|
SAMUEL GILBERT PUBLIC SCHOOL
COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER
|
October, 2007 |
|
Issue No. 16 |
ENROLLING NOW FOR KINDERGARTEN 2008 |
PRINCIPAL’S REPORT
STRANGER DANGER: Alert to All Parents.
The school received information yesterday of 2 students being approached at West Pymble Public School as they walked to school. The man was driving a white van with two windows at the side. He was tallish, had long grey hair and a goatee. It is timely to again talk to your children about their safety while moving about in the community and to review your arrangements for their travel to and from school. Student safety is a concern for all of us.
Welcome back to Term 4, which promises to be a very busy and exciting term. By the time you read this newsletter Year 1 will have been on their Airport Excursion, Year 6 will have participated in the Drama Linkages Program with Castle Hill High School, our three school bands will have played at the Dural Eisteddfod and the first session of our 2008 Kindergarten Orientation Program will have been held. On Friday the Vocal Ensemble will participate in the Dural Eisteddfod and will again perform in the Celebration Concert at the Town Hall on Sunday. Add to this the special Swimming Scheme which has run over these first two weeks of this term and the Schools Spectacular rehearsals on Monday and yes, this certainly is shaping up to be a busy and exciting term.
Basic Skills Results: The school has received the Basic Skills results and parent result letters will be coming home with all Year 3 and Year 5 students tomorrow. Please check their bags for them if they are not handed to you tomorrow. Results for the school have again been impressive.
P&C Activities: I would like to thank the P&C for the enormous support they have provided during the year and to recognise the funding support which they provided at the last meeting - it was exceptional! Firstly the landscape improvements in the area between the portables, the new line marking on the basketball courts, the funding for 4 portable shade shelters for use by the school during carnivals etc. both at school and away, funds to purchase an additional 4 interactive whiteboards and associated network hardware, funds to raise our school noticeboard as well as to provide additional equipment to support our Science program.
Added to this was a commitment to maintain funding for our Support Teacher position for five days per week in 2008 and a commitment of $20 000 to the library in 2008. The profits from our fete were also made available to construct new play equipment and the school will present a plan to the P&C for its consideration as soon as it is available.The funds allocated were well over $100 000 which will provide fantastic resources which will benefit all our students and families.
Again, a huge thanks to our P&C members and to our parents for supporting their fundraising efforts.
Investing In Our Schools Program: The school has now received the money from this Australian Government Program and we are proceeding with the purchase of additional computers ($26 910) and the construction of the shade shelter COLA ($72 940) over the main quadrangle. The purchase of the new computers will proceed as soon as possible and will go straight into service while the COLA will be built during the Christmas school holidays. All going well it should be in place for the beginning of 2008. Both projects will be great additions to our current resources.
Gordon Fraser, Principal
- 2007 Fete Sponsors -
Top
DEPUTY PRINCIPAL’S REPORT
Sports Photos
Sports photographs will be taken on Monday, 12th November. All students in PSSA sport teams need to wear their sports uniform and bring any sporting equipment they normally use for sport. Photos will also be taken for Public Speaking and Spelling Bee finalists and School Spectacular dancers. They need to wear full school summer uniform. Photos will be displayed for orders later this term.
School Disco
Year 6 will be running another Disco on Friday, 9th November. It will have a beach theme. The session times will be Kinder and Year 1, 5.00-6.15pm; Years 2, 3 and 4, 6.15-7.30pm; and Years 5 and 6, 7.30-9.00pm. Beach theme glow sticks will be on sale at the Disco. These are battery operated. There will be starfish and sharks for $2.00 and a dolphin and dolphin pin for $2.50. Tickets for the Disco will be on sale each morning outside the school office from Monday, 5th November at 8.30am.
Mary-Anne Martin
BACK-TO-SCHOOL ALLOWANCE
The $50 Back-to-School Allowance for every child attending school in New South Wales will be paid by the Department of Education and Training and is designed to help families meet some of the costs of getting their children back to school at the start of the 2008 school year.
To enable the payments to be made, schools have been asked to provide details of family and student names and addresses. The Department proposed to forward the $50 allowance from mid-January 2008 for students in Years 1 to 10 in 2008 and from mid-February 2008 for students in Kindergarten and Years 11 and 12 in 2008. The allowance will be paid to the nominated parent or custodial guardian.
If you have recently changed your address or family details, please contact the school office as soon as possible.
NEWS FROM THE LIBRARY
Book Club
Book Club orders are due Friday, 2nd November.
Please remember to put your child’s name on the order form.
Library Monitors
The following students from Year 4 have been successful applicants for the position of Library Monitor, 2008. They will begin their formal training next week.
Congratulations to -
Jacob, Lachlan, Cuan, Jason, Sam, Sarah, Georgia, Tim, William, Chrissie, Hollie, Rebecca, Merle, Sharni, Rachel.
