Personalised, innovative education in a unique and caring environment Wagga Art Gallery Thanks to Mrs Hughes and Miss Elith for organising a great excursion for our secondary students to the Wagga Art Gallery last week. This was a great opportunity for students to see high quality pieces of art, and tie it in with the work they have been doing in class. Our students are really starting to show some talent in art, and the excursion has inspired Mrs Hughes to consider our own Urana exhibition. Look out for it in the not too distant future! Design and Technology Projects Year 12 students Joel, Curtis and Sandra have put the finishing touches to their major projects in Design and Technology, and the HSC markers have made their assessment. The three students have chosen very different projects from each other, with Sandra completing a quilt, Curtis building a buggy and Joel designing a web site. Mr McCutcheon and Miss Elith did a great job in helping get the final things organised by the deadline, and Curtis certainly appreciated Greg’s help in the final few days. Well done to all three students for their great designs – we look forward to seeing the final marks in a few months time. The circus is coming to town! This weekend the circus comes to Urana, and our primary students have been working hard to earn tickets in a raffle for free circus passes. Unfortunately we only had five passes to give away, but all students showed great behaviour and excellent work during the time of the competition. Congratulations to all students for your excellent efforts, and we hope everyone can enjoy the circus this weekend. School Hats A reminder that as we get closer to the warmer weather of Term 4, students who have not already done so will need to purchase a school hat. Primary students will need a UCS bucket hat and secondary students may choose between a school cap or bucket hat. The bucket hats are worth $7 and the caps are $8.50. Both can be purchased from the school office. Noel Maddern Principal Urana Central School Newsletter 9 th September 2011 Term 3, Issue 4 For Joy of Knowing Urana Central School 62 William St PO Box 25 Urana NSW 2645 Phone: (02) 69 208 005 Fax: (02) 69 208 103 E-mail: [email protected]Website: www.urana-c.schools.nsw.edu.au Contents Principal’s News K-6 News Secondary News General Information Upcoming Events • 12 th September P&C Meeting 7pm in the Art Room. • 13 th September Local Government Day, 3-6 to attend. • 14 th September Whole School Assembly Pd 4, plus book character parade and free SRC BBQ lunch. • 21 st September PAC Day (Physical Activity Curriculum Day)
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Personalised, innovative education in a unique and caring environment
Wagga Art Gallery Thanks to Mrs Hughes and Miss Elith for organising a great excursion for our secondary students to the Wagga Art Gallery last week. This was a great opportunity for students to see high quality pieces of art, and tie it in with the work they have been doing in class. Our students are really starting to show some talent in art, and the excursion has inspired Mrs Hughes to consider our own Urana exhibition. Look out for it in the not too distant future! Design and Technology Projects Year 12 students Joel, Curtis and Sandra have put the finishing touches to their major projects in Design and Technology, and the HSC markers have made their assessment. The three students have chosen very different projects from each other, with Sandra completing a quilt, Curtis building a buggy and Joel designing a web site. Mr McCutcheon and Miss Elith did a great job in helping get the final things organised by the deadline, and Curtis certainly appreciated Greg’s help in the final few days. Well done to all three students for their great designs – we look forward to seeing the final marks in a few months time. The circus is coming to town! This weekend the circus comes to Urana, and our primary students have been working hard to earn tickets in a raffle for free circus passes. Unfortunately we only had five passes to give away, but all students showed great behaviour and excellent work during the time of the competition. Congratulations to all students for your excellent efforts, and we hope everyone can enjoy the circus this weekend. School Hats A reminder that as we get closer to the warmer weather of Term 4, students who have not already done so will need to purchase a school hat. Primary students will need a UCS bucket hat and secondary students may choose between a school cap or bucket hat. The bucket hats are worth $7 and the caps are $8.50. Both can be purchased from the school office. Noel Maddern Principal
This term is drawing to a close. The usual colds and sicknesses of winter have at times depleted our class numbers somewhat but those who have continued to have uninterrupted learning have enjoyed building our knowledge about transport and government. Our reading of James and the Giant Peach is progressing and the students are being mesmerised by the wonderful descriptive writing of Roald Dahl. Hopefully we can finish the novel and enjoy the DVD at the end of the term! Coming up: Next Tuesday 13th Sept – Local Government Day The students from Yrs 3-6 will sit in for the monthly council meeting. They will have an opportunity to ask questions of their local councillors and already have written some quite thought provoking questions! After the meeting we will join the councillors and some council staff for a BBQ at Victoria Park. Wednesday 14th Sept- Book character Parade from 12 noon. Wednesday 21st Sept – PAC Day (Physical Activity Curriculum Day) We will have activities for multi age groups of students where they utilise physical activity across a variety of subject areas. A healthy recess consisting of a variety of fruits will give the students the required energy for participation and a healthy lunch will be enjoyed by all. Further details will follow. Our focus in Maths this week has been ‘Fractions’. We have done some great mathematical thinking about the need for fractions and the need to know about fractions. The students have used Kit Kats, Salada biscuits, Smarties, Chocolate rolls and pizzas for their investigations. Most importantly fractions mean ‘an equal share’!
