Public Speaking Champs

Well done Tom and Johanna!

■ 2017■ Term 4 ■ Weeks 5 and 6 ■ Principal: Kay Thurston

■ Phone: (02) 6924 1839 Loyal to my School

■ Fax: (02) 6924 1794 Junee North Public School

■ Email: juneenorth-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au Queen Street

■ Website: www.juneenorth-p.schools.nsw.edu.au Junee NSW 2663

Science Exploration

Learning happens everywhere!

Our School Vision TO INSTIL IN OUR STUDENTS, THROUGH DIVERSE, INNOVATIVE & QUALITY EDUCATIONAL

EXPERIENCES, THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO BECOME CONFIDENT, CREATIVE AND HIGHLY

SUCCESSFUL LIFE-LONG LEARNERS AND RESPECTFUL & RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS.

■ 2017 ■ Term 4 ■ Weeks 5 & 6 ■ Newsletter

Calendar

Term 4, Week 5

7 November P&C Meeting @ 6:30 pm

9 November Year 6 Transition visit to JHS

Assembly @ 2:30 pm

10 November Kinder (2018) Transition

Term 4, Week 6

14 November MILO Cricket Yrs 3-6

15-17 November Stage 3 Ballarat Excursion

16 November Assembly @ 2:30 pm

Term 4, Week 7

22 November Kinder 2018 Parent Info Session

@ 10:00 am

23 November Assembly @ 2:30 pm

25 November 5/6S Art Gallery launch

Christmas on Broadway

Term 4, Week 8

29 November 2018 Captain speeches @ 2:30

pm

30 November Assembly (Last one) @ 2:30 pm

Scripture Assembly

Term 4, Week 9

5 December Year 6 Transition visit to JHS

P&C meeting @ 6:15 pm

7 December Presentation Evening @ JHS hall

@ 6:30 pm

8 December Pool Party

Week 5 Assembly: 1/2W

Week 6 Assembly: Stage 2

In this issue ... Principal’s report ........................................................................... 3

Welcome Mr Dedini! ............................................................... 3

Games & Gadgets .................................................................... 3

Road safety ................................................................................. 3

Stage 3 getting excited! ........................................................ 3

2018 budget and class planning ........................................ 3

What’s happening at our school? .......................................... 6

3/4M Science ............................................................................. 6

Junee Show entries .................................................................. 6

Kinders Science experiments ............................................... 7

University NSW competitors ................................................ 7

Games & Gadgets .................................................................... 7

Feature Photo

Flat-out learning - 3/4M take their science lessons

outdoors

Junee North Public School

Page 3

Principal’s report

Welcome Mr Dedini!

We are fortunate to have visiting CSU practicum

teacher, Liam Dedini with us. Mr Dedini is being

mentored by Mrs Davis and is certainly learning lots.

He will be taking some lessons with 3/4D over the next

few weeks. Mr Dedini has already expressed how

wonderful he is finding his time at Junee North. 3/4D

are certainly enjoying having him working in their

classroom, and we extend a big welcome to him

Games & Gadgets

Our students were treated to a fantastic session

involving Science Technology Engineering &

Mathematics (STEM), as well as using skills in

collaboration and problem-solving. The ‘Games &

Gadgets’ van was full of fun, interactive activities, but

even more importantly were the messages the

students received around being responsible digital

citizens by balancing screen time with healthy eating

and exercise – called ‘Digital Dieting.’ I have attached a

copy of some very important reading for our families.

Road safety

I have had concerns from several parents over the past

few weeks regarding vehicles not stopping for students

on our crossing in the morning. Our crossing is

deemed to be a ‘children’s crossing’ not a zebra

crossing. This means that our crossing operates part-

time. During before and after school hours (as

indicated by the flashing lights) drivers must slow

down & halt when a pedestrian is on the crossing

or waiting to cross – and remain stopped until all

pedestrians leave the crossing. Thank you to parents

for bringing this problem to my attention. I trust that

our families and other community members will abide

by these road safety rules and keep our children safe.

Stage 3 getting excited!

