Curtin Primary School Newsletter

Week 2 Term 2 2019


Principal - Merryn O'DeaOUT OF SCHOOL HOURS CARE
Deputy Principal - Maryanne HayesJuniors - 0476 846 570
Board ChairSeniors - 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

Dear Curtin Families,

Term 2 is already off to a great start and our students are very settled and engaged in their learning. It is looking to be a very busy term with lots of exciting things coming up for our students. Yesterday we had some senior students participating in the Da Vinci Decathlon at Canberra Grammar, later in the term we have camps to Sydney for Year 5 and Cooba for Year 6 and in Week 4, we will be having an out of this world conversation with astronauts at the International Space Station! This is a truly amazing opportunity for our students to talk to astronauts in real time and find out more about space. Look out for more information on this soon.  

Next week, our Year 3 and 5 students will be participating in NAPLAN assessments (National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy) from Tuesday to Friday. For some students, these assessments can create some unnecessary anxiety and fear. We encourage parents of year 3 and 5 students to talk to their child about NAPLAN and reassure them that the assessments are just like any other piece of work they complete. Students should try their best, however, understand that it is no more important than anything else they work on at school. At Curtin, we use NAPLAN results as only one piece of evidence to determine the success of our learning programs, considering the overall results and student growth. It does not necessarily always reflect the impact of teaching programs and evidence of student learning. Analysing the growth made between year levels provides us with information about how our teaching programs are fostering development. Please let your child know there is no need to be nervous. You are welcome to contact class teachers with any concerns. The NAPLAN schedule is as follows;

Tuesday 14 May - Writing

Wednesday 15 May - Reading

Thursday 16 May - Conventions of Language

Friday 17 May – Numeracy

Next Monday 13 May, our Kindergarten students will be holding their culminating event Identity from 8:30am and are inviting their ‘Grandfriends’ to come along. On Fri 17 May, Year 2’s culminating event Survival will be held from 8:30am in the year 2 classrooms and junior courtyard.

Last Friday, many students had a great night at the school disco held in the hall. Thank you once again to parent volunteers and the P&C for your organisation of another successful whole school event. It is very much appreciated by our whole school community. 

Have a great week,

Clare Farr

SAFETY REMINDER FOR DRIVERS

- The speed limit in school zones is 40km between the hours of 8am – 4pm.

- DO NOT park or double park in drop off zones. These are 'NO PARKING' zones. This causes congestion and makes it unsafe for students trying to access the carpark area.

- Disabled parking spots are ONLY for those displaying a disabled permit.

- Please park legally. Footpaths and driveways should not be obstructed or blocked.

Unsafe parking has been an observed issue. This is also a priority of ACT Government. Work and parking inspector/police may be invited to monitor.

SCHOOL EVENTS

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

Year 2 Cricket Clinics9, 16, 23 May
Year 1 Cricket Clinics13, 20 May
Kindergarten Culminating Event & Grandparents Day13 May
Year 4 Orienteering14, 21, 28 May
School Photos - North and South preschools14 May
School Photos - South preschool16 May
NAPLAN14-17 May
Year 2 Culminating Event17 May
International Space Station link up event20 May
Year 3 excursion to the National Museum of Australia21 May

Notes to be returned

Notes may be downloaded from links found below


Date Due
Voluntary contributionsasap
Year 5 Camp payment balance6 May
Year 5 Camp permission note10 May
Year 3 excursion National Museum of Australia10 May

Year 3 excursion to National Museum of Australia

Download

Year 5 Sydney Camp 2019

Download
Volunteer here

Please click here to volunteer for the Election BBQ

International Space Station News

The most current update (as at 2:00pm Wednesday 8 May) is that the International Space Station link up will take place in week 4 on Monday 20 May. The 10 minute radio telephone link up will start at 6:37pm.

Please note that we will not know absolutely for certain until next week when NASA sends us the final confirmation.

All interested families are invited to attend. Because of the need for quiet during the link up, we ask parents that if possible, toddlers and babies do not attend.

The link up will take place in the main hall and we ask that all attending be seated promptly by 6:10pm.

https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/tyler-nick-hague

Twelve students from years 1-6 will be asking the American astronaut Tyler Nick Hague the following student questions which were chosen from those that were submitted by students across the school.

1.  Why are you in space? What are you working on?

2.  How long have you been on the space station?

3.  Do you ever worry about space junk hitting the ISS?

4.  Do you go outside the space station?

5. What can you see in space from the ISS?

6.  What does space smell like?

7. What is the most needed object in space?

8. Does time change in space?

9. Why does it look slow when the ISS is going so fast?

10. How do you know it is lunchtime when it’s always dark?

11. How do you eat without your food going everywhere?

12. Do you have to take food and water with you to the ISS?

13.  What happens if there is an emergency on the ISS?

14. What happens if you get hurt or sick on the ISS?

15. Do you get sick when you come back to Earth?

16. Why did you choose to become an astronaut?

17. How long did it take you to become an astronaut?

18. What was your favourite part of your training for the ISS? Why?

19. What do you do to pass the time in space when you are not working?

20. Do you have fun in space?

We are all looking forward with great anticipation to our school’s involvement in this exciting event!

