Clairgate Public School Care, Excellence, Innovation,

Opportunity in a positive, dynamic environment

Term 1 Week 4 16th February 2016

Clairgate Chronicle Welcome to the Clairgate Chronicle for this fortnight – and may I again take this opportunity to thank everyone for an amazing first few weeks at Clairgate. All classes are “full steam ahead” with their learning and our playground areas are full of happy children – what a great school! SRC, Library Monitors and Sports Leaders Induction Assembly Years 3-6 – Assembly this Thursday (18/02/16) K-2 – Assembly next Thursday (25/02/16) Congratulations to our Student Representatives, Library Monitors and Sports Leaders for 2016. I am very proud of all of you. You have stepped into a leadership role at Clairgate and are now role models for all our students – well done. Clairgate Toddler Group Our Toddler Group is up and running - every Friday from 9:00 -11:00am. Come along with your toddlers – have some fun and help them socialise! See the photos later in the newsletter. Congratulations to our Kinder students… Our Kindergarten students are amazing – they have integrated very well onto the “big” playground with lots of support from the teachers and also from all other students. Well done children. Gifted and Talented Education Our Gifted and Talented Programs are underway at Clairgate with Mrs Thurling and Mrs McInally working with students on critical thinking and research skills. WOW Program The WOW Program (Ways of Working) has been developed at Clairgate and is composed of teaching and learning experiences that demonstrate to children the many different ways of working, problem solving and comprehension skills through aspects of a differentiated curriculum. This program is now up and running with Mrs Robinson and Mrs Thurling and a selected group of students.

Bridging The Gap We are currently working with the Bridging The Gap team to build children’s resilience and strategies to deal with anxiety. Some general housekeeping…

Please DO NOT drive into the car park area to either pick up or drop off your children – this area is for STAFF only – or those with a current Disabled Parking Ticket.

Just a reminder that the Kiss and Drop Zone at the front of the school is not to be used to wait for your child for a long time.

Thank you to all those who now wait for their children in either the main quad area or near the Kindy rooms – this has made it much easier for our students to leave their classrooms quickly and quietly.

Just a reminder about any change of legal circumstances – we need to see any court orders (originals) or documents pertaining to access to students – and if these orders are rescinded or changed we also need these details in writing.

Bike riders in the afternoons – do you know if your child rides safely?...and if they are wearing their helmets? I have had several reports from St Clair residents that Clairgate children have been seen riding their bikes in a very dangerous manner along Leicester Way and surrounding streets. I have asked these residents to phone the police straight away if this unsafe behaviour continues. Please talk to your children about Bike Safety.

Have a wonderful fortnight, Kind regards, Mrs Michelle Lawrow Principal Clairgate – just great!

Closing Date for payment

for all competition is

Thursday March 31st

Sport Report Term 1 Week 4 2016 Summer Sport

Currently teachers at Clairgate and other schools in our district are trying to organise a Gala Day to be held late this term! In preparation for this, trials have started for Summer PSSA/Gala Day teams (Yrs 3-6) for the following sports: OzTag, Cricket & T-Ball (Juniors & Seniors). More detailed information will appear in future newsletters. At this stage, Winter PSSA sport (Terms 2 & 3) will still go ahead as in previous years (ie. Weekly Friday games).

Panthers Assembly Our Yrs 3 -6 students will be attending a special assembly on Monday 22nd February. This assembly will involve a few Panthers players visiting our school and promoting well-being, nutrition, healthy choices as well as the benefits of Rugby League during their presentation. The time for this assembly is yet to be confirmed.

Swimming Carnival Assembly Clairgate’s annual Swimming Carnival assembly will be held on Wednesday 24th February (2pm). All ribbons and major trophies will be presented on this day. All welcome!

District Swimming Carnival The St Marys District Swimming Carnival will be held on Friday 4th March at Mt Druitt Pool. Notes will be going home shortly to Clairgate’s selected swimming squad.

Area Swimming Carnival The 2016 Area (Sydney-West) Swimming Carnival will be held on Thursday 24th March at Homebush Olympic Pool.

We Are The Champions! Congratulations to Tayleah Pasili and Jada Taylor who both competed at the 2016 NSW State Oz Tag Championships in Port Macquarie last week. The girls and their team played exceptionally well to win the whole carnival and be crowned NSW OzTag State Champions!! Well done girls on an outstanding effort!

Concert Band + Instrumental Lessons!On School Campus!!

Getting ready now for Concert Band!•  We are excited to be introducing a Concert Band and also lessons for brass, woodwind and

percussion instruments!•  Your school is working with Primary Music Institute to deliver this new program in 2016!•  Participation will be optional and available to students in grades 3 and above in 2016!

•  Lessons will be available once per week on school campus – typically during the school day!•  Only $14.50 per child per small group lesson (3-5 students for 30 minutes)!•  Private lessons also available ($32.50 per child for 30 minutes)!•  PMI are offering FREE participation in band rehearsals in 2016 – 1 hour per week before /

after school!!•  Instruments indicatively include: alto saxophone, flute, clarinet, snare drum, trumpet,

trombone!•  Equipment to be coordinated by parents. Primary Music Institute can provide details of easy

rental and purchase options! !

