26 October 2023

From the Principal – Cathy Bester

Turning up Matters

Welcome back to Term 4! We hope you enjoyed school holidays and are ready for another exciting term.

We all want the best for our children – for their futures to be as bright as possible. Showing up every day to school really matters. It gives your child every chance to learn, grow and find their interests. This last stretch of the school year can sometimes be tricky. Keep it up because each day is another chance to:

• be around friends
• learn new things
• find interests
• create dream futures (whatever that may be!)

 If you’re looking for tips on how to create better attendance habits, visit the Anything can happen website.

Please always talk to us if you’re having trouble getting your child to school. We’re here to help.

 Our Early Childhood classes started Term 4 with a splash! Prep-Grade 2 students participated in their annual swimming program last week. Our Grades 3-5 students commenced their swimming program this week. Thank you to parents who have supported the program by ensuring that your children had the appropriate swimming gear.

 Our staff were fortunate to engage in a professional development seminar last Thursday afternoon with our Central Coast Cluster schools on inclusive practices. Dr Karen Young, a leading specialist in Anxiety in our children, worked with staff on how we support our students by working together with families we create a powerful team to support our children. Dr Young explained how schools and families work together to develop strategies that will strengthen all children against anxiety, build confidence and courage at school and beyond. Dr Young presented a very clear message that the only way through anxiety, is through. Avoidance will feed anxiety. It is important to understand that we all get anxiety and that by changing the story we help to change the response. When we change the story, we make way for a different response. This might sound something like, “it’s okay to feel anxious. You don’t feel like this because there’s something wrong with you, or because something bad is about to happen…. Yes, you feel anxious – that’s because you’re about to do something brave.”

If you are interested in reading more about how to help your child with anxiety Dr Karen Young’s ‘Hey Sigmund’ in an internationally popular online resource that provides research-driven information on anxiety. Anxiety - Hey Sigmund

We have found out that our Kinder children have green thumbs! They have been very busy in our Stephanie Alexander Garden and have grown an abundance of produce. Last week they were excited to sell bunches of parsley, mint, and coriander, as well as fresh young carrots and yummy spinach to families. They have also been tasting the fresh peas, spinach, and carrots that they have grown. We would like to thank the Men’s Shed for building our special trolley.

Not only are our Kinder children amazing gardeners they are also super creative. They worked with our friends from Coles Ulverstone to build a new scarecrow for the statewide scarecrow competition run by Coles. How amazed were we when Coles called us to say we had won the competition for the second year in a row! Thank you to our awesome friends at Coles for their ongoing support and generosity.

TELL SOMEONE

All children in Tasmania have a right to be known, safe, well and learning. We are highly committed to the safety of all students at our school.

Earlier this month, DECYP launched the Tell Someone initiative, to raise awareness in the community about child sexual abuse and grooming.

The Tell Someone website gives children and young people clear advice on what to do in situations where they feel worried, unsafe or unsure. It also gives adults advice and support on how to respond if they suspect or know a child is being groomed or sexually abused or is at risk of harm.

Please visit the website, read the information, and try to find a suitable time to talk with your children about this issue and the resources available. It’s important that you both understand the possible signs of sexual abuse or grooming behaviour, and how to stay safe online and offline.

 If reading this information has caused you distress, please visit DECYP’s website for a list of support services.

Please contact the school if you have any questions about this information. I would like to remind families that Friday November 3 is a student free day in all DECYP schools.

In partnership

Cathy

Class News – 3/4D and E

During the last week of Term 3, Grade 3/4D  and E designed and constructed dioramas about a favourite book, author or subject. We used a shoe box and odds and ends from home and school to make them. Enjoyment, problem solving, creativity and resilience were evident as dioramas were constructed.

You are welcome to view our dioramas in the library for the first 2 weeks of term 4.

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Invitation for Family Music Event

UPS are excited to invite parents/carers and their pre-school children to join music therapist Alex Morse for an hour of music making fun.   Come and participate in singing, dancing, instrument playing, music games and musical stories. 

Music is a great way for young children to explore their world, bodies and the most important people in their lives.  Wear comfortable clothes and get ready for musical fun. This is an inclusive session, meaning children and care givers of all abilities are warmly encouraged to attend.

When: 17^th November
Time:  9 am and 10.30 am (each session will run for about an hour)
Where:  Kinder B/Lil Room

**This will be in place of the usual Friday Lil session

Please RSVP as there are limited numbers for each session.:  by phone 03 6425 1726 or email vicki.white@decyp.tas.gov.au. 

We hope to have as many families as possible join in for this Learning in Families Together event.

Vicki White
Quality Teaching Coach
Ulverstone Primary School

School Health Nurse

Talk Soon, Talk Often

I am about to begin Growth and Development lessons in Grade 3/4 classes, and I would like to encourage you to have your own age-appropriate discussions at home.

Talk soon, Talk often provides tips on creating easy conversations about bodies, relationships, health, and sexuality, as part of routine communication with children of all ages. Check out the website for further information.

Most parents and carers worry about discussing sex with their child, that they end up saying nothing at all. Physical development will happen whether we talk with our child about it or not. You might be relieved to know that helping your child towards a happy, healthy sexuality does not come from any one big talk that is perfectly scripted. You might also be glad to know that talking with your children about it will not make them go out and do it. In fact, talking about it with young people has the opposite effect.

It’s not one big talk, but lots of little conversations.

Repeated.

Talk_Soon_Talk_Often_booklet_DoHTasmania.pdf (health.tas.gov.au)

If you would like more information or want to discuss ways that we can support you with your child’s health and wellbeing please feel free to email me anytime at kayz.parsons@education.tas.gov.au.

Book Club

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