NSW Department of Education and Communities

Cowra Public School

NEWS

27 November 2014 Term 4, Week 8

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

FOR YOUR DIARY

November

28 Swim School

December

1-5 Swim School

2 Infants Ballet

3 Combined scripture

5 Magazine orders close

8 Primary Minor Assembly 9.30am

9 Infants Major Assembly 9.30am

9 Primary Major Assembly 11.30am

10 Infants Class parties

10-12 Stage 3 Excursion to Canberra

12 Community & Parent helpers morning tea at

10.15am

15 Yr 6/Staff Softball game

16 St 3 Class party

16 St 2 Class Party

17 Year 6 Graduation

17 LAST DAY OF TERM FOR STUDENTS

January

27 Teachers return to school

28 Students return - Yr 1-6

29 Kindergarten commences

CONTACTING THE SCHOOL Administration Office Hours: 8.30am - 3.30pm

School commences at 9.10am

School finishes at 3.15pm

Students are not supervised before 8.45am

Mail: PO Box 285, Cowra

Phone: 6342 2400

Fax: 6341 1357

School Counsellor 6341 3078

Email: cowra-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Web: http://www.cowra-p.schools.nsw.edu.au

DEPT.HEALTH DENTAL CLINIC: 1300 552 208

Dear Parents

Last night our school enjoyed a

wonderful response to our P&C Movie

Night. The film ‘How to Train Your Dragon

2’ was a big hit across all ages and the

turn- out of families and friends really

showed the support the school has. So I

would personally like to say thank you to

all who attended. Also I would like to

thank the P&C for running the canteen

and cooking the BBQ as these parents

make such nights work. A big thank you

to Nigel Hazell for his organisation.

Today the school had the combined

assembly for Week 8. This assembly

marked the announcement of the 2015

School Captains, Vice Captains and

Prefects. All of these students shone

during their speeches two weeks ago

and we are proud and confident they

will lead the school to the best of their

ability next year.

Swim school started this week with over

100 students taking part. Mr Murray has

done a great job organising the

program and we are delighted to have

Jack Lewis (Mr Lewis’ son), Alana White,

Liz McKay and Della Toohey as part of

the instructing team. Swimming in my

mind, is one of the most important skills

Australian children need and we are

very happy to promote such a

wonderful program.

Over the last few weeks the school has

seen an increase in parents coming into

the school foyer with their children to

look at the PBL photo boards. This

promotes awareness on where the

children lie on the PBL achievement

levels and gives the kids a huge buzz to

see their picture up on the wall. Please

feel free to come and have a look.

Next week the school will be holding the

last Scripture lesson of the year and I

would like to thank the huge number of

volunteers who freely give their time

each week to instruct the children.

These lessons are received

exceptionally well by our children and

provide an opportunity to the children

that they may not otherwise

experience. The combined scripture

will be on Wednesday, 3 December.

Yesterday three students in Year 6 from

Cowra Public School who have

gained selection into the Aurora Virtual

High School for 2015, had a video

conference. During this they and their

families were provided with information

on the processes of the school. Cowra

Public School was the only school in

the Cowra District to have students

gain selection into this unique school

environment, which is a testament of

the education offered at the school

and the opportunities provided for

acceleration and advancement.

Congratulations to the three students;

Ella Roberts, Luke Wilson and Sean

Smith.

Lastly just a reminder that all students

need their hats and water bottles in the

current conditions.

We are coming up to the busy time of

the year so please keep an eye on

important dates, especially the final

assemblies.

Have a great week.

Brad Tom

All students entering Year 3 in 2015

must complete a new bus travel

Application Form.

If you have not already done so,

please collect a form from the

school office, complete and return

as a matter of urgency.

