PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

Term 3 Week 4 16th August 2018

THANK YOU to all who joined in the celebration of Public Education at

Old Bar School last Thursday. It was a real showcase of the variety of

activities and programs we are able to offer students. I am still

amazed at the skill and knowledge young children display using tech-

nology! Mr Beckton and Mrs Miller are certainly leading our students

in ethical use of computer technology. Did you get a chance to watch

MATTS training in the hall? The discipline and focus displayed by the

students was a joy to watch. We are so fortunate to have Matt work-

ing in our school empowering students through his structured curricu-

lum of martial arts and yoga. The wax-wrap workshop was a hit with

students and parents and at the end of the day, over 100 families had

joined the ‘Food Smart’ project being supported by our local council.

What a wonderful initiative. Thanks to Mrs Thomas and Mrs Sheridan

for showing how hands-on maths and literacy lessons can be so much

fun and to the kindergarten students for allowing us to look at their

‘100 days of school’ projects. But then, there was more. Our Educa-

tion Week assembly continued to inspire. The senior dance group,

the multi-talented Wil Helstead and violinist Megan Eddelbuttel were

outstanding in their performances. The students turned the tables on

their class teachers and presented awards to their teacher rather than

the other way around. It was very special.

The conclusion of the day’s celebrations saw 28 new representatives

inducted into the Student Council. The pride on their faces mirrored

the way I felt at the end of the day. Our school is truly amazing. It is a

credit to our students, our staff and to you, our community.

Friday 17th August

Boys Soccer Gala Day

Saturday 18th August

Vietnam Veterans Day Service 2:30pm

Friday 24th August

Biripi dental hygiene talks - all classes

SRC drought relief gold coin and out-

of-uniform day.

Friday 31st August

Hunter Athletics

Tuesday 11th to Friday 14th Sept

Year 6 Canberra Excursion

Wednesday 12th September

Canteen Meeting- 6pm

P&C Meeting-7pm

Thursday 13th September

K-2 Art Show Opening 6pm

Friday 14th September

K-2 Art Show 9:00am to 3:00pm

Friday 28th September

Last day of Term 3

“The pride on

their faces

mirrored the way

I felt at the end of

the day. Our

school is truly

amazing. It is a

credit to our stu-

dents, our staff

and to you, our

community.”

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT CONTINUED

Each year, Old Bar School holds a moving ceremony on August 18 to commem-

orate the Battle of Long Tan in the Vietnam War. A small but dedicated group

of veterans gather to remember their fallen comrades and share their stories

that only they can share. Although the commemoration falls on (this) Saturday

18th August, we are intending to go ahead with the March and assembly at

school. We would dearly love to have families join us from 2.30pm – 3.30pm.

Afternoon tea will be served at the end of the service. Members of our school

leadership team are leading the service.

I was informed earlier this week that the contract for the new building housing

seven learning spaces has finally been awarded. The expected start date is

‘sometime in September’. I’m now waiting to hear from the project manage-

ment group who will organise a meeting to get things started. If you haven’t

seen the plans or if you have any questions about the project, please don’t hes-

itate to contact me. I’ll pass on information as it becomes available. Exciting

times ahead!

Deborah Scanes

YEAR 6 CANBERRA EXCURSION

In four weeks time, our Year 6 students will be travelling to Canberra to explore our nation’s capital.

Among other experiences, students will visit Parliament House, Old Parliament House, the Australian War

Memorial, the High Court of Australia and the National Museum of Australia.

They will enjoy a range of guided tours and opportunities to take in the scenery at a variety of cultural and

historical sites.

We are very fortunate to have the support of the Old Bar RSL Sub Branch who have pledged a generous do-

nation to subsidise the trip, significantly lowering the cost to families.

OBPS students are also fortunate to be recipients of a $30 per student subsidy under the Parliament and

Civics Education Rebate (PACER) program. The Australian Government recognises the importance of all

young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. As

a school community, we are grateful for this financial support, enabling our students to participate in this

enriching educational experience.

UNIFORM SURVEY RESULTS

The uniform committee has held it’s first meeting, during which results from the recent uniform survey

were analysed. The committee will now work together to establish uniform options that take into consid-

eration parent, student and staff feedback, as well as the new uniform policy for NSW public schools

which aims to ensure that uniforms are “practical and comfortable for students, and affordable for par-

ents”.

Rest assured that we are mindful of the cost to parents, and any changes will be subject to a “phasing in”

period. Parents will not be expected to purchase new uniforms until their old uniforms are either worn

out or too small.

Survey data has shown that the majority of our school community are in favour of a change to school uni-

forms. Below is a summary of the key findings of the survey.

When asked how they feel about changing the uniform, people answered:

When asked what their top priorities were, people answered:

Common concerns/comments were:

The white school shirts get dirty easily, are difficult to wash and see-through.

The white sports shirts get dirty easily, are difficult to wash, get sunscreen stained around the

neckline.

Boys grey shirts are “drab” and the colour is not representative of our vibrant location.

The expense of purchasing new uniforms is an important consideration - a phase in period to

spread the cost over a period of time would be important.

PARENT NOTICEBOARD

VIETNAM VETERANS DAY :

Saturday 18th August 2018

Each year, students and staff at Old Bar Public

School commemorate the Battle of Long Tan on

August 18th.

We invite all students and their families to join us

on Saturday at 2:30pm in the school hall.

A light afternoon tea will be served at the conclu-

sion of the service.

SAFETY AT DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP TIMES:

Unfortunately, we have received re-

ports of unsafe practices on the

streets surrounding our school at drop

-off and pick-up time.

We ask that parents and carers please adhere to

the following safety rules:

Please do not use the “no stopping” zone at

the main entrance as a drop off area. The

crossing supervisor has reported incidents of

students being put at risk by parents reversing

out of this area, into the crossing zone after

dropping students off.

Please do not allow your children to walk

through the staff car parks. Convey to your

children the importance of using the appropri-

ate pedestrian gates.

Please do not park across our neighbours’

driveways. We understand how frustrating it

might be to find a park during these busy peri-

ods, however, it is none-the-less important to

be considerate of our neighbours.

Be aware that police occasionally patrol this area

during peak times, and will issue fines for illegal

and unsafe behaviour.

OLD BAR COMMUNITY PRESCHOOL

NOTICES:

Old Bar Community Preschool provides a

quality preschool education for children 3-5

years old.

Please contact us now to ensure your child’s

name is on our waiting list for 2019.

We are open: Monday to Friday 8.30am -

4:00pm

BRYAN STREET, OLD BAR

Telephone: 02 6553 7817

You are invited to attend our second-hand

fashion market at Club Old Bar on Sunday

19th August.

Stalls are now full, however, all are invited

to peruse our market and make purchases in

aid of the preschool.

COMMUNITY NOTICES

COMMUNITY NOTICES

Diagnostic Assessment for students who have:

Reading & Comprehension difficulties

Light sensitivity & headaches/migraines

ADHD & Autism

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m: 0409653700/ e: irlentaree@gmail.com/ w: www.aaic.org.au