Newsletterblackwoodps.sa.edu.au/uploads/5/2/1/7/52179751/term_4_week_9... · Blackwood Primary...

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NEWSLETTER Week 9 Term 4 2017 An IB school valuing, supporting and inspiring a community of lifelong learners Department for Education and Child Development T/A South Australian Government Schools CRICOS Provider Number: 00018A Principal: Phil Garner 4 Seymour Street, Eden Hills 5050 Phone: 8278 5355 www.blackwoodps.sa.edu.au Deputy Principal: Kris Robson Important Diary Dates Uniform Shop Opening Wednesday 24 th January 2018 9am to 12 noon Term 1 2018 Monday 29 th January 2018 The Staff at Blackwood Primary School wish our School Community a Wonderful Christmas Holiday! Dear Parents and Caregivers, 2017 has been a very busy year at Blackwood Primary School. As we reflect on the achievements and successes of the year it is clearly evident that the positive partnerships between home and school are at the heart of our success. Academic achievements have continued to improve with our best results in NAPLAN being recorded this year across all assessed areas. Throughout the year there have been a multitude of special events including excursions, camps, visiting experts, sports days, assemblies, extra-curricular activities, visiting Korean study tours, choir performances and debating, to name but a few. I would like offer a very special thank you to our highly professional and talented teachers and SSOs, our dedicated office and ground staff, our incredible OSHC staff, our Governing Council and Parents and Friends, our volunteers and mentors and our community supporters for their unwavering commitment to our school. It is because of the dedication of these people that the school continues to be a highly successful and enriching place for our students to learn. Thank you to all parents and caregivers for your constant support. It is the value you place on education and the positive support you give the school that sends a clear message to your children that education is a valuable and important part of their life. At this time of the year, we say goodbye to our year 7 students. Many of these students have called Blackwood Primary School home for the past eight years of their life. We hope you leave with fond memories of your time with us. Remember the future is in front of you and it is yours to make what you will of it. Consider those tasks given to you as challenges and opportunities, not obstacles and barriers. On behalf of the whole school community we wish you well in the next stage of your educational journey. It is with regret that we farewell the staff of the Autism Intervention Programme, Katherine Fisher, Karen Clarke, Sarah McClure and Michelle King. These staff members have worked tirelessly to ensure the success of the AIP programme and have made an incredible difference in the lives of students and their families. As well as being the AIP Coordinator, Katherine Fisher has also fulfilled the roll of Student Wellbeing Coordinator here at school. Many students and staff have benefited from her guidance and counselling. She will be dearly missed as a colleague, confidante and friend. We also farewell to Belinda Finnie, Courtney Turner, Fiona Dobrowolski, Paige Dineen and Karen Wilson. On behalf of the whole school community, I would like to thank you all for your commitment and dedication to Blackwood Primary School. You have made a significant and positive impact, not only on our students, but the whole school. Thank you. On behalf of all the staff at Blackwood Primary School I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year. Stay safe in the holidays and we will see you all in 2018. Phil Garner, Principal

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NEWSLETTER Week 9 Term 4 2017

An IB school valuing, supporting and inspiring a community of lifelong learners

Department for Education and Child Development T/A South Australian Government Schools CRICOS Provider Number: 00018A

Principal: Phil Garner 4 Seymour Street, Eden Hills 5050 Phone: 8278 5355 www.blackwoodps.sa.edu.au

Deputy Principal: Kris Robson

Important Diary Dates

Uniform Shop Opening

Wednesday 24th January 2018 9am to 12 noon

Term 1 2018 Monday

29th January 2018

The Staff at Blackwood Primary

School wish our School Community

a Wonderful Christmas Holiday!

