Get Ahead Kids Magazine Vol. 1. No. 6. Nov/Dec 2009

Vol. 1 • No. 6 • Nov/Dec 09

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®

An Interview with the

Blue Wiggle, Anthony FieldSchool Readiness & the Importance of Play

What Should My Child Be Doing Before Starting School?

The Adrenalin Rush of Skateboarding

Holiday Jobs & Learning

Holiday Learning for Preschoolers 3-6 Years Old

A Kids’ Healthy Christmas

Local News • Product & Book Reviews • Activities • Great Giveaways

Summer Learning Special +

Best Value Speech Therapy ServicesProven Results • Professional Speech Pathologists • Personal Attention

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Editorial

Your Letters

News

‘I am Jack’ Stage Play

Spotlight

An Interview with the Blue Wiggle, Anthony Field

Summer Learning

What Should My Child Be Doing Before Starting School?

The Adrenalin Rush of Skateboarding

School Readiness & the Importance of Play

How to Maintain Reading Gains During the Summer Holidays

Holiday Learning for Preschoolers 3-6 Years Old

Holiday Jobs & Learning

Health

A Kids’ Healthy Christmas

A Picture of Australian Children 2009

People in Focus

From Stalemate to Singapore

News

Aerobics Team to Compete in World Competition

Sisters at the Australian Karate Championships

Snowsports Successes for Lakes Grammar Students

Michelle Bridges Wins Heat 2 in ‘Celebrity MasterChef’

Reviews

Dream Baby® Launches Stay-Put Cutlery & Bowl Set

Unique Furniture

New Book Reviews

Activity Zone

Advertisers Index

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ContentsNov/Dec 2009

FOR FAMILIES ON THE GO

®

This Month’s

Get Ahead Kids®

© MAP Marketing 2009

PublisherMAP MarketingABN 38 003 493 007Villa Franca, 2 Scott StNewcastle NSW 2300www.getaheadkids.com.auP: 02 4929 7766

Managing EditorMaria CharltonMAP MarketingABN 38 003 493 007Villa Franca, 2 Scott StNewcastle NSW 2300E: [email protected]: 02 4929 7766

Graphic DesignKatie HurstMAP MarketingP: 02 4929 7766

AdvertisingMaria CharltonMAP MarketingABN 38 003 493 007Villa Franca, 2 Scott StNewcastle NSW 2300E: [email protected]: 02 4929 7766

Get Ahead Kids® is published by Marketing Advisers for Professionals Pty Ltd T/A MAP Marketing. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publisher does not accept responsibility for the opinions, errors or omissions.

Spotlight

Get Ahead Kids® Nov/Dec 094

As Get Ahead Kids® magazine turns

one year old, it has achieved some

welcome milestones.

Demand for the hardcopy Get

Ahead Kids® magazine has rapidly

increased. I urge readers to visit

the magazine’s website for their

personal copy.

The dynamic Get Ahead Kids®

Digital can now be read on screen

and copied free of charge to

readers.

Get Ahead Kids® Digital is now

directly emailed to schools and

libraries nationally.

Editorial

This is the first time I have read this

magazine and have found the

articles quite interesting. Well done!

It’s very informative for parents.

S. Dick, Bonnells Bay

I have an 8 year old son and found

the few tips in the ‘Cool Boys Read’

article to be very helpful. I now

understand why he is reluctant to

read more, even though he is an

excellent reader.

R. Pugh, Wallsend

Being the father of a newborn son, I

was really keen to read your article

on ‘Brain Development for 0-6 Year

Olds’. I now realise the importance

of assisting my son to reach his gross

motor skill milestones and will be

sticky taping your checklist to the

fridge!

O. Mansfield, Dudley

I really enjoy reading this magazine.

It has lots of interesting articles each

month.

K. Smith, Arcadia Vale

Please send letters and stories with

your name and contact details to:

Get Ahead Kids®

Villa Franca, 2 Scott St

Newcastle NSW 2300

F: 02 4929 7827

[email protected]

We have developed reader

exchanges with a large number of

online businesses. The first of these is

www.inparenting.com.au that aims to

be a resource for parents of all walks

of life.

To all our readers, I wish you safe and

happy holidays!

Maria Charlton

Managing Editor

P: 02 4929 7766

[email protected]

‘Increase Your Concentration

Retention’ is a beneficial article, not

only to children but also to adults

who are studying, or who don’t

particularly like to read. I will be

keeping this article to refer to again

when my preschool children are

older.

C. Trantalis, Tanilba Bay

This is the first time I have seen this

magazine and it is brilliant. I really

cannot pinpoint which part I liked in

particular.

J. Fuller, Bolwarra

Your magazine is wonderful! I

enjoyed the article by Leonie

Forsyth. It’s great to have fun at

the beach but there are so many

safety checks to consider when you

have children especially toddlers.

The check list is a good idea for

any outdoor activity in the warmer

months. Thanks Leonie, Kidsafe and

Get Ahead Kids®.

R, Gray, Charlestown


News

I attended the stage play ‘I Am

Jack’ adapted by Monkey Baa

Theatre for Young People at the

Civic Theatre, Friday 4 September

2009.

I was impressed with the

professionalism of the stage play

and the high level of primary school

student engagement.

The audience were awestruck when

author of the much acclaimed

book ‘I Am Jack’, Susanne Gervay,

took centre stage and answered

numerous questions from the

enthusiastic school students.

‘I am Jack’ Stage Play

13 October 2009 Susanne Gervay,

wrote to Get Ahead Kids®;

“Monkey Baa Theatre for Young

People’s adaptation of Susanne

Gervay’s ‘I Am Jack’ has received

critical acclaim, engaging

audiences of all ages in the play.

Due to popular demand, it is

extending its second season with

two weeks of performances in

Broken Hill in October 2009. It is

scheduled for a national Australian

tour in 2011.”

More Information

www.sgervay.com

Tim McGarry & Susanne Gervay

on stage answering questions.

Susanne Gervay

5 x 2-Hour Sessions Weekends & School Holidays

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Raise KidsSUPER

By Maria Charlton


How do The Wiggles contribute to

the education of kids?

Everything we do reverberates

our early childhood training which

emphasised the importance of

seeing things from the perspective

of the child. Murray and I were both

pre-school teachers, and we know

that children learn best through play

and music.

So that is what we incorporate into

all our CDs, DVDs and live shows.

Through our shows, we attempt

to empower children through

participation in singing and dancing.

Where did you go to school?

I went to St Bernadette’s in Lalor

Park (western Sydney), this is where

I first started to play an instrument,

the violin. I then went to Patrician

Brothers Blacktown where I learned

to play football and say the Rosary

with an Irish accent!

My high school was St Joseph’s

College in Sydney where I played

in the orchestra and first played

guitar in a rock band called ‘The

Cockroaches’ with two of my

brothers.

Spotlight

There are many learning

opportunities for children; they are

exposed to a wide range of music

through the many styles of music

we play. We have sung songs in

many different languages (Balla

Balla Bambina) and of course we

sing about the world children live

in, where, for example, eating is a

big part of the day (Hot Potato). We

recognise the importance of

pro-social learning and are aware of

the power of the hidden curriculum -

we try and promote a healthy

lifestyle with songs about exercise

(Getting Strong) and eating healthily

(Fruit Salad).



What are your career highlights?

Still performing after 18 years is pretty

amazing in itself. Meeting Robert De

Niro and Jerry Seinfeld at a Wiggles

gig. The Macys’ Thanksgiving Parade

in New York City, recording and

filming with Slim Dusty, John Fogerty,

Kylie Minogue, Rolf Harris, Troy

Cassar-Daley and so many others.

What do you value most in life?

My family

What are your most unforgettable

personal experiences?

My wedding, the births of my three

children, seeing the Tigers win their

last grand final.