In Week 6 many of our Stage 3 children will be heading

off for their 3 day excursion to Bendigo and Ballarat.

Having been on this excursion many times, I know that

they will have a fantastic time – particularly spending a

day at Sovereign Hill. My thanks to Mrs Fitzgerald and

Mr Baldock, who will be accompanying me with the

students, for giving up their own family time to provide

this wonderful opportunity. Watch out for some super

photos in the next few weeks! A reminder to students

and parents that our bus departs at 6:30am on

Wednesday 15th

!

2018 budget and class planning

We have recently received our anticipated funding for

2018. This, along with predicted enrolments will

determine the structure of our classes for next year. My

executive team and I are currently working through all

of this to determine staffing and classes for 2018. This

was discussed at Tuesday evening’s P&C meeting as

there may be some changes to our staffing & class

structures. We hope to be able to provide our families

with staff and classes before the end of the year to

ensure a smooth transition for our students.

Kay

Reminders

Stage 3 Ballarat Excursion

A reminder that medical and DVD notes need to be

returned as soon as possible. Don’t forget our earlier

departure time of 6:30 am!!

Junee North Public School

Page 4

Merit Awards Term 4 Week 3

Kindergarten Milton Butt

Bella O’Rafferty

Serenity Howarth

Kayla Heir

Charlie Munday

1/2M Katelin Heir

Kaden Shaw

Lucy McGregor

Abby Lloyd

1/2W Shaylie Johns

Angus Baldry

Charlotte Bolan-Andrews

1/2D Cody Vanzanten

Grace Hume-Landrigan

Brayden Hewson-Buckby

Laycie Smith

3/4D Ruben Jacobs

Amelia Moon

Jack Henderson

Riley Dobson

Keegan Newman

3/4M Alexa Wright

Ryan Schultz

Junior Dargin

Mya Chisholm

Destini Shephard

Tahlia Wooden

5/6B Bailey Willis

Jaxson Allen

Cooper Wright

Bayley Guinan

Luke Moon

Linus Schachtner

Zach Shephard

Tiger-lilly Kemp

5/6S Elizabeth Collins

Isabella Cameron

Merit Awards Term 4 Week 4

Kindergarten Jayde Sainsbury

Kayleigh Morriss

Mason Butt

TJ Holloway

Nevaeh Tuua

1/2M Addison Reberger

Leah Schultz

Annabelle Howarth

Jessica Hume-Landrigan

1/2W Millie Allen

Lachlan Cameron

Georgia-Kitty Watkin

1/2D Thomas Gallop

Charlotte Asmus

Savanah Walker

Ace Hayman

3/4D Caleb Kearnes

Aimee White

Tahlia Mellish-Clarke

Ruby Lemmich

Kiralee Hogarth

3/4M Claire O’Rafferty

Breannah Morriss

Caitlyn Payne

Tristan Davis

Seth Wooden

Natalie Smith

5/6S Maggie Hawke

Chloe Masters

Torah Newman

Zoe Fitzhardinge

Annabell Eccleston

5/6S Chase Baxter

Ben Smith

Ella Fitzgerald

Paige O’Rafferty

Junee North Public School

Page 5

Pennant Awards

Term 4 Week 3

3/4D Samuel Holloway

Zachary Green

Ruben Jacobs

Ayla Harris

3/4M Ruby Barker

Zoe Green

5/6S Julian Schachtner

Pennant Awards

Term 4 Week 4

1/2D Brayden Hewson-Buckby

Laycie Smith

3/4D Keegan Newman

3/4M Junior Dargin

Medallion Awards

Term 4 Week 4

5/6S Elizabeth Collins

Home Reading Awards

Week 3

75 Nights Emily Smith

100 Nights Emily Smith Zoe Fitzhardinge

125 Nights Lesley Doolan Milla Lewis

150 Nights Izabella Douglas

175 Nights Jessica Eccleston

200 Nights Jessica Eccleston

Junee North Public School

Page 6

Home Reading Awards

Week 4

75 Nights Samuel Schachtner

100 Nights Samuel Schachtner Tahlia Mellish-Clarke

125 Nights Callum Cochrane Samuel Schachtner

150 Nights Benjamin Field Samuel Schachtner

Sienna Butt Lucas Schachtner

Linus Schachtner Maggie Hawke

175 Nights Samuel Schachtner Montana Butt

Linus Schachtner

200 Nights Samuel Schachtner Linus Schachtner

What’s happening at our school?