Dear Parents and Caregivers, 2017 has been a very busy year at Blackwood Primary School. As we reflect on the achievements and successes of the year it is clearly evident that the positive partnerships between home and school are at the heart of our success. Academic achievements have continued to improve with our best results in NAPLAN being recorded this year across all assessed areas. Throughout the year there have been a multitude of special events including excursions, camps, visiting experts, sports days, assemblies, extra-curricular activities, visiting Korean study tours, choir performances and debating, to name but a few. I would like offer a very special thank you to our highly professional and talented teachers and SSOs, our dedicated office and ground staff, our incredible OSHC staff, our Governing Council and Parents and Friends, our volunteers and mentors and our community supporters for their unwavering commitment to our school. It is because of the dedication of these people that the school continues to be a highly successful and enriching place for our students to learn. Thank you to all parents and caregivers for your constant support. It is the value you place on education and the positive support you give the school that sends a clear message to your children that education is a valuable and important part of their life. At this time of the year, we say goodbye to our year 7 students. Many of these students have called Blackwood Primary School home for the past eight years of their life. We hope you leave with fond memories of your time with us. Remember the future is in front of you and it is yours to make what you will of it. Consider those tasks given to you as challenges and opportunities, not obstacles and barriers. On behalf of the whole school community we wish you well in the next stage of your educational journey. It is with regret that we farewell the staff of the Autism Intervention Programme, Katherine Fisher, Karen Clarke, Sarah McClure and Michelle King. These staff members have worked tirelessly to ensure the success of the AIP programme and have made an incredible difference in the lives of students and their families. As well as being the AIP Coordinator, Katherine Fisher has also fulfilled the roll of Student Wellbeing Coordinator here at school. Many students and staff have benefited from her guidance and counselling. She will be dearly missed as a colleague, confidante and friend. We also farewell to Belinda Finnie, Courtney Turner, Fiona Dobrowolski, Paige Dineen and Karen Wilson. On behalf of the whole school community, I would like to thank you all for your commitment and dedication to Blackwood Primary School. You have made a significant and positive impact, not only on our students, but the whole school. Thank you. On behalf of all the staff at Blackwood Primary School I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year. Stay safe in the holidays and we will see you all in 2018.

Phil Garner, Principal

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Year 7 Awards

Every year the Coromandel Valley Rotary Club donates two awards for our Year 7 students who have demonstrated Good Citizenship. This year’s winners are Xavier and Emilia.

We thank the Rotary Club for their continued support of our Senior students. For the second year in a row the Blackwood Lions Club have donated our three Year 7 Blackwood Primary School Awards.

The winner of the Care Award is Jasmine, the winner of the Excellence Award is Aastha and the winner of the Harmony Award is Veniss.

Thankyou to the Blackwood Lions Club for again sponsoring the awards. The winner of our school’s IB Award this year is Alice, for the outstanding community service she has provided for our school. Congratulations to all award winners!

School Information

Student Absence 8278 5355

If a student is late or absent, please ring the

office on the above number before 9am

or

SMS Text to

0427 016 460

*** Banking Day Banking day is

TUESDAY

*** Term Uniform Shop

Opening Hours Monday 8:15 – 9:15 Wednesday 12:45 – 1:30 Friday 8:15 – 9:15 3:00 – 3:45

Ph: 0401 913 830

*** KickStart Breakfast

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday

& Friday 8:30am Outside the Canteen

***

Lost and Found Ensure all items are clearly labelled so we can return

them to you and check the lost and found cupboard

for missing items.

*** BPS Playgroup

Thursdays 0 – 4 year olds 9am to 11am OSHC Room

***

School Tour Days We offer school tours for

new families & new students.

Contact Reception on 8278 5355 for the next tour date and to book.

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Blackwood Autism Intervention Program 2013-2017

It is with great sadness I write my last article for the Autism Invention Program (AIP) at Blackwood Primary School. We have been advised by the Department of Education and Child Development (DECD) that the AIP’s co-located at both Blackwood High and Blackwood Primary will not run in 2018 due to low enrolments. Students currently in the program have been gradually transitioned to home schools during the last two terms and AIP staff will be relocated to other schools and positions.

The AIP is a DECD initiative, which uses interventions designed to assist with strategies to overcome potential barriers to a student’s inclusion in a mainstream setting and to develop strategies to address skill deficits. This highly successful program has made an enormous difference in the lives of fifty students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, who have been part of the AIP program at Blackwood Primary over the last five years.

Being co-located at Blackwood Primary, has had the added benefit of a wonderful, caring and compassionate school environment, where all students have learnt that everyone is an individual and this has been the positive outcome for the wider school community. Students, staff and parents have developed a deeper understanding of the impact for students living with Autism and have been wholly supportive of these students inclusion in daily interactions and whole school activities.

In discussions with parents of students in the AIP, they have said how the strategies that their children have learnt, has meant that behaviour at home and school has improved dramatically. The main difference being that their child is happy and connected at school, often for the first time ever, that the AIP staff ‘get’ their child and their quirkiness! .

