The Athletics Carnivals were a magnificent two days on Wednesday 1 and Thursday 2 March on our school oval. We were absolutely blessed with the weather, which made the days just extra exciting.  

It was awesome to see such excitement amongst the students and staff to be back out on the sporting fields as we missed last year’s carnivals due to poor weather.

The HPE Team took an innovative approach to the carnival with a few exciting changes. These changes created increased participation and opportunities for greater grade cohort relationship building through being encouraged and motivated by many others.

Days like these are special, a real highlight is the house spirit and genuine support students give to fellow peers throughout the carnival. It was pleasing to see students participating across the board in the events that were on offer. They were determined to produce their best efforts.

Thank you to all the staff and students who turned up early to help set up the events to ensure that the carnival was ready to start on time each morning.

We are also grateful to the LDS Senior Catering class for their catering efforts and the Sport Leaders and Student Leadership members for their help at the Primary carnival and managing the BBQ.

Finally, to all staff and students, thank you for your positive attitude and tremendous contributions during both carnivals. The success of these school events relies on everyone playing their part and this was done super effectively.

Results:

As always, there is a very healthy rivalry between the two Houses at our school carnivals. This year saw Corinna win the Primary and Maralinga win the Secondary. Congratulations to both houses.

The final points tally was as follows:

Outstanding performances were produced by students across all grades, especially Year 3 for 100% attendance and participation.

Congratulations to Madison who broke the Shot Put record:

Year 6 Shot Put- Madison - 7.37m   

Congratulations to the following students who are our Year Athletics Champions (overall points winner) and also to our individual track and field champions for 2023.

Track and Field Champions - Medal Winners

We continue to have the vast majority of our learners setting positive goals for themselves with their learning and working diligently to be their best. It is really pleasing to see the gains that students have made even in the first five weeks. One key factor with all these learners is their attendance; something we know is critical to ongoing success and growth. Please continue to support your children by encouraging them to attend at every opportunity.

We continue to push the message about phones being off and away all day and also our expectation regarding uniform. These have been positively observed by most students and we appreciate the cooperation they have shown as well as well as the support from families when we have needed to call. Let's keep working at maintaining this high standard.

We continue to have a number of events on our calendar in the next fortnight. NAPLAN testing has been moved to earlier in the year and we commence our testing on Wednesday. This testing will provide valuable information for staff, students and parents alike and for our Year 3, 5, 7 and 9 students, it allows them to see what growth has occurred since their last NAPLAN opportunity. Please encourage your children to do their best – this is another opportunity for some of our learners to test their resilience and for others to transfer their learning and understanding in a new setting.

We are excited to be partnering with the Lions club of Lilydale and the Lions Club of Riverside to conduct free eye testing for students in Years 1-6 inclusive. This significant undertaking will be held at school free of charge for those parents who consent and return the forms to the school. These will be out to families in the near future. Any students who have any issues identified will be provided with a report which parents can then use as a basis for a conversation with an optometrist. Again this is obligation free but what a wonderful opportunity to assist our school and our learners so that they can engage and be their best.

I will be away for a fortnight having some surgery but know that you will be in capable hands with Lisa Bailey acting as Principal whilst I am on leave.  The leadership team have been working together to build a clear understanding of where responsibilities lie and will attend to any matters as promptly as possible.

I wanted to acknowledge our staff who are working in a highly supportive and collaborative manner this year.  A special shout out to our new staff who have been wonderful in demonstrating aspiration and growth. They have all been learner focussed and keen to make a positive difference within and for our school.

Our External School Review was a really affirming process for the school. We will be unpacking the draft report we received with staff to explore ways that we can continue to Lift Learning at Lilydale. Once we have been able to do this we will also find ways to share our successes and plans for the future with our community. 

Similarly we are progressing our Contemporary Classroom and Safer Bathrooms redevelopments. We are hopeful of having some finalised drawings that we can display in the online access centre, the library and the office foyer in the near future.

Colin Pearson
Principal

Students will be sitting NAPLAN between 15 and 27 March 2023.

