William Street, East Maitland 2323 Phone: 4933 7524 Fax: 4934 5012 Email: maitlande-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Respect, Responsibility, Learning, Co-operation and Participation

24 August 2016 No. 26 (Week 6 Term 3)

Educating Communities

Newsletter Week 6

MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Great Aussie Bush Camp Year 5 are, tonight, spending their first night away at the Great Aussie Bush Camp. We wish all of our campers well. I am sure that they will have heaps of fun and we are all crossing our fingers for the rain to stay away! A big thank you to the teachers and support staff who are attending. I am looking forward to my first visit later in the week. Public Speaking Competition We have two students who achieved the results of ‘Highly Commended’ in the final for the Hunter Inter-Schools Primary Public Speaking Competition (Maitland Network Local Final). Congratulations to Jack York and Harry Brown! We are very proud of your achievements. All of the students representing East Maitland Public School throughout this completion are to be congratulated. Their dedication, skills and hard work are inspiring. Well done all! Maitland Group Sport Unfortunately we were unable to commence Maitland Group Sport last week due to the grounds being sprayed for weeks. This week our Stage 2 students will be participating, however, with the exception of touch football (boys and girls), all other Stage 3 participation is forfeited due to Year 5 being away at camp. We look forward to everyone participating for the first time in Week 7. Maitland Vietnam Veterans and Services Legion Offer The City of Maitland has the honour of giving 2 Squadron RAAF the freedom of the city being the 100th year since their formation. 2 Squadron is not only the oldest flying squadron but is also the most decorated. The Maitland Vietnam Veterans and Services Legion have invited our students to be in the Maitland Mall to witness this historic event and would very much like to have the students passively involved. To this end, they are offering vouchers for a hot dog and a small drink from one of the participating outlets in High Street. If you would like to attend the march and take advantage of

this generous offer, students may obtain their vouchers from Miss Dudgeon, with a note of intent to attend, signed by a parent or carer. The event will involve over 100 airmen and airwomen marching down the mall from Bulwer St to the Maitland Town Hall where the formal ceremony will be conducted. The march will begin in the mall at 10:00am on Saturday, 10 September 2016. This will leave everyone plenty of time to also participate in the school Relay for Life team. (See article later in the newsletter). Term 3 Staff Development Day Variation Please remember that care arrangements will need to be made for students on Friday, 16 September 2016 as the school will be participating in a combined staff development day and staff will not be in attendance at school on this day. Kim Dudgeon

Events / Reminders

26 August Year 4 Hyde Park Excursion

30 August Kinder Hunter Valley Zoo

2 Sept Book Week Parade

8 Sept P&C Meeting 6pm Staffroom

9 Sept Year 6 5c Challenge

14 Sept School Disco

16 Sept Pupil Free Day

23 Sept Last Day of Term 3

Year 4 Sydney Excursion

When: Friday, 26 August 2016

Where: Hyde Park Barracks and Colonial

Walking tour

Cost: $48.00 per student

Please finalise payment if you have not already.

Kindergarten Excursion To Hunter Valley Zoo

When – Tuesday, 30th August

Cost - $25.00

Time – Bus departs school at 9.15am, returns 2.30pm

What To Bring - Hat, water, recess

and lunch

Please pay your money at the

office. We are looking forward to a

great day!

Book Week Colouring Competition

Each student has received a colouring competition

sheet. The image has been drawn by Shaun Tan and

includes many famous book titles.

Entries are due back to Mrs Hookway in the library

by Friday, 26 August. Stage winners will be

announced at our Book Parade.

Book Parade Don’t forget our Book Parade will be held on Friday, 2 September, dress as your favourite book character. Parents, friends and families are welcome to attend from 10am. Following the parade we will be selling second hand books in the hall to raise money for The Indigenous Literacy Foundation. Book Swap Day Notes have been sent home regarding our Book Week activities, which include a Book Swap day. If you have any unwanted fiction or non-fiction books in good condition please drop them into the library. These books will then become part of our Book Swap day where students will purchase these books for prices between $1-$4. All money raised on the day will be donated to The Indigenous Literacy Foundation. Thanks in advance for supporting this great foundation.

