3 November 2016

Newsletter Articles

Key Dates

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
Tuesday 8 November and Thursday 10 November - Kinder Water Orientation Program
Wednesday 9 November and Thursday 10 November – LIL Water Awareness Program
Thursday 10 November – 5 O’Rourke Excursion – Maritime Museum Devonport
Friday 11 November – Remembrance Day Assembly 11am Sheffield Campus
Monday 14 November – Thursday 17 November - P-2 Water Orientation Program
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
Tuesday 22 November – Grade 7, 2017 Parent information Session
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 – K- 6 Picnic Splash
Tuesday 20 December – 7-10 Picnic
Tuesday 20 December – Christmas Assembly K-6
Wednesday 21 December – Grade 10 Leavers Assembly 12pm
Wednesday 21 December – Students Finish

PRINCIPAL REPORT

School Show

This afternoon the first events of the 2016 Junior Cattle Handlers Show of Tasmania commenced up at the School Farm. This is a terrific event for our school and is yet another opportunity for our students to shine and achieve a sense of pride in their performance. This year we have students participating from 6 schools across the state, with again a great deal of interest in the cattle handling events, and also the popular Hoof and Hook competition. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the show committee and all of the many volunteers that contribute to the success of this event. Results from the show will be featured in our next newsletter.

LiFT Activity Packs

Last week I met with the LiFT staff team to discuss the achievements and progress towards our goals this year. The data collected to date is very encouraging and reflects a strengthening of the partnership between the school and home for the benefit of our young people’s learning, particularly in the areas of literacy and numeracy.

We are also excited to be sending home a family fun activity bag with every K-2 child this week! The packs includes a book, game, growth chart, stickers, pencils, number chart and a note pad. We hope you enjoy using your new things!

11/12 Extension Update

At a recent School Association meeting our grade 11/12 coordinator Bob Ashby updated the group on the progress that has been made in this space ready for commencement of the year 11/12 program in 2017. I have included an extract from his report below;

‘Since my official appointment as the Coordinator of Sheffield's 11-12 program for 2017, I have been very busy establishing the framework of a program, speaking with students and parents about the opportunities provided by Years 11-12 at Sheffield, and attending numerous meetings and professional learning sessions about all aspects of 11-12 education in Tasmania, which is fairly different to the younger years.

Our program is shaping up nicely, with 10 students indicating a strong desire to attend Sheffield. This is a good number, allowing personal attention and small class sizes.

The program is largely devoted to providing a safety net for students who would not, for a wide range of reasons, find Don College suitable for them.

Students will be provided a surprisingly extensive list of subjects from a range of sources. Core classes will be English Applied and Workplace Maths, as well as a bundle of courses such as Work Studies, which includes Financial Literacy and Work Readiness. To receive a TCE Certificate students must six requirements, or "ticks", as they are called. These are: Literacy competency, Maths competency, everyday use of ICT, completing a pathway plan and completion of 120 credit hours of coursework, including a minimum of 80 credit hours of Level 2 or higher courses. The program we are offering will cover five of the six ticks, leaving only the credit hours requirement for students to complete. This can be done here, at Don in Year 12, at TAFE, or through other means. "Option classes", so called as they are not linked to the ticks, include a range of academic and practical subjects, and VET subjects provided by Don or Sheffield School.’

In addition to the offerings at our Sheffield School campus, initial indications are that we will also have a large number of students from the wider Devonport area accessing the VET Agriculture Certificate 2 Program at the farm conducted by Mr Barber.

If any parents have any questions regarding our 11/12 program for next year please don’t hesitate to contact Bob through the school office on 64918222.

Remembrance Day

Next Friday at 10.40am we will conduct a Remembrance Day Service in our remembrance courtyard. Members of the RSL Sheffield Sub Branch will be attending and we would like to extend an invitation to parents, carers and community members

K-2 Water Orientation Program

Over the coming weeks a water orientation program for LiL families and students K-2 will be conducted. It is terrific to be able to utilise our Railton Campus Pool to help to develop water awareness and beginner swimmer skills, particularly leading into the summer period. Notices regarding this program were distributed to students last week. Please ensure the aquatic activity consent form and major excursion forms are returned to school prior to the commencement of the program. The timetable for the sessions is included below;

P-2 Water Orientation Sessions

(Each day from Monday 14th November – Thursday 17th November at the following times)

9.00 - 9.55 - Prep-1-2 Allen
9.55 -10.50 - 2 Thomas
11.15- 12.10 - 2 Moore
12.10- 1.05 - Prep/1Allen
1.35-2.30 - 1 Hinrichsen / Sullivan

Kinder Sessions (Tuesday 8th November and Thursday 10th November)

9.30 - 11.30 Kinder Sheffield and Railton Campuses (three groups)

Student Leadership

Student leadership is an important part of our school with many opportunities provided to our student body across all grades. Recently the process for electing the 2017 grade 10 Student Representative Council commenced, with current grade 9 students being encouraged to apply. The process includes a written application, an interview, and an address to the staff and student body during an assembly followed by a student and staff vote. Recently I have been reminded about the terrific job our current grade 10 SRC have been doing and the positive impact they have had in our school this year. I have also recently received some great feedback from staff on the performance and leadership shown by our Leading Active Communities students at the grade 3/4 Sports Expo. Congratulations and well done to these young leaders and I encourage other students to take up the opportunity if it presents itself to you to positively impact on your school.

Grade 7 2017 – Parent Information Session and Student Orientation Day

On Tuesday, November 22, an Information Evening is being held for interested parents and guardians wishing to obtain more information about grade 7 at Sheffield in 2017. It will also provide an opportunity for parents to meet current Grade 7 teachers and visit the core classes their children will be working in next year. The session will take place in the grade 7 classrooms and will run from 5:30pm until 6pm. Please meet at the main office at 5:30pm and one of our Grade 7 teachers will meet you there. Please indicate your intention to attend this session by phoning the Sheffield School office on 6491 8222.

Orientation Day for prospective 2017 Grade 7 students will be held on Tuesday, December 6.