The Oakdale Newsletter

Oakdale Public School, Burragorang Road, Oakdale NSW 2570 Telephone: 4659 6251 Facsimile: 4659 6400 E-mail (School): oakdale-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Term 2, Week 2, 2016 Date: Tuesday, 4th May 2016

From the Principal’s Desk

Welcome back to Term 2. This term we are trying to have fewer events on so as to

concentrate on teaching and learning, assessment and reporting. We will have parent and teacher interviews after reports have been sent home this year so as we can go through them with you more thoroughly and parents can ask questions about the reports. I would like to reiterate again that we want all children attending all of the events we plan. I know at times this can be costly but we allow parents to pay things off at a minimal amount per week. Do not be embarrassed to ring or to go to the office and let us know that your children will be attending an event but it needs to be paid over the term. We are here to assist you so that your children do not miss out. It is not too late to come and see me about financial arrangements for gymnastics. I would appreciate it if parents have any concerns about anything to do with the school to come and see me directly and if you have some positive comments to make let us hear those as well.

ENJOY THE TERM

What’s Coming up in April/May? *27th-29th Dental Visits *28th Peer Support commences (every Thursday Weeks 1-9) *2nd Gymnastics *3rd Assembly K-2 *4th Mother’s Day Stall *5th Cross Country Carnival *6th Assembly 3-6 *Back- up Cross Country Carnival *9th Gymnastics *10th-13th NAPLAN Years 3 & 5 *10th Year 1 Vision Screening *10th Assembly K-2 *13th Grip Leadership Wollongong *16th Gymnastics *16th P&C Meeting 2.30 *17th ICAS Digital Technologies *17th Assembly K-2 *20th Assembly 3-6 *20thRazorback Cross Country Reminders: *All gymnastics money to be paid as soon as possible, if you are having financial difficulties there is no problem paying all events on a weekly basis to make it affordable particularly for large families *Cross Country notes returned by 3rd May *Orders for sausage sizzle returned by Monday 2nd May *NAPLAN Years 3 & 5 starts 10/5/16-29/5/16

Staff Development Day Term 2 Teaching staff completed online training on “School Communities Working Together” on Tuesday, 26th May. We also looked at activities to help students cross the mid-line of their bodies, discussed plans for stages and looked at our term calendar. It was a very productive day and we were very grateful that we got some uninterrupted time to make decisions about the school. Healthy Eating at Recess and Lunch Times Many staff have alerted me to the fact that many of our students are eating foods that are not nutritious in break times. Some examples of what can be packed can be found on this fact sheet from Nutrition Australia.

Packing a healthy lunchbox:

Children need to eat a variety of foods every day to be healthy. Parents can give children a healthy school lunch that tastes great and is good for them too. Many parents say one of the major problems with school lunches is when the children bring them home! Try to give kids some choice about what they take for lunch, and if possible, get them involved with preparing the ‘healthier’ foods.

A healthy lunchbox has four components:

1. A main item, such as a sandwich/wrap/roll, pasta with vegetables, soup, frittata or sushi. 2. A fruit or vegetable snack, such as whole fruit, cut up veggie sticks, canned fruit in natural

juice, a small salad 3. A second snack based on a core food, such as reduced fat yoghurt, grainy crackers with

reduced fat cheese, plain popcorn, a slice of raisin bread, a wholemeal fruit muffin, a boiled egg or a can of tuna.

4. And a drink. A bottle of tap water is best, and plain UHT milk is also acceptable.

Healthy lunchbox tips:

• Use foods from the five core food groups: o vegetables and legumes/beans o fruit o grain (cereal) foods, mostly wholegrain and/or high fibre o lean meat and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, and legumes/beans o milk, yoghurt, cheese and/or their alternatives, mostly reduced fat • Sandwiches, wraps and rolls are common main lunch items for kids. Choose wholemeal or

multigrain varieties and include lots of vegetables. • Use a variety of fillings to keep children interested. • Encourage children to drink water throughout the day. • Limit foods with added sugar, added salt and those high in saturated fat.

Example:

Snack Main item Drink Small high fibre fruit muffin

(Grains) Mandarin (Fruit) Mini cheese stick (Dairy)

Multigrain bread (Grains) Salad filling (Vegetable) Tuna in spring water (Meat)

125mL reduced fat UHT milk, frozen (Dairy)

Water bottle

Lunchbox ideas:

Mix and match the following samples to keep your kids interested in the food you provide:

Lunchbox 1

Fruit in season Boiled egg Vegetables with natural yoghurt Pita bread, filled with salad vegetables or

tabouli and lean rissoles Water

Lunchbox 3

Fruit in season Egg, lettuce, tomato, cheese multigrain

sandwich Vegetable sticks Slice of fruit bread Dried fruit and nuts** Frozen UHT reduced fat milk 125mL

Lunchbox 2

Wholemeal pikelets Frozen UHT reduced fat milk 125mL Vegetarian pizza or a sandwich Vegetable pack Fruit salad Reduced fat yoghurt

Lunchbox 4

Fruit in season Bread roll filled with vegetables, cheese and a

slice of lean roast beef Reduced fat yoghurt Grapes Water

Plan ahead:

Planning ahead for the busy times helps you get through them a little easier. Think about the lunches you will be preparing for the next week and make sure you buy the necessary ingredients when you do your regular shopping.

