DIARY DATES

NUMBER 40 – 11 December 2014

Fri 12 Dec Prep Planning Day

Yrs 5 & 6 Beach Day Excursion 9am

Mon 15 Dec Whole School Assembly 9.10am

School Reports go home today

Yr 6 Graduation in the school hall 7pm

Tues 16 Dec Yr 6 Bike Day to Bicentennial Park

Prep - Yr 2 Tabloid Sports Morning -

students to wear house polos

Yr 3 (current) BYOD Parent Information

Night 6.30pm in the Yr 6 rooms.

Wed 17 Dec Prep Graduation in the school hall 9.15am

School Council Meeting 6.30pm

Fri 19 Dec End of Term 4 - 1.30pm dismissal time

Tues 27 Jan

2015

Uniform Sales Day 10am - 1pm

Thur 29 Jan Yr 1 - Yr 6 Students return to school 9am

Preps 9.30am - 12pm or 1pm - 3.30pm

Fri 30 Jan Preps 9.30am - 12pm or 1pm - 3.30pm

Mon 2 Feb Prep 2015 Parents/Carers Morning Tea in

the Staffroom 9am

Wed 4 Feb Prep 2015 Testing Day - No Preps at

school today.

Fri 6 Feb Yrs 3 - 6 Swimming Carnival at the Pines

Pool in Frankston 9am. Parent Helpers

Required - Please see Michelle Conway

Wed 11 Feb Prep 2015 Testing Day - No Preps at

school today

Fri 13 Feb Yr 6 Interschool Sport

Yr 3 Roy Dore Reserve BBQ 9am

ACTING PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

FINAL DAY OF SCHOOL

School will conclude at 1.30pm on Friday, 19th December, 2014. A special school assembly will be held at 1.00pm to farewell our Year 6 students and announce our 2015 School Captains, Junior School Councillors and House Captains

UPDAY

The school enjoyed a very successful ‘Upday’ on Tuesday when students spent part of the day with their new teachers for 2015. Please remember that placements are indicative at this time and will be confirmed when reports are sent home next Monday as some slight changes have been necessary due to students leaving and new students enrolling for 2015.

CLASS MOVES FOR 2015

Next week some teachers will be moving to their new rooms in preparation for 2015. A map has been included to help you find your child(ren) if they have moved classrooms.

Those teachers moving and their new room numbers are:

Monday, 15th December:

Ms Bound - Prep C (Room 4)

Mrs Morgan - 1D (Room 14)

Mrs Shipham/Mrs Walsh - 1B (Room 13)

Mrs Mitchell - 1A (Room 5)

Mrs Macaulay - 5D (Room 22)

Mrs Dyer - 5A (Room 24)

Mrs Ryan - 3A (Room 8)

Mrs Cross - 2D (Room 29)

Tuesday, 16th December:

Mrs Phillips - Prep A (Room 16)

Miss Davis - 1E (Room 2)

Mrs Bowly - 1C (Room 12)

Mrs Ashburn - 2C (Room 15)

Mr Patane - 5C (Room 21)

Wednesday, 17th December:

Miss Mercuri - Prep D (Room 23)

Miss Jones - Prep E (Room 3)

Miss Funnell - 2B (Room 6)

** See ‘School Map 2015’ attached.

PREP ENROLMENTS FOR 2016

Enrolment forms for parents are available from the office and can also be downloaded from our school website www.patterson-lakes-ps.vic.edu.au/

Could parents please return enrolment forms ASAP.

ACTING PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

STUDENT REPORT PACKAGE

Student reports will be sent home on Monday, 15th December. In the package you will receive your child’s report, including a two page report information sheet, a class digital presentation and if your child is returning in 2015, a letter to confirm their class placement. In line with the school’s Assessment and Reporting Policy, teachers will be available to discuss your

child's progress if necessary.

ACTING PRINCIPAL’S REPORT ACTING PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

DOLPHIN RESEARCH INSTITUTE ‘i Sea i Care’ PROGRAM

Yesterday our six new ambassadors for the Dolphin Research Institute ‘i sea i care’ program attended their first activity. They took a boat trip on Port Phillip Bay from Sorrento where they were lucky enough to swim with seals, do some snorkelling and see dolphins. Kai, Jack, Dillon, Natalie, Molly and Hannah all had a great day!