•  Please ENROL TODAY – via Primary Music Institute’s website OR enrolment forms availablefrom the school front office!

P: 1300 362 824 E: admin@primarymusicinstitute.com.au www.primarymusicinstitute.com.au

Concert Band and Instrumental Lesson are only available to students in Years 3 - 6.

WHEN: Saturday 5 March 2016 between 10am and 2pm

WHERE: Jamison Park, Jamison Rd, Penrith

WHO: dogs and cats

Council’s Companion Animals O� cers will be on hand along with a vet and animal trainers to answer any questions.

Please ensure all dogs are on a lead and all cats are in a cage (limit of four cats per household).

For more information contact:

www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au

FREE MICROCHIPPING DAY

ANIMALSERVICES PENRITHCITY COUNCIL

4732 7543

PENRITH OBSERVATORY SCHOOL OF COMPUTING, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS

ASTRONOMY NIGHT – Saturday 27 February 2016 (8.00 pm – 10.00 pm)

IS ANYONE OUT THERE?

Come along a listen to Dr Ain De Horta’s talk on the hunt for ET. The evening will also include a 3D astronomy movie, a tour of the dome area and an opportunity to view the night sky through the observatory's telescopes.

Cost: $18 adult, $12 child/concession and $50 family

Bookings are essential: To book and pay for tickets visit westernsydney.edu.au/observatory

DONNA JEAN’SDANCEFORCE

• Toddlers Fairy Ballet, Tiny Groovers, Tiny Tappers!• Mum’s & Bubs Class• Classical Ballet (Cecchetti / R.A.D.) • Modern• Jazz/Funk • Contemporary • Hip Hop • Acrobatics• Showgroup • Boys Breakdance • Singing

OPENING 2015ASHFIELD!!!Est. 30 yrs

MINCHINBURYFirst Lesson FREE!

ENROL NOW

Qualified Teaching Staff with Working with Children Check

9832 3688www.donnajeans.com.au

2/24 Eddie Road, MINCHINBURY1 Holden St, ASHFIELDPrincipal: Donna Jean Holmes

(A.Dip.CBA., C.I.C.B. CertIV, A.Dip.ISTD) EST. 30 Years

Workshops with leading guest teachers from

So You Think You Can Dance, The

Australian Opera Ballet

FUN, FRIENDLY, FAMILY Studio for kids from 2 yrs – Adults!

30 Successful Years

7 DAYFREE

Group Training Fitness Centre

9834 1888

St Clair Shopping CentreGet Your

TRIAL

YOGA AEROBICS CIRCUITSPILATES

MAX Your Health

MaxZoneFitness.com.au

7 DAYFREE TRIALVisit our website

to register

Group TrainingFitness Centre

MAX Your Health

No Joining FeesNo Contracts

Bring your school newsletter in to get a 10% discount off our memberships!

We are having a Mufti Day on Thursday 3rd March, to raise money to support

our Aussie Farmers. A gold coin donation is a minimum for this worthwhile

cause. Dress like you think an Aussie farmer does or you can dress like farmers

from your ethic background. You might like to come as a sheep (but we really do

think it would be a bit too hot). The P&C are also joining in and will be selling

Sno-Cones at lunchtime - $1.00 each.

A lot of our farmers are doing it tough, after the past few years where they

have faced a lot of challenges, prolonged drought and natural disasters such as

bushfires, followed by floods.

These natural disasters affect us all. We are very lucky in Australia to enjoy an

abundance and variety of fresh food that we take for granted, but are not

available in many countries not as “Lucky” as ours.

If our farming community fails it will affect us all. We may not be able to just

walk into a shop and buy what we want, prices will rise and we will have to import

food at a great cost to the environment.

We will be sending the proceeds of the fundraiser to Landcare who focus on

trying to ensure that our farmers are drought ready.

It's up to every single one of us to protect our Australian landscape for the

future.

We hope that you can support this worthwhile, home focused fundraiser!!

The Clairgate Staff and P&C

Term 1 2016 Calendar February & March

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Wee

k 4

15 16 School Banking

17 Book Club Orders Due

18 Meet the Teacher

Classes 56G, 4R,

1M and 2B

School Induction Assembly

Years 3 – 4 2pm

19

Meet the Teacher

Classes 3T, 3CG, KA

KL and 2N

Wee

k 5

22 Meet the Teacher

4LT Panthers assembly

Year 3-6

23 School Banking

24 Swimming Carnival

Assembly 2pm

25 School Induction

Assembly Years K – 2

2pm

26

Wee

k 6

29 March 1 School Banking

2 3 From Farm to Fork Mufti/

Sno- Cone day

4 District Swimming

Carnival Mt Druitt Pool

Wee

k 7

7 P&C Meeting

7pm

8 School Banking

Year 6 Fundraising

Sausage Sizzle.

9 10 11

Wee

k 8

14 15 School Banking

Wanderers Soccer Clinics

Year 2, 3 & 4

16 17 School Assembly

Years 3 – 6 5/6A presenting

2pm

18

Dates for your Calendar

Area Swimming Carnival - Thursday 24th March at Homebush Olympic Pool.

School Photos April 7th, 2016