Primary News

Welcome back for 2024!  By now you will be mostly underway with the routines and lessons and we hope our new families are beginning to make sense of the DE processes.  Well done to all the parents and supervisors who are so involved in helping their children stay on track, watch videos and submit the tasks in the right place at the right time. 

Finding the balance between supporting your student and encouraging independence is a challenge and will be different for every student.  One thing we know for sure is that each student benefits from accountability and so even when you think they are quite capable of working independently, regular check-ins are important and encouraging.  It’s always better to be working ahead than feeling the pressure of incomplete work and unmet expectations.  If your student is struggling with this, making a timetable that suits your family, as well as factoring in appointments, break times and relaxation, is very helpful.  Many families make sure they have printed all the worksheets and organised their resources into folders by the Sunday before the week begins and keep separate folders for work that needs to be uploaded or marked by supervisors. If you would like more tips on ways to make processes more manageable, please contact your student’s teacher.

Mrs Lagesse recently asked her Year Six students some questions to get to know them a little better and I think you will be impressed with the maturity and insight they demonstrate through their responses below.  We encourage all students to join class teleconferences to make connections with their classmates and teachers.

Mrs Lagesse:  As we embark on a new year, it brings with it a sense of renewal—a chance for a fresh start, the excitement of a new class, and the opportunity to connect with new classmates. While our weekly teleconferences provide a platform for us to come together virtually, it's not always easy to hear from everyone or truly get to know each other in depth. That's why I took the initiative to send out a set of questions for our Year Six students to answer. I've been delighted by the thoughtful responses I've received and the insight they've provided into each individual.

Mrs Carryn Lagesse

Student 1: 1. What will success look like for you in Year 6? To get all my school done 2. What is something that you are thankful for? Pets and family

3. What is your greatest strength? Determination

5. What is the best part of Distance Education? I love Takamuna

6. What would help you feel more connected to your classmates and your school? School camps and more meet and greets.

Student 2:

1. What will success look like for you in Year 6?

Putting 101% effort into every single thing I do (seen by the teacher or not).

2. What is something that you are thankful for?

Did you know that you are in the top 2% of the wealth in the world if you have a roof over your head, 3 meals a day, clean water to drink and a device to work on? I don't know about you but I'm definitely in the top 2% of wealth in the world so I'm grateful for that. Also, I'm grateful to be in a place where it is okay to believe in God and I'm also grateful for my knowledge about God.

3. What is your greatest strength?

God (Obviously)

4. What do you think is the most important quality for a teacher to have?

I think a very great quality for a teacher to have is patience, but to have the strength to tell children off if they misbehave.

5. What is the best part of Distance Education?

I love how it is so flexible so you can do extra work to have a day off, but also catch up if you are sick on some days.

6. What would help you feel more connected to your classmates and your school?

The class meetings and the catch-ups we have once a term.

Student 3:

1. What will success look like for you in Year 6?

Getting over 80% on all subjects

2. What is something that you are thankful for?

I am thankful for having Jesus in my life and being a Christian

3. What is your greatest strength?

(I don't know how to answer that?) My strength is in Jesus, through him, I can do anything

4. What do you think is the most important quality for a teacher to have? To be able to connect with the students on a deeper level than just 'Teacher and student'

5. What is the best part of Distance Education?

The teachers supervise inbox, making bullying extremely difficult

6. What would help you feel more connected to your classmates and your school?

I am perfectly happy with the communication between me and my classmates.