CHRISTMAS CONCERT AND DIGITAL PRESENTATIONS

Last Thursday night both the Christmas Concert and the Prep, 1 and 2 Digital Presentations were very well attended and a huge success. Thanks to all the staff involved in the organisation of these activities. In particular, Mrs Bowly, Mr Drysdale, Mrs Roberts and our class teachers are to be congratulated for their efforts to prepare the students whose performances in the concert were terrific. Also a big thank you to the fundraising team and some of the staff who helped serve at the BBQ where Tony Galea did a great job once again cooking the ‘snags’. Thanks to our Prep, 1 and 2 teachers who spent many hours of their time preparing the digital presentations for their classes to showcase the wonderful learning opportunities our students at Patto are lucky to have.

STUDENT OF THE WEEK AWARDS

Congratulations to the following students who won our ‘Student of the Week’ awards for Week 10 of this term. Students will receive their certificates at their next assembly. Keep up the terrific work everyone!

Prep A – Hayley T for always doing her best work, no matter what the task. Prep B – Amity G for all her hard work this year and being an excellent and caring classmate in Prep B. Prep C – Holly R for your helpful and enthusiastic approach. You are a valued member of the Prep C team. Prep D – Audrey B for always trying your best in all that you do and being a great friend. Prep E – Tahlia S for working so hard during Independent Reading. You are always focussed and your contribution to class discussions about reading are always wonderful.

STUDENT OF THE WEEK AWARDS cont. 1A – Connor O for making a huge improvement in demonstrating the school’s core values of Respect, Integrity and Excellence in the classroom. 1B – Mitchell D for being a kind, caring and well-mannered student. It has been a pleasure to teach you. 1C – Madison M for being such a helpful and productive class member. Well done Madison on a wonderful semester in 1C. 1D – Matilda F for always being focussed on her learning every day. 1E – Thomas B for being an absolutely wonderful and delightful member of 1E this year. Best of luck at your next school. 2A – Summer M for being a great listener in class and awesome friend to many students. 2B – Maddison L for always been caring and compassionate to her classmate. 2C – Jodhi C for being a wonderful classroom helper during our Upday activities. Good luck at your next school. 2D – Charlotte K for always trying her best in all activities throughout the year. 2E – Charlize H for being a wonderful classmate all year. I will miss you next year. 3A – Tilley L for being an excellent helper in the classroom and always offering to do jobs. 3B – Charli M for always being a kind, caring and helpful member of our class and a wonderful Class Captain. 3C – Oscar N for improved attitude in and out of the class, along with improved editing skills. 3D – Jasmine H for excellent effort in our Christmas craft and cooking rotations. Your work was wonderful. 4A – Charlotte O for her outstanding Term 4 attitude, effort and results. 4B – Regan T for being a well behaved and cooperative class member who gets along with others and always works to the best of his ability. 4C – Lena F for being a wonderful student all year and always upholding the school values, Integrity, Respect and Excellence. 4D – Luke H for his fantastic work during Christmas Rotations. 5A – Harvey T for completing an all round outstanding year. 5B – Bonnie L for being a kind and caring member of our class. Congratulations on a fantastic year! 5C – Alicia G for being an outstanding Class Captain and having a wonderful year. 5D – Tameka L for her enthusiasm, initiative, helpfulness and bright smile. Thank you and all the best for Year 6. 6A – Max L for being very organised and showing integrity with his studies. 6B – Ryan M for working hard to become a more effective reader. Good on you Ryan. 6C – Blake G for a fantastic effort in all your school work this term. Your results have shown a great improvement.

CONGRATULATIONS Over the last month Holly B (3B) has been through the audition process to represent Victoria next year in the Victorian Calisthenics State team. Not only did she successfully get through the audition rounds, but has been selected as one of the 2015 Victorian Calisthenics Team members! She will train hard for the next 7 months and then compete in the Australian National Championships next July on the Gold Coast. A super effort Holly!

BEST WISHES TO VCE STUDENTS On behalf of staff and the school community, l wish the Year 6 Class of 2008 every success in their VCE results next week.

NAME BIRTHDAY

Yianni G 11 December

James M 11 December

William G 11 December

Mia A 11 December

Rosie T 12 December

Miah F 12 December

Hunter M 13 December

Ruby-Lee B 13 December

Christina N 13 December

Maddison B 13 December

Juan B 14 December

Veronique G 15 December

Tahlia C 15 December

Diahann S 16 December

Daniella C 16 December

Chelsea M 16 December

Caleb M 17 December

Adam S 17 December

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Year 3-6 Digital Portfolios’ WIKIspace.

