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SAMUEL GILBERT PUBLIC SCHOOL
COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER
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PRINCIPAL’S REPORT
P&C Association: The meeting on Tuesday night saw the Executive elected for 2007. I would like to extend my thanks to all those who attended the meeting and particularly to those who took on the leadership roles. Mrs Lynnea McGowan was returned as President with Mr Alec Latham and Mrs Tracy Imber filling the Vice President positions. Mrs Miranda Ransome was returned as Secretary. The six executive members elected were Mr Frank Walter, Mrs Jenny McNaughton, Mrs Wendy Speechly, Mrs Jackie Coleman, Mrs Kristen Parle and Mrs Emma Brock.
The vital position of Treasurer remains unfilled and if you have skills in this area and would be interested in helping we would love to hear from you.
Your P&C represents the interests of all parents and organises fundraising so that the school is continually able to improve the facilities and resources our students enjoy. I hope that you will again support all the activities organised by them during 2007.
Traffic Issues: The movement of traffic around the school remains an issue of great concern. Once again I would urge all parents to use the ‘Kiss and Drop” zone correctly and ensure its smooth operation. If you arrive and your child is not waiting please do not just stop your car and wait for them. It creates traffic chaos along Ridgecrop Drive. The rule is that if you arrive and your child is not there please do a loop of Ridgecrop Drive and come back five minutes later when in most cases the child will be waiting and ready to be picked up. An even better idea would be to wait further down Ridgecrop Drive until around 3.05pm and then drive up to the zone. Often children don’t get down to the zone until that time. Consideration of other parents will definitely help this situation.
Staff Carpark: A reminder that band parents are not permitted to enter the car park to drop off students in the morning. Please do the right thing and ensure the safety of all our students.
Invoices: Invoices were sent out to all parents in week 4. It would be appreciated if parents would settle these accounts as soon as possible. Many thanks to all those parents who have already paid.
Excursion Refunds: The school readily refunds excursion costs where students are not able to attend. However I would like to clarify the amount of refund that can be given. The cost of an excursion typically takes in the cost of buses based on the number of students attending. This amount has to be paid regardless of the number of students who actually attend on the day. Therefore the transport component of the excursion cost will not be refunded as it had to be paid to the bus company. Costs of admission etc. will be refunded. I hope this clarifies this matter.
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DEPUTY PRINCIPAL’S REPORT
Sing NSW 2007
If your child loves to sing you may like to consider SING NSW which is a choral music program for all NSW government schools. SING NSW membership is open to all government students in Years 5 - 12. The closest local choir is Hornsby which meets at Beecroft Public School Hall. Weekly rehearsals occur on Mondays at 4:30- 6:00 p.m.
Year 7 2008 Expression of Interest Forms
Students in Year 6 will bring home their expression of interest forms next week. Forms need to be returned to the class teacher no later than 30 th March. Forms must be returned even if your child will not be attending a departmental secondary school. If you have any questions about the forms please speak to your child’s teacher or feel free to phone me.
Gifted Students Holiday Workshops
The NSW Association for Gifted and Talented Children is running workshops at Hilltop Road Public School Merrylands on Thursday 12 th and Friday 13 th April 2007. Flyers are available from the office if you are interested.
Clean Up Australia Day
Congratulations to all the students and teachers who participated so enthusiastically in our Clean Up Day last Friday. The school playground is certainly looking better. A big thank you to Ms Mannile for her coordination of the event.
Life Education Timetable
Unfortunately due to an equipment loss Life Education will now commence on Wednesday, 14 th March. If you wish to purchase merchandise the order needs to be sent to school in a clearly marked envelope the day of your child’s lesson.
International Women’s Day
We celebrated International Women’s Day (8 th March) with a Creative Arts Competition where students were asked to draw or create a collage of a famous woman. The entries were quite spectacular and a number of them will be on display outside the staffroom. Congratulations to the winners. Thank you to Mrs Nelson who coordinated the competition.
Mary-Anne Martin
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NEWS FROM THE LIBRARY
Premier’s Reading Challenge
By now you should have received a detailed note, commitment form and reading log for the challenge. Your child should begin borrowing the appropriate books from the library. I will do my best to guide them and encourage them to be successful. Students are able to read up into the next level if they are competent readers.
Thanks to the parents who have volunteered to do data entry.
Working Bee
To keep our shelves for the challenge up to date there will be a working bee in the library on
Thursday morning 22 nd March. Tea and coffee provided. Come in, have a chat with some other parents and get to know each other and the library. We will start after morning assembly.
Book Club
Due Friday 16 th March.
“Lucky Book Club” box in the front foyer of the school office.
