Email

hastings-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Website

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

HASTINGS PUBLIC SCHOOL

NEWSLETTER 22nd November, 2019

85 Yarranabee Road,

PORT MACQUARIE, 2444

Phone 6582 2566

WHAT’S ON at HASTINGS … WEEK 7 : TERM 4

https://hastings-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/events.html

GIFTS of HOPE

Fair Trade Downunder

Hands & Hearts

A Christmas gifts market stall

will be held in the COLA on

Friday 29 November

2pm – 3:30pm

Come a bit early and shop for

unique, handmade, unusual & beautiful

gifts that give hope and dignity to the

artisans that made them.

“People you’ve never seen from

places you’ve never been”

Presented by Ros Jamieson &

Hastings Public School’s P&C Association

Monday, 25th

Uniform Shop open 8:30 to 9:30am

DUE IN - Year 1 Castle Projects

Kinder 2020 Orientation - 9:20 to 10:50am

Tuesday, 26th

Student Banking

PAYMENT DUE for Year 6 Fun Day - $2.00

Wednesday, 27th

Kinder 2020 Orientation - 9:20 to 10:50am

RESCHEDULED – First Lego League Challenge

Uniform Shop open 2:30 to 3pm

Thursday, 28th

PAYMENT

DUE

• Year 1 Fairy Tales Day - $2.00

• K-6 Party Days for all grades

Year 6 Fun Day

Friday, 29th

Gifts of Hope Christmas Market

Uniform Shop open 2:30 to 3pm

PRINCIPAL MATTERS

Congratulations to Our P&C

This week we had our last P&C meeting of the year. I would like to extend a

huge thanks to the P&C for their consistent and dedicated effort towards

supporting our school. Their commitment is second to none and we are so

grateful to have such a wonderful team of people who provide so much support to our school.

Thank you for another successful year!

Ongoing Challenging Conditions

We are currently doing our best to obtain up to date information and advice in regards to managing our

current conditions in the most appropriate way possible. Obviously we do not want to be sending children

home unnecessarily, nor do we want to have students and staff subjected to unhealthy learning and working

environments. We are using common sense and acting on advice from the department as well as NSW

Health. During periods of obvious haze, we are making arrangements to keep students inside and cancel

outdoor activities. We are keeping our learning spaces air conditioned to aid the cleansing of the air.

Obviously, this presents issues with students and staff requiring active breaks and time out of the classroom.

We are doing our best to manage this by supporting staff and students wherever possible.

We are very aware of students who are identified with medical issues and monitor them closely. If at any

time, we are concerned about a student’s health, we will contact parents. Parents should also be vigilant.

You know your children and their medical needs more than anyone. If you feel it necessary for their health

to keep them home on days with significantly compromised air quality, please do so.

Once again, I would like to extend my very sincere thanks to all of our community for your help, support and

encouragement over the past few weeks. I would also like to acknowledge the amazing work of all our staff.

Every single one of them have played a part in keeping your children safe, calm and reassured during a

great deal of uncertainty. They are an amazing team and I am so proud of the work they do and the way

they commit to the important roles they play in your children lives.

HASTINGS PUBLIC SCHOOL

Learning I Growing I Caring

Aboriginal Education Awards

Congratulations to Jacinta Barker (Literacy), Cooper Berry (Literacy),

James Cockshutt (Creative Arts) and Ronin Hodge-O’Brien

(Leadership/Cultural) who were honoured at the Aboriginal Education

Awards special presentation at Hastings Secondary College – Westport

Campus on Tuesday.

Classes 2020

We are currently working on the structure of classes for 2020. At this stage we are on the cusp between 25

and 26 classes. For this reason, it would be very helpful to know of any student movements that are likely

to happen for next year. Please contact the office if you will be moving or if you know of any pending

enrolments. We would greatly appreciate your help.

Education Resources Levies

Again, thank you to the families who have paid their levies for this year. These funds help purchase

essential resources needed to provide your children

with a wide range of learning opportunities. We do our

best to keep costs to a minimum and are very grateful

to families for supporting us by paying these levies. It

is hoped outstanding accounts can be finalised before

the end of November.

Jodie Paterson

Principal

DATES TO KEEP IN MIND

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

Week 8

2/12

• Kinder 2020

Orientation

3/12

• Year 7 2020

Orientations at Port

Macquarie &

Westport

Campuses

4/12

• Year 4 Camp

• Kinder 2020

Orientation

5/12

• Year 1 Fairy

Tales Day

• 5/6S Night of

Notables

6/12

• Year 4 Return

4pm

Week 9

9/12 10/12

• Stage 1 Party

Day

• Stage 2 Pool

Party

11/12 12/12

• 3-6 Presentation

Assembly

• 2020 School

Parliament

Induction

13/12

Week 10

16/12

• P&C Christmas

Raffle Drawn

• Year 6 Farewell

17/12

• Stage 3 Pool

Party

18/12

That’s it, for 2019!

