Dr Carmel McGrath

Important Dates:

Last day of term 3 – Friday 13 September

First day of term 4 – Monday 30 September

Term 3 Pillar Champion Awards

Our vision is to actively and responsibly pursue, promote and maintain a safe, respectful and inclusive learning environment for all. Our school community has been working with the pillars of our strategic plan being Curriculum, Inclusion, Innovation and Well-being.

Congratulations to our Term 3 Pillar Champions:

Inclusion Pillar Champions - Eli Yr 5, Louis Yr 5, James Yr 5 & Ms Turner

Well-being Pillar Champions - Cian Yr 5 & Ms Boyes 

2025 Year 6 Student Leadership Selection Process

In Term 4 we will be selecting our 2024 School Captains, Vice-Captains, House Captains and Project Captains.  The current Year 5 students are now invited to participate in the process.  Below is an outline of the key dates.  Role descriptions, timelines and nomination forms will be given to students and available on the website with this newsletter.

Summary of key dates:

Please note that specific dates for activities in Term 4 weeks 1-4 will be given to staff and students but changes may need to be made due to unforeseen events due to the day to day running of school.

Term 3 Week 9

• Wednesday 04^th September – Assembly & Newsletter announcement about Leadership selection process

Term 3 Week 10

• Monday 09 September – Student leadership information disseminated to Year 5 students & schoolzine copy to Year 5 parents and staff
• Friday 13 September 3pm – Nominations close

Term 4 Week 3

• Tues 15^th Oct 9:15am (Hall) – School and Vice-captain speeches and student voting (Year 3-5 vote and Year 6 welcome to attend but do not vote)

Term 4 Week 4

• Monday 21^th Oct 10am – 1pm – Principal/ Deputy interviews shortlisted students
• Tues 22^nd Oct – Principal announces the 2025 School and Vice Captains & Letter to parents
• Thurs 24^th Oct - Times TBC (Classrooms: see below) - House captain speeches and student voting (Years 3-5 only)

Term 4 Week 5

• Mon 28^th Oct - 10am-1pm – Principal/Deputy interviews shortlisted students
• Tues 29^th Oct - Principal announces the 2025 House Captains & Letter to parents
• Thurs 31^st Oct - TBC (classrooms see below) - Project Captain speeches and student voting (Yr 3 – 5 only)

Term 4 Weeks 6

• Mon 04^th Nov – 1-3pm - Principal / Deputy interviews shortlisted students
• Tues 05^th Nov - Principal announces the 2022 Project Group Captains & letter to parents
• Wed 06^th Nov - 2022 School, House and Project Captains introduced to school on assembly

Nominations:

Students wishing to nominate for leadership positions in 2024 must complete a nomination form, outlining all positions for which they are applying (ie is School or Vice-Captain, House Captain and / or Project Captain), and no further nominations will be taken after the closing date, Friday 13th September 3pm. 

For example, a student may wish to apply for Binkinba House Captain only and so would not add any other nominations to the form.  However, another student may nominate for School Captain and Binkinba House Captain, so that if they are firstly unsuccessful in School Captain, they can still try out for House Captain.  It should be noted though that if a student nominates only for School Captain and is unsuccessful, they cannot then nominate for a House or Project Captain position unless it has been included on their original nomination form.

Year 6 Student Leaders’ Induction Ceremony and Badge presentation – date to be announced – anticipated around week 8 Term 1 2025.

Staff Update

As the term draws to a close, we give a Congratulations to Cath Eurell on her promotion to Head of Special Education Service ACT. Cath’s experience in special schools and her expertise in inclusion, NCCD and Trauma Practices have been invaluable in leading our school’s Inclusion Pillar over the past 2 years.  She will be greatly missed by her students and families who have been grateful for her dedicated support. 

Following our recruitment process and a successful allocation of additional supports for complex learners, Tracy Baker and Kahli McLeod have been appointed as Inclusion Coaches for Term 4.  Dion Cerrato has been appointed as Year 1M class teacher for Term 4.  Julie Turner will begin leave at the end of term and Emmerson Bartlett has been appointed as Year 1T class teacher for term 4.  Julie Turner has been at New Farm for 12 years and will be greatly missed; always appreciated for the care and compassion she shows to her students, families and our staff. 

Sporting Achievement Update: 

Congratulations to Year 6 students Abby L and Dhanraajveer who have both been successful in regional selection for cricket and will go onto State trials this year.  Congratulations also Theo C who has been successful in selection for Shot Put and also is heading to State Championships.  We are very proud of Abby, Dhanraajveer and Theo for their excellent sporting achievements.