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16th February 2016 WEEK 4 TERM 1

Phone: 02 60260514 Mob: 0407237773 Fax: 02 60260676

Email: [email protected] Web Site: http://www.gerogery-p.schools.nsw.edu.au Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GerogeryPublicSchool

Dear Parents,

1. Shop Order Day Thursday is our fortnightly shop ordering day, (please see attached calendar for remaining dates for Term 1 shop ordering days). Could lunch order forms, along with payment, please be returned to the front office by Thursday morning?

2. Homework Reading: The younger children have home reading to complete every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Occasionally on Monday’s and Friday’s too! They have sight word lists on their folders that can also be practiced. Spelling: The children bring home their spelling lists on Tuesday – to learn for Thursday’s test. The primary children (Years 3 – 5) are required to return their sheets with the words written out on Thursday. The younger children are encouraged to bring back finished word lists. Great start: Everyone had a perfect spelling score today! Well done all! Thanks for your support with homework.

3. Student Absentee Notes By law all absences from school require an absentee note, text message or phone call to be sent to the school, either prior to the absence (if known in advance) or on the first day that the student returns to school. The school’s attendance register is regularly checked by the Departments Learning and Engagement Officers who then follow up any unexplained absences or absences that follow a regular pattern. Last year we sent home to each family several absentee forms for future use. We are sending home more today in case these forms have been misplaced over the holidays. Thank you for your prompt assistance as all DEC attendance registers are regularly monitored and also audited.

4. Annual Permission Note Please read and sign the attached general permission note and return to school as soon as possible. This note covers annual events and prevents a deluge of permission notes that would normally be sent home throughout the year. Please note that any specific event that occurs throughout the year that does not fall under the listed events will require a separate permission note.

5. Mobile Library The next visit of the Greater Hume Mobile Library will take place this Friday the 19th February at 3pm until 3:45. Please, if you have borrowed any books, return all borrowings by Friday.

6. Clean Up Australia Day for Schools The Clean Up Australia Day for schools will be held on Friday 4th March. We will once again be taking part in this wonderful day. We will be cleaning up inside and outside the front of the school and down to the old pre-school. We will be commencing at 10am and concluding by 11am. Hopefully there is not a lot of garbage to be picked up as that would indicate that the community are being extra vigilant when it comes to litter.

7. Primary Principal’s Conference I will be attending this 2 day conference in Wagga Wagga this Thursday and Friday the 19th & 20th of February. This conference is run by the Wagga Wagga Primary Principal’s Association and replaces the now defunct Conference. Guest speakers from around the country will be in attendance talking about everything that is happening within education circles nationally and internationally. Mrs Giese will be teaching the students while I am away at this conference.

8. No Hat No Play in the Sun All children have been given one of the new school hats free of charge. The children are very happy to be wearing these new hats. They understand that without their hat they cannot go out into the playground to play and they also understand what damage the sun can cause to skin, both now and into the future. We have been talking to the children about sun safe practices and how it is important to ‘Slip, Slop, Slap and Wrap.’ I have personally shown them what the results of too much fun in the sun without sun protection can be and hopefully this will reinforce our talks.

9. Healthy Lunch boxes The temperature at which food is stored is important for food safety and freshness. The warmer food is, and the longer it stays warm, the more bacteria grow.  Put a frozen ice-brick inside the lunch box with the food.  Put the lunch box and an extra ice-brick inside an insulated bag.  Cool the food in the refrigerator before it is packed in the insulated bag.

10. Children’s Health Please read the attached note that requests that information is passed onto the school in the event that your child’s health changes, e.g. mumps, measles, whooping cough etc.

11. Thank You The school would dearly like to thank Alex Watson and Stuart and Georgie Byrne for all the work they have done over the last few days spreading Gypsum and Lime over our playground. They then watered the gypsum and lime into the ground. This occurred while the children were not at school and will help improve the soil for many years to come. Your efforts are truly appreciated.

FIRST TERM DATES FOR YOUR DIARIES Thursday 18th February Shop Order Day. Friday 19th February Mobile Bus Library visit 3pm -3:45pm. Thursday 18th February Principal’s 2 day Conference in Wagga – Mr B attending. Friday 19th February Monday 29th February Young Leaders’ Day – – School Captains. Thursday 3rd March Shop Order Day. Friday 4th March Clean Up Australia Day for Schools. Friday 4th March Mobile Bus Library visit 3pm -3:45pm. Monday 14th March Small Schools Athletics Carnival – Alexandra Park. Thursday 17th March Shop Order Day. Thursday 17th March Primary Principals Meeting – Mr B is attending. Friday 18th March Teacher’s Federation Principals’ Meeting Sydney – Mr B. Friday 18th March Mobile Bus Library visit 3pm -3:45pm. Monday 21st March P&C Meeting 7pm School. Friday 25th March Good Friday – Public Holiday. Monday 28th March Easter Monday – Public Holiday. Thursday 31st March Shop Order Day. Friday 1st April Mobile Bus Library visit 3pm -3:45pm. Friday 8th April Last day Term 1. Monday 25th April Anzac Day – Public Holiday. Tuesday 26th April Staff Development Day Wednesday 27th April Students return to school.

Angus Byrne Great listening and then following

multiple directions

Usher Miners and Trent Lewis

Sea animal craft – Jellyfish and Sea horse