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(PBL) – RESPONSIBILITY Keep toilets clean and tidy!

ATHLETICS CARNIVAL Thank you to all our wonderful learners who excelled at the Athletics Carnival last Friday. It was wonderful to see every student participate in every track and field event regardless of their athletic ability. The moral support, encouragement and cheering from all involved was deafening! Congratulations to you all and a big thank you to Mr Lewis for co-ordinating the athletics carnival COVID style!

Rhys flying high in the high jump and Josie flying long in the long jump

PRINCIPAL REPORT

Our K/1 learners were very excited when receiving their athletics ribbons!

DISABILITY STRATEGY Our vision - Building a better system The Department of Education is aspiring to build an education system in which all children including those with a disability thrive academically, develop good physical, mental and emotional health, and gain the skills to live a fulfilling, independent life post-school. The vision is to be Australia's best education system and one of the finest in the world for all children and young people. We are committed to continuously improving the education experiences and outcomes of all students in NSW. We envisage an education system where all schools and classrooms have the support they need to educate and include the range of children and young people in their local community. People with disability have the same human rights as everyone else, including the right to participate in and contribute to social and economic life. Education has a fundamental role to play in supporting these rights. Specifically, we want to ensure that all children and young people attending NSW schools are known, valued and cared for and that they:

• Are welcomed and included in their local school community

• Enjoy a wide range of experiences

• Learn to their fullest capability, achieving demonstrable learning, wellbeing and independence outcomes, in a safe, supportive and healthy environment

• Receive an excellent education, with expertise available to support access to the full curriculum in a way that is relevant to them

Term 3 2020

Monday 7 September – Friday 11 September

Electricity Safety Week

Wednesday 9 September Cricket Day

Thursday 10 September Macleay Public Schools Public Speaking

Friday 11 September Walk Safely to School Day

Friday 25 September Pirate Day Last Day Term 3

Term 4 2020

Monday 12 October Staff and students return

Wednesday 16 December Last Day Term 4

SMITHTOWN PUBLIC SCHOOL Week 8 Term 3 – Monday 7 September 2020

30 – 38 Cannane Street, SMITHTOWN NSW 2440 Phone: 6567 4529 Fax 6567 4823

Email: smithtown-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au Website: https://smithtown-p.schools.nsw.gov.au

• Build friendships, interact with other students, and feel a sense of belonging.

What we mean by inclusive education Inclusive education means that all students, regardless of disability, ethnicity, socio-economic status, nationality, language, gender, sexual orientation or faith, can access and fully participate in learning, alongside their similar aged peers, supported by reasonable adjustments and teaching strategies tailored to meet their individual needs. Inclusion is embedded in all aspects of school life, and is supported by culture, policies and everyday practices. What success looks like In consultation with educators, disability experts and families, carers and many others, we have sought to identify what success looks like. A more inclusive education system is one where:

• Students are learning to their fullest capability.

• Parents and carers are treated like partners in their child's education.

• Teachers possess the necessary skills to effectively educate children, and feel confident doing so.

• School leaders wholeheartedly support and enable inclusive education practices.

• Specialists work alongside teachers, providing support and guidance.

Children are the main focus of our strategy, yet they are not the only ones who stand to benefit from our proposals. In moving to a more inclusive system with support that better reflects the changing needs of children we will improve the experience of teachers, families and other students. Students will

• Feel welcomed into their local school community

• Experience more responsiveness to changes in their needs

• Have more involvement in decisions about their education

• Experience smoother transitions between schools and settings

• Receive a clearer demonstration of learning outcomes from teachers

Families will

• Be treated as partners and recognised as experts of their child

• Receive earlier identification and support for their children

• Find it easier to connect with other families with similar needs

• Have better and easier experiences with our system (including complaints)

• Be provided with more consistent information from schools, NDIS providers and health services

Schools will

• Have more resources, and those resources will be more flexible

• Find it easier to find and use evidence-based professional learning and tools

• Be able to access specialist teachers and other experts

• Experience more celebration and sharing of what schools are doing well

• Be supported by facilities that are progressively designed and built to cater better to all students needs

Students ready to cheer their friends during the track events!

MATHEMATICS A handy maths link for parents on Department of Education website – a simple glossary provides straight forward explanations and illustrations of maths terms used in the classroom

https://education.nsw.gov.au/parents-and-carers/learning/maths/maths-a-to-z

WHAT IS GETTING IN THE WAY OF MY LEARNING? Last week each class from Year 2 to 6 completed a confidential survey which asks each child to identify what/who is getting in the way of their learning.

The survey asks when and how others get in the way of their learning. Did you tell a teacher and what did they do about it? It gives them options of – nothing, sorted it out, wrote it down, told Mrs Sawyer. It also asks has it happened again and/or has the problem been fixed? Followed by, what do you want done about it? Mrs Sawyer then collated all the surveys and shared the information with the staff. Each child who has been identified as getting in the way of the learning of others has had the opportunity to discuss the problem with Mrs Sawyer and plan alternative strategies. If when the next survey is conducted the interrupting behaviour remains then the identified child, together with their parents/carers will require an interview to plan more extensive behavioural strategies. The aim of monitoring these behaviours is to support successful learning and for students to self-regulate their own behaviour. Every child has a right to learn in an environment conducive to learning. We encourage our learners to attempt to resolve interruptions to their learning, but if that is not successful then they need to report it to a teacher. The staff use a consistent response when dealing with learners’ problematic behaviour and that is:

1. What is the problem? 2. What have you done to try and solve it? 3. What would you like me to do?

We also encourage our parents and carers to use similar strategies at home to develop problem solving skills with their children. Children need to identify what the problem is and think of a range of options they can try to solve the issue before parents intervene and do the thinking for them. Our aim is to develop learners who have the belief, skills and personal qualities to be lifelong learners.

COVID REMINDER Parents/carers and other non-essential visitors are NOT ALLOWED on the school site. If you need to access the school you are required to call the school office on 6567 4529 and make an appointment.

FEAST PROGRAM

RAINBOW FRITTERS Our focus is to reduce waste by not requiring packages and eating food we make and enjoy. Last week our learners cooked healthy ‘Rainbow Fritters’. They had a choice of:

• Zucchini

• Corn

• Beetroot

• Pea

Ingredients: 1 ½ cups (225g) self-raising flour 2 eggs slightly whisked ¾ cup (185ml) milk ½ cup (60g) coarsely grated cheddar cheese 2 cups of vegetables (of your choice) Vegetable oil to shallow pan fry Method: 1. Place the flour in a large bowl 2. Whisk the egg and milk in a jug 3. Add to the flour and stir to combine 4. Stir in the cheddar cheese and vegetables 5. Heat a little oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a

medium – low heat 6. Pour three ¼ cup portions (60ml) portions of mixture

in the pan, allowing room for spreading 7. Cook for 1 – 2 minutes or until cooked through 8. Transfer to a plate 9. Cover with foil to keep warm 10. Repeat the above steps

with the remaining mixture

CARING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT Over the past few weeks Mrs Sawyer and our learners have been busy digging out the weeds in our garden adjacent to the COLA, preparing for a garden make over. Last week our learners planted natives and used mulch to trap the moisture. Planting the natives, we hope to attract and encourage native birds and bees into our school grounds. The totem poles were painted by all our learners in Term 2 and add a decorative dimension to the garden.

Aimee in our new garden next to the ‘Flaming Grevillea’

FABULOUS FREE TIME IN YEAR 1

Thomas, Cruz and Thomas in their free time in class chose to read a book and enhance their literacy skills! Our students love learning!