Monday 22nd June 2015

Dear parents and carers,

I can’t believe we’ve already reached the last newsletter for Term 2!

This term has flown in a whirlwind of excitement and activity, with

some phenomenal learning across the school, as everyone who

attended the Community Day last week discovered. The day was a

resounding success with almost 60 attendees. Congratulations to those

who attended, our prize winners, and students and staff who gave our

visitors a glimpse into the learning that takes place each day. If you

missed the opportunity to attend the Community Day we will have

another one next term, so look for the date in the parent planner early

in Term 3.

Today you should receive your child’s half-yearly report and

interviews will follow tomorrow and Thursday. If you are not able to

attend an interview but would like to meet with your child’s teacher

please contact them to make an alternative time to talk.

Although we’ve now passed the shortest day of the year, the cold of

Winter is really just beginning, and we’ve already had many students

and staff succumb to colds and the flu. So my holiday wish to

everyone is to relax, sleep in, and recharge your batteries.

Mrs Lock

Principal

WHALAN PUBLIC SCHOOL Karangi Road, Whalan N.S.W 2770

Telephone: 02 9625 7757 02 9625 9038

Facsimile Number: 02 9832 2452

www.whalan-p.schools.nsw.edu.au

Our school is built on Darug land

A message from Mrs Polios

Today, semester 1 reports have been sent home with the newsletter.

We would like to congratulate all of our students on the hard work

they’ve done with their learning this semester.

Parent / Teacher interviews

Our Parent/Teacher interviews will take place tomorrow, Tuesday 23rd

June and Thursday 25th June from 3.15 – 5.15pm.

Interview requests should be returned to your child’s teacher as soon

as possible so that a day and time of your choosing can be allocated.

If you are unable to have an interview on these days, please let your

child’s teacher know so that an alternate day and time can be

negotiated.

Last week we held our second Community Day. It was wonderful to

see so many parents, carers, family and community members attend.

We all had the opportunity to learn about the curiosity of children and

their inquiring minds. We have some very talented children at our

school!

We’d like to thank the following organisations for their kind

donations:

Sydney motor sport park (Eastern Creek)

Bunnings (Minchinbury)

Hoyts Cinemas (Mt Druitt)

Fowler Road SSP

McDonalds

Kmart (Mt Druitt)

This Wednesday, students from K-6 will bring home the three Books

In Homes books they chose for Term 2. This is always a very exciting

time and a great opportunity to spend time together as a family

looking at and reading the books children have received. Remember to

save the black BOOKS IN HOMES bags to use when borrowing

library and Twilight Tales books next term.

Here are some interesting facts about the

BOOKS IN HOMES program-

End of Term 2 Assembly

When: Wednesday 24th June 2015

Start Time: 12.00pm

What’s On?

Principal’s Gold Awards Presented by Mrs Lock

Outstanding Attendance Awards Presented by Mrs Polios

Special Guests: Howard Barton from PCYC and

Jeremy Hardy from UWS

Performance by the School Choir

IT’S TIME TO RETURN TWILIGHT TALES AND

LIBRARY BOOKS

Students at our school love to borrow Library and Twilight

Tales Books but often forget to return them.

This week PLEASE search at home for any books belonging to

our school and return them before the holidays.

Since Books in Homes began in Australia in 2001

1,811,231

books have been given to children across Australia.

Since Books in Homes started at Whalan in 2011

15,209 books have been given to the children in our school.

Students:

* choose the books they want from a wide selection of books

* receive 9 books in 3 black waterproof bags each year

* are encouraged to value reading as an everyday activity.

* can enjoy and share their own Home Library with their family

It costs $88.09 for each student to receive

Books In Homes for one year.

A big thank you to

The University of Western Sydney

UWS pay for the students in our school to receive Books In Homes

and encourage them to develop a lifelong love of reading and learning.

Staff news

Last week, Mrs Habib, went on maternity leave and Miss Littlebury

has stepped in to teach the Koalas on Mondays and Tuesdays.

