29 May 2020

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

Hi Parents, Caregivers and Snug Community,

It has certainly been a fantastic week at Snug Primary with all students back on site. The buzz of a busy school, of friends playing with friends and the hum of busy classrooms was certainly a welcome relief after the madness of the past few months. For many, the transition back to school was seamless; for others, more challenging. We will keep providing a high level of support over coming weeks as everyone finds their feet in the “new normal”.

Zoom Meeting with Me

Thanks to those of you who Zoomed with me in the midst of the pandemic to provide feedback around home schooling. I have arranged another time to meet with parents to find out more about your experiences over the past few months, including what you have seen in your children, both around learning and wellbeing, and to collect feedback about our work as a school in this time, and more importantly, moving forward. This will be on Wednesday 3 June at 6.00pm. If you are interested, please contact the office and leave your email address and I will send you an invite. Alternatively, feel free to write an email with your thoughts to the school email address (snug.primary@education.tas.gov.au), with “For Mr Curtis from a parent” in the title.

Reports

As a result of the pandemic, the mid-year reports will be a little different. Teachers will be sending home a one-page document at the end of term which will briefly outline the wellbeing of your child and how they have settled back in to school along with brief progress statements on English and Maths. We are, of course, acutely aware that for most of you, you’ve done a large swathe of the teaching yourselves so will have a clear idea of how your child is tracking anyway!

Bike Track

There is certainly a lot of excitement about the new bike track which was completed this week. Classes are currently devising rules and protocols around the use of the track through the lens of our Snug CARES values and a timetable is being drawn up for the track’s use which will start next week. Classroom teachers will Dojo/Seesaw more up-to-date information very shortly.

Gym

Our new gym is also up and running and is incredible! Mr Wishart has been running PE lessons out of it this week and said the students have been loving it. We are incredibly lucky to have such an amazing facility and I’d personally like to thank our former Principal Bonnie Jeffrey, and other members of staff and the community involved in the process, for making it happen.

Social Distancing

Can I thank you all for respecting the social distancing requirements the department has asked us to enforce in the current climate. While we value our Snug community dearly, I know you all appreciate the need to remain physically separate from each other, and to move offsite as soon as possible, to ensure the continuing health and safety of all in our community.

Kind Regards,

Blair Curtis
Principal

Kath’s Spot

It is so lovely to have everyone back at school this week and see everyone’s smiley face! Children ran excitedly off to class, and parents sometimes looked very relieved to be doing the drop off. A lot has changed over the last few months so it’s good to recognise this and not just presume that for us and our little people everything will be all smooth sailing. I know some parents felt a bit teary as they dropped off their little people, after sharing lovely moments together during this time at home. Towards the end of the week there were a few cracks showing of students feeling a bit tired and teary themselves. You know what though… it’s okay to feel a little wobbly at this time! To feel a bit exhausted after a long week, it’s totally understandable. So be patient and kind to yourself and others. Give grace to others and to yourself.

Some of the classes have been reflecting on their time home schooling while using their ‘black and yellow hat thinking’. I wonder if you took a moment to reflect using these strategies what you might come up with. Using our ‘Yellow hat thinking’ we reflect on what are the things that we might have seen as benefits or of value, perhaps the positive aspects about home learning? For me, it was lovely to see my boys have the opportunity do some practical learning at home, they built periscopes and portable hot houses and learnt about ‘Victory Gardens’ and working together as a family. And the ‘black hat thinking’ is about reflecting on what maybe might have felt difficult or you may have thought was a weakness. For me, I missed seeing the light in the boys that I see when I see them working with their class mates. They get so excited, and they genuinely will burst into laughter while spending time with friends, and seeing them at home all time and missing these interactions made me feel sad.

Reflection is such a great tool for learning. It helps us to see what we got right, and also ways we might improve. I was teaching a parenting course the other night online across Zoom, and I was reminded that when we sit back and reflect, we can often see ways in which we could improve what reaction we said or what we did. Not to have a go at ourselves, or to put ourselves down, just to be able to throw others ideas around about how we could deal with it. In fact John Dewey has a great quote which says “We do not learn from experience…we learn from reflecting on experience”. Although it can sometimes seem painful, as my older son Ben often says, reflection is a valuable task.

I’ll be thinking of you all as we enter this weird new stage really, it is almost like a new fresh start on things. I imagine things will forever be impacted, and so as we all learn to shuffle through this next little bit, please yell out if you need support along the way. If your little person or you yourself seem a bit unsure or tired, or feeling something else, make someone aware so that we can care for you all best.

Many Blessing to you all

Kath Dolliver
Chaplain

Arrangements for Bus Services in Term 2

Dear Parents/Carers

As essential services, public transport is exempt from restrictions on gatherings and all bus services will operate as normal during Term 2. However, the continued operation of services is being regularly reviewed based on Public Health advice and updates.

As on-site learning resumes for all students, the number of passengers travelling on buses will increase. Students are encouraged to follow the following physical distancing measures where possible:

• If undertaking short trips, consider walking or cycling.
• When queuing at bus stops, keep a minimum of one metre from other passengers.
• Keep physical distancing in mind and choose a seat away from others where possible. Members of the same household may sit together.
• Minimise the contact with surfaces inside the bus as much as possible.
• Practice good hand hygiene and where possible, wash or sanitise hands before boarding the bus.
• Cough or sneeze into elbows.
• Do not occupy the first row of seats nearest the driver.
• Always comply with any requests from driver.

As a further safety measure, operators have been advised to clean school bus interiors each morning and afternoon using a commercial grade pH neutral detergent (not acid or alkaline), with a focus on high volume touch points such as handrails.

Please be assured that all necessary steps are being taken to ensure the safety of students when travelling on buses and to manage risks based on the best and latest evidence and medical advice. However, if you, or your child/ren are uncomfortable with the arrangements that are in place, you may wish to consider alternative means of transport.

Students should not use public transport if they are supposed to be in isolation or are unwell.

If you have any queries regarding the operation of bus services, please direct them to Passenger Transport at ptscontracts@stategrowth.tas.gov.au or (03) 6166 3343. New information on school bus arrangements and the fare amnesty can be found on the Department of State Growth website:

Oakleys Coaches

Collection of bus fares will recommence from Monday 6th July.

Class in Focus – Year 5A

Can you help Kinder?

Our Kinder team have done a lot of sorting of equipment and some items are broken or no longer safe for us to use. We are looking for the pictured items to replenish our outdoor equipment that you may have and no longer require and are able to donate to us. We always appreciate the generosity of our Snug community and thank you very much. Please contact Mrs. Martyn or Mrs. Lockwood if you can help.

Kids Matter eNewsletter

Coming Events

For more information please see our school calendar by clicking the link below:

Term Dates for 2020