Irrawang Public School 21 Geer Street

RAYMOND TERRACE NSW 2324 P: 49872403/ 49872600

F: 49874063 Principal:

Nancye Farley Webpage: http://www.irrawang-p.schools.nsw.gov.au

Email: irrawang-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Inside this issue:

Principal’s Message 1

Young Leaders , Assembly roster & Swimming Carnival

2

Library & Chess News, 2016 Starts 3 & 4

PBL & School Banking 5

Who am I 6

P&C news 7

Great Cycle Challenge, SPOTLIGHT, & Medowie Marauders

8

Santa on Fire truck, Triple P Pro-gram & Cancer snippet

9

Cyber Bullying, Mitre 10, Twilight BBQ & Festive cooking

10

Xmas Twilight Markets, Tennis Culb

11

Enrolment, Facebook, Aussie 5

Colouring Competition 10

Absentee Note 11

Caught You Using your “AUSSIE 5” 12

IRRAWANG PUBLIC SCHOOL

An Innovative, Vibrant and Diverse Learning Community

Term 4, Week 10, 11 December 2015

It’s Time to Say Goodbye! After 7 years at Irrawang Public School it’s time to say goodbye and move into retirement. Over the last few weeks I have tried to list some of my highlights at IPS. The list is endless so I’ll share just a few: Working for the Department of

Education and its commitment to equity and excellence. An education system I believe is second to none. Reforms and school frameworks such as ‘Local Schools, Local Decision’ that equips schools to play a vital role in promoting the intellectual, physical, social, emotional and moral development and wellbeing of young Australians

Our PBL messages and attendance slogans coming to “life” around the school. How proud are we of our students and their designs?

NAPLAN results confirming that more and more students are achieving success with the growth of our Aboriginal students above state average.

A resource allocation that strengthens our resolve to support all students along their learning journey irrespective of where they start.

Attendance rates comfortably sitting at 90% or higher each

term. The quality of our staff.

Expert practitioners in every classroom every day who always put the needs of their students at the heart of every decision made.

The strength and support of our parents and the wider community. What a supportive and caring community we have!

To staff and parents I simply say ‘Thank You!’ It has been a privilege working with you and sharing in your lives. Our students deserve the best as they are the best – safe, responsible learners who show respect. I will miss their smiles, hugs, optimism, honesty and resilience. As I said on Presentation Day – “You can take the principal out of Irrawang but you’ll NEVER take Irrawang out of the principal.” Goodbye Irrawang, I will miss you. Nancye Farley

Principal of this great school.

School Calendar 2015

TERM 4

Last Day of Term - Wed 16th Dec

28th Jan - First Day for students

Years 1-6 next year

1st Feb - First day for Kinder &

Preschool (sun group)

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

SAFETY RESPONSIBILITY LEARNING RESPECT

Our School Leaders Have Their Say

Assembly Roster Term 4 2015

Term 4 Class

Week 10 YEAR 6

I would just like to start by saying a big thanks for letting me have the honour of being your captain for 2015. The thing I have enjoyed the most this year is having the honour of laying the wreath at Canberra. I would also like to remind you about carols on Monday and class party but remember not to rush your teachers I’m sure they have important things they need to get done before the end of the year. Something I will miss about this school is all the wonderful teachers that have helped me through my school life thank you all. Have a safe holiday, Merry Christmas and a Happy New year! By Paige-lea Perry

SWIMMING CARNIVAL: Thank you to all of our students who attended and a huge well done to the students who competed in the races at our carnival last

Tuesday. Congratulations to all our place getters and to our age champions for this year. I'm sure fun was had by all, in particular

the Infants students (I thought the bucket was the most fun). Our change of location this year worked really well providing excellent

shade and facilities. Thank you to Miss Vautin and Mrs Ray for your organisation.

