www.wattlegrov-p.school.nsw.edu.au P 02 9731 1355 F 02 9731 1377 E wattlegrov-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Term 2 Week 8 Thursday, 15 June 2017

I hope your family enjoyed the long weekend and were able to get some ‘down-time’ to relax together. Commando Mufti Day Thank you to Mrs Kim Lazarevic, our DSTA for organising a great day on Tuesday for Commando Mufti Day. Money raised through gold coin donation will be used to support the Commando Welfare Trust. Our family is growing At the end of Term 2 we will farewell Mrs Chalk as she commences her maternity leave in Term 3. Mrs Chalk will be sadly missed by the staff and students of 1C, but we will be very excited to hear about the birth of her second child during the term. As notified today to 1C parents and carers, Ms Grace Ludemann will be teaching 1C in Mrs Chalk’s absence. Mrs Bartram will be teaching the RFF (Relief from Face-to-Face) program in Semester 2. Thank you to Mrs Alderton who has done a terrific job teaching 5S this semester. Mrs Atkins will be returning in Term 3. Last week we also farewelled our School Counsellor Mrs Lamb who has also commenced maternity leave. Our new counsellor will be appointed through staffing and will be communicated to families at the start of Term 3.

Week 9

Week 10

Ultimo Dance Festival Over the next two weeks, our dance groups will be performing at the Seymour Centre in the prestigious Ultimo Dance Concert series. It is important to note that many school groups audition to be part of these concerts but do not get included. The selection of all of the groups is an indication of the quality of dance program offered at Wattle Grove. Unfortunately, tickets are at a premium and every concert sells out very quickly. I’d like to acknowledge the staff contributions in preparing and supervising our students for these concerts: Mrs Foreshew, Mrs Farah, Ms Cascio, Mrs Cabrera and Mrs Whiting (for costuming).

Monday 19 K-2 Dance @ Ultimo Dance Festival

Wednesday 21 Sport in Schools

Thursday 22 Tap Ensemble @ Ultimo Dance Festival 3-6 Assembly/Super Kids and 4D Item

Friday 23rd 3-6 Jazz Dance Group @ Ultimo Dance Festival

Tuesday 27 3-6 Super Kids Morning Tea

Wednesday 28 Sport in Schools Viewing

Thursday 29 K-2 Assembly/Super Kids and KB Item

Friday 30 K-2 Super Kids Morning Tea

Principal’s Message WGPS Calendar

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Sport in Schools We would like to invite you to our Sport in Schools viewing day on Wednesday 28 June from 9:15am. This will be the final session of the program and you are welcome to come and watch your child participate. A schedule of classes will be published via Skoolbag.

Liverpool Zone Cross Country It was a pleasure accompanying our athletes to the Zone Cross Country Carnival last week. Thank you Mrs Finn for organising our team and assisting with the marshalling at the carnival. A number of our students did extremely well and will compete at the Regional level.

8/9 Years Girls – 2nd Abbie P, 7th Lani E 8/9 Years Boys – 1st Antonio A 10 Years Girls – 4th Hayley, 10th Caitlyn M 10 Years Boys- 7th Zac P, 10th Brock H 11 Years Girls- 6th Cynthia N 11 Years Boys – 1st Liam W 12 Years Girls – 4th Takali H 12 Years Boys – 5th Daniel D

Professional Learning Last Wednesday evening our teaching staff participated in a twilight professional learning session until 6:30pm working on Google Classroom in the Tech Room. Mrs Cabrera and a team of teachers led our staff through the use of Google applications to facilitate teaching and learning in the classroom.

Morning Routine Just a friendly reminder to parents/carers that if you have information in the morning that you would like to communicate to your child's class teacher you need to do so in writing or speak to the front office about making an appointment. We please ask that to ensure safety, parents/carers do not walk down to the classroom without notice. All parent/carer helpers need to sign in and collect a badge from the front office before arriving at the classroom. Thank you for your support. Student reports Student reports will be sent home with your child on Thursday 29 June. Reports are based on information gathered by your child’s teacher over the course of this semester, using a broad range of assessment tools. Your child’s report also includes information on your child’s ‘social development’, ‘commitment to learning’, involvement in ‘other school activities’ and their attendance during the semester. Our school uses the national education guidelines to report on the A-E framework for students in Years 1-6. Students in Years 1-6 meeting grade expectation are making ‘C - Sound’ achievement.

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A - Outstanding - The student has an extensive knowledge and understanding of the content and can readily apply this knowledge. In addition, the student has achieved a very high level of competence in the processes and skills and can apply these skills to new situations.

B- High - The student has a thorough knowledge and understanding of the content and a high level of competence in the processes and skills. In addition, the student is able to apply this knowledge and these skills to most situations.

C - Sound - The student has a sound knowledge and understanding of the main areas of content and has achieved an adequate level of competence in the processes and skills.

D – Basic - The student has a basic knowledge and understanding of the content and has achieved a basic level of competence in the processes and skills.

E - Limited - The student has an elementary knowledge and understanding in few areas of the content and has achieved very limited competence in some of the processes and skills.

The effort scale indicates how well your child applies themselves to activities in a given subject. 5 = Outstanding Effort 4 = High Effort 3 = Satisfactory Effort 2 = Low Effort 1 = Minimal Effort

If you have any questions following report distribution, you are encouraged to make an appointment with your child’s teacher to discuss it.

Parenting Tip - Resisting kids’ pester power 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. Avoid getting into too many negotiations with kids. 2. Make yourself scarce, either physically or psychologically when they don’t take no for an answer.

3. Communicate with your partner. 4. Draw strength from a friend. How can you make this happen? As hard as it sounds, one of the keys to reducing

insidious pestering and badgering is to stand your

ground, and refuse to give in. That takes some

parent confidence and backbone as well, but

pestering will continue if it works in terms of

getting the end results that kids want.

Quote of the fortnight

“Education is not the learning of facts. It’s rather

the training of the mind to think” - Albert Einstein

Clint White Sam Wilson

Principal Deputy Principal

Year 2 is too

cool !

This semester, we’ve been keeping active by

participating in the Cross Country Carnival, Sport

in Schools and dance! We had an interesting visit

to Taronga Zoo to accompany our study on

Australian animals. In Literacy, we have been

learning to research information on the computer

and writing information reports. During

technology lessons, we’ve been learning to use

the Learner Response devices, Activ table,

BeeBots and cool apps on our iPads.

We’ve enjoyed participating in TEN lessons with

our classmates and using amazing resources to

help us count on and back, making patterns,

adding and subtracting two-digit and three-digit

numbers.

In Science we’ve been looking at the importance

of protecting and preserving the Earth’s

resources. During HSIE lessons we’ve been

School News

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talking about the things that have happened in

the past.

We look forward to an exciting semester 2 where

we will be learning to write persuasive texts and

practise writing and delivering speeches. We will

also be participating in the Special Swimming

Scheme and opening our classrooms to our

grandparents, mums and dads, family and

friends. Hope to see you all there!

Stage 1, Year 2.

Kindergarten 2018 Any families with siblings starting Kindergarten in 2018 who have not notified the Office, could you please do so as we are starting to organise Kindergarten Orientation for Term 4. If you have enrolment papers could they be returned to the Office along with all your child’s relevant documents (original Birth Certificate, Immunisation & proof of address). Notes sent home

Date Year/ Class

Details Returned By

8/6/17 Year 4 Outdoor Education Camp Deposit

as soon as possible

8/6/17 Years 2-6

Swim Scheme First 60

15/6/17 Year 6 Drinks and Snacks Stall Meeting

15/6/17 4C, 4K, 1C

Changes to class teachers

Principal’s Awards

5 Merit Awards- Joshua (1A), Lily (1G) 10 Merit Awards- Maisie (3C) 15 Merit Awards- Maisie (3C), Alli (5/6R), Leilani (3S), Erika (2FM), Drew (2K), Matthew (2B), Sienna (2R), Ethan (2B) 20 Merit Awards – Alli (5/6R)), Nihal (3C), Keira (3S), Dimitri (3J), Javier (4C) 25 Merit Awards- Tyler (4C), Mikaylah (4K) 30 Merit Awards- Ariyan (5B), Anannya (4C) 35 Merit Awards- Bronte (5/6R), Torrance (5S)

Merit Awards

KB Aiyana, Gelsie, Ella, Caleb

KG Nate, Serena, Holly, Rachel

KP Oaani, Ben

KC Zion, Sophie, Aria, Lilly

KR Eli, Abby, Brooklyn, Miriam

1A Vienna, Ella, Eliza, Joshua A, Joshua M, Daniel B

Student Achievement

Office News

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1C Ruby, Lily, Abbey, Damian, William, Zac

1F Koby H, Connor, Chloe, Ruby-May, Lucia, Emily, Koby C, Cooper, Dylan, Shaila, Charlotte, Cherise

1G Lincoln, Kupe, Levi, Kayley, Shyla

1S Zoe, Elise, Darian, Santiago, Safia, Lachlan L

2B Ethan, Divya, Alana, Dominque, Eia, Madison

2FM Erika, Joshua, Nirav, Lucas, Violet, Noah H

2K Finn, Ailene, Annabel, Adelaide, Ira, Lennon

2R Abbie, Jacob, Sienna, Danica, Joseph, Georgia

3C Rhianna, Alana, Tiara, Layla, Maisie, Dean, Alice, Thomas

3J Mariam, Byron, David, Isaac, Thomas, Isabel

3S Cooper, Shreeya, Will, Keira, Tahlia U

4K Cassandra, Erin, Jack, Daniella, Sienna, Charlie

4C Vivek, Tyler, Anannya, Roman, Zeinab, Hayley

4D Zac, Jarryd, Aliyah, Marcos, Harley, Malek

5B Molly, Chloe, Taya, Vishvan, Edan, Ariyan

5S Taleah, Samuel, Ryan, Dean, Sakinah, Emma

5/6R Ashlee, Ryan, Bronte, Ella, Saanvi, Lachlan

6P Timothy, Ryan, Chloe, Alvin, Harrison, Takali

6SK Kaitlyn, Olivia, Mia, Nicholas, Noah, Baljeet

Stage 2 Maths Groups Awards Jim (4C), Tyler (4C), Nihal (3C), Makayla (3S), Jack (3C), Maeve (4K) Stage 3 Maths Groups Awards Miss Bateman - Rhianna (5S) Mrs Cook/Mrs Alderton – Ava (5B) Mrs Robinson - Vishvan (5B) Mrs Phillips – Jason (6SK) Mrs Fuller – Brodie (6P) Commando Mufti Day Our very popular, annual “Commando Mufti Day” was held on Tuesday 13/6/2017. The students were really excited to participate in the hands on

activities. Many thanks to the Defence Force personnel who were wonderful with their student interaction. Our school community donated $621.00 to the Commando Welfare Trust which will benefit families of Defence Force personnel.

Defence News

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Coffee Catch Up Don’t forget, coffee catch up will be held each Monday in the “Clinic” from 9:20am. Deployments and Absence Please make sure you let your child’s teacher or I know if a member of your family is away. I like to make sure I provide support during what can sometimes be a challenging time. Education Assistance Scheme (EAS) Remember it’s never too early to begin tutoring; you have 18 months from your new posting date to take advantage of the Education Assistance Scheme. Tutoring can begin at any time of the year for students so be sure to take advantage of this scheme before your 18 months in your new posting location ends. Application forms and information is available from the DSTA. Holsworthy Family Group Youth Zone This month’s Youth Zone will be held on Saturday 24th June 2017 themed

Winter is here! Rug up and enjoy a movie night! For more information regarding this event please contact the HFG Co-Ordinator on 0497777601. RSVP is essential. Kim Lazarevic Defence School Transition Aide

Fundraising Calendar for 2017

Casula Mall School Rewards Program This is running until 25th June, do not forget to

upload your receipts!

Entertainment Book The new book was released on 1st June, get yours

today and start saving.

Father’s Day stall 7th Sept

Movie night 15th Sept

Our very first MOVIE night at WGPS you will not want to miss this!

Trivia night 28th October

Great fun for the Adults with prizes to be won!

Halloween Disco 3rd November Come and dance the night away

Xmas Harvest 12th December

Giving back to our local community

We are always looking for new and exciting ideas to raise funds for our amazing school whilst

having lots of fun! If you have a great idea why not share it with us at our monthly Fundraising

meetings.

P&C News

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The School Funding Amendment Bill current before the Senate (already passed through the government-controlled Lower House)

Will see only 40% of the funding of the original agreement honoured, bringing about a small increase of $50 per child per year for the next ten years

Will cap Federal government funding of public schools to 20% of the school resource standard (SRS) and private schools to 80% of the standard

Means that schooling for children will not be funded according to need

Abandons the increased role for the Federal government in the funding of disadvantaged students, over 80% of whom attend public schools

Will abolish the requirement of the Federal government to increase, by 4.7% annually, funding to a school until it reaches the school resource standard

Will lock in different funding roles for the Federal and State governments instead of developing an integrated model as originally proposed by Gonski

To find more information and support fair school funding go to http://www.igiveagonski.com.au/whats_gonski Disclaimer: The NSW Department of Education and Wattle Grove Public School do not endorse companies, services or products that are advertised in our newsletters or leaflet distribution.