Camperdown Contact CAMPERDOWN COLLEGE NEWSLETTER Term 2, Week 5, 14th May 2015 Pieter Badenhorst, a Molecular Plant Breeding Research Scientist at Dairy Futures CRC with Year 7 students Zoe Wilkinson, Olivia Maskell, Jack Helmore and Riley Helmore. n Friday 1st May, a contingent of Camperdown College student leaders attended the media launch of the Maths & Science @ Work Expo at the Camperdown Courthouse. Senior School Captains Tilly Morgan and Noah Boyle and Year 7 SRC Representatives Olivia Maskell, Zoe Wilkinson, Riley Helmore and Jack Helmore accompanied Ms Kilpatrick to the launch. Camperdown College will be hosting this Careers Expo on Wednesday 27th May, exposing Year 7 students from Camperdown College, Timboon P-12 School and Colac Secondary College to the many interesting and diverse careers connected to the local dairy industry and highlighting the Maths and Science links. This project is coordinated by Westvic Dairy and relies heavily on the involvement of local industry representatives. At the media launch, guest speaker Pieter Badenhorst spoke about his work as a Research Scientist at Dairy Futures CRC and highlighted the opportunities that opened up for him as a result of maintaining his Maths and Science studies at school. Cherie Kilpatrick Principal SENIOR CAMPUS 03 5593 1617 CAMPERDOWN COLLEGE Website: http://camperdowncoll.vic.edu.au JUNIOR CAMPUS 03 5593 1438 From the Principal’s Desk… I am pleased to advise that the six month acting Junior Campus Assistant Principal position held by Clare Monk has been extended to the end of 2015. The substantive position will be advertised early in Term 4. I would also like to extend my congratulations to our two graduate teachers, Claire Tucker at the Junior Campus and Nicole McLennan at the Senior Campus, who have both accepted ongoing offers of employment at Camperdown College. Both are excellent contributors to our staff team and we are very pleased to be in a position to offer them permanency. The mission, vision and values statements confirmed as part of our new strategic plan have been condensed into a one page document for prominent display. At the Junior Campus, our Student Wellbeing Officer Angela Brown is working closely with Assistant Principal Clare Monk to explicitly teach the meaning of each of our school values. Friday afternoon assemblies have a values focus and teachers are building students’ understanding of why and how we can behave in these agreed ways. The five College values will shortly be painted on the interior wall at the far end of the Junior Campus BER building and along the main corridor at the Senior Campus. This will serve as a highly visible reminder of what we stand for! The School Council Policy sub-committee met last week and has mapped out a timeline to review existing policies and develop new ones. Five policies will be reviewed in 2015 and a further four will be developed. You will find below, instructions for viewing and responding to policies that are under review. Input from the school community is extremely valuable to ensure that our policies reflect the needs and expectations of College families. The first policy to be reviewed this year is the Uniform Policy. This policy was developed in 2014 so is very current, however your input is sought prior to it being ratified for a further two year period. We look forward to receiving your feedback. The Policy sub-committee will shortly be drafting a Sunsmart Policy which will be made available for your consideration prior to it being ratified by School Council. Anyone with a particular interest in contributing to the draft Sunsmart policy is welcome to attend the next Policy subcommittee meeting at 4.45pm on Wednesday 10th June at the Senior Campus. Our Buildings and Grounds sub-committee has identified yard development priorities at each campus. At the Junior Campus, the redevelopment of the back and side areas from the shelter shed right around to the mini-golf area will be the focus of attention. The first step will be the planting of an orchard on the site of the removed portable. Please contact me if you can offer practical assistance with this work. At the Senior Campus, redeveloping the basketball courts has been identified as a priority as this is an area well used and enjoyed by students. The asphalt has deteriorated and we are investigating options for resurfacing. This is a project which we would like to undertake in the near future. I am sure this will be welcome news to our students! On a less celebratory note, you may be aware of the public hearings which have commenced as part of the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC)’s investigation into the Department of Education and Training. Information that has come to light about the alleged misuse of funds for public education has been extremely