Deborah Fitzgerald

Social and Emotional Learning Focus Term 2

Self Management

This year we continue to teach social and emotion learning as this is a key component of our school plan for student wellbeing. Friendly Schools Plus, is a literacy-based program developed to support children using rich texts as examples and personal reflection to embed these life skills and to help develop strategies for healthy relationships.

This term, students across the school will be learning about how to regulate their behaviour and emotions when things go wrong. This links back to last terms topic, self-awareness, where students learnt to recognise their emotions. Self-management is taught by examining negative thoughts, beliefs, feelings and behaviours, and replacing them with more helpful and positive strategies as shown in the table below. 

LOST PROPERTY

Volunteers needed urgently

Our lovely lost property angels are urgently looking for a bit of help. If you can spare some time please contact the front office.

Where is Lost Property?

Could parents please come and check lost property for any of their children’s unnamed belongings?

All clearly named items are sorted each Friday morning and returned to the relevant class room areas in a white tub labelled Lost Property. So, for any lost, named items, please check this box which can be found outside/near your child’s class room.

All other lost property items can be found in the Year 2 corridor around the corner from the canteen.

HALL OF FAME

Da Vinci Decathlon

On Wednesday the 8th of May, three teams participated in the Da Vinci Decathlon at Canberra Grammar.

The challenges were extremely difficult but as always the students rose to the occasion! A special congratulations to the year 6 team of Thea, Anna, Erin, Erika, Josh, Dominic, Byron and Jeremy who came third overall!

Thank you to all the parents for your support!

SPORTS NEWS

Athletics Trials

At Curtin Primary we run our selections for the Regional Athletics Carnival early in the year while the oval is dry and before it gets too cold.  Our regional track & field selections will begin in Week 3, Term 2.  The regional carnival is in Term 3.  Lots of time to train.

Races will begin at 1.20pm (lunchtime).  Students should already know what final/s they have been selected in – if they have forgotten, the lists are displayed outside my office.  Children will be given a reminder on the day at morning lines and an announcement will be made over the speaker just before event. 

There will still be an Athletics Festival in Term 4 where children compete in track and field events, but it focuses on participation rather than competition.

Sporting Schools

We were lucky enough to receive funding again from the Sporting Schools program for term 2.  This term we have the following programs running:

Year 1 & 2 - CRICKET

Year 4 - ORIENTEERING

We will continue to apply for funding each term so other grades can enjoy the programs available.

Last term we used the funding for our Passion Projects and children had the opportunity to be involved in Soccer, Tennis, Touch Football and Netball.

PE Program Term 2

FUNDAMENTAL SKILLS

Overarm throw, Kick, Punt, Dodge, Side-arm-strike

TEAM GAMES

Zulu, Soccer, Dodgeball, T-ball, Softcross, Scooter Hockeys

P&C NEWS

Thank you!

A very big thank you to Ali Bourke and the team of volunteers that helped to coordinate, set up and staff the disco on Friday night. The evening was great fun as always and could not happen without the commitment and enthusiasm of our parent and carer community. THANK YOU!

Everyone's welcome...

The next Curtin P&C meeting will be held in Week 3 on Thursday 16 May in the staff room (refreshments from 6.30pm, meeting start from 7pm).

Please come along and find out about events and activities the P&C is planning for 2019, contribute your ideas and help us to build a strong and connected school community.

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

CANTEEN NEWS

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

COMMUNITY NEWS

Upcoming workshop on how we can all help reduce violence and bullying in schools

Building Strong and Safe Communities for Learning is a partnership project between the ACT Education Directorate and the ACT Council of Parents and Citizens Associations (P&C). It focuses on all of us - parents, students, principals and teachers- working together to reduce violence and bullying in schools. An initial workshop discussed the key issues including what is working well or not working well. This is a reminder about the two remaining activities you can be involved in to have your say:

  • On 9 May 2019, 8:30am – 4:30pm this workshop will follow on from the first workshop and explore the key question “How might we reduce and respond to violence in schools and co-create strong and safe communities for learning?”. 
  • In mid-late June 2019 a 2 – 3 hour showcase will highlight what we have learned. It will enable participants to attend at different times across different days.  

If you require any further information, or if you wish to attend either of the workshops, please contact Ms Leanne Ballard on Leanne.ballard@act.gov.au or 6205 2912.