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ThinkUKnow
During Week 7 of this term we celebrated eSmart Week. During this time classes explored ways to keep safe around technology. We invited Constable Emilie Dellar in to not only speak to students but teachers and parents/carers about this very important topic. We believe that this whole community approach is very beneficial as to keep our students safe we need collaboration from everyone.
Constable Dellar used the ThinkUKnow resource to deliver the information. ThinkUKnow is a free, evidence-based cyber safety program that provides presentations to Australian parents, carers, teachers and students. It is a joint partnership between the Australian Federal Police, Commonwealth Bank, Datacom and Microsoft Australia, and is delivered in collaboration with state police. It provides information on the technologies young people use, the challenges they may face, tools to create a safer online environment, and how to cope or seek advice when things go wrong.
These student sessions provided information in a tailored way to cater for the needs of each grade grouping (Kinder to Grade 2, Grade 3/4 and Grade 5/6). Some of the information covered included:
- how to stay safe online
- why people use the internet
- the importance of not sharing personal details with people online
- why unidentifiable usernames and passwords are essential to maintain privacy and security
- why adult supervision and permission is important before signing up to apps and websites
- conversations around online gaming, cyberbullying, respectful language and talking to people online
- staying safe while using instant messaging
- risks in sharing images or videos and what information can be gathered from these.
The parent/carer and teacher sessions bridged the knowledge gap between adults and young people. I know many of the teachers and parents in the room were shocked about how young children were being exposed or participating in risky or unsafe practices.
Some of the important messages or information covered in the sessions included:
- online grooming, ‘sexting’, cyberbullying and inappropriate content (with these things happening in later primary school age children)
- what you can do to support young people through online challenges
- how to report if something goes wrong
- what you can do to help support young people understand what they say or post online can be permanent (‘digital shadow’)
- information on new apps, games and codes/lingo/emoji students use to disguise or hide what they are communicating online
- information to assist adults in communicating with children and young people about the technology they use
If you would like to find out more information please visit the ThinkUKnow website https://www.thinkuknow.org.au/ which has a parent portal and a tab to report abuse.
On behalf of the Parent Group we would like to thank the school community for supporting the Father's Day stall. Thank you to those who donated their time to organise and run the stall and those that donated goods. A big thank you must go to all the families getting behind the stall and allowing their children to purchase items. Without that support our stall wouldn't be as successful as it is, for that we are truly grateful. This year the stall raised $1066. This money will be banked and then used to help with our next school priority.
Many thanks
We have been doing lots of exciting things in Prep this term. From a discussion we had in class about ways we communicate, a lot of us became fascinated with maps. We talked about directions and how to describe where something is located and then had a go at creating a map from the classroom to our favourite place at school. We also created a treasure map from our classroom to the wetlands. One person suggested we put our treasure maps into a bottle and throw them into the ocean for pirates to find. Some of us thought that might be littering, so after having another discussion we decided our maps would stay in the classroom and we are now talking about ways we can care for places.
Earlier in the term we watched a performance called ‘The Egg’. We all really enjoyed watching the puppets in the show and wanted to make our own. We began by writing our own stories and then made a puppet of at least one of our characters. We performed our own puppet show based on our stories in front of our class.
Last week we held a breakfast for special men in our lives and wrote about our Dads.
Gymnastics
This term all classes have been working through a unit of lessons for gymnastics and circus skills. Within each lesson activities involved the dominant movement patterns of landing, statics, locomotion, rotation and springing. Each lesson has a strong emphasis on confident body management, with an integral part of the children’s interaction with each other, is to follow and adhere to safety considerations.
5/6 Sports Day
All grade five and six students participated in their sports day with other schools in the area. They had a choice to participate in either soccer, hockey, netball, football, basketball, tennis, modified volleyball or cricket. As some schools couldn’t field complete teams and others may have had excess, there were several combined teams to allow everyone to fully participate. From the sports of soccer, hockey, netball and football children were then selected to participate in the Darwin (Burnie) versus Devon (Devonport) sports day. From this event a team selection is made to play in Launceston.
Swimming and Water Safety
Children in grades three to six participated in the ten day swimming and water safety program. Prior to this the children worked through a theory lesson in preparation. Topics we cover are:
- Safe to least safe places to swim and what makes a body of water least safe.
- Aquacode – swim together, float and wave, reach to rescue
- Hyperthermia
- Conservation of heat and energy
- Use of lifejackets
- The most important person in a rescue is the rescuer
- Lifesaving strokes versus swimming strokes
With the campaign to follow on the practical skills of stroke development, water skills and water safety drills, are then developed.
Cross Country
The term will culminate with the cross country event for all children. Long distance running is challenging and for this reason the primary children can nominate to run the medal event (two laps ) or fun run ( 1 lap ) to allow all children to participate at a level they feel confident in. All participants from Prep to grade six, then earn house points to determine the winning house.
Hansel & Gretel, presented by Burnie High School
All Somerset Primary Students will be attending Burnie High School’s performance of Hansel and Gretel at Burnie Arts and Function Centre
Thursday September 19 at 10.30am classes attending this day:
KA, 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3/4B, 3/4C, 6A
Friday September 20 at 10.30am classes attending this day:
KB, PA, P/1, 2/3, 3/4A, 5A, 5B, 6B
This year our Cross Country events will be held on Wednesday 18 September.
The Cam Two and a Half Cross Country for Grades Three to Six will again be run jointly with Cooee Primary commencing after recess at 11.30 am. The event will be held at school and the children will have the choice of entering the medal event (this involves two laps of the course, double points for the school house, participation certificate, first to fifth placegetters certificate and will be in the running for the overall medallion) or the fun run event (this involves one lap of the course, participation certificate and single house points)
The Somerset Primary Cross Country for Kinder to Grade Two will commence after lunch at 1.30 pm and run on the school oval and surrounds.
As this is a school house competition all children participating will earn points for their house. Cross Country running is challenging and the children will be encouraged to complete the course to the best of their ability. For this reason all participants Kinder to Grade Six will receive a certificate of participation for completing the course.
We do request parents to pack a complete change of clothes including underwear and shoes for your child as the oval is wet and we do not want children sitting around in wet clothing.
Parents are more than welcome to come along and support the children.
ON THE DAY OF THE CAM TWO AND A HALF WE DO REQUIRE AT LEAST SIX PARENTS TO MAN CHECKPOINTS AROUND THE COURSE. COULD YOU PLEASE LEAVE YOUR NAME AT THE OFFICE, IF YOU CAN ASSIST.
The back-up day in the event of poor weather will be Wednesday 25 September.
Lorraine Evans
Physical Education Teacher
Junior Primary Book Reading – Burnie Library
Junior Primary Book Reading – Burnie Library (Target age group 4-8 years) maximum group size of approx. 30
Supported by Marine Biologist Dr Pattie Virtue, Heidi would read her book Garbage Guts. http://garbageguts.net which provides young children with information about the impacts of marine waste, in a fun and educational way.
Drs Virtue and Auman will also provide a plastics demonstration with examples to pass around for the children, as well as samples of krill and baleen.
Children will be encouraged to ask questions to help them learn more about this important subject.
Thursday 3rd October – Burnie Library, School Holiday Event – 2.30-3pm Bookings Ph Burnie Library 6477 7400
This event is presented by IMAS and UTAS.