disappointing. The investigation will not disrupt the ongoing operations of the Department and government schools. If you have any questions about IBAC, you can find information on the DET website www.education.vic.gov.au or the IBAC website http://www.ibac.vic.gov.au/. In closing I would like to remind all students and families of the opportunity to visit both campuses during our Education Week Open Night on Wednesday 20th May. Interested members of the community are also very welcome to attend. This is an opportunity for you to have a good look at the refurbished Senior Campus, including the new Food Technology Centre and visit open classrooms at the Junior Campus. Our Prep teachers Jacinta Tolland and Kim Clark will also be opening their doors during the afternoon, giving interested 2016 Prep families an opportunity to see the Prep classroom in action. I look forward to seeing many of you during our Education Week celebrations. Ms Cherie Kilpatrick Principal Camperdown College Policies As part of the regular cycle of policy review, School Council is presently reviewing the Uniform Policy and would welcome your feedback. You will find this policy on the College website (www.camperdowncoll.vic.edu.au) and also our Skoolbag App or it can be collected from either campus office. You are welcome to read the policy and contribute feedback by either writing it onto the document and returning it to either campus office, or by emailing your feedback to ([email protected]) with the subject heading: Uniform Policy Feedback. The Policy sub-committee will collect and consider all feedback prior to making recommendations to School Council. Please submit your feedback by Wednesday 27 th May. Cherie Kilpatrick, Principal -2- Senior Campus News Year 9 Rail Trail Camp: The Year 9 students braved the wild weather and rode most of the way from Camperdown to Glenfyne. They had to abandon camp at the Railway Siding due to the rain and spent two nights sleeping in the Glenfyne Hall. The students managed to cook their meals on trangeas, stay dry, complete some construction and cleaning work for the Timboon Rail Trail committee and remain positive throughout the three days. The students walked to Timboon on the final day and were very proud of the resilience that they had shown. Thanks to David Robertson, Kathryn Robertson and Ashleigh Bloomfield for providing such a wonderful experience for the students and a special congratulations to the students on their excellent behaviour and positive attitude during trying conditions. Examination Timetable: All Year 10/11 students will be sitting their exams in Week 9. Year 10 Melbourne Discovery Camp: The city of Melbourne was the venue for the Year 10 camp. Students managed to navigate their way around the public transport system and find their way to three different suburbs in small groups. The students visited the Victoria Market, Institute of Sport, Eureka Sky Deck, Shrine of Remembrance, Age Careers Expo and completed a Salvation Army city tour. A highlight of the camp was attending the Lion King and completing a career activity behind the scenes at the Melbourne Aquarium. Thank you to Jodie McKenzie, Suzanne Maskell and Keith McIntosh for accompanying the students on this camp. Mrs McKenzie in a letter to Year 10 parents on Monday commented: As a group and individually, the students’ behaviour was fantastic. They were polite, cooperative and respectful, followed instructions, looked out for one another and made an effort to mix with other students outside their immediate friendship groups. They listened intently at the different talks we attended and participated in all of the activities to the best of their abilities, even when it might have been outside their comfort zone. Lunch Time Activities: We have a large contingency of Year 10/11 students who visit the Junior Campus each Friday to join in with student games. At this stage, the students are joining in and after becoming more familiarised with the students and what they like to do, will be offering a set of structured lunchtime activities. Senior House Captains along with Miss Bloomfield have organised a lunchtime interhouse netball competition for students in Year 7/8. The first game of mixed netball was held last week with many eager participants. Education Week: Next week is Education Week. On Wednesday 20 th May, we will be celebrating the opening of our new Food Technology Centre. The Junior Campus is open later in the evening and it is hoped that many families will drop by the Senior Campus to look at the new facilities and join in a light meal prior to this event. Year 6 to 7 Transition Program: Our Year 6 to 7 Transition Program will commence in Week 9 of this term with students making weekly visits to the Senior Campus for subject related activities. The program is as follows: Term 2 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Term 3 Week 1 Week 3 Week 4 Date Thursday 11th June Thursday 18th June Thursday 25th June Session 3/4 3/4 3/4 Subject Science Product & Design (Wood) English/Humanities Thursday 16th July 3/4 Robotics Senior Campus Expo/Year 7 Information Evening Wednesday 22nd July 2015 Tuesday 28th July 3/4 Food Technology Tuesday 4th August 3/4 Art VCAL Numeracy: Year 11 VCAL Numeracy students have been putting their Maths skills to the test and constructed bike racks and shelving in both the mens’ and boys’ toilets. Thank you to Mr Robertson and students for their work in this area. -3- Theatrette: Two years ago, the SRC embarked on a long term plan to modernise the theatrette. The last project has been completed with surround sound and a permanent data show installed last week by Marc Heffernan, David Robertson and Darren Teal. NAPLAN: The National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests for students in Year 7 and 9 were conducted this week. For the writing component students, had to write a persuasive piece titled Simply the Best based on the best movie, television show or performance they had seen. Regional Indonesian Public Speaking Competition: Tim Fagan, Zoe Wilkinson and Stacey James competed in Sayembora Lisan (Indonesian Public Speaking Competition) on Monday. Students read a prepared paragraph on their pet and conversed with judges in Indonesian. The students are to be commended for the effort that they put into preparing for the competition and confidence that they exhibited on the day. Congratulations to Tim and Zoe who have made it through to the next level of judging to be conducted in Melbourne later in the term. Spin Chat: Paralympian, Josh Hose, spoke to Year 7, 8 and 11 students (pictured below) last week about his journey. Students were mesmerised by his presentation as he spoke about his accident, rehabilitation and path to becoming a world champion in wheelchair rugby. Taylah Best was Josh’s model as he explained the difference between a paraplegic and a quadriplegic and what parts of the body are impacted when different areas of the spine are damaged. Josh brought along his competition wheelchair and Taylah demonstrated how to release the wheel if it becomes damaged in competition and a quick change over is required. Josh’s recollection of participating in the opening of the Rio Paralympics in front of 80,000 spectators and playing in front of 7,000 people to win gold for Australia and showing his gold medal was captivating. Vicki Angus, Senior Campus Assistant Principal Junior Campus News Mother’s Day: I hope all mothers and grandmothers enjoyed their special day last Sunday with their families. The role of motherhood is very special and I am sure you will all agree with me that the hard work is well compensated by the laughter and joy that your children and grandchildren bring. Thanks to all mothers, grandmothers and special people who took the opportunity to attend our Mother’s Day Breakfast last Friday. Thank you once again for the efforts of our Parents & Friends Association in providing a Mother’s Day Stall full of lovely gifts and a delicious breakfast for everyone to enjoy; it was most appreciated! NAPLAN Testing: Congratulations to the Year 3 and 5 students who completed their final NAPLAN test today. NAPLAN gives us interesting information, but it is not a complete assessment of students success, knowledge and skills. The testing sometimes covers areas of the curriculum that are planned for teaching later in the year and sometimes students find the formal presentation of the testing confronting. We are pleased with their efforts. Reports on each student’s achievements in these tests will be provided to parents later in the year. Cross Country: Well done to all our students who braved the wintery conditions last Wednesday to participate in our annual Cross Country/Walk-athon event. We managed to complete all events in dry weather, with the clouds threatening to break open. It was fantastic to see the support and encouragement the students gave to each other. Congratulations to Manifold on their win. Well done to all students who have made it through to the District Cross Country next Friday at Noorat. Thanks to Ms Duynhoven for her organisation on the day and the parents who came along to support our students and offered assistance on the day. Special Welcome: Over the last two weeks, we have welcomed another two new students to our Camperdown College community! We welcome Jake Light to Year 3 and Wyatt Shadforth to Prep. We are delighted to have them all here at the Junior Campus and wish them a long and successful educational journey. -4- School Uniform: There are still a small number of students who are not in correct winter uniform. It is expected that all students be in full uniform, including black leather shoes every day. It is disappointing lately to see the number of coloured shoes, runners and laces, etc, that students are wearing to school. We want to instil a sense of pride and belonging with our uniform and I ask all parents to assist us with our uniform policy. It is vital that parents contact us if there are concerns over the purchase of new uniform items. Year 4 Leadership Day: Next Wednesday 20th May, our Year 4 students will attend the Gnurad-Gundidj Campus of the School for Student Leadership in Glenormiston. The Year 9 students at the Leadership School will conduct a range of activities designed to teach our students more about the local area. We are grateful to the School for Student Leadership for providing us with this opportunity. Education Week: Education Week commences on Monday. Throughout the week, all classes will be participating in numerous activities. Our Open Night will be held on Wednesday evening commencing with refreshments from 5.30pm served in our new Food Technology Centre. At 6.30pm, our Junior Campus will be open to all families. Although 2016 is still many months away, we are already thinking about the next school year. If you know of a family who may be planning to send their child to our school, please invite them to our Open Night. Reminder – School Start Time: Our school day commences at 8.50am each day. When students arrive late, they miss important instructions and often are unsettled in class when vital learning is taking place. Please read the article on page 12 which includes some tips for arriving at school on time. Our value for this week is Keeping your promises! Clare Monk, Junior Campus Assistant Principal Honesty Friday 15th May Year 7 – 12 Cross Country Monday – Friday Monday Tuesday Tuesday 18th – 22nd May 18th May 19th May 19th May Education Week – Crack the code with maths Jack Flash and the Jumping Beanstalk cultural performance for Prep – Year 6 students ICAS Digital Technologies Competition Year 3 – 6 Waterwatch activities at the Junior Campus Wednesday Wednesday Wednesday 20th May 20th May 20th May Official Opening of the new Food Technology Centre at the Senior Campus from 10am Junior Football and Netball Year 4 Leadership Day at Glenormiston Wednesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Friday Monday Tuesday Wednesday 20th May Open Afternoon in the Prep room for interested 2016 Prep parents See page 8 Open Night See page 7 Junior Campus Coin Line Please bring some loose change to school Year 3 – 6 District Cross Country Year 11/12 excursion to the Warrnambool Art Gallery HSSSD Cross Country Musica Viva performance for Prep – Year 6 students Year 7 Maths & Science @ Work Expo 20th May 21st May 22nd May 22nd May 25th May 26th May 27th May -5- What a way to celebrate Mother’s Day! Thanks to the hardworking Parents & Friends Association, Camperdown College students were able to invite their mothers, grandmothers and special people along to school on Friday morning 8th May, for a Mother’s Day Breakfast. Bacon and egg sandwiches, fresh fruit and yoghurt, cereal, juice and of course tea and coffee, were on offer for all to share. The building was abuzz with families enjoying the morning together, complete with tablecloths, centrepieces and breakfast table conversation! Pictured top left: Jodie, Matilda, Deb and Emilia Narik; top centre: Mali and Huon Glendinning with their mum Sharna; top right: Rachel and Nate Castle with Lisa, Kurt and Bailey McDonald; bottom left: Georgia Walters with her mum Kerrie; bottom centre: Bella Podger with her grandmother, Robyn Lucas; bottom right: Alexandra and Ben Waterfall with their mum Kerrie. Jumping Puddles Writer’s Festival On Friday 1st May, Year 5/6 students attended the Jumping Puddles Writer’s Festival. We were arranged into groups, before going to the church to learn about Alan Marshall. Eve Cumming told us how Alan didn’t have the use of his legs and he was in a wheelchair. Eve also said that he made his own crutches out of wood and climbed Mount Noorat… with his crutches! We then got to spend a session with Roland Harvey, a well-known children’s book illustrator. He is very inspirational and he taught us the rules of perspective. He showed us how to make a bird’s eye view look 3-dimensional. He also showed us an invention of his, a tie that you could open up with conversational starters on it! It was a very fun trip and we learnt lots about Alan Marshall. Roland Harvey taught us that the most important rule of illustrating is to have fun! Darcy Micallef, Year 6 student Jessica O’Connor, Mali Glendinning and Brady Wallace with Roland Harvey. -6- -7- -8- After the Mother’s Day Breakfast, Prep – Year 6 students were given the opportunity to purchase a gift from the Mother’s Day Stall to give to their mum, grandmother or special person on Mother’s Day. A huge thankyou needs to go to our Parents & Friends Association for all of the coordination that goes into the Mother’s Day Breakfast and Stall. Our students are extremely lucky to be able to benefit from this selfless group of parents. Zoe Ingham and Ellie McKenzie enjoyed choosing a Mother’s Day gift for their mum. Sayembara Lisan – Indonesian Speech Competition Seven Camperdown College students from Year 5 – 7 participated in the Regional final for this years’ Sayembara Lisan on Monday 11th May. Cynan Ellerton, Ruby Bennett, Connor Stares and Mirryn Ellerton (pictured right), Zoe Wilkinson, Tim Fagan and Stacey James all tested their Indonesian skills and spoke with Michelle Ladhams from Warrnambool College using the video conferencing unit at the Junior Campus. All students answered general conversation questions first. The Year 5/6 students then read a passage from a famous Indonesian fable called Kancil dan Harimau (The Mousedeer and the Tiger), before answering some questions in English based on their comprehension of the Indonesian tale. The Year 7 students each wrote their own Indonesian passage of text about their pets, which they read to Bu Michelle, then answered some unrehearsed discussion questions based on the information that they shared. All students performed to a high standard and should be congratulated for their efforts. The results were received on Monday evening and it is very exciting to announce that four students have made it through to the State final. Tim Fagan, Zoe Wilkinson, Cynan Ellerton and Mirryn Ellerton will all be heading to Melbourne on Saturday 23rd May to compete against the other Regional finalists from all over Victoria. Congratulations to these students and also to Connor Stares, Ruby Bennett and Stacey James for their excellent effort! Bu Jenna, Indonesian Teacher Year 5/6 Somers Camp On the way to Somers Camp, it was nerve wracking because we didn’t know anyone. When we arrived, we had a tour of the camp. It looked like so much fun! We were sorted into our huts and then we had lunch. We did lots of activities on camp, but one of our favourite activities was the Challenge Swing. It was 18.5 metres high and we all went to the top. Then we had to pull a little green ball and after that, you swing high in the air. It was awesome! We also loved the food and meeting new people. There was a canteen and we had $8 to spend. The canteen was open every night after dinner. There was also a competition for the cleanest hut. The flying fox was amazing! We each had three or four turns on it. On some days we had to be table hosts, which was where we had to serve other people. In Environmental Studies we handled animals, went bird watching, and looked at rock pools. It was fun. These have been just some of our favourite activities, but there were many more. Somers Camp was the experience of a lifetime! Sarah Wright, Kc Jenkins, Tamara Jones, Harrison Bennett, Declan Tickner and Josh Colman, Year 5/6 students -9- Year 10 student, Rose Geddes (pictured left), has won second prize in the Warrnambool WRAD Art Exhibition. This is a fantastic achievement with over 63 entries from eight participating schools. Camperdown College is very proud of her achievement and we will have the full news story in the next big newsletter. The exhibition opens tonight and will be on display at The Artery Gallery on Timor Street for two weeks. Year 7 students are very proud to be exhibiting their Term 1 Lino Prints in the Senior Camus Gallery. The exhibition will be on display throughout Education Week and for the duration of Term 2. We invite all families and friends to come and celebrate the fantastic artwork of our students. Student Wellbeing Referral Process In 2015, the Student Wellbeing Officer at Camperdown College works across campuses, attending the Junior Campus on Wednesdays and Fridays and the Senior Campus on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Wellbeing Officer works with students to provide counselling, assistance with health and wellbeing related issues and organises wellbeing programs such as the Breakfast Club and the Year 9 BRICKs program. The referral process to see the Student Wellbeing Officer differs between the Senior and Junior Campuses. At the Junior Campus, students are most often referred by classroom teachers or their parents. Parents are informed if their child has been referred to the Wellbeing Officer. At the Senior Campus, students are able to refer themselves to the Wellbeing Officer if they have concerns they would like to discuss, or are referred through their teachers. The service provided to senior school students is confidential and in most cases, parents will not be informed that their child has been working with the Wellbeing Officer, or of the content