3 May 2024

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

Welcome to Term Two!

Our NTLC’s with their Teacher Commissioners Amanda and Maddi held a very moving ANZAC Day memorial in week two. We welcomed Corporal Shaun McGowan who presented a heartfelt speech and spoke of his own involvement in conflict regions abroad. He also presented the school with a book for our library. Congratulations to all involved and thank you to Azaria and her family who laid our Henbury wreath at the Darwin ANZAC Day Dawn Service. 

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The dry season is upon us albeit a bit stop and start with the cooler, drier weather. Although the thermostats in classrooms don’t change temperature, they maintain their temperature easier without having to compete with high humidity, therefore classrooms can feel quite a lot cooler in the dry season. Bringing in and leaving a jumper in your child’s locker at school may be essential for their comfort. Please make sure you label any extra items with their name.

Staff are also booking in for their free Flu Vaccinations on 23 May to help protect themselves, their colleagues, and our students from serious illness and/or missing out on valuable school time.

Attendance and Engagement

As partners in education, we believe in the profound impact that a strong partnership between home and school can have on a child’s academic journey. One critical aspect of this partnership is ensuring regular school attendance. One of our annual school improvement goals for 2024 is focused on improving school attendance so all students are at school 85% or more of the time.

Attendance, Wellbeing and Engagement plans (AWEp’s) with agreed goals for individual students who have less than 85% attendance are currently being compiled by staff. Parents and carers are pivotal partners in understanding poor school attendance and their input into these plans is not only appreciated but crucial.

Why is school attendance so crucial?

Regular attendance not only enhances academic performance so our young people can reach their full potential, but it also fosters social and emotional growth, instills discipline, and prepares students for future responsibilities.

1. Establish a Routine: Consistency is key. Set regular bedtimes and wake-up times to ensure your child is well-rested and prepared for the school day ahead. Set rules and boundaries around devices and when they are turned off and put away before bedtime.
2. Communicate Openly: Maintain open lines of communication with teachers and school staff. Inform them promptly of any issues that may impact your child's attendance, such as illness or family emergencies.
3. Emphasise the Importance of Education: Help your child understand the value of education and the opportunities it provides. Encourage them to take ownership of their learning journey and prioritise attendance as a fundamental aspect of their commitment to success and for future pathways post school. Get a copy of your child’s timetable and highlight the positives in their daily program. This simply may include community access or recess/lunch play with their peers.
4. Lead by Example: Demonstrate the importance of punctuality and commitment by prioritising your own responsibilities and obligations. Your child looks to you as a role model, so your actions speak volumes.
5. Celebrate Achievements: Recognise and celebrate your child's achievements, both big and small, including their attendance record. Positive reinforcement reinforces the importance of regular attendance and motivates continued engagement.
6. Seek Support When Needed: If your child is facing challenges that impact their attendance, don't hesitate to reach out to us for support. Together, we can explore solutions and provide the necessary resources to help your child overcome obstacles and thrive.

We will continue to provide data on our whole school attendance through our communication.

Each term we will be awarding some great prizes to the students with the greatest improvement in their attendance as well as continuing to acknowledge and award students who have full weeks of 100% attendance.

Congratulations Chantelle for having the most improved attendance in 2024 she won the Term One award which included a family pass to the AFL game between Gold coast Suns and North Melbourne.

Pizza (or Prize) with the Principal occurred Friday week 2, congratulations to all the winners who enjoyed some delicious pizzas and a chance to chill out in the outside staffroom area. Keep up your 100% attendance.

Thank you to our student leaders, the NT Learning Commissioners, who continue to look at whole school attendance data and come up with ways to improve school attendance.

T/EAP’s

T/EAP’s (Transition/ Educational Adjustment Plans) will be sent home in the coming weeks. The ‘Transition’ section to the EAP is included in all Year 10 to 12 EAP’s. Please read with your child and ensure we have captured their individual goals for 2024. If you have any further questions or concerns regarding this document when it is sent home, please contact your teacher or the front office. We value the contributions of our parents and carers and as a team we endeavor to work collaboratively with all stakeholders to ensure our students reach their annual goals.

Regards

Sarah Corry
Principal

DRIPSTONE MIDDLE

Dripstone Outreach has had a fun start to 2024. Lots of in class learning every day, that has now extended into the community. Students enjoyed their first community access this week. The class went to Casuarina Beach, where students participated in frisbee throwing and drawing in the sand. We explored the rocks and went to the playground area.  Our next community access will see us go to the muesum and participate in a scavenger hunt while researching Darwin’s history.

The class also started to learn Auslan this week. We discussed how important it is for people who use sign to have the opportunity to communicate with those around them. Our lessons happen prior to our literacy rotations.

Lastly, we are fortunate to get weekly visits from the School Based Constable who is helping Miss Amanda teach us about being safe when using social media and about community health care providers who can offer us support when needed.

GREEN 1

In our class, we have a group of seven incredible students: Mia, Shakira, Lachlan, Fatima, Tatiana, Robert, and Blake. Guiding us along our educational journey are the wonderful staff members: Georgina, Milani, and Tara.

