Aly

angula

Area S

chool

Inside this issue:

Address:

PMB 3

Alyangula

NT 0885

Australia

Ph: 8987

6366

Fax: 8987

6014

Email: alyangula.admin

@ntschools.net

Wednesday 18th March 2009

The dire effects of absenteeism

A series of winter storms in closed schools for several days. A university researcher started wondering if all those days of lost learning would affect students’ test performance. The results of his investigation might surprise you. He found that, in a year with five lost school days, the number of children who met learning targets was lower than in years with no school closings. In brief, student time on task is important to learning.

Every day your child is out of school, for whatever reason, his or her learning achievement suffers.

Just being in school, however, is only the starting point. Researchers have pointed out a difference between the amount of time that schools allocate for learning, the amount of time during which students are engaged in learning, and actual learning time.

Academic year

The amount of time schools allocate for learning is the academic year, the time designated for students to be in school. This is the typical school calendar amounting to 191 days, give or take a day or two depending on where you live. All schools must meet the regulated number of days.

Academic learning time

The amount of time students are engaged in learning is more variable. Their own attentiveness is a significant factor.

Another variable factor is the teaching style. In some classrooms a lot of time can be spent explaining, demonstrating, or doing — while students watch. In other classrooms, students are more involved for more of the period.

Students also do a great deal of important learning during activities like lab experiments, sports and music practice, supervised study, or homework.

What do missed days mean?

So how can missing three or four days of school be so important to their learning?

When students miss school due to illness or other reasons, some will fill in the missed instruction on their own, some will stumble but recover and, some, unfortunately, will stumble, falter and be confused for the remainder of that unit. Their learning suffers.

Time is important to learning.

The amount of time that schools allocate for learning, the amount of time during which students are engaged in learning, and actual learning time are so important that students, teachers and their parents all need to take it very seriously.

What can we do?

We start by eliminating as many classroom disruptions as possible. Every activity is closely examined for its relevance to good learning. Teachers ensure time in class is spent in active, engaged learning.

You can assist by making sure your child is ready for school every day – rested, well-nourished and equipped –and is absent only when absolutely essential.

That way we can all make best use of the learning time we have at our disposal and every student can make the progress we all are striving for.

School Photos 2

School Council 2

Tupperware 2

Parent/Teacher Interviews 2

For Sale 2

Position Vacant 2

SRC raising money 3

Awards 4

School Calendar 4

Easter Egg Sale 2

We’re on the Web! www.alyangula.com

Principal’s Digest Volume 15 number 12

Page 2 ALYANGULA AREA SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

School Council and Student Representative Council (SRC) News

Parent / Teacher Interviews

Parent/Teacher interviews will be held in Week 10, Tuesday 31st March 2009, 2.45pm onwards.

Please contact the front office to make an appointment - 8987 6366.

Next school council meeting:

Thursday 26th March 2009 @ 7.15pm in the Staff room.

Positions vacant: Chairperson, Secretary and 4 Parent Representatives

Everybody is welcome to attend.

School Photos

Mr Mike Cranna will be assisting with school photos once again this year. They will be held in Term 2 Week 3 on Monday 27th April. Photo gifts will also be available and order forms will be sent home early in Term 2. All proceeds from the orders will be used to purchase outdoor seating and student laptops for our classrooms.

The school would like to acknowledge and thank the GEMCO Donations committee for their generous offer to pay for Mike’s flights from Cairns to Groote and return.

Tupperware

Thank you to all who supported the Tupperware Demo in the Preschool. Jo put on a great demonstration as usual and sales soared in support of the Preschool and school. Look out for the proceeds in the Mother’s Day raffle next term.

FULL TIME, CASUAL OR PART TIME POSITION/S AVALIABLE

Umbakumba School

Flexible working conditions

Working with students that have special needs

Please phone 8987 6366

For Sale

As New Electronic Keyboard For Sale

Please ring Jacqui

8987 6551 or 0407676738

School News &

other announcments

New School Mural

Thank you to Les Huddleston for teaching the students how to paint wonderful art.

