1 March 2018

Newsletter Articles

Dates to Remember

March

April

From the Principal

Our first School Association Committee meeting will be happening tonight at 7pm in the staffroom. If you are interested in finding out what we do and would like to find out more about the committee, please feel free to come along. Hope to see you there!

As mentioned on our Facebook page, Jye and Chaz represented the Devonport Strikers in the 2018 National SAP (Skills Acquisition Program) Festival last week. This event showcased some of the best under 12 and 13 soccer players in the country, featuring 21 teams from around Australia. It is great to see Hillcrest students getting the chance to play in such an important event. Well done to both boys!

It was great to see so many families at the Big Breakfast last week. We all enjoyed a selection of cereals, toast, fruit and pancakes. Thanks to everyone who helped out on the day.

Thanks also go to Nina Eberhardt, our LIFT coordinator, who organised this LIFT event.

As a school we seek many opportunities to communicate with families. Teachers have been busy working on our first reports for this year, the Primary Progress Report (PPR). This short report informs families how their child has settled into the year. The PPR will be sent home on Friday, 9th March for students in Prep-6. If you wish to discuss your child’s progress at any stage with their teacher, please feel free to make an appointment. A more comprehensive written report will be provided mid-year, with three way conferences available.

Jerome Pape - Principal

Assembly Friday 2pm in the GP Hall

There will be an assembly this Friday at 2pm in the GP Hall. 5/6Fenn will be hosting the assembly with 4/5Kelly and P/1Duff sharing their work. All parents are welcome to attend.

Hilly Kids Are Friendly Kids

Our HKFK focus for this week has been ‘Respecting the Environment’. Let’s hope everyone keeps this in mind as they go through the week because every one of you can make a difference!

Speaking Nicely

A few weeks ago our Hilly Kids Focus was Please/Thankyou. Coming up we have Speaking Nicely, which, of course, would include please and thank you, or simply put - using manners. Speaking nicely takes this a step further and looks at the way in which we say things to each other. How we speak to each other often determines how we respond. If someone yells at us we can often react by yelling back, or just not responding at all. If you want to tell someone you don’t like what they are doing, or you are feeling unhappy about something, you need to do so in a tone and volume that will not create more problems. For example you can use an ‘I’ message:

“I don’t like what you are saying…because… or “Please stop doing that.”

We can also speak nicely by telling people things you like and using positive words rather than put downs; for example, compliments and words of encouragement,

“I like the way you have your hair today. How did you do that?”

“You did a really good job, thank you.”

“I like the way you packed away your toys. You should do it more often!”

“Your lunch looks yummy. What do you have?”

“You are almost there! Don’t give up!”

Remember, if you speak nicely to people, they will speak nicely back, and you just might get what you want or need!

What is Bullying?

Our focus topic for Week 6 will be “What is Bullying?”

No one has the right to make others feel unhappy, sad, frightened or not want to come to school to learn. We will look at the types of bullying behaviours that we do not accept at Hillcrest Primary School like:

• Name calling
• Deliberately hurting others
• Using put down type comments and
• Deliberately excluding others.

We all have a responsibility to put an end to any bullying type behaviour by letting people know it’s not okay and telling someone about it, like a friend, your family or a teacher. The website below has many great support resources too.

We recognise that many students are still developing their social skills in how to deal with problems and interact in appropriate ways with others. We continue to support our students to learn from their mistakes and to make a commitment to ensure that they do not make the same mistakes again.

Easter Raffle

Raffle books were sent home earlier this week. Please sell them to family & friends and return the books, with the money, in a sealed envelope to the school office by Wednesday, March 21st. The raffle will be drawn on Tuesday, March 27th. Please be mindful of the laws regarding children door-knocking to sell raffle tickets: they MUST be accompanied by an adult. There are plenty of extra books in the school office.

Lyn Aherne – Fundraising

Student Banking

Please remember to send your child’s banking to school every Tuesday. The bankbooks will be returned to students on Thursdays. A few students missed the deadline last week which meant their banking was not processed so, don’t miss out! Be on time!

