Principal’s Message

GRESFORD PUBLIC SCHOOL Phone 4938 9304 Mobile: 0447 389304 www.gresford-p.school.nsw.edu.au

Term 3 Newsletter ~ 16th October, 2014

Welcome back all to our final term for 2014. This is our busiest term with final semester data collection, report writing, planning for 2015, not to

mention all the exciting things like the infants’ excursion to the theatre, end of year bush picnic, Presentation Night and the Year 6 Farewell. That is

just a few of our great end of year activities. Keep your eye on the newsletter for reminders and check your children’s bags for notes.

Those of you who have walked into our school grounds this week would have noticed the difference to our memorial garden. Thanks to Paterson

Rotary and a great band of willing parents, this area has been transformed with the laying of turf. We will need to keep the children off this area for

the term and will give it copious watering to help it get established. We are indebted to Paterson Rotary for not only financing this project but for

supplying willing workers and expertise to bring this transformation about. As always, we were well supported by our parent body with a great roll

up of gardeners who had the job completed in astonishing time. A couple of our students even supplied some morning tea! We also offer our thanks

to Mick Laurie for doing several trips to collect soil and to Jim Doyle for generously supplying the soil. With some new plantings, we hope this garden

will be a tribute to the memory of servicemen and women who have served our country in war.

Whilst on the subject of gardens, Chris Vigar has volunteered her services to help with the school vegetable garden. Chris is inviting children to be

part of her “Garden Grubs” team who will work together to grow vegetables for our canteen and the children’s own use. Chris has volunteered to

work in the veggie patch each Wednesday and can direct the children’s energy and enthusiasm. Our school chickens which we hatched in the

incubator are now laying well and our native bee hive is due to arrive this week. These are a stingless variety and will assist in pollination of our

vegetables and plants around the school. We are having a visit today from an entomologist who specialises in these bees, to talk to the students

about the bees and their importance in the garden.

Another interesting visit to our school will be by a group of girls from Newcastle University known as the ‘Robogals.’ These students volunteer their

time to visit schools and teach robotics to groups of girls. They do this to encourage more females into science and engineering. It is hoped that our

girls from Year 2 to Year 6 will mentor other students in the use of our school robots. The Robogals will be here on 27 th October and notes will be

sent home shortly for permission to publish photographs and videos which they hope to take on their visit.

This year we will again be supporting the Samaritans with their food hamper collections which will be distributed to the needy in time for Christmas.

We ask for your support in stocking these hampers. Baskets will be placed in classrooms next week and will be collected on 28th November.

Samaritans request that perishables and out of date stock be excluded. We are also supporting the NSW Department of Education charity, Stewart

House with the sale of handballs. The Student Representative Council is organising this fundraiser with balls selling for $1.50.

Active After School Sport commences next week with Years 3 to 6 participating in tennis and gymnastics and the younger students learning the skills

of cricket. Unfortunately our first cricket game of the term was washed out yesterday. Our next game is scheduled for 23rd October. It is great to see

the enthusiasm in some our younger students who are keen to represent the school.

Work has commenced in determining the directions our school will take over the next 3 years as we draw up a new strategic plan. The planning

process relies on parent input to ensure the school is meeting the needs of the whole school community. Our school evaluation team will be meeting

soon to determine ways to best gather data from parents and students so that this plan is representative of all stakeholders. Your feedback is

important to us.

Professional learning for staff has been in the areas of literacy, finance, planning, science and behaviour management.

Kind regards,

Pauline

“Progress is impossible without change and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”

Our Respect Award winners afternoon tea

October

Tue 21 - K-2 excursion Pete the Sheep

Wed 22 - Years 5 & 6 Printing excursion

Thu 23 - Cricket @ Maitland

November

Wed 5 - Kindy Orientation 9.30 –11.00am

Wed 12 - Kindy Orientation 9.30-11.00am

Musica Viva

Wed 19 - Kindy Orientation 9.30 –11.100am

December

Tuesday 16th - Presentation Night

Dates for your Diary

MERIT AWARDS

K/1 1/2/3 4/5/6

Daniel Craig Sam Hartigan Riley Atkins

Rose Kelehear William Mitchell Daniel Seach

Toby Mead

Spelling awards

Ella Osmond

Zhane Duncan

Cameron Jupp

Values awards

Sam Hanlon, Taylah Joliffe, Jada Laurie, Liza Edwards, Jaxon O’Connor,

Bria Hooper & Jake Hipwell

Good listener award

Hayden Wilson, Billy Huckstadt

Awards

Library

award

Madeleine Wrigley

Bella Sellens

Sports award

Juvenile - Rose Kelehear

Junior - Sam Hartigan

Senior - Ryan Skolyszewski

Brodie Huckstadt

Garden Grub Club News

Every Wednesday the Garden Grub Club will be working in the vege patch from 11.10 to 11.35am

with the help of Christine Vigar.

They will be selling their produce when it becomes available.

At the moment they are selling Tomato plants for $2.50 each.

If you would like to purchase one please contact the office.

Tucker Box News

Don’t forget our HALLOWEEN DAY which is on

Friday 31st October.

Decorate your lunch bag that is with today’s newsletter for you chance to win a prize.

All order must be in by Friday 24th October, 2014.

2014 Year Book

With today’s newsletter is an order form for the 2014 Year Book. If you would like to purchase a book please fill in the

order form and return to school with money by Friday 24th October, 2014

Bees

Today we had Tim and Tony visit to our school to talk about bees and their importance to the garden. This was arranged

by our resident scientist Dr Lesley Wright. The children were allowed to taste the honey straight out of the hive and most

of the children thought it tasted very strange.

P & C meeting

this Friday 17th October. Please come along and have your say. We meet in the school’s library at 10.00am.

PATERSON 8TH ANNUAL PINK RIBBON BIG BREAKFAST 2014

John Tucker Park Paterson

Sunday 19th October

Join us from 8.00am to 2.00pm Live music, children’s activites, lots of raffle prizes kindly donated by our many sponsers. Wayne Bennett has a signed shirt

and hat, plus some V8 Super Car items and lots more for auction.

RAFFLE PRIZES you could win: two night at Adina Winery, a Gold Ladies watch from Bailey’s Jewellers, Lunch or Dinner for

four people at “Tatlers Winery”.

AUCTION PRIZES: Wine and Cheese tasting at “Brokenwood Winery” for nine people, also an eleven seater bus available

from “Jacks Bus Hire” and so much more.

Displays by our local Fire Brigade, the Vintage bike and Jaguar club.

Bring your family and friends with a chair or two for a fun day out.

For more info please contact Del Marie on 0408 017 488.