Cowra Public School NEWS
2 February 2017
Term 1, Week 2
Dear Parents/Caregivers,
ALLERGIES WE KINDLY ASK PARENTS TO CONSIDER AVOIDING SENDING ANY NUT PRODUCTS TO SCHOOL, DUE TO THE SEVERE ANAPHYLACTIC SHOCK THAT SOME OF OUR STUDENTS MAY EXPERIENCE. IT IS FOR THIS SAME REASON THAT WE ASK ALL STUDENTS TO AVOID SHARING ANY OF THEIR FOOD WITH THEIR CLASSMATES.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE DON’T HESITATE TO SPEAK TO ONE OF THE STAFF.
FOR YOUR DIARY FEBRUARY 8
K-2 Parent Information Evening
9
Year 6 Transition to High School Begins
9
St 2 / 3 Parent Information Evening
10
Primary Swimming Carnival
15
School Photographs
16
Combined K-6 Assembly
16
P&C Meeting 6pm Staffroom
17
Book Club Closes
21
District Swimming Carnival
Welcome to the 2017 school year! I trust that all families had a wonderful holiday and enjoyed spending time with family and friends. I would like to extend a very warm welcome to all of our new families who have joined the Cowra Public School community this year. I am sure you will love your time at CPS! Our first week back at school has been very exciting as students have settled into their new classes and our brand new Kindergarten children had their very first day at “big school”! It was lovely to see so many parents, grandparents and little brothers and sisters come along to see our Kinders begin their first year of school and we look forward to watching them grow and learn over the coming weeks, months and years. Along with our new students, we also welcome several new teachers to the school - Miss Catherine Gorham (Year 1), Miss Sandra Uren (Stage 2), Miss Amy Irvine (Stage 3) and Mrs Adrienne Jones (Deputy Principal – Instructional Leader). Mrs Mel Montgomery returns from maternity leave and will be sharing the JM2 Class with Ms Prue James and Mrs Lyn Sharkey joins the administration team and will be working in the office on Thursdays and Fridays. I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Mrs Kerry Hopkins on her successful appointment as the permanent IO/AU class teacher during the last week of Term 4. I am looking forward to working with very talented and committed Teaching, Executive and Administration teams this year. A complete list of Cowra Public School Staff for 2017 is attached. This week the weather has been extremely hot and the high temperatures look set to continue throughout February. At CPS we are very mindful of heat-related illnesses and have modified our recess and lunch times to ensure children have a cool space to play in. All classrooms have air conditioners and fans and parents can assist with their children’s comfort level by packing frozen water bottles and ice bricks to keep lunches cool. Hats and sunscreen are a must, as well as keeping up fluids. A trip to the Cowra Pool after a hot day at school is a great way to cool down! During the holidays the school has had some minor upgrades. Firstly I would like to say a huge thank you to Mr McGill, who has built a brand new sandpit for the Infants Playground. The sandpit will be located under the new shade structure currently being installed in the Infants playground. This is due for completion by the end of next week and will be a wonderful creative play space for our K-2 students. A technology audit was also completed in the holidays and additional interactive whiteboards, Stage 3 laptops, Stage 2 IPads, charging stations and a school-wide computer system which will make many of our administration tasks more efficient and effective has been ordered. A tree inspection was also undertaken and several trees have been tagged for removal. In addition, the Infants building will receive new vinyl and carpet where the water damage occurred during several storms in the holidays. These works are all scheduled to be completed by the end of term.
