20 October 2016

Newsletter Articles

Key Dates

Friday 21 October - Student Free Day
Tuesday 25 October – 3-4 Sports Expo
Wednesday 26 October – Cooking Session Railton Campus 3pm - 4pm
Friday 28 October – SRC 2017 Nominations Close
Wednesday 2 November – Assembly P-6 1.30pm
Thursday 3 November – Grade 7 Excursion to Ulverstone High School Production
Thursday 3 November – School Show pm
Friday 4 November – Sheffield School Show
Monday 7 November - Public Holiday Recreation Day Public Holiday
Tuesday 8 November – Show Presentation Evening
Thursday 10 November – 5 O'Rourke Excursion – Maritime Museum Devonport
Friday 11 November – Remembrance Day Assembly 11am Sheffield Campus
Tuesday 15 November – Grade 10 Exams
Wednesday 16 November – Grade 10 Exams
Thursday 17 November – Grade 10 Exams
Friday 18 November – Athletics Carnival
Monday 21 November – Friday 2 December- Swimming Water Safety Program Grades 3 – 5
Friday 25 November – Public Holiday Devonport Show
Wednesday 30 November – Assembly grade 7-10 - 2pm
Tuesday 6 December – Inter-High Athletics
Tuesday 6 December – Grade 7 Orientation Day
Tuesday 6 December – Grade 10 Don Day
Thursday 8 December – Arts Concert and Exhibition 7pm Related Arts Building
Tuesday 13 December – Presentation Day Prep – Grade 10 at 11.30am
Wednesday 14 December – Cattle Handlers Dinner – Gym
Thursday 15 December – Grade 10 Celebration Dinner
Friday 16 December – Grade 10 Assembly
Friday 16 December – K- 6 Picnic Splash
Tuesday 20 December – 7-10 Picnic
Tuesday 20 December – Christmas Assembly K-6
Wednesday 21 December – Students Finish

Principal's Report

Welcome to term 4, 2016

Welcome back to term 4, with a very busy and full calendar ahead!

This is the first edition of our eNewsletter via Schoolzine. A reminder that the purpose of moving to this new format is to engage the school community more effectively and provide parents, students and the community with a more effective and content rich newsletter format. This new format will include videos, image galleries, online bookings, feedback forms, calendars, an app and much, much more.

As with all things new, it may take us all some time to get used to this new format, both in terms of production, content, distribution and access. If you have any queries, or would like to provide us with feedback please contact the school office.

Professional Learning Day

A reminder to parents that tomorrow Friday, 21 October as determined by the Minister, is a Professional Learning Day (students do not attend). Staff will be working across a range of areas over the course of the day, with a strong focus on moderating student work to ensure consistency in assessment leading into the end of year reporting process. The day will also provide an opportunity for staff to meet to further progress work on a number of school based priorities.

Student Achievement

Earlier this week I received notification that grade 6 student Laura Ashby's entry in the National History Challenge in the category of Museum Exhibit was successful. This is a wonderful achievement, to be recognised as both the state and national winner, congratulations Laura! You can view Laura's entry at the following link -

Staffing Change Term 4

This term we welcome back Mrs Caitlin Midson from maternity leave. Mrs Midson will be teaching the grade 6-10 Food Technology /Catering classes on a Tuesday and Thursday.

Grade 5 Camp and 9/10 Mainland Trip

The last week of term 3 we held our grade 5 camp and 9-10 mainland trip, included within this newsletter are reports compiled by students Ellowyn Thomson, Harrison Watling and Lillian Maddick. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all staff and parents that supported these activities and ensured their success. By all reports the students had a tremendous time, enjoying all aspects of their respective itineries.

Ron Daly
Principal

2017 Classes

Staff will soon begin the process for creating class groups for 2017. A number of considerations are taken into account to create classes and a number of hours are dedicated to ensuring classes are equitable. Once classes have been created teachers are allocated a class, therefore requests for individual teachers cannot be made.

Parents are invited to discuss any educational concerns or important information they may have for their child with the senior teacher in charge of their child's current area of the school. Whilst all requests will be considered there is no guarantee that it will be possible to grant them.

K-2 - Mrs Davies (Mon-Wed & Friday)
3-6 - Mr Bakes
7-9 - Mrs Maddick
Railton Campus - Miss Pearce/Mrs Wallace

Please make appointments to see staff by Friday 28th October 2017.

