William Street, East Maitland 2323 Phone: 4933 7524 Fax: 4934 5012 Email: maitlande-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Respect, Responsibility, Learning, Co-operation and Participation

17 May 2017 No. 7 (Week 4 Term 2)

Educating Communities

Newsletter Week 4 MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL We are SUPER busy! As you will be aware, there is lots going on at EMPS every week. A quick look at the calendar shows that we are currently participating in: Star Struck, cricket, netball, rugby, soccer and debating! We also had our zone cross country team out competing yesterday and our school athletics carnival is coming up next Thursday, 23 May 2017. Thank you to all of the parents who assist our students to participate in all of these extra-curricular activities. Without your support, we would not be able to offer these opportunities. Garden Club Wow! I was just gifted some beautiful fresh produce straight from our garden club garden. Lettuce and spinach. Thank you very much and well done gardeners! Mothers’ Day Stall A big thank you to the mums who volunteered to run our Mothers’ Day stall last Friday. Without our P&C organisers and other volunteers events such as this cannot happen. The annual stall is something that the students all look forward to and they take great pleasure in purchasing a gift for their mums. There were lots of cards and other ‘goodies’ going home last Friday, so I trust that everyone received something lovely and had a great day. Uniform All students should now be wearing winter uniforms. Teacher Professional Development

Teachers have been working together on assessment and data collection as well as consistency of teacher judgement. We have also undertaken training on the next phase of ‘Seven Steps to Writing Success’ and are involved in whole school self-assessment. Before School Arrangements Under the COLA in the mornings students are being asked to sit down to wait for the morning bell from approximately 8:45am. In the morning that area becomes very busy. Although the morning is a designated ‘quiet’ time, students in K-2 find this extremely challenging and have proven unable to independently engage in quiet and settled activities. Please note that before school is not a play time. Students play during lunch and recess breaks. School begins at 9:00am and there is no need for students to be at school earlier than 8:55am. We have staff on duty from 8:30am as a courtesy. Return to School (Term 3) A reminder for your calendars, that due to the extra staff development day held in Term 1, students return in Term 3 on Monday, 17 July 2017. Changed your details??? Just a reminder that if you have a change in personal details such as address or contact numbers; work, mobile or home, please ensure that you notify our office ASAP. Please note that any change of address details will require proof of address. (Documents such as a rates notice or home-related bills, such as telephone, gas or electricity, including name and address). Kim Dudgeon

Student Parliament 2017 Student Parliament is designed to give students more

of a voice and involvement within the East Maitland

Public School community. Student Parliament helps

students to act as role models for their peers and

develop strong leadership skills.

Student Parliament representatives for 2017 include:

Indy Ross, Kohan Stubbington, Ella Cox, Jack Williams,

Llewella Brooks, Benjamin Collins, Chelsea Cox, Cooper

Ebrill, Millicent Milford- Chilvers, Harry Thompson along

with the 2017 school leaders Sienna Flynn, Isaac

Collins, Bella Janson, Jasper Vile, Sadie Hawke, Oscar

Affleck, Amelia Burgess and Jayden Miles.

As a collective, student representatives have selected

Camp Quality as the charity that they would like to

support throughout the year.

Make a Face Competition 2017 Thanks to all who entered artworks. There were some

fine pieces to choose from! The following have been

submitted.

We will find out in the next few weeks if our entries have been successful. The exhibition is on at the Maitland Regional Art Gallery

from Saturday 3 June-Sunday 10 September.

Cross Country On Tuesday, 16 May 2017 a group of students went to

Tocal College to participate in the zone cross country

carnival. All students ran either the 2km course or 3km

course and there were some outstanding results.

Congratulations to Allie Dever who came 1st in the 12

year old girls, Zack Muligan who came 3rd in the 8/9

year old boys and Jorja Lorenz who came 6th in the 8/9

year old girls. These students will be going to the

regional carnival later this term. Congratulations to all

participants who attended, they represented our school

with pride.

Events / Reminders

23 May Athletics Carnival

26 May Taronga Zoo payment due

1 June Year 3 Taronga Zoo excursion

20 June Year 1 & 2 Colonial day

Canteen Roster

22/5 Julie Wood Georgia Fletcher

23/5 Adora McDonald Judy Lawler

24/5 Katherine Cant Gail Leckie

25/5 Emma Johnson M Mossner Judy Drap

26/5 Davina Moad HELP NEEDED

29/5 Amy Farmer Lindsay Phillip

30/5 Meegan Streeter Meg Vile

31/5 Suze Hamilton Britt Vorenkamp

1/6 Jamie Kone Linda Boardman

2/6 Renae Reneham Denise Potts Lara Chapman

Week commencing Monday, 22 May 2017

Week commencing Monday, 29 May 2017

Athletics Carnival

If you are able to volunteer for a 1/2 an hour to assist

at the athletics carnival it would be greatly appreciat-

ed.

Please contact Jackie in the canteen.

If you are unable to come on your day please

phone or msg Jacki - school 4933 7524 or mobile 0419143528

Debating

This week we kicked off the 2017 Premier's Debating Challenge with a bang! The Year 5 and 6 girls have been working so hard, giving up many recesses and lunch times to practice and perfect their arguments. Over the next term the debaters will be participating in a knock-out competition debating against many schools in the area and debating topics about education, the media, and sport & fitness.