The task was to share the Smarties equally between the group. What fraction of the smarties did each person get? Well done to all students for a great mathematical week! Urana Central School was given 5 free tickets for the circus this weekend and the winners of a free ticket were Brooks, Smith, Johnson, Widdup and Kenny.
Well the term is rapidly coming to a close but there is still a lot to be achieved. Year 11 have started their yearly exams and Year 12 come to the end of their school days in just 2 short weeks. They then have 3 more weeks to prepare for their final exams. This is a crucial time for them so we must support and encourage them throughout this final period. The Year 12 D&T projects have been marked this week and our music students have their final practical exam on the 15th September. A big thank you to the teachers (especially Mr McCutcheon, Mrs Schirmer and Miss Elith) and students (Greg, Matt and Andrew) who put in a lot of time to help these students complete their projects. Year 11 may be finishing their exams shortly but Year 10 will now be getting ready for their trials which are the second week back in Term 4 followed by the final School Certificate exams in Week 5 of Term 4. Our SEAT and SRC groups are still planning and organising events and I will especially be looking forward to the SRC sports day with Oaklands next term. As Urana Central School is an active member of LiveLifeWell@School, a DET project to promote healthy eating and physical activity, and this month being Fruit ‘n’ Veg month, the primary and secondary classes are taking part in a number of activities to promote healthy eating and physical activity.
BEN 10 & GWEN – Fresh Fruit and Vegie recess competition The primary students are taking part in the Fresh For Kids competition which is being sponsored by the Sydney Markets. Students are given a sticker each day they bring a piece of fresh fruit or vegetables to school for their recess. If you go to the following website it has a whole range of healthy lunch box ideas as well as other information about fruit and vegetables.
http://www.freshforkids.com.au/index2.html
This is an interactive, fun two-week challenge for primary school students to encourage and maintain a healthy, active lifestyle. We need your support to encourage students to turn off the TV and computer games, get outside, move, play and be more active. I know our students already do this so the challenge will not be difficult for them. Over the two weeks students will score points for: Eating a healthy breakfast Drinking water Eating fruit and veg Limiting the amount of ‘sometimes’ food
they eat Being active Spending less time in front of the TV or
computer
Their points will be recorded in a special passport. The more points they score the more it shows they are on the way to Living Outside the Box.
PRIZES! Each child participating will receive a certificate at the end of the 2 weeks.
There are also lucky draw prizes for students and schools with the highest participation rates across the state!
Urana SEAT stars at Equity Conference in Sydney. During Week 6 students from Urana Central attended the State Equity Conference in Sydney. Kate, Ashley, Ashlea, Viola, Mikaela, Jessica H and Tiah were lucky enough to present their ideas at a workshop during the conference. The girls represented the school well and the workshop gained a lot of positive feedback. Some of the information they shared included the value of SEAT in your school, how to improve teaching and learning, along with using student voice. The students also participated in a range of other informative workshops and talks. These provided a number of ideas and initiatives for students to bring back to school and further improve student achievement. Students have been involved in another SEAT activity this week. They attended the Riverina SEAT meeting in Wagga Wagga.
Miss Elith goes to America. On Monday 12th September I am heading over to America for a month. My cousin is getting married and it is a chance for me to see parts of America with my family. I have set up a site in which I can add blogs of my trip along the way. If you would like to be a part of my experience please go to the following site and sign up (you can do this for free). http://www.edmodo.com/ Once you have signed up, you will find a link on the left hand side of the site to where you can join groups. You will need to use the code- 6cberg to join the site I have set up. I hope to add posts as often as I can. See you when I get back in October! Miss Elith
Young Endeavour Australia's national sail training ship Young Endeavour is now accepting applications for youth to join eleven day voyages departing between January and June 2012. Young Australians aged 16 to 23 can apply for the ballot at www.youngendeavour.gov.au until 30 September 2011. No sailing experience is required.
A voyage in Young Endeavour is an amazing experience, and a unique opportunity for youth to develop teamwork and leadership skills through a world recognised organisation. The current ballot includes voyages along the eastern coast of Australia, which will be crewed by youth from around the country.
During each voyage youth crew learn the skills to successfully sail a square rigged ship. They climb the 30 metre mast, set and furl sails, and maintain
a 24 hour watch on the bridge. They also learn to navigate, take the helm, keep lookout and help the chef in the ship’s galley. Once they have learned these skills, each youth crew will take command of Young Endeavour for 24 hours, and on their last day at sea will host a local group of youth with special needs, sharing their new found knowledge and experiences.
