ֱ News Term 1 Week 2: From the Leader of Primary

After last week’s ‘false start’ to begin the year, it has been wonderful to welcomeall ofour students and families back to school,especiallythosewho are new to our community. I am very pleased with the start students have made in their classrooms, and already we areseeing some fine examples of student excellence, both in work habits, andinhow students are conducting themselves in the playground.
If I could sum up my hopes and aspirationsfor our campusin one word for 2021 it would be community. The Marist theme for 2021,‘Breathe: The Spirit of Life (Rm 8:2) encourages us to pause after what has been an eventful twelve months and take stock of that which is most important in our lives. This year, I hope students come to appreciate the wonderful people in theirlives;theirfriends, their teachers, and most importantly, their families.I hope that they can see the wonderful community that they are a part of, and the role they have to play in contributing to this.Each day, students at the Lavalla campus willgatheras a community. It is our chance to set the tone for the day, encouragea reflective thought, or acknowledge the many examples ofexcellencewe see in our community each day. I hopethis year thatallstudentscancome to understand what it means to be a student at ֱ. I hopethat theyare able tosee that they are an importantandvaluable member of our community, and that they have an important role to play in the success of our campus.We look forward to supporting and celebratingourstudentsintheir journey this year.
Year 6 Student Leaders
On Wednesday at the High Achievers Assembly this week, we commissioned our new student leaders for 2021. The standard of applications to the leadership program for this year was very high, and we are delighted toacknowledgethose students who were successfully nominated by their peers to take on this responsibility. One of the many nuances of leadership students have come to understand though, is that leadership is not about wearing a badge; it is about setting a good example for others and doing the small things well. We look forward to the journey ahead of us with our new student leaders at the helm.

Congratulations to IsabellaCrisona, Michael Ng, Brayden Lim, Anabel Raguseo, Tahlia Thayer, Xavier Dunstan, NikitaAylmore, Benji Thompson, Jaspar Martin-Booth, Benji Davies, Aaron Stannard, and Madelyn Bertolini. You can watch the commissioning of our 2021 studentleaders
Parking
As many families can appreciate, our carpark is always a very busy and hectic place, especially at the beginning of the year as new families and students get used to the drop-off and pick-up procedures. Parents are reminded to take it easy in thecarpark, andbe considerate of those around us. Students should only be entering vehiclesatthe designated areas, and only ever cross as the designated crossings. Parents are also reminded that there are teachers on duty until 3.30pm each afternoon, so if you want to miss the traffic and collect your child at 3.25pm you are more than welcome.
Homework Club & Coder Dojo
Homework will commence next weekMonday15 February. Homework Club takes place each Monday from 3.30pm to 4.30pm in the library. This is a great opportunity for students to get ahead startontheir homework for the week under the supervision and assistance of some of our teachers.
Coder Dojo will alsorecommencethis term, though it will start on Tuesday 23 February. Coder Dojooccurs every Tuesday afternoon andis an opportunity for students to be involved in computercoding, andtake part in other IT related activities. Students need to bring theiriPad, andwillbe under the direction of staffat all times.
Both the Homework Club andCoderDojo are open toall ofour students. If you wish to attend, you just need to let your child’s teacher know.
Term 1 Swimming
Swimming for Term One has commenced, with our Year 4 students hitting the pool for the first time this week during Phys Ed. All students will be taking part in the Swimming Trials next Thursday 18 February in preparation for the Swimming Carnival which is on Friday 26 February.
More information around the requirements for swimming will be shared by Mrs Richards via the classSeeSawpages, but generally, students will need to remember to bring bathers, rashie, towel, and goggles to take part. If you have any questions about the swimming program for this term, please see your class teacher.

Learning Hub Tour
Earlier this week, our Year 6 students took a tour of the new Saint John Henry ֱ Learning Hub. The Hub is available to use for all students across Year 3-6, and families will have the opportunity to inspect the space on the same evening as the Parent Teacher Information sessions. It is an incredible learning space that really needs to be seen in person to be appreciated. Our students certainly thought so too.
“It was so big and fancy, but it also felt very calming and inspiring. The library wasamazing and there were so many books. We are looking forward to going again.”-FletcherBell(6 Blue)

Food Allergy Reminder
The beginning of the school year is always a good time to remind families that there are a number of students at our school who have food allergies, some of which are life threatening. We please ask families to consider thefoodstheir child brings to school, and to avoid nut productsin lunchboxes. It is our job as a community to supportall ofour students and to keep them safe. If you have any questions about how student allergies are managed in theschoolplease do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher.