Newsletter of the Leura Public School Community Volume 6, Issue 18 Term 4, 2018 Week 8

Coming Events

Week 9 14/12 - Level 3 Special Reward event 14/12 – Reports home

Week 10 17/12 – Presentation Day K-2: 9.30am 3-6: 12 Noon 18/12 – K-2 Christmas activities 18/12 – Year 6 Farewell 19/12 – Uniform Shop open 8.45am to 10am 19/12 – Stage 2 “Picnic in the Park” 19/12 – Stage 3 Movie Day 19/12 – Last day of school

2019 Week 1 29/1 – Staff Development Day 30/1 – First day for students Yrs 1-6 30/1 - First day for Kindergarten

Week 2 6/2 – Swimming Carnival

Merry Christmas

From the Principal… Art & Music Showcase To say this evening was a resounding success is a significant

understatement. The performances of all the students showed

great courage, talent and determination, yet they also

demonstrated the joy our students have found in music. The

artwork on display showed some impressive skill and creative

interpretations of subject

matter and the works of

other artists.

It is always a pleasure to

work with a team of people in making a night like this such a

success, so I must say thank you to the following key team

players: Mr Connor, Ms De Croos, Mr Atkinson, our band and

instrument tutors, P&C parents, C.A.S.T. parents, local private

music tutors, our student MCs and the staff of Leura PS.

Principal’s Art Competition This year there were 22 entries in the art competition. There were some extraordinary

artworks presented, with the collage and oil painting entries being particularly notable.

Congratulations to the following students for being selected as the winners for their grade:

Kindergarten – Arwen Year 4 – Tarik

Year 1 – Kasiah Year 5 – Toby

Year 2 – Eadie Year 6 – Arlo

Year 3 – Coco

Their artworks will be displayed throughout the office building for the viewing pleasure of our

many visitors. Well done!

Positive Student Data At this time of year, school staff often analyse various forms of data to evaluate our work and

the practices we engage in as a school. There will be much greater detail about these findings in

the 2018 Annual Report, due for publication in Term 1 next year. Until then, let me share just

two important pieces of data with you. Firstly, our tracking of student behaviour indicates that

students across the school have earned 119 Level 3 Awards, which is a significant increase when

compared with last year (63). We understand this may not just mean that more students are

demonstrating the expected behaviours

however, it does reflect our deliberate

approach to provide increased recognition of

those students consistently demonstrating our

school values of respect, responsibility and

resilience.

Secondly, our student attendance tracking for

Term 4 shows that two grades have reached our

high standard target rate of 95%, and another

two grades are only slightly below that.

Although this may not seem much to some, it is

important for our school to know that our

students are making the most of the educational opportunities provided by being here every day

possible.

Student Reports Students will be able to take their Semester 2 report home this Friday. If your child is absent,

they will receive their report upon returning to school, either next week or next year if they

are taking leave early. It is a requirement that teachers comment in each subject about what a

student has demonstrated achievement or progress in, and an area for future learning or

development. If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s report, please contact

their class teacher next week to discuss.

Some 2018 Highlights As the year draws to a close, I wanted to take the opportunity to review the memories of some

fabulous moments for our school. There are too many to name them all so I thought I’d just

focus on those directly involving our students.

Swimming Carnival

The Magic Flute Opera

National Day of Action against Bullying

Harmony Day

Easter Parade

Cross Country Carnival

The Magic Words Show

Greening Australia Planting

Book Fair

Book Character Parade

Newcombe Ball Gala Day

Futsal Gala Day

Nurragunawali Music Festival

Festival of Choral Music

House Cup Tournament

Education Week Open Day

Colour Fun Run

Basketball Gala Day

K-6 Athletics Carnival

Nepean Dance Festival

UBMLC Dance Festival

Aboriginal Mural

Year 6 Fun Day

Excursions

Carlingford HS Concert

Art & Music Showcase

Hopefully these bring back wonderful memories and your children have enjoyed their year filled

with a great variety of experiences and opportunities.

