Westlawn · 2019-09-17 · Pester power hasnt always been a problem for parents. In the days of large families, when four or more children were common, not only was there less propensity

I am enjoying getting to know the staff and the students of Westlawn Public School. WPS children certainly are a polite, confident and friendly group. I have shaken a couple of hundred hands, have begun to learn about student likes and dislikes and have even been offered some help in my office when things get hectic, from a delightful student in Kindergarten.

I will be visiting classrooms this week and next week in my PMI (Plus Minus Interesting) quest as I endeavour to get to know students and their thoughts about their school. So far, comments have been very positive and other than a shortage of teddy bears in one Kinder Room, everyone appears happy!

This week there are many sporting events for students involved in PSSA sporting teams with basketball, netball, tennis and cricket being featured.

I look forward to meeting parents and carers at this week's P&C and Canteen meeting held at the school from 6pm.

Sandra Armstrong

Principal

Last Tuesday evening the teachers had a Staff Development evening to continue Professional Development across a variety of areas. At the end of the 2019 school year, there are two days allocated to Staff Development, Thursday 19 and Friday 20 December. (The last day students attend is Wednesday 18 December). The Department of Education allows schools to arrange to timetable this training at other times throughout the year as long as it is out of school hours and it meets the requirements of the school’s professional learning needs for teachers and is aligned with our school’s strategic directions. Our school has arranged to hold four evening sessions throughout the year. The evening sessions will be of three hours duration from 3:15 to 6:15. This means that staff members who attend the four evening sessions will not be required to be at school on the 19 and 20 December. Any staff member who misses one or more evenings will need to attend for the equivalent hours on 19 and 20 December. The re-scheduling of the Staff Development Days will have no impact on any student’s school hours or attendance. Teachers have already attended three out of the four evening sessions. The three sessions have focussed on using and analysing data to inform teaching and support student learning.

Westlawn Public School

Newsletter Term 2 Week 2

7th May 2019

Message from the Principal

[email protected]

Strive to Achieve 6642 7466 North Street, Grafton. 2460

mailto:[email protected]

Strive to Achieve 6642 7466 North Street, Grafton. 2460 [email protected]

Mothers Day Stall Our P&C Mothers Day Stall is this Thursday 9 May. Amy Freeman and her helpers have been busy preparing gifts for children to buy for their mothers or the special lady in their lives. Thanks Amy! Students can purchase a gift ranging from 50c up to $5:00. Happy Mothers Day to all the special ladies in our children’s lives.

Canteen and P&C Meeting Our next Canteen and P&C Meeting is on Wednesday 8 May at 6pm in the Meeting Room. We welcome parents being involved in the school. Please come along and meet the committee and other P&C members, and be part of a group of parents who make a great contribution to the school.

NAPLAN for Year 3 and 5 Students The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is an annual assessment for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. It has been an annual event for schools since 2008. This year Westlawn will be doing the online assessments. Year 3 will still be completing paper copies for writing. On Tuesday 14, Wednesday 15, Thursday 16 and Monday 20 May students at Westlawn PS in Years 3 and 5 will take the 2019 NAPLAN tests. NAPLAN assesses skills in literacy and numeracy that are developed over time, through the school curriculum. NAPLAN is not a pass or fail type test, but rather shows how students are progressing in numeracy and literacy skills against national standards for all Australian children.

Clarence Cross Country Carnival

We wish our competitors the very best of luck in today’s Clarence Cross Country Carnival. We will publish the results when they came to hand.

Clarence Netball Trial Results

Shanae, Eliza, Lanaia, Sophie, Ruby, Cara,

Grace and Summah trialled for selection in the

Clarence Netball team at Westlawn PS last

Wednesday. Congratulations to Shanae, Eliza,

Lanaia and Grace who gained selection. The

girls will play for the MNC side at the North

Coast trial in Grafton tomorrow. Good luck

girls!

