Curtin Primary School Newsletter

Week 4 Term 4 2019

We at Curtin Primary acknowledge the Ngunnawal people, past, present and future.

We would like to thank the traditional custodians for nurturing this precious land where we live, learn and play.

We promise to protect plants, animals, earth, water and sky and care for everyone in our community.


Principal - Merryn O'DeaOUT OF SCHOOL HOURS CARE
Deputy Principal - Maryanne HayesJuniors - 0476 846 570
Board Chair - Alastair James - 0428 776 626Seniors - 0472 820 865
P&C President - Megan Moore - megankm4@gmail.comBefore school - 0472 820 865
If your child is absent please notify the school via email - curtinps.absences@ed.act.edu.au - or via the Skoolbag appBookings - 02 6147 3318

Welcome to Week 4

Dear Parents and Carers,

We have many dedicated and talented staff at Curtin Primary and last week a number of these were recognised for their efforts at the Public Education Excellence Awards. I would like to congratulate the following people on their nominations:


CategoryNominees
Volunteer of the YearMonica Pflaum
New Educator of the YearAndrea Chew
Early Childhood and Primary Teacher of the Year

Inge Kent

Cath Dray, Tiana Refshauge, Andrea Chew, Zelda James, Maryanne Hayes, Lyndsay Kluckers, Lily van der Weegen, Charlie Rorke and Denise Swift

School Leader of the YearKate North

Last Friday, I was fortunate to accompany two students, Edie S (5LS) and Henry V (5LS), to represent our student body at the Minister’s Student Congress. The Congress provides an opportunity for ACT public school students to come together to discuss issues which matter to them and affect their education. It provides a direct link to the Minister for Education and Early Childhood Development as an avenue through which students are able share their views with Minister Berry. The Congress is led by a student executive, a small group of students elected by peers, to lead the Congress for a year. The topic for the Congress was The Environment. This topic was selected based on previous Congress participant feedback and was the most commonly suggested topic by all year levels. During the Congress, students engaged in a range of activities individually and in groups and were able to self-nominate for a position on the student executive next year. Please have a read below of Edie and Henry’s account of the day and suggestions for environmental awareness at an individual and school level.

Today (Friday 1 Nov) we went to the Minister’s Congress and the theme for discussion was: The Environment. We listened to Sophie Lewis (ACT Scientist of the Year) talk about her science career. She spoke about what she wanted to be when she was little and how she overcame hurdles to accomplish her dreams. It was really interesting to hear her journey.

After Sophie spoke, we discussed sustainability. When thinking about sustainable consumption, it is important to ask – Do we have the ability to keep doing this forever? (i.e. Can I keep purchasing and throwing away plastic products… forever? NO!)

We then split into groups and brainstormed about how schools can make a difference for the environment. We also voted on ideas we could do for Trees in Schools Day.

Next, we had the opportunity to nominate to join the student executive team for next year. Edie nominated but was unsuccessful this year.

After a delicious lunch from Subway, we shared back as a whole group a summary of the day and what we did in our group. We also watched a music video clip made by Sophie Holloway which she created to get students and teachers to correctly use the rubbish and recycling bins at her high school.

Our big take-aways from the day were:

- Every individual can make a difference

- It’s easy to say you will but it’s harder to commit and do

- We need to actively reduce the amount of plastic we use

- Act locally and think globally

At school, we thought we could:

- Invest more in water tanks for grey water purposes or watering the gardens. (If they have a filter, they can be used for drinking water)

- Make compost to use for our gardens or to sell to purchase more educational resources

- Do more fundraising to put more back into the environment

- Plant more trees (have a tree planting day or team)

- Plant more flowers around the edge of the school and invest in bee hotels

- Only use what you need and not what you want.

Although we were originally a little nervous, the day was a really good experience and we have come away with many new ideas on how we can care for the environment and think sustainably. 

Edie and Henry (5LS)

I am very proud of Edie and Henry for challenging themselves to step outside their comfort zone to represent our school and thank them for their attendance at the Minister’s Student Congress.

Enjoy the rest of your week, Kate North.

