Heights Happenings – 2022 – Term 4, Week 9

Andy Griffiths Visit

What an amazing treat our students had this week.  The whole school were fortunate to have an hour with the award-winning fabulous author Andy Griffiths. Those students that brought their special Andy Griffiths book from home had them signed personally by Andy.  A huge thankyou to Kylie Laidler who organised Andy and gave our staff and students a humorous, funny, engaging and educational insight into his ability to capture his audience with the written word and illustrations. A really lovely experience for all of our budding authors and a great opportunity for all students to listen to an inspirational author sharing his process and ideas.

Transition Days

As mentioned in my last newsletter, transitioning to a new grade level is very exciting but can also be daunting for some children. These sessions are an opportunity for students to meet the teachers of their new year level and to experience the work they will do next year. The aim of the session is to help students in hearing and visualising all the exciting aspects of experiencing a new grade level and to start to build a relationship with their new teacher. It is also a reminder to our students that it is just a continuation of the current program and not something to fear. All students will meet their new teacher and class on Tuesday 13th of December. On this day students will bring home a letter informing you of their new teacher and also a map of the school showing where each classroom will be in the new year.

Baby News

We would like to send our congratulations to Elli and David Gibson for their announcement that they are expecting a new baby in Term 1 in 2023.  On behalf of the whole school community, I wish them every happiness and joy.  We look forward to a visit and many cuddles next year.

2023 CURRICULUM DAYS

In 2023 schools will continue to have access to four curriculum days, and at this stage one pupil free day that will be used for our three-way conferences. The dates below are our approved curriculum days for 2023:

Curriculum and Pupil Free Days 2023

• Friday 27th January – Glenn Pearsall consultant
• Tuesday 4^th April – 3-way conferences
• Monday 24^th April – Writing
• Friday 9^th June – Numeracy
• Monday 6th November – Report Writing

Whole School Production -2023

Securing a venue for our school production next year has been challenging.  We have been able to book Besen Centre, Mount Scopus College, Burwood on Wednesday 19th and Thursday 20th July. All year levels will be involved with the Prep-4 students split over the two nights (1/2 on Wednesday, 1/2 on Thursday), performing a chorus group item / song within the show, and the 5/6s performing as the major chorus groups and lead roles. Pop those dates in your diary!

2023 School Captains

We have now finalised our process for selecting our 2023 School Captains. It was a very comprehensive process, and I would like to congratulate all of the students who were involved. It was wonderful to see the students standing up in front of their peers, teachers and leadership delivering well-prepared and rehearsed speeches. The hard part was selecting the students for the positions as the calibre of students who applied was so high. All students are a credit to themselves, their families and the staff at our school.

It gives me great pleasure to announce that our 2023 School Captains and Vice Captains are:

Our student leaders are:

Congratulations to all students who have been successful in gaining a leadership role for 2023.

Student Book Packs

Just a reminder that the ordering details for the student book packs went home a few weeks ago.  Orders placed before 12th December to COS will be delivered to your home by 24^th December and receive free delivery. All students require their books for the first day of school.  In addition to their books students also require a sturdy set of headphones, library bag and art smock for the first week of school. Please name your child’s belongings clearly.

Have a great weekend.

See you at our Xmas Carols night this Tuesday 6th December…(weather permitting).

Leanne Jennings

Principal

2023 Parent Payment Information

2023 Parent Payment information was sent out last week. Click here to access a digital copy. The COS portal for book pack orders is now open. Login information is found in the Parent Payment information packs.

Orders placed before 12 December will be delivered to your home by 24th December. Orders placed before 9th January will be delivered to your home prior to Term 1 commencement.

Do you have a Health Care Card?

The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) helps eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities.

If you have a valid means-tested concession card, such as a Veterans Affairs Gold Card, Centrelink Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card, or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible. There is also a special consideration category for asylum seeker and refugee families.

Payment amounts this year are $125 for eligible primary school. Payments are made direct to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions and sporting activities for the benefit of your child.

You can download the form here.

Check with the school office if you are unsure, and please return completed forms to the school office as soon as possible.

Secondhand Uniform

We have tubs of secondhand school uniform available outside the Chaplain’s Office.

Name Your Belongings

We know you treasure your uniform and books. Please remember to label all uniform, books and belongings coming to school in 2022. Like most years, we had an incredible amount of lost property last year. The majority was unnamed, along with illegible tags. We would love lost items to boomerang back to your kids.

Cyber Safety Project

The Year 6 students have been participating in the Cyber Safety Project throughout this year. To complement the learning they have done, they took part in a whole class interactive Minecraft game, which focussed on digital citizenship, and explored the concepts of digital theft, media literacy, sharing and harassment. 

Students took turns playing the game, during which they had to navigate through different sections and collaboratively decide on which option was the correct one in an online world. Some of the challenges they faced were having to choose the most appropriate way of sharing information, whether that be a private or public post, and having someone constantly harassing them through a chat box. They also explored ways to deal with someone stealing their design and claiming it as their own. 

Students live, learn and work in an interconnected digital world, so it is important that they understand how to act in ways that are safe, legal and ethical. This interactive tool helped the students to learn a little more about how to do this, while having a lot of fun playing the game.

Grade 5 and 6 Surfing

On the 16^th of November the Year 5’s headed to Smith’s Beach for a day full of surfing, the Grade 6’s followed soon after on the 17^th of November. Though the weather wasn’t beautiful on either day, the Year 5 and 6’s made the most of the day. Students learnt all about water safety and specifically the water at Smith’s Beach, they then carried their boards down to the beach where they were taken through a lesson on how to surf. A big thank you to the surf school down at Smith’s Beach, the kids loved the day and the teachers loved watching the students progressing with their skills throughout the day! We look forward to bringing our Year 5 and 6’s next year!

Taylah Russell
Physical Education & Sport Coordinator

Student of the Week

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