20 March 2020

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

Parents/Carers

Newsletter – 19 March 2020

Due to the recent COVID-19 concerns we understand that some families may be feeling anxious or concerned. Henbury School will continue to operate as usual, receiving regular advice from the NT Department of Education. We endeavour to provide consistent updates to our school community as they become available.

Thank you to the parents that are being vigilant around keeping students home when they are unwell.

If you are on social media please like our Henbury School Facebook page as we often post updates here

For the latest information for to the Australian Government Department of Health website below.

You can also contact the National Coronavirus Health Information Line on 1800 020 080.

To ensure we are doing our best to support and protect our students’ health and wellbeing we have implemented the following at Henbury School;

• Additional hygiene practices as per Government advice. Please read the guidelines attached to this newsletter.
• All excursions, incursions and work training has ceased temporarily from Thursday 19 March. We are looking at creating engaging and fun ways to replace these programs on campus. Vocational Education in Secondary Schools courses will continue.
• Our Henbury on Aralia cafe is temporarily closing for the interim. We look forward to re-opening in the not too distant future. The Henbury Op Shop - 'Opportunity Knocks' will remain open, minus our student workers. Students will continue with their learning in these spaces through alternative activities.

We will continue to support our students’ with any changes in their regular routines.

Individual Educational Adjustment Planning meetings will go ahead as planned. Please follow hygiene practices when entering the school.

In line with the Government recommendations around social distancing we are postponing our annual PossAbilities Expo until later in the year and instead of a whole school assembly we will be presenting student awards within individual classrooms.

Nutrition Program

We will endeavour to keep this running but with people currently hoarding food we may not be able to provide this to the extent we have previously. This will also require staff to shop for the food as we have temporarily ceased students going out on excursion. Recently there have been stricter limits in and around items of food that can be purchased at any one time. Classroom teachers will contact you if you are required to send in food for your child.

Learning Commission

Official votes were counted last week from the NT Learning Commission election. It is acknowledged that this year’s candidates were an amazing bunch of students, and each one of them could have offered something great to the Learning Commission. Unfortunately, there had to be winners, and although some votes were very close, below are the well-deserved Learning Commissioners of 2020!

Amanda Thomas, Maddi Anderson, David Panjer are looking forward to working with the elected students over the year. We can’t wait to see and hear what they bring to the NTLC in 2020!

Congratulations to the following students;

Bullying, NO WAY!

Before social distancing, we came together to celebrate Bullying, NO WAY! Each student received an arm band with the slogan on it.

Last Friday 13 March, we celebrated Bullying, NO WAY! Day. Classes participated in various activities and lessons on what is bullying and how can each individual deal with it when it happens to them. There were many great entries in our competition to produce a video, art work or presentation that highlighted their learning around bullying. It was very difficult to pick a winner.

Special commendation goes to Darwin High School for their video on ‘Fake News,’ Blue 4 for their poster ‘Kindness is my SUPERPOWER’ and Yellow 3 for their collaborative poster, ‘No Bullying.’ The winners are Purple 4 and Purple 5 for their informative posters. They will share the $100 prize money to go towards resources in their classrooms. Thank you to everyone who spread the Bullying, NO WAY! Message.

Special Commendation - Blue 4

Yellow 3 – Special Commendation

Purple 4 – Winning Entry

Purple 5 – Winning Entry

Sarah Corry
Principal

DOES YOUR CHILD HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT CORONAVIRUS?

Here's some tips to make sure they feel safe and informed at home and school:

• Act as a role model and be aware of your own behaviour
• Be calm and stick to the facts
• Explain what efforts are being made to contain the virus
• Offer factual advice around practicing good hygiene and healthy habits; keeping your hands clean, blocking a cough or sneeze with your elbow and maintaining social distancing

More info is available here:

GREETINGS FROM BLUE 9

“Change is as good as a holiday”

This year the Blue 1 & 2 classrooms have come together as one. The “Blue 9” Karly, Latoya, Paul, Halyey, Josie Lyn, Faye, Maree, Fatima and Robert are in for a big year!

Our seniors, Karly, Latoya, Paul, Hayley and Josie Lyn will be undertaking four NTCET Modified subjects while our middle year students, Faye, Maree, Fatima and Robert participate in individually tailored life skills programs.

So far this year we’ve been shopping, menu planning, cooking, out and about to the Foreshore café and taking Fatima and Robert to all our favourite Henbury school spots like the kitchen and the liberty swing!

We look forward to growing together as a team along with our teacher, Andrea and the SESO A team, Leanne, Aly, Ted, Helen, Thu and Georgie.

BLUE 3

Blue 3 has had a good start to 2020.

We welcomed two new students, Francis and TJ.

We have begun working towards building our skills to give us the best opportunities when we leave school, especially our Maths, english and communication skills.

We have also been involved in a few programs such as Rising Stars, skill set activities, cooking for Henbury on Aralia, Rock & Water, movie making and learning a music instrument.

AUSTRALIAN ALL SCHOOL ATHLETIC CHAMPIONSHIPS – PERTH 2019

Henbury Outreach students compete in Australian All School Athletic Championships- Perth 2019

In week 9, term 4, 2019, three NMS Outreach students competed in the Australian All School Athletic Championships after much fundraising, hard training and support from the wider Darwin Community. The students, Trindey S, Tracey B, Torie C and Agnes M demonstrated excellence and professionalism in their individual performances, as well as kindness and compassion while they bunked, ate, laughed, played and supported their fellow NT Athletics team mates. With great pride and enthusiasm our students showed remarkable resilience and incredible sportsmanship, competing on an Australian stage. They also enjoyed a team excursion to Rotness Island, cycling around to crystal clear beaches and meeting to occasional quokka.

Thanks must go to Athletics NT for this opportunity and the results were as follows, so many improvements with personal bests (PB) now recorded at a National event. There will be no stopping the Henbury contingency at upcoming events from now on!

Australian ALL Schools Athletics Championships

Trinidey S:

5th U/16 Parra Athlete Discus (PB 25.49m)
4th U/16 Parra Athlete Shot Put (PB 9.29m)

Tracey B:

6th U/16 Parra Athlete 200m (PB 31.49)
6th U/16 Parra Athlete Long Jump (3.80)
6th U/16 Parra Athlete 100m (PB 14.38)

Torie C :

11th U/16 Parra Athlete Long Jump ( 2.99m)
10th U/16 Parra Athlete Shot Put (5.07)

Agnes M:

8th U/16 Parra Athlete Long Jump (3.68m)
7th U/16 Parra Athlete 100m (15.36m)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

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

UPCOMING EVENTS – Term 1 & 2

COMMUNITY NOTICES