PLEASE DO NOT PARK ACROSS THE BACK DRIVEWAY GATE - IT IS A NO PARKING ZONE. FOR SAFETY REASONS, AS CHILDREN CROSS THERE, AND ACCESS IS REQUIRED AT ALL TIMES.

New traffic management system - afternoon pick up

Thank you to all of the parents who are supporting the new pick up arrangements. 

With the bell going at 3pm, the students aren't ready until 3.05pm, so feel free to delay your pickup time until after then.

It would also be helpful if you have your name in large letters on your passenger visor. This way, we can have your children ready for you.

Please share with any carers who will be picking children up from the front carpark eg. relatives, nannies.

Please be patient as we implement this plan. 

Curtin Primary School - Pick Up Traffic Arrangements

The school has developed a safer and more structured way to deal with the traffic within the school grounds at pick up time.

  • Between 2:55pm – 3:15pm, there is to be no car movement in or out of the parking spaces in the front car park.  This is to ensure that there can be no incident with reversing into students or other cars.
  •  If you wish to physically collect your children from school, it will be necessary to park on the street or surrounding streets in designated parking areas and walk to the playground.
  • We would like to ask all families to please write their family surname in big letters and attach it to your car’s visor. When entering into the carpark please pull the visor down so that staff can identify your children to get them ready for pickup.
  • School pick up areas will be designated with orange cones to guide cars into these areas.

The following rules apply:

1.       Children will only be able to board a car if it is stopped at the designated spot (see map).

2.       Cars waiting will form a single line behind each other.

3.       At school pick up time, the car lines will commence at 3:02pm.

4.       If a car enters the pick-up zone and their children aren’t there, they will be asked to do a circuit of Theodore Street and rejoin the line (see map).

5.       Children will be supervised until 3:15pm.

6.       There will be absolutely no parking or waiting in pick up zones.

7.       If you park in the front carpark before 2:55pm you will have to wait until 3:15pm to leave.

8.       Staff will be on duty to assist with supervision and flow of traffic.

9.       Car pooling and walking clubs are encouraged.

In following this routine, we are providing a safer environment for those families wishing to pick up without leaving their cars.  It is suggested that when it comes to pick up time, you simply arrive at the school a little later to ensure your children have had time to get to the pickup point.

From 3:15pm any students remaining will be brought to the front office area and parents will be rung.

The back carpark will remain closed to parent parking.

SCHOOL EVENTS

Events may be viewed and added to your personal calendar on the Skoolbag app


Date
Preschool & Kindergarten first transition visit5 November
Book fair - buy one, get one free5-8 November
Kindergarten Outdoor Classroom Day7 November
Twilight Fair8 November
Kindergarten Information Session18 November
Preschool & Kindergarten second transition visit19 November
Year 6 Bandstrav practice19 November
Year 6 Bandstrav performance20 November
Whole school assembly hosted by Kindergarten22 November

Notes to be returned

Notes may be downloaded from links found below


Date Due
Years 3 to 6 Footsteps Dance Workshop17 October
Year 3 excursion to Warrambui (payment plan)8 November

Year 3 excursion to Warrambui

Download

Years 3-6 Footsteps Dance Workshop

Download

Chief Minister’s Reading Challenge

Last Thursday the annual Chief Minister’s Reading Challenge Awards ceremony was held at the National Library of Australia. An impressive 20,305 students participated this year. Our Curtin Primary students who attended were Afrah, Alana and Samuel 1DF, and Jordaine 2WL. The four students were thrilled to attend the event and be presented with their award and book voucher to Paperchain Bookstore, Manuka by the Chief Minister, Mr Andrew Barr.  

Deborah Fitzgerald and Jane Steinback

WE NEED FABRIC!

The Be You team is looking for fabric for an exciting wellbeing project.

We are currently working on creating a wellbeing space for our school. We are hoping to furnish and decorate this space with items created from fabric.

We are looking for any blue, yellow, white or grey fabrics. We will happily take old clothes, sheets, curtains and fabric off-cuts.

Any unwanted fabric you have can be in with your children anytime over the coming weeks.

Thank you.

CANTEEN NEWS

Changes to menu - Twilight Fair Day - this Friday

So the fete is nearly upon us. In previous years we have had a sushi day on the Friday of the fete but, due to the fact we have already had the Athletics Festival and Market Day , I have decided to do a limited menu this Friday.

