The Gum Tree Newsletter

The Gum Tree Newsletter
Starke Street Holt ACT 2615 | Tel: (02) 61420444 Fax: (02) 61420443
www.cranleighps.act.edu.au | [email protected]
Key Contacts
Issue 3.3 Monday 22nd August 2016
Dates For Your Diary
Principal: Sue Roche
School Board Chair: Daniela Vrkic
P&C President: Kimberly Ingram
Nurse: Desiree Leuluai
Counsellor: Alison Hatcher
Family Support Worker: Natalie Rutledge
Tue 30 Aug:
Parent morning tea and
NDIS Information
session10.30am-12 noon
7-9th Sep: School Validation
Hello Families
It’s half-way through term 3, hard to believe! This is always a particularly hectic term as winter ills
impact on both staff and student attendance. This has been, and appears to continue to be, a
difficult time for our executive team in accessing relief staff. Thank you to families for your patience
as classes are split. We make every effort to maintain continuity of staff and to communicate
changes on a daily basis. Please contact Cathy or I if you have concerns.
Thank you also to parents for prompt pick up of sick children and to those who let us know of
absences. Both of these assist with classroom schedules and keeping children who are sick at
home until full recovery assists in reducing the spread of these winter bugs.
This is the last week for completing the School Satisfaction Surveys – thank you to those who have
done so already. I understand we have nearly 20 submitted, but this is well short of our target of at
least 50% completion rate. It is really valuable and important that we have a truly representational
sample of family feedback if we are to optimise our planning and target our programs effectively
for your children. Please contact the front office if you need another copy of the survey.
The next few weeks are busy ones for our school. There will be several opportunities to welcome
visitors to our wonderful school for a range of reasons. This week I am hosting the term meeting for
the North Gungahlin Network of School Principals. This meeting enables us to show off our facilities
and to share some of our quality programs. Amy Fletcher and Jenny Parsons will be presenting
their work on Trauma Based Practices at this meeting. On 8th and 9th September we will be
undergoing our School Validation process. A fellow Principal and a consultant from the Australian
Council for Education Research will spend 2 days in the school reviewing the past four year cycle
of school improvement and associated evidence. The report from this process will not only inform
the next Strategic Plan, but will also provide us all with a terrific opportunity to celebrate all of the
successes of our students and school programs. In the next newsletter I will provide further details
about the Validation visit.
On the afternoon of 8th September, we will also be welcoming the Director General of Education,
Natalie Howson, to Cranleigh. Natalie is our new DG and she is visiting everyone of her schools
Achieving potential together
The Gum Tree Newsletter Issue 3.3 Monday 22nd August 2016
briefly this term in order to really connect with our communities and our programs. She will be
here at the end of the day and hopefully will meet some of our parents and carers.
I will finish with a reminder about an important change to drop off and pick up arrangements
that was implemented last week. As a direct response to risks identified to students by private
vehicles moving around school buses, we have asked that there be NO THROUGH TRAFFIC
while buses are at the front entry. Your cooperation in this is greatly appreciated.
Take care all
Sue
Achieving potential together
The Gum Tree Newsletter Issue 3.3 Monday 22nd August 2016
Parent Morning Tea and
NDIS Information Session
10:30am to 12 noon
Tuesday 30th August
Don’t forget next Tuesday’s Parent Morning Tea, to be held in Mal’s Shed by our P&C.
It is a great opportunity to catch up with other parents of our community and enjoy a
cuppa and a chat. Natalie Rutledge, our amazing FSW will be on hand to answer any
questions you have regarding NDIS, as well as our fabulous P&C President Kimberley
Ingram who is a great source of information.
The Morning Tea will be catered for, so please come along and enjoy some great
company, food and a drink. We look forward to seeing you!!
About School
The first installation of our new gym mats have
arrived and are in place, ready for action.
Our sensory gym is nearly complete and looks
great! Although probably not for the Toyko
Games, our students will be in good stead for
future Olympic Games!! In the meantime, the
gym will work well for our student’s sensory
needs. Thank you to Hayley Skipper who has
been instrumental in the design and
completion of the gym.
Our wonderful BSO Geoff has completed a
new protective surrounding for the
trampoline in the Garden of Delights. The
artwork was a collaborative effort, created
during NAIDOC week. A big thank you to
Geoff for his workworking talents.
A new art installation is gracing our main corridor
ceiling. This beautiful creation began last year with
each class helping to attach fabric strips of their
choosing, to create an amazing tactile artwork.
Lyn Matthews finished up the final details this term
and it is now available for all to enjoy.
Achieving potential together
The Gum Tree Newsletter Issue 3.3 Monday 22nd August 2016
Look at the adventures the
Orange Orbits have been
having!
National Aboriginal and
Islander day Observance
Committee (NAIDOC)
activities!
Creating art works based around
different fruits that we have explored!
Exploring sensory activities!
Achieving potential together