They are finished! The students and I have been working very hard all term to produce a Digital Portfolio using a WIKI. All Year 3 – 6 students have produced a photo video of their class’s highlights using the photos their teachers have taken throughout the year. They have added interesting captions and anecdotes to the photos and recorded their personal reflections in a discussion thread. All students have been involved in one way or another.

Every class from Years 3 - 6 has its own page. There are also many other special features; other videos produced as part of the ICT class, all Nosey Bear TV episodes and the winners of the ‘Golden Nugget’ Film awards to name a few.

http://www.2014atplps.wikispaces.com/

Please visit your child’s page and at the same time have a look at the other classes to see the amazing year our students have had at ‘Patto’.

Kind regards

Helene Bearup

YEARS 3 - 6 DIGITAL PORTFOLIOS

Happy Birthday to the following students who are celebrating

their birthday in the coming week. We hope you have a

lovely day.

SCHOOL BOOKLISTS

School Booklists

If you have misplaced your 2015

Booklist, they are now available on the school

Website:

http://www.patterson-lakes-ps.vic.edu.au

PLPS 2015 Swimming Carnival (Years 3 - 6)

Students in Years 3 - 6 will be participating in the 2015 Swimming Carnival at the Pines Pool in

Frankston North on Friday February 6th 2015.

Buses will leave school at approximately 9.10am and return at approximately 3.00pm for a normal

3.30pm dismissal.

Students are to wear their house polo shirts with their bathers underneath and bring the following:

Towel

Hat

Sunscreen

Goggles

Lunch and snacks

Large drink bottle

Change of underwear

Plastic bag for wet clothes and towel

Optional money for canteen ($5 max)

Students will be provided with a house coloured swimming cap to compete in as they arrive.

Pines Pool is a 50m outdoor pool. Students will be able to compete in the following 50m events:

Freestyle, Breaststroke, Backstroke and Butterfly. If time permits, students who were not confident to

participate in a 50m event will have the chance to participate in a shorter ‘noodle race’ with the

assistance of school staff in the pool.

Students will get the chance to have free play in the small ‘toddlers’ swimming pool during the day.

School staff will be supervising at the carnival as well as carrying out particular roles for the day.

Lifeguards will be on duty and St Johns First Aid has been booked for the event.

When students are not competing they are expected to sit under the shade cloth area and be wearing

their house polo shirts and hats at all times.

Students will compete in their age groups. If students are turning 11 in 2015 they are in the 11 year old

age group and so on. Our school’s District Swimming Team will be selected using the results from this

carnival and announced at school during the following week.

Unfortunately Year 6 students will be on camp when the District Swimming event is held (Monday 2nd

March). Our successful Year 6 student’s times from our school’s carnival will be passed on to the District

Sports Coordinator to be used at the District Swimming event, therefore all Year 6 students must try their

very best at our carnival!

Parent helpers are required to help record student swimming times on the day. If you can help

please email conway.michelle.l@edumail.vic.gov.au

Golf Sessions in P.E This week in P.E, some of our senior students had the pleasure of learning some golf skills from Paul

Boxall. Paul is from Sandhurst Golf Club and would love to see some more students get involved in

the sport. For details of his Summer Holiday Program and free coaching opportunities for adults, refer

to the flyer on the back page of this newsletter.

School Swimming Lessons 2015

In 2015 students at Patterson Lakes PS will be participating in a Learn to Swim Program at the new Peninsula

Aquatic Recreation Centre (PARC) in Frankston. Students are expected to participate in the program offered in

order to meet curriculum standards for Health and P.E.

Permission forms will be handed out to students in the first week back at school in 2015

and are to be returned by 6/2/15.

The first year levels to begin their program are the Year 3/4’s on 17/2/15. Other year levels

are to follow in Terms 1 and 2.

Parent helpers will be required, particularly for the junior year levels. Please see your

child’s classroom teacher in 2015 to offer your assistance.

Please read the parent information sheet provided by PARC on the next page.

Any queries contact conway.michelle.l@edumail.vic.gov.au

School Swimming Parent Information Notice

Dear Parents,

Peninsula Aquatic Recreation Centre (PARC) would like to welcome you into our School’s Learn to Swim Program.