Food safety:

When packing a school lunch, it is important to consider how the lunch will be kept cool to prevent foods and drinks from spoiling.

If food is not stored properly bacteria in and on top of the food can grow and make you and your children sick; for this reason it is essential to keep school lunches cool. Lunches kept in children’s school bags all day, are likely to get warm, and foods such as meat or cheese sandwiches, milk, cheese and yoghurt need to be kept cool.

Try the following:

• To keep sandwiches fresh, wrap them in plastic wrap or 'snaplock' plastic bags. • Freeze small packs of UHT milk or water ahead of time. • When preparing lunches the night before they will be eaten, make sure they are stored in the

fridge overnight • Choose a lunch box that includes a water bottle. Fill the bottle with water and freeze it, then

place it in the lunch box to keep food cold. • Insulated lunchboxes are also a great option.

Volunteers to Care for the School Garden We need volunteers to keep our school gardens maintained. If you can spare half an hour every couple of weeks to weed, water and replant our vegie gardens it would be much appreciated. Please contact Mrs Green if you are interested. Classroom Help Volunteers are needed to work in our literacy blocks to support our reading and writing programs. If you can assist please see your classroom teacher. Rule for Term 2-Be Polite Our school rules are linked to our awards at our Class Champion’s Assembly to be held on Tuesday 21st June at 2.45pm. We will be looking for students who show politeness in some of the following ways: (tips on how to be polite will be in the newsletter all term) *When adults are speaking don’t interrupt wait patiently until you are invited to speak. *Use the words please and thank you- when you are given something say thank you, when asking to go the bathroom “May I go to the bathroom please?” Winter School Uniform New stock has arrived at the school ready for winter. Bike shorts, leggings, netball skirts and coloured jumpers or hoodies are not school uniform. Please insist that your children come to school in the correct uniform. If you are experiencing financial difficulty please come and speak to Mrs Green. Mother’s Day Stall Wednesday 4th May There is a wide variety of gifts to choose from for mum this year. Gifts range from $1.00-$10.00. There are also some gifts for your grandmother. Please send money in an envelope with name clearly marked. Left over gifts will be sold at the canteen on Friday 6th May. Year 5 Opportunity Class Placement for 2017 Parents of students in Year 4 2016 need to apply online if they would like their child to sit the OC test www.schools.nsw.edu.au/ocplacement. You will receive a password and then log in to complete the application and submit it. You will receive an email with a copy of your application containing your child’s student number. You must quote this number whenever you make enquiries about your application. Websites open on Tuesday, 26th April 2016 and close on 13th May. If you require more information please request a booklet from the school office.

Canteen News Thank you to everyone who supported the school by purchasing a sundae or hot cross bun from the canteen last term. All of the profit went to the school to assist with the refurbishment of the library annex so that students, parents and staff can use it as a learning area. A special thank you to Trish Fordham for donating the sundae toppings, sprinkles, marshmallows and choc drops; we had just enough. Also thank you to Addy Tabone for ordering and bringing in the hot cross buns. Volunteers who helped on the day were Kerry, Trish, Jess, Kalika, Addy and Felicity; your support is always appreciated. The canteen is looking for new volunteers for this term who would like to help out any Friday between the hours of 9.30-12.30. It is a fun way of helping the school and meeting some other parents. If you are interested drop in to the office or come on a Friday to the canteen to have a chat. Emillie Tait

Congratulations to the following students who reCently visited the treasure Chest.

you have all been trying very hard to do your best in Class.

KH Caelan Reid, 1B Jack Eather, Chelsea Blacker 2BW 3C 4I Riley Grieve, Emily Milinkovic, Jake Griggs 5C Mitchell Nash, Cameron Richards 6K Olivia Bunce

Stewart House Fundraiser For your chance to win this amazing prize, please check your child’s schoolbag for an envelope labelled Stewart House Donation Drive 2016. Return the envelope to school with $2 inside and your details on the back by Thursday 12th May. The class that returns the most envelopes will win a reward. Your support in helping our school raise money for this important charity is appreciated. Thank you Mrs Smith

TLALC Deadly Homework Club

Does your child need help with homework?