Autism is a lifelong condition. With the intervention provided through AIP, the learning of appropriate strategies, children have learnt to recognise the signs their bodies give them and respond in more acceptable ways. Learning has become a feature of their daily life, which until the AIP had been difficult to access because of having to negotiate through complex social norms, sensory and environmental issues.

When asking students about their experience in the AIP, some of their comments included:

“I like everything we do at AIP especially all the fun educational stuff. It feels like we're not working sometimes. I like how we do our work. I like that people understand me and know what I like.” Jameson

“I like AIP. I have a great class. I have learned a lot in maths and now I'm always finishing first in my new school. I have learned never to give up.” Aiden

“I’ve enjoyed going on local walks to see trains. I like spelling, cooking and writing. I enjoyed doing the Colour Run and Japanese Sports Day. I have worked at my goals by not being rude anymore. It’s great here in AIP.” CM.

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Yes, there will still be hiccups and triggers, but for most AIP students, they can move into their home schools armed with skills that enable them to be successful both in school and life.

None of this would have been possible without the dedication of the AIP team: Sarah McClure, Karen Clarke and Judi McNee (Teachers); Sam Watson, Michele King and Donna Gunn (School Service Officers). This team has made such a difference in the lives of AIP students with their thorough knowledge of the field of Autism. Their willingness to work with challenging and complex students, see beyond behaviours, to the child who wants to make sense of the world around them is outstanding. Through their hard work and love, they have created fantastic learning environments where AIP students have access to authentic learning experiences and staff who understand their struggles with daily life.

On behalf of the AIP team and students, I would like to thank everybody in the Blackwood Primary School Community. Special mention to the mainstream staff and leadership who have been so supportive of this program, without their assistance, patience and care, the program would not have been able to work so well in this setting. Good luck to all our AIP students who have completed their transitions and graduations to home schools over the last few months. You all are amazing and we will miss you all!

Katherine Fisher AIP Coordinator

Assembly Rooms 9 and 10

On Friday, Week 7 Rm 9 and 10 showcased some of their work they have been doing in their current unit of inquiry on Living things. They inquired into the needs and features of living things, their different environments and how people affect living things. They were lucky enough to plant their very own sunflowers and show a procedure video of each step in assembly. This term, they were also busy being world famous artists where they learnt about a famous painter called Vincent Van Gogh. All R/1 classes had some friendly tadpoles visit them for the term. They were so excited to see them turn into frogs and move through their life cycle. They were so eager to teach everyone about this, so they taught the rest of the JP classes the Tadpole Blues song! Both classes enjoyed seeing all their families at Assembly, and they couldn’t wipe the smiles off their faces the whole time they were on stage!

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Blackwood Christmas Pageant

The Blackwood Christmas Pageant was a huge success and thankfully it did not rain!!! I am always humbled by the Blackwood Community and their support towards each other. We had Jump rope out in front leading the way and then the awesome Blackwood Banner was carried with pride by 6 students. Thanks to all the parents and students for participating, dressing up and helping everyone get into the lovely Christmas Spirit. I know the teachers, Miss Finnie, Miss Thompson, Mrs Grigoris, Miss Lord, Mrs Hawkins and Mrs Welsh all had a fantastic time too! Ho Ho Ho, have a lovely and safe Christmas.

Pacific School Games

Congratulations to Rianna with her Pacific School Games medals. She won gold for the 11 year old girls 3m event and silver in the 11 year old girl’s 1 metre event.

Congratulations also to Alicia for her Bronze medal in the 200 individual medley.

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Students compost the lot

Background

Blackwood has kicked a number of goals for sustainability during 2016 and 2017. All 327 students have been involved in their mission to capture all food waste, which is composted on site and used to fertilise their food garden, established in 2016. The leafy grounds border Wittunga Botanic Gardens and the school has recently started a Youth Environment Group.

Project overview

In 2016, enthusiastic sustainability advocate Jude Brown, teacher at Blackwood PS, partnered with keen parent Pia Grimm to submit an NRM Schools Action Grant for a vegetable garden and fruit trees on the school grounds. They were successful due to good planning, explicit links to learning, and a clear budget. Free, recycled timber frames were collected from AVK valves in Wingfield, then constructed and filled with soil during working bees. Students planted seedlings and stone fruit trees during school time.