Devonport Basketball Association

Primary School Carnival

An enthusiastic group of basketballers participated in the annual Devonport Basketball Association, Primary School Carnival over the weekend of the 23rd September. The team consisted of primarily girls from grade 5, alongside 2 students from Forth Primary School. After completing an exhausting week of grade 5 camp, the girls backed up and competed in 5 games over the weekend against various other schools in the area. The team competed exceptionally well against the "B" grade teams and managed to make the "C" grade final. In this match the team competed against St Pats and were runaway winners at the final siren. Esteemed coach, Judy Sullivan, spoke glowingly of the team's improvement throughout the weekend and mentioned their increased teamwork as the key to winning the final. The school would like to congratulate the following students for their efforts, Indiana Anderson-Bryan, Bree-Anna Andrew-Gracie, Annalise Rayner, Bonnie Sullivan and Tayla Grabe. A huge thank you also to Judy Sullivan for her efforts in coaching and co-ordinating the team over the weekend.

Tony Hays
HPE Department

Japanese

Konnichi wa Readers. 'In Japanese grade 5 students have been learning how to count and how to write numbers in Japanese. We have been having fun with magic writing brushes, making chatterboxes and performing some pretty funny plays. We have some great actors and comedians in Mr. O'Rourke's class!

Grade 5 students from Miss Richards class have been learning how to talk about the foods they like and dislike. Grade 6 students have been learning about colours and clothes including traditional wear. We've created some hilarious crazy character posters and before term finishes we will have finished making a traditional uchiwa fan. Watch this space for updates.

Kate Jackson
Japanese teacher.

2016 Mainland Trip

On Friday the 16th of September, forty-two excited grade 8, 9 and 10 students and five teachers were farewelled by our families at the Spirit of Tasmania terminal before setting sail for our 8 day tour of the mainland encompassing Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney.

Our first stop - the sights and bright lights of Melbourne! After a smooth overnight sailing, the wake up call came all too soon (4.45am!). This was particularly nasty considering many of us didn't go to sleep until the early hours of the morning! Our first day was packed with activities. First stop was the Queen Victoria Market for breakfast and a spot of retail therapy followed by half of us visiting Old Melbourne Gaol, where we were enthralled by the stories from our informative guide. Following this, we travelled by tram to Luna Park at St Kilda where we spent the rest of the afternoon. We then headed back to our accommodation for dinner, before taking the train to Bounce, an indoor trampolining park. What a day! We were exhausted. On day two the rest of us visited Old Melbourne Gaol, while others enjoyed some bargain hunting at the DFO and a group of us went Rock Climbing. That night we enjoyed the cinema and a group of us went to theatre to see Matilda. It was in Melbourne where the purchase of our very own Boxing Kangaroo (in the form of backpack) was made. This backpack was awarded to a new student each day, who had made the biggest, funniest blunder – as voted by the group. The student had to wear the backpack wherever we went. Poor Danny – not only did he seriously cane himself at Bounce – he then had to wear our very cute backpack all of the next day. Awwww!

All too soon, it was time to leave Melbourne. In such a short time we sure got a great taste of the city life; and nearly got the hang of catching trams! Another early start saw us meeting our coach driver Steve, packing the coach and settling in for the road trip to our national capital, Canberra. A rough 8 hours on the bus meant we arrived in good spirits, having had sing-alongs, bus-item challenges (led by 2 most competitive teachers, Miss Pearce and Mrs Bransden, one for each team), a sight of the countryside and a stopover to see the Dog on the Tuckerbox. We are very fortunate that the Australian Government highly values Civics and Citizenship Education and contributed $150 per student, under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program to assist families in meeting the cost of the trip. This was greatly appreciated as over the next 2 days we visited Parliament House, The Australian War Memorial, Questacon Science Centre, The National Museum, The High Court of Australia, and the Governor General's Residence. At each visit we had guided tours to teach us everything we could possibly know. Amongst these; our much-loved 73 year old guide Cecil at the High Courts, who after a very fun and informative tour reminded us of how "like The Lego movie! You are awesome, everything is awesome!"

Again, for the last time it was time to hop back on the bus for the short drive to Sydney…only 3-4 hours! I think it is fair to say that everyone was pretty pumped and ready to go back to the jostling, crowded city streets. Our accommodation in Sydney was prepared to show off its catering skills with some mean homemade meals. It would be a crime not to mention the delicious Greek chicken, homemade Spaghetti Bolognese or the Oreo cheesecake - we were treated. The first morning in Sydney, eating breakfast out on the terrace in the glorious sunshine, soaking up the UV rays and contemplating having to change our clothing decisions because we were not equipped, was certainly a bit different from the VERY chilly Canberra we had experienced the days before.

