26 October 2023
From the Principal
Welcome back to Term 4! We hope you enjoyed school holidays and are ready for another exciting term. We’ve had a very settled and positive start to our new term with some exciting changes that have occurred over the holidays. Our school environment looks absolutely fantastic, and we look forward for further changes as the projects are completed. I would like to acknowledge many of our hard working and committed teaching and non-teaching staff that have spent many days during the holidays preparing our school to start the term.
- Our library has had a complete refurbishment, transforming it in to a modern, bright and functional learning space.
- The flooring in Kinder/LiL block has been replaced, with the bag lockers being relocated to open up the rooms, enabling more sunlight.
- Our front entrance project has commenced with ongoing work to change the layout and front facade of our school.
- The seating in our Prep/1 area has been replaced, with this continuing throughout the whole school environment in coming weeks.
I invite you to have a look at our spaces when you have a chance!
Our School Environment Upgrades
End of Year Dates and Events
Term 4 brings much excitement as we progress towards the end of another school year. Please be aware that we have a number of whole school, class and small group activities happening both at school and in other locations. Many of the dates can be found below in Dates to Remember. Please ensure you are aware of the upcoming events and activities, as more are added, these will also be shared on Facebook and SeeSaw where appropriate. If you have any questions about these, please make contact with us at school.
School Satisfaction Surveys
Thank you to our 50 families who completed our satisfaction survey towards the end of term 3. We are thrilled to receive the results late last week. The results indicate a significant upwards trend in all areas, our school in now above the state average score in all areas.
Our School Satisfaction News
2024 Class Structures and Placements
Planning for 2024 is underway, at this stage I am confident our class structure will stay the same as 2023, with potentially a seconde Kinder class. This will mean we have 10 classes Kindergarten-Grade 6 where we will continue to provide safe and supportive learning environments where all students can reach their full potential.
The model we have developed to best meet student needs across our school and enable small class sizes. We take the process of student placements very seriously and ask that our school community understand that this can be a complex process. This model keeps our class sizes as low and as equitable as possible, provides opportunities for students to be split where necessary and allows for future enrolments to be managed successfully.
We are unable to accommodate all personal placement requests from parents and carers, as this will not support what is best for all students. Our amazing teachers know all of our children very well, including their learning, emotional and social needs. If you have specific requests regarding friendships and/or separations, please speak with class teachers or make an appointment at the office to speak with a leadership team member.
Student Attendance – Everyday Matters
Our priority continues to be focused on increasing and maintaining regular attendance at Hillcrest PS. We all want the best for our children – for their futures to be as bright as possible. Showing up every day to school really matters. It gives your child every chance to learn, grow and find their interests.
This last stretch of the school year can sometimes be tricky. Keep it up, because each day is another chance to:
- be around friends
- learn new things
- find interests
- create dream futures (whatever that may be!).
If you’re looking for tips on how to create better attendance habits, visit the Anything can happen website.
Please always talk to us if you’re having trouble getting your child to school. We’re here to help.
I would like to acknowledge Mr Lane, our leadership team and whole staff team who lead our school during my three weeks of Long Service Leave. I was pleased knowing our school was in very capable hands to ensure a smooth and successful end of Term 3.
If you have anything you wish to discuss in relation to your child’s wellbeing, I invite you to please feel free to speak in person, call the school office to speak over the phone or make an appointment to see me.
In partnership,
Georgia
Dates to Remember
October
Friday 27 | Kindergarten Open Day 1:30-2:45pm |
Tuesday 31 | Kindergarten Excursion – Wilmot Farm |
November
Wednesday 1 | Year 6 Taster Day Reece High School |
Thursday 2 | School Walkathon & Sausage Sizzle |
Friday 3 | Professional Learning Day - Students Do Not Attend |
Monday 6 | Public Holiday - Students Do Not Attend - SCHOOL CLOSED |
Thursday 9 | School Athletics Carnival |
Friday 10 | Readers Cup |
Monday 13 | Year 3/4 Sports Expo |
Thursday 16 | Silent Disco |
Friday 17 | Mid-Term Assembly 9:15am - 5-6R & 1-2 Sims Sharing |
Wednesday 22 | Children’s University Graduation – Paranaple Centre |
Thursday 23 | All Schools Triathlon |
Monday 27-30 | Early Childhood Swimming – Prep – Year 2 |
December
Friday 1 | Devonport Show Day - Students Do Not Attend - SCHOOL CLOSED |
Wednesday 6 | Whole School Celebration Concert – 11am-12:30pm Don Centre |
Friday 8 | Grade 6 Orientation Day Reece High School |
Monday 11 | Kinder information Evening – 7:00pm |
Wednesday 13 | 3-4 Excursion - Hive |
Thursday 14 | Whole School Celebration Assembly - 9:15am |
Thursday 14 | Reports Go Home |
Monday 18 | Year 6 Big Day out & Dinner |
Tuesday 19 | Year 6 Celebration Assembly – 13:15pm |
Thursday 21 | End of Year Picnic – Ulverstone Beach & Waterslide |
Thursday 21 | Last Day for Students |
Friday 22 | Last Day for Staff - - Students Do Not Attend |
Hilly Kids Are Friendly Kids
Our current Hilly Kids focus topic is Collaboration. Our next focus topic will be Sharing.