Are they in Kindy to year 6? Where: Tharawal Local Aboriginal Land Council - 220 West Parade, Couridjah

When: Wednesday afternoons 4:00 – 5:00pm Wollondilly Region: Tahmoor, Thirlmere, Picton and Buxton

Nutritious afternoon tea provided – (Transport can be arranged with

prior notice)

TLALC Men’s shed

Have you been thinking of joining a Men’s Group?

Where men can meet to socialise, learn new skills, have a yarn with great company

Where: Tharawal Local Aboriginal Land Council - 220 West Parade, Couridjah Ph; 4681 0059 When: Thursday 10am – 2:00pm

Wollondilly Region/ Wollondilly Residents

Call in for a yarn, cuppa or just to read the Newspapers, and find out what’s happening in the Community.

The Peer Support Program The Peer Support Program is a student welfare program that is “dedicated to providing school communities with an evidence-based, peer led approach to enhance the mental, social and emotional wellbeing of young people.”(Peer Support Australia 2013) There are many benefits that children gain from participation in this program. The Leaders and Co-leaders:

practise leadership skills, develop confidence in leading a group, act as a positive role model, enhance their own life skills and develop organisational and time management skills. Younger students: learn life skills through fun and safe activities, form positive relationships with Peer Leaders/Co-leaders, practise cooperation and collaboration and build confidence to actively participate. The senior students undertook leadership training last term, on March 30th, with Mrs Coppola and Mrs Karliotis. The students were very focussed on developing their leadership skills, as they worked on activities designed to teach them about managing groups and facilitating learning. Thank you to Mrs Green and Mrs Bailey who organised delicious pizza and watermelon for lunch on the day. The whole school participates in Peer Support for 30 minutes each week. Year 5 and 6 students lead their group of 6 – 8 younger students through a number of structured activities. The module they are engaged in this year, is called “Keeping Friends”. It helps the children explore the concept of friendship, build relationships and develop skills in empathy and critical thinking. Peer Support started last week (run by Mrs Karliotis); the children got to know each other, work cooperatively and begin to talk about the meaning of friendship. The program has eight sessions and will run most weeks this term. Congratulations to all of the Year 5/6 students and their fantastic groups for a brilliant start to the program! Ms Fuller

Primary Social Term 1 Each term, a group of Primary teachers volunteers their time to run a Social out of school hours for the students. The children dance, play supervised games and have a snack and drink, whilst having a great time with their friends. Last term, we had our first Primary Social and the theme was come dressed in “Black and White”. All of our students looked wonderful (as you can see in the photos below) and behaved beautifully. A very big thankyou to all of the children’s families for supporting us: by allowing their children to attend, bringing them on time and picking them up on time outside the Hall. Thankyou also to Mrs Itskos, Mrs Coppola, Miss Clay and Mrs Karliotis, for helping to make the Social so much fun! Ms Fuller

Oakdale Public School Sporting News Gala Days PSSA Gala Days for Soccer, Netball and AFL are being tentatively planned for weeks 5 (‘A’ Gala Day) and 8 (‘B’ Gala Day) this term for juniors and seniors. Students who miss out on selection for the ‘A’ Gala Days will be given first preference for the ‘B’ Gala Days. Please ensure notes and money are handed in on time. It takes a lot of time and effort to organise teams and to follow up students who have not returned notes. Notes not returned on time will result in children missing out on school representation at Gala Days and other PSSA events. Additionally if children decide not to compete, they must let their coach know as soon as possible. Razorback Netball On Friday 1st April Bella Payne and Kailyn Harvey attended the Razorback zone girl’s netball trials. Both girls need to be commended for their efforts and although they gave it their all unfortunately they were unsuccessful in making the Razorback team. The girls explained to me how tough the day was and I would like to congratulate both girls and thank them for representing Oakdale with pride. Learning to Lead Program On Thursday 7th April I was fortunate to take 8 year 6 students with me to Camden High School to participate in the Learning to Lead Program promoted by The Premiers Sporting Challenge. This day was to provide the students with knowledge on what it means to be a leader in sport. There were many different sporting stations set up by the Camden High PASS students such as Volleyball, Ultimate Frisbee, Soccer, Touch Football, Oz tag, Tee-ball and Boot camp. It was a very energetic fun-filled day.

Cross Country Carnival A friendly reminder that the school’s cross country carnival will be held this week on Thursday 5th May at Willis Park. Please remember to hand in all permission notes prior to the event taking place as students will not be able to participate otherwise.