Please tell us about your family

I am the youngest of seven children,

there’s Maria, Patrick, Colleen, Paul,

Anne, John and myself. My dad

was a pharmacist, he was heavily

involved in the local community.

He counselled addicts and ran the

Parents and Friends Association at

school, as well as coaching us at

football. He died about ten years

ago and we all still miss him terribly.

My mother always said the three

most important things in life are

children, music and flowers! So she

made sure that all of us learned at

least one musical instrument.

Now I have three children of my

own, Lucia, Maria and Antonio.

What are your hobbies?

I love being on Sydney Harbour

on my boat, and watching rugby

league - my team is the Wests Tigers.

Go the Tigers!

What was your first job?

I worked at a used car yard along

Parramatta Road with some

amazing characters.

I helped clean the cars, but could

never have been a salesman!

Spotlight

What is your favourite Australian

destination and why?

Home in Sydney. I love getting out

on the water in my boat and of

course going to Leichhardt Oval to

watch the Tigers play.

What was your best overseas

experience?

I’m not sure what the best overseas

experience was but performing and

filming on the Great Wall of China

was pretty amazing!

More Information

www.thewiggles.com.au

This Christmas see The Wiggles perform in their Big Big Show, right around Australia.


What do children need to be

able to do well before they get to

school?

There’s much more to being

successful at school than being

able to recognise the letters of the

alphabet, counting, or writing your

own name.

These skills can be learnt by rote

and don’t necessarily show that the

child has the brain development

needed for more academic levels

of learning.

To learn easily, children need to be

able to take in new information,

organise it, give it meaning and

respond appropriately.

To do this the brain needs to have

the message highways that conduct

information to and from it in tip-top

shape.

Sensory stimulation, opportunities

to move, and rhythm work, are just

a few of the things that stimulate

development of the message

highways.

Children whose message highways

are not ready for learning find

activities such as drawing, painting,

bead threading, puzzles, cutting out,

word recognition, comprehension,

maths concepts, letter and numeral

writing, and spelling more difficult

than those whose brain is mature

and responding effectively and

efficiently.

Even though the children who are

not ready to learn are most likely

highly intelligent, they are at risk for

ongoing learning difficulties.

School readiness begins well before

your child starts school. It begins

before birth and in infancy!

What Should My Child Be Doing Before

Starting School?

By Dr Jane Williams

The skills that your child develops in

the first five years of life provide the

foundations for later literacy and

numeracy skills, as well as social

and emotional maturity essential

for coping in a classroom and

playground environment.

Babies need the opportunities to

move and sensory experiences

that stimulate their brain. Rolling,

crawling, creeping, spinning,

massage, moving to music, along

with opportunities to experience

different textures, sounds, tastes,

smells, and movements are all

important to the developing brain.

Toddlers need lots of movement

experiences that enable them to

practice (over and over) earlier

learned skills.

These provide the foundation for

higher brain-based skills necessary

for later learning - running, jumping,

climbing, rolling, spinning and

tumbling should be included in the

daily activity repertoire of one and

two year old children.

Summer Learning


Let your toddler walk! Go for walks

every day. There are so many things

to do while walking: stepping into

puddles, jumping over lines, picking

up leaves and twigs, balancing

along fences. Go to parks and play

on swings, seesaws and slides. Run

up and down hills. Roll and tumble.

Balance along edges.

Three and four year olds need the

opportunities to develop their brains

to a level where they can move

their bodies in more mature ways -

hopping, galloping, marching,

skipping, over-arm throwing and

batting all require the brain to be

matured to a level where one side

of the body can do “something

different” to the other. It is called

“lateralization”.

This means the brain is able to direct

the right side of the body to “think

and move” differently to the left.

Lateralization is important for lots of

learning activities in school including

cutting out with scissors, art and

craft activities, playing sports, writing

and knowing in which hand to hold

a pencil.

While you may be anxious for your

child to develop the best skill set for

learning at school, it is important to

remember that you cannot hurry

your child’s development - it takes

time for the body to fine-tune its

movements. Let them tackle the

same task as often as they need to.

Every time your child practices a

movement they are taking another

important step along the pathway

to learning.

Summer Learning

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and Education, Toddler Kindy

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More Information

Rob Sasse

Toddler Kindy GymbaROO

P: 03 9817 3544

[email protected]

www.gymbaroo.com.au


Summer Learning

The Adrenalin Rush of

Skateboarding

ABS statistics 2006 indicate that

24% of children aged 5-14 years

or a total of 627,800 Australian

children skateboard or rollerblade.

These statistics also confirm that a

much greater percentage of boys

compared to girls participate in

skateboarding.

About one in four children

skateboard, but there are only

about 30-40 professional Australian

skateboarders travelling the world

to compete in skateboarding

competitions.

One of these professionals is Corbin

Harris.

Sydney based Corbin Harris is a

professional skateboarder and

television presenter who has been a

professional skateboarder for more

than three years. He represents a

number of high profile brands that

include Nike, Red Bull and Element

Skateboards, Shoes and Clothes.

Thanks to Corbin Harris and

HarperCollinsPublishers,

Get Ahead Kids have 3 copies

of Corbin Harris’ Ultimate Guide

to Skateboarding to giveaway

(Valued at $35 each).

3 to Giveaway!

Corbin has his own television show

‘Corbin Presents’ on Fuel TV and also

presents a weekly spot for Fox Sports

‘This Week in Action Sports’.

Well educated, Corbin finished high

school at Waverley College NSW and

holds a Real Estate Management

Diploma.

Like many teenage boys he could

not wait to leave school. Now he is

very grateful for his mother’s support

for encouraging him to complete his

education. He has always excelled at

sport.

His first job was a as a retail sales at

Skate Park. Now his career highlights

are working for Fox Sports, being an

ambassador for youth sports and

travelling the world.

Corbin commented on his passions;

“I love good food, appearing on

television, producing television

shows, writing books and featuring in

magazines”

Corbin Harris

He attributes the popularity of

skateboarding to the ease of going out

of your door and skateboarding, being

associated with cool clothing brands,

and it is a creative individual sport.

Most professional skateboarders

started early, 4-5 years, but Corbin did

not get serious about skateboarding

until he was 14 years old.

To overcome this relatively late start to

the sport, he practised for many hours

every single day.

For kids who want to take up

skateboarding, Corbin outlines the

necessary steps;

Put in the practice time to refine 1.

skills

Make videos to demonstrate skills2.

Send videos to sponsors3.

Compete in small local contests4.

Participate in larger contests5.

For your chance to win visit

www.getaheadkids.com.au

follow the giveaway link and

fill in your details.


Summer Learning

In his book ‘Corbin Harris Ultimate

Guide to Skateboarding’, he states:

“I consider myself lucky to be part

of a new era of sponsored skaters

who have more responsibilities as

ambassadors for the brands they

represent.

Like everything, the more you put

in the more you get out of it, and in

skateboarding it now means that now

in Australia it is possible to make it a

legit career.”

And skateboarding does not have to

be dangerous if you wear a helmet,

knee pads, wrist guards and elbow

pads.

It is especially important to master the

basics in your driveway before you try

more advanced skills in a skate park.