Sharing
If you want people to share with you then you should share with them. It makes you feel good and them feel good too.
People like to play with others who share. It doubles the fun. Playing football by yourself is not as much fun as playing with others.
Things to share: your toys, your games, your football, your time, your love and your feelings.
Great ways to share a toy:
- Share with someone who will enjoy it
- Look after it
- Take turns with the toy
- If there’s a problem, work it out together
- Give it back at the end of the game to the owner
- Have fun together
Life is lonely all by yourself so share it with someone!
Our Hilly Kid for the ‘Problem Solving’ topic was Axel in 1-2Sh, Congratulations!
Well done to our other class representatives:
Wk 9/10 | Problem Solving |
P-1B | Tyson |
P-1L | Shelby |
1-2Sh | Axel Hilly Kid |
1-2Si | Jake |
3-4P | Zavier |
3-4W | Sienna |
5-6K | Mia |
5-6P | Amelia |
What’s Happening in 3/4 Wotherspoon?
We have been working on writing narratives in 3/4W. The children came up with their own ideas, including characters, setting, plot and resolution. The next step was to write a draft copy and edit their story. The final step was to type their story and make it into a book with illustrations. When everyone has finished their book, we are hoping to read them to some younger students in our school.
Kinder Open Day 2023
Come and join us this Friday!
Pre-Kinder Term 4
Walkathon
Our Walkathon is back and will be held on Thursday, November 2. It is a whole school walking event and one of the many ways we encourage Hilly Kids to lead active lives.
Families are invited to enjoy the walk with their child’s class and join us in promoting the idea of having fun through being active. If you are planning to join the Walkathon, please let your child’s teacher know.
On the day students will need to wear their school uniform or sports uniform, hat and shoes suitable for walking. Remember to send your child with a water bottle too!
Don’t forget to keep getting your sponsors for the walk and remember to get your form in for the sausage sizzle lunch by Tuesday, October 31. There will be no other lunch orders on the walkathon day, however, the canteen will be open for snack items at recess and lunch.
Christmas Raffle
Ticket books for our Christmas Raffle were sent home with students earlier this week. Please sell them to family and friends and return the stubs with the money in sealed envelope to the school office by Friday, December 8. There are fabulous prizes to be won generously donated by our wonderful school community.
The raffle will be drawn Wednesday, December 13. There are extra raffle books available from the school office. Please return books before requesting new ones.
Hillcrest Tuckerbox
Halloween is on October 31 but the Tuckerbox will celebrate a little earlier by selling spooky, scary inspired treats this Friday October 27. Just for fun we will have Little Cakes of Horror and Spooky Jelly for 70c each. These treats will be available at recess and after lunch. The lunch order menu will be as usual.
Tuckerbox Tips
What are ‘everyday’ foods?
Food from the five food groups are called ‘everyday’ foods.
The five food groups include:
- Vegetables
- Fruit
- Grain foods
- Lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, beans
- Milk, yoghurt, cheese
What are ‘sometimes’ foods and drinks?
‘Sometimes’ foods don’t fit into the five food groups.
These foods and drinks are not a good source of nutrition. They are high in saturated fats, sugar and salt and should only be eaten ‘sometimes’ and in small amounts.
Examples of ‘sometimes’ foods and drinks include:
- Chocolate
- Lollies
- Sweet biscuits
- Fried foods
- Fast foods
- Takeaway food
- Cakes & ice-cream
- Soft drinks
- Cordial
- Sports and energy drinks.
Lyn Aherne – Canteen Supervisor
Move Well Eat Well
Did you know:
- The original carrots were purple and yellow not orange.
- Lemons contain more sugar than strawberries.
- Pineapple plants can take two to three years to produce fruit.
- Cucumbers are 95% water.
- Lemon’s float but limes sink
- Watermelons and bananas are berries, but strawberries are not.
MWEW Team