21 December 2016

Newsletter Articles

Key Dates

Wednesday 21 December – Grade 10 Leavers Assembly 12pm
Wednesday 21 December – Students Finish

Principal Report

Dear Parents

Presentation Day

Our Presentation Assembly last Tuesday was very well supported by our federal and state politicians, Kentish Councillors, representatives from local organisations, parents and community members.

The local business community is extremely generous in its sponsorship of our school for which we are extremely thankful, and it was pleasing to see so many community members participate in the assembly by presenting awards.

The achievements of our students were celebrated in a photostory, my report, and in the presentation of awards. All in attendance appreciated the quality of achievements by our award winners. Well done to Tom Rockliff who won the Thomas Alexander Memorial Award for the best grade 10 results. Congratulations to all of our other award winners, listed within the newsletter.

Congratulations to our newly elected 2017 Grade 10 Student Representative Councillors.

To those parents of grade 10 students that now end their association with the school, thank you for your support over the years and for allowing us at the Sheffield School the privilege of being a part of shaping your child’s development to where they are today; terrific young citizens, equipped with knowledge, skills, and personal traits that will hold them in good stead in the years to come.

Reports

Reports were sent home with students Monday; all students have been assessed against the assessment standards of the Australian Curriculum in the core areas of learning or their individual education plan. A reminder to parents that a C rating is the standard required for each grade, hard to achieve, but achievable for most students with consistent work and effort. The report also included a front cover page that includes attendance information for your child, the year group, and the school and state/sector average. I hope you find this information useful.

Staffing 2017

We are farewelling a number of staff members at the end of the year.

Mr Greg Hinrichsen and Mrs Charmaine Butcher will be taking leave term 1 in 2017, we wish them well during this period of leave.

Mrs Teresa Bentley is taking leave for the first half of the year, Mrs Bentley has had an enormous impact in the Visual Arts and Drama areas over a long period of time at Sheffield, and we certainly wish her well and hope for her return later in 2017.

Mr Michael Jacobs will be leaving Sheffield to take up a position at Riverside High School. Mr Jacobs has made positive contributions to our school over the past two terms, we wish him well in his new position.

Mrs Suzanne Williams will be leaving and taking up a position at Devonport Primary School. We wish her well in her new role and thank her for her work at both the Sheffield and Railton campuses over the past couple of years, both in a relief and fixed term capacity.

Mrs Lee-Anne Spillane will return to her substantive position at Deloraine High School for 2017, we thank Mrs Spillane for the role she has performed within the administration area this year, also taking on the acting SBM role 0.4 during the second part of the year. Her efficiency and professional manner have been hallmarks of her practice. Good luck in 2017!

Finally Mr Gary Chapman has recently taken up a new position outside of the Department of Education, Gary has made a significant contribution to supporting the work placement program for grade 10 students over the past two years. We wish Gary well in his new position.

As a result of some of the above staffing movements there will be some changes in regard to class teacher allocations and teaching loads. At this stage I am also still in the process of recruiting staff for a number of positions. There will also be some senior staff changes, all of this information will be confirmed in the first newsletter next year. I can however advise our school community that new staff joining us at Sheffield in 2017 will include Mr Simon Voorwinde, previously at Ulverstone High School and Miss Kayla Hampton, joining us following a year teaching in the independent system. Mrs Megan Vos will join us, taking a Kinder class at the Sheffield Campus term 1. We will also welcome back Mr Norm Gregory from leave, who will be teaching Maths in the 11/12 program. In the administration area, Sheree Lynch and Susan Kennerley will join us in the acting School Business Manager and Band 3 Administration position respectively.

Congratulations and thank you to all staff and students for a terrific year; have an enjoyable and safe holiday period and I look forward to the commencement of an exciting year ahead in 2017.

SCHOOL BOOK DAYS 2017

Parents with students at both campuses will need to make a prior arrangement to collect all book-packs at either campus.

UPDATING OF STUDENT INFORMATION

On “School Book Days” we will have Student Validation Forms for parents/guardians to update their child’s personal information. We encourage parents/guardians to update their child’s information on the day. If parents/guardians do not attend book days, we will send the validation forms home for updating.

LEVIES FOR 2017 ARE:

FINANCIAL AND OTHER ASSISTANCE

Parents and guardians should be aware that there is a range of assistance available to them. Apart from the Student Assistance Scheme (STAS) there is Abstudy (through Centrelink), Spectacle Assistance Scheme, Bursaries and transport concessions. For more information, contact the Department of Education on 1800 816 057 or visit

UNIFORMS

Students are encouraged to wear school uniform at all times. School levies do not cover uniforms. The school has school jackets, rugby tops, polo tops and hats for sale during normal office hours between 8.30 am and 4.00 pm during school terms.

* Please note that uniforms cannot be purchased on credit or lay-by.