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Corbin Harris’ Ultimate Guide to SkateboardingAuthor: Corbin Harris

An exciting and comprehensive

guide on all you need to know

about skateboarding. This book is

a colourful photographic account

of skating tricks, how to build your

own ramp, the top ten Australian

skateparks and competing like a

professional. You don’t need to a

skateboarder to enjoy this great

book

Age Guide: 5+ years

Extent: 160 pages (Paperback)

ISBN: 9780732290160

Price: AUD$35.00

Publisher: HarperCollinsPublishers

P: 02 9952 5000

www.harpercollins.com.au

Children’s Informal Activities, Outside Of School Hours

Activity No. of Children

5-14 Yrs

Participation

Rate (%)

Watch television, videos or DVDs 2,596,000 97.4

Homework or other study 2,209,100 82.9

Read for pleasure 1,984,000 74.5

Bike ride 1,806,200 67.8

Play electronic or computer games 1,695,800 63.6

Art and craft 1,309,100 49.1

Skateboard or rollerblade 627,800 23.6

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Children’s Participation in Cultural and

Leisure Activities, Australia, April 2006

Skateboarding Safety Tips

Wear properly fitted protective ❑

equipment

Wear bright or reflective clothing if ❑

skating in the evening

Avoid skating at night ❑

Avoid skating on public roads & ❑

footpaths

Build up gradually to complicated ❑

tricks

Advanced tricks need practice in ❑

skate parks

Drink water regularly when skating ❑

in hot weather

More Information

www.foxsports.com.au/fueltv


By Cate Larke

Talk to any kindergarten teacher

and they will tell you that in the first

week of a kindergarten classroom,

they can quickly tell you which

children are going to thrive and

learn in the school environment, and

those that will struggle.

Why is it that some children arrive

at school, thirsty for knowledge and

the challenges of the classroom and

others begin to fall down, lost in the

formalities and structure of school?

Sadly, after the excitement of big

school wears off, by midterm one,

they no longer want to be there,

quickly realising that they are not

able to do what many of their

friends can do easily.

Then for the parents, begin the

interviews with teachers, looking

for answers as to why their child

is not learning - for many parents

this continues for the child’s school

career. So then, how to avoid this

scenario?

School Readiness & the Importance of Play

The answer is not to hothouse

children! School readiness is not

about being able to read or count

to100! Success in kindergarten is

being about ready to learn and this

includes:

To sit still in a chair with good ❑

posture and balance so the eyes

can focus

To have fine motor control so that ❑

you can hold a pencil to write

To have good spatial awareness ❑

so they can do maths and music

To have good balance, so that ❑

the eyes and ears work well

Summer Learning


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So, how do you get your 4 or 5 year

old ready for school? Let them

experience lots of varied play

activities to develop all areas of their

physical body, which in turn will help

to develop their motor planning and

thinking skills.

Checklist

Swings and activities that ❑

encourage balance and the

vestibular system

Monkey bars, climbing and ❑

weight bearing activities to help

to develop the upper body.

Good upper body strength is

needed for later handwriting

development

Complex fine motor activities- ❑

puzzles, craft , toys that

encourage a range of

movement in fingers to develop

dexterity or handwriting

Scooter and bikes to encourage ❑

balance. Balance is linked

closely to eye development and

tracking needed for reading.

Motor planning activities to ❑

develop body awareness

Singing, music and nursery ❑

rhymes to develop sequencing

and memory skills for

comprehension & phonemic

awareness when reading

Reading to your child. Sharing ❑

and discussing books. Don’t try

to teach or force them to read

the print until they are ready. Talk

about words in their environment

eg signs at the shop, numbers

etc. They will begin to recognise

words and symbols long before

they isolate sounds and letters.

How many children could

recognise their favourite fast

food sign in print?

Dress up opportunities for fantasy ❑

play. This helps with imagination,

social development and body

awareness as they manipulate

buttons etc

Sand and water play helps ❑

the child to learn about their

environment and many maths

skills as they measure and pour.

Look at their diet - are you ❑

feeding their brain or bad

behaviour? Letting children eat

foods that have no nutritional

value & are full of chemicals

is going to hinder good

development. Become aware of

what you are feeding your child

and gradually bring about some

changes

Play is the essential ingredient for

success at school. There is plenty of

time for sitting at a table working

through work sheets and writing

answers.

Keeping the lights

on in NSW

www.centennialcoal.com.au

Summer Learning

For instance, instead of expecting

a four year old to write numbers

down and work through a book, let

them count things in a play “shop”,

order their toys into groups, count

their blocks, young children will

learn far more from their varied play

experiences as they develop their

physical body, ready for academic

success. Let them move and

exercise their body frequently -

guess what? They will even sleep

more soundly!

A free handout on school readiness

is available from

www.essentialplay.com.au

More Information

Cate Larke

Director

Essential Moves Children’s Centre &

Essential Play

P: 02 4968 2246

[email protected]

www.essentialplay.com.au


A classic favourite in our family was

the number plate game where you

had to make a sentence or phrase

with the letters of licence plates

around you. Younger children could

find a word that uses those letters

(clues from parents are allowed!).

Another adaptation assigns a theme

and you find words that relate to

that theme, eg. Flowers AWR 332

becomes Azalea, Water lily and

Rose. You could assign points or the

first person to think of an answer gets

the next turn. The added bonus is

that car trips will go faster.

Long car trips also allow for games

like the sign game. The letters A-Z

are systematically worked through

to see if you can find a sign for every

letter, eg. A-Attention shoppers,

B-Bus Stop, etc. A few letters you

may need to find anywhere in a

word but usually you can find a sign

that starts with that letter. Either you

can each do it individually and the

first one to finish or the first person to

find a sign for each letter. The later

promotes more interaction if that is

what you are seeking.

I couldn’t mention car games

without including ‘I Spy with My

Little Eye...’ You’ve been there you

know how it works. The important

thing for younger students is that

the word is not just spelled with the

letter but that it makes that sound.

How To Maintain Reading Gains During the Summer Holidays?By Nicole van Wyk

Students work hard all year learning

spelling or sight words, completing

homework, climbing up reading

levels and then the Christmas

holidays hit. Everyone is ready for a

break and they need one however

it is important to keep some literacy

activities in the weekly schedule

during January.

I hear all the parents heave a

collective sigh. I understand that

this does not always bring up good

connotations but I want to share

some fun ways to keep literacy

alive in your home during the long

summer break.

Firstly, I would say forget about

learning anything pre-Christmas

unless it is child driven. Writing a

letter to Santa, Christmas cards for

family and friends or a letter to the

grandparents are small things that

children may enjoy. Find-a-words

and word puzzles can also be great

entertainers. There are also some

inexpensive computer programs on

the market if you have a computer

buff.

Once the tree is packed away

and all the ‘Auld Lang Syne’s are

sung, there are fun ways to keep

children learning and thinking about

language.

Younger players can use the sound

while older students can use the

letter name. Initial sounds are a

very important part of reading and

strengthening these can only benefit

everyone!

A great family activity is a game of

scrabble or the like. Why not make

teams where each emergent reader

is paired with an adult or older

sibling? That way it includes more

discussion and a demonstration of

word building skills. The scrabble

letters can also be divided between

family members and they need to

use as many letters as possible. There

may be rules for older children such

us they have to be at least three or

four letter words.

Sight words can be turned into

memory games by doubling the

set of cards. This is much more

interesting than the flash card

method of practising. Children will

focus on word length, initial sounds

use of head, body and tail letters

etc to memorise these words. Going

over these words when other strains

are not put on them is a great way

to make strides where that were

difficult during the school year.

Summer Learning


If you are doing some reading make

sure you share the load. I will read

you one and you read one to me.

Your read a paragraph or sentence

and I will read one. It should be fun,

interesting and non-stressful. This will

ensure that they will be happy to

do it more regularly. Why not grab

a magazine on something they are

interested in. The stories are often

brief and there is plenty of picture

support. They won’t even know they

are reading. Santa might be able to

bring them a special book that they

can’t wait to read.

Another game is finding all the

words imbedded in a larger word,

for example the word impossible

contains the words less, limp, mop,

lime, moss etc. Set a time limit say

5 or 10 minutes and see how many

words they can come up with in that

time. Siblings can compete against

each other or it could be children

versus a parent.

Younger students can practise

rhyme. Finding rhyming words in a

book or song, making up a word to

rhyme with another word or using

two rhyming words in a sentence.