At the end of this term, Mrs Terri Mackenzie will be taking some

leave and not returning this year. We wish her all the best!

Swim Scheme

Notes for swimming lessons have been sent home today to all students

year 2- year 6.

Dates for swimming lessons are early next term:

Monday 27th

July – Friday 7th

August

There are 2 sessions:

11.45 – 12.30pm for students in our support classes

1.00 – 1.45pm for students in our mainstream classes

We wish you all a happy and safe holiday and we look forward to

seeing you all again on Tuesday 14th July to start another great term.

Mrs Polios

Deputy Principal

The focus for this fortnight is:

Be Prepared

We are ready to learn.

We have our learning tools ready for learning.

This week, teachers will reward

students who are prepared for

learning, with CCs.

At our next assembly, each class

teacher will reward a student who

has consistently adhered to the ‘be

prepared’ expectation with a

special award.

Parents and carers want the best for their

children – a good education can be life changing!

Term 2 Week 8

best attending classes

Term 2 Week 9

best attending classes

KH 97% KH 88%

KN 92% KN 82%

K/1K 95% K/1K 94%

1K 75% 1K 76%

1T 97% 1T 90%

K-6K 97% K-6K 76%

2/3K 84% 2/3K 80%

2/3B 85% 2/3B 88%

2/3C 83% 2/3C 89%

3/4W 87% 3/4W 80%

4-6A 89% 4-6A 85%

4-6N 95% 4-6N 80%

4-6P 97% 4-6P 93%

K-6M 73% K-6M 92%

3-6B 84% 3-6B 82%

3-6F 83% 3-6F 90%

Congratulations

KH, 1T, K-6K & 4-6P!

Congratulations

K/1K & 4-6P!

The most important thing

parents and carers can do to

help their child get a good

education, is get them to

school every day!

What does our school attendance look like now?

The bar represents 100%. The shading represents what our school

percentage for attendance is now, after 89 days of school (90%)

PSSA RESULTS FOR FRIDAY 12th

JUNE:

SPORT OPPOSITION SCORE RESULT Player of the

Match

Netball

(Junior) Rooty Hill 9-0 Win Paige Sautia

Netball

(Senior) Rooty Hill 11-0 Win Wesley Vaifale

Soccer

(Junior A) Rooty Hill 5-1 Win

Azanageorge

Mahara

Soccer

(Junior B) Rooty Hill 5-1 Win Ryan Miles

Soccer

(Senior) Rooty Hill 3-0 Win Rianna Cregan

PSSA RESULTS FOR FRIDAY 19th

JUNE:

Cancelled – grounds closed

COMING EVENTS June / July

Week 10, Term 2

Monday 22nd June 2-6 assembly

2/3K presenting; 2/3B performing

Semester 1 reports go home

Tuesday 23rd June K - 1 assembly

K/1K presenting; KH performing

Parent / Teacher Interviews

Wednesday 24th June Books in Homes book giving at end of

term whole school assembly - 11.45am

Thursday 25th June Parent / Teacher Interviews

Friday 26th June Lunch with Mrs Lock

Last day of term 2

Week 1, Term 3

Monday 13th July Staff Development Day

Tuesday 14th July Students return to school

Friday 17th July Kindergarten excursion to Snugglepot

and Cuddlepie performance

Congratulations to the following students, who have earned 5

Connected Certificates and are halfway to a Whalan Medal. They are

also eligible for a prize:

KN – Chelsea Love; Max Seia; Seiuli Iulio; Sean

Luamata; Zakariya Taqi

K/1K – Binary Vaifale; Halo Fatai; Ryen

Sayeed; Charlotte Horseman; Kahtell Petersen

2/3C – Jesse Kruse; Zak Donnelly; Jahvahn

Petersen; Mia Portors; Keara Blackie; Jaidee

Churchouse; Matthew Bourke; Paige Sautia;

Dion Coleman

3-6F – Josephine Jones-Jeffress; Rikki Jones;

Thomas Fragomeli

4-6A – Emily Hadden

When students receive 10 Connected Certificates, they are eligible

for a medal.