From the moment we stepped into the classroom, we've been building connections and making friendships that make each day special.

We've embarked on a colourful adventure, exploring every aspect of the school to find the rainbow's colours. Alongside our exploration, we've been learning to express ourselves through the beautiful language of Auslan, particularly through singing the rainbow song.

Our recent outing to the Botanical Gardens was a breath of fresh air. Amongst the flowers and greenery, we wandered, taking in the sights and sounds of nature. We stopped for a break at the café and enjoyed communicating to others and making friends. 

Shakira has been amazing in the kitchen, diving into the world of cooking during our café program on Thursday mornings. 

Mia, on the other hand, has found her passion in cooking sessions. She is also showing interest in our excursions, eagerly participating in each adventure.

Fatima has been carefully tackling her daily tasks, from washing to leisurely strolls around the school grounds. Her newfound confidence in using sign language to express herself is truly inspiring.

Robert has discovered his creative flair through filmmaking, capturing the essence of our school with his camera lens. Be warned, he captures everything!

Lachlan has been a true team player, lending a helping hand his classmates while also enjoying our shopping trips and excursions.

Tatiana has settled wonderfully into Green 1 and has enjoyed time in the pool with her peers and long walks around in the warmth listening to the sounds of nature.

Blake is enjoying his new learning environment. He has enjoyed his hands on learning along with his bike riding adventures around the school.

Lastly, our class has been busy with hands-on projects, crafting tote bags, sensory pouches, magnets, and planter boxes. Each creation is a testament to our creativity and teamwork and a big thank you to the team at Enterprise Ed and Woodwork.

As we continue through the year, we eagerly anticipate deepening our friendships and exploring new horizons together.

SPORTS DAY

We will be hosting a variety of events on the Dripstone Middle School Oval. This is accessible through our back fence, near the Henbury outdoor basketball court.

Henbury will staff accordingly and support students to transition from events on Henbury Campus and Dripstone Oval.

INTERSTATE SPORT REPRESENTATIVES

We are very proud of Bresies and Aiko who both travelled away recently to represent the Northern Territory.

Aiko competed in the Australian Age Swimming Championships on the Gold Coast winning in the 50mtr freestyle.

Bresies travelled to Adelade for the National Athletics Championships competing in the Para Athlete age events. She came first in the 200 and 400 running race and came away with the bronze medal for long jump.

ENTERPRISE EDUCATION

It has been a busy start to Term 2 with many classes participating in our Enterprise Education, Woodwork and Horticulture programs to create a range of gifts for the Henbury Mother’s Day Stall. Our very creative students have been learning hands on skills to make polymer earrings and keyrings, driftwood mobiles, tote bags, toiletry wraps, makeup pads, wooden magnets, planter boxes, spice rubs, herbal teas, soap loofah, bath bombs and many more creative products. We look forward to seeing you at Henbury School between 9am-11am on Thursday 9^th May at our Mother’s Day Stall. Make sure you drop in for a cuppa and delicious food prepared by our Busy Bees Café from 10am! 

Raffle Tickets for the Mother’s Day Hamper are on sale at the Henbury Front office. $2 each of $5 for three. 

MOTHERS DAY STALL

MILK BOTTLE CALL OUT

The boat building crew are doing a call out to all parents and carers looking for ‘clean’ 2ltr milk cartons with lids. These will be used by the Science Skillset group to create a floating boat to use for the Beer Can Regatta held in August this year.

Kristine has created the design for the structure this year. 

WALK FOR AUTISM FUNDRAISER

We’ve stepped up to Walk for Autism. Please show your support as we walk our own brilliant way for Autistic Australians and their families!

Did you know? Because the world is not autism-friendly, 70% of Autistic people in Australia experience mental health issues.

That's why we’re walking 7k steps a day in May to fundraise for Aspect (Autism Spectrum Australia).

Can you please support us? Click through to our fundraising page:

Your donation will help deliver services that support Autistic people to live their best life.

Funds raised can help Autistic people and their families access earlier diagnosis, provide autism-specific schooling for children on the autism spectrum, support research and help create inclusive, autism-friendly environments.

Please support our Walk for autism and donate now.

SCHOOL BASED IMMUNISATION PROGRAM

The School Based Immunisation Program for year 7 and 9 only is taking place at Henbury School Campus on Wednesday 29 May. Parent consent letters can be collected from the school Nurse if you would like your child to have the vaccines at school.

RISING STARS BASKETBALL

The Rising Stars Basketball season kicked off last week with the Henbury Wild Cards playing against Taminmin College. While our team didn’t bring home the gold, they put in a mighty effort. It was wonderful to see the teams all helping out each other and pushing through to the end.

The Henbury Allstars had a game of wheelchair basketball as their opposing team did not make it to the competition. This was an awesome experience for those who have never played and they all agreed it is not as easy as it looks.

UPCOMING EVENTS – Term 2, 2024

HENBURY SCHOOL PRINTED CALENDAR

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Happy Birthday to the following students that celebrate their birthdays in MAY:

2^nd Kobey
3^rd Adwin

COMMUNITY NOTICES