Mr Jones

LIBRARY NEWS

End of Term 4 already! 2015 has been an amazing year for Irrawang Public School and, as I

mentioned during our Primary Presentation Day assembly, we have been so privileged to have

Mrs Farley as our guiding, inspirational principal. The Library has always had Mrs Farley's

unwavering support. This support greatly benefits all our students, as mounting research

continues to affirm what we already know... that school libraries staffed by certified school

librarians, with adequate funds to select and provide resources to meet the learning needs of

all students, make a measurable difference on student achievement. Thank you Mrs Farley for

ensuring Irrawang students have this opportunity to enhance their learning.

I am so proud of our Premier's Reading Challenge platinum award winners for this year. These

students have read the required number of books to complete the Challenge in each of their

seven primary school years, from Kindergarten to Year 6. Congratulations on this fantastic

achievement to:

Ross Bishell Tahlia Buckmaster Eden Burns

Kalan Butler Skye Cooper Tyson Henderson

Brodie Higgison Ashleigh Mitchell Caleb Parker

Izac Schofield Maddison Shephard

All PRC certificates are ready for distribution this week.

In the past weeks, most of our Stage 3 students visited Raymond Terrace Library. This

opportunity was arranged so that the students learnt of the resources held in this Library and

its sister libraries in the Newcastle area. Membership includes access to books and other

print material, cds, dvds and their growing collections of e-resources. The Library also offers

free Wifi and spaces for students to work on assignments in air-conditioned comfort … or just

chill out. If the holiday temperatures are going to be anything like those we’ve experienced

this week, then the Library’s ‘cool’ environment might be just the place to go to. I have

membership forms in my office if anyone in our school community would like to become a

member. Many thanks to all staff at Raymond Terrace Library. They gave so generously of

their time to prepare for our visits and talk with the students.

Hopefully by the time you are reading this newsletter, the Book Club orders will have arrived. If not, I am sure

they will be here before the end of term.

Many thanks to those parents and carers who have paid money to the Office for overdue Library books that

have been lost or damaged beyond repair. If the lost ones do happen to resurface during the holidays, please

bring them back and you will be fully reimbursed. This has already happened twice in the past week!

Happy holidays to all members of Irrawang's community. I already have the latest Guinness Book of Records

ready to go under the tree for my adult son ... who doesn't think it's Christmas without that book to read! My

wish is for every Irrawang student to have one book under the tree this Christmas with their name on it.

Stay safe, responsible learners and keep reading everyone!

Chris Berry

Teacher Librarian

Chess News

Congratulations to the recipients of Irrawang's

Chess medals for 2015. They are:

Lena Nobbs-Rayfield

Aaron Longworth

Caleb Parker

Izac Schofield

2016

First day back for students Years 1-6 is Thursday 28th January 2016. Kindergarten & Pre-

school (SUN group) students start on Monday 1st February 2016. School starts at 8.55am

Please “don’t be late as School won’t wait”.

SCHOOL BANKING School banking has concluded for the year.

On behalf of the student’s we would like to thank Mrs Karlene Johnson for her time and

Commitment to School banking. Over the last few years she has generously given her time so

your children can save for the future. Merry Christmas.

Irrawang Public School Community are

safe, responsible learners who show respect in all settings

Welcome PBL members

(IPS Staff, School Community, Students, Parents)

What a year it has been!!!!

Now that it is getting closer to the Holidays,

our PBL focus is going to be

Safety and Respect in the Community during the Holidays!

When we are in the Community, we need to make sure we are safe, re-

sponsible and showing respect in all settings, to everyone at all times.

So by taking our Aussie 5 to the Community helps us to live in a Happy

and Friendly Quality Community.

On behalf of the PBL team, I would like to take this opportunity to thank

you all for your continual support. Without your support Irrawang Public

School wouldn’t be the Quality School that it is today!

We wish you a safe and happy holiday, and looking forward to see you in

2016.

PBL Week 10

WHO AM I—Family

The correct answer for our guessing competition in the “Who am I” feature of the Newsletter

is the Short / Longworth Family.

Melissa Beasley Community Liaison Officer

5 Things you don’t know about me- Staff

There is no new Quiz for this newsletter.

Thank you for participating this year, we will be starting fresh next year with new quizzes and

competitions.

I hope you have enjoyed learning new things about our staff and families.

Have a very Safe and happy holiday and a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

Melissa Beasley Community Liaison Officer

Guessing Competition Answer.