2015 SCHOOL LEADERS

Captains: Cambell White

Anja Gower

Vice Captains: Lewis McFarland

Madeleine Mulligan

Prefects: Jake Camps

Glenn Saxby

Nashwa Bakini

Isabella Scammell

House Prefects:

Brigalow Tahlia Ryan

Kurrajong Harlee Simms

Myall Heidi Osborne

Wandoo Courtney Wright

Page 2

INFANTS ASSEMBLIES

Infants assemblies will now be held

every second Thursday, i.e. even

weeks. The assemblies will be held in

the Infants Open Space and

commence at 2.00pm and finish at

2.30pm when the children will return to

their classrooms.

At these assemblies students will be

receiving Merit Certificates and PBL

awards.

Every alternate Thursday (not assembly

week) from 12.30pm until 1.00pm the

Infants will be holding combined

singing in the Infants Open Space. All

parents are invited to come along and

listen to the children singing.

PRIMARY ASSEMBLIES

The Primary will also be holding their

assemblies every second Thursday, i.e.

even weeks at 2.30pm in the school

auditorium.

The assemblies will include the Year 6

Public Speaking and Merit Certificates

will also be presented on the day.

COMBINED ASSEMBLY

The school will be holding combined

assemblies twice a term. At these

assemblies the Infants and Primary

Aussies of the Month will be announced

and the children will be presented with

their awards.

Cowra Public School

PRESENTATION ASSEMBLIES

~ INFANTS ~

Final Assembly

Thursday, 27 November at 2.00pm

Presentation Assembly

Tuesday, 9 December at 9.30am

Major awards will be presented at this assembly.

All parents and friends are invited to attend.

~ PRIMARY ~

Final Assembly

Monday, 8 December at 9.30am

Special merit certificates, service and citizenship awards and

sporting awards will be presented at this assembly.

Presentation Assembly

Tuesday, 9 December at 11.30am

Major awards will be presented at this assembly. All parents

and friends are invited to attend.

Year 6 students will receive their

GRADUATION CERTIFICATES

at an assembly on Wednesday, 17 December at 2.45pm

School Magazine

Order your copy of the

magazine at the school office

up until

Friday, 5 December, 2014.

Cost: $10.00

The magazine will contain an

outline of the year’s events as

well as students’ academic and

sporting achievements.

YEAR 5 FAREWELL TO YEAR 6

Date: Monday, 8 December 2014

Time: 6.30 - 7.00pm Finger food supper

7.00 - 8.00pm Social/bushdancing

8.00 - 8.30pm Formal Ceremony in Auditorium

Dress: Smart casual

Cost: Year 5 only: $2.00 towards the cost of the farewell cake.

Year 5 students are each to bring a small plate of finger food, ready

to eat. Chips, drinks and lollies will be supplied, so please don’t bring

them along.

Suggestions for food are: Sandwiches; fruit platter/skewers; salad

platter; cold meat (includes chicken); sausage rolls/mini pies/mini

quiches/mini pizzas; cocktail frankfurts.

Children are not to arrive before 6.40pm and we ask that you are

punctual in collecting your child at 8.30pm from the auditorium. If

your child is travelling home with someone other than their parent, a

note will be required.

INFANTS EXCURSION TO THE COWRA

BALLET

On Tuesday, 2 December, all Infants (Kinder, Year 1 & Year 2) students

will be attending the Cowra Ballet School’s matinee performance of

“The Day We Went To Neverland”.

Students attending need to be at school no later than 10.15am.

Students will leave school at approximately 10.15am to walk to the

Civic Centre accompanied by their class teachers.

The performance will be held at the Cowra Civic

Centre commencing at 11.00am (children are to be

seated by 10.30am).

A permission note has been sent home and needs to

be returned with $5.00 entry fee to the school by

tomorrow to enable your child to attend.

INFANTS CLASS PARTIES

& SOCIAL

DATE: Wednesday, 10 December

Infants classes will party in their classrooms from 12.00

noon - 1.00pm.

Santa will make a surprise visit during this time.

A social will be held in the school auditorium from

2.00pm - 3.00pm.

Children may wear party clothes - please remember a

hat.

Children are asked to bring a plate of food to share.

Please be mindful of allergies (especially peanuts).

If your child has any allergies please contact your

child’s class teacher.

