Monday 28th November 2016 Dear parents and carers,

It’s incredible that we have less than a month of the school year to go.

We are coming up to the time of the year when we have many of our

celebrations. Check out the ‘What’s On’ section of the newsletter for

details and especially note the times which are changing this year due to

swimming lessons being in the last two weeks of school.

A fortnight ago, we opened the Whalan on Canvas art show to huge

crowds of parents, extended family and community members. Students

also had the opportunity to view the amazing artworks. Everyone I’ve

spoken to was inspired by the incredible artistic talent of our students.

I’d like to thank Mrs Galea for sharing her expertise with our students

along with the support and hard work of many of our teachers who

prepared the artworks for the exhibition.

Our art show was the talk of many educationalists within the

Department of Education as it was viewed by the Executive Director

Public Schools NSW, Jane Simmons and the Director of Eastern Creek,

Karen McSpeerin. Both were inspired by the show which featured

artworks by all students P-6. Congratulations to EVERYONE, you

made me feel extremely proud.

WHALAN PUBLIC SCHOOL Karangi Road, Whalan N.S.W 2770

Telephone: 02 9625 7757 02 9625 9038

Facsimile Number: 02 9832 2452

www.whalan-p.schools.nsw.edu.au

Our school is built on Darug land

Another achievement that filled me with pride was the recent graduation

of three of our parents who completed PaTCH training- Parents as

Teachers of Children. Congratulations Linda, Amber and Debbie, we

are very proud of you!

Mrs Polios

Relieving Principal

A Message from Ms Mac

The Department of Education has made some changes to our Support

unit classes for 2017. We will have 4 classes instead of 5. We will retain

our Early Intervention class, one of our IO classes and one of our IM

classes. The other IO class has been reclassified as a Multicategorical

class (MC). If you have any questions regarding these changes, please

contact Ms Mackenzie.

Tomorrow, many of our year 5 students will be delivering their 2017

leadership speeches. This will take place in the hall starting at 11.45am

and parents are welcome to attend. These students have been nominated

by their peers, parents and teachers. After the speeches, students in years

2-5 will vote for their preferred candidates. We wish all of the

candidates the very best throughout this process.

We still have some places for our Swim Scheme lessons which begin

next week. Spare notes are available from the office. Notes and money

must be returned as soon as possible.

Ms Mac

Relieving Deputy Principal

KC KC has been investigating

how objects move and the

forces that help them

move. We investigated

how to make paper rockets fly

and we discussed the force that

is needed to help them move.

We came to the conclusion that

air could make them move.

We have made predictions about

how far a paper rocket will go

when we blow air through a straw.

We tested our predictions by

making the rockets and testing

how forcefully we had to blow

through a straw to get the

rocket to fly. We found when we blew

through the straw it pushed the rocket off the

straw and made it fly, but it only went a few steps.

We tried making the straws shorter.

This method worked for some

students others students had to

blow more forcefully to get their

rockets to fly more than two steps.

Medal Recipients Celebration

When: Friday 2 December

Where: Plough and Harrow,

Western Sydney Parklands

Time: 9.30am – 3.00pm

Parents are welcome to join us but will have

to make their own way there.

All students who earn a medal up to

and including Wednesday 30

November will be invited to the

celebration at Plough and Harrow.

Students who earn their medal after

Wednesday 30 November will still receive their medal but will not be

able to attend this celebration.

November / December

Week 8, Term 4

Tuesday 29th Nov 2017 School leader speeches - 11.45am

K&1 assembly – Books in Homes Led by School Leaders – 2.00pm

Wednesday 30th Nov Deadly Awards – 12.45pm

Thursday 1st Dec Combined Scripture Assembly – 9.15am

Friends of Whalan morning tea – 11.00am

Friday 2nd Dec Medal Recipients celebration

Week 9, Term 4

Monday 5th Dec Swim Scheme begins (2 weeks) Support Unit classes – 11.00 – 11.45am

Mainstream classes – 11.45 – 12.30pm

Tuesday 6th Dec High School Orientation Day

Variety Club

Wednesday 7th Dec Presentation Day (Yr 2-6) – 9.00am

Thursday 8th Dec Presentation Day (K & 1) – 9.15am

Friday 9th Dec Sports Presentation – 9.00am

Week 10, Term 4

Monday 12th Dec Swim Scheme continues Support Unit classes – 11.00 – 11.45am

Mainstream classes – 11.45 – 12.30pm

Reports and Yearbook come home

Tuesday 13th Dec P&C meeting – 9.30am

Wednesday 14th Dec Year 6 Graduation – 9.15am

Year 6 Farewell – 5.15 – 8.30pm

Thursday 15th Dec Christmas Carols

Pizza with Mrs Polios

Friday 16th Dec Swim Scheme ends Support Unit classes – 11.00 – 11.45am

Mainstream classes – 11.45 – 12.30pm

School Fun Day

Last day for students in 2016

End of Year Library Reminders

This week students from Kindergarten to Year 6

will receive a Books in Homes book to take

home, read, enjoy and keep. Thanks to our P&C

for sponsoring this program in our school. The book will have your

student's name written on a Books in Homes sticker inside the front

cover .