Blackwood Primary were invited to join the NRM Education Southern Youth Environment Leaders Program (YELP) for 2017, and an environmental committee was formed with Yr 6 & 7 students from Jude’s class. They decided to undertake a whole-school composting program – no small feat for the food scraps from over 300 students and 38 staff!

The ‘active’ compost bin, accepting all the school’s food scraps

Project triggers

The students recognised that a great deal of the waste being produced at the school was compostable, and knew that compost was a useful input for the vegetable garden. YELP students are encouraged to select a project to work on during the year, and are given mentoring and resources during three meet-ups between the participating schools.

Jude also created space in her teaching program to allow the students to manage the physical aspects of composting, as well as developing an education program for the other students at the school.

Challenges

All classes were given compost caddies that sit in their classroom and are emptied by students into one of four 400L Gedye composting bins. At first, each caddy was lined with a compostable liner, but these are designed to break down in a commercial composting setup. The result was hundreds of partially composted liners getting in the way and sticking to the gardening forks of the compost turning team.

The students also noticed that many of the scraps being thrown into compost were barely eaten, which meant that the scraps were taking a long time to break down. A surprising amount of plastic was also appearing in the bin, which meant that students had to pick it out from partially decomposing compost – gross! Finally, although there was a sign on the front of the bin that was to be filled while the others rested, students saw that each bin was getting scraps thrown in, which meant that there was never any finished compost available.

Achievements

Jude invited Sam Ryan from NRM Education to run a composting session with the students and help them develop a system for the school. To reduce the need for compostable liners in the caddies, Sam suggested lining them with newspaper instead, which also provided much needed carbon to the mix.

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Food scraps contain mainly nitrogen, which needs to be balanced with many times more carbon for efficient (and less smelly) composting to occur. A system for stopping students putting fresh food scraps into a resting bin was also necessary, so signs for the lids of the bins were created – a green tick for the bin currently being filled, and red crosses for those that were resting. To further reinforce the point, bricks were placed on the tops of resting bins.

1600L of compost capacity!

In addition to these physical changes to the composting system, the students saw that they needed to educate the school about how the system worked, and what they needed to do to keep the composting running smoothly. The students that were less interested in getting their hands dirty created animations that explained the system by way of a character called ‘Compost Girl’. The Yr 6/7 students also buddied with students from Junior Primary, whom they called Little Sprouts. These two educational measures resulted in far less plastic entering the bins, a reduction in uneaten food, and no more food waste being put into bins that were resting.

Finished compost, ready for the garden

Connecting community

During the final YELP session for 2017, the student environmental leaders at Blackwood PS had the opportunity to share their learning and achievements with other schools. Students proudly presented their beautiful finished compost, healthy vegetable garden, and educational materials they developed.

Youth Environment Leader explaining the compost system to other school students

Award Winning Program

The Green Team won an Award for Progress and Achievement in Education for Sustainability. This award was presented at the KESAB award ceremony on Tuesday 28th of November.

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Assembly Awards

Congratulations to the following students who received Primary Years Program (PYP) Attitudes Award Certificates

Room 9 Harrison Caring Consistently showing kindness and care to his classmates.

Hanna Risk Taker For displaying perseverance with her learning, leading to a great improvement in her reading.

Room 10 Joshua Caring Being a caring thinker and showing a respectful attitude towards everyone.

Darcy Reflective Showing commitment towards your learning and setting goals

Ali Risk Taker Being confident at having a go at all new learning experiences.

Joshua Caring Being a caring thinker and showing a respectful attitude towards everyone.

Room 12 Dorothy Principled By treating all others respectfully and conducting herself in a responsible way.

Eden Knowledgeable Showing his understanding of different writing genres and creating good examples of each.

Felix Risk Taker Creatively producing his own stories as books in an entertaining way.

Ruby Principled Always considering others when taking action and conducting herself in a respectful manner.

Jack Risk Taker Setting himself a reading goal and reading with effort to achieve it.

Riley Communicator His keen participation in Inquiry lessons to share ideas and knowledge

Room 13 Arnav Inquirer Being curious and wanting to find out more.

Maia Reflective Being able to talk about her learning and identifying areas for improvement.

Amelia Risk Taker Always approaching new learning with appositive attitude and a willingness to try.

Jessica Reflective Being prepared to reflect on her learning and identify how she can improve.

Blackwood Community Christmas Tree Festival

This year Blackwood Primary School created and entered a Christmas tree in the local Blackwood Community Christmas Tree Festival.

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