2 September: Term 3 - Week 6

Principal's report

‘Dreaming with eyes wide open’

Despite the weather, last week’s Book week celebrations were a wonderful way for students, staff and families to celebrate all that is wonderful about literature. Congratulations to our LPPS library team of Nicole, Caroline, Russell and Andrea for a week of wonderful activities including author visits, sharing of nominated books and the story book walk. The highlight being the Book week parade, capturing the enthusiasm of staff and students.  It was wonderful to see so many families gathered, sharing in the fun.

Giving Students Voice

Central to the IB program is the promotion of Student Voice, Agency and Leadership. All three empower students to influence and shape their learning; developing the skills, understandings and aptitudes that prepare them to be global citizens.

The current LPPS Site Improvement Plan references the importance of building student capacity through inquiry processes. Staff are currently focused on strategies that promote student voice and agency from our Receptions to Year 6. A group of interested Year 6 students are in the process of gathering feedback for staff as to what opportunities are provided, and more importantly ideas that they can contribute to improving their learning and the environment. Their enthusiasm is paired with wisdom as their suggestions mirror those of the 2021 External School Review, suggesting providing opportunities for; extension, collaboration and co-construction of Inquiry Units and to provide teachers with feedback. Next steps will be for the group to gather feedback from other students about what opportunities they have for voice and agency.

Engaging student voice in policy formation is typified by the review of our uniform policy. The wearing of SportSA jumpers is being considered and students have been passionate in expressing their views. A small group have accompanied myself in presenting arguments both for and against the proposal to restrict SportSA jumpers from 2023 onwards.

Student Leadership isn’t limited to our older students with the Student Action Committees, (Odd Bods and Even Stevens) meeting weekly including representatives from Reception to Year 6. They are planning how they can positively impact the school environment, learning, wellbeing and contribute positively to the wider community.

As a school community, we are committed to strengthening and embedding Voice, Agency and Leadership strategies for all students.

Fiona Voigt, Principal 

Book week parade - 26 August

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Book week

It was lovely to have so many parents share the Book Week Parade with us this year.   Students and staff enjoyed the various activities that were organised during the week.

Many buddy classes participated in the Storywalk that Fiona created using the book, KooKoo Kookaburra by Greg Dreise. Buddies walked from cone to cone around the administration block reading the pages and looking at the illustrations of this book.  Buddy classes also enjoyed shared books and reading together in the sunshine after the parade.

SA author, Mike Dumbleton, visited the junior primary classes and shared his writing process with students. Students enjoyed being introduced to several of his picture books. 

Leadership and EALD teachers shared the shortlisted Early Childhood books with Reception to year 3 classes so children could vote for their favourite. 

Our year 6 Shadow Judges finished and submitted their creative entries onto the Shadow Judging Website. Several students spent many lunches and time at home working on their responses. https://shadowjudging.cbca.org.au/creative-responses/

Andrea Kipperman & Russell Hanson, LPPS Teacher Librarians

Buddies reading together during the Storywalk.

Buddy reading after the parade

By:  Aaminah (Room 40) 

By:  Janhvi (Room 36) 

SAC News

From:  The ODD BODS .......

Members of Parliament present LPPS with new flags

On Friday 26^th August, two members from Federal and State parliament came to our school. They donated us the Australian flag, South Australian flag, the Aboriginal flag and the Torres Strait Island flag. They told us about their jobs and how they represent the lower house and 160 South Australian people altogether. Ryan &  Zhijia

Mr Batty works in South Australia and Mr James Stevens works in Canberra in Australia. Mr James Stevens has to think about 140 thousand people. Josh & Fraser

I learnt that Mr Batty has to discuss all the laws in Adelaide. Harry & Elise

We learnt that anyone can be a member of parliament, so you could study any career or even not study a career at all.  Ryan

The red part of the Aboriginal flag is for the land.   Eva & Trishika

Jack Batty recently got elected to be in the lower house. He was with six other people and came on top of them all.  This happened a few months ago and he is still getting used to this. When Mr Stevens got elected he was elected on top of 11 people. Neil & Angela

We learnt about the different types of flags that represent Australia and the meanings of them. Jackie, Kaashvi & Selena

I learnt that the Aboriginal flag has a yellow part and is the sun and that the red part is the land. I learnt that the Southern Cross is on the flags and in our sky. Will & Imogen

 They might put a new school in Glenside. People who want to become politicians don’t have to go to university. Yifei & Nikhil

Bullying vs ‘kids who are mean’ at school – how to support our children

Bullying and mean behaviour is never OK!

Sadly these behaviours can and do happen in schools.  I have used several resources to help our parent community know what we do at LPPS to address bullying and mean behaviours and what our parents can do at home to support our children who report bullying or mean behaviour from other students.

