Natanya Milner – Head of Primary School

Colleen Elkins

This week we farewelled Colleen Elkins after over a decade of commitment to Emanuel School. It has been a privilege to work with Colleen and witness her success in numerous different roles. She has been a classroom teacher, an OC teacher, our Gifted and Talented Coordinator and our Chess Co-ordinator. Colleen’s passion for education and extension provisions as well as her care for the students, staff and our community have been so appreciated. I am also grateful to her for her contributions to the Primary School executive and to the Emanuel staff in general. We will miss Colleen and wish her all the very best for the future. 

Carrie Thomas

I am thrilled to announce that Carrie Thomas has been appointed into the position of Acting Deputy Head of Primary when Meghan Carroll heads off on maternity leave later this year. I would like to congratulate Carrie on the appointment and wish her all the best for what I know will be a wonderful year ahead. 

Science Week

Science is so exciting!

This week we have held many fabulous activities to celebrate Science Week. I hope the children enjoyed these activities and are feeling enthusiastic about all the exciting wonderings and opportunities in Science. I would like to thank Carrie Thomas for her hard work to organise and run the sessions.

Book Week

We are excited that next week is Book Week. You will notice some special Book Week additions dotted throughout the week. Look out on the Stile pages for some book readings from different staff members. There will also be library lessons offered on Thursday (which is the PTN day). In advance, I would like to thank our fabulous Teacher Librarian, Sam Rogut, for her efforts to create a special Book Week for us.

Parent Teacher Interviews

Our Semester 2, K-6 Parent Teacher Interviews will take place via Zoom on Thursday 26 August 2021 from 9.30 am – 7.30 pm. This semester, parents with children in Years K-2 will have the chance to book specialist teachers. Meeting times for class teachers is 10 minutes and meeting times for specialist teachers is five minutes. You should have received information about how to book your sessions. If you haven’t received this or if you have any questions, please contact Shelley Ezekiel. 

Reminder for Wednesday 15 September 2021

As communicated by Mr Watt, we need to change our plans slightly for the end of term. Unfortunately, one of the courses booked for staff has changed structure and requires different times than originally planned. Because of this, we have decided to close on Wednesday 15 September 2021 so that staff can attend this course. School was to conclude at 1.10 pm for Kol Nidrei, but will now be a day free of online learning for students. We hope that parents will be pleased to have the time to prepare for Yom Kippur with your children rather than managing remote learning for the morning.

Simple Strategies to Support Home Learning

Dr Kristy Goodwin is a cyber specialist who has worked closely with Emanuel School and our community over the years to advise on our cyber practices and policies and to present numerous parent evenings. Dr Goodwin has recently produced an excellent publication entitled, ‘Simple Strategies to Support Your Kids’ and Teens’ Remote Learning’. I encourage you to read the full article but some important takeaways include:

• Work in ‘sprints’ and not ‘marathons’: Kristy outlines that young students cannot concentrate effectively for long periods online and that multiple breaks are necessary to maximise learning.
• Disable digital distractions: turning off alerts and notifications can help maintain focus. It is also helpful to keep distractions (such as phones and gaming consoles) away during learning time. Even reducing the number of tabs/windows open can limit distractions.
• Good breaks have 3 MAC elements: Movement, Autonomy and Connection. Supporting children to get exercise, make positive choices and stay in touch with family and friends are all helpful elements for success.
• Good ergonomics and posture support the longevity of working comfortably. Considering everything from noise, lighting, seating and desk height can all help.
• Consider screen limits and internet filtering. Dr Goodwin recommends strong parental controls over all internet connected devices at home. She also recommends minimising social media and screen use at night and avoiding using screen time as a reward or punishment tool.