2023 Term 1 Week 4 Newsletter

Principal's Message

Hello Everyone,  

I hope everybody has been keeping dry as we've experienced some very wet weather recently! The wet weather on Wednesday put a whole new dimension on our ‘Wet and Wild Day’ this week! It was certainly wet, it was definitely wild, and the kids had an absolute ball. Thank you too GEBIPCAC and RSAS team for sponsoring our event. The Wet and Wild Day was an opportunity to celebrate the successful return to the 2023 school year.  

This afternoon we held the final piece of the Wet and Wild Day – The Disco! The rain caused us to reschedule the lunch time Disco on Wednesday, so today we held the Disco in the Multi Purpose Room at lunch. The teamwork in the Just Dance competition, the moves in the free dance and the engagement in the limbo competition was inspiring! A fun activity to end a fun week! 

I would also like to extend a welcome to two new staff members this week. Ms Lela is a tutor who has joined us last week and Mr Rhys is our new Gardener/Maintenance recruit. I’m sure toy will see both of these members around our school, and will welcome them to our school community.  

This year we have successfully implemented the D.E.A.R. program. D.E.A.R is an acronym for Drop Everything And Read. All students and staff from Transition through to Year 6 drop everything and engage in whole school reading for the last 15 minutes of session two– from 9.55am to 10.10am Monday through Thursday. During this time, every student in our Primary year levels is working to building their stamina and independently read. Classroom teachers and tutors are either reading their own book (modelling expected behaviour) or are listening to a student read. Even our Admin team -Miss Olivia, Miss Kyleigh and Miss Sue listen to students read, and Miss Jess and myself also have students who come to read to us each day during D.E.A.R. During the whole school reading time, the school phone lines are be placed on ‘Night Mode’ and no meetings are scheduled. DEAR is the number 1 priority for the protected 15 minutes. 

 This reading time is an addition to our normal reading program – and it is a wonderful way for students to develop a love of learning, build reading stamina and develop reading skills.  

This week students brought home their allocated time slot for the Meet and Greet sessions which are being held at school on Tuesday the 28th of February. Meet and Greet sessions provide families with the opportunity to meet your child's teacher and promote communication between school and home. As a school, we are focused on enabling both the teacher and families the space to work together towards student learning and social wellbeing. We ask that families please confirm your attendance by completing the form sent home and return it to school as soon as possible. If the time that you have been allocated does not suit please contact the admin office to arrange an alternate timeslot. A sausage sizzle will be held on the down ball courts throughout the duration of the evening for families who would like a night off cooking! 

Unfortunately, we had to post pone our School Council meeting and AGM this week. A new date will be scheduled shortly. Please keep an eye out on our school socials and SeeSaw to be updated on the new date. 

Have a great weekend everyone.  

Mel Dougherty

Principal

Award Winners

2023 School Fees

Please find information below that outlines the annual Fee Structure for 2023.

Individual Student Contributions

Individual Student Contributions is a voluntary, yet necessary payment that contributes to the annual costs of providing our students with contemporary and engaging school-based programs, infrastructure, localised and well-maintained equipment. This can include, but is not limited to:

• Excursions / Incursions
• Sporting Programs
• ICT equipment (student iPads, student laptops)
• Digital subscriptions
• Outdoor play spaces
• School furniture

The Individual Student Contribution can be made in person at the Administration Office or online through our new portal (available in 2023). Payment is calculated as $2.50 per student, per school week. Payment can be made via the following options:

• Annually – one off payment of $100 per student
• Semesterly – two payments (term 1 and term 3) of $50 per student
• Termly – four payments (one payment per term) of $25 per student.

Student Book Pack and Student Curriculum Resources

Student Book Pack and Student Curriculum Resources is a compulsory payment for every student. At the beginning of the school year students will be provided with book packs and stationery that will be replenished throughout the year as needed. Book packs and stationery have been specifically designed to suit the needs of each year level from Preschool through to Distance Education, to ensure that students have the appropriate materials to support them in their learning.

Student Curriculum Resources provide materials and resources to ensure opportunities are provided to our students to engage in hands on learning experiences. This can include, but is not limited to:  

• Cooking
• Technologies
• STEM
• Electives
• Art and craft
• Performing Art
• Sports equipment
• Science

Both the Student Book Packs and Student Curriculum Resource payments can be covered through the Northern Territory Back to School Payment Scheme. More information about the Back to School Payment Scheme can be found overleaf.

2023 Back to School Payment Scheme

What is the Back to School Payment Scheme?

Every student who is enrolled in a Northern Territory School is eligible for the Back to School Payment Scheme. The Back to School Payment Scheme provides financial assistance to the parents and guardians of children from Preschool through Year 12, to receive educational items in term one of each school year.

What is covered in the Back to School Payment Scheme?
You are entitled to receive $150 of educational goods and services for each child enrolled in a NT school or preschool.

