As we move through the mid part of term 2, winter has well and truly hit the hills zone with a warm jacket becoming a necessity. I hope everyone managed to stay safe and dry over a fairly extreme last weekend of weather.

Reports

Teachers are busy preparing mid-year reports, which will go home to parents/carers in the last week of term. Our teachers have been working collaboratively in year levels teams to determine how students have progressed in their learning in reference to the achievement standards in the Australian Curriculum. 

Students in Years 1-6 will receive a written report (individual comments in Maths, English & General) with A-E grades, whilst Reception students will receive a written report referenced against the Foundation achievement standard.

COVID-19/Illness  

Over the last few weeks, we have averaged between 15 – 20% student and staff absences per day, most understandably COVID-19/illness related. We will continue to provide regular updates if anyone else in our school community tests positive.

A friendly reminder – if your child develops symptoms such as a fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose, loss of smell/taste, muscle/joint pains, diarrhoea, nausea/vomiting or extreme tiredness, please:

• Obtain a PCR test (You can find your nearest COVID-19 testing clinic here)
• Please inform the school and keep your child at home until you receive confirmation of a negative test and their symptoms have resolved, whichever is longer.
• If your child tests positive, s/he is a COVID-19 case, must remain isolated for 7 days and must follow SA Health instructions. Siblings of confirmed positive cases are considered a close contact and should follow the advice from SA Health.

Our best wishes to families and staff currently experiencing illness due to COVID-19 and any other ailments.

Illness 

A timely reminder – that children who are feeling unwell or have cold/flu symptoms should be kept home from school until they have fully recovered and/or symptoms have disappeared. This is the best way to avoid illness being spread to others. If your child is going to be absent, please advise the school via absence text line 0427 016 460 or phone the front office. 

Church Parking

Thank you to all our families who are being patient and using the church parking area cautiously and safely.

A reminder that the church carpark is not a kiss & drop area. Unfortunately, there are limited parks, and this area can be very busy. Please endeavour to make everyone’s safety the first priority.

Weekly Assemblies

With restrictions now easing in schools, we would like to invite parents along to our regular Monday morning assemblies. For the time being, we will also continue to live stream the assemblies via Youtube.

We were so lucky to host the amazing Backflips Against Bullying crew on Tuesday. Originally scheduled for last year, then Term 1 2022, Noah and Luka from BAB were finally able to attend to entertain and educate our students. Through a clever mixture of role play, clowning and acrobatics, these two talented performers showed their audiences what bullying may look and sound like, and what young people can do to support themselves and others. Remember: "Bullying doesn't make you tough!". Children learnt about what it means to be a bystander, and how they can be an UPstander instead. A strong message that came through was that "A game is only fun if everyone is in on the joke." Using age-appropriate language, Noah and Luka explained how exclusion can be hurtful, and how even though not everyone is friends with everyone else, we can all be kind and respectful. All children engaged incredibly well with the performance; certainly a highlight was the big finale, with both performers dive rolling over 20 students and 1 teacher!! This incursion was paid for with class excursion budget money and cost $5 per child.

Thank you to the many people who volunteer at our school.

The Department for Education has set guidelines for volunteers and there are some processes that need to happen prior to volunteering at school.

All volunteers must complete the following:

Complete and sign a hard copy of the Volunteer Application form. Form attached or available from the school. volunteer_application_form.docx

Hold a current Working with Children clearance. See attached file to begin the process, bring in your 100 points of ID and we will enter the form online for completion by you. DCSI_Child_Related_Employment_Screening_Online.docx

Complete Responding to Harm Abuse & Neglect (RRHAN) online course at www.plink.sa.edu.au

Complete online Volunteer course also on Plink

Bring in or email your vaccination certificate for us to sight.

If you are not vaccinated you can still volunteer at the school but the Department requires the following:

• undertake a rapid antigen test each morning at home, and return a negative result in order to attend the school
• wear a surgical face mask while indoors, at all times

Where an unvaccinated person is not able to wear a surgical mask due to a disability or medical condition, they will be exempt from this requirement if they have a medical certificate issued by a duly qualified medical practitioner.

When you have completed all of these processes please send your certificates to me at Sue.Matthews799@schools.sa.edu.au

Sue Matthews

Business Manager

Youth Environmental Leadership Program (YELP) – Excursion to Belair National Park

Henry, James, Lucas, Dylan, Zara, Molly and Alice – who make up 7 of the 9 members of the Environmental Group attended an excursion run by Green Adelaide, together with other schools from our partnership.

They participated in some team building activities, bird watching, scavenger hunts and a project workshop – all for the Bandicoots!

The big picture is to increase the biodiversity within Frank Smith Reserve and to bring back the endangered Southern Brown Bandicoot.  There have been some sightings within the park and on nearby properties.

Since this excursion the group met with two education officers from Green Adelaide and an ecologist.  We went for a quick walk in Frank Smith Reserve, looking for scats and tracks and to gain some tips on how to move forward with the project. 

The next phase is to research, educate the students at school and to fundraise for motion sensor cameras, plants and construction materials for bandicoot bungalows.

Thank you to parent volunteer Tae Thornton for transporting and assisting with the excursion.

