11 February 2022 - Week 2 Term 1

Principal's Report

Welcome to the 2022 school year; Chinese Year of the Tiger

A start to the educational year like no other; we welcome new children, new families, amongst the restrictions that whilst keeping us safe, create challenges to creating the very partnerships that we value as a community.

In particular, I would like to welcome all those families and children who have started their learning journey at Linden Park Primary School for the first time.

I thank the parents and carers who have worked in concert with staff to maintain a safe environment by wearing masks, staying outside of the buildings and reducing the amount of time onsite. This has been a challenge for our youngest children having to farewell their families in the yard but surprisingly they have shown resilience and strength in managing. Our Reception students have been particularly resilient; becoming familiar with new routines, learning new skills and developing new relationships.

I have joined the Linden Park Primary community after spending six years at Woodville Gardens School, Birth-6. Prior experience includes two tenures as principal in schools in the mid-north and time on the APY Lands as an early career teacher. My relocation to Adelaide was motivated by my daughters’ wish to study at University and 6 years later she has completed her studies.

My gratitude to all the staff and families who have made me feel so welcome, notably our Governing Council chair, Susie Inat.

I am committed to maintaining the wonderful history of achievement of students at Linden Park Primary School.

COVID -19 Protocols

Our present protocols do not allow families to enter building and we feel safer when families are wearing masks when they enter the yard, uniform shop and office. We ask that families keep their time on the school grounds to a minimum, ie. ensure your children are safe and then leave to enjoy your day. The playgrounds remain closed both before and after school.

Reminder to all families of the following:

Anyone who is:

• unwell,
• a close contact from other exposure sites eg home etc.,
• symptomatic,

must not be at school or OHSC.

If a child in your children’s class or a staff member becomes positive you will be notified via email.

Please contact the school if your children tests positive for COVID so we can make sure we notify staff and students impacted.

All high risk activities such as assemblies, camps and excursions have been postponed for the first four weeks.

We thank you for your ongoing support,

Kind regards,

Fiona Voigt

Olivia English and the students of Room 11 at the end of the first week.

 NEW STAFF

We are fortunate to have six new staff join our dedicated team of educators, welcoming;

(left to right)  

Olivia English (Room 11 - Receptions);   Emma Kelly (Room 15 - Receptions) 

Candice Page (Room 19 - Year 4 Specialist);   Jane Angove (Room 26 - Year 4)   

Chris Horsell (SSO - Classroom);   Debbie Kennett (SSO - Administration)

New staff

LPPS Governing Council 2022

Dear Parents

An election is to be conducted for parent members of the Linden Park Primary School Governing Council Inc. Successful candidates are required to attend Governing Council Meetings and to join and work on one of our subcommittees – which equates to a minimum of four meetings per term and some commitment to progress subcommittee initiatives.  Full details of our subcommittees can be found on the school website.

A Nomination form is available on the link below and must be lodged at the front office by 3:00pm on Wednesday, 23rd  February 2022.

The ballot will be conducted at the Annual General Meeting to be held on Monday 28th  February 2022 at 7:00pm. Following the closing of nominations a list of the nominations received will be posted at the school. There are currently 8 vacancies for elected parents members of the Council. The term of office is for a two year period.

Nominees may be required to present at the AGM in support of their nomination.

If the number of nominations is less than the number of vacancies, a notice to that effect and calling for further nominations will be posted in a prominent position at the school. 

If at the time of the ballot there are more nominees than vacancies then a contested election will be conducted at the AGM.  All eligible nominees will be listed on a ballot form. 

The voting method used is ‘first past the post’  (voting method is one in which voters indicate on a ballot the candidate of their choice, and the candidate who receives the most votes wins) – there is no preferential voting.  In a multiple-member election (or multiple-selection ballot), each voter casts (up to) the same number of votes as there are positions to be filled, and those elected are the highest-placed candidates corresponding to that number of positions. For example, if there are three vacancies, then the three candidates with the greatest numbers of votes are elected. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First-past-the-post_voting.  In the event of a draw for a single vacancy we will conduct a re-vote for the drawn candidates only.  A ballot form will be declared invalid if more or less than the requisite number of votes is not selected (if there are seven vacancies, there must be seven votes on the ballot form).

Any nominee wishing to appoint a scrutineer to be present at the counting of the ballot must advise the returning Officer of their nominated scrutineer by 3:00pm on Wednesday, 23 February 2022 in writing to the school.

Please note:

Any additional information or questions in relation to this process should be directed to the principal as returning officer to address.

No campaign literature supporting candidates or groups of candidates may be distributed or posted in the school and no school resources whether human or material may be used to support particular candidates or groups of candidates.

Welcome Reception students

Harmony Day

In Australia and at Linden Park Primary School, Harmony Day is celebrated during the week of 21^st March – 25^th March. Harmony Day is a celebration of our cultural diversity – a day of cultural respect for everyone who calls Australia home.

On Friday, 25 March we encourage all students at staff at Linden Park to wear orange clothes (socks, a hair ribbon, a t-shirt, shorts, etc.). We look forward to talking with our students about diversity and cultural inclusion.

For more information about Harmony Day, please visit https://www.harmony.gov.au/

Rachel Pontifex, Student Wellbeing Leader

Maths Is Scary

Russell Hanson and Peter Farmer (Year One Teachers) have recently produced a picture book. The picture book is titled "Maths Is Scary" and was written to relieve anxiety in younger children that they may have around mathematics. Russell wrote the fun text and Peter illustrated the wonderful illustrations.    We will let you know when the book will be published! 

Gratitude - By Dinithi ( Yr. 5)

As crazy as life can get 

Life goes on

You can’t catch it in a net

Even if you tried it will go on

I think it’s time

We appreciate our life

As our life is like paper fine

Our life can tear anytime by a knife

I think it’s time to appreciate the trees 

That breeds air

And the beautiful scenes

And beautiful animals especially bear

I think it’s time 

To see the good in things

Not only the bad day crime

That happens as the day begins

School notices

Kaurna acknowledgement

Niina Marni. As we feel the earth beneath us, the wind around us and the sun above us, we acknowledge the Kaurna people, the traditional owners of this land. We pay our respects to past Elders and will work with present and emerging Elders to protect and care for this unique land of ours. We also extend this respect to other First Nations peoples.