If you are unable to come on your day please

phone or msg Jacki - school 4933 7524 or mobile 0419143528

Canteen Roster

29/8 Jenni Blais Phillipa Smythe

30/8 Lindsey Phillip Maria Stimson

31/8 Allison Graham HELP NEEDED

1/9 Emma Johnson Margaret Mossner Judy Drap

2/9 Judy Lawler Davina Moad Lisa Phillips

Leesa Morris

K Aqua

Jamie Snow-Cole

Evan Moad

K Burgundy

Lincoln Moad

Kaden Selder

K Rose

Ruby Fuller

Lucy Janson

K Violet

Natalie De Bastos

Logan Birrell

1 Cyan

Heidi Stimson

Jayce Fryers

Jackso Ward

1 Mauve

Gracie Bryson

Darcy Chapman

Logan Benson

Leo De Bastos

1 Scarlet

Alycia Renehan

Harrison Fuller

1 Tangerine

Ruby Blakemore

Emma Carlton

2 Denim

Millie Atherto

Cooper Ebrill

2 Emerald

2 Indigo

Jayla Maynard

Lachlan Brennan

2 Plum

Bella Elliot

Ashton Jones

3 Holt

Mia Chapman

Brandon Waqa

Mason Casson

3 Gorton

Ebony Johnston

Alyssa Brown

Curtis Moretti

3 McEwen

Millie Janson

Chester Lightfoot

Annalyse Stubbington

4 McMahon

Rebecca Clark

Tami Johnson

Malaki Reis

4 Whitlam

Lily Skarin

Jack York

Alexis Parkhouse

4 Menzies

Charlie Williams

Harrison Smythe

Hayley Butt

5 Hawke

Victoria Pearson

Stephen Newberry

Molly Dowde

5 Fraser

Brock Nardelli

Cooper Prowse

Ebony Grant

5 Keating

Eden Gould

Joseph Proctor

Chase Corry

6 Rudd

Chad Hungerford

Paige Andonovski

Tahlia Williams

6 Gillard

Fraser Atkinson

Kasey Biffin

Elliot Cox

6 Howard

Sonny Bill Anderson

Kate Dever

Jack Cliff

MC Blue MC Red Stephen Goode

Blake Twaddell

Linen Roster Term 3 Linen Roster

26/08: Jo Proctor 02/09: Grisel Milford - Chilvers 09/09: Bronwyn Guy 15/09: Deslie Groves 23/09: Jodi Smith

Term 4 Linen Roster

14/10: Katie Brown 21/10: Sarah Davis 28/10: Jo Proctor 04/11: Grisel Milford - Chilvers 11/11: Deslie Groves 18/11: Jodi Smith 25/11: Katie Brown 02/12: Jo Proctor 09/12: Grisel Milford - Chilvers 16/12: Katie Brown

If you are unable to change the linen on your allo-

cated date let me know and I will arrange a swap.

Mutual Banking Students need to drop their bank books off first thing Tuesday morning.

STEPTEMBER — In support of Cerebral Palsy.

What is Steptember?

Steptember is an exciting health and wellness campaign designed

to improve your fitness, develop new healthy habits and have a

positive impact on the lives of people with cerebral palsy.

Steptember challenges people to take 10,000 steps a day for 28 days

straight.

Steptember runs from 1 September to 28 September. Registrations

will close on 26 August 2016.

Register free by visiting www.steptember.org.au.