Some suggestions:

Fairy bread

Sandwiches

Fruit platter

Fruit skewers

Salad platter

Cold meat (includes chicken)

Chips

Dip and biscuits

STAGE 3 CLASS PARTY

Pupils in Stage 3 will be having their class party at the Cowra Aquatic

Centre on Tuesday, 16 December from 11.30am - 3.00pm.

Cost per child will be $2.00 or a season ticket. This will be collected by

the class teacher on the day (please try to have the exact money).

Students need to bring plenty of drinks and a small amount of party

food to share (nothing with peanuts or peanut flavouring due to

allergies). Please include a paper plate to put it on and slice up food

that needs to be into small pieces.

Children should wear casual clothes and bring their swimming gear, a

hat, t-shirt, sunscreen (no zinc cream).

Swimming organisation

Guidelines for swimming, as set out by the Department of Education

and Training, will be followed. The in-pool schedule will be as follows.

1. All pupils swimming ability will be tested in waist-deep water

under close supervision.

2. Pupils will be grouped as follows.

Strong swimmers who can participate in deep water activities will

be marked with BLUE WRIST BAND.

Weak swimmers and non-swimmers who can participate in

shallow water activities will be marked with WHITE WRIST BAND.

Pupils will then participate in structured swimming activities based on

their swimming ability.

For all groups the teacher to student supervision ratio will not exceed 1 :

20.

A note will be sent home in the next week. Please fill in all the details

and return it to their home class teacher. STAGE 2 - CHRISTMAS PARTY

WHEN: Tuesday, 16 December, 2014 from 11:00am until

approximately 2:30pm

WHERE: River Park

TRANSPORT: Walking (wear comfortable joggers). The

students will be accompanied by their class teachers

and walk to and from River Park.

MORNING TEA:

Bring your own party food.

LUNCH:

Bring your own OR purchase McDonald's (a note will

be sent home with choices).

ACTIVITIES: Sporting equipment will be provided,

however, you may bring your own.

COMPULSORY:

Hat

Sunscreen

Covered Walking Shoes (joggers),

Casual clothes - no bare shoulders

Drinks, water bottle

The permission note and McDonald’s note will be sent

home next week and must be returned to their class

teacher by Friday, 12 December with the correct

amount of money for McDonald’s if ordering. There will

be no change given.

COMBINED SCRIPTURE

Next Wednesday, combined scripture services will be held.

Infants - 2.00pm in the school auditorium

Primary - 2.30pm in the school auditorium

To thank the scripture teachers for the dedication to our students, the

school will be holding a Scripture luncheon for the teachers at 1.00pm in

the school library.

Cowra Public School Page 4

COWRA PUBLIC SCHOOL SPECIAL LEARN TO SWIM LESSONS FOR NON-

SWIMMERS (YEARS 2-6)

Cowra Public School is conducting a special ten day swimming course for NON-SWIMMERS.

Intensive swimming lessons will continue until Friday, 5 December.

Group 1: Year 2 students will walk to the pool at 9.25am accompanied by Mr Blake Duncombe.

Group 2: Stage 2, H2-3, E2-3 & Stage 3 students will walk to the pool at 10.15am accompanied by Mr Blake Duncombe.

All students will change at the pool. Children need to remember to bring their costumes and a towel every day.

Mr Albert Murray will be assisting with the swimming lessons. His class will be taken by either Mrs Myles or Mrs Cole.

STAGE 3 CANBERRA EXCURSION

As the time draws closer the students are getting excited about this excursion. The excursion will occur: Wednesday, 10th

December to Friday 12th December 2014 (Week 10).

Accommodation: will be at Camp Cottermouth.

All students are to be at the front of the school, Vaux Street, by 7.15am on the first day of their excursion. The bus will be leaving at

7.30am sharp. The bus will be arriving back to Cowra Public School at 4.15pm. Please be on time to pick up your child.