discussed. Parents are still able to contact the Wellbeing Officer about any concerns they have for their child. The Wellbeing Officer will support students to share information with parents where it is clear that students would benefit from parental support. Exceptions to confidentiality are if the senior school student gives their permission for their parents to be involved or the Wellbeing Officer is concerned for the safety/wellbeing of the student or another person. The home/school partnership is highly valued and I look forward to working with the students, staff and families of Camperdown College to support students’ wellbeing needs. Angela Brown Student Wellbeing Officer Using Challenging Tasks in Mathematics Camperdown College Maths teachers had the privilege last week of learning from Peter Sullivan, Professor of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education at Monash University (pictured right). Peter conducted demonstration lessons with Year 1/2 and 7/8 students. Teachers observed how Peter uses challenging tasks to promote student learning in Maths. His research shows improved learning when students are given challenging tasks and given time to work through them. Carefully planned supports are provided to those who need them and more difficult tasks are given to students who are not challenged by the initial task. Our Maths teachers have been developing and using these kinds of tasks for the past year and this was an opportunity to work with Peter to take the next step in this Maths teaching approach. Teachers met with Peter before and after the lessons as well as after school to learn from his expertise. At our Open Night next week, there is the opportunity for parents to sample this type of lesson. Two lessons will run in the Maths room in the BER building from 6.00pm – 6.30pm and 6.30pm – 7.00pm. It is important that participants are involved for the whole thirty minute lesson to understand this approach, so this is not a drop in activity. Michelle Norton, Numeracy Leader Pictured above left: Skylar enjoys learning this type of Maths. - 10 - 2015 Prep – Year 6 Cross Country Carnival and Fun Run/Walk After a very chilly and wet morning, the rain finally stopped at the Camperdown Showgrounds for the annual Cross Country Carnival and Adidas Fun Run/Walk. Students eagerly tackled the long distance run which incorporated various parts of the showgrounds and surrounding areas and ranged in distances from 700 metres to 3 kilometres. It was fantastic to see that even though some students might have needed to walk, they all competed, giving their house valuable points. We are also proud of the way students supported each other during the days’ events whether it was at the finish line or encouraging participants half way in the long distance race. There were a few very close finishes and lots of cheering. Throughout the day, staff were very proud of the way students continually display our school values, particularly caring and excellence. Well done! The age group champions on the day were: Prep Philippa Kempton and Fletcher Tolland Year 1 Taylah Blake and Zack Regan Year2 Stella Horspole and Lewis Regan 8/9 year old Eliza O’Neil and Charlie Kempton 10 year old Mirryn Ellerton and Harrison Bennett 11 year old Sarah Wright and Declan Tickner/Ian Wilkinson 12/13 year old Ruby Bennett and James O’Neil The Fun Run/Walk was again very popular and many laps were completed. Congratulations to those students who aimed high to fill their score card, front and back! Money raised will be used on projects and equipment around the playground to benefit the students. The winning house was Manifold with 300 points, followed by Leura and then Bullen Merri. The shield was proudly accepted by House Captains Sarah Wright and Darcy Micallef (pictured above). A big thank you must be given to all the parents who were able to help on the day and contributed to the smooth running of events. A special thank you to the House Captains for their help setting up and parents Damien and Donna Baulch and Paula Regan who arrived early and did a great job putting up the shelters in very trying conditions! Caroline Duynhoven Prep – Year 6 Sport Coordinator Year 5/6 Golf Clinics Over the past two weeks, students in Year 5/6 have enjoyed the opportunity to develop their golf skills, as they participated in the clinics run by golf professional Tony Collier. Tony guided students through many basic skills that included how to hold the club, the correct stance and how to swing with accuracy. In spite of cold and windy conditions, all our students enjoyed these clinics and certainly improved their golf skills. Later this term, a number of our students will be selected to play in an Interschool Golf Tournament at Terang. We now look forward to this event. Graeme Bennett, Year 5/6 Teacher