Coles Sports for Schools

Thank you to those who have been dropping their vouchers into the box in the school office. You can also pop them into the box we now have at Coles. Get your whole family involved – grandma, grandpa, aunts, uncles and friends! Let’s see how high we can go on our tally sheet!

Lift News

On Wednesday, February 21st we had our third annual ‘Meet and Greet Big Breakfast.’ Over 100 students, families and teachers enjoyed pancakes, toast, muffins and fruit salad. A big thank you to everyone who attended and to all the helpers. It was a great success!

This term the school library will be open before and after school on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Children are encouraged to come along and change their home readers. They can also be changed during class library time.

From week 5 onwards, the school library will be open to parents from 8:40 until 9:40 on a Wednesday morning. I will be there to assist you to borrow resources or games, fill out forms, use the computer to apply for Working With Vulnerable People registration or Mersey Link bus passes or simply to have a cup of tea and a chat!

Families who do not have their Working With Vulnerable People registration – Please come to the library and use our facilities to do this and I will be there to support you. Remember if you wish to attend a class excursion with your children or volunteer as parent help or a sports coach, you are required to have one.

Nina Eberhardt – Lift Coordinator

Be Considerate When Driving & Parking

Please be considerate when dropping off and collecting your children. Do not park in the layby as you will be blocking access for school buses, do not park in the staff carpark for safety reasons and, especially, please do not park over the driveways of our neighbours.

Kinder

In Kinder we have been drawing self-portraits!

Hillcrest Tuckerbox

Fruit is a good source of vitamins and fibre and is full of energy for active children. It is important children eat a rainbow of different coloured fruits every day. To increase fruit in lunch boxes try these tips:

• Fruit salad - easy to eat bite-sized pieces of watermelon, grapes, kiwi, oranges, rockmelon, pineapple,
• Fruit added to mini muffins, scones & pikelets,
• Fruit bread or fruit buns cut into bite-sized fingers,
• Fruit in custard or yoghurt,
• Tinned fruit in natural juice as an alternative to fresh,
• Nibble pack with dried fruit, vegetable sticks & cheese cubes.

Lyn Aherne - Coordinator

Move Well Eat Well

Tips for encouraging your child to drink water:

• Get your child their own individual water bottle for school
• In warm weather, freeze your child’s water bottle to send to school
• Show your child that you enjoy drinking water, too
• At meal times serve everyone at the table with a glass of water
• At home, always keep a jug or bottle of cold water in the fridge and serve with ice
• Always take a water bottle with you when you go out

MWEW Team

Healthy Recipe from Our School Nurse

Cooking for busy mums can be taxing – here is a recipe that my family loves. It is quick, easy and healthy. I hope it will make your busy life just a little bit less stressful.

Kerry Jewell – School Health Nurse

The Easiest Cheese and Vegetable Frittata

Serves 6

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small capsicum, diced
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced crosswise 1/2cm thick
3 cups baby spinach or kale,
6 fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
6 large eggs
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese or cheese of your choice
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 medium spring onions or leeks, thinly sliced
85gm fresh goat cheese or feta crumbled

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 200°C.

Heat the oil in a 25 cm cast iron or oven-safe non-stick frypan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the capsicum, onion, and salt and sauté until slightly softened - about 5 minutes. Add the zucchini, spinach, and basil and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Whisk the eggs, Parmesan and pepper together in a medium bowl until the eggs are broken up. Pour into the skillet over the vegetables. Sprinkle with the spring onions and feta cheese.

Bake until the eggs are almost set, about 8 minutes. Turn the grill on high and grill until the top is set and light golden-brown, about 2 minutes more. While grilling make sure the pan handle is not getting hot or affected by the griller.

Let cool 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Leftover frittata keeps well in the fridge for up to three days. Enjoy cold or reheat in a low oven.

Ride in2 BMX

There will be a Ride In2 BMX day on Saturday, March 17th from 10am to 12 noon at the Wynyard BMX Park. For more information call Niki on 0438 823 555.