Term 2 Week 5

28 May, 2009

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY:

Wednesday, 3 June 4C & 4K Excursion

Monday, 8 June Public Holiday

Tuesday, 9 June P&C

4W & 4G Excursion

Wednesday 10 June 4R & 4A Excursion

Dear Parents & Caregivers,

PRINCIPAL’S EDUCATION DAY MESSAGE

I would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we stand and pay my respects to their elders both past and present. This week also marks a significant time in Aboriginal history as we recognize the anniversary of Sorry Day.

This is a very exciting time to be a part of public education. We are seeing unprecedented amounts of money being spent directly in schools to enhance learning opportunities for students.

Since Education Day 2008, we have built a state of the art block of 4 classrooms. It is designed to meet exacting environmental standards and includes, water tanks, automatic lighting systems and a roof system that self flushes hot air during the summer months. The junior toilets have also been refurbished. Our games court is underway and will be completed by the end of this term. We have added a parcel of land to our site and this will be integrated into our playground. We are about to embark on a building refurbishment program with a grant of $200,000 from the Federal Government National School Pride. We hope very soon to be approved to build another block of 6 classrooms. In addition, we have installed 6 new interactive whiteboards which enhances our technology.

However, this is just bricks and mortar. Our school motto says as “many hands build a house, so many hearts make a school”. Carlton Public is more than buildings. It is a living, growing community. Teachers are committed to professional learning and are engaged in several projects in mathematics, music, comprehension and technology. Our students continue to achieve well above literacy and numeracy standards.

Our students are always a credit to us. It makes us all proud when visitors to the school comment. Last week a visiting performer took the time to ring the school to comment on the outstanding behaviour of the students. Casual teachers often comment on the settled nature of the school and how well the students get on with each other, especially on the playground.

This year we have begun a sister city relationship with Meiyuan PS in Pudong Area of Shanghai in China. It is part of a Sydney Region initiative called Expanding Horizons and demonstrates the department’s commitment to strengthening our ties with Asia. We have just sent photographs of our school with descriptions written by students to the school. We are hoping to grow this relationship over the coming years.

Here at Carlton our horizons have always been wide, but we are open to expanding and growing. To ancient sailors the horizon was the edge of what was known. For us here at Carlton the horizon is just a starting point. We are equipping our children to be successful learners, confident people and generous citizens who want to play their part in the world.

Mrs S Tollis

EDUCATION WEEK PERFORMANCES

A very special thank you to the Arabic, Macedonian, Chinese, Maori and Indonesian language groups as well as the Recorder Group, Senior Dance Troupe and Junior Choir for their excellent performances at Education Week at Rockdale Plaza and Open Day at Carlton School this week. A very big thank you to all the teachers who were involved in preparing students for the performances. Many hours and hours of work went into preparing, rehearsing and presenting outstanding displays.

SWINE FLU

The DET has advised that any student who returns from Mexico, USA, Canada, Japan, and Panama is to remain at home for a period of 7 days before returning to school. If they remain well they can return to school. So we can monitor the situation we are asking that all children returning from an overseas holiday, report to the office before they return to class. We will interview them and assess the risk. Parents are encouraged to seek medical advice if they are planning an overseas holiday.

LOST PROPERTY

We make every effort to return lost items of clothing to our students and if the name inside the item is clearly visible we are able to do this. Please check your child’s clothing regularly – once a fortnight is a good routine to do this – and make sure the name is clearly able to be read. Please use a black permanent marking pen and write the name on the back of the collar area. Do not write on the inside of the jacket as the pen will rub off very quickly.

TAEKWONDO

The second session of Taekwondo will begin on June 11. The sessions run for 5 weeks and cost $20. Each lesson will contain some important Anti Bullying messages for students. All students are encouraged to work as part of a team and support one another. The students practise supporting one another and are encouraged not to engage in any “put downs”. All money for this activity should be placed in an envelope with the name of the child, the class and the total amount and given to Mrs Sadleir.

Whooping cough (pertussis)

There have been several reported incidents of whooping cough in the school.

In recent months there has been an increase in the number of school-aged children in NSW diagnosed with whooping cough (pertussis).

Please be on the look out for symptoms of whooping cough:

§ a runny nose, followed by a cough, which becomes worse (older children and adults may have only a cough that can last for several months)

§ a cough that occurs in spasms, which may be followed by vomiting

§ a cough with a 'whoop' (a sudden noisy gasp at the end of coughing).

In order to prevent further cases, if your child or any member of your family has symptoms of whooping cough please see your doctor and take this notice with you. This is extremely important if there is a baby less than 12 months of age living in the household. Whooping cough can be a serious life-threatening infection for babies.

If your doctor diagnoses whooping cough in its early, infectious stage (within 3 weeks of the cough starting), please advise the school and keep your child at home until they have taken 5 days of antibiotics.

Immunisation reduces the risk of infection, however the vaccine does not give lifelong protection, and reinfection can occur. The vaccine is provided free of charge for infants at 2, 4 and 6 months and again at 4 years. Please check that your child has received this primary course. If your child has not been fully immunised, discuss a catch-up plan with your doctor.

Because protection wanes with time, free vaccine will be provided to Year 10 students as part of the NSW School-based Vaccination Program from 2009.

Information on whooping cough is available at http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/factsheets/infectious/pertussis.html.