30 April 2021

Newsletter Articles

SENIOR TEACHER

We welcome back all our students and staff to Term 2. What a lovely way to start the term easing in with two public holidays and some slightly cooler weather!

ANZAC Day Memorial Service

On Friday 23rd April, we had a very moving whole school memorial service to remember our ANZACs who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations, and paid respect and gratitude for those currently serving. Our school felt honoured to welcome special guest, Corporal Hamish Reed from the Royal Australian Airforce, who shared his sentiment about the meaning of ANZAC Day and the personal sacrifice he has made for our country. Our NT Learning Commissioner students, with the support of teacher leader Amanda Thomas, organised and presented this special event. Classes made wreaths to lay at our Australia flag pole and also planted poppies at the mural out the front of Henbury School. Special thanks to Amanda and the students for once again putting together a superb whole school event.

Mother’s Day Stall and Café on Henbury

On Friday 6th May the annual Mother’s Day Stall will be held at school for students to purchase a gift for their mum, carer or other special person. Items have been made, grown, sewn and assembled by students in their Skill Set Programs and as part of class programs, priced from $5 up to $25. Please send along money with your child if you would like them to make a purchase. Our on-campus ‘Café on Henbury’ will be open to our school community from 10:20 for morning tea on this day if you would like to come along and also make a purchase! Items will also be for sale in our Henbury on Aralia café open Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings.

All Abilities Netball

The All Abilities Netball Tournament will be re-starting very shortly. This is the fourth year this out of school tournament has run – current and graduated Henbury students make up the Banks Bulldogs and Tracy Village teams, and play Thursday nights at the Marrara Netball Stadium. Please contact Raylee Parker or Amanda Thomas at school ASAP if you are interested in your child playing – please note transport and duty of care is parent/carer responsibility for this netball program.

Transition and Pathways Information Session

Thank you to all those parents and carers who attended the Transition and Pathways Information Session held on Wednesday 28th April. 15 service provider join together for the Transition and Pathways event to share information on support services and opportunities available for our students as they prepare for senior years and post school life.

It was great to see families come along and connect with a variety of service providers and organisations. The main ‘take-aways’ of the session were that it is never too early to begin the post-school planning process. There are lots of exciting post school options now available and help on hand. For a copy of the presentation, TEAP checklist, information on service providers or any other queries please contact Raylee Parker or Felicity Faull.

EAPs

Education Adjustment Plans (EAPs) / Transition from School EAPs (TEAPs)

Education Adjustment Plans (EAPs) / Transition from School EAPs (TEAPs)

EAPs and TEAPs have been sent home this week. Please read through your child’s plan and contact teachers if you have any queries or questions. We ask that parents/carers sign and return your child’s EAP / TEAP, we will then copy and send a copy home for your records. Review meetings will be held in Term 3 to discuss your child’s progress with their plan, and final reports will be sent home in Term 4.

Batchelor School Camp

We are excited to announce that the Batchelor School Camp will take place in Term 3 Week 7– 1st to the 3rd of September. School camp caters to all students’ abilities and needs, and we strongly encourage all students to attend. Permission notes and more detailed information will come home shortly.

Henbury on Aralia and Henbury Op Shop Update

As we have settled into Term 2 it is fantastic to see students’ skills and confidence blossoming during work training sessions at Henbury on Aralia Café and Henbury Op Shop. Students are involved at these sites every day of the week in various programs, including paid employment on Saturdays. For these programs and opportunities to be sustainable we need customers and income! To help keep the momentum going and spread the word, here are a few easy ways families can support –

• Come on down to the café Thursday, Friday or Saturday mornings for a cool drink, coffee or tasty snack
• Visit the Op Shop Monday – Saturday to take a look for bargains and interesting treasures
• Follow and share FB and Instagram Henbury on Aralia and Henbury Op Shop posts to help spread the word!
• Let the front office know if you would like to receive regular café email updates
• If you would like some flyers to place at your work place, or to pass onto friends, please let the school front office know and we will send some home
• If you are thinking about an occasion that could be held at the café please let us know and we can discuss if we can meet your needs! (birthday, morning tea, baby shower, etc.)

The café and op shop are located at the Aralia Street shops at Nightcliff.

SANDERSON MIDDLE SCHOOL

Hello from the SMS team. Term 1 went so quickly we had to look back at all the photos to remember all the adventures and activities we have participated in!

As a part of our program in Term 1 we went on a large number of community access adventures and represented Sanderson and Henbury with great pride.

We have been busy learning about Australia’s role in both world wars. SMS Henbury students attended the Bombing of Darwin Commemoration event on February 19th and have been busy exploring the relics left at East Point Reserve. A huge shout out to Jashon, Kayden and Shianne who have all represented the Henbury School in presenting wreaths during both the Bombing of Darwin Commemoration and Anzac day services.

As well as learning about Australia’s Military History, students have been keenly exploring and learning about the importance of the Mangrove Ecosystems in Darwin. Whilst observing the changing of the environment with the tides, we have also been active participants and citizen scientists through the Climate Watch app recording the huge variety of animals and especially birds we have seen on our hikes.

All students have been participants in a range of extracurricular activities available to students at SMS. Shianne was recently awarded the Stars Academy shirt for always displaying the group's values. All students went for a mad dash around the oval in the annual SMS Colour Run. Students participated in the SMS athletics day, with many achieving great success in their chosen sports. Congratulations to Jack Parker who got a whole school acknowledgement for his cumulative results in the Year 9 boys competition.

We are looking forward to another action packed Term 2.

Lucy, Callum & The Sanderson Team.

BLUE 4

Hello from Blue 4 this Term we have been busy in Blue 4 getting to know each other and working together as a team.