On behalf of our staff team here at Leura PS, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and we look

forward to another fabulous year in 2019.

“It’s not how much we give but how much we put into giving.” (Mother Teresa)

Yours in education,

Elise Berwick

Principal

RESPECT RESPONSIBILITY RESILIENCE

K-2 CHRISTMAS ACTIVITIES A note went home last week advising of the annual Christmas concert

which is to be held on Tuesday, 18th December from 10.45 to 11.15am.

The concert will be followed by a picnic in the school grounds from

11.15 to 11.45am. It would be appreciated if every child in K-2 could

bring a wrapped present marked for a boy or girl to give to Santa on

the day.

STAGE 1 WALK TO LEURA We started at our school at 9.30am and started to walk. First we

walked past Leura Garage and the dentist. We saw some wonderful

views. Secondly we went to the Toy and Railway Museum and Mr A

talked about when it was opened, what people do there and why it

is important to people. We wrote down our answers then Mr A and

all of us started walking again.

Finally, we went to the Lone Pine Memorial Gates and Quinn did a speech about the people who

went to war and the people who died in the Great War. Then he showed us the Lone Pine tree

which came from Gallipoli. We then ate our crunch-n-sip and came back from the walk and had

late lunch.

By Elise and Charlotte

RAFFLE WINNERS The winners of the Christmas bike raffle were Avigaille of 1C and Otis of

1/2B.

Congratulations to both students.

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VISIT FROM CARLINGFORD HIGH SCHOOL Thank you Carlingford High School for the wonderful show that you put on for us. The three

bands that performed for us were concert band, string ensemble and the amazing stage band

that also had some interesting choreography. They wowed us with their crazy costumes (the

kindies loved the monkey and year 6 were keen on the storm trooper).

The choir also performed Baby Shark with the Cello and the incredibly cool Double Bass that

blew us away. The soloists were mind blowing (we particularly enjoyed the Trumpet and the

Saxophone).

The whole school learnt what some of the weird and wonderful instruments were.

Everyone loved clapping, singing and dancing with you (whether we were good or not) and we

enjoyed listening to the absolutely fantastic music. The students and teachers from Leura all

got really involved, and everyone had a great time.

When they played Sing, Sing, Sing! it brought back memories for the teachers of when they

were young. All in all everyone in our school enjoyed the fantastic performance that Carlingford

High School put on.

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BACK TO SCHOOL 2019 For your information ………the new ‘Back to School Hub’ on the Department’s website:

(https://education.nsw.gov.au/backtoschool) is a one-stop-shop for parents, featuring a

comprehensive range of practical resources on topics including starting school, learning

resources, family wellbeing and additional needs, as well as all the most commonly asked

questions, top tips and essentials, like catchment areas, school starting age, term dates,

immunisation and transport to and from school.

Community Announcements:

Sharing Knowledge Celebration – 14th December at Hazelbrook Public School from 12 to 1.30pm.

Celebrating the culmination of 9 years in development of the custodianship of the Blue Tongue

Lizard and sharing of knowledge between the Traditional Land Owners and the school

community.

A Guide to Service and Activities for Families – updated for 2019. Go to bmcc.nsw.gov.au/guide-

for-families

Summer school holiday activities – free - at the Reserve Bank of Australia Museum. For more

details go to www.museum.rba.gov.au/events or phone 9551 9743

NOTES/PAYMENT REMINDER To assist families, the following is a list of activities and associated costs, for which permission slips and/or monies are to be

returned to the school. If there are any difficult circumstances in regard to any payments by the due date, for

incursions/excursions, please do not hesitate to contact the school.

EXCURSION/ACTIVITY AMOUNT DATE/PAYMENT DUE

Voluntary Technology Levy $48.00

Tuition and/or Instrument Hire Term 4 $150/$200 Overdue

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We are looking for volunteers (parents, carers or community members) who would like to join a team to help run the LPS First Sunday Markets.