Uniform items can also be purchased during “School Book Days”.

iPad Provision Grades 7-9

In the 2017 school year we will be offering iPad hire to our students in grades 7-9 with the aim of having a 1:1 ratio of iPads for our secondary students by 2018. Our grade 10 students will continue to have access to Acer Iconio Tablets which were purchased for them in 2013. All secondary students also have the option to bring their own device to school through the Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT) Policy which will be available to students upon request.

More detailed information about school iPads is attached to this newsletter (iPad Provision). A hire agreement form will be available to parents at book sales and parents will have the option to pay the annual hire fee at book sales. iPads will be issued to students at the commencement of term 1 and collect in the last week of the school year.

Student will have the option of hiring the same device each year for an annual fee of $50. At the end of their grade 10 year they will have the option of paying an additional sum of money and own their device outright, this means the total cost will have been $250.

TERM DATES FOR 2017

Presentation Day Awards 2016

Cattle Handlers

Last week the Sheffield School Cattle Handlers held their end of season BBQ and Awards Presentation Evening. The event was well attended by the handlers, their parents, our valued sponsors and cattle breeders. During the show season our group attended 6 shows and were very successful in both the Handling and Junior Judging section. Pyper Page had a particularly successful season winning 5 shows and going on to win the state final held at the Circular Head Show. Pyper will represent Tasmania next year at the Royal Melbourne Show.

Students who participate in the Cattle Handling program have the opportunity to develop many useful life skills including organisational skills, time management, team work and cooperation, public speaking skills and most importantly the students develop their confidence and self-esteem. It has been wonderful to see this group of students develop throughout the season and enjoy the friendships they have formed within the cattle handling community.

Congratulations to our award winners of 2016

Dairy Section

Dairy Handler: Bethany Cobbin
Dairy Judging: Alannah East
Dairy Encouragement: Aimee Bradburn

Beef Handling section

Most Dedicated: Brady Rouse
Best Grooms Person: Tom Rockliff
Most Helpful: Ayden Grey
Most Improved: Nicholas McCarthy
Beef Encouragement: Taylah Hughes
Beef Handler of the year: Senior: Pyper Page, Junior: Tony Temple
Beef Junior Judging: Senior: Jack Febey, Junior: Tony Temple

Major awards

Robert Binny Herdsman Award: Michael Osbourne
Cattle Handler of the Year: Tom Rockliff

Class Awards

Aussies of the Month (Railton Campus)

September – Kiara McDonald
October – Ella Taylor
November – Kobey French
December – Ky-Jana French

Launching into Learning ~ Sheffield School

We would like to thank all of our families who joined us this year at Sheffield and Railton LiL sessions. Mrs Hughes and Mrs Sullivan have really enjoyed setting up engaging indoor and outdoor activities that have kept the little people and their big people busy. Our pop up playgroups at the bike park, the Sheffield School Farm, Mini Athletics Carnival and our special turn at our school pool were fabulous! We look forward to offering more exciting events next year.

We have just over 30 of our Pre Kinders moving on to Kindergarten in 2017 and we know they will have a fabulous year of fun and learning as they begin their new journey. Thank you to the parents, friends and grandparents who brought them along each week to assist in their transition and readiness for Kindergarten.

We ask that you decorate your bikes, scooters, trikes, prams, baby carriers, summer inflatables and yourselves. The theme is a Sunny Christmas but any decorations will look great. Don’t forget to wear your Christmas hats if possible. Meet us at the grass area near Tandara at 5:30 for a 6pm start. The parade will end in the park. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

Launching into Learning will begin again on February 23rd, 2017. Please join us for a sausage sizzle to welcome new and returning families. Remember to let others in the Kentish region know about us and encourage them to bring along their children from birth to 5 years.

Like our Facebook page: “Launching Into Learning Sheffield School.”

Thank you again for your support and we wish you all a happy time with your family and friends over Christmas and into the New Year.

Carly Sullivan and Sheryne Hughes

Inter-High Report

Members of the Sheffield School Athletics team competed in the recent NWSSSA Inter-High Athletics Championships held at the Penguin Athletics track. The school fielded one of its largest teams in recent times with 49 students competing in track and field events. The team had one simple aim for the day, which was to have a student compete in each event. Through the hard work and willingness of the students we nearly achieved our goal and it was very pleasing to see students volunteer to fill gaps in the program. Elijah Steers’ contribution to the day was massive, with him competing in 8 events and tasting success for his efforts. Although all students displayed their best efforts on the day we had some stand out performers, these included; Eliza Keen, Steph Gower, Ranni Lockett and Taylah Watling. For the boys Jayke Robertson, James Knight, Joel Creely, Zane Richardson, Danny Crack and Nicolas Davey made outstanding contributions to the team’s final result.

The team finished a healthy third on the points table, which displayed an ability of our students to compete alongside other athletes from much larger schools. Members of the team displayed a high level of behaviour throughout the day and a willingness to encourage others towards their personal best. The H.P.E team would like to congratulate all members for their contribution towards the team and encourage all to aim higher next year.