The adventurous might want to try

making up a poem or song including

rhyme. Older siblings can help the

younger ones with this.

Children who practise skills during

this long break will be much more

confident when it comes time to

return to school. You may also find

that your child has gained some

ground as it is not unusual for student

to fall back a few levels over the

summer holiday. If you took some

time to maintain their skills you could

be pleasantly surprised once school

starts.

I will also add that the student that

need this the most will probably be

the most resistant ones. If activities

are kept short and fun they will

be much more receptive to it.

Short periods more often is more

beneficial than an epic reading

struggle once a week. Happy

holidays!

Checklist of Holiday Literacy Activities

I Spy with My Little Eye ❑

The number plate game ❑

The sign game ❑

Revised rules scrabble ❑

Find-a-word puzzles ❑

Sight word memory ❑

Reading stories ❑

Words within a word ❑

Making up rhymes or limericks ❑

Keep a journal of special days ❑

(great to share with friends once

school returns)

More Information

Nicole van Wyk

P: 02 4365 4428

[email protected]

www.icanreadsystem.com

Safe & Friendly

Social Interaction

Colourful & Well Equipped

Variety of Learning Activities

Experienced & Qualified Staff

Karrawong Kindy 0-3 years T: 02 4953 1860

11 Withers Street West Wallsend NSW 2286

Karrawong Kindy 3-6 years T: 02 4953 1865

75 Carrington Street West Wallsend NSW 2286

F: 02 4953 1865

E: [email protected] with NCAC

P: 4942 3000 | M: 0431 739 400www.arrendell.com.au

Reading Rocks!Selective School Preparation83% Student Success for 2010 Intake

Yrs 5 & 6

Summer Learning


Summer Learning

Holiday Learning

for Preschoolers 3-6 Years Old

Making holiday breaks interesting

and enjoyable for preschool chil-

dren can lead to many areas of their

development being challenged and

extended.

Preschoolers are inquisitive by

nature. They love to figure out how

things move, work, grow, smell, taste

and feel.

As adults, you can encourage

this interest in children and create

your own project within the home

environment. Below are some ideas

that you can try with your children.

These activities specifically focus on

the areas of maths and science.

Growing A Garden

Planting seedlings or established ❑

flowers and vegetables with

your child can lead to many

areas of development being

extended. Talk to your child

about;

The height and growth of the •

plants: Measure the plant

growth and document it using

a column graph. This is a great

visual prompt for your child

to see the progress of their

garden.

Ask your child; “What makes •

plants and flowers grow?”

Discuss the plants’ food (sun,

water, soil and fertiliser) and

also discuss what can affect

plants e.g. Snails, insects and

drought.

Place a rain gauge in •

the garden. This will also

encourage interest in

measurement.

The taste, texture and smell of •

the plants. Planting foods such

as vegetables and fruits is a

great way to encourage them

to eat it because they grew it!

Use a magnifying glass or a pair ❑

of binoculars to promote an

interest in the garden and or

surrounding environment.

Make a grass head out of a ❑

stocking, soil and grass seeds.

Decorate with goggle eyes

and craft materials. Have

one growing inside and one

growing outside to compare the

differences in height.

Caring and maintaining the ❑

garden. Encourage your child

to water and care for their

garden each day. Set up a

routine time to do this (eg: first

thing in morning). This is a great

opportunity to instil responsibility

in your child.

Cooking

Getting children involved in cooking

experiences is an ideal way of

incorporating topics such as health

and nutrition. It also gives adults

the opportunity to ask their children

questions which, in turn, may

provoke further thought.

Talk to your child about: ❑

Measurements: Encourage •

them to measure ingredients

and liquids when cooking.

Discuss fractions (eg: ¼ or ½)

Discuss “sometimes” foods•

Discuss foods that give our •

bodies energy and keep us

healthy.

Discuss where foods are grown •

(eg: potatoes, tomatoes)

Discuss where foods come •

from (eg: milk, eggs)

Provide your child with text ❑

materials such as a recipe book

to look through. Allow them to

choose a recipe to cook.

Discuss solids and liquids and ❑

what happens to both when

heated, refrigerated or frozen.

Make play dough, finger-paint, ❑

slime and goop with your child.

Provide your child with role play ❑

materials. A mixing bowl with a

little flour and a spoon can be

so much fun!

Use vegetables or fruits that you ❑

have grown in the garden.

These are just a few ideas of how

you can extend your child’s thinking

at home. The possibilities are endless!

By Renee Hartigan


Summer Learning

Must Have Recipes for Preschoolers

Slime

1 cup Lux soap flakes•

2 litres warm water•

Food colouring•

Mix all ingredients. Whisk with egg

beater. The longer you keep it, the

better it gets.

H U N T E R V A L L E Y G R A M M A R S C H O O L

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR 2011Scholarship applications are available for entry in 2011.

Academic Scholarships Years 5 -11Music Scholarships Years 5-11Visual Arts Scholarships Years 9-11Applications close Friday 9 April, 2010.Academic Scholarship Exams held on Saturday 8 May, 2010.

Apply on-line at www.hvgs.nsw.edu.au or for furtherinformation please contact the school's Registrar.

Norfolk St Ashtonfield NSW 2323 P • 4934 2444 F • 4934 2404 E • [email protected] W • www.hvgs.nsw.edu.au

Goop

1 packet cornflour•

1 cup water•

Food colouring•

Mix together. The longer you keep it,

the thicker it becomes.

Bubble Mix

1tbsn Glycerine•

3tbsn Detergent•

10tbsn Water•

Double or triple mixture for lots of •

bubbles

Mix together. The longer you let it

sit, the better the bubbles. Use pipe

cleaners to make bubble blowers.

More Information

Renee Hartigan

Director

Hunter Valley Grammar School

Early Learning Centre

P: 4934 2444

[email protected]

www.hvgs.nsw.edu.au

Uncooked Play Dough

3 cups plain flour•

½ cup salt•

3tbsp oil•

6 tspns cream of tartar•

2-3 cups boiling water•

Food colouring•

Place dry ingredients and oil in

a bowl. Add colouring to water.

Gradually mix to dough consistency.

Add flour if sticky. Keeps for about 4

weeks.

Finger/Brush Paint & Glue

3 tbsn Cornflour•

A little cold water•

1 cup boiling water•

Edicol, food colouring or small •

amount of paint

Mix cornflour and little bit of cold

water to a thick gravy consistency.

Quickly add boiling water and mix

quickly. The mixture will become

transparent and a meringue

consistency.


Holiday Jobs

Work participation develops

valuable job skills, and enhances

personal satisfaction. The right

holiday work can lead to a better

appreciation for school education,

increase self esteem, and lower teen

depression.

Before encouraging your teenager

to look for a job, it’s important to

check the legal starting age for

teen employment that varies from

state to state. For example teens in

New South Wales, South Australia,

Tasmania and the Northern Territory

can work casually or part-time

outside school hours at 14 years of

age, but, in Victoria it is 15 years.

If your teens want to work but are

not old enough, you can offer them

money to complete household jobs

including mowing lawns, gardening,

babysitting, painting and cleaning.

Some teenagers show signs of

entrepreneurship and it’s important

for parents to support them in

their endeavours. There are many

cases of teenagers operating small

businesses that include babysitting,

mowing lawns, cleaning houses,

washing cars, Internet business or DJ.

Thanks to Australian Reptile Park,

Get Ahead Kids have 10 Family

Passes to The Australian Reptile

Park to give away (Valued at

$60 each).

Each family pass allows entry

for 2 adults and 2 children

(3-15 years).



follow the giveaway link and fill

in your details.

10 to Giveaway!

Are your teens itching to do some-

thing interesting other than surfing

the net, watching TV or playing

video games? Finding a holiday job

could be the answer!

