Presentation Day Assembly, Thursday 7th December, 9:00am Page 1

Respect Responsibility Personal Best

The Galston Gumnut Galston Public School Newsletter

Wednesday 22nd November 2017 Phone: 9653 2062 Fax: 9653 1980

Email: galston-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au Website: www.galston-p.schools.nsw.edu.au

Calendar Dates

Week 7, Term 4 Thursday 23rd November Stage 3 (Years 5 & 6) Excursion - Wonder Friday 24th November Assembly, 2:05pm – 5-6P class item Week 8, Term 4 Tuesday 28th November Gymnastics - final lesson Wednesday 29th November Kinder Orientation, 9:00am - 10:00am

Thursday 30th November Parent Helpers and Volunteers Breakfast, 7:30am Premier’s Reading Challenge Assembly, 2:05pm

Friday 1st December Assembly, 2:05pm – 1-2M class item Week 9, Term 4 Monday 4th December P&C Carols Night

Tuesday 5th December Final Mandarin Stars lesson Library Monitors’ Party

Wednesday 6th December Galston HS Orientation Day Combined Scripture

Thursday 7th December Presentation Assembly, 9:00am

Friday 8th December Senior Choir performing at Bendigo Bank, 10:00am Assembly, 2:05pm

Notes Due Dates Book club orders Tomorrow 23rd November

From the Principal Parent Helpers and Volunteers’ Breakfast In recognition of the valuable contribution to Galston Public School from our parent helpers and volunteers, we would like to invite all who have helped and volunteered at the school in any way during the year to join us for breakfast hosted by the teachers. This includes helping in the classroom, library, sport, scripture, special days, transporting students, computers, excursions, canteen and P&C. Date: Thursday 30th November Time: 7:30am – 8:45am Venue: School hall Hamper Donations Thank you to the families who have donated items for the hampers to be raffled off for our Carols Night. If you have not done so already, please consider donating. 2018 School Captains, House Captains and Library Monitors We have now concluded nominations, voting for and selection of School Captains and Vice-captains, House Captains and Vice-captains and Library Monitors. Well done to all of the Year 5 students who nominated themselves for a leadership position. A letter will shortly be mailed home to the families of the children who have been elected or selected to fill a leadership role for next year and the students will be inducted at our Presentation Assembly on Thursday 7th December. I would like to thank Kim Alsdorf, our P&C President, who assisted as our parent representative with counting the votes for our School Captain and Vice-captain positions. Congratulations Mr Finch Well done to Mr Finch who last week was elected as President of Beecroft PSSA. Many of our students thoroughly enjoy participating in Zone swimming, cross country and athletics carnivals, as well as our weekly inter-school sport during Term 3. These are just some of the sporting opportunities provided by Beecroft PSSA. Mr Finch brings a wealth of PSSA experience and expertise to the role.

Week 7, Term 4

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Planning for 2018 We are commencing our planning for 2018 and would greatly appreciate receiving information regarding student movement. If your child is not returning to Galston Public School next year, please let us know. 2018 Classes Planning for 2018 classes will be underway soon. The number of classes in our school is determined according to the Department of Education’s staffing formula. Class groupings are constructed based on this allocation, the number of students in each grade and the needs of all students across the school. Our best laid plans often need to be amended if our numbers change at the beginning of the year. New students are regularly arriving at Galston, occasionally on the first day of the school year.

Later this term, teachers will be collaboratively placing students in classes, taking many factors into consideration such as academic ability, attitude and commitment towards learning, as well as emotional and social needs. Student friendship groups are a consideration, however, more in terms of ‘learning friends’ rather than ‘social friends’. As you would be aware, class time is learning time and our teachers want the best possible learning environment for your child and all of the children in each class. Please be aware that all students will have the opportunity to write down the names of five friends and the teachers will take this into consideration when forming classes.

Forming classes is a thorough process that involves considerable time, sensitivity and care. It is not a process about one child; every child is important. Every child is placed in reference to a bigger plan of how students, classes and teachers come together for optimal learning, all bound by the Departments’ staffing allocation and the number of classes in our school. I know that many of you value the hard work and time that goes into this process.

Please be aware that requesting a particular teacher for your child will not be necessary. We are yet to finalise the classes/grades that teachers will be taking next year, and teachers will not necessarily be teaching the same grade/s as they are currently teaching.

With this in mind, we would like to know of any factors which could affect the placement of your child in our 2018 classes. Whilst I cannot guarantee that we will be able to meet your requests, we will consider the information provided and, if possible, find a satisfactory solution. Please write a note to the Principal via the Office. Notes will be accepted up until Friday 1st December. Now is the time to let us know any relevant information, rather than at the beginning of next year when balanced classes have formed across the school. To minimise disruption and to retain balanced numbers, changes will not be made to classes once they have been formed in 2018.

Rob Jarvis

Week 7 PBL Awards Bronze Awards Galston Gotcha Prize Draw Winners

Scholastic Book Club – Christmas Issue • Cash or cheque orders must be returned to school tomorrow, Thursday 23rd November – in an envelope clearly

marked with Book Club, child’s name and class. • Credit payment must be completed using Scholastic’s LOOP facility • If paying by cash or cheque (return order to school) and ensure correct payment is enclosed

o CHEQUES – payable to Scholastic Books o CASH – must be exact amount: change not available

• If the order is completed by your child – please check it! • Late orders will not be accepted. • Parent orders (eg. a present for child) – mark the envelope as a parent order and include your phone number.