Jenny Craft
Teacher Librarian
- 2007 Fete Sponsors -
Top
BAND REPORT
This is probably the busiest term for the band program so I encourage all our band families to brace themselves for lots of notes coming home, eisteddfods, auditions and performances.
Our 3 bands have all played this week in the Galston District Music Festival. We look forward to hearing of their results. They were sounding fantastic in rehearsals. Good luck!
Next week on Friday, 2nd November the Training and Performance Bands are having a workshop directly after school with a yummy afternoon tea included! They will be joined at 5.30pm by the Concert Bank members, as well as all the families (parents and siblings) of all 3 bands for a band sausage sizzle. This is a great opportunity to chat to other families who are also part of the Samuel Gilbert Public School Band Program.
At 6.30pm we will be joined by our prospective band members for 2008 and their families for our end of year concert. It is always so special to hear how the bands have progressed over the year and to be reminded that our Training Band musicians had never picked up an instrument before this year! Information packs will be given out to those who are keen to join the Training Band 2008 and they will be invited to try out for different instruments from Week 4.
Auditions for those members of the Concert Band who would like to be considered for the Performance Band will take place from Week 5. Notes for Performance Band applications have been distributed to all Concert Band members.
Finally the Concert Band will be playing at Karonga Special School on Thursday, 8th November. This is a wonderful opportunity to bring music and joy to these children.
Please don’t forget to bring your music and instrument this day as it is a non band morning and could easily be left at home.
Good luck to all our musicians who are currently sitting for AMEB exams. Please let me know your results via the band box so I can acknowledge your achievements in the newsletter.
Thank you for all the continuing support of the band program by our dedicated musicians and parents.
The next Band meeting will be Thursday, 8th November at 8.00pm in the staffroom.
Sue Lack, Band Committee
FROM THE UNIFORM SHOP
Second Hand Uniforms
There will be a change to second hand uniform sales as from December, 2007. The Uniform Shop will cease selling second hand items on consignment. The shop will accept items on consignment until November. Cheques for owners will be made out in December. Any unsold consigned items must then be collected by 27th November. From December all second hand items remaining in the shop will then be sold as a donation to the school. This means that from December all second hand clothing will be donated to the shop with the funds going directly to the P&C.
Being able to buy good quality second hand items is important to many families so please continue to send these items into the shop.
Uniform Pricing
As the school uniform is currently under review, the P&C have nominated the following items to be discounted to cost or below cost to clear stocks.
- Skivvies $5 (only sizes in stock 4, 10, 12, 14 & 16)
- Girls winter blouses $24
- Girls winter tunics $40
- Tracksuit pants $15
Karen Pike
Volunteer Uniform Shop Coordinator
- 2007 Fete Sponsors -
Top
OF COMMUNITY INTEREST
. Winston Hills Netball Club is taking registrations for the 2008 season for new and existing players turning 7, 8 or 9 in 2008. They will be holding a Netball Clinic on Wednesday, 31st October and 7th November. Existing members are free and non-members $10. Time – 4.30 to 5.30pm at the Gooden Reserve Netball Courts at Baulkham Hills. For more information please contact Carol on 9624 1767 or Lynda on 9688 7196.
. Baulkham Hills Sports Club is taking Netball registrations for the 2008 season for girls turning 5 years and over in 2008. Grades range from A Grade through to beginners. For registration and information please ring Jeanette on 9636 8842.
. Joeys, Cubs and Scouts - would your child, boy or girl, like to have fun while involved in a variety of outdoor activities including camping hiking and canoeing? Your local Scout is currently enrolling new Joeys, Cubs and Scouts aged between 6 and 14. For more information call Jan Carter on 9639 2488 for your closest group and meeting night.
. The Hills Family Centre at Wesley is holding a fundraising Garage Sale on Friday, 26th October from 1.30-4.00pm and Saturday, 27th October from 7.30am-1.30pm in the Church grounds at 32 Showground Road, Castle Hill. There will be many stalls for everyone.
. HAROLD NEEDS YOU!
Shopping Centre Coordinator – Life Education
Life Education, with the aid of our loveable mascot Health Harold, has been helping to protect children from the dangers of drugs for nearly 30 years. Now we need YOUR help.
Over the next few weeks, we are launching an exciting new fundraising and education program in shopping centres throughout Sydney. If you care about the health and well being of Aussie kids, and have great communication skills, we want to talk to you about joining our Keep Aussie Kids Safe team. Success in the role will give you the option of longer-term work. Hours can be structured to suit your needs.
Applicants must have excellent people skills and empathy with our cause of drug prevention. Send resume ASAP to cmclean@lifeeducation.org.au or telephone Craig McLean (NSW Manager, Keep Aussie Kids Safe) on 0409 832 983.
- 2007 Fete Sponsors -
Top
