Casula Public School 

 Term 3 ‐ Week 4, 15 August 2018 

De Meyrick Ave, CASULA NSW 2170  .  9602 3170  .  casula‐p.school@det.nsw.edu.au  .  casula‐p.schools.nsw.edu.au  .  @CasulaPS 

A Nut Aware School 

Have you heard? Our Movie Night on last Friday was outstanding! We had almost 500 parents, students, carers and grandparents in attendance. The movie was Captain Underpants! This was our very first ‘Movie Under The Stars’. I would like to personally thank each and every person who attended. It was a mild night and only got cool just before the movie finished! Our Year 6 students hosted amazing stalls and our P&C hosted a great sausage sizzle. This was a community initiative with the school and the P&C. On behalf of the school community I would like to say a huge thank you to the P&C Executive led by Belinda Cramond for working in collaboration with us led by Mr Vanderwey and his team. The whole idea of this event was to share an evening with the community and to give Year 6 the opportunity to host an evening market. Our mission was accomplished.

Most importantly, I would like to extend my thanks to every parent, carer, grandparent, student and sibling who joined us. It really was a fabulous way for us to get together. It was great for all the staff to catch up with you too. Our ‘gold grass’ section was very popular and the sea of coloured beanbags was certainly a hit – many families brought picnics and others purchased dinner at the street stalls. The stalls had trouble keeping up with the demand. There were picnic blankets, camping chairs and picnic settings scattered across the grass. The evening had a fabulous vibe!!

I know we will be discussing this event for another time as it was lots of fun and we could for next time use it as a fundraiser. We learnt lots from hosting our first event. We will come back next time bigger and even better . For this time however, we were all very pleased and walked away with a great feeling about our ‘Movie UnderThe Stars’.

A huge thank you too to everyone who made the community event such a great success – many, many thanks to all the staff who came along too!!!

Our Open Day and Bazaar Showcase were great successes last Monday – such generous feedback from many visitors about the learning our students are doing at Casula PS. Many thanks again to all the staff who opened their classrooms and hosted the Bazaar – huge thanks to Miss Louchery and Miss Davie for coordinating our Education Day event.

Important Dates Term 3 Week 4 Wednesday 15 August Maths Olympiad  

Thursday 16 August Breakfast Club 8.10‐8.50am Deba ng at Casula PS NAIDOC performer  

Friday 17 August PSSA—Winter Wanderers Spor ng Schools Soccer Clinic—Yr5 2‐3pm  

Term 3 Week 5 Monday 20 August Breakfast Club 8.10‐8.50am Number Crunchers Semi Final  

Tuesday 21 August K‐2 Assembly 2.10pm  

Thursday 23 August Breakfast Club 8.10‐8.50am Parent Forum—School Awards  9.10‐10am—Thinking Room Stage 1 public speaking finals Casula Powerhouse showcase      concert  

Friday 24 August PSSA—Winter Wanderers Spor ng Schools Soccer Clinic—Yr5 2‐3pm  

Term 3 Week 6 Monday 27 August Breakfast Club 8.10‐8.50am School Den st commences NAPLAN school readiness test  

Tuesday 28 August Stage 3 Assembly 2.10pm Father’s Day stall NAPLAN school readiness test  

Wednesday 29 August Zone Athle cs, Campbelltown NAPLAN school readiness test  

Courier

Payments due:  

PSSA Winter      Final payment due Yr6 Camp     $  75  04/07      $100  26/09 Zone Athle cs   $  10  15/08 Maths Cup    $    5  17/08 Father’s Day Stall   24/08 Calmsley Hill   $  31.50  21/09 PCYC Yrs 3&4   $    8  28/09 

A message from the Principal What’s ahead? We have lots happening in the next two weeks including our ICAS testing, NAIDOC Incursion, Public Speaking, Parent Forum and the ‘Greatest Showcase’ at Casula Powerhouse Thursday 23 August.

OOSH Tender The tender for the OOSH expired almost twelve months ago with Cubby House paying us monthly until the Assets Department of the Department of Education initiated the process. Much interest was shown in our service by many providers. The Assets Department leads this process, the Director Educational Leadership, Daryl Currie, and I sit on this panel. As a school

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we have been very happy with the services offered by Cubby House during their tender. Once I am approved to announce the successful tender, I will let the community know the outcome.

URGENT ATTENTION – Safety Concerns Could I please remind parents to hold their children’s hands when outside the school gate to avoid them spontaneously dashing out in front of vehicles. It has also been reported to me that many parents are doing illegal 3-point turns in De Meyrick Ave and parking across driveways on both sides of the road. I ask you to observe and follow the road rules as the safety of our students, your children, is a priority.

