NEWSLETTER N0.16
PRINCIPAL’S REPORT
BETTER BUDDY DAY Wow – what a great feature in Tuesday‟s Herald Sun on page 52. As you would know, Berwick Lodge P.S. has developed a close partnership with the Alannah & Madeline Foundation – thanks are due to Jodie Norton, our School Council President and Debbie Cusack, one of our Assistant Principals, for the leadership they have shown in building this partnership. Students at our school are the Better Buddy Student Ambassadors for Victoria – quite an honour. Ben, year 6, and Jackson, Prep, were featured in the full page colour poster on page 52 in
Tuesday‟s Herald Sun. Grant, year 4, is also an ambassador, though he missed out on the photo. June is National Buddy Day with students all over Australia engaging in the Better Buddy Handshake – a symbolic gesture of friendliness, respect, valuing difference, including others and responsibility. 10th ANNIVERSARY OF KAMBRYA COLLEGE Last Friday I had the pleasure of attending the 10th Anniversary celebrations of Kambrya College as a guest of Michael Muscat, College Principal. I was very impressed with the progress Kambrya College has made in just 10 years – having experienced
31ST MAY 2012
firsthand both the excitement and challenges that face school communities when starting from scratch. They have much of which they can be proud. As is the case whenever I visit local secondary schools, I was thrilled to catch up with some of our former students, speak with them and see how well they are growing up. Principals never tire of seeing their students doing well. Michael Muscat is forging strong links with schools in China and we have agreed to meet in Term 3 to discuss ways in which our two schools can together capitalise on our respective international educational links and interest in Asian Studies and LOTE. Continued….
FRIDAY 8TH JUNE 2012 CURRICULUM DAY NO STUDENTS REQUIRED TO ATTEND SCHOOL
PRINCIPAL’S REPORT COMTINUED…... THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT We have survived our first week in our temporary administration facilities and there have been no big dramas we‟ll keep our fingers crossed! Thank you everyone for your support and patience in these somewhat difficult times and thank you to those parents who have given us valuable feedback on areas that we could improve. Our PA system remains our bogey at the moment – we have contracted a specialist technician to see what can be done on a temporary basis. He will be here on our Curriculum Day, Friday 8th June when the children will be away as he will need to undertake quite a bit of testing of the system. Hopefully this will give us some respite from the inconsistencies in the volume and quality of sound until the system is relocated and replaced in the school holidays. UPDATE ON CHANGES TO THE EDUCATION MAINTENANCE ALLOWANCE (EMA) In last week‟s newsletter I explained the changes our state government is making to the EMA funding model for schools and the impact this would have on our school. I also mentioned that Sue Peddleson, Principal, Gleneagles S.C. and Vicki Walters, Principal, Fountain Gate S.C. were coordinating a campaign among local government schools in protest at the cuts. You may have noticed in last weekend‟s Sunday Age, a feature article and editorial that were very critical of these changes. This week Sue Peddleson has arranged for the Berwick News to cover this story and I understand that in this week‟s edition the story is being profiled on page 1, complete with photos of 5 local principals in support of the campaign – Sue Peddleson, John Hurley, Jenny Scott, Kathy Sharp and me. In addition, I have written an opinion piece on the issue, titled, „EMA funding cuts don’t add up’ which the Berwick News is publishing. This issue is one which concerns us all very much and if you have an opinion on it, Cameron Houston at The Sunday Age would welcome your feedback. His email address is chouston@theage.com.au ENJOY This is my last newsletter report this term as I will be on leave for the last four weeks of term. I am looking forward to my overseas trip, and as I won‟t get the chance before the end of term – do enjoy the forthcoming break and I look forward to seeing many of you at our first assembly next term. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Q. Is our refurbishment project still on schedule to start on or about the Queen’s Birthday weekend? A. Yes! QUOTABLE QUOTE ‘It’s quite ironic that of all the things we are best at finding – scapegoats invariably head the list’
HENRY GROSSEK DIARY DATES Friday 1st June Monday 4th June Wednesday 6th June
5/6 Interschool Winter Sport (away) Berwick Secondary College Transition Program Power of One Casey North Divisional Cross Country Wednesday 13th June 5/6 Lightning Premiership Thursday 14th June Prep Fire Safe Kids Monday 18th -Wednesday 20thJune 5/6 Sovereign Hill Camp 5C, 6P, & 6W Wednesday 20th - Friday 22nd June 5/6 Sovereign Hill Camp 5D, 5T, 6K, & 6N Thursday 2nd August Australian Mathematics Competition
NOTICES DUE BACK Friday 1st June Tuesday 5th June Wednesday 6th June Thursday 7th June Friday 15th June
Prep - 2 Swimming Power of One Casey North Divisional Cross Country 5/6 Camp Balance Somers Camp 3/4 Camp Rumbug Deposit Chocolates/ Money
ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS’ REPORT A REMINDER TO FAMILIES THAT FRIDAY 8TH JUNE IS A REPORT WRITING DAY AND STUDENTS ARE NOT REQUIRED AT SCHOOL.
