30 March 2017

Newsletter Articles

Key Dates

Thursday 30 March – Railton Assembly (2 – 2.40pm)
Friday 21 March – T20 Regional Final, Meercroft Park (Grade5/6s)
Saturday 1 April – Sunday 2 April – Relay for Life
Friday 7 April – Science Engineering Challenge (Secondary)
Wednesday 12 April – Primary Fair and Pet Parade
Wednesday 12 April – Students finish term 1
Thursday 13 April - Moderation Day Years K – 10 (Student free)
Monday 1 May – Term 2 commences
Wednesday 10 May – Assemblies Grade 7-10 (12pm) Prep-6 (1:30pm)
Thursday 25 May – Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea
Thursday 25 May – Vaccinations – Gardasil (Grade 7)

Principal’s Report

Dear Parents

In this newsletter are instructions for parents to download the Schoolzine App, which once downloaded will allow parents to receive a notification when a new newsletter arrives. The app is free and provides a range of other links and functions – detailed below. If you have any questions regarding the Schoolzine app, or are having difficulty downloading it please don’t hesitate to contact the school.

Following are some of the opportunities afforded to our students as well as their achievements over the past couple of weeks.

Inter-Primary Athletics Carnival

Recently a large contingent of primary students represented our school at the NWPSSA inter-primary athletics event. Our students participated extremely well with many students going on to make semi-finals and finals, congratulations also to our grade 6 girls relay team who were coastal champions. The following students made it through to the Twilight Carnival; Brady Martin, Jasmine Wilden, Dakoda Sheehan. Jasmine’s performance at the Twilight Carnival resulted in her selection to the NWPSSA Athletics Team to compete against the North and South of the state on 12 May 2017.

Well done to all of the students for their participation in this carnival and for striving to do your very best!

Interhigh Swimming Carnival

On the 15 March a small group of secondary students represented our school at the inter-high swimming carnival. These students equipped themselves well against students from other high schools with Billie Chatterton, Evan Laing, Ethan Duff, Lochlan Bradburn and Nathan Huett all placing in their events. Well done to all students on the manner in which you represented Sheffield School!

Children and Young People’s Advisory Committee

Recently three Sheffield students (pictured) were advised that they had been successful in their applications to hold a position on the State's Children & Young People's Advisory Council. The Advisory Council meets several times throughout the year, and allows the Commissioner to consult with Tasmania's young people on a wide range of issues. Last year’s topics included Cyber-Bullying and Safety, Sex and Gender in schools, Cultural and Recreational Opportunities for students, and differentiated education and a range of other educational issues.

Denver has expressed an interest in discussing the Northwest Coast's ICT infrastructure with the Commissioner, in particular the need for more opportunities for both students and adults to engage with online and digital technologies in this region. Emily is passionate about women’s issues and civil rights. For Laura, this will be the second year she has participated in the Advisory Council. Last year she provided the Commissioner with a submission about gardens in school, a need for more environmental-based education, and proposed a ban on Wicked Camper Vans with offensive or sexist images or slogans. She will be continuing work started last year on these issues.

NW High School Cricket Championships

A team of 12 secondary students competed in the North West high school cricket championships last week. Our team played two 10 overs aside games in the tournament played at Byard Park in Devonport. The players managed to win their first match by 20 runs with Corey Foley, Cameron Dunlop, Alex Diprose and Colby Hyland our stand out performers.

RACT Road Safety Program

On Tuesday we were fortunate to have RACT run a road safety program with our grade 10 students. The program focused on the dangers of distraction while driving and zoned in on texting and driving under the influence in particular.

The program consisted of a theory and practical element, with the practical session involving students that held their Ls being provided with the opportunity to drive the RACT dual-controlled vehicle. These students were required to attempt to send a text on their mobile phone while driving around an obstacle course that was set up. It also included the participant trying on vision goggles which actually simulate what the vision perception is like when over the legal limit for BAC.

This session complemented the Road Safety Program currently being delivered in grade 10 Health and Physical Education, and hopefully will ensure our students make positive choices in relation to these two aspects later in life when they are fully licensed drivers.

Sheffield School has a new app!