A bunch of us had just returned from the Seven News Studio after an early morning start had them in prime time TV real estate for the Sunrise cameras. Maggie O'Neill ended up winning the Blunder backpack after her typical 'justsmile-and-wave' act which went for the entire duration of the 10 minutes they were on TV! Then it was off to explore Taronga Zoo, a ferry across the harbour detouring the famous Sydney Opera House and under the Harbour Bridge to be met by the rain which most of us weren't expecting or prepared for, and The Aquarium. Funnily enough we had a bit of spare time for just a bit more shopping before returning to our hotel. On our last day we had a trip to the Sydney Eye Tower, and a bit more shopping time just in case we still had some room to fill in our suitcases, before heading to the airport to start the journey home.

One of the major highlights for me, apart from the Nutella filled donuts or Converse store, was the fantastic bunch I experienced this all with. It certainly would not have been the same without all the awesome people who made the trip a laugh and lots of fun, and was a great opportunity to build connections across the three grades.

I think I speak on behalf of everyone who went on the trip that we all had an absolute ball, made the most of every second and are so very thankful to all the staff that attended the camp. An extra big thanks goes to Miss Pearce for all the organising and planning that was put in to make it all run smoothly. We realise the hours you all took out of your time to spend away from your homes, and from the whole student body who accompanied me on the trip, we appreciate this and hope you all had as much fun as we did. It was a wonderful experience that has given lots of memories that we can all share, as well as the friendships that were built over the journey.

Thank you!

Lily Maddick

Grade 5 Camp

A Trip to Remember

On Tuesday 20th September 46 Grade 5 students lugged their suitcases down to Hobart for what would be an action packed Grade 5 camp. The first leg of the journey had us arrive at the half way point; Campbell Town. We refuelled our sleepy bodies and got some much needed fresh air.

After another long bus trip, we arrived in Hobart and headed straight for Woody's Skate and Play. For around three hours we skated and scooted and embarrassed ourselves thoroughly with the amount of slips, falls and crashes. We learnt to persist at this new challenge and most of us learnt how not to fall over while skating. Completely exhausted, we ventured further into town to Hog's Breath Café for dinner. We enjoyed our tasty meals, especially the curly fries, and displayed our excellent table manners and were keen to earn camp cash through being polite, quiet and respectful of other diners.

Later that night we arrived at our accommodation for the week; Camp Orana. Cabin groups were established, bags were unpacked and beds were made. Finally, after what was a very long day, we had a nice warm Milo and headed off to bed…although some of us took longer to get to sleep than others!

Wednesday was an early start as we had a full day planned at Port Arthur and surrounding areas. Our tour guide explained the history of Port Arthur, showed us the jail and described some of the punishments given to convicts. We then headed off on the harbour cruise which showed us Isle of the Dead and Point Puer. After a delicious homemade lunch we headed back to the Port Arthur site for some more sightseeing and brick making. Convict bricks were made from clay and sand. Most have the thumbprint of a convict imprinted. We got our hands dirty and made our very own convict brick which travelled all the way back to Sheffield.

With time to fill in before the ghost tour, we toured the surrounding areas near Port Arthur. These included the Tessellated Pavement, Devils Kitchen, the Blow Hole and Tasman Arch. We were blown away by these attractions and their size. The hilarious Doo Town was also amongst places visited where we saw many funny named houses such as Doolittle, Just Doo It and Doolicious. Dinner at Port Arthur was needed after a very long day of exploring and to fill our nervous bellies before the ghost tour. With only lanterns lighting our way, the unexplored buildings were the perfect setting for a creepy night. We heard many a story about ghosts and convict pasts that lead us to wonder who was there that we couldn't see! We entered several buildings to explore the stories further, but, some of us opted to stay outside, protected by Miss Richards. After the biggest day of our trip, we finally ventured home, ready for bed…well, most of us!

On Thursday another early start lead us to Louisa's Walk in South Hobart. Louisa's Walk told the story of a female convict who was at the Female Factory. Two actors told how Louisa came to be in Hobart, her crime, her punishments and the hardships she faced while being there. With this, and our knowledge gained from Port Arthur, we developed a strong sense of what life was like for both male and female convicts. The beautiful and sunny Botanical Gardens were the backdrop for our lunch break and maybe a few rollie pollies down the hills!