We pride ourselves on our unique program which includes beginner to advanced techniques and water safety skills.

Water Safety and learning to swim are essential life skills that provide learners with the confidence and skills to enjoy aquatic environments and activities.

At PARC, we are committed to providing the foundation that we believe is necessary for your child to build solid and sound aquatic skills.

The following briefly outlines some of what we’ll be providing in our school’s learn to swim program:

A fun and exciting learning environment

Quality and innovative programs, including a strong focus on water safety

A dedicated team of AUSTSWIM qualified teachers

World class facilities

Children participating in our program will grow in confidence, improve their swimming technique and gain valuable experiences through fun and exciting lessons. All our classes are well prepared and all of our swim school instructors are AUSTSWIM qualified.

Parent participation is always encouraged, and to ensure that our program runs smoothly and efficiently, we ask that you read and appreciate the following guidelines:

If you have any queries regarding your child’s swimming lessons, please speak directly to the swimming coordinator at your school who will contact us with your concerns.

All enquiries are dealt with as a matter of importance and we’ll ensure feedback is provided to the swimming coordinator who will then contact you

Please avoid attending your child’s swimming lessons until day 2. This allows us to re-assess all children and to ensure they are placed in their correct classes

Any special requests regarding your child’s lesson needs to be in writing and forwarded to your swimming coordinator at your school prior to lessons commencing

PARC does not issue refunds or credits. If you know in advance that your child will not be attending all lessons, and you still choose to enrol, your child will be charged for the lessons missed

The parent assessment letter that you are asked to complete is a guide for us only. This is to ensure that your child receives lessons from day one. Re-assessments are conducted as part of the first two lessons. Therefore, any questions regarding your child's level after the second lesson can be referred back to your swimming coordinator at your school

Swim caps are highly recommended during lessons. By wearing swim caps the children can swim more efficiently without hair in their mouths or on their faces as well as the water quality is maintained and filters are kept cleaner. Swim caps provided free of charge for all students in 2015.

For hygiene reasons children are unable to borrow swimming caps

Please note that if your child’s assessment letter is not received prior to the commencement of lessons, then unfortunately he/she will be unable to participate in lessons

All children will receive a participation certificate and PARC information on other services on offer.

I would like to thank you for your support in your child’s swimming lessons here at PARC.

Kind Regards

PARC Schools Swimming Team

ARTISTS OF THE MONTH

Congratulations to

Erin P, Lincoln A, Allegra P, Regan T, Charli B, Melinda C and Jonathan N

who showed creativity and excellence in their Threads and Textiles Teddies.

Also to Sakura T and Lachlan O for completing superb Fluffy Cat Collages.

Fantastic effort by all.

Why parents shouldn't try to fix everything for their kids

Behaviour & Discipline for Older Kids - Michelle Icard November 14, 2014

Recently, a friend called me with a problem that she was hoping I'd have an answer for. The girls in her daughter's sixth-grade class were excluding her, and she didn't know what to do about it. Some-times these girls acted like her friends, and other times they "forgot" to save her a seat on the bus or invite her to a sleepover. The daughter was hurt, and my friend was at her wit's end.

Most parents in this situation go into "fix-it" mode, willing to do anything to make it better. But can we really change how other kids behave? Chances are slim. Plus, when we attempt to rescue our kids from hurt feelings by changing the people around them, we deny them the opportunity to learn valua-ble life skills for coping with any situation that may make them sad, anxious or angry in the future.

"I called the teacher, but she never witnesses this behaviour happening. I called the mum of the main mean girl, but I think she's as big a problem as the daughter," my friend told me.

"What about your daughter," I asked? "Margaret has spoken up for herself and told the other girls multiple times that they are hurting her feelings, but the girls just don't know how or want to be nice. How can I get them to be nicer?"

How do we get other kids to behave better? The short answer is, we don't.

Pop quiz: Let's say your son comes home from school, sulking. You ask what's wrong and he (of course) replies, "Nothing." Later, you find his new Storm trooper T-shirt in the trash. When you press him about this, he confesses that a girl in his class made fun of the shirt, everyone laughed, and he'll never wear it again.