A holiday job gives teens

the opportunity to exert their

independence, and it can be a

great learning experience. It can

also be an escape from teenage

boredom and inactivity that can

set in during the long Christmas

holidays.

The Children at Work study,

conducted by the NSW Commission

for Children and Young People

surveyed the working habits of

11,000 school students aged 12-16

year olds.

This study indicated that

respondents value the opportunity

to develop new skills, exercise more

responsibility and self-reliance, earn

money and make a contribution.

Work satisfaction depended on

four aspects; recognition, support,

control and income.

& Learning

Summer Learning


2656

8

Summer Learning

Want to Improve IT? Keyboarding?

Enrol in Summer Short Courses

Keyboarding, Word, Excel & PowerPoint

Starting 7 January 2010

Call 4926 1577 www.passmores.com.au

Job seeking can be challenging

and competitive! Parents may need

to help teens with job finding skills

including personal presentation,

writing a resume, how to dress for

and speak during a job interview.

For teens holding down holiday and

part time jobs, these can develop

learning skills that can be help them

when seeking and adjusting to

full-time employment. A track record

of holding down a part-time job

for a reasonable period of time

shows prospective employers that

the teens are reliable and have an

established work ethic.

If you’re worried about part-time

work interfering with schoolwork

once the holiday job becomes

a permanent part time job, take

comfort from surveys that indicate

that teens who work spend more

time on homework compared with

those who don’t work.

A 17 year follow-up study of

teenagers was carried out by the

City University, London UK (2001). This

investigated the predictive impact

of 16 year old achievements and

career aspirations.

The study indicated that job

attainment at age 33 was

significantly related to the job

aspirations expressed at age 16, but

also to the belief in one’s own ability,

mathematical test performance,

specific personality characteristics,

as well as social background and

gender.

Holiday jobs help to clarify future

teen job aspirations, add history to

resumes, provide vital links to adult

responsibilities and foster valuable

learning including:

Being punctual and ❑

dependable

Working with the public ❑

Gaining professional ❑

presentation

Working in a team ❑

Increasing self-confidence ❑

Taking the initiative ❑

Getting along with all sorts of ❑

people

Improving communication skills ❑

Developing problem-solving ❑

methods

Summer Learning

More Information NSW Commission for Children &

Young People

P: 02 9286 7276

[email protected]

www.kids.nsw.gov.au


Health

A Kids’ Healthy

ChristmasChristmas is a magical time for

families with presents and forbidden

sweets! Parents are faced with

the challenge of striking the right

balance between lots of sugary,

fatty treats and encouraging a

healthy eating regime.

The holiday season heralds the

consumption of unhealthy snacks,

high fat roasts and mouthwatering

sweets!

But with the hot Australian climate

and an abundance of fresh food, it

is wise to avoid the English Christmas

tradition of roasts and puddings and

change to lighter meals including

seafood, cold lean meats and

chicken, unsalted nuts, pretzels,

salads, stone fruit and melons.

Christmas is also a time for

overeating and suffering the

discomfit and lethargy afterwards.

Instill in your kids that they can eat a

little of all the food they enjoy and

have the rest for leftovers tomorrow.

Kidz Bodz Checklist for Healthy Kids

Work off the indulgences by ❑

doing some physical activity

every day and include the whole

family. If on holidays put your

book down, grab the kids and

go for a walk every morning.

Day light saving provides the

opportunity to walk at the end of

the day if you are working

Resist giving chocolates or lollies ❑

to friends children as gifts. Try

books instead!

Don’t offer lemonade as a ❑

drink at parties, barbeques and

celebrations as these are often

daily occurrences over the

holidays. Did you know that one

can of lemonade can contain

up to 17 teaspoons of sugar

and don’t replace these with

diet or sugar free soft drinks as

artificial sweeteners have been

linked to depression, headaches,

behaviour problems and more!

Try juice mixed with soda water

instead!

If you are going out for the ❑

day pack a healthy lunch and

snacks. Most day excursion

venues only offer expensive and

often unhealthy food options.

Carry water everywhere and ❑

keep a dispenser in the fridge so

your family can help themselves

throughout the day. Did you

know that not drinking water

can cause headaches, lack of

concentration and irritability?

Chop salad vegies up and leave ❑

them in the fridge for kids to

snack on throughout the day. This

keeps their blood sugar constant

and relieves the need to grab

quick convenient sugar filled

snacks. It also helps satisfy our

quota of 5 serves of vegetables

each day.

Have a fruit break at 10am and ❑

2pm.

Encourage the kids to help in ❑

the kitchen. This is a great idea

for 3 reasons: They are more

likely to try a variety of different

foods, it gets them away from

the computer and television and

you get to know your kids a little

better.

For those hot summer days ❑

freeze sliced pineapple and

orange pieces. These are a

great, refreshing alternative to

sugar and colour filled ice blocks.

Alternatively, buy plastic ice

block moulds and make your

own from fresh juice.

Make fruit salad the preferred ❑

desert every night. Our summer

fruits are delicious.

More Information

Kidz Bodz

P: 1300 731 149

[email protected]

www.kidzbodz.com.au


Health

A Picture of Australian Children 2009

Many Australian children are faring

well, but there is much scope for

further gains, particularly among

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

children.

The positive indicators include

significant declines in death rates

(especially in injury deaths), asthma

hospitalisations and improved

survival for leukemia. There were also

favourable trends in immunisation

coverage, teenage births and

smoking rates.

The negative indicators include

rising rates of severe child disability,

diabetes and among 6 year olds,

dental decay.

Our Christmas Pick

The CSIRO Wellbeing Plan for KidsAuthor: The CSIRO

Forward: Dr Manny Noakes

This is a positive book for parents

that want to promote an active life

and encourage healthy habits to

point children on a path of lifelong

good health. It makes parenting a

joy and an effortless challenge to

be overcome. And, the recipes are

delicious for the entire family.

Contributors include:

Dr Jane Bowen

Dr Nadia Corsini

Claire Gardner

Dr Rebecca Golley

Dr Amy Slater

The CSIRO Wellbeing Plan for

Kids targets families and contains

practical, well researched

information, for parents to use to

positively influence children’s eating

and physical activity.

Even small changes can make a big

difference if they become lifelong

habits. This book includes:

Habits for healthy, active children•

Changes for healthy eating•

Easy to cook & healthy recipes •

Age Guide: Parents

Extent: 278 pages (Paperback)

ISBN: 9780143008743

Price: AUD $34.95

Publisher: Penguin Group (Australia)

P: 03 9811 2498

www.penguin.com.au

A significant number of children

spend more than the recommended

time in front of a video screen and

are overweight or obese.

Drawing on the advice of the

National Child Information Advisory

Group, “A Picture of Australia’s

Children 2009” statistical reports

brings together a broad range of

indicators that cover health status,

risk and protective factors, early

learning and education, family

and community environments,

safety and security, and system

performance.

More Information

www.aihw.gov.au

The Australian Institute of Health

and Welfare “A Picture of Australia’s

Children 2009” is the fourth in a series

of national statistical reports on

children aged 0–14 years.

This report provides the latest data

on how Australian children are

faring according to key national

indicators of health, development

and wellbeing.

These indicators show that most

children meet national physical

activity guidelines and achieve

national minimum standards for

reading and numeracy.


From Stalemate

to SingaporeThe words study, exam and essay

have always paralysed me with

fear. But nothing got my heart

racing more than the year I spent at

Passmores’ Business Management

College completing my Marketing &

Media Diploma.

I attended high school at Newcastle

High and although I was a good

student I know now that I could

have been much better. Like many

other students, I got caught up in

the woes of adolescence.

By the time I graduated from high

school in 2000 I wasn’t sure what I

wanted to do with my life.

Instead of going straight to University

I found an expression for my love

of fashion, by spending the first half

of 2001 doing work experience for

several fashion magazines in Sydney.

