Hello and welcome to this week’s newsletter!

Some very full on weather this week to keep us all busy and ready for anything. I would not be surprised if it snowed on us! The children have battled through and we have had some excellent events this week. At this time of the year we are all getting tired, but it is worth looking at the positives from the year and some of the great people who help us to work with our extremely stupendous children and clients.

The last horse riding day for the year was a huge success and a wonderful memory for all involved. I have spoken to many children who proudly showed me the rosette they won yesterday. I really must thank Dan-ielle and Phyliss, along with all their awesome volunteers for the work they put into the program - week in and week out. We are so lucky to have such dedicated people. Big thanks must also go to the owner of the property, Sue, who put on a BBQ and helped make yesterday special. All the children won an award and a rosette, so thank you also to all the generous sponsors who made that possible.

Next week our very beautiful and special art ladies will be joining us for their regular fortnightly visit to Gi-ant Steps. Margaret and Rosemary have been helping us with some fantastic art activities and fun for a couple of years now and many of our children have had a ball spending time with them. Unfortunately this will be the last visit, as they need to focus on other things next year. We are so grateful for the very gener-ous and caring support they have given us over the last couple of years, and they have done a spectacu-lar job working with our children. I believe both ladies have enjoyed it as well, and have found it very re-warding. Special people like Margaret and Rosemary are such a great part of our Tasmanian community and it is so great to see people doing things for other people.

This week we also had another fabulous Next Steps Christmas luncheon. Families and friends joined us for a delicious Christmas themed feast, and I am sure nobody left feeling hungry! Great work by the Next Steps crew, and especially Guido who slaved over his stove all day to get the food prepared for us all. As usual it was so great to see everyone mixing and having a catch up. I have booked the Community Com-plex already for next year’s luncheon as we seem to have outgrown the gym! It was a great day of fun and family.

A little bit of a serious message to finish of this week’s newsletter. I was told a very disturbing story by a parent this week that has really made me stop and think, and I wanted to share it with you. A sibling of one of our students was approached during the week by a stranger. This stranger asked the child to come with him and said he was a friend of the family and he was asked to pick him up. Luckily this child had recently learned a “secret code word”. This was a pre-arranged word that was only known by family members. The idea being that this word could be passed to a family friend or relative in an emergency situation if they needed to pick up a child and weren’t known to them. Thankfully in this situation the child was clever enough to ask for the word and when they did not receive it ran away to safety. The police were of course informed. It is such a scary thought but one that I think all families should give some discussion to. I in-tend to do some more research on the topic and look at ways we can protect our young people. Perhaps a whole school approach would be beneficial and we will look at that for 2017. In the mean time I am so grateful for the quick thinking of that sibling and I encourage you all to give some thought to this. A simple code word may be a life changer.

Have a great weekend.

Tim Chugg - Principal.

Keeping you up-to-date with what’s happening at Giant Steps Tasmania

Phone: 63 622 522 Email: fundraising@giantsteps.tas.edu.au

Giant Steps TASMANIA - Weekly News

Friday 9th December 2016

A message from the Principal

GIANT STEPS TASMANIA - WEEKLY NEWS - 9TH DECEMBER 2016 Page 2

Special points of interest: 2017 - Fee Rebate Information - Due Back today - 9th December 15/12/16 - Seb’s Super Hero Day 21/12/16 - Last Day Celebrations - Information to follow shortly Giant Steps Christmas gifts - see attached 2017 Learn How To Swim information Scarecrow Farm - School Holiday & Respite info attached

2017 Fee Rebate forms are now due back It has always been understood that many families are not able to meet the level of fees required for enrol-ment. The Board of Giant Steps has sought ways to ease the burden on families who are in genuine need, and are now inviting current school families and those considering enrolment, and who would not otherwise be able to afford to enroll their child at Giant Steps, to apply for a Fee Rebate.

A Fee Rebate application form is available on request from Leanne in the office at Giant Steps.

If you would like to apply for a rebate, please contact Leanne for a form and return it to the school by:

Friday 9th December. Karina Johnstone

Business Manager

Giant Steps Tasmania

Term Dates 2016:

Term 4 ends - Wednesday 21st December 2016

2017 TERM DATES

Term 1 Begins Wednesday 8th February Term 1 Ends Thursday 13th April

Term 2 Begins Tuesday 2nd May Term 2 Ends Friday 7th July

Term 3 Begins Tuesday 25th July Term 3 Ends Friday 29th September

Term 4 Begins Tuesday 17th October Term 4 Ends Thursday 21st December

GIANT STEPS TASMANIA - WEEKLY NEWS - 9TH DECEMBER 2016 Page 3

This months Aussie of the Month is:

Elliot!!! Elliott has demonstrated an enormous improvement in literacy and numeracy skills over the last couple of months.

Great work Elliott.!!!

GIANT STEPS TASMANIA - WEEKLY NEWS - 9TH DECEMBER 2016 Page 4

BLUE ROOM MAKE SPAGHETTI & LOLLIE HOUSES

AND ENJOY THE FESTIVE SEASON!!

Horse Riding Challenge Day! Celebrating 10 Years of Horse Riding at Giant Steps!

GIANT STEPS TASMANIA - WEEKLY NEWS - 9TH DECEMBER 2016 Page 5

Next steps Christmas party!!!