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES LEVIES

FAMILIES INVOICED $33,700

PAYMENT RECEIVED $22,135

OUTSTANDING $11,565

HASTINGS PUBLIC SCHOOL

Learning I Growing I Caring

KINDY ORIENTATION VISITS

It was lovely to see our 2020 kindy children visiting this week. It is always a very exciting time of year. We

look forward to their ongoing visits over the next couple of weeks. Thank you very much to the group of

Year 6 students who assisted and showed such care and support for the children. I am so proud of the

people you are, we are going to miss you in 2020!

Orientation programs will continue next Monday, 25th & Wednesday, 27th. Reminders for both days are …

9:20am

Please be on time and meet teachers in the COLA (Covered Outdoor Learning Area). Your child

will again enjoy storytime, music, craft and play activities, maths games and a fruit break. Pre-

schoolers should bring their water bottle and a small container of cut up (bite size) fresh fruit ie.

10 grapes, a small segmented mandarin, a small quartered apple. Please do not send in fruit

which needs peeling or whole apples.

9:20 to

12noon Uniform Shop open

10:50am Home time. Please wait for your child in the COLA. Please be aware of nearby classrooms and

keep noise to a minimum. Younger siblings should not play on the fixed equipment.

CLASS PARTY DAYS

Notes will go home next week for our end of year party days. To give families a little more notice the days

are …

GRADE VENUE DATE COST

Kindergarten Jumbo’s 12th December $12.00

Stage 1 Majestic Cinemas 10th December $12.00

Stage 2 Port Macquarie Olympic Pool 10th December $10.00

Stage 3 Port Macquarie Olympic Pool 17th December $10.00

YEAR 6 FUN DAY

Year 6 provide the fun and everyone else has fun! A reminder the Year 6 Fun Day will be next Thursday.

Dress for the day is casual but as with all out of uniform days, shoulders must be covered and no thongs!

Please have permission notes and $2.00 payment returned to class teachers by Thursday, 5th December.

The Fun Day helps Year 6 raise funds to purchase a gift for the school. This year, their gift is a mural to be

painted by Damon Moroney from Iknograffix (& dad of Tyler & Riley). This will give the area a much

needed facelift and brighten the playground for all to enjoy.

ICAS COMPETITIONS

ICAS Competition results are back for mathematics and Writing. Congratulations to the following

students:-

Maths

Distinction Alexander Suosaari, Oskar Morris, Isaac Lavis, Bowen Hansen, Edward Redfern,

Addison Rolfe, Josette Hoffman

Writing

High Distinction Robbie Lavis

Distinction Poppy McIntyre, Sofia Mansfield, Isaac Lavis

THE GREEN THUMBS CLUB

Earlier this year the school received a $3,000 grant from Healthy

Communities, Mid North Coast and along with $1,200.00 P&C

received from the Telstra Kids Grant this money has been put towards

building a school vegetable garden. A special thanks to Adam Rumble

from Greenplace (& dad of Summer & Jack) for installing the garden

beds. Our group of “Green Thumbs” have been quietly working around

our school, making our gardens beautiful and improving the overall

look of the grounds. Thanks, girls & boys!

HASTINGS PUBLIC SCHOOL

Learning I Growing I Caring

LEMONADE STAND

Year 4 students, Avalon Enfield, Emily Lyttle and Milly Platt recently

organised a lemonade stall in an effort to raise money for the firemen

who have been working tirelessly to keep our community safe. They set

up a stall out the front of one student’s house and raised around $25

by selling cups of homemade lemonade to locals. The money was used

to buy non-perishable food items and water. It was then delivered to the

Port Macquarie Fire Station on Central Rd. The girls’ efforts were

recognised by the local radio station and on Tuesday 19/11/19 they

were interviewed by morning show hosts, Krysti and Bodge from Hit Mid

North Coast. Well done, girls!