The fete is a very busy day as is my normal canteen Fridays. The canteen will be opened but i will only be offering limited items. Heat and bake items eg. sausage rolls, pies , mac and cheese , lasagna, chicken noodles, pizzas , spaghetti bolognese and chicken items.

Please see Flexischools for items.

Sorry for any inconvenience.

Cheers Lizzy   

CANTEEN HOURS OF OPERATION

The canteen is open from 8.45am until 1.45pm. If you have any canteen queries, Lizzy can be contacted on 6142 2581 during these hours.

2019 Canteen Menu

Download

LIBRARY NEWS

Book Fair - Buy One, Get One Free

In the Library starting Tuesday 5 November from 8:30am 2019 until Friday 8th November 3:30pm

Choose from 100’s of Books and Build your Home Library.

Scholastic Book Fairs is coming to our school with a Buy One Get One Free Book Fair! This special event offers a great opportunity for you to add twice as many books to your child’s home and classroom libraries. For every book purchased you receive a second book of equal or lesser value FREE to give as a gift to a friend, teacher, donate back to the library or keep yourself.

*Last year we asked for donations to our new take Home Books for Kindergarten. This year we would ask families if they would donate to the new Reading Mentor Program.

This runs before school a few mornings that week. 

TWILIGHT FAIR 2019

Only 2 sleeps to go!

Curtin Primary School’s Twilight Fair is one of the highlights of the year! 

This year’s Twilight Fair will be held on Friday 8th November from 5pm.

There will be delicious food and drinks, treats for the kids, sideshow alley and rides, entertainment, books, plants, craft, white elephant and goodies to take home. 

If you have any questions please email Lou Saber - louisesaber@gmail.com.

How you can help

The success of our Twilight Fair depends on our school community. There are many easy ways you can help - many hands make light work.

Volunteer on your class stall.

Get in contact with your class coordinator or class rep to see how you can help.

They might need some help with the preparation of the stall and will be compiling a roster for helpers on the night.

The more helpers we get, the easier it is and it really is loads of fun.

Donate what you can.

Each stall is looking for donations to help out. Please read through the notices to see what you can help out with and where you can drop it off.

Stall list

MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK

Help is urgently required - please sign up to help out a stall on the night

All stalls rely on the help of the parent community on the night. You can help on the stall for as little or as long as you like. Every bit counts. Please follow the below links to sign up to help.

Some stalls are very short of helpers. If your class stall roster is full, please sign up to help on another stall.

White Elephant - CLICK HERE White Elephant stall roster

CakesCLICK HERE Cake stall roster

CurryCLICK HERE Curry stall roster

Sideshow Alley - CLICK HERE - Sideshow Alley roster

DrinksCLICK HERE - Drinks stall roster

Fairy FlossCLICK HERE Fairy Floss stall roster

PlantsCLICK HERE Plant stall roster

BBQ CLICK HERE BBQ roster

BarCLICK HERE - Bar roster

BooksCLICK HERE Book stall roster

Ice CreamCLICK HERE Ice cream stall 

Nachos - CLICK HERE Nacho stall roster

Donations are appreciated and gratefully accepted.....

Donations are appreciated and being accepted now. Each stall is looking for donations. Please read through the notices to see what you can help with and where you can drop it off.

Books - Books of all genres, magazines, DVDs, computer programs, sewing patterns, music, CDs. Like every year, space is a premium, and sorting book donations prior to the fair is a huge task. You can help by bringing donated books in a box, sorted into genres and leaving neatly outside canteen on designated table.

White Elephant - bric-a-brac, toys, games, puzzles, homewares NO ELECTRICAL, BROKEN OR LARGE ITEMS please. Basically, anything that is in good condition and you think we can sell. If it is something you would buy, then someone else might be interested too. Items can be left outside the canteen on the designated table and will be moved to storage after sorting. 

Plants - seedlings, pot plants, vegetables, garden ornaments. Donations can be placed near the greenhouse on the metal shelving in the junior courtyard.

Raffle - anything that is NEW and UNUSED. Vouchers, gourmet food items, beauty products, toys, games, etc. Donations can be left at the front office.

Wine cage – wine bottle donations can be left at the front office.