Jenny Craft
Teacher Librarian
SPORTS REPORT
Hills Swim Club Carnival
Saturday, 3 rd March, 2007 saw some of our children turn up to swim for their school against both private and state schools in the Hills District.
With our own school carnival so late this year it was an opportunity to gain a little extra experience in racing for the novice swimmer and an extra practice against a wider field for more able swimmers. Results saw the boys come 4 th and the girls managed to bring home the trophy with a record winning score. Congratulations to all children for their enthusiasm and thank you to Ms Barclay for her assistance with supervision on the night.
PSSA
Congratulations to all children who have been selected in our summer PSSA teams. This involves Snr Boys and Girls Softball, Snr Girls and Jnr Boys T-Ball, two Jnr Girls T-Ball teams, Snr and Jnr Cricket, Snr and Jnr Touch Football and Open Boys and Girls Basketball teams. A total of 140 children in Years 4 to 6 participate in the competition in the Castle Hill Zone PSSA each Friday morning.
The summer season will cease after Week 8, Term 1 and recommence Week 1, Term 4. We wish all players well and ask that you remind your child from time to time of the Players Code of Conduct they have agreed to.
Please note the change of policy this year towards school equipment/sporting uniform borrowed. There is no $20 deposit collected as in previous years. Children will be issued with the equipment/sporting uniform for the season and parents will be billed for the full cost of replacing the equipment/sports uniform NOT returned in a reasonable condition at the end of the season. Special school uniforms e.g. Softball pants, Touch shirts (summer), rugby, soccer, AFL jerseys (winter) are for playing in only. Normal sports uniform is to be worn to and from the game.
Zone & Area Selection
Congratulations to the children who have been selected in Sydney West Area teams in the following sports. Tennis, Cricket, Castle Hill Zone Basketball and Soccer. These children will participate at an Area Carnival for selection at Sydney West Area level. We wish them well.
School Sport
Thirty-five children have taken on the challenge of learning TaeKwonDo. This program provides excellent physical skills as well as teaching respect and discipline techniques.
Junior grades all have their skill based sessions up and running and it is encouraging to see many children borrowing equipment and being active participants in the playground at lunchtime.
School Swimming Carnival
A huge thank you to all parents and grandparents who helped provide another excellent opportunity for 328 of our children on Wednesday. As our enrolment decreases so does the availability of staff so without this support we would not be able to run such an efficient carnival and provide opportunities for the variety of skill levels in this sport.
To the teachers in Years 3 to 6 plus Mr Yendle and Mrs Eldridge who worked tirelessly throughout the day. Some doing the job of two or three positions. The pool management summed it up by saying ‘You were the hardest working teachers they had seen in 36 carnivals so far this year’. A great job! Thank you.
A School Swimming Team has been selected and I would ask that your child return permission notes promptly if they are involved. The Zone Carnival (Castle Hill) will be held at Waves Swimming Centre next Wednesday, 14 th March and the finals on Thursday night of 15 th March. Reserves will only attend if swimmer one or two is unable. Reserves will be notified if required.
Congratulations to Koonaka House for winning this year’s carnival and to all children who participated. Ribbons for 1 st, 2 nd and 3 rd places will be handed out next week on morning assemblies. Please ensure your child is on time for assembly.
Mini Golf Course
No, this is not a forgotten project! Now that we have our security fence erected I would very much like to see this facility set up for our students this year. Any parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles with expertise in the building, construction or landscaping industries and would be willing to assist or help out would you please contact me to discuss ideas. I have a limited budget but I am sure with many willing hands and a few weekends we could conquer this project with true community spirit.
My apologies to the parent who volunteered their sister who is a landscape gardener (two years ago) when I put out my last plea, I have misplaced your name and number. If your offer still stands would you please contact me.
Golf
Opportunities exist in the PSSA structure for primary students who play golf outside school to participate at an Area and State level. However, they do need to be a member of a club and have a handicap. If there is any child who has a handicap and would like to pursue this avenue please see me for more details.
Once again you can see we are off to an excellent start in sporting opportunities for our children.
Elaine Cater, Sports Coordinator
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P & C REPORT
Well, our AGM was held on Tuesday night – and a somewhat impassioned night it turned out to be. Our new Committee was nominated and I’m happy to announce the following appointments -
President: Lynnea McGowan
Vice Presidents: Tracy Imber / Alex Latham
Treasurer: Vacant Position
Secretary: Miranda Ramsome
Executive Members: Frank Walter,
Jackie Coleman, Kristen Parle,
Jenny McNaughton,
Wendy Speechly, Emma Brock
Many thanks to everyone who came forward to fill these positions. It can be a very rewarding and very interesting job and it’s fantastic to have so many new parents on board this year.