10
Western Region Swimming Carnival
16
Combined K-6 Assembly
31
School Fete
Term 1 is shaping up to be a very busy one and our first major event will be the School Swimming Carnival which will be held on Friday 10th February. Mrs Duncan has included some information regarding this in this week’s Newsletter and I am really looking forward to attending my first CPS Carnival! Please ensure you keep up to date with what’s happening in the school via the weekly Newsletter - copies of the Newsletter are uploaded to the school website if your child misplaces theirs. If you are on social media I would also recommend “liking” the Cowra Public School Facebook page which also posts information updates, P&C messages and lots of wonderful photos! Have a great week…
Last day of term
Jenny Lewis Principal
MARCH
APRIL 7
CONTACTING THE SCHOOL Administration Office Hours:
8.00am - 3.30pm
School commences at 9.10am School finishes at 3.15pm Students are not supervised before 8.40am
Mail: Phone:
PO Box 285, Cowra 6342 2400
School Counsellor 6341 3078 Email: cowra-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au Web: http://www.cowra-p.schools.nsw.edu.au
DEPT.HEALTH DENTAL CLINIC: 1300 552 208
2
SCHOOL STAFF Principal Jenny Lewis
Deputy Principal Amelia Eldridge Adrianne Jones
Assistant Principal Sheridan Oborn (Rel) Albert Murray (Rel) Greg Garlick (Rel)
Classroom Teachers- Stage 3
Classroom Teachers- Stage 2
Stage Leader– Greg Garlick G3 Greg Garlick D3 Nicole Dickson P3 Di Parker I3 Amy Irvine
Stage Leader - Albert Murray A2 Albert Murray C2 Debbie Cobcroft JM2 Prue James/Mel Montgomery U2 Sandra Uren
Classroom Teachers- Stage 1
Classroom Teacher- Early Stage 1
Stage Leader -Sheridan Oborn M1 Mary Myles R1 Sam Ryan G1 Jessica Gardoll S1 Sheryl Ann Pulling C1 Cathrine Gorham
Stage Leader - Sheridan Oborn KW Kerry White KM Tracey McFarland KC Ashlee Causton QTSS Support Lynda Ryan
I.M. Teacher Q2/3 Janelle Haskew
I.O/AU Teacher H1/2 Kerry Hopkins
Reading Recovery Shavaughn Duncan
Teacher Librarian/ICT Coordinator Sheridan Oborn
Learning Support Trisha Long Gai Meiklejohn
Senior Psychologist/Counsellor Don Reid
P.E./Sport Amy Ryan
Music Mary-Ann Wright
Itinerant Support - Hearing Diane Agustin (AP) Emma Tree Deidre Costa
Itinerant Support - Vision Marianne Traves
School Administation Marilyn Crossley Allison Williams
Learning Support Officers Vicki Heilman (Permanent) Amanda Ross (Permanent) Kathy Craig Miriam Kelly Lyn Sharkey Ashleigh Elbourne Kelly Peterson Sarah Casey Careen Field Angie Dunlop Dave Riches
Aboriginal Education Officer Blake Duncombe
General Assistant Gerard McGill
Food Service Unit Lisa Willis
Cleaning Staff Jo Hyde Adam Craig
P&C President - Rob Webster Vice President - Nigel Hazell Secretary - Miriam Kelly
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2017 Captains / Vice Captains & Prefects
Jacqueline Long School Captain
Nikolai Paki School Captain
Lucy Scammell Vice Captain
Jake Roberts Vice Captain
Imogen Chamber Prefect
Benson Sullivan Prefect
Eliza Mulligan Prefect
Mason Graham Prefect
2017 House Captains
Nicola Anslow Brigalow
Jack Crocker Kurrajong
Amy O’Connor Myall
Krystal White Wandoo
4
INFANTS PARENT
PRIMARY PARENT
INFORMATION SESSIONS
INFORMATION SESSIONS
Wednesday, 8 February
Thursday, 9 February
Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 parents
5.30pm-6.15pm Stage 2 parents
5.00pm
(Years 3 & 4) in Stage 2 Open Space
Kinder-Year 2
6.20pm-7.00pm Stage 3 parents (Years 5 & 6) Room 20 (upstairs)
Stage 1 Open Space
5.15-5.45pm Kinder-Year 2
in individual classrooms
Parents are invited to attend an information session to inform you about class and Stage organisation for 2017.
H1-2 PARENT INFORMATION SESSIONS
This will not cover specific information about individual children, however you are always welcome to arrange a meeting with your child’s class teacher. Meetings will be held in individual teachers’ rooms.
PLEASE RETURN YOUR APPOINTMENT TIMES AND RETURN TO SCHOOL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
We look forward to your attendance on this evening.
Commonwealth Bank School Banking Banking day for students is each Wednesday. Bank books are to be taken to the office before 9.10am. If you wish to open an account for your child, there are application forms available at the office.
