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2022 School Satisfaction Survey for Parents
From Monday 29 August to Friday 23 September the annual School Satisfaction Survey for parents will be open for you to complete. Like last year, it is being conducted online so all families in our school can participate.
Historically, we get a very small percentage of parents participating which makes it very difficult to gain on-balance judgements and make decisions regarding future focus areas. This year we would be grateful it if you could take a few minutes out of your day to complete the survey. As a staff we value school improvement and have worked hard to implement new initiatives and it would we fantastic to get your feedback on them. Even if you think everything is going along well and you feel positive about new initiatives, we would still like to hear from you. Your feedback reinforces the things we are doing well and the areas we need to continue focussing on.
By participating you are supporting us to make SPS the best place it can for our students to flourish.
Take the online survey by clicking this link or pasting it in your browser: https://ncv.microsoft.com/zazKADcFXT
The survey is carried out on a secure website and all responses are anonymous and confidential.
All families in this school received the same survey link and no identifying information is collected. A summary of the survey results will be provided to schools. Responses from individuals or small groups will NOT be disclosed to any Department of Education staff.
Parent Teacher Meetings Term 3
In line with the new Communicating Learning Progress with Families Policy, we will be offering an additional opportunity for you to engage in Parent Teacher this year. Parent Teacher is a great opportunity for you to discuss your child’s progress and view evidence of their growth as the year has progressed. This is even more pertinent with the introduction of the new rating scale and no comments on reports.
Parent Teacher will take place in Week 8, 12 -15th September. Information about booking appointments have been added to Class Dojo. If you cannot come in and meet face to face, there is an option for you to have a phone conversation with your child’s class teacher at a convenient time.
You can book your appointment via https://somersetps.schoolzineplus.com/view-session/6 or phone 64351114 if you are unable to book online.
Shining Stars
Last week Macie and Toby represented Tasmania in the Australian Primary School Sports Competition. They competed in multiple swimming events including: 50m freestyle, 50m backstroke, 50m breaststroke, 50m butterfly, 100m backstroke, 100m breaststroke, 100m butterfly, 200m medley relay and 200m freestyle relay.
I interviewed Toby and Macie about their experience.
How did you go?
Toby – I did a PB in every event.
Macie – I got pretty close to a PB in my events. I did get a PB for 50m backstroke and 50m freestyle.
What is your best event?
Toby – 100m butterfly as I got the best PB and best position.
Macie – the butterfly as you need to have good shoulder muscles and I do.
What was your favourite thing about the experience?
Toby – Being part of a team and representing Tasmania. We also went to Dream World as part of a compulsory excursion.
Macie – Representing Tasmania as it means I have tried my best, even if I didn’t place. I did a good job!
Well done Toby and Macie for living our values of To Believe, To Dream and To Grow.
Grade 6 Newsletter Editors
Friday Dance Off
At the start of August, the SRC decided to bring back Friday Dance Off. Friday Dance Off is an activity we do every Friday at lunchtime. One of the Grade 6s set up a stereo and play music on the Astroturf and kids can dance to it. Some of the songs we play are Y.M.C.A, Macarena, High Hopes and Chicken Dance.
We spoke to some kids about why they are glad to have Friday dance off back:
Kaylen- my favourite part about the Dance Off is that people get to be active, there are also good songs. I’m glad that it’s back because it’s an old favourite. Some of my favourite songs are Nut Bush, Y.M.C.A and Macarena.
Isabelle- My favourite part about the Dance Off is getting to see little kids have fun and listening to the music play. I’m glad it’s back because now on Fridays I have something to look forward to, apart from the weekend. Some of my favourite songs are Y.M.C.A and As It Was.
Georgie- My favourite part about Dance Off is the fact that everyone is joining in and having a good time. I’m glad it’s back because it gives kids the opportunity to be able to have a dance off again. Some of my favourite songs are Nut bush, Macerana and Levitating.
Chanse- my favourite part about Dance Off is dancing, laughing and having fun with my friends. I’m glad its back because it gives you something to do on Friday lunch time if you’re bored. My favourite song are Dance Monkey, High Hopes and Y.M.C.A.
Reported by Annika
Primary Swimming
Grade 3s to 6s have been working on the learn to swim program lately. It has been a lot of fun for everyone to learn more about swimming and how to survive in dangerous situations. It’s fun how you get to jump in the deep end and swim. It can help save our lives if we are in danger in the water as we won’t need to panic because we know what to do.
I asked a few Grade 6s what they thought of the swimming here’s what they said:
Christen-I like how it is fun and it helps me to know how to swim when I am in danger. I believe it helps the younger generations and older generations learn how to swim and survive in dangerous situations. I have learnt not to bend my legs whilst swimming and how to stay afloat. My favourite thing to learn about is freestyle and backstroke because I wasn’t too good at that. I have learnt a lot by my swim instructor and I'm grateful that I have her.