The backdrop for our school assembly area has come alive and all the students will be able to look at their ‘footprints’ coming into and going out of our Eylandt Home!

Thank you Les.

Easter Eggs

There are Easter Eggs for sale at the front office. Only a limited amount are available so get in quick and support the school and Preschool.

Cadbury Caramello Easter Eggs & Cadbury Plain Chocolate Easter Eggs - $4.00 each.

Easter Raffle - tickets on sale at the office and in the arcade this Saturday.

1st Big Yummy Easter Chocolate Basket

2nd Easter Holiday Activity Pack

3rd Framed Set of 6 Groote Photo Memories

Page 3

SRC raising money for the Leukemia Foundation

Students had a great day at school last Friday. They donated a gold coin to wear their own choice of clothing and to have their hair decorated by the creative SRC.

We would like to thank the students and staff at Alyangula Area School for participating, the Alyangula Chemist for the donation of colour hair sprays and the XPress Supermarket for donating the prizes for best dressed students.

Your kind donations and participation helped us raise $500 for kids with cancer during our Crazy Hair and Free Dress Day .

Many thanks, the Alyangula Student Representative Council (SRC).

School Calendar Term 1

Wk 8 School Assembly

Hosted by: MSU Mr Bruyn

Friday 20th March 8:10am

Wk 9 Early Childhood Assembly Hosted by: Preschool

Thursday 26th March 2:15pm

Wk 10 Parent/Teacher Interviews

Tuesday 27th March From 2:45pm

Wk 10 School Assembly

Hosted by: Year 3/4

Friday 3rd April 8:10am

Wk 10 Last day of Term 1 Friday 3rd April 2:30pm

Wk 1 Public Holiday Monday 13th April

Wk 1 Students return to school

Tuesday 14th April 8:00am

Term 2

Wk 8 Disco Hosted by: MSU Mrs O’Neill in the Music Room

Friday

20th March PS—Y5

6:00 –7:30pm Y6—MSU

7:40—9:15pm

Preschool

Shanae Whittaker

Year 1

Aliyah Assan

Kiara Sutton

Year 2/3

Michaela Spaeth

Kobie Hastings

Year 1

Louise Mountford

Lachlan Washington

Year 1/2 Keagan Du Plessis

Year 2/3

Lilli Kolo

Jack Watson

Year 1/2

Hayley Attwood

Lachlan Evans

Sean Cochran

Jarred Petith

Year 3/4

Phoebe O'Brien

Year 4/5

Jazz Pedder

Ellie Randazzo

Bowen Slater

Jack O'Neill

Year 6

Trevor Stanway

Bryella Farrell

MSU Maddie Williamson

Jacob Enever

Student of the Week award

Merit award

Year 3/4

Travis Kennell

Year 6

Chris Botha

Jack Slater

MSU Syahman Hatta

Beth Hope

Chris Botha

Dakota Lousich

Connor Curtis

Ellisha Munns

Josh Randazzo

Principal’s awards

Brillian Wunga

C-Bear Awards

Preschool to Yr 5

6.00pm to 7.30pm

Yr 6 & MSU

7.40pm to 9.15pm

Gold Coin Donation

At the Door

Friday 20th March School Assembly Area

Hot chips, Pies

Sausage Sizzle

Cold drinks

Glow Sticks

Easter Eggs

Easter Disco

Easter Hat Parade

Great Prizes For

Most Edible Most Prettiest

Most Colourful

I’m doing the Bunny limbo till I

MSU Pottery Elective

MSU students have enjoyed creating objects in pottery this term. Some students are making teapots while others have created vases.

The students would like to thank Marina Uys for donating her time each week and sharing her talents.

We hope to offer pottery again next term. We already have students who would like to join our group and others that don’t want to leave.

Thank you Marina.