The LPS First Sunday Markets is well established and organised and has raised significant funds for the school over the last 25 years.

Our lovely market Co-Ordinator, Cate Harrison, is moving on and we need to find a replacement.

We know every family has different talents and time constraints, so we are setting up a team. The only way to keep the market running is to do it together. If you support the school market and want to see it continue, this is your chance!

Duties involve:

Taking calls from prospective stallholders and organising bookings;

Putting up signs and flyers around market days;

Unlocking school on market days and setting up flags, tables and chairs;

Collecting stallholder fees;

Packing up and making sure the school is tidy and ready for students the following day.

If you are interested in joining the team, contact Caroline on 0420-817-398 or at lpspc.president@gmail.com.

The annual P&C Christmas Stall will be held on Tuesday, 18 December. We will be set up under the Dragonfly prior to the K-2 Christmas Concert, so parents and carers who are attending the concert are most welcome to come and have a browse. Students will have access to the stall at lunch and recess. All gifts are locally sourced, hand-made or Fair Trade, and will be priced between $3-$6. Come and get your last minute Christmas presents!

NEXT P&C MEETING Stay tuned for our first 2019 meeting!

Learning Support Room (adjacent to School Office)

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LPS P&C wish to say a HUGE THANK YOU to all our wonderful volunteers who have helped with the various services and events that the P&C have organised

this year. We sincerely thank you all for your help, enthusiasm and selflessness

in giving up your time to help support Leura Public School.

From the Canteen:

A HUGE Thank You to all our wonderful volunteers who spend their Friday mornings in the Canteen helping to prepare and serve food to the students. Thank you for your enthusiasm, your initiative, and the great conversations and laughs.

Thank you to all our muffin bakers – you ladies are wonderful!! So are your delicious muffins…!

Thanks to our Thursday Shoppers – without you ladies there would be no food to serve on Fridays!!

A MASSIVE Thank you to Elizabeth Daley for managing the rosters – a huge job that she did without complaint. Thank you for all that hard work!

Thank you to Vikki for single-handedly making all those millions of sausage rolls that are ordered every week.

Canteen Committee

From the Uniform Shop:

Thank you to Nicole Law, Brenda Prado and Michelle Tarlington for their help in the Uniform Shop this year.

The position of Uniform Shop Manager is still vacant!

Kylie Crowe

From the Fundraising Committee:

Thank you to the wonderful volunteers who helped with the P&C Disco:

Claire Absolum, Nathan & Cressida Barron, Kirstie Blabey, Amanda & Chris Byrne, Caroline & Simon Casdagli, Kylie Crowe, Kristian Egan, Ben Emerson, Kate Fagan & Peter Minter, James Forde, Kellie & Dave Hammon, Nicky Law, Andrew Macarthur, Mark Nelson, Jenny & Gary Rubbo, John Sivewright, Vikki Willmott-Sharp, and Rebecca Williams.

And a big thank you to all the volunteers who helped with the various fundraising events throughout the year.

Keris Macarthur

From the Ethics Coordinator:

Thank you to all our Ethics teachers for their hard work and dedication throughout the year – you’ve all done a fantastic job and we greatly appreciate it. If any parents, grandparents or friends are interested in becoming an Ethics teacher please visit the Primary Ethics at https://primaryethics.com.au/ volunteer/ethics-teacher/ and complete the form. We look forward to another year of interesting discussions and sharing different viewpoints.

Petra Braat

General Thanks:

A MASSIVE Thank You to Cate Harrison for single-handedly running the Leura First Sunday Markets this year. What an amazing woman!!

Another BIG Thank You to Sarah Delaney for creating and maintaining the school gardens and weekly Garden Club for the past 10 years. Another amazing woman and we will miss you!

Also thanks to Carol for giving her time in maintaining the Infants Garden and teaching our little ones about growing their own food.

P&C Executive

Have a lovely and safe holiday. See you all in 2019!!