Welcome Kinder of 2017

It was lovely to see all our new faces in their school uniforms this morning for Kindergarten’s first day of school. We have a lovely group of gorgeous smiling and excited children! I hope all the Mums and Dads coped OK saying goodbye. I know how emotional it can be. We look forward to getting to know your children and watching them grow into beautiful young people. One day you’ll be crying because they are leaving primary school! Time truly flies by too quickly, so take heaps of photos, write down some of the hilarious things they come out with and enjoy your primary-aged child as they journey through their next 7 years of Tathra Public School

School Terms and Weeks 2017

Term 1 is made up of 11 weeks. School staff returned to work on Friday, 27 January. As a result, that week was called Week 1 (even though we were only here for 1 day). Students started on Monday 30 Jan so that week is called Week 2, this is why you are getting the week 2 newsletter although your children have only been back at school this week! For students the school terms are as follows:

Term 1 - Monday 30 Jan - Friday 7 April

Term 2 - Wednesday 26 April - Friday 30 June

Term 3 - Tuesday 18 July - Friday 22 September

Term 4 - Monday 9 October - Friday 15 December

Year 6 Leadership Camp Monday 6 – Tuesday 7 February

At the other end of the school, Year 6 will commence their Leadership Program by attending a 2 day camp to Bournda on Monday. Ms Derwent and I are looking forward to attending this camp supported by Bournda EEC staff. Mr Freedman (Head Teacher Student Welfare, Bega High) will be joining the camp for afternoon and night activities. Fingers crossed that the weather isn’t too awful!

Stage 2 and 3 Sport

This year Term 1 sport for years 3- 6 will be Beach Sports. Notes went home today. We need them back by tomorrow as years 3-5 will start Monday if the weather is suitable. If you can volunteer some time to support the sport program on Mondays let Mark Moses know by phoning the office: 6494 1291

K-2 Sport

Every Tuesday afternoon with Mr Moses and supervising teachers.

Swimming Carnival Thursday 9 February

Next Thursday is our annual swimming carnival for students turning 8+ years. It is a compulsory event for primary students. Parents are welcome and encouraged to come - cheer on your children and if possible, take a time-keeping job for a few hours! We do want a parent relay team to compete against our student and staff teams!

Special Programs

Music will be taught every week by specialist Music Teacher, Kristy Ellis this year. We are very lucky to have Kristy. She has been volunteering her time for several years to support K-2 music programs but now she is coming as a paid staff member! She will commence music classes with classes - 2/3, 3, 4, 5, 5/6 this semester (starting tomorrow) and will work with 2, 1/2, 1 and Kinder, next Semester. Mr Garry Jones is also teaching Guitar to stage 2 this term.

Japanese lessons will recommence with the lovely Murphy Sensei tomorrow.

Canteen – reopening Feb 16

Thank you to our P&C canteen coordinator Catherine Mortimer for the work she is doing to organise a new menu ready for the first canteen day. If you can offer some assistance on one or two Thursdays, please let her know by leaving a message at the office or seeing her directly.

Pick ups and drop offs

We ask parents who are collecting their children from school to wait on the big steps in the bottom playground so the children can come to find you. If you would like to wait near the office under the big tree or at the front gate, we ask the children to meet outside the 2/3 classroom for me or another teacher to take them up the stairs as a group.

The pathways are very congested and hard to navigate. Please discourage toddlers from playing on the stairs and please please please do not wait in the walkways as this just adds to the congestion. Bega Street is very busy at the end of school time . If you need to cross the road to get to your car with your child, please use the school crossing. We encourage students to get into this habit as part of road safety education. This is where visibility is best and there is a crossing as it is marked by crossing flags during school hours.

Sensory Playground

Thanks to the support of the P&C and the generosity of parents, John Plumb and Rob Jennings, we have a new amazing sandpit. This fabulous sandpit space, is phase 1 of a P&C sensory playground project led by Bianca Horsfall. The students love this area already!