16 February 2017

Newsletter Articles

Dates to Remember

February

March

April

From the Principal

It has been a very settled start to term and I have enjoyed catching up with many families. We have some familiar faces and also some new ones!

Welcome to our new teaching staff – Kimberley Parker who is teaching on P/1 and also Melissa Berwick, who is also teaching on a P/1. Welcome back to Nina Eberhardt, who is team teaching with Melissa, and Anna Easther, who is our Arts teacher this year.

The Fair Committee is busy finalising details for our upcoming Fair on March 3rd. Classes will be running various activities at the fair, so if you are able to lend a hand or donate goods, it would be very much appreciated. Please contact the office if you have any questions regarding the Fair.

As mentioned in last week’s newsletter, I will be heading to Japan next week. Prue Bezemer will be filling in for me, in my absence. I am very excited about my trip and will share some photos and stories on my return. I will be back at school on the 27th February.

Jerome Pape - Principal

Sun Safe Hat Policy

Please remember that our Sun-Safe Hat Policy is in place during term 1. Students must wear a school hat anytime they are outside during recess and lunch. If they do not have a hat, they will be asked to sit in a designated area out of the sun.

2017 Calendar

There are still some calendars to be collected from the office. If you did not collect your calendar with your child’s artwork at the end of last year please do so as soon as possible.

School Twilight Fair – Mar 3 @ 4pm

Our Twilight Fair is getting close now and we still need volunteers to man a shift at the various stalls. Please see your child’s teacher or the office and put your name down if you can help for a short time. We don’t want to take you away from the fun of the fair for too long!

If you can make any donations, especially items for the plants, produce and craft stalls, they can be left at the front office.

2-3Peace will be selling baked goods. If you can, cakes or slices for the cake stall on the day would be appreciated. Please note they will need a sticker with a list of ingredients and when baked. Stickers can be collected from the classroom or office.

You may prefer to donate ingredients for cooking before the fair such as SR flour, coconut, eggs, sugar, brown sugar, chocolate chips or mini m&ms. Please bring or send any donations to 2-3P or the office.

HPSCA Fair Committee

Assembly Friday – 1:45pm

Our next assembly will be on Friday, February 24th at 1.45pm. 5/6F will be hosting and P/1BE and 1/2B will be sharing work. 3/4D will present the following week’s HKFK focus topic.

Hilly Kids Are Friendly Kids

Our HKFK focus for this week has been ‘Smile’. This is a simple act which can make a big difference to someone’s day! “Smiling is infectious, you can catch it like the flu. Someone smiled at me today and I started smiling, too!” (Author Unknown).

Next week’s HKFK focus topic will focus on Courtesy by introducing ‘Speaking politely by using please, thank you, sorry and excuse me’.

There are opportunities every day for us all to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’, ‘sorry’ and ‘excuse me’ at home, in the classroom, at the canteen, visiting the office, in the playground and at friends’ homes. There are people who care for us and help us every day and all of them need to be treated courteously.

One great way that we can do this is by saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’, ‘sorry’ and ‘excuse me’. You will be surprised how much people value being spoken to in a polite and courteous manner.

These simple words let people know you do appreciate what they do for you and also let them know that you are courteous and friendly.

In Week 4 our focus topic will be Respecting the Environment. It takes only a few minutes every day to make a positive impact on the environment at school, so what can we do to make a difference?

We live in such a wonderful neighbourhood and state with many great natural features just a short walk or drive from our school: beaches, parks, reserves and wonderful bush areas with birdlife. We need to look after and be responsible for all these great places and show them the respect they deserve, not just for their own sake but because they are important to so many people and will continue to be for many years to come.

Remember to always treat our environment with respect. This can be done in many ways:

• Never leave rubbish around
• Be sensitive to the environment and animals. It is their home we are visiting
• Don’t damage or destroy plants or any features of the natural environment
• Ride, walk or run on pathways

Respecting and caring for the environment will mean it will be there for everyone to appreciate and enjoy for many years.

Reduce, reuse, recycle is another way to show respect for the environment. There are so many actions that can make a difference!

Validation Forms – Please Read!

As we are going through the validation forms that you filled out on book collection day we are noticing that a large number of people did not write in any emergency contacts other than themselves and their partner/spouse. Please note that you must write in your other emergency contacts every year, even if they have not changed. By asking parents to provide new contacts each year we ensure the contacts are current, the numbers are current and we don’t breach anyone’s privacy. If they are not written on the validation form this year, we have to delete them from your child’s emergency contacts. This goes for grandparents, aunties, friends….in fact, anyone who is not written on this year’s validation form. We are not allowed to import old information into the current year.

So, if you think you may have skipped that page and do not want us to delete your other emergency contacts, please come to the school office ASAP and fill that section in.

Also, in a few cases, the person filling out the validation form has crossed off the other parent. Please note that a court order is the only way that a parent can be made inactive unless mutual agreement is provided in writing by both parents.