range of buddy activities which will include the sharing of the secret handshake. We will also have some special visitors from the Alannah and Madeline Foundation and possibly some media attention.
areas of the playground have become quite muddy and at times we have had numerous students returning to class in a very muddy state. We regularly remind ‘STEP INTO PREP’ the students to be mindful of where Plans are well underway for our they are playing, and there are Step Into Prep information evening occasions when we make the th to be held on Wednesday 13 June decision to ban access to grassed at 7:00PM. If you are aware of any areas. Could you please reiterate families with preschool children who with your children the need to show may like to attend this some common sense when playing evening, please encourage outdoors in Winter. them to contact the school to register their interest. MICHAEL GROSE – INSIGHTS Our existing families are This week we have included an also reminded that we are Insight Article from Michael Grose now accepting Prep entitled „Kids shine with tough love enrolments for 2013. parenting‟. This topic has been in Enrolment forms may be the news this week and we hope collected from the school office. If that families will read and give you would like enrolment forms consideration to some of the ideas sent home with a current student within. please contact the office. LYNNE BRENNER &
NATIONAL BUDDY DAY Tomorrow all students will celebrate National Buddy Day. Our school has been nominated as the Victorian Ambassador School for the Alannah and Madeline Foundation Better Buddy Program. In recognition of this day a „secret handshake‟ has been created for the children to share with their buddies and was the focus of a poster, in the Herald Sun on Tuesday of this week, featuring two of our student buddies sharing the handshake. To celebrate the PLAYGROUND CONDITIONS DEBBIE CUSACK day we are asking our children to With recent wet weather grassed wear purple and participate in a
SCHOOL AWARDS Congratulations to the following students who received awards over the last week: Matilda PW
Luke PW
Thomas PW Jordan PS Isabella PM
Brianna PW
The final camp payment is due by Wednesday 6th June 2012. Thank you Jackie Pope Event Coordinator
Tyler PS
Max PM Emelia PK
Thank you to the 5/6 parents who have been paying for the Sovereign Hill Camp.
Abdul PK
Teacher Strike Parents will be notified next Tuesday regarding the impact of the teacher strike that will be held on Thursday 7th June 2012
If you were unable to attend the Grade 3/4 Camp Information Evening last Wednesday night and you would like to be a parent helper, please collect an expression of interest form from the office. These forms are due back along with the Camp deposit payment by Thursday 7th June 2012. 3/4 Team
Science Hits the Senior School In recognition of Education Week last week the children in grades 5 and 6 focussed on developing their knowledge around a science theme. The children thoroughly enjoyed their experiences and have shared some of them with you here. It was such a success that we are looking forward to the following sessions that these ones have kick-started. Stay tuned! Static Electricity
On the Friday 25th May 2012, Grades 6W and 6K conducted experiments on static electricity. Aim: To see how static electricity works. Materials: Balloon, carpet (If needed), head of long hair. Predictions: I think that the balloon will attract the hair after being rubbed on your head. Experiment: 1. Blow up the balloon to a medium size. 2. Rub the balloon on your head (or carpet). 3. Raise the balloon slowly away from your head, keeping it close to your head. 4. Observe. Result: The balloon attracted the hair because of the positive and negative charges. By Cooper 6W
Making Oobleck "On the Monday 28th May Grade 5D make Oobleck. I thought it was really fun. We were split into groups and I was with Alex and Meryn. When we were making the goo, Miss D put too much food colouring in it. The colouring stuck to our hands and made them green even though I had washed my hands. When I picked up a handful of the Oobleck, it felt rubbery and gooey at the same time. When I started to squeeze the Oobleck, it went hard like a rock. But when I stopped squeezing the Oobleck, it turned watery and gooey. The Oobleck behaves like a solid and a liquid at the same time." By Amy 5D
Process of Change In Grade 6N last week students experimented with white vinegar, bicarbonate soda and raisins to observe and record the process of change. The students successfully made raisins dance up and down in their containers without touching the raisins! They can also explain why this happens in scientific terms!!
Jack and Matt M (6N) exploring the process of change.
Jade and Shenelle (6N) preparing to make raisins dance!
