Only 8 days left in the school year.  We have so much to fit in between now and the end of the year.  Students will be receiving reports, there will be our first whole school celebration and Year 6 Graduation.  Firstly though is our Step Up Day on Tuesday.

Step Up Day

On Tuesday students will be meeting their teachers for 2024.  We are yet to employ a teacher in one of our Prep classes, but all other teachers will be in attendance and we look forward to the day.  Year 6s who are not going to their Secondary School are still able to come to school if you wish and they will assist other students in the first two hours.  Our transition goes for 2 hours and will begin in the gym at 8.55am.  Please note that grades will not be changed after this day as they have been finely balanced.  All of our new Preps will be in on this day as well.

Whole School Celebration and Awards Night

We will have our whole school celebration on Monday 18th December from 4pm on our school oval.  We will have a few food trucks and a coffee van and ice cream truck for you to get your dinner or a snack.  Please ensure that you keep young children with you throughout the performances.  All students will be sitting with their grades and will perform at some stage.  It is $5 per student to participate.  This is an event that has been subsidised by the School.  We ask that you bring chairs or a picnic blanket and possibly some insect repellent and sunscreen.  It is an alcohol free event.  Anyone with alcohol will be asked to leave.  Please ensure you stay for the duration of the night.  It will finish no later than 6.30pm.  If it rains we will hold the event in the gym.

End of Year

We finish School for the year on Wednesday 20th December at 12.30pm.  Please ensure you have made arrangements for your child to be picked up.

New Teachers

We welcome Ms Tiffany Matthewman, Mr Scott Bartlett, Ms Jazmin Bencich, Ms Lucy Bull, Mr Julian Cassano, Mr Victor Pody, Mrs Kathy Aliste, Mr Matthew Fenech, Ms Rebecca Larkins, Ms Rebecca Tsopanis, Mr Sargon Barkho and Mr Casey MacLean.  I think that is everyone, however we still have a couple of appointments to make before the new year!  It is a very long list of new staff that we will be welcoming in 2024.

Have a great weekend

Darryl Spiteri

Principal

Canteen

Due to a staffing shortage, the canteen will unfortunately be closed on Wednesday 13th December.  However, it will be open on Friday 15th December.

Week 10 – The canteen will be open Tuesday 12th December, Thursday 14th December & Friday 15th December.

Week 11 – During the last week of school, the canteen will be open on Tuesday 19th December and on Wednesday 20th December (Recess only/last day of school). 

Thank you

Christmas Raffle Reminder

The deadline for the return of tickets and money is Friday 15th December.

However, you are welcome to return this sooner and thank you to those who have already done so.

Money can also be paid by EFTPOS at the office or over the phone if easier.

PLEASE REMEMBER to put a name and contact number on the sold tickets. If there is no name/number, we may have to do a redraw.

End of Year Celebration

Our Learning in Art

During Term 4, grade 1-5 students have been immersed in the Art and life of Vincent Van Gogh, from the ‘Starry Night’ to his beautiful Sunflowers. To follow is an overview of the skills and techniques the students have been learning to create their very own masterpieces.

Prep – Students have been learning about Van Goghs Sunflowers and they have been introduced to techniques such as, sketching, colour blocking, shading, cutting and designing paper flowers to complete their sunflower drawings.

Year 1/2 – Students have been learning to draw Van Goghs Sunflowers through directional drawing. They have been learning the art of sketching a design and introduced to oil pastels and blending colours to simulate the bold and bright colours of Van Gogh’s Sunflowers. They have also learnt to incorporate a range of different mediums and how to use them in one design. The 1/2 students have also been experimenting with drawing Anime cartoons.

Year 3/4 – Students have been using a range of mediums to re-create a version of Van Goghs ‘Starry Night’. They have been using oil pastels, to create the bold and bright lines of the land and swirls of the sky, and they have incorporated and designed paper houses using POSCA pens, to add a different and unique addition to the design.

Year 5 – Students have been designing a replica from Van Goghs ‘Starry night’. They have used oil pastel, crayon, and pencil. The students followed a directional drawing process to sketch the design and then learnt to blend the pastels to create depth and used bold lines, shade and created perspective in their designs.

