Issue 38 8th December, 2015

Important Dates Thursday, 10th December Whole School Social Dance –

$2.00 entry - 12:00 to1:30pm Thursday, 10th December International Disability Day Friday, 11th December Presentation Day – 12:00pm Start Tuesday, 15th December Year 6 Graduation – 9:00am

News from the PrincipalSTAFF CHANGES FOR 2016 - FAREWELL TO MRS PLUMMER AND MRS MCCLELLAN Two of our long standing staff members are leaving our team at the end of this year. Pam McClellan, who has been at William Bayldon for 22 years as a School Administration Officer (SAO), and this year as relieving School Administration Manager (SAM), is moving to Newcastle where she will take up a relieving SAM position at Windale Public School. Pam has always been a professional, caring and supportive member of our staff. She always has a smile for every child, parent and her colleagues, even on the busiest days! Mrs Plummer, who is retiring, has been at William Bayldon for 16 years as a teacher and Assistant Principal. Kerry’s passion for teaching Kindergarten has shone through right up until her last days here. Her expertise as a professional, enthusiastic educator is admired and respected by all her colleagues. Kerry

has shown great leadership as the K-2 Assistant Principal as she always puts the needs of children first whilst working alongside her team to provide the best possible learning outcomes.

Kerry and Pam have always put children at the centre of any decisions they have made at William Bayldon Public School and they will be missed by our staff, students and school community. We all wish them every success and happiness as they both head off to new adventures in their lives.

FAREWELL TO MS ELLIOTT This week we also farewell Ms Elliott who has been with us this year on exchange from Canada. Ms Elliott has thoroughly enjoyed teaching 3E who have had many unique experiences as part of their learning throughout the year. We thank Ms Elliott for her contributions to our school community as we have all enjoyed working with her as one of our colleagues. Ms Elliott’s last day will be this Friday as she flies back to Canada on the 14th of December. We wish Ms Elliott a safe flight home and an enjoyable break before she returns to her school. Also, in 2016, Mr Chidgey will be taking a sabbatical year and will be replaced by Mrs Carter. Mr Ennis returns to school and Mrs Windows will be back as our School Administration Manager for Term 1. WELCOME TO KIM ATTENBOROUGH Congratulations to Kim Attenborough who has successfully been appointed to the position of Assistant Principal (K-2) through our recent merit selection process. Kim is very experienced and has taught in schools in various locations, including the Northern Territory. She has been a Maths Consultant for the Mid- North Coast, a small school Principal and more recently an Instructional Leader in Literacy and Numeracy. Kim is very excited about joining our team and working with our students, staff, parents and the broader school community. BIG BANANA EXCURSION AND WATER PLAY DAY Congratulations to everyone who attended the end of year fun day activities last Friday. The K-2 Water Play was a huge success with all the students who participated enjoying a range of water play activities, a sausage sizzle and movie afternoon. Thank you to the K-2

teachers and SLSOs who organised the activities and special treats; and to Mick, Owen and Jack for bringing the fire truck so the children could get very wet!!! The Big Banana is always a favourite, and everyone who attended had a fabulous time - even the staff! Thank you to the teachers for their organisation of the day, and to all the SLSOs who supported our high needs students on the day. A lot goes on behind the scenes for these sort of events, so we say a very special thank you to Dasha, Kathy and Pam for looking after the administration side of things. You all do an amazing job.

DEPUTY OMBUDSMAN VISIT FOR ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS On Wednesday last week, Danny Lester, the Deputy Ombudsman for Aboriginal Programs, visited our school to meet with myself, Clarrie Hoskins and Michael Jarrett to talk about the Aboriginal Language and Culture Nest program. Our guests, including many local Elders, Tutors of Aboriginal languages and parents were very impressed by the lesson delivered to 2C by Michael. The students in 2C displayed an excellent understanding of Gumbaynggirr language and were very confident in their songs, counting and conversation. All our visitors thoroughly enjoyed the morning which culminated in sharing morning tea and having a chat with Danny Lester, as well as catching up with friends and family. We look forward to holding similar gatherings each term in 2016 to share resources and ideas to ensure our Language and Culture Nest continues to deliver quality programs and support to schools. ABC FILMING Yesterday Liz Keen from ABC television was here to film Michael Jarrett for a story he has been doing with the ABC. The focus of the story on Michael is about his hopes and dreams for 2035! Thank you to 2C for being part of the filming. Important Events this Week

• Thursday - International Disability Day Social Dance. The dance starts at 12:00 to 1:30pm (cost $2

per child). The canteen will be selling special items with an orange and blue theme as this is our red food day for Term 4. All students are encouraged to dress up in blue and orange and join in the fun!

• Friday - Presentation Day. All parents, carers and other family members are invited to join us for the presentation day assembly at 12:00pm (please be seated by 11.45pm). We look forward to celebrating the achievements of our students across all areas of school life. The school Captains and Vice Captains will be announced at the assembly.

Sally Ryan, Principal

Other News WILLIAM BAYLDON’S GOT TALENT Yesterday we held our annual ‘William Bayldon’s Got Talent’ and boy did we see some talent! After weeks of auditions (over 120!) and rehearsals, the final 20 acts were ready to show off their skill. We had singing, dancing, skipping, gymnastics, comedy acts, piano playing, balancing, ball skills and even some graffiti art! It was a tough competition and the judges were looking a little stressed at times over who to award places to. After much deliberation, and an extremely hilarious dog show from the greatest dog trainer in the world and his dog ‘Hans’, the winners were announced. Congratulations to Kaiya Dawit - 1st Place K-2, the 3E Dancers - Lily Davies-Jamieson, Leandra Avuri-Williams, Haylee Glenton, Josh Seccombe, Rheegan Carter and Reef Fenton - 1st Place 3-6, Muddled Old Men - Banjo Hall and Jake Hall - 2nd Place 3-6, and Beatboxing - Jack Seccombe - 3rd Place 3-6, Drew Yeo - Special Encouragement Award.