At that time, they will complete their Whalan Medal goals form (with

signatures from all of the teachers that work with the student).

The completed form and the 10 Connected Certificates are given to

the Principal for approval. Upon approval, the student is awarded the

Whalan Medal at one of our fortnightly assemblies.

Easy Chinese greens & vegetable soup

Serves: 6 at home or 25 tastes

Fresh from the garden: Onions, Carrots, chinese greens, spring onions, potatoes

Equipment: Ingredients:

1 Large pot 1 packet of chicken soup

Chopping board 2-3 stock cubes (chicken/vegetable)

Knife 2 onions (finely diced)

Wooden spoon 1-2 carrots (grated)

3 ladles 6-7 Chinese green leaves (bok choy etc)

3 serving bowls 2-3 Spring onions/shallots

Grater 1 clove of garlic (finely diced)

2-3 potatoes (finely diced) – any potato is fine if available

Water to cover all vegetables

Cracked pepper

What to do: Wash and chop all the vegetables

Grate the carrot

Add all the ingredients to the large pot

Add the packet of Chicken soup and crumbled stock cubes

Add water and make sure that the water covers all the vegetables

Place the lid on and bring to the boil, let it cook until all the vegetables are tender

Turn off the stove

Serve into 3 serving bowls and place on the dining tables with the ladles

Master Salad with Seasonal Fruit or

Vegetables Serves: 6 at home or 25 tastes

Fresh from the garden: lettuce leaves of mixed variety, herbs, lemons, seasonal fruit or vegies

Equipment: Ingredients:

Large bowl 15 mixed lettuce leaves

Salad spinner (if small add a few more)

Chopping board 1 large bunch of mixed herbs (coriander,

Tongs / grater (if required) parsley, basil and thyme are the best)

3 salad bowls/tongs for serving ½ onion diced finely (if available)

Knife / Knives / fork / tablespoon 10 cherry tomatoes cut in¼’s (if available)

Mortar and Pestle (any seasonal fruit or vegies can be used)

Lemon Juicer on top of measuring jug 2 grated carrots (if available)

Classic Vinaigrette

Dressing:

2 cloves garlic

(peeled and crushed

in mortar and pestle)

2 pinches of salt and

pepper

½ lemon

¼ cup olive oil

What to do:

Wash all salad leaves and dry in the salad spinner. Rip leaves into small 3cm pieces (no larger) and

place into large salad bowl.

Remove all stems from herbs, chop finely and place into the large salad bowl with all the lettuce

leaves.

Add any other grated or diced fruit and vegetables you are using into the salad bowl.

Place peeled garlic into mortar and pestle along with the salt. Pound a paste using the pestle.

Juice the lemon then grate the rind of the lemon into the juice.

Add the garlic paste and olive oil into the jug with the lemon juice and rind.

Add pepper and mix until combined well.

Pour dressing on top of salad and toss until dressing coats all of the salad.

Serve evenly into 3 salad serving bowls.

Place one bowl of salad and a small pair of tongs on each dining table.

Quick and Easy Savoury Scones

Fresh from the garden: Mixed herbs, shallots

Equipment: Ingredients:

Large mixing bowl 3 cups of self raising flour

Large baking tray pinch of salt and pepper

Wooden spoon 1 tblsp of mixed herbs (dried or fresh) finely chopped

Knife 300mls thickened cream

Measuring cup 1 ½ cup soda water

Chopping board ¼ cup shallots or spring onions (very finely chopped)

Dessert spoons Canola spray

Sifter 1 tblsp parmesan cheese

3 serving plates

What to do: Turn the oven on to 220°C

Sift flour into a large bowl

Add the herbs, salt & pepper, shallots or spring onions and parmesan cheese

Make a well in the centre and add the soda water and cream

Mix together until all combined to a sticky consistency

Spray baking tray with canola spray

Using spoons divide mixture and place on trays enough for one scone for each person including all

students and adults in the class

Bake for 10-15 minutes or until brown, take out and divide onto 3 serving plates. Place on the

dining tables