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Thank you to all those families who have supported Scholastic Book Club in 2017. Reward points have been used to purchase additional library resources as well as contribute raffle prizes to the Year 6 mini fete. Delia Morgan – Book Club Coordinator Life Education The Life Education program was a great success. Here are a couple of recounts from 2-3M students. During our Life Education session we learned a lot of things that will blow your mind. Did you know that a banana is a herb, a tomato is a fruit and a pineapple is a flower? See, I told you this will blow your mind. We also learned about healthy eating and that good friends are people who are trustworthy and kind. The lady’s name was Donna. She told us about our body parts and what we should eat to keep healthy. We also learned about the five food groups. At the end we asked Donna if she could bring Healthy Harold out and she said yes. Healthy Harold nibbled our ears. We also got stickers. It was the best day of my life! — Diane When 2-3M went to Life Education we learned about bodies, friends and healthy eating. Did you know that a banana is a herb? We learned that there are five food groups and they are grains (such as bread or cereals), dairy (yoghurt or cheese), protein (chicken, eggs), fruit and vegetables, and fats and sugars. A good friend is caring and nice. Some body parts are the kidneys, intestines, brain and heart. We also learned that colourful stuff on advertising attracts kids. — Annabelle Library News We are having the interior of the library painted during the holidays. We are also having new shelves installed. All library books need to be returned in Week 7 (this week) and 8, so that they can be put back on the shelves in order. Once this is completed all the books will be transferred to the Technology Room. If you believe your child has lost a library book please send Mrs Saxby a note. If you receive an overdue notice and you think the book/s have already been returned, send a note with the details and we will search for the book. Jean Saxby – Teacher Librarian Christmas Carols Evening On Monday 4th December, the P&C will be holding its annual Christmas Carols Evening in the school hall. The carols will begin at 7:00pm and should conclude at approximately 8:15pm. The P&C has dinner on offer again this year which starts at 5:30pm. Food orders will be accepted up until Thursday 30th November. We ask that all students be at school by 6:50pm so they can be seated in the hall and carols can begin at 7:00pm. All students K-6 are to come dressed in Christmas colours (red, white, green): this includes Christmas t-shirts and sensible shoes. Geeta Pendharkar and Gemma Watson News From 3-4M 3-4M has been working hard this semester. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to the zoo this term, and are still talking about our experiences. On a Tuesday, we have been participating in the gymnastics program. During this time we have been practising movements and sequences, demonstrating a series of balances and developing control when performing. Last Friday, we had an opportunity to be part of the school effort to raise money for the RSPCA. We really enjoyed participating in the mufti day and buying cakes to support such a worthy cause. The highlight was listening to the RSPCA representative. She discussed the importance of looking after your pet and showed us all the different kinds of care they offer for animals in need.

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As we come to the final few weeks in 3-4M, we are still persevering to complete class activities, learn songs and maintain a bright and bubbly classroom atmosphere. Brooke Moore – 3-4M P&C News Christmas Carols Hamper Donations We are still collecting for our hampers. Please deliver to the classroom or office. Donation ideas include items such as Christmas decorations, biscuits, Christmas-themed lollies, other lollies/chocolates, unwanted gifts, new books for children. We would also love donations of baskets to package the hampers in. Please remember when donating food items to double check the expiry date: do not donate out-of-date products please. Raffle Tickets Raffle tickets for the Carols evening hamper draw are now available. Extra books of tickets are available in the office. Please send your tickets and money back to the office. Christmas Carols Dinner Orders Save yourself time and order dinner with us for the Christmas Carols evening on Monday 4th December. We will commence serving at 5.30pm and have a selection of yummy food to choose from including gourmet beef burgers, sausage sandwiches, salad wraps with cheese (vegetarian), Greek-style chicken tzatziki and salad wraps, gluten free chicken tenders, plus desserts. Order online now using Flexischools up until Friday 1st December. This is strictly pre-order and no late orders can be accepted. Kim Alsdorf – P&C President; kim@galstonpandc.org.au

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Canteen News Friday 24th November and Monday 27th November Lunch + Counter Sales Please lodge lunch orders through flexischools.com.au by 9.15am. Friday meals now include Twista Pasta and Bangers and Mash (our Monday meals). They can be ordered through Flexischools. As a trial we will be selling Apricot balls from Friday for 10c each. They contain dried apricot, dessicated coconut and honey. Handballs $3 each over the counter at recess and lunch when the canteen is open. As we near the end of the school year we are beginning to run our lunch item stock levels down. If we don’t have a product available it will be shown as 'Out of stock' in Flexischools. If your child is absent from school on a lunch ordering day you are able to cancel the order online prior to cut off at 9.15am or call Flexischools on 1300 361 769. Louise O'Rourke – Canteen Committee Friday Roster

24th November Helpers Assistants Supervisor

9:30-3:00 Jodie Burton 9:00-3:00 Ali Toy 9:00-3:00 Rachel Lacey

Monday Roster

Morning 10:30 to 1:00 Afternoon 12:30-2:30 27th November Julia Eccles Carolyn Sommer

Uniform Shop The Uniform Shop is open every Monday from 8:30- 9:30am during school terms. Please also feel free to make a private booking. We have switched over our point of sale system to Flexischools. Ordering can now be done online, with orders delivered directly to your child’s classroom. Please bear with us until we get the full hang of it. Any enquiries please contact Melissa Morrison on either 0408 626 978 or melsstitch@yahoo.com.au Melissa Morrison and Lucy Parrin - Uniform shop coordinators Hills Hawks Football Club We are looking for two people to fill the positions of both the Secretary and Social Secretary on our Committee. Our current Secretary has moved out of the area is unable to continue due to the distance. We need to fill these positions as quickly as possible. We have a great group of people on the Committee who are passionate about Hills Hawks. If you would like further information about either of these positions please call Ian Robertson, President on 0418 211 131.

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