Students have been learning how to cook some different and delicious meals in class and with Mutumba on the farm.

Students have enjoyed coming up with creative designs using a variety of mediums in Art and creating some cool designs for their skateboard project.

Blue 4 have been involved in many programs this Term enjoying visits from the therapy dogs participating in total rec, work training, and community access.

GREEN 1

Welcome to Green 1. Our class consists of six incredible and diverse teenagers, three of which are in Year 12; Manoli, Patterson and Thomas, two in Year 11; Toby and Paulo, and one in Year 10; Leigh. Our major focuses include work training, life skills, communication, and wellbeing.

Our Year 12 students are focussed on their transition from school and are progressing nicely. Thomas and Patterson are working at Henbury on Aralia (HOA), Henbury Op Shop and AusDesigns Helping People Achieve (HPA). Manoli is working at HOA and Henbury Op Shop. He will begin work experience at a Nursery later this term. Manoli is also learning life skills at home with his Support Workers and participates in Rising Stars Basketball with Total Recreation. Manoli, Toby, Paulo and Leigh all participate in Coffee Crew. Thomas and Patterson have started attending Participate, Engage, Grow (PEG) Program and will soon be attending unsupported. Patterson will begin work experience at RDH Laundry later in the term. Leigh, Paulo and Toby will participate in work experience at HOA and Henbury Op Shop later in the term. All the boys participate in several class businesses, including our pet food business, “Meaties Pet Food, Pleased to meet you, Meat to please you”. We are making and selling nutritional raw pet food and treats for cats and dogs. We also make and sell dried rosemary and natural confetti. And finally the boys participate in Floristry, using flowers and plants from the school grounds.

As part of their Life Skills Program, the boys complete a weekly grocery shopping activity. This includes following a shopping list, locating items, paying for the groceries by card, unpacking groceries, and sorting foods into food groups. Each week the boys also organise a class excursion using an excursion plan. So far they have enjoyed lunch at the Coffee Club at Casuarina and the Waterfront. Next week they will have lunch at Bella Restaurant at the Waterfront.

In Green 1 we use a variety of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) to support our verbal language including, sign language, Chat Boards, Proloquo2Go (P2G), Pragmatic Organisational Dynamic Displays (PODD), Snap and Core, and Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS). Our students need to be able to understand and be understood. To develop this skill we have an activity called Promoting Communicative Effectiveness (PCE) Group. In this activity the student is required to communicate what he can see on a picture card to his communication partner who cannot see his picture card. If a message is not understood students are taught to find alternative ways to communicate their message effectively by using communication repair strategies e.g. say it louder, say it slower, use an AAC etc. This activity is a fun way to teach students to become persistent and effective communicators.

To further develop our communication skills, we have regular conversations discussing our likes, dislikes, needs and wants. To encourage communication students have created “Chat Books”. These books include information such as likes, dislikes, activities, recent news and the important people and things in their lives. These are a great tool to encourage conversation while developing our recall and use of descriptive language. We recently introduced Emailing as an extension to our Chat Book activity. The boys use the information in their Chat Books to send to family or friends through email. One of the biggest motivators in Green 1 is “food”. To encourage more communication we have planned lessons around these motivators. Currently the Green 1 boys are requesting their morning tea each day. They all have individualised goals around communication, and this lesson provides the perfect opportunity to develop their skills.

Green 1 is a Structured Teaching classroom. We implement the principles of Structured Teaching into our daily program. These include modifying our physical environment, following visual schedules, using work stations, and using routines and strategies such as “Working for’s” and “Task Cards”. Each week we participate in rotations for our academic activities including Meaningful Maths, Read Write Inc. (RWI) and RAZ Kids Reading.

All our students enjoy exploring their senses. We always have access to sensory equipment in class to help keep ourselves regulated. These include water play, Theraputty, kinetic sand, body socks, spinners and a ball pit. In the Engine Room the boys enjoy running and crashing, balancing, crawling through tunnels and immersing themselves in ball pits.

To keep our minds and bodies healthy we participate in weekly Zumba and swimming lessons. We go for regular bike rides and enjoy a basketball game with friends. The boys also participate in Performing Arts. Thomas, Toby and Paulo participate in bucket drumming. Patterson and Leigh participate in Dance.

And finally, the boys participate in Horticulture and Woodwork. In Horticulture they enjoy watering the garden, potting plants, doing divisions, taking cuttings and propagating, mowing the lawn with a push mower and preparing stock for sale at HOA and the Mother’s Day Stall. They also feed the worm’s food scraps and supply shredded paper to balance the carbon to nitrogen ratio. At Woodwork they enjoy cutting and sanding wood, hammering in nails and drilling holes.

NEW STAFF PROFILE – TONI RUSKIN

Hi my name is Toni Ruskin, I have moved to Darwin from Temora in NSW. I am the classroom teacher in Blue 4 here at Henbury, I have taught at Temora High School Support Unit and St Anne’s Central School as a PD/H/PE teacher. I spent time in Darwin 20 years ago and wanted to bring my family up here to experience everything the Northern Territory has to offer.

I love sport and now enjoy watching my children play AFL, Netball and Cricket. I also enjoy being outdoors, camping and water skiing.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Happy Birthday to the following students that celebrate their birthdays in April and May:

Maree B – 2nd
Zachary N - 5th
Toby R – 5th
Tori C – 13th
Aidan H C – 15th
Jovanni H – 16th
Keira B – 18th
Briseis B – 19th
Roanin & Trinidey S -19th
Isaiah E - 23rd
Deacon R – 23rd
Cloe R – 24th
Agnes M – 29th

UPCOMING EVENTS – Term 2

COMMUNITY NOTICES