YAS-News Term 1 Week 3 2024
A Note from The Principal
Welcome back to another exciting year here at Yankalilla Area School. We are delighted to have 11 new staff join our school family this year which is super exciting. Both my husband John and myself will be retiring on the last day of this term and we have been allocated some time during the end of term whole school celebration on the last day of term to say good bye and thankyou to everyone for the wonderful experience we have both enjoyed. Further information regarding this event will follow shortly. Ms Haley Przibillia will be continuing as Deputy for term one and then will take up the position of Acting Principal until the end of the year when the Principal position will be advertised.
Our new staff are:
- Belinda McEvoy – Senior Leader SACE and VET
- Caleb Macrow – Senior Well-being Leader R-12
- Holly Loxton – Junior Primary Teacher
- Kelsey Mitchell – Specialist Primary Teacher
- Marc Mullette – Middle School Teacher
- Chrystal Stewart – Primary Teacher
- Bella Briggs- Primary Teacher
- David Todd – Upper Primary Teacher
- Richard McEvoy – Groundsman
- Aiden Cain – SSO
- Caelan Ramsay – ICT support
It was so lovely seeing so many parents and families at our acquaintance night on Wednesday. It was such a great opportunity for you to meet your children’s teachers, learn a little about the curriculum and seek answers for any questions you may have had. The weather was amazing and the sausages even better. Thanks to all our staff who made this such a special occasion and for all your work making our classrooms sparkle and shine.
Stay connected with us through our various communication channels, including newsletters, emails, our school website, Facebook and direct classroom apps. These resources will keep you informed and our school happenings, announcements and important updates.
Together we can make this year filed with growth, learning and success for all our students.
Christine Bell
A Note from the Pastoral Care Worker
Welcome back to school for 2024.
We have many new families at YAS. My name is Wendy Lindsay. I am the Pastoral Care Worker (Chaplain) at the school. I look forward to catching up with you and your children over the coming weeks. I am at school Mon/Tues/Wed/Fri. If there is anything I can support you with, please chat with the Front Office and they will let me know to give you a call.
At Breakfast Club on Monday, we acknowledged Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday) a day early.
The tradition of cooking pancakes on this particular day is traced back in Christian religion, but to many it's a non-denominational cultural custom.
What is Shrove Tuesday?
It's the day before Lent, which is the 40-days before Easter. The idea symbolises enjoying all the yummy stuff like butter, sugar and eggs, with pancakes being a good way to use them up, and celebrate with friends and family, before a time of fasting, in the lead up to the Easter celebration.
The date of Easter changes from year to year depending on the phase of the Moon, so the date for Shrove Tuesday changes too.
This year: Good Friday is March 29th /Holy Saturday: March 30th /Easter Sunday: April 1st
Kind Regards,
Wendy Lindsay
Our Wellbeing Leader
Dear Yankalilla Area School Parents and Guardians,
My name is Caleb Macrow and I am delighted to introduce myself as the Wellbeing Leader at Yankalilla Area School.
As Wellbeing Leader, my primary focus is to foster an environment where every student can thrive academically, emotionally, and socially. In the coming months, I look forward to meeting each of you and collaborating to strengthen the wellbeing initiatives at Yankalilla Area School. Together, we can create an environment where every student feels supported, heard, and empowered to succeed.
I am excited to share with you some key areas of responsibility that I will be overseeing to ensure the holistic development and wellbeing of our students, including
- Attendance Improvement (R-12): Regular attendance is fundamental to a student's success and our dedicated team is committed to promoting a positive attendance culture. We will be working collaboratively with parents, teachers, and community stakeholders to identify and address any barriers that may impact attendance. Our goal is to create an inclusive and supportive environment that encourages regular school attendance, laying the foundation for academic achievement.
- Student Voice/Agency: We strongly believe in the importance of amplifying the voices of our students. Through various initiatives and forums, we will be actively seeking input from students to ensure that their perspectives, ideas and concerns are heard and valued. This commitment to student agency empowers our young learners to actively participate in shaping their educational experience and fosters a sense of ownership in their learning journey.
- Flexible Learning Options (FLO) and Coastal Programs: Our commitment to meeting the diverse needs of every student is reflected in our Flexible Learning Options (FLO) and Coastal Programs. These initiatives are designed to provide tailored support to students in senior year levels who may face unique challenges. By collaborating closely with teachers, parents, and external partners, we aim to create personalised learning pathways that empower every student to reach their full potential.
- Leadership of the Wellbeing Hub: Our school sees wellbeing as an integral part of our students’ learning experience and aims to foster and develop a community where students can connect, belong and grow with pride. The Wellbeing Hub consists of individual 1:1 office spaces where students can confidentiality explore issues in a private setting with a member of our dedicated counselling team.
If you have any questions, concerns, or ideas you would like to share, please feel free to reach out. Your partnership is essential in creating a positive and thriving community for our students.
Warm regards,
Caleb Macrow
