The fantastic start to 2024 has continued and our students’ engagement with their learning is outstanding.

I have already outlined our Whole School Agreed Inclusive Practices 1 and 2, and will now address our third:

 ‘Each class has a daily, regular, consistent and visually displayed routine that students know and is communicated to parents each term. Unexpected routine changes are well communicated to all students (and parents where possible).

By now our teachers will have shared with parents what the daily and weekly routine looks like in their classrooms. By providing this information to you, our intention is to help you support your child in preparing for their school day.  Additionally, we endeavour to minimise disruptions to classes and give advance warning of changes when possible. Having consistent routines and structures promotes a child’s social and emotional development and breeds a familiarity that supports belonging, as students feel more confident, safe and secure in their school day. This stability helps create a sense of calm and order that can ease anxiety, facilitate smoother transitions between activities and lessen the cognitive load on both students and teachers, so there is more ‘space’ for learning to happen.

On Tuesday our School Association had their AGM and almost all the positions were filled. After many years as the staff representatives, Mrs Sonia Cobbing and Mrs Marlene Gleeson have stepped down and I would like to take the opportunity to thank them both for their long-time dedication to our School Association. Mrs Carolyn Costello and Ms Jenni Maartensz are the new staff representatives on the School Association. Jess Quilliam has also resigned, and I would like to acknowledge her contribution here also. As such, we do have 2 vacancies for parent members. Our School Association meets on a Tuesday, twice per term, once for a meeting and once for a Working Party. We begin and 5pm and generally conclude by 6: 30pm. If you would like to join us, please contact Brittany Leonard (School Association chair) via the school.

We have plugged it a bit and I hope by now everyone is aware that our focus this term has been on belonging. PizzaREADia may have been a celebration of Tasmania Reads, but just like our Orange Day and Discos that were held on Wednesday to belatedly celebrate (belatedly) Harmony Week – they both also aimed to increase the sense of belonging our students and families feel towards our school. A huge thank you to Ms Maartensz and our dedicated Student Representative Council for organising both these very successful events.

Are we hitting the target? Is belonging increasing at Havenview Primary School?

Between Easter and the end of term I will be taking some Long Service Leave so I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy Easter Break and holiday at the end of term. I look forward to continuing work with the Havenview Primary School community in Term 2.

To finish my last newsletter for the Term, I would like to share my C for Celebration (just like our students do in their 4C community circles). And it is a celebration for our entire school staff who were applauded by a parent for their outstanding service to the students and families in our school – they noted that we consistently go ‘above and beyond’ and ‘talk’ is always positive when others speak of HPS in the local community. That certainly filled our buckets. Thank you.