Library borrowing has finished for the year and by

the end of next week , all library books must be

returned to the library. Students will be given notices

for overdue books and if books are not returned or an

explanation given, then a follow up letter will be sent

home. Please help your children to look for any books they have

forgotten to return.

“Twilight Tales” can still be borrowed this week but by

the end of next week they all need to be returned to the

classroom. Our students at Whalan are always very

enthusiastic about borrowing books and now need to

remember to return them all before the end of Week 9...that's next week!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Help Needed!! Our Library has lots of new books, dictionaries and

atlases which need to be covered in contact before they can be put

on the shelves ready for next year. If you are interested in helping

our school in this way, please call in to see Mrs Emmett in the

library before or after school this week to arrange a time to help.

PaTCH Graduation

During Term 3 and 4, Debbie, Linda and Amber participated in the

PaTCH course to become well-educated volunteers in our kindergarten

classrooms.

Their smiles, energy and passion to learn has been inspiring to many

staff and students. We thank them for devoting their time to help our

younger students improve in literacy and numeracy.

Last week Debbie, Linda and Amber graduated PaTCH. The graduation

was held at Emerton PS with eight other graduates from Oxley Park PS,

Bidwill PS and Emerton PS.

Congratulations to our 3 caring volunteers and we look forward to

seeing your happy faces in our classrooms in 2017.

What does our school attendance look like now?

The bar represents 100%. The shading represents what our school

percentage for attendance is now, after 181 days of school (85.6%)

If every child attended every day over the next 10 days

our school attendance rate would jump by a whopping 1.1%

Attendance Information

Over the last fortnight our school attendance rate has dropped and we

unfortunately sit in the 85% zone. Remember there is a lot of exciting

events happening at school over the next fortnight, so you do not want

to be away and miss participating in these!

76

78

80

82

84

86

88

90

Kindergarten Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Support Unit

Remember, that we are

also giving away

Wet n Wild passes at the

end of the year.

Every child who has had

less than ‘5 whole days

and less than 5 partial

absences’ for the year will

go in the draw for one of these passes!

We will present the 4 Wet n Wild passes at our

Christmas assembly on 15 December

Term 4 Week 6

Best attending classes

Term 4 Week 7

Best attending classes

KC 88% KC 89%

KK 93% KK 81%

KA 85% KA 87%

1W 91% 1W 93% 1T 92% 1T 93% 1/2S 87% 1/2S 79%

K-6M 83% K-6M 86%

2/3K 90% 2/3K 90%

2/3N 80% 2/3N 85%

2/3R 89% 2/3R 84%

3/4C 91% 3/4C 92%

4B 92% 4B 92%

5/6L 91% 5/6L 84%

5/6K 91% 5/6K 95%

K-6K 94% K-6K 83%

3-6T 89% 3-6T 92%

3-6F 89% 3-6F 89%

Congratulations

KK and K-6K!

Congratulations

1W, 1T and 5/6K!

Congratulations to the following students, who have earned 5

Connected Certificates and are on the way to a Whalan Medal. They

are also eligible for a prize:

1T – Edward Clottin

2/3K – Jimmy Kelekolio; Jakobi Clegg; Saia Fatai

3/4C – Lesieli Fakaosilea; Zak Donnelly; Moana Appleby; Dion

Coleman

3-6T – Natasha Cauchi; Rebecca Carlin; Ibanez Zamora; William

Rose; Jeremiah Allen; Michael Evans-Grinham

4B – Harlen Cage

5/6L – Malia Vatikani Mataele

When students receive 10 Connected Certificates, they are eligible for

a medal. At that time, they will complete their Whalan Medal goals

form. The completed form and the 10 Connected Certificates are given

to the Principal for approval. Upon approval, the student is awarded

their Whalan Medal at one of our assemblies.

You’ve earned a Whalan Medal!

Students who earn a Whalan Medal

will receive their medal at one of our

fortnightly assemblies.

Angelica Castro Usman Anwar

Mohmoad Guled Mikaere Rangi

Kade Martin Catherine Griffiths

Ayrha Angeles Tarneka-Lee Gough

Solomon Farrell Angeleah Finau

Zeinab Al Assadi Athina Triandafillidis Sonny Farrell

Meletoa Sii Sika Malia Vatikani-Mataele Jesse Kruse Serita

Gaualofa Seanice Gough Chelsea Dale

Emily Hadden Tyler Buist Ashton Pollard

Jeremiah Siitia Nathanael Fakaosilea Elina Sika

Rikki Jones Kiana Hillebrand Mrkus Angla

Aaron Marks Jason Lansdowne Georgia Davis

Courtney Lee Tamika-Pearl Nisa-Blake Reece Lee

Linkin Hillebrand Coralie Currey-Guymer Alyssa Hodge

Kahtell Petersen Makaela Prendergast Lilith Dartnell

Ava Edwards Keara Blackie Natalie Lee

Natasha Cauchi Josephine Jones-Jeffress Dana Gordon

Taylor Martin Lesieli Fakaosilea Harmony Sautia

Tahlia James Jaidee Churchouse Dionte Etuale

Xavier Seinafo Elijah Nisa-Blake Aiden Horton

Bejuroo Cutmore Ezequiel Paladino Tia Grace

Umar Anwar Charles Cutmore Ricky Martin

Kai Rule Typeka Ngavaevae Rebecca Carlin

Taha Alam Matthew Biulailai

Baked lime & Cumin Chicken

Serves: 6 at home or 25 tastes

Fresh from the garden: herbs, limes

Equipment: Ingredients:

3 small baking dishes 500g chicken breast or thigh – cut into 2cm pieces

Chopping board Handful of parsley – finely chopped

Knife 2 cloves of garlic

Measuring spoon pinch of salt and pepper

Large bowl 1 tblsp of Cumin seeds

Juicer 1 lime – zested and juiced

Mortar and pestle 1 onion or shallots – finely diced

2 tblsp extra virgin olive oil

What to do: Pre heat oven to 210°C

Cut chicken into 2cm pieces and place in the large mixing bowl

Peel the garlic and put it into the mortar and pestle along with the cumin seeds and pound until fine

Add to the chicken

Zest 1 whole lime and add to the chicken. Juice the lime and add to the chicken

Finely chop and tear the parsley (not the stems) and add to the chicken along with the extra virgin olive

oil

Peel and dice the onion/shallots and also add to the chicken. Toss all the ingredients gently

Spray each baking dish with canola spray

Divide chicken mixture evenly between each baking dish, cover with foil and bake for 20 mins or until

the chicken is cooked through

Remove foil and serve in baking dishes, place on the dining tables with serving spoons

You may sprinkle with parsley if you have extra

Balsamic Roasted garden vegetables

Serves: 30 tastes or 6 serves

Fresh from the garden: Potatoes, pumpkin, shallots, onion

Equipment: Ingredients:

Chopping board 4 or 5 potatoes (skin on and cut into 3cm pieces)

Large saucepan large piece of pumpkin (skin on and cut into 3cm pieces)

Large baking dish shallots (if available – cut into 2cm pieces)

Knife 1-2 onions (peeled and cut into bite size pieces)

Measuring spoons handful of mixed fresh herbs (chopped or torn finely)

3 serving plates 4-6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Large spoon 1 ½ tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

What to do: Preheat oven to 200°C

Chop all the potato and pumpkin into 3cm pieces, put into the large saucepan and cover with water.

Cook until just soft

Cut the onions and shallots

Drizzle the olive oil in the bottom of the baking dish, add the onions and shallots

Drain the cooked potatoes and pumpkin, add these to the baking dish

Chop all the herbs and remove the stems. Sprinkle over all the vegetables

Drizzle the rest of the oil over all the vegetables. Toss very gently then cover with foil

Bake in the oven for about 20-30 minutes until golden brown

Take vegetables out of the oven and drizzle balsamic vinegar over all the vegetables. Toss gently with a

spoon

Divide evenly onto 3 serving plates

Place on the dining table with a serving spoon

Apple and Sultana Crumble

Serves: 15 tastes or 6 serves

Fresh from the garden:

Equipment: Ingredients:

Peeler Canola spray

Measuring cups and spoons 8 apples

Medium saucepan ½ cup of sultanas

Chopping board 3 tblsp of caster sugar

Knife 5 tblsp water

3 small baking dishes 1 cup of muesli or oats

Wooden spoon ½ cup of brown sugar

Medium bowl 90g butter (chopped at room temperature)

½ cup plain flour

What to do: Preheat oven to 180°C.

Grease the baking dishes with canola spray

Peel, core and dice the apples into 2cm pieces

Place the diced apples, sultanas, caster sugar and water in a medium saucepan

Cover the saucepan and cook for 5 minutes until the apples start to soften, stirring once or twice only

over a medium heat

Uncover and remove the saucepan from the heat, set aside to cool for 5 minutes. Be careful not to

overcook the apples

Spoon the slightly cooled apple mixture into 3 baking dishes making sure to divide the mixture evenly

To make the crumble topping –

- Combine the muesli/oats, brown sugar and flour in a medium bowl

- Rub the butter in with your fingertips until the mixture is crumbly

- Sprinkle the crumble over all three apple dishes

Bake in the oven for 10 minutes until golden

Serve straight on the table in the baking dishes

Classes in 2017

Draft classes for 2017 are usually formed towards the end of this term

in preparation for the new school year. The classes may change if

there are changes in enrolments when school starts in 2017. Please

return the information slip attached if:

• Your family is definitely moving and your children won’t return to

Whalan Public School in 2017.

• Your family will be on holidays and may return after Term 1, 2017

begins.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Return to office

Movement of families in 2017

Family Name:

Child/ Children’s names and classes:

________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

My child/ children will not need a class place at Whalan Public

School in 2017.

My child/ children will return after school begins in 2017 due to

extended holidays/ travel overseas.

Date of return:

Signed: (Parent/Carer)

(Please return the note to the school office)