The Hobart Aquatic Centre provided us with the afternoon's entertainment. Hours and hours were spent splashing, swimming, laughing and sliding down the waterslide. The hot chips were a popular mid-swim snack and we left with some very tired faces. Back at camp we were treated to a gourmet barbeque, complete with salads and spuds, thanks to our wonderful camp cook, Dion. With a week of earning camp cash, we were ready to spend up at the Camp Auction. Mr O'Rourke and Miss Richards turned into 'Dazza' and 'Shazza' and auctioned off secret items. Items ranged from delicious treats down to tiaras and toothbrushes! A movie and banana sundae saw day three finish and everyone ready for a final night's sleep at Camp Orana.

Our final day arrived and involved the dreaded pack up and clean up. Finally, we were on the bus with one last stop on our itinerary. Bellerive Oval welcomed us with open arms and took the time to show us around. We saw the grounds, the media box, player rooms, spa room and the member's area. We were extremely lucky to also have a cricket skills session with some of the famous Tassie Tigers and a Milo drink. Back on the bus again for the final leg of the journey. A much needed hot chip and fresh air break was taken at Campbell Town, but not for long as we were keen to get home.

Waiting for us when we pulled up at school were our wonderful parents and friends who missed us dearly. We would like to thank: our parents for getting us organised and ready for camp, Miss Richards, Mr O'Rourke and Mr Bakes for taking us on the long journey and all the organisation, our wonderful parent helpers; Dion, Judy, Andrew, Sam and Daniel and our trusty bus driver John.

What a wonderful experience that has left us with many memories to last a lifetime.

By Ellowyn Thomson and Harrison Watling

Sheffield School Cattle Handlers

The Sheffield School Cattle Handler's show season is underway and the team have been busy preparing, parading and judging cattle at the Burnie, Launceston and Hobart Shows. A gallery of images is included for you to view our students in action! Our grade 10 Handlers also visited the Royal Melbourne Show during the school holidays and a commercial Angus and Galloway stud beef breeding operation in Glenburn Victoria.

On Friday 4th November the Sheffield School will be hosting our annual Junior Cattle Handlers Show of Tasmania at the School Farm. This event will showcase the skills of our own cattle handling team as well as students from around the state including students from Scottsdale High School and Yolla District High. The Show will begin at 8am with the popular Hoof & Hook competition where the beef cattle will be judged on the hoof. The top placed getters will be auctioned and this was a popular event last year. The junior handling competitions will begin from 10:15am. Stephen Pearce will travel from Queensland to judge the beef cattle events assisted by our past student Chelsea Rayner, and Liam Radford from Yolla will be overseeing the dairy cattle events.

Acer Iconia Tablets for sale

For Sale

Acer Iconia tablet W500
Manufactured late 2011
10.1" touch screen
Keyboard dock
2GB RAM
32GB solid state hard drive
Cost range between $10 and $20

The Tablets have been reimaged and are working. You will have a chance to check before you buy but once they are purchased the school will take no responsibility for them; no refunds, returns or IT support will be provided. Please contact the office for purchases.

Oral Health

Oral Health Services Tasmania will again be providing students at Sheffield School with a Fluoride Varnish only Program for Kindergarten and Prep students and the Fissure Sealant and Fluoride Varnish Program for students in grades 1, 2, 6 and 7.

Forms were distributed to these students with the Newsletter on 22 September.

It is important that these forms be returned to the office or class teacher by Monday 24 October.

The program will operate at Sheffield School from 8-11 November.

For more information go to the link below and click on the link to the Fissure Sealant and Fluoride Varnish program from the menu.

SWIMMING POOL (RAILTON) - INFORMATION

APPLICATION FOR HIRE FORM:

To be collected, completed and returned to the Sheffield School (Sheffield Campus) Main Office.

Upon completion and payment, the original is retained by the school and a photocopy is given to the Pool User.

• Application for Hire forms can only be completed and signed by the approved adult (Hirer) who intends to use the Pool, or be legally responsible for supervision of others using the pool, and holds a current CPR certificate.

BOOKINGS:

• Bookings can be made in person at the Sheffield School (Sheffield Campus) Main Office or by phone on 64918222 from Monday 10th October 2016.
• All telephone bookings must be confirmed by payment and the completion of the agreement prior to the commencement of the season or the booking time may be re-allocated.

KEYS:

Keys will be issued after payment of swimming hire costs - key bond is $50.

Keys MUST be returned to the Sheffield School (Sheffield Campus) office by the end of April 2017 to ensure your refund.

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES:

• A landline phone is provided for dialing '000' only.
• First aid supplies are provided and will be replenished by the school.
• Map of school grounds showing emergency assembly point is displayed.

Please remember you CANNOT swim alone! Maximum 10 people per booking.

Contact points – Pool damage or malfunction: 64918222 and leave message.

Community News

2016 Object Design Opening