Term 1, Week 8 15th March, 2011

Wednesday 16th March Performance ~ Shekere Beats Thursday 17th March Evacuation Drill ~ 2.30pm Wednesday 23rd March Aboriginal Parent Meeting ~ 12.30pm Thursday 24th March Whole School Assembly ~ 2.15pm

Bus Safety in Action Thanks to Busways who provided a driver and a bus as part of our K-2 bus safety program. Classes were treated to practical sessions which complimented classroom programs. By all accounts it was a valuable and informative session.

P & C Update It was so good to see all positions filled at our P & C AGM last Wednesday. Congratulations and thank you to our executive team, your commitment to our school is valued. The 2011 executive team consists of:

Sharon Cooke ~ President Tracey Hicks ~ Treasurer Melissa Graham ~ Secretary Belinda Hayes ~ Vice President Leanne Welsh ~ Vice President Don’t forget you can be involved in P & C in a variety of ways, you don’t have to be an office bearer. Your P & C is a vital component of our school community and we welcome people on a casual or regular basis.

International Womens’ Day at Macksville Public School Last week our school hosted an International Womens’ Day forum. Organised by Sharon Chamberlain on behalf of Women’s Way it was a great success with a solid turnout and engaging speakers and guests. It was also an opportunity to showcase our new facilities which are of course a community asset.

Community Liaison Officer Network Last Friday our school initiated and hosted a collegial meeting for the Community Liaison Officers and Engagements Officers in our Network. This is a relatively new position within our schools and Macksville Public School is leading the way. It was a useful and productive meeting. Our Central Network Partnership Officer, Vicky Ford, attended the meeting and was impressed with the initiative.

Tutor Program Wow! What a fantastic effort from our Year 4 tutors. Each day they assist Year 1U with their reading. It is so good to see our Stage 2 students playing such an important role in assisting our emergent readers. Well done.

~ Next P & C meeting ~

4th May at 3.30pm in LCC

Reminders Don’t forget that we are accepting all donations towards our Giant Easter Raffle. Let’s make it a huge success. Stewart House envelopes will be distributed this week. Stewart House is the official DET & NSW Schools supported Charity. It provides a wonderful holiday experience and medical check ups for some of our needy children. I know demands on your dollars, especially where charities are concerned is huge at present, but all donations will be gratefully accepted and will go to a good cause.

Update on Discipline Policy We recently updated our Behaviour Tickets in a move we hope will benefit families, students and staff. Thankfully, the vast majority of our students are well behaved and happy at school. Occasionally though misbehaviour can be an issue. Feedback from staff and parents has indicated that a more informative and accountable system was required. Especially as 6 Behaviour Tickets in a Term will result in students missing out on Gold Day. The changes include: Teachers who issue a Behaviour Ticket will record the information for the parents. Each student is required to sign the lower half of the ticket indicating they have received the

parent/carer section. It is each students responsibility to take the ticket home for discussion. It is very important to remember that while any teacher may write a Behaviour Ticket following a concern or incident all parents responses and queries should be directed to Mr MacDonald for Years 3-6 and Mrs Grenenger for K-2. This will ensure a consistent approach and a clear process. We trust that this will enable families to be better informed and aware at an early stage where concerns are raised about student behaviour.

A Beautiful Aroma! Last week the K-2 section of the school was alive with people and fantastic smells. It was Pancake Day after all. Well done K-2 and thank you to all those parents who assisted our teachers and students on the day. It was an excellent learning experience with a reward at the end and the place smelt fantastic!!

Glenn Thorncroft ~ Principal

Sport AFL ~ On Friday, 11th March, Chris ‘Super Swan’ Power and Matthew Bamford attended Zone Selections at Toormina. Chris tried hard and just missed out, but congratulations and good luck to Matthew, who was selected for Regional Trials in Maclean. Cross Country ~ Practice begins during sport time this Friday so please ensure your child has appropriate footwear and has their asthma puffer if required. NB All year 3-6 students are expected to participate by running, jogging or walking unless they have medical concerns. Please notify your child’s teacher if this is the case.

Year 5 Lake Ainsworth Excursion Information notes have been sent home. Would you please read through this note carefully, discuss it with your child and return the note and deposit before Wednesday, 6th April. Thank you. Greg Iredale ~

Assembly Awards Kindergarten: Nikita Short, Matthew Donnelly, Kimberleigh Lane, Bowen Fortescue, Kasey Jerrett, Jasmine Calloway. Year 1: Holly Gavin, Hayley McCudden, Jarrad Fuller, Lili Miles, Arrin Stirrat-Black, Malcolm Ross, Bailey Heather, Alexis Hicks, Asha Richards, Keli Dunstan, Wyatt Rouse. Year 2: Janaya Doyle, Brody Schmidt, Rhys Gleeson, Rory Coleborn, Amber French, Sienna Campbell, Bonnie Loveday, Bradley Smith. Year 3: Jess Simpson, Jessie Laverty, Nate Coulter. Year 4: Aaron Jury, Nikita Hansen-Jones. Year 5: Jasper Valentine-Boxsell, Louise Brown, Tammy Cross, Ryan Grace, Ryan Cartwright, Emma Paddle. Year 6: Eliza Gadsby, Todd Baber, Luca Sutton.

Students Story ~ Year 5S worked very well in small groups of four on an activity over the last few days. They had to allocate each member in their group a role and then as their boat had been shipwrecked, decide on four essential items to take with them. They had to swim to a tropical island and then collaboratively decide on the skills each

person could contribute to the groups survival. The map drawer then drew their island using a range

of symbols to show what could be found on the island, they had to remember to include things that

would help them survive. Then finally, the writer in the group, with the help of their groups other participants had to write up their story from the moment they landed to the moment they were rescued. The reader then read the story to Mrs Grenenger & the class. Mrs Herron was very impressed with the way the students collaborated and completed the task within their groups.