Pictured with Bodge & Krysti are Avalon, Emily & Milly along with

Polly Platt (Year 1) and Shaniya Doueihi (Hastings Secondary College)

K-2 ASSEMBLY AWARDS 18th November, 2019

KF Thomas Elvidge Taya Blackwell Lyla Flowers

GIGGLES

Eleanor Brooker

BIGGLES

Max Dargan

KHP Isabel Bohannon Ella Smythe Edith McLachlan

Tijhana Konemann Kailani Marzan Oscar Knowles

KS Nevaeh Edwards Charlotte Fraser Francesca Collins

1D Thea Durbridge Lewis Maclean Annaleise Van Hoorn

1J Ruby Acorn Neve Moore Blade Sandry

1M Nixon Huens Mason Joyce Jax Kelly-Walsh

1N Harvey Austen Gus Allen Reid Bailey

1/2SK Lilly Foo Thomas Lyttle William Redfern

2C Annalise Chalmers Mia Geange Caleb Hearn

2D Tahj Edwards Sophia Drysdale Baylen McMillan

2J Milla Penny Ella Welsh Maya Griffiths

CANTEEN CREATIONS Order Lunches can be ordered (or cancelled) before 9am at www.flexischools.com.au

Monday 25th Kerri Stratton 12:30 To 1:30pm Picnic Packs

$6.00

Your Choice Of:-

• a red or green apple

• a plain or blueberry muffin

• a popper or a

bottle of cold water

• 1 vegemite, cheese, ham or

salad sandwich

Picnic Packs cover recess & lunch and must be picked up

from the canteen at 11am

Tuesday 26th Lyndsay Schwab 12:30 To 1:30pm

Wednesday 27th Kerri Caslick 11 To 1:30pm

Thursday 28th Nicola Horner 12:30 To 1:30pm

Friday 29th Chrissy Oldfield 12:00 To 1:30pm

Monday Lunch

Tuesday Lunch

Wednesday Recess

Bolognese

Jaffle Pockets

$4.00

Mini Lamb Koftas (3) W/- Minted Yoghurt Dip

$4.00

Bacon & Cucumber

Sushi $1.00

HASTINGS PUBLIC SCHOOL

Learning I Growing I Caring

THE GREAT DEBATE!

DEBATEINATERS – YEARS 5 & 6 PREMIERS DEBATING CHAMPIONSHIPS FESTIVAL

This week, our Regional Champion debating team, The Debateinaters, competed in the preliminary

rounds of the premiers Debating Championships Festival for Years 5 and 6. This festival is taking the

place of the championships which were to be held at Stanwell Tops near Wollongong but due to the

fire emergency across the state and on the Mid North Coast in particular, that camp was postponed

and an online festival was organised instead. This means that the Top 10 teams from across the state,

who all had to win 8 or more debates to be crowned regional champion, are drawn against each

other in 3 debates to determine the top 4 teams for the semi-finals.

Our first debate was against Orange Public School and the theme for the topics was Sport. The

teams were presented with a choice of:-

That we should never keep score in sports that involve primary school kids

That healthy kids should be allowed to play video games for school sport

That we should immediately cancel the rest of any school sports match if a player or supporter

behaves badly

The 3rd preferences are cancelled out which left the top topic as the selected one. A flip of a coin

determined the Debateinaters to be the affirmative. They presented high quality arguments about

pressure from parents, less conflict between players, higher quality socialising and less angst towards

officials. Orange tried to convince the adjudicators that the status quo encouraged healthy

competition and motivation and taught important life lessons but the Debateinaters managed to

convince the judges that a change would be more effective and were consequently awarded the

victory.

Our second debate was against North Sydney Public School and the theme for the debate was the

Media. The teams were presented with a choice of:-

That we should ban all advertising aimed at kids

That we should ban the media from reporting on terrorism in ways that primary school children

might see

That we should never allow primary school aged children to use the internet

Once again, when the 3rd preferences were cancelled out the top topic was left as the one which

would be debated. North Sydney presented a reasonable case with arguments such as kids will see

food and video game ads and want them as well as kids aren’t able to make effective decisions but

the Hastings team were much stronger with their case. They argued, down the table, that kids are

smart and are more than capable of making the right choice, that more often than not parents are

the ones who make the decisions anyway and that it is important to not remove ads for things like

important healthy eating and safety considerations such as “Kids Alive do the 5”. This along with

highly sophisticated rebuttal meant a convincing win was awarded to the Debateinaters.

The third and final debate for the week was against Bowral Public School and the theme for the

debate was the ever popular and often contentious, Education. The teams were presented with a

choice of:-

That students should never go on overnight excursions or camps for school

That primary school students should get to pick which class they are in instead of being

randomly assigned

That we should pay school teachers a bonus when they get good ratings from their students

When the 3rd choices were removed they arrived at the 2nd topic for the debate. Hastings was the

affirmative team and presented a strong case for improved education results, improved teaching

standards, improved social aspects and less parental complaints. Bowral also presented a strong

case stating students don’t have the capacity to make such decisions, inevitably teachers and

parents will decide, it prepares them for later life and the change won’t be inclusive. Hastings was

able to effectively respond to all of Bowral’s ideas thoroughly in their rebuttal and the adjudicator

agreed handing the Debateinaters the victory.

This means that our team has 3 wins and will qualify for the State semi finals. What that exactly will be

and when is yet to be decided but, regardless, we certainly wish the team the best of luck!