EMAILING OF NEWSLETTER The Cowra Public School newsletter is available via email and can be seen on the Cowra Public School “Web” page each week. Go online and have a look http://www.cowra.p.schools.nsw.edu.au To be included on the email list please complete the form below and return to the office. NOTE: This is a new data base, so if you have been receiving newsletters in previous years, you must also fill in the form to be included for this year.
SCHOOL PHOTGRAPHS School Photographs will be taken on Wednesday 15th February (Week 4) The Photographs will be done in classes, and the students are asked to wear full summer uniform on the day. If you do not wish to have your child included in their class photo, please contact the school.
I would like to receive the School Newsletter by email each week. Name __________________________________________________________ Child’s Name _________________________________________________
Class _______________
Email Address ___________________________________________________________________________________
5
YEAR 6 TRANSITION TO HIGH SCHOOL Year 6 Middle School Program will commence on Thursday, 9 February 2017 (Term 1) and will continue every second Thursday at Cowra High School throughout Terms 1 and 2. Students will access lessons from the syllabuses. Staff from Cowra Public School will accompany the students. This Middle School Program has been put in place to try to better support students as they move from Primary to High School and to decrease the likelihood of the academic slump which often occurs in Years 7 and 8. Students will leave Cowra Public School at 2.00pm and will leave for home from the High School by their own means of transport. Travel to the High School will be by bus. There is no cost to parents for the bus travel.
SPORT TERM 1 Infants sport and Primary sport will commence in Week 4 (17th February). Both sport sessions will take place in the form of Tabloid activities, which will allow the children to work together in class and social groups and to participate in a variety of activities.
Kindergarten will not join until Term 2 Primary Tabloids will include a session at the pool for 2 classes each week (subject to availability of pool) and initial trials for Field events in preparation for the Athletics carnival in the early part of Term 2.
Students are required to wear full school uniform including fully enclosed black leather shoes. This is a WHS requirement. To enable your child to attend the Middle School Program, please fill in the form sent home and return it to the school. Should you have any enquiries regarding this or any other matter, please do not hesitate to contact the school as we are happy to help. Thank you for your continued support. Dates: Term 1 Thursday, 9 February Thursday, 23 February Thursday, 9 March
Term 4 Thursday, 11 May Thursday, 25 May
The first issue of Ashton Scholastic Book Club for 2017 has been sent home today. Scholastic Book Clubs operate eight times a year. The closing date for issue 1 is Friday, 17 February.
PCAN PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH ADDITIONAL NEEDS
Swimming Carnival will take place on Friday 10 February. Entries for this carnival will be taken at the house meetings scheduled for this Friday morning. Students will meet in their house groups, be introduced to their House Captains and be given information about the running of the carnival. They will also be invited to enter events which include: 100m All age Free, 50m Free, 50m Breast stroke, 50m Backstroke, 50m Butterfly and 4 x 50 Individual Medley. Absolutely NO entries are taken on the day but competitors may withdraw if necessary. COMPETIVE SWIMMERS ONLY should enter events, i.e. those students who can swim a lap of the pool independently without stopping. There will be a range of Novelty events throughout the day for those students who are not entered in a race. Any Year 2 student who meets the above criteria is welcome to compete but will need to discuss their entry with Mrs Duncan.
Term 1 dates -
Friday, 24 February Friday, 24 March
The Distict carnival takes place in Cowra on Tuesday, 21 February. The first 2 placegetters in each race (not Heat) will automatically qualify for the CPS team and 3rd may be included if results are very close. A program of events and more specific information will be available closer to the Carnival date
Term 2 dates -
Friday, 28 March Friday, 19 May Friday, 23 June
If parents or students have any questions or concerns regarding sport organisation or the upcoming Swimming Carnival, please contact Mrs Amy Ryan or Mrs Shavaughn Duncan at the school, and they will be happy to help
We meet once a month in the school staffroom 2:00pm - 3:00pm
If you have a child who has been diagnosed with Autism & attends Cowra Public School, how about popping in and saying “Hi�.
Shavaughn Duncan PE/Sport