9 May 2018

Newsletter Articles

Key Dates

Tuesday 15 May – Thursday 17 May: NAPLAN 2018
Friday 18 May: National Walk Safely to School Day
Friday 18 May: Create My Career (Year 9)
Monday 21 May: Sports Expo (Years 3 & 4)
Wednesday 23 May: Secondary Cross Country (Years 5 – 10)
Friday 25 May: Primary Cross Country (K – Year 4)
Monday 28 May – Friday 8 June: Fire Education Program (K – Year 6)
Wednesday 30 May: RYDA Driver Awareness Program (Year 10)
Thursday 31 May: Australian Defence Force Academy Presentation (Year 10)
Wednesday 6 June: Inter Primary Athletics Carnival
Thursday 7 June: Camp Quality Puppet Performance (K – Year 6)
Monday 11 June: Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday
Wednesday 13 June: Inter High Athletics Carnival
Monday 18 June – Friday 22 June: NextGen Business Challenge (Year 10)
Tuesday 19 June: Assemblies (Secondary 12pm, Primary 1.30pm)
Wednesday 25 July – Thursday 26 July: Oral Health Preventative Program (Railton)
Monday 30 July – Thursday 2 August: Oral Health Preventative Program (Sheffield)
Monday 30 July: Cultural Performance: Courage and Resilience (Prep – Year 8)
Tuesday 31 July: UNSW English Competition
Monday 6 August – Wednesday 8 August: Electrical Safety in Schools Program (Primary School)
Tuesday 14 August: UNSW Mathematics Competition
Friday 24 August: Book Week Assembly (11.30am)
Tuesday 11 September: Assemblies (Secondary 12pm, Primary 1.30pm)
Tuesday 25 September – Friday 28 September: Hobart/Port Arthur Camp (Year 5)
Tuesday 20 November: iParty (Year 10)
Tuesday 27 November: Assemblies (Secondary 12pm, Primary 1.30pm)
Wednesday 12 December: Picnic - SPLASH Aquatic Centre (K – Year 6)

Principal’s Report

Welcome back to term 2. I hope everyone had an enjoyable and relaxing break ready for what will be a very busy term, culminating in the mid-year reporting and the celebration of student learning.

Congratulations Tom Rockliff

It was fabulous to hear of the success of one of our past students, Tom Rockliff, being announced as The Lions Youth of the Year Australia following the National finals held in Townsville recently. Well done Tom! I hope this success spurs another level of belief within our students, that with a positive attitude and dedication to growth they can go on and achieve great things!

Use of Main Street Pedestrian Crossing

Last week I was notified by our local police officer of a near miss at the corner of Main Street and Henry Street. On this occasion the student had not utilised the available crossing. In the past I have had members of our community contact me concerned that students were not using the crossing on Main Street, but instead crossing at other points along the Main Street or on the intersection of Main Street and Henry Street itself. Students crossing Henry Street, opposite the school main entrance without due care has also been observed. Parents please reinforce with your child/ren the importance of using the crossing, and for senior students it is particularly important that the appropriate use of the crossing is modelled to younger students who may be making their way to school from the Southern side of Main Street. Thank you for your co-operation with this matter in ensuring the safety of students who walk, ride or scoot to and home from school.

Cattle Handling Trip

During the school holidays our year 10 and 11 Cattle Handlers travelled to Wodonga in Victoria to participate in the Murray Grey Youth Stock Camp and the National Sale. Our small team of students thoroughly enjoyed the experiences offered and made some important connections in the cattle industry. Our students performed really well in the show ring with a number of handlers receiving ribbons.

A number of youth scholarships are offered to participants at this event and prizes include entry to other livestock events, stud stock vouchers and a study tour to New Zealand. Billie Chatterton was successful with her application to improve the genetics of our School Murray Grey Cattle Stud. Thanks to Billie, Lindsay Murray Grey Stud have offered the school some of their best genetics to use with our School’s stud cows. Well done Billie!

Thank you to Mr Skirving, and Mr and Mrs Grey for their contributions in enabling our students this experience.

NAPLAN Testing

Next week all students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9 will participate in NAPLAN testing. Testing occurs in the areas of reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation and numeracy. The aggregated, year cohort and individual data obtained from this testing, along with other school based testing data is very important and assists to inform school and class planning for the following year in the areas of literacy and numeracy.

Anzac Day

This year due to Anzac Day again falling within the holiday period the school did not hold an Anzac Assembly. During our first assemblies this term we will recognise and announce (K-6) the successful students in the annual Anzac Day competitions supported by the RSL sub branches of Railton and Sheffield.

On Anzac Day the following students represented each section of the school in laying wreaths at both the Sheffield and Railton community services.

Railton Campus: Phoebe Sheehan and Tyron Forster
K-2: Abigail McCallum and Xavier Duff
3-6: Jarrah Behrmann and Ethan Frankcombe
7-10: Chloe Currie and Takisha Norris

This year’s winners of the Year 9 David Innes Memorial Anzac Essay Competition also played an important role in services, with Bethany Cobbin and Olivia Taylor reading their essays at the Sheffield and Railton morning services respectively. Both students should be congratulated on the quality of their essays and the manner in which they delivered them on Anzac Day.

Thank you to all of these students and to staff and parents who supported our students’ participation in the community Anzac services.

Staffing

Congratulations to Sheree Rodman who was recently appointed the new School Business Manager for Sheffield School following the retirement of Mrs Butcher. Ms Rodman had been acting in the role for the past 5 terms, a well-deserved appointment.