Library News Very exciting news from the library, East Maitland Public School is now an ‘Oliver’ school! Oliver is the new Department of Education library circulation and management system. Students all have access to Oliver via their portal and will be shown how to best use the system during their library lessons this week and next week. Students will be able to look for books, reserve books and write book reviews when they are logged on to Oliver through a ‘kid friendly’ search engine called Orbit. If they are using the system at home it will be a great opportunity for parents to observe what your children are interested in and which books they would like to borrow. If there are any questions regarding the new system please come and see me in the library. Enjoy! Mrs Hookway Library Mural We have been very fortunate to have Lex James in the school last week and this week painting a book cover mural, which will be attached to the front of the school library. Students from each of the primary classes have been assisting him with the project and are doing an awesome job. The mural should be finished in time for our Book Parade day and the Fathers’ Day breakfast. Some students have been asking Lex about his art classes, please refer to www.artbylj.com.au. Premier’s Reading Challenge The 2016 Premier’s Reading Challenge has finished for this year, well done to all the students who completed the challenge. These students will receive a certificate at the end of the year. Certificates are awarded as follows: First, second and third year completing the challenge- standard certificate Fourth year completing the challenge- gold certificate Fifth and sixth year completing the challenge-

standard certificate Seventh year completing the challenge- platinum certificate Every year completion from Year 3 to Year 9

(inclusive)- medal. Every student in Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 have completed the challenge as well as many of our primary students.

Band News Our extremely talented band is entering their first ‘Bandfest’ in October at the Lake Macquarie Performing Arts Centre. They will perform three pieces: Star Wars, Wild Card and Tequila. Mr Ward has asked that the students keep up their practicing at home with additional practice where possible. Looking forward to seeing the students represent the school. Mrs Hookway Book Club Brochures for Book Club have gone home filled with lots of great titles. Orders need to be finalised by 9am, Thursday 1 September by either: Using the Loop payment system: www.scholastic.com.au (directions at the end of the newsletter) or Completing the order form on the back of the brochure and handing it to your classroom teacher with the correct money. Paper Plane Challenge What a great lunchtime we had on Monday! Students from Years 1-6 constructed a paper plane and then all launched them under the shade cloth. With lots of cheering and encouragement the following students threw the furthest in their age group: Ed Slater Year 1 5 metres Toby Campbell Year 2 7 metres Avril Cochrane Year 3 4 metres Malaki Reis Year 4 19 metres Nathan Boardman Year 5 12.5 metres Bailey Pymble Year 6 22 metres Well done everyone! Malaki and Bailey's distances have been sent away to the NSW All Schools Paper Plane Challenge.

By Michael Grose Helping kids focus in the age of distraction By Sarah Wayland

Finding ways to turn your kids from flitters to focusers – how teaching your children to ‘stick with it’ can have lifelong benefits. As a society we often debate about the ’right’ amount of screen time, and with the introduction of personal screens

over the last decade, to add to TV, laptops and desktops, the focus on a single task has slowly ebbed away. The British

Psychological Society found that too much screen time (more than their recommendations of no more than 2 hours per

day) could unintentionally cause permanent damage to a child’s still-developing brains. Impacting the capacity to focus,

to concentrate and to give attention to tasks.

Distraction is often managed through the delicate art of re-direction or encouragement to combat the ‘but I just

can’t do it!’ However, has this brave new world of binge watching TV, entertainment on demand and socialisation via

hand held devices created kids that always have options for those tasks that require some stubborn determination?

If so how might this new way of living and relaxing challenge our kid’s capacity to stick with a difficult task when they

have a world of entertainment at their disposal?

Dr Daniel Goleman, an award-winning psychologist and TED speaker, emphasises the need for people to engage in skills

that foster emotional intelligence. Goleman’s belief is that ‘Kids learn best when they can maintain sustained

attention, whether to what a teacher is saying, their textbook, or their homework. The root of learning is keen focus;

distractions kill comprehension. But the new normal for young people continually interrupts their focus with

distractions.’

Neuroscientists tell us that the more a young person can practice keeping focus and resist distraction, the stronger

and more richly connected this child becomes. By the same token, the more distracted, the less so. Rebecca finds

that the evidence is clear in our own homes and in classrooms ‘we now have young people who are experts at ‘flitting’

from one device to another’ and she refuses to take a defeatist approach because without refocusing those ‘flitters’

to ‘focusers’ who risk the next generations creative or scientific masterminds we risk losing children who are able to

‘sit still and agonise over a task long enough to see it through to its marvellous end’

Tips for helping kids maintain focus and attention

1. Build your child’s focus

As with all tasks the aim is to start small and build your child’s capacity to master the concept of ‘sticking with it’.