Premier’s Sporting Challenge (PSC) Starting shortly, the Premier’s Sporting Challenge is being held again this year with students encouraged to be active during and after school hours. The PSC provides valuable funding for the school in promoting physical activity. Stage 2 Camp Camp dates will be Term 4 Thursday 20th October 2016 to Friday 21st October 2016 at Yarramundi Springwood. Notes have now gone out and we appreciate families prompt return of the deposit and permission notes. Once we receive deposit and notes a receipt with a payment plan will go home. These deposits are due Friday 6th May 2016. There will be further information regarding camp at a later date. Stage 2 Excursion to Sydney Years 3 and 4 went to Sydney for an excursion relating to their History unit – First Contacts. We visited Fort Denison and The Big Dig site at The Rocks. At Fort Denison the students had an interactive experience dressing as convicts and being put on trial. They learnt about what life was like travelling on the ships from England, along with being an Indigenous person encountering the English on arrival. At the Big Dig site we were able to see where homes once existed from convicts that had been given land. We heard the story of George Cribb, George Legg, Anne Armsden and Margaret Byrne. It turned out to be a lovely sunny day where we enjoyed the ferry trip across and learnt some fascinating new knowledge that we are still talking about.

Mr Itskos

Five Cent Fundraiser Thank you to everyone who donated 5 cent

coins! It was a great success and you helped raise $944 towards new laptops for the library!

We need approximately $7780 to buy 15 through the Department of Education, which

means we’ve only got $6836 to go… Whole Class Fundraising

Class Amount KH $159.95 1B $67.55

2BW $197.25 3C $191.20 4I $84.25

5C $149.60 6K $59.55

Other Staff $34.65 Total $944

The class that raised the most money was 2BW with a massive $197.25! Each student received a 24 pack of twistable crayons as their prize.

Top Fundraisers Per Class Prizes Class Student

KH Beau 2 x Free Tickets to The Wizard of Oz Funland, Campbelltown 1B Amelia

2BW Aedan 3C Esther Family Pass to Campbelltown City

Bowl 4I Jackson 5C Ava Family Pass to Maximum Skating,

Smeaton Grange 6K Amy The top fundraiser across the whole school was Beau (KH) who raised $133.70

and for that amazing effort he received an additional prize of 2 x Free Tickets to United Cinemas, Narellan.

Thank you to the following businesses that generously donated prizes!

Raffle There are some donated prizes leftover from the 5 cent fundraiser so I’ll be

running a small raffle at school to make some more money for laptops, and to give the prizes away! There are 4 x Free Single Session Passes (prizes 1-4) and 4 x Buy One Ticket Get One Free Passes (prizes 5-8) for Maximum Skating, Smeaton

Grange to be won! Tickets are 50 cents each and will be sold by the Library Monitors in the back

playground during recess Monday, Wednesday and Friday of Weeks 2, 3 and 4. Prizes will be drawn on Monday 23rd May, 2016 at the morning assembly.

Book Fair/Grandparents Day

This year we are having Grandparents Day on the same day as our Monster Book Fair: Reading is so much fun, it will give you goosebumps! I understand

that some children’s grandparents may not be able to make it, so other VIPs are more than welcome. Invitations will be sent home soon, along with more

information about the day. Date:

Wednesday, 25th May 2016

Times: Parents 8:30-9:30/3:00-4:00

Grandparents/VIPs 9:30-12:00 (lunch provided)

Book Fair Helpers If you’d like to help out with the Book Fair/Grandparents Day- there will be a

short meeting after school on Friday afternoon (6th May) in the library, to discuss our plans for the day. If you can’t make it but would like to help out on the day,

please see me after school one afternoon or email me at jo.hannaford@det.nsw.edu.au

Game Training RoadShow

Last term, we were very lucky and excited to have the Game Training RoadShow visit our school. Years 2-6

went to the hall for a free 45 minute ‘Getting Started’ information session, which introduced the students to

Unity- a cross-platform game engine that can be used to create games and other interactive 3D content.

A few weeks later, Jeff and Jamie returned to

host a coding workshop for interested students. I’d like to congratulate

these students on

their excellent

behaviour and attitude towards learning at the workshop: Tyrone, Calix, Torin, Kane,

Eddie, Jessica W, Reilly, Cooper T, Brandon, Chris F, Wesley, Beau Wymer, Savannah, Lachlan Brincat, Jackson, Joel G, William,

Kuljas, Owen and Peter.

The students loved using Unity to create landscapes and insert vehicles and characters that they could actually walk/drive/fly

around the ‘world’ they had created. These students have also received some great bonuses from Game Training which they can access from an email sent to their school email address (they

may require some adult assistance to access Unity from home). I look forward to playing some of the

computer games these students create in the future!

Borrowing Awards

Congratulations to the following students who have recently received awards for borrowing and returning 10 books from the library: Jake, Ryan, Aedan and

Paige (2BW); Ella-May, Georgia, Esther and Kuljas (3C); Timothy (4I); Ava, Madelyn, Molina and Lauryn (5C); and Olivia (6K).

Miss Hannaford