We are now taking

enrolments for

Kindergarten 2018

Please ring or call in at the office

to place your child’s name on our

list. If you know of any pre-

schoolers in your area please

pass this message on to them.

Gabe

Congratulations to Abbie B, Flynn C, Tianna H, Mia A, Grace R & Alexander C

43-45 Charles Street, Blackalls Park 2283 Phone: 4959 1213 Fax: 4950 4913

Web: www.blackallpk-p.schools.nsw.edu.au Email: blackallpk-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Public School

Kindergarten 2018

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Woolworths Earn and Learn program has started. Our school is taking part again

this year so please collect your stickers. You can drop them into the box at the

front office or the box at Woolworths marked Blackalls Park P. S. Thank you

What’s on at

B.P.P.S. ____________________

Wednesday 16th August

Science Excursion Wed 16th – 18th August

Myuna Bay – Yr 4 Full payment due by Friday 11th August

Friday 18th August

Band 8.15am

KA Interviews

Senior Netball Gala Day

Monday 21st August

Tennis Tuesday 22nd August

Dance Wednesday 23rd August

Newcastle Permanent Maths Competition

Thursday 24th August

Book Parade/Book Fair 12:30pm

Friday 25th August

Band 8.15am Thursday 31st August

OPSM vision testing Kinder, Yr 1 & Yr 6

__________________________

4th – 6th September

Central NSW – Yrs 5 & 6 Full payment due by Wednesday 30th August

It is lovely to be back after my long service leave – I had a great

holiday but missed everyone. A special thank you must go to Ms

Wotherspoon-Brown for all her hard work leading the school

while I was gone.

Although 2018 seems a long way off we are starting organisation

for 2018. The department has already asked us to submit our

Kindergarten numbers for 2018 and this will have an effect on

our staffing. If you have any children of your own who will be

starting school next year please check with Mrs Cowburn that

their name is on our list; if you have any friends or neighbours

who have children starting school next year please pass this

message on to them. At this stage we have a number of out of

zone applications and we can only accept them if the places

aren’t needed for local children. At times this seems like a “crystal

ball” activity!

This week is an exciting time for Year 4 as they head off to

Myuna Bay for their first overnight excursion. Apart from lots of

fun, exciting activities our students will be involved in a great

learning experience. I understand that Mr Mileham and Mr

Kuczer have already had everyone practising their paddling skills!

Later this term we will be sending home notes about parent

teacher interviews. We have found, over the last couple of

years, that written reports at the end of Terms 2 and 4 and face

to face interviews at the end of Terms 1 and 3 works best. We

would really like to see everyone – educating your child is a team

activity.

Congratulations to all our Zone Athletics Carnival

representatives. You were excellent school ambassadors. We

had some excellent performances with a couple of our students

being selected to represent Westlakes Zone at the Hunter Region

Carnival – a real achievement.

Don’t forget that Book Week will be happening next week. We

will be celebrating with our usual parade at 12:30pm and Mrs

Cashin has a Book Fair organised for the library.

Merrita Jeffrey

Principal

OPSM –Kinder, Year 1 & Year 6 Students from the above years are asked to return their permission forms for this free test by Friday.

Awards for Term 3 - Week 4

The Act of Kindness Award Term 3 Week 4 went to

Lara M for helping a friend.

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This swimming program is now full, with 65 students attending. The cost is $65. Most people have paid their $20 deposit, can you please pay the remaining $45 by Wednesday 6th September. _______________________________________________________________________________________

Merit Certificates You Can Do It! Student of the Week KA Nate S

Abbey H Layla D Lincoln G Iona Mc

K-1N Delisha G Ethan D Mason D Isla B Emma-Jean H

1-2W Gabriel R Bently T Liam C Katie M Charlotte L

1-2A Jacob S Ayden H Lahni M Samuel H Myra G

2-3F Jazmine C Kaysha G Meila E Bailey T Eric H

3-4M Taj S

Shae P Brock P Latarni-Lea G W

Sienna H 4-5K Maggie H

Isaac C Tatiarna N Skye B Alana T

5-6H Aleah M

Tegan W Isabelle J Julio P

6WB Flynn C

Callan G Sharla C Tahlia W

Karlee W

BAND

AUGUST

BIRTHDAYS

2nd Joshua F

5th Kloie T

6th Jaxon S

12th Matilda B

17th Nyah E-C

20th Owen C

21st Eric H

24th Sienna R

25th Clayton T

28th Zac W

31st Abbie B

BOOK WEEK: To celebrate Book Week this year we will be having a book parade on Thursday 24th August 2017. Children will need to choose a character from a book and dress up on the day. More information will follow closer to the date. BOOK FAIR: We will be having a Book Fair with children able to purchase books on the day of the book parade to take home and

enjoy or to donate to the library. This is a great opportunity to support the school and the library. All purchases earn reward points for the school to purchase books. I will be talking to each class about these events over the next few weeks.