Fairy floss – donations of white caster sugar can be left at the front office.

Handmade stall - The handmade stall at the Twilight Fair is looking for crafty sorts to help make unique and lovely items for this year's stall.Perhaps you're into beading, papercraft, knitting, crochet, sewing, felting....we'd love to hear from. We can suggest projects or perhaps you have items to contribute. Please email Clare - clarerebecca42@gmail.com

Food and drink stalls need donations too

Sausages, hot dogs, tomato & barbecue sauce, hot dog rolls, soft drinks, juice, water, ice cream, wrapped lollies, wine, beer, sugar, plastic cups.

If you or someone you know have something to donate then please let us know ASAP!

Curry stall - would greatly appreciate any donations of coconut milk, pappadums or mango chutney (chutney would be very, very good). A donations box will be left outside the canteen.

If you are able to help out cooking a curry or dhal, you will be enormously popular. Cooks are provided with the delicious Curtin curry recipe (quite straightforward) and a pack of ingredients to cook, just follow the instructions. Please email Ken - ken@taxrambling.com

If you have any questions regarding the Twilight Fair please email Louise - louisesaber@gmail.com

Food and drink donations

Sausages, hot dogs, tomato & barbecue sauce, hot dog rolls, soft drinks, juice, water, ice cream, wrapped lollies, wine, beer, sugar, plastic cups.

If you or someone you know have something to donate then please let us know ASAP!

louisesaber@gmail.com

Yes! The Twilight Fair Curry Stall is on again!

We would greatly appreciate any donations of coconut milk, pappadums or mango chutney (chutney would be very, very good). A donations box will be left outside the canteen.

If you are able to help out cooking a curry or dhal, you will be enormously popular. Cooks are provided with the delicious Curtin curry recipe (quite straightforward) and a pack of ingredients to cook, just follow the instructions.

ken@taxrambling.com

Sand Art

If you would like to volunteer for the easiest stall at the fair, look no further. It simple, and fun! And best of all, we are in the hall – protected from the weather. Sand art is not associated with any particular class, but something new we are trying out this year.

Sand Art is loved by small children, big kids, and adults. It is incredibly easy to complete but looks very effective when finished.  There will be lots of different designs and colours to choose from – the choice is yours. Selling for just $5 card, bring the whole family.

Please volunteer your valuable time on the attached Doodle Poll: https://doodle.com/poll/9474r2pzyqrgnb3b

Are you crafty? Know someone who is?

Do you enjoy crafting? The handmade stall at the Twilight Fair is looking for crafty sorts to help make unique and lovely items for this year's stall.

Perhaps you're into beading, papercraft, knitting, crochet, sewing, felting....we'd love to hear from. We can suggest projects or perhaps you have items to contribute.

clarerebecca42@gmail.com

Just a reminder that the cake stall needs your help

You can deliver baked goods to the canteen on Friday or bring them to the stall.

Remember to list the ingredients on your baked goods (no nuts and no fresh cream).

Please note we aren't distributing disposable plates this year.

Thank you for your help.

1CH and 1FO

Helping Hand

To help make your Twilight Fair a little easier we bring to you the helping hand. 

For only $6 you can purchase a helping hand for your child to wear around their neck on the night of the Twilight Fair. 

Each finger on the hand represents the following items: 

1.  Sausage sandwich

2.  Helping Hand Drink

3.  White Elephant toy

4.  Book of their choice from the book stall

5.  Tattoo or Sideshow Alley game 

As the holder of the hand claims each item the finger is torn off. 

Saves you handing over $$$ all night. Children are able to help themselves! 

Pre-purchase now by filling in form below and returning with payment to the front office by Thursday 7 November 2019.

Hands will be delivered to children on the day of the Twilight Fair. 

We will have a limited number of hands for sale at the raffle stall on the night of the fair. 

Helping Hand form

Download

P&C NEWS

Uniform Shop

The uniform shop is located opposite the canteen and is open from 8.30am until 9.30am each Wednesday. 

2019 Curtin Primary School Uniform order form

Download

COMMUNITY NEWS

Save the Date! Carols on the Block 2019

7 December 2019

Add it to your calendar now.

Details to follow including exciting news of this years MCs!