During that time, it became

apparent that I was not going to

breeze into any job without further

education.

In the second half of 2001, I enrolled

at the University of Newcastle and

started a Bachelor of Arts degree.

People in Focus

Whilst at University, I landed a full

time job as Assistant Manager

with Sportsgirl and sacrificed my

University studies.

My fear of exams remained for

many years and I continued to

avoid further studies. I hopped from

job to job, hoping to jump to the

next level and launch into a career.

I‘ve always been very competitive

and thirsty for success. When I

was younger I use to play a lot of

team and club sports, but as I got

older I started to do many things

on my own. These days I exercise

almost every day but always alone,

alternating between swimming,

Pilates, running, walking and

weights.

I joined Passmores’ as a ‘mature’

student, having already studied

and worked for several years. I

went back to college to focus on a

career and gain an edge.

Part of the Passmores’ course

requires students to undertake

six weeks of work experience in

their chosen field, mine was Public

Relations. I managed to secure a

four week work experience with the

Australasian regional office for Hilton

Worldwide, Sydney.

During this time, the Hilton team

had me work on a social media

project. After my first week at Hilton,

the Vice President of Operations for

Australasia signed me into the team

temporarily to complete a project

based on my knowledge of social

media - thank you Facebook!

By the end of that year, my project

with Hilton was complete and my

temporary position appeared to be

winding up.

As luck would have it, the new Area

President of Hilton Worldwide Asia

Pacific, happened to be visiting

Sydney and saw my presentation of

the social media project.

A few months later I was offered

a position in Hilton Worldwide’s

Asia Pacific head office based in

Singapore.

Now, I have been in Singapore for

six months working in the Public

Relations Department as Projects

Coordinator for Asia Pacific. My

role is mainly one of internal

communications.

By Christine Parker


I work on corporate presentations

and films; I relay news and press

releases to all our team members

both on the corporate level and

in our hotels across Asia Pacific.

I produce monthly newsletters

and compile reports on data

management, market and

corporate intelligence.

Life in Singapore is rather effortless,

the public transit system is second

to none, it’s summer all year round,

good food is cheap and available

24/7 and despite being an Asian

country just about everyone speaks

English - well Singlish but they get by.

Here I spend a lot of my leisure time

at my pool - as opposed to when

I’m at home in Newcastle where

like any red blooded Novocastrian I

spend a lot of time at the beach.

People in Focus

Confused by your Career Options?

Secure Employment in Marketing, Real Estate,

Hospitality, Legal & Events

Enrolment 2010NOW OPEN

Call 4926 1577 www.passmores.com.au

Putting service and the needs of people fi rst.

If you see a hole, don’t think you’re a mole, walk in the opposite direction and report your

detection.

Old mines and potholes can be dangerous!

that’s why

MAURIE MOLE

HAS A

24 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE PHONE 1800 248 083

www.minesub.nsw.gov.au

8252

4

I take part in the national sport of

shopping - it’s therapeutic and not

to mention unavoidable.

I travel somewhere new every other

month to experience new cultures.

This makes me appreciate home

and the wealth of Australia.

The words study, exam and essay still

make my heart skip a beat but now

I don’t avoid them because I know

that I have come a long way from

the girl that didn’t know what she

wanted to do.

I’ve learned and earned the ability

and skills to overcome my fears and

to focus and succeed in my chosen

career.


News

Aerobics Team to Compete in

World Competition

Junior Step Team: Back Row: Lucy Clifton, Brittany Markey, Emily Forbes-Morton

Front Row: Imogen Rothwell, Lani McKinnon, Ashley Kerkhoff

A Newcastle Grammar School

aerobics team has qualified

to compete at the FISAF World

Aerobics and Fitness Championships

to take place in Le Lamentin,

Martinique, located in the

Caribbean, 1-5 Dec 2009.

Newcastle Grammar School

aerobics teams competed in the

FISAF National Aerobics and Fitness

Championships held in Melbourne

and brought home one gold and

two bronze medals.

The gold medal-winning Junior

Step team is made up of six Year 9

and Year 10 students and they are

looking forward to the upcoming

challenge of performing on an

international stage.

They are the only school team

competing at the World

Championships and have qualified

to trial for the Australian Team in

2010.

FISAF is an international,

independent, democratic and

non-profit federation dedicated to

sports, aerobics and development

of the aerobic and fitness industry on

an international level.

More Information


P: 02 4929 5811

[email protected]

www.ngs.nsw.edu.au

www.fisaf.org


News

Sisters at the Australian Karate ChampionshipsThree sisters from Coal Point, two of

whom are students from St Philip’s

Christian College at Waratah, have

competed in the Australian National

Chitokai Karate Championship.

All three sisters were selected to

represent NSW at the championships

held in Adelaide between the 7th

and 9th August, 2009.

The Hill sisters, Erin 17 years; Tayla 15

years and Renee 12 years all share a

passion for karate.

Tayla and Erin collected a gold,

a silver and two bronze medals

between them.

Erin and Tayla began their studies

of karate at an early age and have

progressed to holding second

degree and first degree black belt.

Tayla competed in the cadet 47-54

kg division. After three tough rounds,

and defeating eight opponents, she

emerged the individual gold medal

winner and received a silver medal

for her team event.

For Tayla, who was also voted the

NSW Karate Federation junior sport

star of the year, achieving the gold

medal in Adelaide was an exciting

success.

Her sister, Erin, now in year 11,

continued the excellent form in the

Junior 53-59kg division achieving two

bronze medals. Erin was also named

competitor of the year in her local

club, and is a karate instructor.

Pam O’Dea, the principal of St

Philip’s Christian College Waratah

said;

“We are very proud of Tayla and

Erin’s efforts and success. St Philip’s

aims to encourage all students to

grow in mind, body and spirit.”

More Information

Andrew Johnston

Head of Sport

St Philip’s Christian College

P: 02 4960 6600

www.spcc.nsw.edu.au

Sisters Tayla (left) and Erin Hill (right).


News

Snowsports Successes

for Lakes Grammar Students

RESERVE YOUR PLACE2010 Kinder & Year 7 Enrolments

High Quality Academic Programs

at Affordable Prices

Buses from Swansea & Erina

Enquire Today Call 4993 [email protected]

2010

14 year olds, Casey Mayall and

Alexandra Fitch attended the

Northern Region Interschools

SnowSports Championships.

Casey gained 2nd place in the

Snowboarder Cross and Alex won

the Giant Slalom individual event.

This is two years in a row that these

girls have managed to place at the

National Championships.

Alex and Casey became NSW

champions for both Snowboarding

events (Giant Slalom & Boarder

Cross in Division 3 - Years 7 & 8).

Alex has also been named for the

Institute of Sport Snowboarding

Development Squad - a future

Olympians program.

In addition Lakes Grammar school

was named by Ski and Snowboard

Australia as the 2009 NSW/ACT

School Snowsports Club of the Year.

More Information

Liz Evans

Lakes Grammar-An Anglican School

P: 02 4393 4111

[email protected]

www.lakes.nsw.edu.au

Alexandra Fitch competing in the Giant Slalom


News

Michelle Bridges Wins

Heat 2 in ‘Celebrity MasterChef’Newcastle-raised Michelle Bridges

featured in the first Australian version

of Celebrity MasterChef.

The new TV show Celebrity

MasterChef premiered in October

2009 and Michelle is one of 18

Australian celebrities battling it out

to become the best amateur chef in

this country.

7 October 2009, Michelle Bridges

beat former Hi-5 performer Kathleen

de Leon Jones and journalist Peter

FitzSimons to make the semi-finals

with her winning dish “Moroccan

Spiced Lamb with Eggplant and

Currant Couscous”.

