Curtin Primary School Newsletter

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.

Yesterday, the team from the Weet-Bix Kids Tryathlon spoke to all students in years 1-6 about this exciting opportunity for them to get active by swimming, cycling and running in a friendly and supportive environment. Curtin Primary students have been participating in this family friendly event for many years now and each year the number of students entering increases. Following the presentation, every student was given the opportunity to eat some Weet-Bix, fruit and milk with their friends on the senior basketball court.

The Weet-Bix Kids Tryathlon will be held in Canberra on Sunday 9th February 2020 at the AIS in Bruce. It is designed for all kids aged 7-15, no matter what their ability or experience. The students will be bringing home a flyer with registration information in the next few days so please look out for it. Alternatively, you can register at tryathlon.com.au Thank you very much to Amanda Beresford for organising that the official launch of the 2020 Weet-Bix Kids Tryathlon be held at our school!

Last week, Sony Nemarich accompanied seven year 5 and 6 students to compete in the Tournament of Minds International final in Hobart. These students were, Serena B, Erika Y, Max C, Jeremy, B, Henry V, Flynn M and Luke R. The opening ceremony on Friday was a highlight where every school representing each state, territory and county was introduced. They were then given the opportunity to travel to Richmond historical village for some sightseeing and to make new friends from all over Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. In the afternoon the teams visited a wildlife sanctuary dedicated to the preservation of Australian native animals.

 On Saturday, the Curtin team competed in the STEM problem-solving section of the tournament. They had to prepare a response to a challenge and were given 3 hours to prepare and rehearse before presenting their solution to the judges and an audience. The team did incredibly well. Just getting to that level in the competition and the memory of the experience will stay with them for a lifetime. The biggest highlight for the team was the closing ceremony. The opportunity to be involved in a competition which celebrates creative and collaborative thinking, requiring understanding, teamwork and dedication will never be forgotten by our students as goodbyes were said to their new friends from across the country and across the sea.

Thank you very much to Mrs Nemarich for all her tireless work in ensuring that the students were fully prepared for the TOMs International Finals.

 We hope to have some new teams ready to represent Curtin Primary again in 2020 in Perth, WA!

The evening of the exciting Twilight Fair is getting closer and its success relies on our school community. The Twilight Fair is an ideal opportunity for all families and friends to meet up and enjoy a marvellous evening full of lots of delicious food and fun activities for young and old.

If you haven’t done so already, please contact your class coordinator or class rep to see how you can help. They might need some help with the preparation of the stall, including donations for goods on it and will be also compiling a roster for helpers on the night. The more helpers there are, the easier it is, and everyone has loads of fun!

Please read through the Twilight Fair notices in this newsletter and on SkoolBag to see how you can help with this fabulous annual event at our caring and community focused school.

There is a group of tireless organisers who work behind the scenes each year to ensure that this major school fundraising event is greatly enjoyed by all. A huge thank you from all of us at CPS!

Enjoy the gorgeous Spring weather,

Deborah Fitzgerald

To ensure a safe and efficient flow of traffic during pick up times for our students, families and the wider community, Curtin is trialling a new traffic management system for the afternoon pickups. This will commence on Monday next week. 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.

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

Notes may be downloaded from links found below

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. 

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

Cakes - CLICK HERE Cake stall roster

Curry - CLICK HERE Curry stall roster

Sideshow Alley - CLICK HERE - Sideshow Alley roster

Drinks - CLICK HERE - Drinks stall roster

Fairy Floss - CLICK HERE Fairy Floss stall roster

Plants - CLICK HERE Plant stall roster

BBQ - CLICK HERE BBQ roster

Bar - CLICK HERE - Bar roster

Books - CLICK HERE Book stall roster

Ice Cream - CLICK HERE Ice cream stall 

Nachos - CLICK HERE Nacho stall roster

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

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

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.