The National Assessment Program-Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) assesses literacy and numeracy skills that students are already learning at school. On its own, NAPLAN is not a test that can be studied for, and students are not expected to do so.

NAPLAN is just one aspect of a school’s assessment and reporting process – it does not replace ongoing assessments made by teachers about student performance; however, students and parents may use individual results to discuss progress with teachers.

This is the first year NAPLAN will be held in March, having previously taken place in May. This change was made so school systems would have access to results earlier in the school year, so they can be used to inform teaching and learning plans for the remainder of the year.

Why NAPLAN is conducted online

NAPLAN online provides a better assessment and more precise results.

One of the main benefits of NAPLAN online is that it uses tailored (or adaptive) testing. This means that students receive questions better suited to their abilities, so they can show what they know and can do.

Online testing also allows us to provide a wide range of accessibility options to support students with disability to access NAPLAN.

Feedback from students is that they find the online test more engaging.

Please note that students in Year 3 complete the Writing Test on paper.

Parent information brochures and other resources

Your questions answered on NAPLAN and what it means for your child:

The link will take you to the official National Assessment Program (NAP) website.

Please contact the school if you have any further queries.

Welcome back for another school year – we’re excited for what’s ahead!
Start the year right by making every school day count.
Check out this new video.

There are lots of things you can do to set your child up for success:
Make sure your child goes to school, every day.

Going to school every day gives your child every chance to learn and grow, and connect with their mates and teachers. It’s where bright futures start and where they’ll benefit the most.

Get them excited for school

If you show a positive attitude and excitement towards school, your child will pick up on that.

The most common thing we hear from students, of all ages, is that school is where they can:
» spend time with their friends and teachers
» create new and fun experiences
» find their interests
» learn new things
» open up their options – for whatever future they want (whether that’s their dream job or to travel around the world).
Share these positives with your child.

Talk to your child about school. Open up a conversation with your child about what’s happening at school. It will help you to better support their interests and confidence in learning. If you show an interest in school, they’ll know that getting an education is important and valued.

Celebrate the milestones

Big and small! Celebrate milestones such as making it through the first day or week of school. And remember: all milestones look different. If it’s a big achievement for your child, it’s important to recognise it.

Set up a time to talk to your child’s teacher or principal. If you’re struggling to get your child to school, help is available. Please talk to us at school about your situation. We’ll support you, in whatever way we can.

Know when to seek help

There is no weakness in admitting you need help. If your child has completely disengaged with school, and not attending at all, there is support to help you. In the first instance, talk to us at school.

For more helpful tips, please check out the Anything can happen website.

Our School Association usually meets on the second Monday of each month in the Kinder space. Our next meeting will be on Monday, 3 April at 7:30pm. We would love to see more people at the meetings and invite you to attend.

HOW TO MODEL EMOTIONAL WELLBEING FOR YOUR CHILDREN

As parents, you want your children to be happy, healthy people who show kindness, care and consideration for those around them. Luckily, there are many things you can do to help your child develop these skills and lead full, successful lives. 

Children learn from moment to moment, so the way you spend time with your children, how you respond to their questions, needs and interests, and the lessons you teach them all make a big impact. This impact affects their confidence, independence, adaptability and sociability – now and for years to come.  

In fact, children who can adapt and problem-solve in situations at preschool age show positive benefits throughout childhood and adolescence. They report more heightened wellbeing, better social skills and academic achievement, reduced aggression, and improved mental health and socio-economic outcomes throughout their teen and adult years.  

Again, many of these benefits can be assisted by your parenting skills. Children learn best from frequent practice, so by beginning early and consistently, you can set family rules and expectations that help your child learn to problem solve calmly, treat people and animals kindly, and more. When you show your child empathy and compassion, they learn from that too!   

Parenthood is filled with so many opportunities to model emotional wellbeing for your children. To discover more, read our blogpost.   

Triple P – Positive Parenting Program® support can give you more simple, practical steps to make family life a bit easier.