Horsley Herald Term 4 Week 8

Dear Parents and Carers,

Thursday 3rd of December, 2020 was International Day of People with a Disability.

I am so proud how our school is supportive and understanding of the differences across our community. Our staff work incredibly hard to ensure our school is inclusive of all, regardless of the challenges faced or presented.

I am reminded after reading information around this important day that 'inclusion' is not just about minority groups or people who experience a disability, but 'inclusion' is about everyone. The Disability Standards For Education, in which our staff are all trained, clearly outlines that 'inclusion' is a basic human right and a legal entitlement. 

dse_fact_sheet_2_dse.pdf

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I have included a fact sheet for your information, which further outlines the expectations around meeting legislative requirements.

I encourage all of us today to take some time to consider that in today's world, disability can be both seen and unseen, and as a community, make a commitment to build our own individual understanding of how to support one another at all times. 

The end of the year is fast approaching and it is wonderful to see the excitement, collaboration and unity of our staff and students.

Staff are completing student reports and we are in the process of planning for 2021 and we are preparing for our end of year events. Our Year 6 students have been attending their high school orientation programs.

Welcome Kindergarten 2021 students

We have had the pleasure of meeting our new 2021 kindergarten students and their families as they attended  a Kinder Orientation afternoon on Wednesday  2nd December.

The session supported our new Kindergarten families starting school in 2021 with information regarding: school readiness, the importance of play, school organisation, administration procedures and the Best Start Kindergarten assessment.

Thank you to all who supported, we are very excited to welcome our new Kindergarten in 2021!

'Gift of Giving' - Support our Local Brigade

As an end of term 4 activity students and staff normally participate in a ‘Secret Santa’ gift exchange, at Horsley Park PS each year. However, the challenges faced by many in 2020 has made us reflect on the value and the power of giving.

This year we encourage all our students, staff, and community to participate in the ‘Gift of Giving’ and to donate to our local Rural Fire Brigade.

Pleases donate $5 by returning the envelope back to school by Friday 11^th December in support of our local fire brigade and participate in our whole school - ‘Gift of Giving’

A note and school envelope went out last week with all students. The note is also include in this newsletter. I enourage all our families and staff to support this wonderful cause.

As we move quickly towards the end of the year, I want to say 'thank you' once again. It has been a year of continued challenges, but your understanding as a community as we have navigated throughout this year has been simply outstanding. 

Term 4 Dates

End of Year Activities

We have lots of fun activities planned to celebrate the end of a very challenging year. 

'Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education' (Dr Martin Luther King Jr.)

Have a wonderful week

Anica Tanevski

Principal

Mindfulness Matters – The Art of Doing Nothing 

Have you ever tried sitting still and doing nothing for 5 minutes?  That’s right, doing nothing at all. 

Try it. 

It’s harder than you might think. 

We are so used to being busy all the time and making sure we stay  busy, that we have lost touch with how important it is to give our  bodies (and minds) the downtime we so desperately need. 

In order to prevent burnout, it’s important to make time to do  nothing. Every second of the day does not need to be productive to  make your life fulfilling. Actually, you need downtime and  opportunities for relaxation to nourish your mind and body. 

To learn more, take a look at the link below. 

https://theblissfulmind.com/art-of-doing-nothing/