Do you:

A. Try to explain why she would be so mean? (Did you hear her parents are getting a divorce?)

B. Tell him some people are just idiots and to ignore her because she's not worth it?

C. Try to make him feel better by suggesting she has a crush on him and that's the only way she knows to flirt?

If you choose A, you clearly value empathy and want to pass that to your son. If you choose B, you want to help him be stronger and less sensitive to careless criticism. If you choose C, you want to give him a compliment to balance whatever damage that girl did to his ego. All of these are noble. These are natural responses and they are rooted in good intention.

They are also ineffectual. In both these cases, before parents can help fix things, they must first be sure they are fixing the right things.

You really can't know why other kids behave badly.

If a girl is teasing your son, it could be due to the stresses in her life. It could be that she's just a jerk. It could be that she has a crush on him. You don't know, and not knowing makes correcting her behaviour at the root nearly impossible. But even if you did know, you'd have little power to change her. Sure, you may be able to force her compliance in public, but no one is on duty to police her morality in places like the gym, hallways or bathrooms at school.

If the neighbourhood kids are running amok on an elderly neighbour's lawn and I talk with them about being more considerate, I hope I'm teaching them a life lesson about respect. But when parents talk about changing the way kids behave in relation to their own child, it's often charged with getting justice, not inspiring moral development.

Why parents shouldn't try to fix everything for their kids Behaviour & Discipline for Older Kids - Michelle Icard November 14, 2014

We all want to help our children recover from encounters with mean people. If we can't "fix them," what's our recourse?

Fix your own feelings, not other people's behaviour.

Adults waste a lot of time coaching kids to fix other people. So try this instead: The next time your child is suffering, rather than focusing your efforts on changing other people, ask your child how that person makes him feel. You may hear words like "mad, furious, jealous, sad, lonely." This feeling is the only sure thing your child can fix in this situation.

"I understand," you say. "It's perfectly normal to feel angry in this situation. What could you do to feel better?" Listen with a neutral face as he lists all the things he could do to feel better. The less emotionally invested you appear, the more your kid will keep talking. Keep the focus on fixing the feelings, not the other kid.

One of the powers that mean people have over us more sensitive types is they can make us feel helpless. Beating your head against a wall trying to get other people to change only makes you feel more so. But, by taking active steps to feel better on our own, we get our power back.

My friend's daughter did this. She decided to join a Girl Scout troop outside of school to make new friends. Your son might decide to play some basketball, download some new songs, read a book or put his Storm trooper shirt back on and ask you to watch Star Wars with him. When he gets back to school, he may decide to ignore that girl who teased him, to confront her or to ask her to the school dance.

The point is, he's deciding what's going to make him feel better and you're not swooping in to fix his classmate. Whatever step he takes, he'll feel less helpless for being proactive and he'll have learned a valuable skill that will carry him throughout his life.

Mean people will always exist. Best not to spin our wheels trying to get them to change, when we could be doing lots of things that make us happy instead.

Michelle Icard is the author of Middle School Makeover: Improving the Way You and Your Child Experience the Middle School Years. Her website is michelleinthemiddle.com.

Washington Post

http://www.essentialkids.com.au/older-kids/behaviour-and-discipline-for-older-kids/why-

parents-shouldnt-try-to-fix-everything-for-their-kids-20141114-11mknd.html

COMMUNITY NEWS COMMUNITY NEWS

Second Hand Uniforms For Sale A variety of second hand uniforms for both Flinders Christian College and Mordialloc College are available for sale. Call Wendy on 0419 500 831 for further information.

Merry Fitness - 3 Months only $225

Join up at Anytime Fitness Chelsea and stay fit and healthy over the Festive season. 24/7 access with your own se-curity key, Health check and personal program with our friendly personal trainers, Free personal training sessions.

Call us now on 9772 2225

to get started

Offer ends 24th December 2014.

Conditions Apply.

Celebrate Skate “Annual Christmas Show”

Saturday 13th December from 5.00pm at Olympic IceSkate

Centre 1080 Centre Road, Oakleigh. Adults $5, Children $2.

Frankston Arts Centre - School Holiday Program

A trove of treasure to explore at the Cube 37 @ Frankston

Arts Centre Mon 12 Jan - Fri 16 Jan 10am - 12pm.. For

further details phone 9784 1060.

Patterson Lakes Canoe Club - Go Ahead, Give It A Go

Paddlepower - Come and try kayaking. Sessions 3pm -

4.30pm on Jan 13, 15, 19 & 21. $20 per session or $15 for

existing club members, with all equipment provided.

Contact: alanopie5@bigpond.com. Bookings are essential.