WHAT TO PACK/WEAR

Day 1 - Full school uniform including socks, black shoes and a school bucket hat. MUST BE WORN ON FIRST DAY

School bucket hat (compulsory)

Joggers or black school shoes (only)

Bring your own toiletries - deodorant (roll on only), comb/brush, soap, toothpaste and toothbrush

Pyjamas

Sleeping bag and pillow case

Towel

2 changes of underwear and socks (for Thursday and Friday)

Your own morning tea and a drink (for Day 1 only), packed in a disposable container and labelled with your name.

You will also need to bring your lunch and a drink (for Day 1 only), packed in a disposable container and labelled with your name.

Day 2 - CPS sports uniform, including joggers and a school bucket hat.

Day 3 - Smart casual clothes, joggers or black school shoes and a school bucket hat. Year 6 yellow t-shirt optional.

Wear neat, casual clothes including a WARM TOP in case it’s cold in Canberra. (One year it snowed while we were there!)

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Make sure EVERYTHING you bring is clearly labelled with your name. Teachers will not be responsible for any lost items.

All medication is to be in a clearly marked container and is to include instructions/details of administration. All Medication

(excluding puffers if you need to have them with you) is to be handed to the teachers before you get on the bus.

DO NOT BRING: lollies, chewing gum, mobile phones, jewellery.

Electronic games/ipods/MP3 players are permitted FOR TRAVEL ONLY. These will be collected for safe keeping on arrival at camp.

All must be clearly marked with your name.

Extra food is not permitted. Please be considerate of other children’s food allergies and the potential risk to life.

SPENDING MONEY is not necessary but you may bring a maximum of $20. All money is to be put into an envelope with your name

and the amount clearly written on the front. The teachers will collect the envelopes before you get on the bus and then give them

to you at Questacon.

You may bring a camera only if you know how to use it and you are able to load and unload film if necessary.

We will be staying at the Camp Cottermouth, Stromo, ACT. The phone number FOR EMERGENCIES ONLY is 02 6249 6855

PLEASE BE SURE CHILDREN ARE COLLECTED PROMPTLY AT 4.15PM ON THEIR RETURN FROM THE EXCURSION.

Page 5 Cowra Public School

SPORT

P & C

PRIMARY SPORT ~

Primary sport will be class based for the rest of the term due to

Swimming School and the Stage 3 excursion taking place.

CANTEEN NEWS

To celebrate the start of summer, on Friday of next week, the

canteen will be holding a:

“summer beach party”

You will be able to snack on a sausage sizzle and sink your

teeth into a range of scrumptious summer snacks. Please

make sure you order your sausage sandwich before school

next Friday.

NO OTHER HOT FOOD AVAILABLE

Also try some of our new delicious healthy snacks every day

at recess

Banana muffins $1.00

Fruit & Custard cups .50c

Pizza muffins $1.00

Choc top bananas .50

Stay tuned to the newsletters each week for

the weekly specials.

P & C CHRISTMAS RAFFLE

GREAT PRIZES!!

With less than one month to go until

Christmas, it’s time to start thinking about

planning for the big day. The P&C will

again be running a Christmas raffle, with

some great prizes on offer. This year you

could win:

1st Prize – Framed Painting by an

Aboriginal Artist

2nd prize – Grocery Hamper

3rd prize – $100 Voucher (Phil’s Blinds & Awnings)

The raffle will be drawn at the major Primary Assembly on Tuesday

9 December, 2014 at 11.30am.

Raffle books of ten (10) tickets ($20.00) have been sent home

today to families, please sell the books and return the money to

the office as soon as possible.

There will be a prize awarded to the student in Primary and Infants

who sell the most raffle books.

Raffle ticket books need to be returned to the school

before Friday, 5 December. All books whether they

have been sold or not need to be returned to the

school.

Raffle drawn Tuesday, 9 December at the Major

Primary Assembly

CANTEEN ROSTER

1/1/14 2/12/14 3/12/14 4/12/14 5/12/14

Cindy Newsome Cindy Saxby Kim Meeuwisse Kim Meeuwisse

Roberta Graham

NOW ACCEPTING PAYMENT FOR:-

SCHOOL CONTRIBUTION: $30 per student, with a

family maximum of $60. Payment would be

appreciated this term.