Shay-Lee - I like how it’s fun and it makes you run out of energy. I also like how the swim teachers help you to survive in case you fall into water and you can’t swim. I believe swimming is helpful because it makes it more likely for you to survive in harsh situations. My favourite thing to learn is my backstroke and treading water. I have learnt that if you open your eyes in salt water it will sting.
Mace- The things I like about swimming with my friends, and you get out of class so my head doesn’t hurt from work. Swimming is helpful so you don’t drown and so you can save someone else’s life. I have learnt to swim better, and they have taught me how to improve in all areas. My favourite thing to learn is the three minute survival thing where you tread water, then you float for a minute, then you do your survival backstroke for one minute. Once you’re done it makes you feel really athletic.
Warm Wednesday
Warm Wednesday is a day where kids can bring 50 cents and their own mug to get a hot chocolate in front of Grade 6A and in the Kinder Prep area. It’s made by Mrs Barker with the help of Grade Six SRC members. It is a very special opportunity as kids can get warm and have a nice treat, this only happens in the colder months traditionally. However, in the past couple weeks we have noticed that the number of people getting a hot chocolate has gone down. Our final one will be next week, 7th September. All money goes towards helping the school SRC.
Reported by Mason
The Darwin-Devon Cup
During the Grade 5/6 Sports Expo, students from each school were picked to try out for the Darwin-Devon Cup. For Darwin Football there were a bunch of students from different schools like Burnie, Cooee, Romaine, Havenview and Montello. There were two tryouts and the students that first went were Miller, Chanse, Jaxon, Chet, Noah and Hunter. Unfortunately, Noah and Hunter didn’t make it through the first tryout, but Miller, Chanse, Jaxon and Chet were able to go to the second tryout where they all got in. On Wednesday, they had a training session at the Burnie High School ground and they each went fantastic. On Friday 2nd September they have a game at Devonport against the Devon team with a mixture of Devonport, Ulverstone and Spreyton schools. Everyone is very excited for that!
For Netball there was one tryout at Parklands High School. The students that represented Somerset were: Halle, Mia, Tahlia, Charlee-Rae, Sommer and Pippa. Unfortunately, three couldn’t make it through but Mia, Sommer and Tahlia made it. Their games are in Spreyton on Friday the 2nd as well.
We would really appreciate if all parents of the kids that are participating could come along if they aren’t busy.
By Jaxon
Hats
Based on the Cancer Council recommendations our Sun Smart policy specifies that we need to commence wearing our approved wide brimmed school has from the start of September. Even though it is still seems cold we need to follow these recommendations and those students who do not have hats will be asked to play in designated shaded areas.
Hats can be purchased from the school office for $8.
In Kindergarten A, we have started an inquiry into ’Diversity’. We read the book ‘Shades of People’ by Shelley Rotner and Sheila M. Kelly. We discussed that in our class skin colours had different and diverse shades. So far, we have made a collage of our hands to show our different skin shades. We are working on collages of our diverse hair and eye colour as well. We will go on to discuss further, other ways that we are the same or different from each other. Please come and look at our collages as they progress.
Pod 3 have been extremely well catered for recently with a range of experiences covering different curriculum areas.
Grade 5’s participated in the Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee whereby students did an online spelling test. This was interesting because no student had the same words, but it focussed on their understanding of letter patterns, bases, suffixes and prefixes.
Our whole POD completed our Third Term writing assessment seed which included a card with simply the word CONGRATULATIONS and a cake or two! (Greeted with delight and can we please have a piece?) This open- ended task allowed the students to write in which ever genre they wanted, focussing on voice, sentence structure, coherency, punctuation and presentation.
As part of National Science Week we had three scientists come and share their specialities with us. Thomas Lewis is a brain electrician or a Neuroscientist which is someone who studies the brain. He tested students taste buds with some very strange, flavoured jelly. Shasta Henry – is an Entomologist, which means she studies bugs and has travelled the world doing just that. She even has a bug named after her. Lyzette Matthews is also a Neuroscientist and has recently delivered her research about MND in Queensland, hopefully getting close to a breakthrough.
Did you know that a brain cell is only 1 Micrometre!!
Did you know that some people donate their bodies for scientific research when they die and this helps scientists to discover new things.
Did you know that when the first fleet landed in Botany Bay a scientist on board took a beetle back to England to research. It is now called the Botany Bay Weevil.
The big news for the fortnight is the Swimming and Water Safety Program! This has been an amazing program with the students improving so much every day in confidence and their swimming techniques. We have been very pleased with attendance, manners and behaviour! Well done Pod 3!