Last week I notified the year 9 and 10 students of some changes for this term. Mr Norm Gregory will now be teaching year 10 Maths, Mr Simon Voorwinde teaching year 9 and 10 Science and Mr Jamie Skirving year 9 Maths. Mr Jake Tammens will be covering Mr Skirving’s workshop classes. Please contact me through the school office if you have any questions regarding these changes.

Breakfast Club at Sheffield Campus

Breakfast club will commence on Friday 18 May for students in the K-2 area of the school. It will be available from 8.30am to 8.50am and will be located in the spare classroom where students change their home readers. It is being provided by the Kentish Lions Club and will occur every Friday morning. Students will be able to access toast, fruit and milo.

RON DALY
PRINCIPAL

Autism Australia

Information Sessions for Parents and Family Carers

Cambodia Fundraiser

The Cambodia Team are holding a fundraiser to help achieve their chosen goal of $5000 - this money will be donated to the Samrong Children’s Farm – the team are staying there for 4 nights. This is a farm where children of Cambodia live to be educated in not only English and Maths but also developing the skills in growing crops and livestock which will then be passed on to their families for future sustainability.

If you, or a family member, are fans of The Incredibles then grab a ticket or two, or three and join us on OPENING NIGHT for THE INCREDIBLES 2!

Tickets are available from both school offices.

Fruit Fly Biosecurity Information

The Sheffield School including the Railton campus, is within the formally declared Control Zone. A map and more detailed information for schools is attached.

What this means for Sheffield School:

Whole fruit grown in backyards within the control zone should not be taken from these sites, therefore this produce should not be taken to school. However, home grown fruit can be cut up into fruit salad and taken to school.

Fruit from outside the control zone can be bought to school but cannot be taken back outside this control zone.

Fruit disposal - there are bins provided at each sector of the school for disposal of all fruit and waste that comes onto site.

This will be double bagged and disposed of correctly.

National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) 2018

NAPLAN (National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy) commenced in Australian schools in 2008. Each year, all students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 participate in common national tests which assess:

Reading
Writing
Language Conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation)
Numeracy.

The scheduled dates for the tests in 2018 are Tuesday 15 May, Wednesday 16 May and Thursday 17 May.

The benefits of participating in NAPLAN testing:

• NAPLAN tests the skills that are essential for every child to progress through school and life such as reading, writing, spelling, grammar and numeracy.
• NAPLAN results provide valuable information on how your child is progressing against national minimum standards of literacy and numeracy skills expected for each year level.
• The NAPLAN tests provide you as parents with an individual report that shows your child’s results and a comparison of your child’s performance against all other Australian students in their year level.
• Teachers use the NAPLAN results to determine your child’s areas of strength and where future focus is required and how best to provide support or extension activities.
• School teachers use the online NAPLAN Toolkit to analyse your child’s results. The Toolkit provides detailed information right down to the individual question with links to teaching strategies.
• Principals, senior staff and others use NAPLAN results to inform school planning and to allocate resources and support including informing decisions around targeted programs and initiatives for individuals and groups.

The best way you can assist your child is by helping them to feel comfortable about the nature and purpose of the tests, and assure them that the tests will give them an opportunity to show what they have learned in class.

For more information about the national tests, please visit the national NAPLAN website in the link below.

National Walk Safely to School Day (Friday 18 May)

Primary school aged children across Australia will make those important steps towards a healthier future by participating in National Walk Safely to School Day on Friday 18 May 2018.

National Walk Safely to School Day is a community initiative that aims to raise awareness of the health, road safety, transport and environmental benefits that regular walking (especially to and from school) can provide for the long term well-being of our children. Apart from the physical benefits, regular walking also has a favourable impact on their cognitive and academic performance.

The annual event, now in its 19th year, encourages primary school aged children to build walking into their daily routine, by walking to and from school, not just on Friday 18 May, but every day.

Primary School Fair

On the final day of term 1, we once again conducted our annual fair. It was a wonderful day with students and their families enjoying the many activities available on the day.

The weather conditions were not great and we appreciate everyone’s patience in very trying conditions and thank families for their support.

We also wish to thank families who prepared for the pet parade that unfortunately had to be cancelled due to the very wet weather. We appreciate the effort that families go to prepare their pets and children for this event and did not take the decision lightly to cancel on the day.

Thank you also to everyone who made donations for stalls or supported in any other way for our fair. Without the support of people like you, it is very difficult to have a successful fundraising event like our fair.

All funds raised from the fair will be used to improve our teaching resources and playground equipment for students to enjoy at school.

School Canteen

Please do not send lunch orders without money as we do not offer credit at the school canteen. If your child does not have money in their lunch order or forgets their lunch, they need to speak to their teacher who may organise a sandwich for lunch.

In addition, once your child’s lunch has left the canteen, due to health regulations it cannot be returned and we cannot issue a refund. If your child goes home sick you are more than welcome to come to the canteen to collect your child’s lunch order.

Community Notices

Breast Screen Tasmania

Devon Netball Association

Primary Winter Roster

Secondary Winter Roster

Family Day Care

Learn to Swim – SPLASH

McGrath Foundation – Pink Up Your Town

The Foundation is seeking 5-7 committee members to drive the community support and fundraising for the McGrath Breast Care Nurses and breast cancer awareness. If you are able to assist the Foundation, please contact them directly on 02 8962 6117.

School Breakfast Clubs – Charity Gala