Dear Parents and Carers,
Another term over and the holidays are about to begin. Hopefully they will give a chance for recuperation from all the various ‘bugs’ and illnesses that have afflicted so many over the last few weeks. The final day – with a much-reduced School population – saw us collapse the normal timetable in favour of a range of activities in which multi-year groups participated.
In order for children to stay healthy, professionals recommend that they participate in a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity every day. Physical activity has benefits at every age – here are some of the advantages of regular exercise for children:
Improves brain function
Research indicates that regular exercise can increase the size of the hippocampus, an area of the brain that focuses on learning and memory.
Dear Parents and Carers,
I write with the happy prospect of an evening with our School community to follow later in the day. I look forward to this and to being with you for what I am sure will be a most enjoyable occasion.
Country Week
Continuing to look forward, preparations are well-advanced for this festival of sport, which takes place in Week 10: we are taking six staff and 46 students to play games in basketball, netball, hockey and volleyball, with dance also featuring.
In their early developmental years, children don’t fully comprehend how their actions affect those around them. Their area of focus is primarily on themselves and their immediate needs. As a child grows, they become more aware of others and their needs, and have a greater capacity for emotional intelligence.
Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome back to my ‘Comment’ after a gap caused by my attendance at the Annual ASC Retreat for Principals and Senior Staff (which Mr Iain Clark also attended).
Country Week
Preparations are being finalised for the journey to Perth for this festival of sport, which takes place in Week 10: we are taking six staff and 46 students to play games in basketball, netball, hockey and volleyball, with dance also featuring.
It’s no surprise to hear that children today benefit from access to technology and software and that this has revolutionised education. However, the challenge in this highly digitised world is that there are far too many options to choose from. With over 80,000 apps listed as ‘educational’ in Apple’s App Store alone, it’s a minefield for parents to know which educational apps can help learning.
It is inevitable that children grow up. Once kids hit adolescence we can expect to see less affection and a greater desire for independence. This is completely normal and does not mean that you can’t stay close to your teenager.
Dear Parents and Carers,
We are at the mid-point of the term and time for a breather over the long weekend.
Examinations
These appear to have, again, run smoothly and I hope that the results will, ultimately, bear fruit for the students involved; I know that some of my colleagues have been impressed with what they have seen so far in scripts.
We live in a digitally and socially-connected age, now more than ever. According to the latest report by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 91 percent of Australian teenagers aged 15 to 19 are using social media, with some spending up to 18 hours each week online.
