Jumbunna 24th November 2022

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Event Calendar

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A Message from Ken and Lisa

Volunteers’ morning tea

The support of volunteers in the school means we are able to conduct fundraising to support the purchasing of items to directly support students learning, provide students with rich experiences at school and provide special activities and events for students to participate in. Whether big or small, we would like to say thank you to all of our volunteers in 2022 for your contribution to the school.

Parents, grandparents and friends of the school have participated in a wide variety of volunteer roles this year that has enriched the experiences of students at Bonbeach PS. Some of these volunteer roles have included: parent helpers in the classroom, attendance on excursions, camps and swimming programs, assistance with P&F events, Wellness Wednesday, assistance with our Junior School Production, assistance with extra-curricular activities, volunteering at the Farmers’ Market, taking care of the garden and chickens during the school holidays and supporting the school on committees such as Farmers’ Market, P&F and School Council.

To say thank you for your support this year, our staff will be putting on a morning tea on Tuesday 29th November at 11:00am.

If you are available to attend, please indicate your attendance via this Google form by Friday 25th November https://forms.gle/T5PYXktFNM5sNsN1A

We hope all of our volunteers are able to attend.

2023 Classes

A lot of planning and careful consideration goes into creating a grade. Our teachers consider the learning and wellbeing needs of every student. Every effort is made to place each child in a learning environment that is happy, productive and successful. This process takes several weeks.

Factors which are considered in the placement

of students include:

➢ academic performance – judgments over time

➢ work habits – ability to work independently

➢ special needs – twins, siblings.

➢ social network and friendships

➢ behaviour

➢ gender

➢ social maturity

We have received a number of requests for 2023 placements from parents and these are considered as part of this process. The cut off date for these requests was 28/10/2022. This cut off date was implemented so that requests would be received prior to this planning process beginning.

 Therefore, any requests that were received after this date, will not be able to be considered and any requests received now will not be accepted.

Whilst all requests are considered, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to accommodate them.

Tricky Friendship Days

by Michelle Mitchell

Relatively small issues, like not being invited to a party, can arouse big, intense feelings in our kids. Because belonging is at stake, friendship challenges will always feel like a life-threatening experience – so be assured that most parents find themselves dealing with powerful tears and shattering disappointments after tricky friendship days.

It is easy for both parents and teachers to fall into the trap of trying to “dial down the drama” when our kids feel overwhelmed. However, minimising or dismissing strong feelings will only tend to ramp them up, because our tween’s brains seek to be heard and understood in the process of regulating. I’d also like to suggest that it denies our children the opportunity to master these big feelings. Our kids need to feel to practise the emotional regulation strategies they need to navigate life well.

I want to share three practical strategies that parents can do to support their tweens during these moments. Friendship challenges are an incredibly rich platform to help kids learn emotional regulation strategies, as well as social skills, and we want to capitalise on both as we coach them forward.

Strategy 1: Let’s not fight the intensity

The more I learn about emotions the more I am in awe of our body’s way of coming up with solutions to discomfort, anguish and pain we experience. It doesn’t make any sense to judge that process but rather appreciate it. That’s why we want tweens to know there are no bad or good emotions. There are only healthy emotions, and each one of them is an acceptable and necessary part of being human. Ideally, we want tweens to feel safe to feel, without shame or guilt.  This means accepting emotions within our home, in the same way we accept anything else about ourselves (or our experiences) that we cannot change – our age, our height, freckles or ears.

Strategy 2: Ask questions that empower

Although it’s tempting (and much quicker) to offer children prescription answers to friendship problems, it won’t help them in the long term. The problem with childhood conflict always being followed by adult intervention, is that kids can get into the habit of projecting their wishful thinking onto someone else who they perceive as being more powerful than they are.

If our children focus their energy on recruiting support rather than problem-solving, they miss vital learning opportunities. We are best to ask questions that express a sense of curiosity and empower them to take ownership.

Strategy 3: Find a positive expression

Whereas there are times that we suppress our painful emotions for our own survival, emotions are far better off moving through our kids rather than festering inside them.