Cath, a school counsellor, finds that she can use the same strategies with the teens she works with and her primary

school aged children when she gets home: ‘it’s all about breaks and rewards. Set a timer between breaks and then on a

break they need to do something active like a push-up. Then there is a little reward for staying on task for a

particular amount of time.

2. Remember it’s all about the journey

Parents and researchers agree that understanding what can be gained from being focused is the key to engaging your

‘flittering’ child. Our solution driven society is often focused on what we receive at the end rather than the process

to get there. Teaching your children to tolerate the unexpected can have wonderful benefits, as can sitting with

something that may have previously been viewed as unachievable.

3. Keep calm and focus

Use calm methods to engage children who become distracted: ‘breathe, relax and high five each other’ when working

alongside your child or when with a group of children. Talk about what might be achieved at the end and make it a fun

process.

Screens, for all their negatives and benefits, are here to stay. Many argue that they provide complexity and new

experiences to our children’s world by identifying exciting technologies but they also provide avenues to ‘opt out’ of

the hard yards.

Reaching what you thought was unattainable by engaging in a single focus and ‘sticking with it’, can provide lifelong

lessons.

P&C News

Our school’s P&C is made up of a great team of volunteers of busy parents and carers. If you have a suggestion, an idea or a concern please email us, leave your contact details with the office ladies or come along to one of our meetings. Our next meeting is a night time meeting to allow those parents and carers who usually can’t make our day ones to come along. It will be held on Thursday, 8th September at 6pm in the school staff room.

We are constantly planning fundraising events throughout the year to be able to purchase items for our kids. New readers, iPads, comfy classroom mats, sharing the cost of the electronic school sign and sporting uniforms are some of the things we have purchased in the last 12 months. Future funding projects include wall art outside the library, a new cooktop and stove for the multi categorical unit, plus ongoing maintenance with the Garden Club. If you have an idea that you would like us to fundraise towards, please let us know.

Email details: eastmaitlandpublicschoolpandc@gmail.com Thermomix Raffle

Win yourself a Thermomix! To enter simply fill in the entry form and pop it in an envelope with the correct money and drop it into the front office. Tickets are $10 each. Don't miss out on your chance to win this time saving cooking machine. Fathers’ Day Breakfast BBQ Bring your dad, pop, pa, mum and nan for our P&C Fathers’ Day Breakfast BBQ on Friday, 2 September 2016 from 7.00am to 8.30am around the Rotunda. Everyone is welcome, especially dads! We will be selling a bacon and egg sandwich and a drink for $5.00. The Bean Boss will also be there with their great, REAL coffee (additional cost). We will also be raffling off a lovely Dad Hamper full of donated goodies just for Dad. Tickets will be $1 each.

Garden Club Donations Our school garden is loving the rain! The seedlings are really taking off. We are currently in need of donations of an outdoor table and chairs (good 2nd hand condition) for potting and planting on. Also any gardening equipment like rakes, shovels and spades which the kids could use. If you have any items for donating it would be much appreciated. Uniform shop We are now open Tuesday afternoons 2:00-2:30pm as well as Thursday mornings 8:30-9:00am thanks to our wonderful team of volunteers! If you are interested in helping please email us at any time. The uniform shop has NO EFTPOS facilities so please bring cash.

Term 3 Roster

Tues 2:00-2.30pm

Thurs 8:30-9:00am

Week 6 23/8 Connie and Denyse 25/8 Hayley and Kath

Week 7 30/8 Renae and Grisel 1/9 Kath and Suze

Week 8 6/9 Connie and Davina 8/9 Jo and Deslie

Week 9 13/9 Renae and Denyse 15/9 Jodi and Bron

Week 10 20/9 Connie and Grisel 22/9 Hayley and Kath

*******Volunteers Callout *********

We are looking for BBQ chefs, and general

helpers for the Fathers’ Day Breakfast. If you

are able to help please email us at

eastmaitlandpublicschoolpandc@gmail.com