Define what is bullying vs harassment vs being mean  (www.bullyingnoway.gov.au)

Bullying is an ongoing misuse of power in relationships through repeated verbal, physical and/or social behaviour that intends to cause physical, social and/or psychological harm. 

Harassment is behaviour that targets an individual or group due to their identity; race; culture or ethnic origin; religion; physical characteristics; gender; sexual orientation.

Being Mean is when someone says or does something intentionally hurtful and they do it once.

It is documented in our Anti-bullying policy (ratified in 2021) that bulling is not:   It is important to understand that bullying is not the odd occasion of falling out with friends, name calling, arguments or when the occasional trick or joke is played on someone. It is bullying if it is done several times on purpose. Children sometimes fall out or say things because they are upset. When occasional problems of this kind arise it is not classed as bullying. It is an important part of children’s development to learn how to deal with friendship breakdowns, the odd name calling or childish prank. We all have to learn how to deal with these situations and develop social skills to repair relationships.

What we do at Linden Park Primary School

LPPS collects data each year from all students about bullying, harassment and ‘mean’ behaviour. This data is then presented at Governing Council as well as explored by students and teachers. Some actions that have occurred in previous years reflecting this audit have been, using Student Wellbeing Leaders in the yard, utilising SSO time in the yard and implementing or changing practises from adults to address these behaviours.

In this audit students are asked to identify;

• Where the bullying, harassment or mean behaviour took place.
• If they have been a victim of bullying, harassment or mean behaviour.
• If they have witnessed these behaviours as a bystander.
• What strategies the victims or bystanders have used to stop or support the victims?
• If they have been satisfied with the schools support in investigating the incident and / or restoring the relationship.

At LPPS we use Restorative Justice Practises to investigate and restore relationships amongst our students. By teachers using guiding questions we support our students identify the rights and responsibilities of the victims and the perpetrators of the bullying, harassment or mean behaviour.

• Who was hurt?
• What was the behaviour?
• What rights were ignored or disrespected?
• What needs to happen to restore the relationship (to build trust again)?

All staff have an agreement that we implement a Positive Behaviour Education model.  Empowering students develop their own self-worth and strength in identity, use the IB characteristics as our values system, students develop their own strategies and take on the responsibility to self-regulate when emotions are heightened and identify safe adults in the school who can support with dysregulated behaviours.

What actions can students take to support themselves? (victims and the perpetrators)

Self-regulation strategies are spoken about regularly at LPPS. Self-regulation focuses on the way we use strategies to manage the tension from stressors in our environment which help us return to calm. (www.berrystreet.org.au)

Examples of self-regulation strategies could be; deep breaths, go for a walk, have a drink, counting, etc. https://childmind.org/article/can-help-kids-self-regulation/

Other strategies could include;

• Ignore or walk away
• Report to a teacher (staff will keep the victim feeling safe)
• Take some deep breaths and speak calmly to the student/students if they feel safe.
• Report to family member who contacts school.

What can parents do at home to support their children?

https://bullyingnoway.gov.au/responding-to-bullying/how-families-can-respond

• Understand the difference between bullying and mean behaviour. Talk to your child about the differences between bullying, harassment and mean behaviour.

On the occasion where another child has been mean to your child (name calling, excluding them in play or had an argument with them) make sure you label this behaviour as being mean. Please report this to your child’s teacher. If your child reports that the behaviour has been repeated and is having a significant impact on their wellbeing, please report this to school immediately, either the teacher or Leadership.

• Listen to your child calmly and model responsible reporting to your child’s teacher or Leadership.
• Talk to your child about possible strategies they feel comfortable using.
• Speak with the school about what strategies you can use at home to support your child.

Please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s teacher or a member of Leadership if you believe your child has been bullied, been harassed or someone has been mean to them.

Rachel Pontifex, Student Wellbeing Leader

Nude Food at Linden Park Primary School

Dear Families,  As part of the ongoing waste management at the school, we would like to ask students to bring "Nude Food" for recess and lunch.

This a continuation from our practices in previous years, in an effort to reduce the amount of waste we are producing which is going into landfill.

What is Nude Food?

Nude food is food without excess packaging. This reduces the amount of ‘stuff’ that needs to go in bins to be sent to landfill. Durable, reusable containers are a great way to bring food, as they may last from pre-school through to high school and beyond, providing long term cost savings and environmental benefits.

What is Nude food?

• Snacks in reusable containers
• Drinks in a reusable bottle
• Reusable utensils when needed (e.g. forks and spoons)
• A reusable lunch box.

What is NOT Nude Food?