We are yet to fill the position of Treasurer. Stuart Johnson has assured me it’s not a hard role to fill and on average will take about ½ hour per week of your time. There are plenty of helpers to get you off and running so if you think you can fill this role and join the Committee, please contact myself lmcgowan@bigpond.com or drop a note in at the office. Of course if you have any questions or would like more information please forward those as well.
This year we have also appointed YEAR LEADERS. This role is to rally together parents from each grade to help at our fundraising events. By doing this we can spread the workload with minimal time commitment from the parents. As they say “many hands make light work”. I have listed below the Leaders for each year and would like to ask for 2 willing parents to fill the positions for Years 5 and 3. Again not a hard job just requires someone who is very social and knows the parents in their child’s year. If you can fill these positions please let me or the office know.
Kindergarten Bronwyn Rudolph
Year 1 Jackie Coleman & Emma Brock
Year 2 Tracy Imber
Year 3 Vacant
Year 4 Michelle Dritmanis
Year 5 Vacant
Year 6 Jo Fudger
Following on from this, our first fundraising was too good an opportunity to miss. With the upcoming election on Saturday, March 24, and with the school being a voting post – we will be running a BBQ through to early afternoon. By using parents from each grade we only need 6 parents from each grade who are able to commit 1 hour of their Saturday. If you think you’re able to spare 1 hour (keeping in mind we will all have to vote at some stage during the day) please see your Year Leader. Again with each grade participating and by spreading the load we only have to ask for 1 hour of your time. There will be a note coming out next week with further information.
Lastly, having had such a successful year last year and a good stash in the kitty, I think everyone is fundraised out. So we will be keeping it to a minimum this year. The planned events are basically events for the sake of the kids which they get to really enjoy.
Those being:
- Entertainment Books - A good money saver for all families.
- Mothers Day Stall
- Fathers Day Stall
- Chocolate Drive
- School Fete
Please keep these in mind. Of course none of these will be possible again without volunteers so please, if you think you can help or would like to run any of these events, please let me know.
I’m looking forward to another successful year – we have a fantastic P&C – and provide more resources for our school and most others.
Lynnea McGowan
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BAND REPORT
After our successful band Annual General Meeting we have a great committee to take on our music program for 2007. We still have some of our existing committee staying on but we also welcome many new faces on board. It promises to be another good year and a pleasure to work with such a great committee.
Our Term 1 Band Workshop is currently being planned. It is on Friday, 23 rd March after school and will be for the Training and Concert Bands. Notes will be coming out soon with precise details. We will be looking for some parent helpers to serve afternoon tea to our band members as they finish school. The workshop concludes at 5.30pm.
Our band masters have asked me to mention that it is expected that the children arrive at 7.30am for their rehearsals. It is very disruptive if children wander in at 8.00am and start setting up their instruments. The whole band rehearsal is interrupted. Please make every effort to arrive on time. Of course there may be the occasional morning disaster, but it shouldn’t be happening every morning!
Another reminder not to use the staff car park as a drop off point please.
Our new Treasurer will be sending out invoices soon which will then be able to be paid.
The next Band Meeting will be Thursday, 15 th March at 8.00pm in the Staffroom.
Many thanks,
Sue Lack, Band Committee
FROM THE UNIFORM SHOP
The Uniform Shop will not be taking any more second hand items as we are overstocked. I will let you know when more space becomes available.
Please note the Uniform Shop will not be open on Monday, 19 th March but will open on Tuesday, 20 th March instead.
Karen Pike, Uniform Coordinator
SAMUEL GILBERT OOSHCC
Vacation care is running at OOSH this April school holidays for the full 2 weeks from Tuesday, 10 th April to Friday, 20 th April and includes excursions and in house activities.
We are looking for staff/uni students . We have a couple of openings for casual positions.
Criteria:
- You enjoy working with children
- first aid desirable or willing to obtain
- previous experience working with 5-12 year olds, youth group/church leaders, sports coaches
- studying teaching, early childhood, psychology.
Please contact the Centre on phone/fax 9899 2729 or email sgoosh@bigpond.net.au
Lesley Soper
OF COMMUNITY INTEREST
. Castle Hill United Soccer is looking for girls aged 9-12 years interested in playing Soccer this winter. For more information please contact Ian Patchet on 0419 448 783 or 9899 6354.
. Southern Cross Cultural Exchange needs warm hearted families now for students arriving in July from Italy, Germany, Scandinavia and Brazil. These students become a part of your family including doing chores and joining in the fun! Hosting is voluntary, students bring their own spending money. For more information please phone 1800 500 510.
. Strikers Hockey Club can provide you with the opportunity to play in a school girls competition that caters for beginners through to experienced players. Training is at Alfred Whaling Park and games are at the same venue in North Parramatta on Saturday mornings. For more information please call 0407 201 700 or www.strikerswhc.com to register.
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