Mrs Cashin

Adding and subtracting made fun

Playing this game teaches children that there is no right way to add and subtract – mathematicians

use a variety of strategies.

Equipment: Playing cards with the Jokers, King, Queen and Jack removed.

Higher Number

Shuffle or mix up the playing cards and then leave them face down in a pile. Each player takes two

cards and adds the numbers. The player with the higher sum gets the other player’s cards. Players

continue to take and add up two cards at a time until no cards are left. The player with the most

cards at the end is the winner.

You can play the same game with subtraction, but it is called Lower Number. The player with the

lower difference (answer) gives his or her cards to the other player. The person with the fewest

cards at the end is the winner. You can play the same game with multiplication.

An easier version for our young students would have each player taking one card each and the

person with the highest number getting the other players card (or the lowest

number if exploring numbers smaller).

Try to talk about strategies being used when playing games as this is an important

building block for mathematics.

To infinity and beyond! Craig Findley (Instructional Leader)

2018 Orientation Dates

Tuesday 24th October 5 to 6:15pm Parent Information

Thursday 26th October 9:15 to 10:45am 1st Orientation

Monday 6th November 9:15 to 10:45am 2nd Orientation

Wednesday 15th November 2:00 to 2:45pm 3rd Orientation

ZONE ATHLETICS CARNIVAL

On Monday 22 schools from the Westlakes Zone competed at the Hunter Sports Stadium. It was a long day with some of our students competing in the 1500m races starting at 8:00am. Our best results were Abbie B (3rd 1500m), Tianna H (2nd Discus), Mia A (2nd 800m), Alex C (2nd Long Jump &1st 100m), Grace R (2nd 1500m, 1st High jump) and Flynn C (3rd 1500m, 2nd Long Jump, 1st 800m). Congratulations to all our competitors on an outstanding effort. We

wish our Zone representatives all the best in a few weeks’ time. Bill Harden

On Friday 1st September Grace R, Alex C, Mia A and Flynn C will be competing at the Hunter Regional Carnival. _____________________________________________________________________________

Father Day presents that were ordered will be going home with students on Thursday 31st August.

______________________________________

Calling for any volunteers to spare some time on a Sunday.

Our P&C are holding a lamington stall at Bunnings, Glendale every Sunday in September.

If you could spare any amount of time it would be very much appreciated.

Please leave your name at the canteen or office.

Our children thank you in advance.

A decision has been made that we will not be selling pikelets from the canteen until

further notice. We have had a big decline in canteen volunteers so it is not possible

to make pikelets at this time, sorry for any inconvenience.

Monday mornings 8.45-9.15am Thursday mornings 8.45-9.15am Thursday afternoons 2.30-3.00pm

CANTEEN ROSTER – Term 3 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

August 21 August 22 August 23 August 24 August 25

Nikki G Mel Fenton Help needed CLOSED Mel F / Jane M Help needed Help needed Shira-Lee G

Tuesday 6th September

6:30pm in the staffroom

Don’t forget our online ordering system, it works very well.

Westlakes Little Athletics Centre. If your child is interested in little athletics or your wanting more information please contact:

Christina Frost - 4959 6801 or mobile – 413 042 179 Registration Days – Sunday 20th and 27th August Time: 10am to 11am Wednesday 6th September Time: 6pm to 7pm Please browse our Website: www.westlakeslacorg.au

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Tell Them From Me Survey

Dear Parents/Carers,

I am delighted that this term, our school, like many other public schools in the state, will participate in a

Department of Education initiative: the Tell Them From Me student feedback survey. The survey measures

factors that are known to affect academic achievement and other student outcomes. The focus of the NSW-

wide survey is on student wellbeing, engagement and effective teaching practices.

You may remember that our students also participated in a Tell Them From Me student survey in Term 1 this

year. Asking students to complete the survey twice in one year allows us to identify trends in student

responses as well as track engagement and motivation across the school year.

The survey is a great opportunity for our students to provide us with valuable and quick feedback on what

they think about school life, how engaged they are with school and the different ways that teachers interact

with them. Schools in Australia and around the world have used the Tell Them From Me survey to help

improve how they do things at school.

More information about the survey is available at: http://surveys.cese.nsw.gov.au

I want to assure you that the survey is confidential. The survey is conducted online and will typically take less

than 30 minutes to complete. It will be administered during school hours between 28 August and 13

October. Participating in the survey is entirely voluntary.

A consent form for parents/carers about the survey is being sent home with students. If you do not want

your child or children to participate, please return the form to school by the 25th of August. Copies of the

form and FAQs are available from: http://surveys.cese.nsw.gov.au/information-for-parents.

A frequently asked questions brochure is available to read in the front office. If you have any questions

please contact the front office.

Craig Findley