I am very proud of the level of work created by all students during this special task.

Year 6 – Legacy ‘Bollard’ project: The year 6 students have been working on a special legacy project, that will be designed on wooden bollards. This task has taken the whole term to research, sketch and design, ready to paint on the bollards. The students are currently finishing this amazing task that will be installed into the garden to remember our first grade 6 students at Thornhill Park Primary School.

Smiling Mind – Meditation App

Smiling Mind is a web and app-based program encouraging users of all ages to use meditation to improve their mental health and general wellbeing. It has been developed by psychologists and educators to help bring balance to people’s lives. The program can be used in classrooms with young children, or at home by parents.

Ideas for using this resource.

Just as we promote eating well and keeping fit for a healthy life, meditation is about mental health and looking after the mind. Young people deal with the pressure, stress and challenges of daily life. This program can help with sleep, wellbeing, managing emotions, concentration and school behaviour including dealing with bullying.

Smiling Mind programs and the discussions they promote also assist with:

• stress management

• increased resilience

• increased creativity

• better decision making

• a sense of calm, clarity and contentment

Smiling Mind can be download on iTunes or Android

PRIMARY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE

Going to school every day is the single most important part of your child’s education. Students learn new things at school every day – missing school puts them behind.

If your child is sick or absent, you are required to notify school as soon as possible on the day of absence using one of the following methods:

1. Online: log the absence directly using Compass.
2. Telephone: the school office and let the staff know your child’s name, class, date of absences and reason.

Notifying the school of your child’s absence either prior to, or on the day that they will be away, helps ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and will fulfil your legal responsibility.

Why do I need to notify the school if my child is absent?

Schools need to know when and why a child is absent and you need to know if your child isn’t at school.

If your child is absent on a particular day and you have not contacted the school to explain why, the absence will be marked as unexplained.

This system also promotes daily school attendance. Going to school every day is the single most important part of your child’s education, they learn new things every day – missing school puts them behind.

 What is your responsibility?

You are legally required to ensure your child attends school every day or you must provide an explanation for their absence. You should let the school know in advance of any upcoming absences or let them know in the morning if your child won’t be at school. Avoid making routine medical and dental appointments during the school day or planning family holidays during the term.

Recognising great attendance and punctuality.

Our attendance target is 96%.  Each week, we reward the class with the highest attendance (which includes getting to school on time!), with our school mascot, Ripwell in their classroom for the week.

Week Ending: 1st December

Congratulations to 34C , who had the best classroom attendance for the week ending 1st December

Week Ending: 8th December

Congratulations to  34C, who had the best classroom attendance for the week ending 8th December

Congratulations to the following students who received awards during our assemblies!

Keep up the great work!

Students of the Week – Ending 1/12

Students of the Week – Ending 8/12

Congratulations to the following students who are celebrating a birthday in November & December!

We hope you had a lovely day!

Nethaniah 12E

Jasmine 12C

Kuol 34D

John 12D

Jenny 34B

Dhanvi Sri PA

Liem 34A

Aeran PC

Mason 12B

Blake 12D

Riley PD

Ayaan 56C

Caleb 34A

Aditya 34A

Vibhath PA

Sophia 12B

Isaac 12D

Kultaaj 34C

Bereket 5/6A

George PC

Pita 12A

Gloria 56B

Mehtab 12B

Aroohi 34A

Gurleen PD

Lavanya PD

Melina 12D

Taj 12E

Marziya 34A

Aaliyah 34D

Emily PD

Hoorain 12A

Agam 34A

Menaal 34C

Sean 56C

Ekam 12E

Jaxon 34C

Isak PC

Tina 5/6A

Zacharia 12C

School Term 4

Monday 2nd October 2023 – Wednesday 20th December 2023

Tuesday 12th December – Whole School 2024 Transition – 8:40am -10:45am

Thursday 14th December – Prep Excursion to Animal Land

Thursday 14th December – Year 6 Graduation

Monday 18th December – Whole School Presentations and Bushwahzee

Wednesday 20th December – Last Day of Term – 12:30pm Finish