Sarah Todd

Science Teacher

STEM Professional in Schools

During Week 5 Coro began a new STEM Professional in Schools partnership with Dr Declan Page from the CSIRO.  He’s an environmental chemist and works in water quality risk assessment, water recycling and stormwater harvesting and is currently focussing on Managed Aquifer Recharge. 

He spoke with the Year 4 classes about how we can avoid “Day Zero” – running out of water! The students found it quite fascinating we had a drought just before they were born and were amazed to hear about what can be done to “bank” water for another day. Declan also assisted with science club, looking at water surface tension – placing drops of water on a coin.

We look forward to having another visit from Declan soon!

What simple machine types are in this toy?

During science this term Year 2 students have been exploring types of simple machines.  They have been predicting, collecting data and recording observations. One science lesson saw students using seesaw to photograph and label simple machine types from toys – the lever, the screw, a wedge, inclined plane, the pulley and a wheel and axle.  The next lesson these engineers were able to deconstruct and reconstruct the toys, using screwdrivers, on the hunt for different types of simple machines!

Science Is Everywhere!

We are looking carefully and closely as we explore the world. 

Reception students are using their senses to explore the world, looking and listening for changes and sharing what they notice. On a hunt around the school, students recorded their observations.

Year 1 students have been exploring how science is everywhere… In the kitchen, in transport, in fishing and even in art! Students were encouraged to be risk takers when they selected different shell samples to scientifically illustrate, noticing the shapes, line and textures.

Sarah Todd

Science Teacher

Congratulations to the Girls’ Knockout Netball team who secured two comprehensive wins in round one of the competition. We defeated Craigburn Primary School 36-11 and Blackwood Primary School 48-14.

The players supported and encouraged each other and represented Coro beautifully.  We are lucky to have a team of players who are versatile and many can play a range of positions well.

We are looking forward to the next level of the competition later this term.

Laura Barnes

Orienteering: a cross-country race in which competitors

use a map to find checkpoints in unfamiliar territory.

Coromandel Valley PS recently attended the Orienteering School Champs, in which 26 of our Year 5 and 6 students competed. It was a beautiful, sunny day and perfect for running around the natural surrounds of Belair National Park with the kangaroos. Our children reported having a great time and wanting to do it again next year.

Students have been learning about orienteering in PE and this was a good chance to put their knowledge and skills to the test. All our participants should be congratulated on doing a great job!

A special mention to the following placegetters:

Individual events:

• Lucas C - 3^rd
• Eamonn B – 4^th

Paired events:

• Ella O & Freya P – 1^st
• Lyly M & Amelie T – 1^st
• Tyler M & Archie S – 1^st
• Harry G & Jayden H – 1^st
• Joel Z & James A – 2^nd
• Kade H & Quincy K – 2^nd
• Lucy W & Eliza M – 2^nd
• Ruby M & Emma C – 3^rd

Our school finished a respectable 2^nd in the primary school category – a very pleasing effort in our first year at the carnival.

Thank you to parents who assisted with supervision and photography.

Mr De Lyster

Well done to all of the Cross Country runners who competed at the Sapsasa District Carnival at Belair National Park.

Born in 2012: Chihiro C, Ella O, Archer W, Harry S, Joel G, Lucas E, Jake M, Liam W, Darcy G, Michael Z, Joseph S, Jacob H, Fletcher M

Born in 2011: Emma C, Chloe P, Miles G, Peter B, Souna N, Joel Z, Eamonn B, Leo K, Ethan P

Born in 2010: Ruby M, Aerin K, Lily Z, Liam Q, Kalem W, Lucas C, Aston F, Max L, Maxx P 

At this carnival students run a challenging 3km course (2km for those born in 2012) up and down hills and over a wide variety of terrain, including grass, gravel, dirt, and asphalt trails.

Congratulations to Kalem W who finished 6^th in his age group. Kalem has been invited to represent Southern Heights District at the State Championship event at Oakbank Race Course next month.

All of our runners showed great effort and should be proud of their achievements.

A big ‘thank you’ to Sheena for assisting with course marshalling throughout the day and to parents who helped with supervision of children.

Mr De Lyster

PE Teacher

Congratulations to Bianca W for being selected into the Southern Heights district team for girls Australian football. The team played 9 matches over three days, against the other South Australian districts. They Won 2 and lost 7. The coach reported that the girls really improved over time and never lost by much or gave up. Well done to Bianca and the rest of the team.

The Learning Assistance Program (LAP) is a student mentoring program that has been running successfully at Coromandel Valley Primary School for many years.

While COVID restrictions have presented some challenges over the last two years, we are now pleased to welcome volunteers back to school. 

Could you be a LAP volunteer?

LAP volunteers support students one-to-one for one half hour session each week.  This may involve support with literacy, numeracy, social skills, simply playing a game or listening to reading. LAP mentors come from all walks of life with differing experiences and talents. More information on LAP can be found at www.lap.org.au.

All school volunteers require a current Working with Children Check, completion of RRHAN-EC training and Online Volunteer Induction via www.plink.sa.edu.au.  We also need to sight vaccination status and complete a brief on-site induction.

If you’re interested in becoming a LAP volunteer we’d love to hear from you. Please phone, drop into the front office or email jenny.tucker37@schools.sa.edu.au

We have had the bike lock below handed in at the office.  If it is yours or you know who it belongs to please come and collect it.