Pictured right: Sydney Bateman enjoyed the golf clinics. Indo Lingo Complete the activity below and return it to Bu Jenna for your name to be entered into a prize draw at the end of term. There will be a winner from both the Senior and Junior Campuses. Below are the numbers from 6 – 10 in Indonesian: enam 6 tujuh 7 delapan 8 sembilan 9 sepuluh 10 Match each numeral with the correct number in words: Name of Student: .......................................................... Class: enam delapan sepuluh tujuh sembilan .......................................................... - 11 - How things go at home in the morning can set the tone for the day ahead. Children who arrive at school feeling calm, relaxed, fed and ready can make the most of the first few hours of the day. Children don’t understand time in the same way as grown ups. This can make school mornings a stressful time of day for families. Time pressures and competing demands can turn mornings into a combat zone. Getting along in the morning at home will also help you. Research shows that fighting with children in the morning makes it harder for you to work well. It even increases the risk of you having an accident at work. Here are some ideas to take some of the pressure out of school mornings – even if things don’t always go smoothly! The night before: Try to find out the night before (or even earlier) if there is something special going on at school. Prepare lunches and set the breakfast table ready for the morning rush. Get your child to have a bath the night before. This means you won’t have to worry about this in the morning. You might know something is going to come up that could cause conflict (such as buying lunch or choosing which clothes to wear). Talk about it the night before when everybody has time and is less likely to be stressed. Try to read school newsletters and check bags for notes the night before. You could also try to prepare clothes, sign school notes, and get schoolbags ready the night before. In the morning: Getting up an extra 15-30 minutes earlier might help things run more smoothly. Also try to allow plenty of time to get from home to school. Rushing can really increase stress levels. Good moods can be infectious. Tackle the morning as positively and as optimistically as you can. Mornings are easier if your children can do things for themselves. Once your children are old enough, getting dressed on their own, making their own breakfast and tidying up after themselves can all make things easier. If your children are young, remind them what they are meant to be doing and when. Simple to do checklists, even with pictures, can help as a reminder. Some children get up more easily if they have an alarm clock. Try to cut down on distractions. Television is one of the culprits that can distract children from getting ready. Consider leaving it off, unless it’s a special treat for being ready on time. Focus on the positives. A rule of thumb here is six positives for every negative. Look for good behaviour and try to ensure that positive comments – praise and encouragement – outweigh instructions and reprimands. Use surprises to celebrate cooperation and being ready on time. A treat in the lunch box, or an extra story at bedtime might be all it takes. Try not to give your children extra attention for arguing, whining or stalling. Even negative attention is an incentive for them to keep arguing, whining and stalling. Source: http://raisingchildren.net.au/ What a close competition so far!. Keep up the good tipping as you are all playing for the following prizes: 1st $120, 2nd $75, 3rd $35 and last place will receive their money back ($10). Below is the ladder as of last week: 1. Daniel Morris 36 16. Graeme Bennett 30 2. Grant Fleming 33 17. Riley Helmore 30 3. Jack Helmore 33 18. Amy Stephenson 29 4. Kim Helmore 33 19. Lachie Bennett 29 5. Finn Tolland 33 20. Michael Mitchell 29 6. Matthew Wines 33 21. Jane Bennett 29 7. Lachie Stephenson 32 22. Jack Kempton 28 8. Jordy Kempton 32 23. Ruby Walsh 28 9. Dave Wilkinson 31 24. Sam Walsh 28 10. Simon Tolland 31 25. Jacinta Tolland 28 11. Sam Tolland 31 26. Kellie Kempton 27 12. Charlie Kempton 31 27. Sadie Walsh 26 13. Zoe Wilkinson 31 28. Riley Stephenson 26 14. Jodie McKenzie 30 29. Kasey Walsh 24 15. Nick Bennett 30 30. Fletcher Tolland 22 - 12 - 1st May 2015: Fletcher Tolland, Perrie Winsall, Stella Horspole, Josh Colman, Alexandra Waterfall and Oliver Clark. - 13 8th May 2015: Finn Tolland, Connor Stares, Riley Clissold, Jesse Clark, Amber Clissold and Nate Castle. - 14 - Pupil Free Days Friday 5th June: Report Writing Day Monday 8th June: Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday Please note that Prep – Year 12 students are not required at school on these days. - 15 - - 16 -
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