THE PIPELINE PUBLISHED IN WERRIMULL SINCE 1995 ISSUE 23 Erin Fush Principal [email protected] Kelly Morrison Leading Teacher [email protected] Tuesday 7th August 2012 Jamie Russell Leading Teacher [email protected] From the Principal All staff and students were looking their absolute best yesterday as it was our annual photo day. We have been advised by Leading Edge that the photo packs will be sent to school by the end of August; as soon as they are here we will send them home. The snow camp was a HUGE success with all students and staff returning without any major injuries. Thanks to Mr Bamford, Ms Hall, Anthony Simmons and Hayden Beachey for volunteering to be the in-charge staff and to the students for their impeccable behaviour and attitude towards each other. It does not surprise me to hear that when a student or staff member was struggling that another student stepped in and offered support – this is the true Werrimull spirit. This Friday we have our annual SCHOOL ATHLETICS CARNIVAL. The day will start at 9am and finish at 3pm. All parents and community members are welcome to attend, if you would like a salad roll or pumpkin soup for lunch please contact the school by WEDNESDAY 8th AUGUST to place an order. We are in full swing of our school review, Warren St Clair (the reviewer) will be here on the 23rd and 24th of August to complete the review. All staff are currently involved in working on the structure of the school and how we can work smarter. The Leadership team in particular are very busy looking at subjects that our students are wanting to study and staffing for 2013. I would like to end on thanking you the parent community on your input into the school. I have had parents recently ring to express concerns and also to congratulate the school, all forms of feedback are vital and welcome. Changes in the Primary Lunchtime Routine School-aged children have high nutritional needs but fairly small appetites. So it's cru- cial all meals and snacks continue to be rich in nutrients and energy. The food choices children make during the crucial years of development can influence their future health risk and can also influence food habits in later life. A structured eating plan with regular meals and snacks is important to establish good eating habits. There should be plenty of variety - burgers and chips are fine occasionally, but not for every meal. Consuming a limited number of foods makes it difficult to obtain the full range of nu- trients. Try to make sure your child has a range of foods based on each of the main food groups. Due to some on-going issues with Primary students we have decided to change the lunchtime routine slightly. All students will be expected to sit in the assembly area to consume their lunch; once they have finished the bulk of their lunch they will be al- lowed to play. Students are also required to bring their lunch box to the assembly area as this allows the yard duty teacher to ‘keep track’ of what is being consumed/wasted. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the lunchtime routine don’t hesitate to contact me at school. Mallee BARC Project Some of the Grade 4-6 students will be participating in an interschool reading program called BARC. The program ‘kicks off’ next week with a visit to Ouyen. BARC stands for Books and Reading Conversations. It is all about books and stu- dents sharing, discussing and collaborating! The program incorporates an aspect of Lit- erature Circles and although reading is the primary focus students will also benefit from the social interaction with students from other schools and the digital component as the program is based on the Ultranet and discussions will take place via video conferencing. We have designed the program so many schools can be involved; Werrimull, Ouyen, Tempy and Lalbert are the four schools involved at this stage however many other small schools have indicated they would like to join in 2013. Grade 4-6 are our main audience for the program, however students must be reading at an appropriate level to participate successfully in the program. Other students from the 3-6 cohort will be participating in a pre-literature circle program to prepare them for lit- erature circles. If you have any questions regarding the BARC program contact me at school. Jamie Russell Being Well Hello again folks. I was glad to see all of the ski tripper’s return from the heights of Mount Hotham safe and sound after their week of carving up the slopes. I have heard reports of a lot of sore muscles and some injured prides but nothing more serious than that. Well done and a big thank you to our staff and parent volunteers for taking the time to organize the trip and help it run. Among my many roles at Werrimull P-12 School is that of Student Manager. This means that the Student Code of Conduct and the Engagement and Wellbeing policies are mine to administer. And so it is that every now and then certain issues raise their heads and I am required to deal with them. Today it is the buses. Our bus drivers, who do a wonderful job I might add, particularly when the weather and road conditions make driving a bus a little less than appealing, have reported to me that students are leaving buses in an unacceptable state. Rubbish, food scraps and general litter is being left in aisles, under seats and even ground into seats and it is not good enough. To use the time honoured example, would these children do this to their lounge room chairs or carpets and if they did, what would be the response of their parents? I’m sure we all know the answer to these questions. Graffiti has even been reported in one instance and although this has been dealt with, the fact that it happened is disturbing. It has even become such a problem on one bus that the driver has now banned food from being consumed on it at all. Parents are asked to follow up this message with timely reminders about how students should be conducting themselves and that leaving rubbish around anywhere is unacceptable. Parents are also reminded that bus drivers have every right to refuse passage to students who continually misbehave themselves and that perhaps students could be reminded about the inconvenience it would give parents for them to have to drive their children into school every day. I’m sure you all join me in supporting this message and that if we work together we can make Werrimull P-12 School a better place to be. Students are also reminded that the anonymous “Wellbeing Box” is set up in the library and that students can contact me through that should they require it. I can also be con- tacted on my email at [email protected]. Helpful Hint: Please do not hesitate to contact me at the school if you would like any assistance or more information on this. Be Well Kelly Morrison Wellbeing Coordinator Dates to Remember August School Athletics 10th August Happy Birthday Tennis Courts Working Bee 17th August Sport/ Art day 17th August Shania Axford 10th August Book week Parade 21st August Review day 24th August September School Council 4th September School Lunch orders Yrs 3,4,7&8 Farm safety day Ouyen 12th Sept are available this Keys Please course Yrs 9+10 19th Sept Wednesday Last day term 3 2pm Finish 21st Sept October the Hotel Drug forum Yrs7-8 16th October 5+6 Camp Lake Cullulleraine 29th-2nd Nov School Logo Embroidering November If you would like our school Unit 4 Exams 1st –16th November Pupil Free day 5th November logo embroidered on t-shirts or Melbourne Cup 6th November jumpers. Please contact the of- School Council 28th November fice 50281251. We need 10 or P-4 Sleep over 29th November more to be embroidered December Just a Reminder Primary ballet excursion 6th December As it’s a departmental requirement for students that Flying start week 10th-14th December are absent, a parent or guardian needs to fill in a School Council 12th December absentee note (green note) as soon as the student Activity Day 17th December returns to school. These need to be brought up to the office for Mrs Wright to enter on Cases21 Awards & Concert 18th December School Banking Colouring Competition All you have to do is bank on Woof Wednesday for the next three weeks and you will receive a entre every time you bank to colour in the Dollarmites. Return your coloured in picture/s to Mrs Wright and you could be in to win some great prizes You can view the prizes at the office Section 1 K-3s Section 2 4-6s Section 3 7-9s As from a request from Werrimull P-12 School is the Bus operator. after a 14” Holden rim for the BBQ trailer if Students will not be able anyone has an old one to have food or drink please ring the whilst travelling on the office on Cullulleraine bus 50281251 School Chocolate Fundraiser If you have sold your chocolate and would like another box please contacted the office Money due back 31th August Secondary Snow Camp - 30th July to the 3rd August 2012 Early Monday morning, a group of twenty secondary students departed Werrimull on a Benetook bus on their way to Harrietville.