One of my dearly loved local psychotherapists wisely tells me that children who have imaginations become their own play therapists. Play is a distraction that pulls kids out of their heads and into their bodies. Any type of play including immersing themselves in craft, participating in drama, dance, or sport, or building forts, slides and adventure courses are all helpful..

In closing

Home really is the hero in kids’ lives. It is the emotional shield from all that hurts us, bothers us, and tires us. It’s a place where love is tangible, and we are cared for in ways that make it easier for us to move back into the world with a soft heart. It’s the Utopia that we all yearn for and strive towards. When they feel disappointed, lost, afraid or disoriented it will be the predictability of home that continues to welcome them with open arms and wise words. As you implement these strategies, know you are offering your tween the home they deserve.

regards

Ken & Lisa

 

 

 



A Message from the Art Department



Choir News



CHRISTMAS CAROLS

We are excited to announce that the Bonbeach Primary School Choir will be performing at the Chelsea & District Christmas Carol event.

This is a community event so feel free to come along and support the choir as they perform.  The details are as follows:

Sunday 11 December 2022

L F Payne Hall, Station Street, Chelsea

6.30 pm to 8.15 pm

 CHOIR MEMBERS

The information below is only for those who attend choir every Wednesday and have indicated that they will be performing at the Chelsea Christmas Carol event on Sunday 11th December:

  • The Choir will be dressing in white for this performance. eg white dress or white t-shirt and pants. They will be given a tinsel halo to wear when they arrive at the venue to perform. 
  • Parents are responsible for bringing their child to the venue and supervising their child whilst at the venue.
  • Students will meet at the front of the LF Payne Hall at 6.20pm and they will be ushered in to sit at their seats in the front row, in readiness to perform.
  • The students will be performing just before Santa arrives, which is toward the end of the programme, so they will need to commit to staying for the whole event.


ICAS Assessments

Congratulations to all the students who participated in the ICAS assessments this year! The achievement certificates for the students who participated will be handed out at our school assembly next week (December 2nd). Parents of these students are welcome to come and watch the presentation.

 What is ICAS? 

ICAS is an online academic competition that is designed to assess students’ higher order thinking and problem-solving skills in English, Mathematics, Science, Writing, Spelling Bee and Digital Technologies. 

Each assessment celebrates students’ accomplishments by providing opportunities for recognition and development.

These students participated in the 2022 ICAS assessments:

Test

Students

Writing

Annika

Mia D

Rowan S

Digital Technologies

Mia D

Sam S

English

 

Mia D

Annika L

Rowan S

Charlotte W

Miori W

Lucas L

Declan W

Spelling Bee

 

 

Annika L

Mia D

Leo M

Sam S

Rowan S

Lucas L

Declan W

Science

Mia D

Lucas L

Mathematics

Mia D

Annika L

Evie W

Leo M

Charlotte W

Miori W

Rowan S

Will S

Lucas L

Declan W

Mia S



Year 5/6 Bunnings Excursion

This year there was a trial for a new subject for Wood Work. It was great fun creating projects with timber and nails. We had a Bunnings employee, Catch, teach us new skills. We made things like planter boxes, tables and more! Later in the term we went on an excursion to Bunnings, it was great fun learning about timber in the timber yard and making a hanging shelf. We had great fun doing WoodWork and hope to do it again!

Levi & Oskar

 

  

  



Student of the Week

PJCAtarah M
PKMHarper E
PKSMason S
  
JBTAlexandra R
JKBEoin M-P
JSBBilly R
JKMJack W
JFRBailey C
  
MMGWill G
MEIJudson C
MSMNatasha B
  
SCFEleanor J
SJHTigga J
SNMIssy O
  
PEPJC


Dates to remember

Click here to view the upcoming dates.

Christmas Gifting Reminder

CHRISTMAS GIFTING

Christmas is only a few weeks away and we realise that it can be a difficult time for many families. We are encouraging our students to help share the true spirit of Christmas by donating a new gift for children less fortunate.

Please place the unwrapped gifts in the box in the office by December 14 and they will be collected by Mums Supporting Families in Need to be delivered in time for Christmas.

We appreciate this year has been tough for much of our community and thank all our families for your continued support and generosity.



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