SZapp is a great way to keep up to date with all of our latest news and information. Using SZapp will give you easy access to information such as:

• Newsletters on the go
• Latest News & Reminders
• Calendar
• Forms and Documents
• Absentee and Contact Forms

Grade 7 Camp

On Wednesday the 8 March grade 7 camp took place. On the first day we left school at 9:15am to head to the Ulverstone dinosaur park for recess and some survivor group challenges. The grade 7s then walked across the road from the dinosaur park to go and have some waterslide fun. After the waterslide we had a delicious lunch and went to the beach for some activities. The grade 7s then left the beach and headed to Paton Park. Once there, we had a bush/boundary walk around the camp and got settled in. We had some survivor group challenges and shortly after a delicious dinner, went on a nightly bush walk.

On the next day we woke up to a fantastic looking breakfast, prepared for us by Mrs Maddick. Later on in that fabulous day, the teachers had some exciting activities for us such as abseiling, hut building, archery and the most preferred activity, mountain bike riding. After all the exhausting activities the grade 7s had some tasty, yummy pizza in our tummy. There were some amazing performances in Sheffrock’s Got Talent with our mystery guest Jonah (Brock), and a mysterious auction led by our amazing auctioneer, Mr Hays.

On the last day of our amazing journey together on grade 7 camp, we loaded up the bus and zoomed out of Paton Park in excitement, for a day of surfing fun. As camp came to a sad end, we hopped back on the bus and headed for school. All of us had an amazing adventure on grade 7 camp and wish we could go again.

Written by Autumn Hamilton, Jessica Welch, Liam Thompson-Hayes

Insights

Launching Into Learning (LiL)

National Simultaneous Story Time

Come along on Wednesday 24 May to participate in our National Simultaneous Story Time.

The story, ‘The Cow Tripped Over The Moon’ will be read by Mayor Don Thwaites at 11am in the school Library (next to the office.)

Primary Fair and Pet Parade

Junior Soccer

Devonport Junior Soccer

Devonport Junior Soccer have begun their DJS Development Centre Training (Formally DJS Representative Soccer). Each Wednesday, 4pm-5pm, at Meercroft. Any grade 3-6 players wishing to have another training session are more than welcome. Girls numbers are low at the moment and we would love to see them this week! Players will also have the opportunity to play in the Hobart, Devonport and Launceston Cups

For more information email devonportjuniorsoccer@gmail.com

Sheffield School Soccer

Please note that school soccer teams will be posted on the PE Noticeboard

Stride

On Monday 15 May and Thursday 18 May the Grade 9s will be participating in a classroom program with Stride.

Stride wellbeing programs help students to develop positive social and emotional skills through interactive activities and group discussions. Your child may receive a workbook as part of the program and is encouraged to talk with you about their learning.

For further information about Stride programs please visit the following link or talk with your child’s teacher or year level coordinator.

Student Representative Council

SRC Report – Written by Hanna Bryan on 23/03/2017.

The 2017 SRC team has had quite an eventful few weeks. We have been focusing on bullying throughout the school and have had multiple meetings with the younger members of the Student Representative Council and have been brainstorming ways that we can help to spread awareness and hopefully prevent the impact of bullying in our school.

A team of leaders from grade 10 (Abbey, Ebony, Charley, Jordan, Balin, Nathan, Artyom, Colby and Jayke) attended the GRIP Leadership conference on the 3 March along with leaders from other schools across the North-West of Tasmania, the GRIP Leadership conference is a not-for-profit organization that is held in Launceston, it focuses on improving the leadership skills and confidence of students.

We also had our Cancer Coin Line on 17 March which was a great success. We wrote the word ‘CANCER’ in really big bubble writing and our aim was to cover the word completely with loose change. We raised a huge total of $525.45! We are so grateful and proud of our little community all coming together and digging out the loose change from cars and underneath the couches. All the money raised is going towards Sheffield School’s Relay for Life team.

Hanna and Balin, along with Chris Puccetti, attended the RSL Annual Dinner to represent the school on the 18 March, and agreed that it was a great experience meeting so many amazing people and it was quite interesting to hear their stories from the war.

Community Notices

Riverbend Kids Camps – April (School holidays)