I’d like to welcome everyone back to school.  Term 2 is an important term for consolidating learning and formally reporting progress to parents and carers mid-way through the year.  All staff are looking forward to a productive term of learning and raising our expectations of students in their application to learning, their progress in learning and their general conduct through our school values of Respect, Responsibility, Honesty and Resilience.

We are blessed to have such great community support, and we value the partnerships we share with families to provide quality education for our students.  I too am personally excited about a productive term of learning ahead!

ANZAC Acknowledgement

            On ANZAC Day, several of our students represented the school and the community at events to commemorate our service men and women.  These included the Dawn Service, the Gunfire Breakfast, and the community mid-morning service at the Cenotaph.

            Our students demonstrate great character and respect at events such as these, which fills me with an immense sense of pride knowing that our youth are growing with such commendable values.  Special mention is extended to School Vice-Captain, Yasmin Coombes, for the weaving of our school wreaths.

            Thanks must also be extended to Jess Miller and Tet Grube for maintaining the close relationship we share with the RSL.  The school’s programs and our students significantly benefit from these partnerships by making learning real, contextual, connected and meaningful.  Thanks for us.

100% Attendance

            This week we acknowledged 70 students who achieved 100% attendance in Term 1.  These students were at school every minute, of every day, across the 11 weeks, which is a fantastic effort. 

The challenge has been set for all students Term 2.  It would be outstanding to report an even higher number of students with 100% attendance for this term at the beginning of Term 3. 

Exceptional school attendance is a great platform for learning.  While we enjoy attendance rates above state averages, I hope that all students take up the challenge and our collective average continues to move closer to 100%.

Connected Learning

            Our 130 state-of-the-art laptops arrived at the end of last term which we are very excited about.  This $100k investment in technology will see students across the school having access to updated devices.  Parents and students are reminded that our laptop program relies on the payment of our laptop levy.  Families from Year 5 through to Year 12 are encouraged to pay their laptop levy if they have not already done so.  As per the program, new laptops will be issued to students who have paid their laptop levy.

Yamaha Music Great Start Grant

Top 3 in all of Australia!   We are excited to announce that Norfolk Island Central School have been awarded a $2000 prize for our outstanding application in the Yamaha Music Great Start Grant. Whilst we are disappointed to have missed out on the top prize, we are thrilled to be recognised in the top 3 of 137 applicants from across Australia. As a result, we will receive music equipment to the value of $2000, which will be a wonderful boost to the Music faculty. Thank you to Chris English, Sally Thompson and Kath King for their wonderful support during the application process.

Student Health and Wellbeing

            At the end of last term, we reviewed all our health care information for students.  To ensure we meet our duty of care for our students, it is vitally important that we have accurate and up to date information around health care needs. 

            If you received either a letter or a call from the front office requesting information late last term, and have not returned requested information, please assist us by returning this as soon as possible.  If at any time the health care needs of your child / children change, please let the school know as health care management is an important part of our work.

Things coming up Term 2 - Week 2:

• P&C AMG – Wednesday 8th May
• Lead Boldly and Connect:  Leadership Workshop – Saturday 11th May

Things coming up Term 2 - Week 3:

• NRL Rugby League Clinic - Monday 13th May
• NAPLAN Assessment:  Tuesday 14th May – Friday 17th May.

Save the Date

• Athletics Carnival – Wednesday 22nd May (Week 4)
• Athletics Carnival – Wednesday 29th May (Week 5)

Regards,

Brett Carr

Please 'contact us' for more information.