She has established a reputation as

a tough trainer and practises what

she preaches, by putting herself

through grueling weights and fitness

sessions.

Michelle is best known for training

contestants on Channel Ten’s reality

show The Biggest Loser.

Michelle is our Celebrity in Spotlight

featured in the March/April 2010

edition of Get Ahead Kids, which

features physical education.

More Information

www.michellebridges.com.au


Reviews

5 to Giveaway!

Get Ahead Kids have 5 Dream

Baby® Stay-Put Cutlery & Bowl

Sets to giveaway (Valued at

$19.95 each).

Sets are available in blue (2),

pink (2) or yellow (1).

Special thanks to Dream Baby®

for these fantastic giveaways.



follow the giveaway link and fill

in your details.

Dream Baby® Launches

Stay-Put Cutlery & Bowl Set Mealtime for babies and toddlers

can be a hazardous and messy.

How often have you been pelted by

flying cutlery and flooded with food

remains?

Now for the first time, there is a

solution! The Stay-Put Cutlery &

Bowl Set defies gravity and helps to

teach babies and toddlers the art of

independent eating.

Carolyn Ziegler, Director of Dream

Baby®, the driving force behind the

Australian launch of the Stay-Put

Cutlery & Bowl Set explains;

“The Stay-Put Cutlery & Bowl Set has

a flexible coil cord with a gentle

retention action that replicates the

hand-to-mouth feeding movement.

Children’s hands are gently returned

to the bowl once they have taken a

mouthful.”

The suction pads have ultra-strong

adhesion properties to ensure that

cutlery is anchored securely to

any smooth non-porous surface.

This helps to make mealtimes less

chaotic and more enjoyable.

The Stay-Put Cutlery & Bowl Set

reduces children’s frustrations as

they can determine the speed they

want eat and the amount.

Eating problems are also less likely to

develop as children begin to explore

the wonderful world of food.

Once children master the ability to

feed themselves, they rarely want to

go back to being fed by an

adult.

Parents should always monitor

children during mealtimes even

after they can eat independently.

The Stay-Put Cutlery & Bowl Set

comprises of a fork, spoon, and

matching bowl with a super-strong

suction pad. The set is available

through Kmart, Big W and various

baby stores. The RRP is $19.95.

More Information

P: (02) 9386 4000

[email protected]

www.dream-baby.com


Reviews

Unique FurnitureRobertson Commercial Joinery

(RCJ) is an innovative family

owned and operated business that

manufactures exclusive, functional

furniture.

Greg and Cindy-Lee Robertson, the

business owners, monitor products

for quality and oversee every aspect

of business operations.

Cindy Lee states:

“We provide an extensive range of

high quality, durable furniture that is

tailored to the unique needs of our

clients.

If you have an idea or theme for

your library, school, childcare centre

or office we pull out all stops to turn

that idea into reality”

Our staff go that extra mile in

customer service, both in the

workshop or on-site.”

Robertson Commercial JoineryP: (07) 3888 [email protected]

Preschool furniture

Book Boxes Kids furniture

Library furniture Office furniture

EYE-CATCHING

FURNITURE

Teachers Aides play a critical part in supporting the classroom teacher with children with additional needs.

Course includes supporting reading, behaviour management, communication & using specialist resources.

Rolling enrolment! Enroll anytime!Day Class - 10:00am - 1:00pm Evening Class - 6.30pm - 8.30pm1 day or evening per week + distance education study + workplace experienceCHC30808 Certificate III in Education SupportICCC,146 Lambton Rd, Broadmeadow$200.00 per unit

Gain Your Teachers Aide Qualification in Year

Enrolment: Time:

Duration:

Certification:

Venue:

Cost:

ONE

1300 660 063 | [email protected] | www.childcarecollege.com.au

This quality furniture is eye-catching

and customised for use in libraries,

schools, childcare centres and

offices.

Their offerings include:

Book boxes •

Library furniture •

Kids furniture •

Preschool furniture•

Office furniture•

Get Ahead Kids® was impressed with

the striking book boxes, especially

as they would encourage children

to gravitate towards them and the

books stored within.

More Information

Greg & Cindy-Lee Robertson

Robertson Commercial Joinery

P: 07 3888 7883

[email protected]

www.rcj.net.au


Reviews

My Private Pectus Author: Shane Thamm

My Private Pectus is a story about

adolescence, friendship, cars, footy

and girls. It is a light-hearted, yet

serious portrayal of the life of Jack

McDermott, a typical teenager in

Year 12, at least that what his friends

believe.

Jack has been plagued by a

congenital chest deformity known

as Pectus Excavatum, a secret that

he has kept hidden until now. His

life is turned upside down when his

father lands a job as rugby coach at

his high school. Pushed into playing

rugby, he is expected to follow

his father’s footsteps by joining

the army. But Jack decides on a

different path for his future.

This book is a must read for those

wanting to get inside the mind of

a teenage boy struggling to find

his place in the world. It is however,

recommended for older readers

due to the casual drinking and

occasional drug use references.

Age Guide: 13+ Years

Extent: 288 Pages (Paperback)

ISBN: 9781876462833

Price: AUD$19.95

Publisher: Ford Street Publishing

P: 03 9481 1120

www.fordstreetpublishing.com

This book is a journey of self-

discovery, a great book for young

boys in particular who are confused

about their future and their transition

to adulthood.



ISBN: 9780143009337

Price: AUD$19.95

Publisher: Penguin Books Australia

P: 03 9811 2549

www.penguin.com.au

SwerveAuthor: Phillip Gwynne

Swerve is a young adult novel that

tells the story of 16 year old Hugh

Twycross, a talented cellist with a

bright future.

After discovering his estranged

grandfather, Hugh unexpectedly

joins him on a journey from Sydney

to Uluru in his 1970 Holden HT

Monaro.

Hugh loves cars and racing, a

passion that does not fit into his

mapped out life. His grandfather

encourages his passion and during

the trip teaches Hugh things that

have not been touched in his formal

education.

Pixarpedia: A Complete Guide to the World of Pixar… And Beyond!

Author: DK Publishing

Travel behind the scenes and

discover the magical world of the

animation giant Disney•Pixar with

a historical tour and secrets behind

their movie-making processes. This

guide may take a while to read but

it will be worth it!

Pixarpedia is filled with edge to

edge pictures and movie stills from

popular Disney•Pixar films such as

Toy Story, Monsters Inc and Nemo.

Each film is given its own chapter,

which features main character

biographies, as well as a chance

to get to know the villains and

supporting characters.

Finally an encyclopaedia worth

reading!


Extent: 300 Pages (Hardback)

ISBN: 9781405337366

Price: AUD$69.95

Publisher: Dorling Kindersley

Distributor: Penguin Group (Australia)

P: 03 9811 2400

www.penguin.com.au

Our Junior Pick


Reviews

The Poo Pop-Up Book: What Goes In...Must Come Out!Authors: Gaby Goldsack

Illustrator: Ian Dicks

Age Guide: 4+ Years


ISBN: 9781741695199

Price: AUD$24.99

Publisher: Scholastic Australia

P: 02 9416 4000

www.scholastic.com.au

This book explains what poo is, why

we do it, what it is made of and how

different animals do it.

The Poo Pop-Up Book is a highly

interactive book with multiple

pop-ups and interesting facts. It can

be fascinating for young children

already interested in their own poo.

17 Arnott Street Newcastle West NSW 2302Tel: 02 4926 1300 Fax: 02 4926 5557

Email: [email protected] Web: www.ncp.com.au

Cert no. SGS-COC-005911

“It does not cost any moreto help our environment at

NCP Printing.”

An Aussie Night Before Christmas Author: Yvonne Morrison

Illustrator: Kilmeny Niland

Yvonne Morrison’s writes a humorous

Aussie take of the famous poem

‘‘Twas the Night before Christmas’.