On Monday, 15 May, the two teams debated against each other in what the adjudicator called the best first debate she's seen. The girls should be super proud of their efforts.

WE’RE TAKING IT IN OUR STRIDE ON FRIDAY, 19 MAY 2017

Well it’s that time of year again when our school seriously starts talking about walking! Walk Safely to School Day asks that we all consider our transport habits and try to incorporate more walking as part of a healthy, active way to get around. And although walking all the way to school isn’t realistic for many of us, it’s quite easy to figure out how you can build a walk into your family’s daily routine. You can teach your child the healthy habit of walking more by: - Walking with them the whole way to school - If they get the bus or train, walk past your usual stop and get on at the next stop - If you have to drive, park the car a few blocks away from the school and walk the rest of the way. Regular exercise like walking with your child not only helps them (and you!) beat chronic problems like obesity, heart disease, behavioural and mental health issues and diabetes. It also gives you a great opportunity to teach your child safe ways to behave around roads and traffic. Remember, Active Kids are Healthy Kids so get plan-ning your own Walk Safely to School Day journey for Friday, 19 May 2017! For more information, visit www.walk.com.au

Lost Property The Lost Property Box will be cleaned out weekly. If items have no name clearly visible, they will be placed in a “Take Me Box” on the verandah. Parents are invited to take any useful item from this box. Left over items will be disposed of (eg given to charity or thrown out). Both the “Lost Property Box’” and the “Take Me Box” will be emptied by 3:30 pm each Friday.

By Michael Grose

Parenting the in-between years

The in-between ‘tween’ years can be challenging for parents. Here’s 5 ways for parents to negotiate these

years.

Toddlers and teenagers have traditionally been the stages that are most problematic for parents. Toddlers have a

bad reputation as their body outgrows their brain, which is testing for a parent’s patience and their ability to manage

behaviour. The teen period with its massive physical and emotional changes requires parents to make significant

changes to their parenting and communication methods. Personally, this was a stage that tested my communication

skills to the limit. It seemed that every conversation with one of my teenage children was like going for a job inter-

view. I had to concentrate on every word I said to make sure there was no misinterpretation or argument.

There's a third stage that causes stress and anxiety for parents - the tween stage. This is the age from 8 - 12-year-

olds that bridges childhood and adolescence and it often goes under the radar when we talk about stressful develop-

mental stages.

Tween issues are complex.

The issues that parents face when raising toddlers such as sleep, obstinence, eating and separation worries seem sim-

ple compared to the complexities that parents face with tweens including social media, bullying, friendships and

puberty.

This is an age when kids are maturing at different speeds, which can impact dramatically on how they see themselves.

It seems also that the relationship between girls and their mothers can be strained during this stage, although dads

and daughters aren't immune from testy times either. Boys also have difficulty negotiating this age but they have an

innate naivety, which saves them from much of the angst that many girls face.

This is a stage when children need their parents but the shift to puberty and the accompanying social pres-

sures means you may have to shift your parenting gears well before you are ready. Here are five ideas to help you

stay connected to your tween:

1. Spend real & close time together

Most kids are great when you get them one-on-one, but getting the chance to spend some time away from a digital

device or screen with a young person today is seriously hard. But close personal time is how you can talk to your child

and provide the support they need during these times of transition. Make the opportunity to spend some idle, chatting

time with your tween.

2. Allow them to have two faces

Many children in the in-between years wear two faces. They have a face for the outside world of their peers and one

for home and their family. The outside face maybe a little older, and have more attitude than you'd like, so try to

gently manipulate that face into something softer. Recognise that the tough or older exterior maybe his or her way

of coping or gaining acceptance. On the other hand, you may find your tween acts and plays like a young child while at

home. Make room for this to happen.

3. Create the path for greater independence

Many children at this age want more freedom and independence, but they frequently don't know how to ask for

it. Recognise that healthy development at this stage involves expanding their horizons into different areas of endeav-

our (hobbies, interests, subjects at school) and around their neighbourhood. Set limits, and expect them to stick to

them. Give them more responsibility, not less as they move into the tween years.

4. Explain the changes that are going on

Puberty begins as young as eight for some girls, a little later for boys. It begins before we see any changes to body

shape or form. Many children battle their physiology (and their feelings) at this stage, while we parents focus on

their psychology ("What's he trying out now?") so calmly explain the changes that are going on while teaching

them how to manage their emotions.

5. Remember, it's not personal

I haven't met a parent who doesn't take the cutting/sarcastic/hurtful remarks that a tween can make personally.

That’s why parenting tweens can be hard emotional labour. It can also be a sad time as your child is moving from one

stage to the next. In a sense, you give birth twice - to a child first and then again to a teen. The second gestation is

longer and in some ways more painful. But life does get better and more bearable with time.

Most parents are raising tweens when they have a lot going on in their own lives. Partners, work, friends and broader

family are competing for your attention at the very time when your tween maybe challenging you. If you can simplify

your life even just a little during this stage you may find that the some of the stresses of raising a tween start to

disappear or at least seem less complex and hard to bear.