North Coast Hockey Trial Results

Kade, Reece, Hayden, Eliza, Shani, Shanae,

Alice, Lily and Isabella played for their MNC

Hockey teams at the North Coast Hockey trials

held in Grafton last Friday. Congratulations to

Kade, Reece, Hayden, Eliza, Shani, Shanae and

Isabella who impressed the selectors enough

to make the North Coast sides.

Kade, Reece and Hayden will travel to Lismore

from June 4 to 6 to play for NC at the NSW

PSSA Boys Hockey Championships.

Eliza, Shani, Shanae and Isabella will travel to

Newcastle from June 25 to 27 to play for the

NC at the NSW PSSA Girls Hockey

Championships.

Primary Sport for Term 2

This term, our sport focus is on athletics.

Our athletics carnival will be held on

Monday 24 June (T2, W9). In preparation

for this, our primary students will rotate

around a number of disciplines including

long jump, high jump, shot put, 100m,

200m and relays. There will then be a trial

process for long jump, high jump, shot put

and 200m sprint. There are limited entries

for these events on the day of the

carnival. Training will occur every Friday

during our allocated Sport time and during

some of our stage PE time to ensure all

students are given plenty of exposure to

all events.

Sporting News



Please ensure your child has suitable

footwear for these activities.

Other dates to remember – plan ahead!

The Mid North Coast Cross Country Carnival

will be held at Nana Glen on Friday 24 May

(T2, W4).

The North Coast Cross Country Carnival will be

held at Nana Glen on Friday 21 June (T2, W8).

Westlawn Primary Athletics Carnival will be

held on Monday 24 June (T2, W9) at Terry

West Athletics Field.

Layla and Jasmine

ANZAC Day Assembly at WPS

Students of the Week



Term 2 2019 Week 2

Tues 7 May CSI Clarence Cross Country Junction Hill

Wed 8 May 6:00pm Canteen and P&C

Meeting

Thurs 9 May Mothers Day stall

Fri 10 May Mothers Day stall

(only for an hour on this morning)

Week 3

Tues 14 May Online NAPLAN tests for Years 3 and 5 – Writing (Y3 still do the paper test for

writing) Wed 15 May Online NAPLAN tests for

Years 3 and5 - Reading Thurs 16 May Online NAPLAN tests for

Years 3 and 5 – Language Conventions

Week 4 Mon 20 May Online NAPLAN tests Years

3 and 5 – Numeracy Tues 21 May CSI Fri 24 May MNC PSSA Cross Country

At Nana Glen Week 5 Mon 27 May Life Education Van visits

commence Wed 29 May NC PSSA Netball in Grafton Thurs 30 May Life Education Van visits

continue Week 6 Mon 3 June Life Education Van visits

continue Tues 4 June Eisteddfod Wed 5 June Eisteddfod

Life Education Van visits continue

Fri 7 June Infants Fun Sports Day

Week 7 Mon 10 June Public Holiday – Queens

Birthday Tues 11 June CSI Wed 12 June Canteen and P&C Meeting

6:00pm Thurs 13 June Multicultural Public Speaking

Competition at WPS Week 8 Tues 18 June Kindergarten Parent

Information Evening (2020) Fri 21 June NC PSSA Cross Country at

Nana Glen

Week 9 Mon 24 June WPS Athletics Carnival

Tues 25 June CSI

Primary Disco 6:30-8pm

Wed 26 June Award Assembly

Fri 28 June Reports go home Week 10 Mon 1 Jul NAIDOC Week celebrations

begin

Tues 2 Jul Stage 2 Indigenous Cultural

Activities

Year 5 GCofS Games Day

Years 3 and 4 Indigenous

activities rotations

K-2 Aboriginal Games run by

Year 6

Wed 3 Jul NAIDOC Public Speaking at

Westlawn Public School for

Grafton Community of

Schools

MNC basketball- boys

Thur 4 Jul NAIDOC Week Assembly

Fri 5 Jul K-2 Disco and last day of term

Diary Dates



We are in urgent need of volunteers for Mondays in the canteen. Please contact the office or the

canteen manager if you are able to assist. If we do not receive any volunteers, the canteen will have

to close on Mondays.