BAND: $10.00 per term

School Magazine $10.00

Infants Ballet $5.00

P & C NEWS !!!

The P & C will be conducting a BBQ lunch

this Sunday for a visiting school. The BBQ will

take place at 1.30pm. Anyone who is

available to assist is most welcome. The BBQ

will be held outside the canteen area.

The P & C will again be holding a FETE. The

FETE is scheduled for Friday, 20 March 2015

commencing at 5.00pm in the school

grounds. This will be the P & C’s major

fundraiser for the year and all proceeds

from the FETE will go towards your child’s

education so please mark the date down

on your calendar.

~~ 16 weeks to go ~~

FRIDAY 20 MARCH 2015 5pm in the school grounds

We've had to change the date of our fete due to the NSW state

election in late March. Please note the fete has been brought

forward a week from that previously advertised.

Mark the date in your diaries – the P&C’s major fund raising activity for 2015 is only 16 weeks away.

It's not as close as Christmas but we will seem to get to the date just as quick!

All funds raised from the fete will be used on projects that benefit all children at our school - there

are things you can be doing now to help our fete committee.....

WE NEED YOUR HELP!—we can’t run a fete without help so please consider donating an hour or two

of your time on fete night. The P&C need help before and after the fete to set up and pack up, as

well as helpers to work on the stalls over the fete’s duration. If you can help in any way, please fill out

the form in next week’s newsletter and return it to school before the end of Term. Many hands make

light work!

JAZZY JARS—we will once again be running this fun stall at our fete - start planning now.

Start collecting empty jars with lids over the Christmas break - unusual shapes and sizes

appreciated! You can fill your jar with almost anything and the filled jars will be

collected early in Term 1 next year. Once again, there will be a prize for the class with

the most jars and the challenge will be to unseat Mrs White's class - the reigning Jazzy

Jar champion class! More details will be published in the new school year - but start

thinking now!

STALL HOLDERS—do you have a product or service that you want to sell? Our fete gives you the

opportunity to peddle your wares at a very affordable price. If you are interested in having a stall at

our fete, please contact the school office.

HAUNTED HOUSE –ENTER ONLY IF YOU DARE. The famed CPS HAUNTED HOUSE will

return to this year’s Fete, with plans underway for it to be spookier and scarier than

ever! This attraction is one of the children’s favourite, but it does need a few hours

of setting up so if you have some creative flair and are not afraid of the dark,

please get in touch with the P&C. Also wanted - any ex Halloween props and

decorations, scary ghosts or spider webs - please leave your donations at the school office.

BOOK STALL – clean out your children’s book cases, games cupboards and DVD's to make way for

the Christmas stash. You can donate any preloved books, magazines (in good condition), video

games or DVDs to our school for our book stall. Books can be left at the school office leading up to

Christmas. Make some room at your place and donate them to us!

OTHER ATTRACTIONS – Dance performances, student art displays, face painting, fun

activities for all ages, insane balloon fun, chocolate wheel, school

merchandise, EXCELLENT FOOD and much, much more.

PLAN A FUN EVENING OUT WITH YOUR FAMILY AT

OUR FETE ON MARCH 22!

PO Box 900, Cowra NSW 2794 T/A Lic 2TA5695 Phone: 6342 1021 Fax: 6342 4597 Email: info@cowrabus.com.au Web: http:www.cowrabus.com.au

2015 AUSTRALIAN TENNIS OPEN: Friday, 23rd January-Monday 26th January, 2015: Book early to secure selection of sessions. from $930.00

LES MISERABLES: Saturday, 13 June 2015, Capitol Theatre, Sydney - $220.00

MATILDA: Saturday, 12 September 2015, Lyric Theatre, Sydney, $220.00 ZEALAND NORTH & SOUTH ISLAND: 18 days - Numerous activities included. Departing from Cowra 6th March, 2015. Returning to Cowra 23rd March, 2015. From $5,750.00 twin share

“Cowra Travel Takes you There”

COMMUNITY