End of term activities and early leave
As the end of year is rapidly approaching, the Primary Years teachers are now beginning to complete their reviews of the work that has been completed throughout the year. Observations and assessments will be occurring prior to the final written report being written. These are important times academically, but also from a social and emotional perspective, as children journey through to the conclusion of projects and activities. If you have booked early holidays, it is imperative that the College is aware of this so that teachers can ensure that your child has closure for the year prior to leaving. Please email your request for early leave through to p.carden@stpeters.qld.edu.au and copy the class teacher into the email.
Class Compilation Requests
Thanks to everyone who sent through their correspondence about their child’s needs regarding class compilations for next year. This process has now closed. We will be busy creating the classes for next year throughout the holidays and will advise you of your child’s class prior to the beginning of the 2020 school year.
Sleep and School-aged Children (5-12 years)
Below is some information based on an article from the National Sleep Foundation which serves as a reminder to us all about the importance of sleep. This is particularly important as we move towards the end of the year and many other activities which occupy children’s lives. Please take the time to read it and reflect for your child.
Children aged five to twelve need around 10-11 hours of sleep. At the same time, there is an increasing demand on their time from homework, sports and other extracurricular and social activities. In addition, school-aged children become more interested in TV, computers, the media and Internet– all of which can lead to difficulty falling asleep, nightmares and disruptions to their sleep. In particular, watching TV close to bedtime has been associated with bedtime resistance, difficulty falling asleep, anxiety around sleep and sleeping fewer hours.
Sleep problems and disorders are prevalent at this age. Poor or inadequate sleep can lead to mood swings and behavioural problems that impact on their ability to learn in school.
Sleep Tips for School-aged Children
- Teach school-aged children about healthy sleep habits.
- Continue to emphasize need for regular and consistent sleep schedule and bedtime routine.
- Make child's bedroom conducive to sleep – dark, cool and quiet.
- Keep TV and computers out of the bedroom.
- Avoid caffeinated drinks
For more information go to www.sleepfoundation.org
Behavioural Expectations
Even though we are now entering our fifth week of school for the term and everyone is beginning to become a little tired, the expectations around behaviour and positive relationships with others remain consistent. The staff will be on the lookout for examples of these manners and behaviours throughout the week. Let’s catch lots of students doing the right thing!
The Online World We Want by Rachael Yates
Late last term, Mrs Natalie Benfield and I had the pleasure of attending the National eSafety Conference hosted by the Australian eSafety Commissioner and Netsafe NZ with the theme of ‘The online world we want’. One of the key concepts of the conference was around shaping the future of the internet and online use, to enable a safer, more positive experience for everyone. It was also acknowledged that online safety progress requires continued perseverance by us all.
Moreover, it was affirming to hear about the latest research, much of which is already in implementation at St Peters including:
- The proven effectiveness of prevention education
- The proven success of integrating cyber safety into our teaching and learning
- Our official eSmart School status
This week the Primary staff discussed the online world they want for our St Peters Students, and set some goals to work collaboratively towards this. We also discussed the ‘big issues’ such as image-based abuse, inappropriate content, screen time and balance.
Look out for our expanded parental support initiatives to include more frequent ‘tech and wellbeing’ workshops, along with trialling drop-in sessions at the beginning of 2020 (to assist with device set up and management).
Lastly, 3 things all parents can do to support their child in this area are to:
- Model positive, balanced tech use
- Implement rules and boundaries
- Maintain positive relationships, show interest and be involved
For more information search Firefly for ‘tech and wellbeing’ or visit the newly updated www.esafety.gov.au
Upper Primary Disco SAVE THE DATE
Dear Upper Primary Parents and Caregivers,
The much-anticipated Upper Primary Disco is nearly here.
The Upper Primary Parent Support Group is once again organising the annual disco for the UP students.
Date: Friday 22 November 2019
Time: 6:30pm to 8:30 pm
Venue: St Peters GymnasiumCost: $15 per student
Details about purchasing the tickets and volunteering for the event will be coming out very soon.
Upper Primary Parent Support Group
Swimming Carnivals – Years 1-3 & Years 4-6 – 25m Pool Friday 8 November
Our Annual swimming carnivals will be held tomorrow at the 25m pool. All information has been sent home to families advising details. We look forward to seeing many parents join us for a great day. As the weather is predicted to be extremely hot, please ensure you adequately apply sunscreen to your child in preparation for this day. Students are encouraged to wear a plain (no writing please) coloured polo sunsafe shirt (no sleeveless shirts) representing their house colour with their sports uniform. We wish all students all the best for an enjoyable carnival.
Pam Carden
Head of Primary Years
