A Message from the Principal
Congratulations
Firstly a big congratulations to all of those students who received awards at the Presentation Evening last week. It was absolutely wonderful to celebrate the great improvements students have made in their learning, the outstanding academic achievement that was recognised and those that have shown the qualities of citizenship and leadership across the school. They have reflected the school SOAR values of Safety, Ownership, Achievement and Respect in many ways. Thank you to all parents and families who play a critical role in helping their child achieve these great results, and for your support in attending this special evening. A list of all awardees is attached to this newsletter.
Year 9 Graduation and Dinner Dance
Congratulations to our Year 9 students who graduated on the same evening and celebrated with a Dinner Dance. A big thank you to Ms Irini Pikoulos who has been the Year 9 Coordinator this year. She has ensured that all of our Year 9 students have been supported and cared for in many different ways and provided a range of pathways for success in their learning. We would like to wish our Year 9 students all the best in their Senior Years of schooling. Remember to SOAR towards your goals and aspirations and always remember you are only limited by your imagination.
Classes for 2019
At the moment classes are being finalised for 2019. It is our intention next year to keep students together in the same class for English, Maths, Humanities and Science. When students are placed in classes, teachers consider a number of factors to ensure your child is well-placed. If changes are required, these will need to be made in the first 2 weeks of the school year. Please contact the school within the first 2 weeks if you have concerns regarding your child's class placement in 2019.
School Council Thank You
Thank you to our School Council Chair Ms Fiona Shalley and School Council members who have worked hard behind the scenes this year, as strong partners to make improvements to the school. We have managed to recover and make repairs from Cyclone Marcus, (and we will be getting a new shade structure for the basketball courts over the Christmas break), purchased a new school bus, made improvements to our entrance and canteen areas, commissioned a School Master Plan for future planning and direction, and installed a Media-Green room to ensure our students have opportunity to use real world technology to enhance their learning.
2019 School Jackets and Uniforms
The School Council have also endorsed a black jacket as an addition to the school uniform. The school already sells two styles of jackets, a wet weather jacket ($35) and a fleecy jacket ($55). In 2019, all students will be required to wear a black jacket if they need another layer. If you prefer to buy a commercial jacket for your child it must be plain black without a hood. Next year we will also sell house-coloured (red, yellow, blue) sports shirts which will be required for PE lessons and sports events. Families please note: the front office is happy to accept any second hand uniforms which students no longer require.
School Break
School finishes for our students this Thursday 13 December.The front office will be open from the 15 January for purchasing of school uniforms and materials. Options for the use of Back to School vouchers will be sent out via email and School Stream.
The firsts day of school in 2019 for students is Tuesday 29 January (Monday 28 is the Australia Day public holiday). Please inform the front office if your child is not returning in 2019.
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and a restful school holiday break. I look forward to seeing you all in 2019.
Crop and Colour Final Results
The final total for the Crop and Colour fundraiser was a grand total of $5,109.75. What an outstanding effort from our students, their families and our staff members. Crop and Colour is an annual event at Dripstone Middle School and is traditionally held on Dripstone Day. Over the last 5 years our school has raised a total of $30.849 from this fundraiser, with money raised going to the Little Heroes Foundation. We are proud to support Little Heroes and the amazing work they do to support seriously ill children and their families.
Dripstone Artistic Talent
Year 8 students have been completing their landscape paintings and ceramic sculptures and our Year 9 students have been involved in upcycling items to create works of art. Well done to the artists of the pieces below: Yuwei W and Wendy O, Journey K, Charlotte C, Molly T, Uxel M, and Maria K.
Year 8 and 9 Bus Tours
The Year 8 and 9 bus tours were once again a huge success. Thank you to Nurse Mary for organising this valuable opportunity for Dripstone students. Students were able to visit a range of health care providers, as well as visit the Supreme Court. Thank you also to Mr Dave for driving the bus and to Senior Constable Dan for assisting as well.
