Mid term and activity for the second half of this term

 Our Term is moving along as all are well aware; with a dash of wild winter weather bringing cold, wind and rain. Care around travel to and from school is important for safety; a reminder our school introduced an excellent coat that helps keep us warm, dry and identifiable by our community. A uniform that is neat, identifiable and reasonably priced ensures we can supervise and nurture our students with clarity, care and confidence. Our uniform supplier has coats for sale and over the years this coat will make its way into our second hand sale system. Well cared for the coats will make a quality second hand item.

 Another update to share is that Arts Week is fast approaching. This is an opportunity to celebrate and engage with the Arts. These programs bring learning to life with music, song, movement, colour and high levels of engagement.

To teach art in schools can be obvious to some. How can we go without? What if kids have an artistic talent to be discovered? For others, the debate can go the other way. Why is art important to teach? If student time, and school budgets are stretched, is it more important to focus on math and reading, and cut art altogether? Of course art comes in various forms when taught at school. It can be visual (like painting, design, drawing etc.). But it can also be performance; like theatre, dance, music, poetry and writing too. While Arts skills, knowledge and understandings are intrinsically important to teach other crucial reasons to teach art also include:

• Art teaches students skills that can be used in other disciplines (Eg Creativity)
• Art teach students’ brains how to think and develop
• Art can also give students’ the opportunity for self-directed learning without boundaries.

To support the program we will also have an Arts Assembly to conclude our focus week. I encourage all to be involved. To keep the “dress up” aspect of the program manageable for families, staff and students we have realigned Book Week and Arts week to a two year cycle. This year we will have an Arts Week dress up and then in 2020 a Book Week dressup.

Having said that, our senior leaders have organised a casual day, for students to dress up if they like on Friday 23 August. The day is to support the Warrnambool Special Development School (SDS) in acquiring a playground for students at their new site. This dress-up day has a "What Makes Me Happy" theme to it. Students can come casually dressed, dressed as a colour, dressed as something that makes them happy or dressed as a book week character. Dressing up is, as always, optional. A gold coin donation is requested.

Of a final note I would also like to especially thank everyone for the amazing experiences of our school disco and grandparent’s day. Students come alive when people share care, fun and learning in safe well organised and happy environments. Thanks all.

Regards
Michael Gray, Principal