18 year old Hannah Richards of Blackburn, Victoria completed a voyage from Hobart to Sydney in February, and says it was one of the best things she has ever done. "Young Endeavour pushes you outside your comfort zone. It challenges your expectations and teaches you about your own strengths," says Hannah. "I met new friends from all around Australia and now constantly recommend a voyage in Young Endeavour."
17 year old Errol Zanos travelled all the way from Wagait Beach in the Northern Territory to join the youth crew and sail Young Endeavour into Sydney in July. He applied after hearing about a mate's amazing adventure, and says, "I will always remember climbing aloft at night and furling the sails. As well as learning how to sail a tall ship, my time aboard Young Endeavour has improved my teamwork skills and my self esteem."
Since 1988 the Young Endeavour Youth Scheme, in partnership with the Royal Australian Navy, has provided challenging training voyages for over 11,000 young Australians in the tall ship Young Endeavour. The specially designed program delivered aboard the ship increases the youth crew’s self awareness, develops teamwork and leadership skills, and fosters a strong sense of community spirit.
For more information please visit www.youngendeavour.gov.au. Young Endeavour Youth Scheme 1800 020 444 [email protected]
Book Week Parade On Wednesday the 14th September 2011 we will be holding a whole school assembly at Period 4 followed by a book charactor parade. Bring to school your favorite book character costume and join in on the parade. There will also be a free SRC BBQ for lunch that day. Take Home A Big Brother Or Sister Give your children the wonderful opportunity to have an international big brother or big sister by hosting one of our exceptional international students arriving in Australia in February 2012 for their 5 or 10 months programs. Our international students from France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Japan , the U.S.A and Canada will live as a local, attend a local secondary school, arrive with their own spending money and comprehensive insurance cover – all arranged by Southern Cross Cultural Exchange. Visit us at www.scce.com.au, email [email protected] or call us toll free on 1800 500 501, request our little booklets of international student profiles, and capture the spirit of family and friendship! P&C News We were unable to have a P & C Meeting two weeks ago due to either sickness or prior commitments. As a consequence the meeting was rescheduled to be this Monday the 12th September at 7pm. If you are able to make this meeting it would be greatly appreciated. At the moment we are looking for volunteers for people to man our stall at the upcoming tractor pull in October, as well as discussing the fete which is to be held early next year. If you are able to spare sometime to help man (or woman) our stall, it would be greatly appreciated. If you are unable to stay for a whole time slot please let us know so that we can arrange an alternative. Please fill in the time slot with your phone number as to what time would suit you best. Thank you. Theresea Hughes
Information for parents of school-aged children with asthma
As a parent of a student with asthma it can be difficult to leave your child in the care of others. Schools and their staff have a duty of care towards your child whilst they are at school, however the responsibility for a student’s care does not rest entirely on the school. There are roles and responsibilities for the school, teachers, students and parents when it comes to best managing asthma at school.
Your role and responsibilities
• Tell the school that your child has asthma and give them a written Asthma Action Plan or similar as required by the school
• Take your child to the doctor for regular reviews of their asthma • Inform the school of any changes to your child’s asthma or updates to their
Action Plan • Establish a relationship with your child’s teacher • Ensure that your child has reliever medication with them every day, and
preferably a spacer is used. The medication must not have expired and should contain plenty of doses. Also ensure that the medication is labelled clearly with your child’s name
• Ensure that your child is able to self-administer their medication when required • Aim for good asthma management at home by following medical advice on
taking medication • Notify the school if your child is absent due to their asthma • Ensure that your child catches up on any missed school work as a result of their
asthma
• Your child’s responsibilities
• Have their medication readily available at all times, particularly during exercise and other physical activities
• Be aware of the signs of worsening asthma, and take immediate action, either with self-medication or contacting a staff member
• Know when to take their medication (in accordance with action plan) • Know how to get to and administer their medication in an emergency • Tell their friends they have asthma, and what to do in an emergency
Learner Licence Restrictions NSW learner drivers are reminded that they must not drive faster than 80 km/h regardless of whether they are driving in NSW or interstate. Drivers must abide by both their licence conditions and the road rules of the state in which they are driving and remember that in all cases the strictest rule applies. When driving in New South Wales, interstate learner drivers must comply with the following licence conditions:
• Be supervised at all times by the holder of a full Australian driver licence. • Have L plates displayed conspicuously at the front and rear exterior of the car (or an L
sign on the roof) when driving. • The letter 'L' on the plate must not be hidden. • Observe a maximum speed limit of 80 km/h. • Not tow any other vehicle. • Not exceed zero blood alcohol concentration (this means you cannot drink before driving).