Thank you to everyone who attended and congratulations to all our performers who were extremely brave! Louise Wilson THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TANTRUMS AND SENSORY MELTDOWNS I received the following article in my emails and thought it worth sharing: •Tantrums and sensory meltdowns are not the same thing. •It can be hard to tell the difference between them by just looking at an upset child. •Knowing the causes of tantrums and meltdowns can help you learn how to manage them. Many people think the words “tantrum” and “meltdown” mean the same thing and they can look very similar when you see a child in the middle of having one. But for kids who have sensory processing issues or who lack self-control, a meltdown is very different from a tantrum. Knowing the differences can help you learn how to respond in a way that better supports your child. What a Tantrum Is: A tantrum is an outburst that happens when a child is trying to get something he wants or needs. Some kids with learning and attention issues are more prone to tantrums. For instance, some can be impulsive and have trouble keeping their emotions in check. They may get angry or frustrated quickly. A child may have a tantrum if he didn’t get to go first in a game of kickball. Or he might get upset when you pay attention to his sister and he wants your attention. Yelling, crying or lashing out isn’t an appropriate way for

him to express his feelings, but he’s doing it for a reason. And he has some control over his behaviour. Your child may even stop in the middle of a tantrum to make sure you’re looking at him. When he sees that you’re watching him, he may pick up where he left off. His tantrum is likely to stop when he gets what he wants — or when he realizes he won’t get what he wants by acting out. What a Sensory Meltdown Is: A meltdown is a reaction to feeling overwhelmed. For some kids, it happens when there’s too much sensory information to process. The commotion of an amusement park might set them off, for instance. For other kids, it can be a reaction to having too many things to think about. A back-to-school shopping trip could cause a tantrum that triggers a meltdown. Here’s one way to think about too much sensory input. Imagine filling a small water pitcher. Most of the time, you can control the flow of water and fill the pitcher a little at a time. But sometimes the water flow is too strong and the pitcher overflows before you can turn the water off. That’s how a sensory meltdown works. The noise at the amusement park or the stack of clothes to try on in the dressing room at the mall is sensory input that floods your child’s brain. Once that happens, some experts think your child’s “fight or flight” response kicks in. That excess input overflows in the form of yelling, crying, lashing out or running away. Different Strategies for Tantrums and Meltdowns The causes of tantrums and meltdowns are different, and so are the strategies that can help stop them. It’s important to remember that the key difference between the two types of outbursts is that tantrums usually have a purpose. Kids are looking for a certain response. Meltdowns are a reaction to something and are usually beyond a child’s control. A child can often stop a tantrum if he gets what he wants…or if he’s rewarded for using a more appropriate behaviour. But a meltdown isn’t likely to stop when a

child gets what he wants. In fact, he may not even know what he wants. Meltdowns tend to end in one of two ways. One is fatigue — kids wear themselves out. The other way is a change in the amount of sensory input. This can help kids feel less overwhelmed. For example, your child may start to feel calmer when you step outside the store and leave the mall. So how can you handle tantrums and meltdowns differently? •To tame tantrums, acknowledge what your child needs without giving in. Make it clear that you understand what he’s after. “I see that you want my attention. When your sister is done talking, it’ll be your turn.” Then help him see there’s a more appropriate behaviour that will work. “When you’re done yelling, tell me calmly that you’re ready for my time.” •To manage a meltdown, help your child find a safe, quiet place to de-escalate. “Let’s leave the mall and sit in the car for a few minutes.” Then provide a calm, reassuring presence without talking too much to your child. The goal is to reduce the input coming at him. Knowing the difference between tantrums and meltdowns is the key to helping your child through them. It may also help to get a better idea of the kinds of situations that can be challenging for your child. You can also explore tips on how to deal with noise and other sensitivities. Key Takeaways •Tantrums happen when a child is trying to get something he wants or needs. •Meltdowns occur when a child feels overwhelmed by his feelings or surroundings. •Knowing the difference between tantrums and meltdowns can help you manage these outbursts. Mrs Stewart

Canteen and P & C News P&C CHRISTMAS RAFFLE Tickets $2.00 each Prizes:

• Juicer • School hat and t-shirt voucher • $30.00 K-mart voucher • Dad’s gift pack • Mum’s gift pack

Tickets available at front office. You can also purchase tickets during the School Social Dance on Thursday,10th December or on Friday, 11th December at the Presentation Day Assembly. Raffle will be drawn at the conclusion of the Presentation Day Assembly. CANTEEN RED FOOD DAY Thursday, 10th December

• Hot Dogs with sauce - $3.00 • Hot Dogs with sauce and cheese -

$3.30 • Jelly cups - $0.50 each • Lolly bags - $0.50 per bag

Please note – Fried rice will not be available on the day.

This year the students in SSUR have participated in a variety of

different sports, exercises and physical activities that help them

keep fit and active.

These activities are designed to assist with the development of

gross motor and fine motor skills, to improve concentration and

thinking skills, and to provide opportunities to develop social skills.

SSUR

We have lots of fun!