Launching into Learning

Student Assistance Scheme 2017

2017 STAS application forms for new applicants are available in the school office. If you are on a low income and think you might be eligible please see the office staff soon.

If you received STAS in 2016, you do not need to re-apply as you will have been sent correspondence regarding STAS 2017 directly from the Department. If you are on STAS and have a new child starting school this year please make sure you notify the Financial Assistance Unit. Failure to supply requested information may result in your approval being denied or delayed, in which case you will have to pay the 2017 levies. Please refer to the table below to determine your eligibility. Your income needs to be at or below these thresholds.

3-4 Duff

We are learning how to work as a team in 3-4 Duff.

Ryan and Seth are showing they can stay on task while working together.

4-5 Kelly

In Grade 4/5 K we have had an awesome start to the year. We have been working on setting up our rules, responsibilities and expectations for the year, as well as learning about each other and becoming an effective team….. ”The Kelly Gang!”

This year joining me in our classroom is Miss Burke, and for a few weeks we also have Miss Bannon who is in her 2nd year at UTAS learning to be a teacher.

I asked some of our class members for their thoughts on 4/5 K in 2017, and these were their responses.

Toby – “I want to get better at problem solving in Maths.”
Jordan – “It’s a good class. I’m looking forward to the rest of the year.”
Lillian – “It’s an awesome class and I’m really lucky to be in here.”
Colby – “I’m looking forward to the year because I’m in Mrs Kelly’s class.”
Maya – “I think we’re going to have a good year because I’ve got lots of friends and we’ve got a good teacher.”
Ellie – “I’ve got the best teacher in the school.”
(Disclaimer – no students were paid for their responses!!!!)

Please feel free to drop in and see what we are doing for yourself…or if you are a parent of a student in our class..join with us on Seesaw to keep up to date!

Hillcrest Tuckerbox

If we want our children to enjoy school and perform well, we should ensure that they have plenty of fuel for physical and mental activity. Any teacher will tell you that a hungry child cannot concentrate!

A healthy lunch and snacks are important. A healthy lunch box is one that provides a variety of foods from different food groups. The food groups are: bread & cereals, fruit, vegetables, meat & meat alternatives (eg eggs, baked beans, lentils) and dairy. It has been shown that eating patterns established by the age of 11 or 12 are likely to persist through to the late teens or longer.

• Don’t insist on varying sandwich fillings if your child wants the same one every day...it isn’t the end of the world! Add variety with other lunch food.
• Don’t include sandwich fillings or other foods which your child has never tried before. Such “surprises” are seldom popular. Introduce new foods after school, at home, instead.
• Pack small amounts of food in an appropriate number of separate containers so they look inviting. Too much of each or (surprisingly) too many options can be daunting to a small child.

Lyn Aherne – Canteen

Move Well Eat Well

How to Care for Water Bottles

When water bottles are not cleaned and stored properly they can get smelly, slimy or mouldy. To prevent this from happening:

• Fill water bottles with fresh water only;
• Tip unused water out at the end of the day;
• Wash water bottles thoroughly with soapy water - the warmer the water the better;
• Store empty water bottles with the lid off;
• If extra cleaning is needed the following agents can be used: a sanitiser such as Milton or baby bottle sanitiser, vinegar or baking soda. Bleach is not recommended as it is not safe to consume and leaves an odour;
• Water bottles can deteriorate over time - regular replacement is recommended (at a minimum at the start of the year).

MWEW Committee

Devonport Junior Basketball 2017

The Devonport Junior Basketball Council will continue with school-based teams for the 2017 Primary School winter roster (grades 1&2, 3 & 4 and 5 & 6). Games will be played on Friday nights commencing on Friday, March 10th.

It is a requirement of Basketball Tasmania that all players register online and paid before Tuesday, Feb 28th. NO LATE REGISTRATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED. To register visit the link below Alternatively, you can attend the registration nights to be held at the meeting room (next to the Youth Centre) on Thursday, February 23rd 3:30-5pm or Tuesday, February 28th 4-6pm.

Registration fees: $75 for children born in 2008, 2009 and 2010. $85 for children born in 2006 and 2007. $95 for children born in 2004 and 2005. The registration for children who play with another club is $50. All fees include a singlet hire fee of $10 which will be refunded at the end of the season upon return of the top in good condition.

Coaches of teams will be required to hold a Working with Children card. This can be obtained by going online to the link below.

If you require any assistance with online registrations or have an queries regarding rosters please contact the DBC office on 6424 2440 between 10am and 2pm daily.

Homestay

There has been a huge growth in the international student sector over the past few years, providing our schools with richness in diversity and culture. With this growth comes the need to provide safe and enriching environments in which these visiting students can stay. Homestay offers a rewarding learning experience for you and your family, as you share your everyday life and culture with young people from around the world. If you are interested in becoming a Homestay Host please find more information at the link below.

Breastscreen Tasmania

School Crossing Patrol Officer

A Day at the Arboretum

Drop In Clinics 2017