Christmas in the Australian summer

means kangaroos, utes, sunburnt

Santa and creative presents.

An enjoyable rhyming book

splashed with Aussie icons and

colloquialisms.

Age Guide: 5+ Years


ISBN: 9781865046532

Price: AUD$17.99


P: 02 9416 4000


I Spy Dad!Author: Janeen Brian

Illustrator: Chantel Stewart

This is a rhyming tale that follows a

little girl’s quest to find her dad. It

features big writing and expressive,

fun illustrations and is excellent for

reading out loud.

Age Guide: 2-4 Years


ISBN: 9781921042171

Price: AUD$24.95

Publisher: New Frontier Publishing

P: 02 9453 1525

www.newfrontier.com.au


Reviews

Welcome to the Wonderful World of the WotWotsAuthor: Martin Baynton

This colourful book introduces

readers to the world and

adventures of the alien twins

SpottyWot (boy) and DottyWot

(girl). It’s based on the ABC TV

series and features activities,

rhyming tales, a fusion of

caricatures and real life photos of

zoo animals. A joy to read!

Zou

Author: Michael Gay

Zou, the resourceful Zebra, has

awakened early and wants to

climb in bed with his mother and

father. But it’s too early and they

are grumpy. So he needs to find a

way to wake them up...lots and lots

of coffee…this plan is fraught with

problems that Zou has a delightful

way of solving.

This is a heart tugging tale that is

illustrated mainly in black, white and

gold colours.

Age Guide: 2+ Years


ISBN: 9781877467202

Price: $14.99

Publisher: Gecko Press for Scholastic

P: +64 4381 4476

www.geckopress.com

Chester and Gil Author: Carol Faulkner

Illustrator: Ann James

The experiences of two goldfish

confined to a round goldfish bowl

are bipolar depending on their level

of optimism.

The power of the mind to change

experiences resonates with adults as

well as children.

Stunning gold and blue illustrations.



ISBN: 9781862915848

Price: AUD$26.99

Publisher: Omnibus Books for

Scholastic Australia

P: 02 4328 3555




ISBN: 9780733325472

Price: AUD$14.99

Publisher: ABC Books a Division of

HarperCollinsPublishers

P: 02 9952 5000

www.harpercollins.com.au

Get Ahead Kids® is a

bimonthly educational

magazine for families

on the go.

Get Ahead Kids®

digital is distributed to

families, preschools,

schools and libraries

Australia wide.

Back to SchoolIssue Due Dec 09

Subscribe Onlinewww.getaheadkids.com.au


FREE

FREE

DIGITAL

EDITION


Activity Zone

Hidden Words

An Aussie Day Before Christmas Activity Book Author: Kilmeny Niland

A softback fun activity book with

over 80 stickers, puzzles and games,

things to make and do, an Aussie

Christmas is fun for you!

This colourful book develops age

appropriate skills in counting,

reading, spot-the-difference,

word-object association and

creativity. Its Aussie icons are great.


Extent: 32 pages (Softback)

ISBN: 9781741694420

Price: AUD$8.99


P: 02 9416 4000


Puzzle by

Nicole van Wyk

Literacy Teacher

(02) 4465 4428

Can you find 10 words hidden within

these words?

Letters may be moved, names don’t

count, the words must be in the

dictionary and letters may only be

used twice if they appear twice in

the word.

Confident Literacy Reading Champions

12 17

1

234

5

6 78

9

10

1113

14 15

16 18

19

2220

2624

23

25

21

27

Wrapped Up!Starting at 1, can you follow the numbers and connect the dots to reveal

what the elves have put on top of the present?

What colour would you make your present?

Arrendell Primary Education Centre 15

Centennial Coal 13

Essential Moves Children’s Centre 13

Free To Be Me 5

Get Ahead Learning 2

GymbaROO 9

Hunter Development Corporation 19

Hunter Valley Grammar School 17

International Childcare College 29

Just BE You 27

Karrawong Kindy 15

Lakes Grammar – An Anglican School 26

Metroll Newcastle 35

Mine Subsidence Board 23

NCP Printing 31

Newcastle Grammar School 36

NSW DII Tocal 11

Passmores’ Business &

Management College 19 & 23

Robertson Commercial Joinery 29

Smallprint 31

St Philips Christian Education Foundation 25

Advertisers Index

Index

Article Themes 2010

January/FebruaryBack to School

Ad Booking Deadline Nov 6, 2009

Editorial Deadline Nov 11, 2009

March/AprilPhysical Education

Ad Booking Deadline Feb 5, 2010

Editorial Deadline Feb 12, 2010

May/JuneLanguages & Communications

Ad Booking Deadline Mar 26, 2010

Editorial Deadline Apr 6, 2010

July/AugustLearning Innovations & Technology

Ad Booking Deadline May 28, 2010

Editorial Deadline Jun 4, 2010

September/OctoberStudy & Assessment

Ad Booking Deadline Aug 6, 2010

Editorial Deadline Aug 13, 2010

November/DecemberSummer Learning

Ad Booking Deadline Nov 19, 2010

Editorial Deadline Nov 26, 2010For more advertising information please contact

Maria Charlton MAP Marketing [email protected] P: 02 4929 7766

Advertisers media kit & booking form are available from www.getaheadkids.com.au

Vol. 2 • No. 1 • Jan/Feb 10

FREE

Back to School IssueJan/Feb 2010

Get Ahead Kids Nov/Dec 0934

Celebrity Spotlight

Mikey Robins

Patios Sheds

MetrollNewcastle

268 Macquarie Road

Warners Bay NSW 2282

02 4954 5799 www.metrollnewcastle.com.au

Easy to install, build & maintain

Long-lasting & durable

Stylish COLORBOND® steel colours

Materials can be recycled

Guaranteed for up to 10 years*

Requires no termite treatment

Fencing

Rainwater Tanks

Enjoy the Summer Outdoors with Your Family...

Carports

* Conditions apply

p: (02) 4929 5811 w: ngs.nsw.edu.au


HEAD START IN LIFE

The Pre-school caters for children in the year before Kindergarten. Our hand-picked, caring and qualified staff work in a safe, fun and challenging environment that allows children to explore, experiment, create, discover and interact, developing the skills recognised as the foundations for a balanced life. Limited Pre-school places are available for 2011.

Children thrive in a happy, safe and secure environment – that’s why Newcastle Grammar School’s Junior Campus allows its Students to feel secure in their early years of primary education. The School provides the structure and discipline required for young children to develop both socially and academically.

Students from Kindergarten to Year 4 are taught in an environment that is warm, friendly and supportive. The small class sizes allow for individual attention and are coupled with the very best in technology including interactive whiteboards and computers in each room.

PRE-SCHOOL

TOURS

The School offers the very best all round holistic education including involvement in sport, music and creative arts.

HOLISTIC EDUCATION

JUNIOR SCHOOL

The beginning of the ‘Primary’ years of education.• Small class sizes - currently 16 students per class.• Every student receives a programme book to organise their time and to • aid communication between the School and parents.Curriculum includes drama, choir, French, strings and a specialised sport • programme utilising the School’s facilities at Howzat Sports & Fitness Centre.First overnight excursion plus visits to the Art Gallery and the Botanical • Gardens.

YEAR 3 IN FOCUS

After School Care and Vacation Care available for Pre-school to Year 6. Private Music Tuition, Speech and Drama Tuition. Exclusive Bus Service operates daily from Toronto, Caves Beach and Maitland.

EXTRA SERVICES

Individual tours of both Park Campus (Pre-school to Year 4) and Hill Campus (Years 5 to 12) can be pre-arranged by phoning 4929 5811.

LIMITED PLACES ARE AVAILABLE

ACCEPTING ENROLMENTS FOR 2011 & BEYOND

IN SOME YEARS FOR 2010

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