Welcome Back for Term 2

Term two will prove to a busy time at Diggers Rest Primary School. The school athletics in the first week back, with a great afternoon had by all. Photos can be found on the PHOTO GALLERY page on the website.

This term the students will be undertaking a unit of work called “Our Backyard” that will allow all students to be able to identify and describe the features of living plants and animals. There will be an incursion for Grades Prep – 4 children on minibeasts to get the unit off to a flying start.

Term 2 is also a time for sport with the cross country and Winter Lightning Premiership taking place, as well as our weekly house sport.

The Active After School Communities Program returns again On Tuesdays and Wednesdays starting on May 5. Registration forms are available from the school office.

The school didn’t receive funding in the first round of National School Pride funding, but should do so before the end of term.
We were successful in gaining a grant through the National Solar Schools Program for funding for rainwater tanks and pipe work, which will be installed during the year.

Funding has already been received through Healthy Active Australian Schools and Communities for a project titled Diggers Rest and Recreation. Funding is both school and community based. New playground equipment called the Micro Spida Play System will be installed at the end of May. As the name suggests the system has a web-like appearance which will provide the children with challenging gross motor activities as well as a lot of fun. An asphalt fitness track will also be laid along the perimeter of the school oval during the term 2 holidays. Later this year fitness stations will be added to the track.

The community component of Diggers Rest and Recreation is designed to support the interests of various groups in the community who want to create or continue to establish healthy active endeavours in Diggers Rest. The variety of these groups is only limited by our imaginations, but could include aerobics, yoga, cartooning, painting, gardening, model planes – whatever the community decides is required. A forum will be held later in the term to launch the Diggers Rest and Recreation project.

A parent information session on “Helping your child with their Reading” is planned for May 11, to be conducted by Mrs Rowe and Mrs Gordon.

May also sees some of our Grade 5 and 6 students attending the Somers Camp which will provide them with a wonderful experience.

Our first Kinder-Prep transition morning will be held on May 20th for children beginning Prep in 2010.

The school is currently entering the school review process. This involves the school developing a self evaluation document which staff and school council have finalised next. The school reviewer, Darrell Mullins, will visit the school in May to discuss the school’s performance. The discussion will involve myself as Principal, Karyn Smith as School Council President, Claude Sgroi as Regional Network Leader and staff as required. Darrell will then prepare a report which will establish school goals for the next four years.
The final phase of the process will be to develop a School Strategic Plan for 2009 – 2012 based on the reviewer’s report, which will be completed in Semester 2.

So there is plenty happening at Diggers Rest in what should be an action packed Term 2.

Sean Lawless ~ Principal