3/4M Science

Science and other lessons take place in all sorts of

spaces at Junee North. Last week 3/4M was following

the movement of the sun by viewing and measuring

shadows in the playground.

Junee Show entries

Well done to all of our students on their fantastic

artworks which were on display at last week’s Junee

Show. Mrs Higginson & Mrs Thurston were busy

hanging all of them and they were very impressed with

the amazing variety and quality of pieces.

Congratulations to the students who received

individual prizes.

Junee North Public School

Page 7

Kinder Science experiments

Last newsletter highlighted some fun science learning

happening in the Kindergarten classroom. One of their

experiments involved following a procedure to make

some ‘hairy caterpillars.’ Kennedy popped in to Mrs

Thurston’s office to show her just how much their

caterpillars are growing!

Kennedy shows off one of the Kindergarten ‘caterpillars’

University NSW competitors

Well done to all of our participants in the recent

University of NSW Mathematics competition. Some

outstanding results from several of our students with a

Merit award achieved by Madeleine Cameron; a Credit

award achieved by Tristan Davis and Maggie Hawke;

and a Distinction award achieved by William Holloway

– well done!

Congratulations Will, Tristan, Maggie & Madeleine!

Games & Gadgets

All classes had an awesome time visiting the Games &

Gadgets van. As well as interactive games on the inside

and outside of the van, the children had the

opportunity to construct motorised gadgets with Lego.

They even got to do some Coding using an Ipad to

control a ball’s movement. These photos show 5/6S

enjoying the many activities.

Junee North Public School

Page 8

Community News

Games & Gadgets

Digital Dieting

Games & Gadgets recently visited Junee North Public

School, touring an awareness for Gaming Addiction

and how to better cope with the side effects that come

from prolonged gaming.

Since the development of arcade video games in the

early 1970s we have been using them to “destress”

with little knowledge of their actual effects on the

human brain.

It is true that video games can be good for our brains.

But there is a darkside!

Microsoft have spent millions of dollars researching

Games Based Learning and how achievements

stimulate our learning. During these studies and within

research similar to this we have discovered that

excessive gaming can lead to dopamine depletion .

Allowing your child hours of playing video games, is

the equivalent of allowing your child access to the

liquor cabinet. They will inevitably become addicted

and this obviously will also come with side effects.

So why is it bad?

A hyperaroused and mentally depleted child will have

trouble paying attention, managing emotions,

suppressing impulses, following directions, tolerating

frustration, accessing creativity and compassion, and

executing tasks . Try getting them to pay attention in

class or when reading at home after they’ve spent an

entire night sitting in the dark, blue-toned haze of a

gamer’s lare!

The moral of the story?

After 15 minutes of playing video games a child aged

3-9 is mentally depleted. Additionally 20 - 40 minutes

for ages 10-12 would be a recommended limit.

There are four quite obvious ways to manage the

depletion:

- Drink water and eat healthy food (a true gamer will

have a bottle of water & fruit nearby during a session)

- A 30 minute break between sessions exercising,

stretching or getting outside.

- Spending time with friends and family (gaming can

be quite an anti-social behaviour - don’t let people

fool you with the “I play online” excuse, this is not real

world interactions as we in the gaming world generally

role-play an alternative persona)

- Go to bed early and get up early (if you believe your

child has a serious problem staying up late and

gaming, perhaps a good start might be encouraging

them to wake up early to play their games - this will

create a better habit in the future)

Pay attention to classifications!

Too often I hear young students admit that they are

playing games like Call of Duty or Grand Theft Auto. If

you are inclined to refusing your child access to

MA15+ and R18 movies… why then would you allow

them to play a video game of the same rating.