Could we please check your Emergency Contacts Please, if you or the people listed on your emergency contacts for your children have changed their MOBILE PHONE NUMBERS I ask you come to the office or email the school to update them. Please consider the importance of this as it is most distressing for your children when you are not contactable and your child is either injured or inadvertently has not been picked up at school.

School commences at 9am and rolls are marked at 9.10am. School finishes at 3pm. ALL students are to be picked up at 3pm. In the case of an emergency, if you phone the office by 2.45pm we will be able to get a message to your child however, after that we are not able to ensure we can. I seek your support in ensuring your child/children are picked up promptly. Staff have meetings and duties to attend once the 3pm bell has rung. Please be mindful we all have responsibilities.

PBL Expectations This week we are focussing on handball alley – making sure rubbish goes in the bins, avoiding running through games and staying in bounds in this area. Our ongoing focus on school pride is particularly important in all areas of our school. How we treat our classrooms and playground areas reflects much. We are particularly focussing on ensuring the rubbish in all areas goes in the bin. This keeps our school clean and looking very much valued.

Positive Behaviour for Learning OUR NEW AWARDS HAVE ARRIVED as have the Principals Awards – we are very excited to start awarding our new award to our students. We are hosting a parent forum on Thursday 23 August at 9.10 – 10am in the Thinking Room. Come along and hear about and see our new system. Our staff and students are really excited.

Focus on Learning and Productivity – repeat In all workplaces – particularly schools, we are mindful that mornings are prime and productive learning times. As you know, we have had a significant focus on learning commencing at 9.10am each day once rolls have been marked. The ‘instructional phase’ of each lesson is the explicit teaching and the focus that grows learning.

We as a school are committed to optimising time and focus on rich teaching as well as creating an environment conducive to productivity. We are going to trial uninterrupted learning and working time from 10-11am each day. This means messages between classrooms and from Administration will be minimised. At all times, student illness and emergencies will be as always prioritised and seen to immediately. All meetings will be scheduled outside this hour each day also. The value of doing so gives a message that learning in our school is a priority as well as attempting to facilitate conditions for learning. If at all possible, I ask you to call our school with enquiries outside that hour each day unless it is an emergency. Our first week with this as our focus has been notably successful – it has ensured calmer and more focussed classrooms and administration and productivity is the focus.

Our school is a ‘nut aware’ school A reminder to all parents and carers that we are a ‘nut aware’ school and need to be aware of the number of children your child goes to school with that have high level allergies. Many of these allergies being life threatening. We seek your support in being mindful when packing lunches to choose carefully. Many of our students are allergic to nuts, tree nuts, strawberries, egg and kiwi fruit. If at all possible please encourage your child to eat these products at home. I am mindful too that some students have a limited range of foods in their diet and this can at times cause concern. At school we have strategies in place to keep all students safe.

You are invited to join us at Breakfast Club on Monday and Thursday mornings – it’s delicious!! Parents and Carers, Grandparents and Aunts, Uncles and cousins – they are all invited to assist in cooking and serving - come along and join us.

There are many wonderful activities and events run by our magnificent teachers, such as: Dance (Hip Hop, Jazz & DanceSport), Choir (Junior & Senior, Cross Network & Signing), Drama, Debating, Craft Club, Gifted & Talented classes for Creative Arts, Coding, Maths & Music, Aboriginal education arts group, Maths Olympiad, Maths Cup, Public Speaking, Number Crunchers, Spelling B, Orienteering, Mind Marathon and the solar car/boat minisprint challenge.

Have an amazing week 4! Robyn Evans Thought of the week

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Do you have a Kindergarten child enrolling in Casula Public School in 2019?

Children enrolling in 2019 must be 5 years old on or before 31 July 2019.

Please visit the School Office to collect

an enrolment form.

STEWART HOUSE CLOTHING APPEAL

Stewart House bags will be distributed this week.

If you would like to donate any unwanted clean, good quality second hand clothing to help people in need, please place clothing in the bag and return it to the school

office.

Stewart House provides a wonderful program for children who are in need of its services. By returning a bag of used clothing you are helping to raise money for

Stewart House.

Please ensure you return your bag to school by

Monday, 10 September 2018

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LOST PROPERTY

REMINDER TO PARENTS/CARERS: Please make sure that ALL of your children's belongings (clothes, lunch boxes, drink bottles, station-ery, etc.) are CLEARLY LABELLED with your child's full name.

Labelled property can be easily returned to its owner.