It was National Reconciliation Week last week and our student Pod groups had some conversations to brainstorm what an Acknowledgment of Country is and what it means and is a starting step in creating our own school’s Acknowledgement of Country. Although this is a work in progress, it is important for the final document to be an accurate reflection of our thoughts, ideas and wishes.  Some of the thoughts the students have contributed so far include:

• I'm grateful I can live here
• focus on natural features such as gumnuts, native animals, rivers, beaches and trees and taking care of these
• locations such as Christies Beach, Port Noarlunga Reef, Moana Beach and Morphett Vale Recreation Park are some of the places we can acknowledge
• the beliefs and relationships with the land which go back thousands of years
• acknowledging that indigenous people of any land have the right to be raised with their culture.
• the first peoples of this land are the Kaurna people
• understand the spiritual connection with the forming of this land
• it is a speech of respect.

In a great phone conversation with my dad over the weekend I found out he went to school with Neal Winmar the father of Nicky Winmar, the footy legend.  Nicky Winmar famously stood up during an AFL game, lifted his guernsey and pointed to his skin to proudly acknowledge his colour in response to an audience who was racially abusing him.  This action became a strong statement, a symbol for anti-racismand one of the most powerful images in Australian sport. Nicky Winmar is credited as a catalyst for the movement against racism in Australian football.  The conversation with my dad gave me more insight into his childhood and made me think about what else I would like to know about him as a younger man.

If you could have a conversation with anyone, alive or dead, who would it be and what would you want to talk about?

We have a Wish Gift Card to the value of $20 for the best original response.

Entries must be submitted by 9.30am this Friday May 5, 2020 for consideration by our judging panel.  You can email them to dl.1059.info@schools.sa.edu.au or drop them into the Administration Office.

Kind Regards

Penny Wilde

Principal

All schools are required to collect information about the numbers of students that they provide adjustments to under the Disability Discrimination Act (1992) and Disability Standards of Education (2005). Since 2018, this data is used as the basis for national funding.

The NCCD involves the collection of;

• the number of students receiving adjustments to enable them to participate in education on the same basis as other students
• the level of adjustment provided to students
• student’s type of disability if known

Under the model the definition of disability is broad and includes learning difficulties, health and mental health conditions.

If your child is identified for inclusion in the Collection, the required information will be included in this year’s data collection.

If you have any questions about the data collection, please contact the Administration Office staff on 8326 0900.  Further information can be found at: http://www.education.gov.au/nationally-consistent-collection-data-school-students-disability.

The Education Department has advised of the following arrangements about student attendance given the current COVID-19 situation.

"While we have been supporting parent choice during this pandemic, we now expect all public school students who are well and not considered vulnerable to COVID-19 to attend school or preschool.

Students are required to attend school unless they are:

• Feeling unwell
• Have a chronic medical condition or compromised immune system and are not able to attend school on advice from their medical practitioner
• Live in a household with others that are deemed vulnerable to COVID-19 and are not able to attend school on advice of their medical practitioner
• Have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or have been required to self isolate  by SA Health."

Please ring the school to book into the next Principal Tour.  These will be programmed as required in the short term.  A regular program will be reinstated once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.  Only after hours tours can be conducted until further notice.

The Scholastic Book catalogues are back and were sent home last week.  You can now choose between ordering online through LOOP or to pay at the Finance Window.  Payment is due by Friday, 19th June, 2020.

The Elephant, by Peter Carnavas, is a great book for young readers that have just begun to read chapter books. The magnificent plot of this story is about a young, sweet-hearted girl who imagines grief as big, grey animals. She imagines her father has a big, grey elephant next to him at all times, because of his depression. Olive is an only child who lives with her grandpa, who brings colour to her world, and her father, with an elephant always beside him. It is a narrative book about a little girl who is worried about her Dad, and has a big elephant following her around.

Ms MacLean likes the book because she loves the character and the story has a big twist. She recommends it for students from Year 4 and up. It is a Premier's Reading Challenge Book.

Other books Ms MacLean recommends are 'The Shop at Hoopers Bend' and 'Arthur'.

by Gemma

Pimpala students are welcome to come  for brekky at Breakfast Club!

Come along and join Brendan and Larry, our Social Work students, in the kitchen for breakfast. The kitchens will be open from 8:30am to 8:45am, Monday to Friday on regular school days.

There will be a number of food options including Weetbix, canned fruit, fresh fruit, toast and yoghurt.

 Feel free to come and have breakfast and bring your friends too!  What a great way to start the day.

Hello, I'm Rick Mart, the Chairperson of the Governing Council.  I have been a Governing Council member since 2009 and have had children at the school since 2002.  I am a passionate advocate for Pimpala Primary School and like the other members of Governing Council I am your voice.

I would like to take this opportunity to tell you about my role as Chairperson:   

• I am a member of the governing council
• As per the consititution I am not a staff member
• I act as spokesperson for the council
• I call and preside over all meetings
• I prepare the agenda in consultation with the principal
• I ensure meetings are properly convened and quorum is met
• I ensure full and balanced participation in meetings
• I facilitate voting on motions, and
• I ensure resolutions of council are acted on.

School governance is the partnership between a school’s local community as
represented on its governing council and the principal working together to develop the future directions for the preschool or school. Jointly they monitor and report progress to continually enhance the performance of the school and the achievement of its students.

The governing council is accountable to the  school community and the Minister for representing the views of the community regarding the priorities and educational needs of its students and children, and for supporting the principal  in their role.

The governing council meets regularly (at least twice a term),
to represent the whole school community in:

• understanding local educational needs
• setting broad directions for the school or preschool
• monitoring and reporting achievements.

Now that COVID-19 restrictions are slowly being lifted we are trying to ascertain if there is enough interest in trying to run a Term 3 soccer competition.  If your child/ren are still interested in playing, or if you are interested in coaching and/or team managing can you please let the Administration Office know by Friday, 12th June.