Our Stars of the Week

Shekere Beats ~ Visiting Performance African rhythm & music presentation from Ghana. Children will enjoy this rhythmic happy performance mixed with African knowledge. The show caters for children K-6. Cost is $4 per child. The performance will be held tomorrow in the new hall at 2.00pm.

Community Announcements Nambucca Valley 2011 Netball Registration Days - NVNA rego on 19th March from 10.00am at the Marion Wood Courts. New faces are always welcome. Coaches wanted for Saturday Netball Competition. Training is on Tuesday afternoon at the Bottom Oval til 4.30pm.Phone Therese on 6568 4568 or 0401 385516.

Macksville Soccer Club ~ Information Day & BBQ at North Macksville Playing Fields on Saturday 19th March at 9.00am. All junior players, parents and those interested in joining a team are invited to come along for a game, information session and BBQ to welcome the 2011 season!

Bowraville Producers Markets will be held on Frdiay, 18th March at the usual time of 10.00am through to 2.00pm. Students from Bowraville Central School will be singing, playing guitars & the conga. All local producers and any new stall holders are encouraged to come along. For further information contact Karina on 6564 8855. ~ Miimi Aboriginal Corporation

Nambucca Valley Catholic Parish Sacramental Program ~ if your child is in Year 2 or older & has not received the Sacrament of Confirmation (in preparation for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Eucharist) You may enrol now by contacting Cathy on 6568 1107 by Friday 25th March 2011. Reconciliation and First Eucharist for Year 3 & older parent/child preparation meetings in May.

Family Trivia Night - Talarm Hall The nights emphasis is fun for family, friends & neighbours. Saturday, 19th March at 7.00pm. Eight per table, $10 per player, $5 for children under 12, families $25. Book now on 6569 6274.

Canteen Roster Wednesday, 16th March Helper Needed Thursday, 17th March Stacey Crossingham Friday, 18th March Helper Needed Monday, 21st March Amanda VandenBroek Tuesday, 22nd March Kim Hicks Wednesday, 23rd March Kirra Bennett

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS TO HELP OUT IN THE

CANTEEN Parents/Grandparents - if you

can spare a few hours it would be much appreciated & very

rewarding!! Please contact Wendy on

6568 1800

Out & About At Macksville Public School

Remember KN’s chicks from last year??

All grown up and living happily on a local farm as much loved pets, two of the baby chicks have grown into a stunning (albeit noisy) rooster and an egg laying hen!

Aren’t they beautiful?

Jumping for joy is great exercise!

Relay 4 Life 2011 Preparations are well and truly underway for the 2011 ‘Relay 4 Life’ which is being organised by MPS parents Kim Hicks and Kim Vincent. Our wider MPS family is being asked to get behind this year’s Relay 4 Life which raises much needed funds for cancer research. There are many ways of supporting this

very worthy cause such as:

Money donations are accepted at our front office (purple box) Wrist bands for sale at our office for $4.00 Mufti Day on Wednesday 4 May (Term 2, Week 2) gold coin

donation Disco Wednesday 4 May (Term 2, week 2) afternoon and evening Relay at Macksville Showground Saturday 14 May

More details soon...........

SPOTLIGHT ON ...

Ebony 4P Completing a triathlon would be a daunting task for most of us but Ebony

from 4P simply takes it all in her ‘stride’. The event was staged at South West Rocks with 69 competitors taking part in a 100mtr swim, 200mtr run and a bike ride. Ebony placed 47th overall and is pictured here with her Milo participation medal. Ebony told us “I liked the swim section the best because it was a really hot day and the run was very hard on the hot soft sand”. She had so much fun though, that she is planning and training to do it all again for next years event. Good luck Ebony, we’re so proud of you!

Uniform Shop Time Change The uniform shop in the old canteen will now be open: Thursday: 2.30-3.30pm Friday: 8.30-9.30am Thank you so much to everyone who has been coming along!

Shave for a Cure What a caring school community we belong to! Marko’s (1-2B) mum Sharon and Holly’s (1H) Grandmother Sue had their heads shaved to raise money for the Leukaemia Foundation outside Woolworths last Friday. Marko even got in on the act,

cutting mums hair before the big shave took place, way to go Marko!! We love the new hair styles girls and we love the fact you’ve raised money for a good cause!

Before Marko lends a hand!

After

Keep those Easter Egg donations rolling in! This could be the biggest raffle yet! Grab some more tickets!

Easter Raffle

This fundraiser has been a part of our school tradition for over 30 years, and is supported

through donations of Easter eggs, or baskets, clear cellophane, (or even a gold coin donation so we can buy eggs for the raffle). Please return the raffle book order form if you would like to order a raffle book of ten tickets (or more??) Books will be distributed to students at the end of next week. Raffle books MUST be returned, sold or unsold, by the Monday 4th of April as the big draw will be on Friday 8th of April, following the Easter Hat parade. Please ensure when sending money that it is placed in an envelope clearly marked with the child’s name, class & whether it is for the Easter Raffle tickets OR Easter Donations.

So start sending in those donations. Gold coin donation – per child

Or Easter Eggs, baskets, cellophane, curling ribbon

If you can help to wrap our wonderful Easter egg baskets, please meet in the LCC 6th April at 10am. Tea, coffee and morning tea provided.

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Easter Raffle Book Order Form Please send me _______ raffle books of ten tickets. Student’s Name __________________________ Class ___