Static Electricity As part of Education Week, 6K and 6W investigated protons and electrons and static electricity. Amongst many other things, the students of 6K and 6W discovered that when you rub a balloon on your head/ hair, the contact between your hair and the balloon allows electrons to be transferred. This is known as the triboelectric effect. Coby, a student from 6K said, “I really enjoyed the activity. It was fun and I learnt lots of new things…” Mark from the same class commented, “It was fun and fantastic! I would really like to do these activities again.” Reece and Matt from 6K echoed the same thing and Ebony humorously In this photo, Callum and concluded with, “It was a Liam from 6K demonstrate „hair-raising‟ experience! the triboelectric effect. It was both very exciting and funny!” Mr Kelly
Changing Flowers Aim- The aim is to find out what would happen to a white flower if you put food dye in the water it is in. Hypothesis- My prediction was that the flower would change colour. Equipment/Materials White flowers Water Cups Food colouring Method 1. Fill each cup with water. 2. Add 5 drops of food colouring to each cup of water. 3. Place a flower in each cup of water. 4. Leave the flowers overnight. Observation- After leaving the flower overnight I went to see the flowers and they had turned green. Wow! Conclusion- At the end of the experiment my prediction was right. The flower had changed colour, this is because the flower needs water so the flower drank the water with the food colouring and then the flower changed colour! By Kayla Weber
Oobleck On the Friday 25th May, 5C made Oobleck for Education week and it made a real mess but we all enjoyed it happily. We all got into groups and made Oobleck. When we started mixing it felt revolting. It was very smelly too. When we picked it up and squeezed it the Oobleck became hard but we let go, it trickled down our hands. We also got to pick a colour, which were red, blue, green and yellow. We all thought it was fun but in the end there was a lot of mess!
By Tharushi 5C
On Wednesday 23rd May 5T had a Science Day! On the day we participated in lots of interesting experiments. One of the experiments was Oobleck. Oobleck is a green goo that is a replicate of quicksand. We put a nail in the Oobleck and it sunk straight to the bottom like quicksand. Then we played around with the Oobleck and afterwards our hands turned green. I had a lot of fun playing around with Oobleck and I hope we can do it again! Science is fun and is a very interesting topic to learn. I hope we can learn more Science in the future! Brodie 5T On Wednesday 23rd of May we had a Science Day. We did lots of cool stuff like making Oobleck, making quicksand and Chocolate Crackles. Oobleck is very fun to make. The instructions are easy to follow. When I hold the Oobleck it turned from a solid to a liquid. We learnt that Oobleck is a unique substance which is both a solid and a liquid. After that we made Chocolate Crackles, it was fun. We did this in small groups. We used copha which was a solid, we melted it and it became a liquid and then when we mixed it with the rice bubbles, it turned into a solid when it hardened. Then we got to eat and it was DELICIOUS and chocolaty. Science is very fun and cool. I love to do science with all of 5T! Suvi 5T
HAVE YOU CHANGED YOUR ADDRESS OR PHONE NUMBER? Please ensure you let the school office know if you have changed address or updated mobile phones with new numbers. This information alleviates stressful situations on students when they are ill and we cannot contact parents
Teach Your Child the Following Types if Thinking (Self-Talk) Setting Goals: It is good to do my best work. Planning my Time: It is good not to waste time. It is good to be on time for things. Listening Carefully: It is important to listen to my parent and teacher extra carefully when he/she is explaining something important. Take Care of Things: „I need to put things in their proper places. I need to clean up and be neat.‟
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COMMUNITY ADVERTISING HOST A FAMILY Thousands of volunteer families have enjoyed hosting a visiting teenager from another country. Many of them come back every year and host again. By opening their home and hearts, to an international exchange student, families can also: Make a life long link to a family in another country Learn about another culture Share the beauty of Australia and our culture Gain a new family member Contribute to International goodwill Develop a friendship that will last for many years Our students bring with them their own spending money, health insurance and a wonderful attitude and desire to learn about their new host country. The whole family….and relatives and friends….will grow and learn as they all get to know their new „son‟ or „daughter‟ from another land. All students have at least basic levels of English, would attend a school in your local area and live the life of a local. Our group of students cover a wide variety of interests and hobbies. If you would like to provide your students, parents or language/music teachers with further information on our inbound students you can also download some student profiles in PDF Format. This is just a small sample of all the students who will be arriving. Our staff members will be happy to discuss which student might be best suited to a family. Hosting an exchange student can be a truly rewarding experience. It allows a family to experience a foreign culture first hand, be exposed to a new language and pass on a bit of our own culture. They might even make a friend for life! Student Exchange Australia New Zealand is a not-for-profit secondary exchange organisation which is registered with education & regulatory authorities in each State and Territory. You can find out more about our organisation by visiting www.studentexchange.org.au.
Q: What do Britney Spears, Guy Sebastian and Christina Aguilera have in common? A: They all started out singing in their local choir. Free Trial Rehearsal Berwick Youth Choir 5-11 year olds 4.30-6.00pm, 12-20 year olds 5.30-7.30pm Valid for any Wednesday in Term 2, 2012 Why join the Berwick Youth Choir? It provides a fun and educational environment for kids aged 6 to 20 It has a strong musical training program Affordability and great value for money Many performance opportunities The Berwick Youth Choir rehearses in the beautiful, historic arts hub of The Old Cheese Factory in Berwick on Wednesdays from 4.30pm. For more information contact the Manager, Fiona Seers on 0408 515 699 or admin@berwickyouthchoir.com.au
NARRE WARREN-BERWICK BLUE LIGHT DISCO BERWICK LEISURE CENTRE, MANUKA ROAD, BERWICK SATURDAY 2nd June 2012 For Students in years 4, 5, 6, 7, & 8 only Times 6:00pm to 10:00pm COST: $10.00 Any enquires to Narre Warren Police Station 9705 3111