• Plastic bags
• Cling film
• Foil packaging
• Disposable drink bottles, cartons and bottles
• Disposable forks and spoons
• Pre-packaged lunches or single serve items

Additional resources are available from the following website: http://www.wow.sa.gov.au/nude-food.html

We would greatly appreciate your support, in an effort to reduce our waste as a school and help improve our environment.

Tina Farmassonis, Assistant Principal Operations

Smart Watches: Reminder

A reminder that any watches that can call/contact parents must be either disabled during school hours OR given to class teachers at the beginning of the school day, as per other devices like mobile phones.  Students are expected to abide by our mobile device policy whilst wearing these watches.   Thank you.

Tina Farmassonis, Assistant Principal: Operations

Sporting news

Adelaide South East District Soccer

Myles K & Oliver S represented the Year 5/6  Boys Adelaide South East District Soccer Team and Lua E  & Jiorjana P represented the 12 Year Old Girls Adelaide South East District Soccer Team at the School Sport South Australia (SAPSASA) State Soccer Carnival held at West Beach Parks from the 22nd to 24th August.

There was plenty of rain and mud, and what felt like subzero temperatures from the sidelines! Most importantly there was plenty of action.

Lua captained the girls team. Jiorjana and Lua controlled the game, they didn’t give an inch, scoring some great goals! The girls came runner up in Girls Metro Division 1 and were awarded the Silver Medal.   They won 7 out of 8 games.

Myles vice captained the boys team.   Myles and Oliver were tough, they never gave up.

Oliver made some outstanding tackles and runs and Myles planted the ball seamlessly into the net. The boys finished joint 3rd in Boys Metro Division 1.   They won 4 games, drew two games and lost two games. 

Volleyball SA - Primary Schools Carnival

On Friday 19th August, Linden Park Primary School had 49 students represent the school at the Volleyball SA Primary Schools Carnival at the Lights Community and Sports Centre in Lightsview.

Linden Park Primary School had 10 teams battle it out against schools across the Adelaide Metropolitan area. The Year 5/6 students have been learning volleyball in Physical Education with teacher Kathy Wall and it was a great opportunity to showcase their skills. 

It was a really enjoyable day of sport, with teams supporting each other and even coaching themselves. Every student demonstrated great leadership and resilience playing against some talented teams from other schools. All of our teams put up great performances and more importantly, really enjoyed competing with their teammates.

Thanks to Kathy Wall (PE Teacher), Callum Park (Pre-service Teacher) and to all the parents who volunteered to assist for the carnival.

Harry Slee, Sports Coordinator

Schoolaerobics National Championships

Earlier in August, nine Linden Park Sports Aerobics teams competed at the Schoolaerobics National Championships held on the Gold Coast. 

All teams and soloists consisted of 27 current Linden Park Primary students and 15 recent graduates. 

Our teams achieved excellent results with four 1st places, two 2nd places, one 4th place and one 8th place. 

These results are simply outstanding and are a testament to the commitment of our athletes and the dedication and expertise of our coaches Demi Perentes (an LPPS old scholar) and the wonderful Di Blowes.     Congratulations everyone!

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Year 3 Incursion

As part of our ongoing commitment to learning about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures, Indigenous Australian actor, television presenter, comedian, teacher and promoter Ernie Dingo AM visited our Year 3s as a guest speaker on the 31 August.     Ernie engaged the children with Dreaming, storytelling and songs.    Ernie originates from the Yamatji people of the Murchison region of Western Australia.    Ernie was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1990, in recognition of his service to the performing arts.  Ernie made the children laugh with jokes,  sing songs and shared his knowledge about his world and different languages.

Room 22: Student comments......

Something new that I found out was....    that I now understand the true meaning of all our cultures and languages and that we are all different and we have our unique difference (Zaarif)

I enjoyed.....     Ernie's jokes were very funny and I found his flower speech interesting.  His name in his language was fascinating because it was different to English. (Tom)

I learned that.....   We are like a bouquet of flowers because everyone is different in their cultures.  We should respect that because in the end we are all like a beautiful bouquet of flowers. (Jasmine)

Book stall

We are so grateful to our Linden Park Families who generously donated their preloved books to our Inaugural Book Stall!  It was quite busy, selling hundreds of books for new owners to enjoy, while raising $1,000 towards resurfacing our outdoor courts.   The remaining books have gone to your children’s classroom libraries. 

Mel & Brooke, C&F Committee

Father's day stall

A big thank you to all the volunteers who helped with the Father's Day stall.

School closure day & Pupil free day

School closure day:  Friday, 9 September (week 7)

- and - 

Pupil free day:  Monday, 12 September (week  8)

Colur fun run

OSHC: October Vacation Care

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.