It is also illegal to drive under the influence of drugs. • Not supervise another learner driver. • Only carry the number of passengers that can be properly seated in seats and restrained
by approved seat belts or child restraints. • Only drive vehicles that have a seat belt fitted to the driver's position and you must wear
the seat belt. • Not use any functions of a mobile phone including hands-free devices.
Learner drivers must comply with the above conditions when driving in NSW even if they do not ordinarily apply in their home state. Failure to comply with any of the above conditions is an offence and carries severe penalties including immediate suspension of driving privileges by Police.
Learners must also comply with any other conditions that have been applied to their licence by their licensing authority. When travelling in NSW, it is your responsibility to ensure that you are aware of the conditions that apply to your licence.
Vicroads advises that when driving in Victoria on NSW learner a learner driver must comply with all Victorian learner permit conditions and any other conditions associated with, or imposed on, the interstate learner.
A NSW driver with an 80 km/h speed limit restriction must comply with that restriction when driving in Victoria although there is no equivalent speed restriction in Victoria.
For more information contact Shelagh Merlin on 6029 8588 or 0427 224 764 or visit the RTA website, www.rta.nsw.gov.au
Don’t forget to check out our online calendar at www.urana-c.schools.nsw.edu.au Permission notes and other related files can be downloaded from the online calendar.
September 2011
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
1
2 Father’s Day Stall
3 4
5
6
7 8 9
10 11
12 P&C meeting at 7pm. Chalk & Parent Direct fundraiser catalogue due
13 Local Government Day, 3-6 to attend
14 Whole School Assembly Pd 4 Book Parade.
15
16
17 18
19
20
21 PAC Day (physical activity curriculum day)
22
23 Last day for Term 3
24 25
26
27
28
29
30
1 October 2 October
3 October 4 October 5 October 6 October 7 October 8 October 9 October
A good friend enthusiastically told me how he just spent a few days away on his own with his two kids, aged 10 and 13. He was feeling quite chuffed.
He had some ‘dad time’ with his kids.
Good on him!
He was doing some memory-building & relationship-building, as well as having some fun.
He told me that he was aware that his kids were getting older and he knew such opportunities were diminishing.
I’ve been hearing this type of story a lot lately.
Gone are the days when the only relationship many men had with their kids was through their wife. She would explain to the kids, ‘Your dad’s very busy. He would love to see you play sport but he can’t make it.’ She’d keep him up-to-date with the children’s lives, as well.
Blokes, it seems, are valuing the time they spend with their kids on their own. Or at least the dads I mix with are. Spending time alone with kids is a great way to build confidence in dads.
And the kids usually just love it.
Mothers can play a role here by not getting in the way if their husband or partner wants a little time alone with kids. (Most mums I meet welcome this!)
Children usually associate their fathers with activity. When I ask children to tell me about their dads they usually talk about the things that they like to do together with their dads. Playing, walking, fishing, wrestling....the list goes on.
It’s through shared activity and involvement in kids’ lives that dads build up frequent father points. It’s hard to build good connections with kids when you are not there!
Don’t wait until adolescence
These relationships are best built in childhood, when kids just love their dad to bits and want to be around him. It gets trickier in adolescence, but having shared interests developed in childhood gives you a connection point during these sometimes turbulent times.
Dads also benefit from spending time with their kids. Most health scales state a healthy relationship with their children is a predictor of good health and longevity for men. I’m not sure where the health benefits come from, but I suspect there is something relaxing and de-stressing about getting into a child’s space. There is a big kid inside most men just busting to get out.
These days we take parenting pretty seriously and it’s easy to forget that one of the fundamentals of raising kids well is to spend some time in your child’s space, doing stuff, or not doing stuff, whatever the case may be.
So how are your (or your partner’s) frequent father points going? If they need some topping up then you can start by doing something together that they enjoy. Having a bit of fun together is the best place to start.
And then start to block in time to spend with kids on a regular basis. One busy dad I know goes for a bike ride with his teenage daughter each Saturday morning, and then goes to watch the local footy with his son in the afternoon. This type of ritualised approach to relationship-building works well with many blokes.
Whatever method a dad uses, the key is to start spending time with your kids right now. As I well know, they grow up in a flash, and before you know it they have either moved out, or are busy getting on with their own lives.
INSIGHTSby Michael Grose - No. 1 parenting educator
Published by Michael Grose Presentations. All rights reserved. For more ideas, support and advice for all your parenting challenges please visit our website. 2011 Michael Grose
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parentingideas.co.nz
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Building up frequent father points Most dads tell me that they want a better relationship with their kids than they had with their own father. One way to build better relationships is for dads to build plenty of frequent father points when kids are young. Here’s how to go about it.