CANTEEN ROSTER

WEDNESDAY 8TH MAY Garry Palin, Debra Watts, Kaila Backwell

THURSDAY 9TH MAY Debra Watts, Campbell Kenneally

FRIDAY 10TH MAY Jacinda Fletcher, Kelly Williams, Jan Tucker

MONDAY 13TH MAY Julie-Ann Wiles, Melissa Johnston

TUESDAY 14TH MAY Debra Watts, Sue Tobin, Debbie Tobin

Canteen News



Westlawn Public School P&C Newsletter Term 2 Week 2

Canteen News Our canteen needs more helpers urgently on Mondays. If you are able to help out please let Amy know. If we cannot get more volunteers for the canteen on Mondays, we will have no choice but to close the canteen on Mondays. For all enquiries relating to the canteen roster please call 0416808614 to speak to our canteen manager Amy Freeman. Mothers Day Stall The stall will be held this Thursday 9th of May and Friday the 10th May. If you are able to volunteer to help out at the stall it would be greatly appreciated. A massive thankyou to Amy Freeman for coordinating and organising this year’s Mother’s Day stall. There will be a wonderful range of items available for the students to purchase. P&C Meeting This Wednesday 8th May our monthly P&C Meeting will be held from 6:00pm in the Westlawn Meeting room. Parents are invited to attend, as this is a great way to meet other parents and stay up to date with school happenings.





Parenting Ideas from Michael Grose

5 WAYS TO RESIST CHILDREN’S PESTER POWER

Do you have a child who won’t take “no” for an answer?

“Mum, can you buy me a treat?”

“MUUUMMMM, can you get me some new clothes?” “It’s not fair. You never let me have any fun.”

Sound familiar?

Kids have a way of getting under your skin when they really want something. You can refuse their request for a treat, some extra time out of bed or some new clothes, and they can keep at you until you give in. Whining, tantrums and appeals to fairness are common tactics that kids use to break down parental resolve.

Some kids when they receive a knock back from one parent, will try the other parent out. “Okay, mum said no to an ice cream, I’ll just check to see what dad says” is the type of tactic I‘m talking about here. Solo parents can easily become worn down by pester power as there is no one to share the burden with.

Pester power hasn’t always been a problem for parents. In the days of large families, when four or more children were common, not only was there less propensity to give kids what they wanted but siblings had their own way of dealing with rebellious or ‘prima-donna’ type behaviour. In these times of smaller families the voice of one child resisting can be the only voice a parent hears.

If your kids don’t take no for answer, particularly when they want you to buy, buy, buy consider these well- tested resistance strategies:

1. Keep explanations to a minimum.

It’s worth remembering that it’s okay to say no… without always having to explain yourself. While kids should know why we don’t give/allow them something that doesn’t mean we have to give answers every single time. Most of the times kids know why we say no, but they just keep pushing the boundaries.

2. Make yourself scarce.

My wife was an expert making herself scarce physically or psychologically when my kids used to argue the point with her. She would ignore attempts to change her mind, going about her business as if they weren’t there. They soon realised that arguing was futile. So have I… except it took me a little longer!!

3. Communicate with your partner.

Teenagers are adept at putting pressure on parents to acquiesce to their demands, particularly when it comes to going out. Get into the habit of bringing your partner into the picture. “I’m not sure about that. I’ll check with your father/mother and get back to you” is a handy response.

4. Draw strength from a friend.

It helps, particularly if you are on your own, to phone a friend to check if you are being reasonable. It’s easy to doubt yourself, and your sanity, when you are on your own.



5. How can you make this happen?

Sometimes it’s best to put the onus on to kids, particularly when they pester you to buy them things. “Sure, you can have a new mobile phone. Have you got enough money to buy it now or do you have to save for it?” is the type of response I suggest for kids who just love you to be their automatic teller machine.

Thursday 9th

and Friday 10th

May

Plenty of lovely gifts available for the

children to purchase

Prices from $2 - $5


Documents

Westlawn · 2019-09-17 · Pester power hasnt always been a problem for parents. In the days of large families, when four or more children were common, not only was there less propensity