New Farm State School
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Cnr James and Heal Streets
New Farm QLD 4005
Subscribe: https://newfarmss.schoolzineplus.com/subscribe

Email: administration@newfarmss.eq.edu.au
Phone: 07 3358 7333

From the Principal

Carmel
   Dr Carmel McGrath Principal
 

 Full School Review

Our review was concluded on Monday with the review team presenting a summary of findings and proposed improvement strategies to the whole staff.  The improvement strategies will be outlined in an executive summary which will be available for viewing on the school’s website and will inform the work we do to improve our school over the next 4 year period.  I anticipate receiving the report and executive summary early next term and I look forward to sharing the findings with the community.  Thank you to all parents, staff and students who so generously engaged with the review team and helped provide a very rich picture of our school community.

 Trinity Commons

Congratulations to our senior choir who performed at last Sunday’s Open Day for the local Trinity Commons precinct.  Thank you to Chris Chapman for conducting the group and for encouraging this performance opportunity within our community. As our community partnerships grow we look forward to more performances in term 2.  Thank you also to Chris Chapman who composed a ‘school song’ which the students and staff thoroughly embraced and we are looking forward to his work on a PBL song in the near future. 

 Holiday Facility Works

Just a reminder that we have grounds and facilities works underway on the Easter break so the oval is out of bounds.  We have worked closely with Jabiru staff to ensure there is no disruption to their programming.  Thank you to our staff Yvonne and Tony for helping coordinate the program of works.  I hope the children will be very excited to see and enjoy the upgrade to the oval and play space when they return to school in term 2.

 Cross Country

Thank you to Kent Rainbow, staff and students who help with the organising of this week’s Cross Country event.  After having postponed due to rain last week, we had an absolutely perfect day on Monday for students to enjoy their events.  It was wonderful to have so many parents in attendance to cheer on the students. 

 ANZAC Day

Our school ceremony will be held on the first day back to school on Tuesday 23 April.  The following day we have our Year 3 – 6 sports days so it’s a very busy start to the term.  Thank you to all our special guest for attending and to Year 2 teacher Cristian Arredendo for coordinating this year’s ceremony.

  

  • Wed 03 April – 9-12 years Field Events
  • Last day of Term One – Friday, 5th April
  • Friday 19 April– GOOD FRIDAY
  • Monday 22 April – Easter Monday
  • First Day Term Two – Tuesday, 23rd April

 

Balancing extra-curricular activities

Busyness seems to have become a way of life for modern families. The afternoons on family calendars are increasingly filling up with organised after-school activities, and in families with multiple children the logistics of keeping up with all this can be complicated. The strain of ferrying children back and forth, often in different directions, saps families of energy, resources and time.

Choosing the activities to omit from a schedule can be tricky, as your child or young person may have a different motivation for each. Here’s a good question to ask your child or young person that can make decision-making easier: ‘If all of your after-school activities were cancelled, which one(s) would you plead with me to re-enrol you in?’ 

Their answers will reveal a great deal about their commitment to each activity. Ideally, kids should be choosing extra-curricular activities that nourish them rather than cause anxiety and stress. 

Rushing to activities, late nights and stressed parents aren’t the conditions for family members to enjoy flourishing mental health. Too many organised activities detract from time to hang out with friends, to comfortably complete homework tasks, to spend time with family, to get bored and, importantly, to simply play.

Upcoming webinar
Join Dr Jodi Richardson in our upcoming webinar to understand the trend towards increasing enrolments in structured after-school activities, the benefits and the drawbacks for kids, the importance of free play for children, the implications of over scheduling on children’s mental health and how to create balance in the lives of your children.

FIND OUT MORE