—————————————————————————————————————

Name: ………………………………………………………………………..

Class: …………………………………

Answer: ………………………………………………………………………

UNIFORMS:

If you have any pre-loved uniforms that your children have grown out of or are venturing onto high school.

Could you please donate them to the school for our emergency store where they will be GRATEFULLY

accepted.? You can leave them at the office. Many thanks for your help.

P&C PRESIDENTS REPORT

Thank you to all the P&C Team that has helped make this year such a success. We had fun along the way and

I hope we can continue this into 2016. All parents are welcome to come along and join our friendly P&C

Association. All we ask is that you volunteer a little time towards our fundraising and our meetings that are

held once a month (within the school term).

We also see the retirement of Mrs Nancye Farley who has been such a wonderful and supporting Principal

who will be missed by everyone, I know we are in great hands with the leadership of our school now resting

with Mrs Stacy Mathieson.

Lastly I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year and a very Safe Holiday.

Thankyou Phyllipa Elvidge

CHRISTMAS RAFFLE

You should have received some tickets for our Christmas Raffle that will be held on Monday 14th Decem-

ber at our annual Christmas concert. If you missed out don’t worry as tickets are available for purchase

up until the start of the concert or you can ask our friendly office staff for some.

There are some fabulous prizes this year eg; Lowes $50 gift vouches, Facial gift vouches, Hot food vouch-

ers, Microwave, Scooters, Lego, Skateboards and protective gear just to a few of the 50+ prizes.

GOODLUCK TO EVERYONE

Spotlight on a volunteer

This week we shine the light on all our wonderful volunteers that have

volunteered in all areas of the School in 2015.

This picture was taken at our annual

Volunteers Morning tea on Friday

27th November. All staff provided the

morning tea.

All volunteers were recognised by staff for their dedication and

commitment to the children and staff of Irrawang Public in 2015.

The areas of Volunteering included;

Canteen, helping in the classrooms, reading groups with children,

driving students to events, Breakfast Club, Kids Hope, Scripture, Taking

photographs for special events, Thou-Walla, Library, Preschool, Speech

and Language groups, P&C, Transition to Schools Program, AEG,

Reading group in the morning and Chess.

Thank you once again to all our wonderful Volunteers, we appreciate all

your hard work!

Melissa Beasley & Megan Lysaght

Irrawang Public School Safety Responsibility Learning Respect

HAS YOUR CHILD ENROLLED FOR SCHOOL

NEXT YEAR?

WILL YOUR CHILD BE STARTING

KINDERGARTEN OR PRESCHOOL NEXT

YEAR?

ENROL NOW FOR THE BEST START TO

YOUR CHILD’S EDUCATION!!!

ENQUIRE NOW!

Please ask at the office or phone 02 4987 2403

CAUTION: Please remember that if you are putting photos from school events on your personal Facebook page that other chil-dren should not be in the photos unless you have permission from their parents or carers.

IRRAWANG AUSSIE 5

Irrawang Public School: Absentee Note

Student Name: ______________________________________ Class:____________________ Date/s of absence/s ____________________________________________________________________ Reason for leave: (Please circle)

*Sick *Urgent Family Business *Other:___________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________ Signature:_______________________________________________ Date:____________________

Relationship to student:____________________________________

****************Please return with your child to class teacher. Thankyou***************

Irrawang Public School: Absentee Note

Student Name: ______________________________________ Class:____________________ Date/s of absence/s ____________________________________________________________________ Reason for leave: (Please circle)

*Sick *Urgent Family Business *Other:___________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________ Signature:_______________________________________________ Date:____________________

Relationship to student:____________________________________

****************Please return with your child to class teacher. Thankyou***************

Irrawang Public School: Absentee Note

Student Name: ______________________________________ Class:____________________ Date/s of absence/s ____________________________________________________________________ Reason for leave: (Please circle)

*Sick *Urgent Family Business *Other:___________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________ Signature:_______________________________________________ Date:____________________

Relationship to student:____________________________________

****************Please return with your child to class teacher. Thankyou***************