KD Maggie Carey-Poole Lucas Kirk

Aston Streeter

Lockie Conlin

KF Tyler Cranston

Evie Farmer

KL Matthew Moore

Chloe Angelkovic

Jet Midson

Nixon Stammer

1H Isabelle Moore

Ruby Fuller

Charlie Grainger

Heidi Probert

IN Hunter Delamere

Chloe Wheatland

William Smith-Compton

1P Azariah Fryers

Auron Baldwin

Charlotte Ekin

Ashton Sams

1S Jackson Prentice

Claudia Flynn

Nixon Perrin

Adelia Wright

2O Kiarra Clarke

Chase Koop-Folkes

2R Layla Martin

Xavier Woodward

Isaac Masterton

2S Ed Slater

Anaia Moore

Wyatt Faulkner

Tranter

Phoenix Locock

Positive Behaviour for Learning

The Positive Behaviour for Learning

focus this fortnight has been

‘responsibility’. At East Maitland Public

School, responsibility is shown by

owning our choices and following the

Aussie 5 Rules:

I can listen

I can follow instructions

I can control what I do and say

I can raise my hand and wait

I can work quietly

Heidi Stimson (2R), Talia Waqa (5B),

Ryder Lawrie (5B) and Flynn Elbourn

(1S) were the winners of the gotcha

ticket raffle. They received a $2

canteen voucher.

Congratulations and well done!

3C Raiden Hill

Aaliyah Price

Hamish Nimmo

Xayviah Radke

Lachlan Brennan

Chase Bouquet

3E Ezekiel Woolaston

Karly Biffin

Taylah Wakeman

3M Emma Dai

Jarrod Nimmo

Chelsea Quennell

Branden Waretini

Toni-Rae Benham

Jamie-Lee Anderson

4C Loren Herden

James Deveigne

Mia Chapman

Elwood Samuels

Mia Adams

Kyle Eslick

4D Jai-anna Spedding

Hayden Roberts

Jacobie Irvine

Brock Newall

Nicolas Griffith

Abbie Jenkins

4T Mackenzie Mears Armani Mitchell Rylie Berthold Isabella Newall

5B Declan Spedding

Dakota Woodward

Damien Trappel

Travis Caddy

Arabella Lane

5N Layla Douglas

Katie Slater

Darcey Robson

Joel Thomson

Mitchell Griffin

Amelia Stubbington

5P Sophia Brace-Thompson

Tiarne Talveski

Zane Williams

6H Kahlen McKewin

Laura Stimson

Oliver Tyers

Yazmin Hellyer

James Clapham

6R Oscar Affleck

David Coote

Scarlet Edwards

Bethany Campbell

Macayla Sandy

Amelia Burgess

Cooper Prowse

Rebecca Wilson

Roper

Victoria Pearson

Aki Newberry

6S Luke Barlow

Ellie Doran

Molly Dowde

P&C News Joining the P & C If you wish join the P&C and to have a say in fundraising goals for our children’s school then please come along to one of our meetings. We meet once per month, at the moment it’s the last Wednesday morning of each month but we also try to include a few night meetings through the year to accommodate working parents and carers. Our next meeting is on Wednesday, 24 May at

9:15 am in the staffroom.

We would love to see some fresh faces!!

Mother’s Day Stall

Thank you to all for supporting our Mothers’ Day Stall.

We hope you had a lovely Mothers’ Day!!

A special thank you to all our volunteers, it was lovely

to see so many new faces!!

Leighsa Cox Photography Fundraiser

The P&C, along with Leighsa Cox Photography have

organised a Family Portrait Session in Spring this year

on the weekend of the 9th/10th September. As in the

past the sitting fee is a fundraiser for the P&C so

keep this weekend in mind, more details will be

available as the date nears.

Uniform Shop If you are free and would like to donate some time to

the uniform shop, please contact us at

eastmaitlandpublicschoolpandc@gmail.com or leave

your contact details at the office and we will ring you.

You can volunteer as many or as few times as you like.

It only takes 40 mins and you are rostered with another

person. Please understand we can’t operate the uniform

shop without the help of our lovely volunteers, and

unfortunately 2017 is looking a little dry!!

Term 2 Roster

What? Listening to Your Child Read: How to support them and make it a happy event.

Who? Any parents, grandparents and or school helpers who would like support in this area. This session is open to all years.

When? Friday, 19 May in the Reading Room

RSVP: Via class teacher or office.

Tuesday Thursday

Wk 4 16/5 Renae & Davina 18/5 Kath & Dionne

Wk 5 23/5 Suze & Donna 25/5 Jodi & Fiona

Wk 6 30/5 Renae & Denyse 1/6 Suze & Bronwyn

Wk 7 6/6 Connie & Grisel 8/6 Jodi & Deslie

Wk 8 13/6 Renae & Donna 15/6 Kath & Dionne

Wk 9 20/6 Connie & Davina 22/6 Jodi & Deslie

Wk 10 27/6 Renae & Denyse 29/6 Jodi, Bronwyn & Fiona