• If your child is in transition to year 12, you will receive the entitlement in term one each year. The entitlement must be used by the end of term one.
• If your child is in preschool, the entitlement is available throughout the year, but is only valid to the end of the first term in which they first enrol.

How do you claim?

For 2023, you can claim your entitlement from the Admin Office at the school. The Back to School Payment Scheme can be applied to cover the costs of Student Book Packs and Student Curriculum Resources. Parents/Guardians must attend the Admin Office to sign a document to receive the Back to School Payment. Please see the office open hours to organise your visit. Families who have not claimed the Back to School Payment by Friday 31 March, 2023 will be invoiced for the student book pack and student curriculum resources ($150 per student).

Meet and Greet

Meet and Greet sessions for Preschool through to Middle School will be held in the afternoon and evening of Tuesday 28^th February, 2023.

Each family has been allocated a 10-minute timeslot to meet individually with their child’s teacher/s. Families with multiple children will have been scheduled 10 minutes apart to allow for transition to the next classroom.

Attending our Meet and Greet sessions provides families with the opportunity to not only meet your child’s teacher, but a great way to promote communication between school and home. As a school, we are focused on enabling both the teacher and families the space to work together toward student’s learning and social wellbeing.

The objective of parent-teacher interviews are to:

• involve the parents in the educational process
• document the student’s progress for the parents
• reflect on learning outcomes and goals
• give parents the opportunity to express feelings, questions and concerns, and
• establish ongoing communication networks between the teacher, family and student.

Students are encouraged to attend the interview with their family as they have the leading role in discussing their learning with parents. An alternative time will need to be made if families are unable to attend on the day.

Please confirm your attendance by completing the slip below no later than Friday 24th February 2023. If this time is not suitable please indicate and you will be contacted with a new time.

When attending a interview parents can expect:

•       To hear about your child and their learning.
•       To hear from your child how they feel at school
•       To view children’s work
•       To discuss future learning goals with your child and how you can help at home.

School News

School Calendar

Stay up to date with events on the AAS Calendar.

Absentee Form

We encourage families to use the absentee form instead of the school phone number when advising the school that your child will be absent from school. 

Arrival at School

No child should be at school before 7.45am. Children arriving before 7.45am will remain seated in the covered area until that time. A teacher commences playground duty at 7.45am each morning.  

Appointments and Signing in/Out

It is preferred that all student’s appointments be made outside of school hours so as not to disturb their learning. However, if this is not possible then carers are asked to report to the office and sign out their child. The office will call the student to the office for collection.

At no time should a carer go directly to the class during school hours. Upon return the carer must return to the office to sign the student back in.

Emergency Contact Details

If your child/rens emergency contact has left the Eylandt. It is essential that the School Office maintains up-to-date records of your address, telephone numbers, email addresses and emergency contacts in case of illness or injury to you child. Please ensure you complete this form the below form and return it at your earliest convenience. 

Whole School Assembly

Every second Friday we hold a whole school assembly and invite parents, families and school community members to join in the occasion. Our assemblies commence at 8:10am and always focus on celebrating student success. Classroom teachers nominate two students to receive a Merit Award at each assembly. Parents will be notified when their child is receiving an award to ensure that they can be present for the moment. In addition to this, our classes take turns in presenting a class performance at each assembly. Once again parents are notified of the class performance by their child’s teacher.

East Arnhem Sports Nominations

Netball

The East Arnhem Regional Sports Association advises that the nomination window for students aged 12 years wishing to nominate for upcoming Netball trials will close on Friday March 24, 2023.  Experienced Netball students born in 2011, 2012 and 2013 are encouraged to nominate. This is for selection into the East Arnhem Regional Team to participate in the School of Sport NT Championship in Darwin on 23 to 25 May 2023. Participants can be turning 13 years in July - December 23.

Please email Eastarnhemsport.doe@education.nt.gov.au alana.jory@education.nt.gov.au or phone Alana Jory 8987 0880 (mob. 0448 198 390) to register a nomination or for any further information you may require.

Soccer

Nominations for the East Arnhem Regional soccer trials are now also open and will close on Wednesday 5/4/2023. This is an invitation for boys & girls to nominate.

Travel to Darwin: 19/6/2023 - Return home: 23/6/23 Estimated HIGHEST cost: $2000 per student (if flying with us).

Canteen

Alyangula Area School's canteen is managed by Fairway 19, they are committed to providing fresh, healthy foods at the canteen and are constantly assessing the quality and variety of food that we can provide. The menu may vary during the year to reflect these changes. Online orders can be placed at QuickCliq, orders close at 8am for that day.

Cash & EFTPOS sales over the counter are available - pre-packaged snack items

Insight

This week we have included insight on 'Building Resilience'. Please keep an eye out each week for the Insights that are linked through our school newsletter. Insights can also be found on our website. 

Community News!!