A WORD FROM THE PRINCIPAL How did we get this close to the end of our learning year already? The year has had much joy, motivation, inspiration, enthusiasm and excellent teaching and learning. We are proud of our year’s work and looking forward to an even better 2017. Stop Work Meeting: On Thursday 8th December a Stop Work meeting will be held by the NSW Teacher’s Federation to approve a new salary award agreement. At Metford Public School, there will be minimal supervision available from 8.30am until 10.00am. All children will be supervised though. 2016 Toy & Food Christmas Appeal: This year Metford Neighbourhood Watch and Metford Public School are seeking

donations for the Maitland Neighbour Centre. A small gift or food items can change local families’ experience of Christmas. If you can donate non-perishable food items or toys, they will be gratefully received. Metford PS is the collection point. Items will be collected until the 16th December 2016. Let’s share the spirit of Christmas with our community. End of Year Reports: Your child’s/children’s Semester 2 learning reports will be distributed early next week. Volunteer’s Morning Tea: Next Tuesday, our staff are acknowledging our great volunteers with a morning tea from 11am to 1pm in our library. Please join us as we thank you all for a wonderful year. Community Newsletter: Look out for our newsletter in your mailbox over the coming week.This is being distributed throughout our Metford community through Australia Post. There are great articles celebrating what we do here at MPS. Swimming Scheme: Our swimmers are very tired but are participating with enthusiasm in every lesson. They have learnt so much and are so much more confident in the water. Special thanks are extended to all our instructors for their support of this excellent opportunity to ensure our students are safe and capable in the water. Year 6 Farewell: Next Thursday our Year 5 and 6 students are invited to attend the farewell dinner and presentation to our current Year 6 students. This is a very special night for us all. I am looking forward to seeing them all dressed up and enjoying this special celebration. Last Day of Term 4: The last day for students and staff for 2016 is Friday 16th December. There will be very minimal staff attendance on 19th and 20th December. Return to school 2017: Staff return to school on Friday 27th January. Students in Years 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 return on Monday 30th January. Kindergarten students will receive a letter about their start times. Please contact the office if you have not got this information. Regards Cathy Watt

Metford Public School Newsletter

Commitment, Respect and Responsibility With Honour and Pride

Find us at: 13 Melaleuca Drive, Metford 2323 Ph: 4933 2655

Email: metford-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au Website: www.metford-p.schools.nsw.edu.au

Issue No 37 Term 4 Week 9 Principal: Cathy Watt Wednesday 7th December, 2016

PRINCIPAL’S LUNCH 1.12.16

POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR FOR LEARNING (PBL) The focus for week 10 is Teachers Choice. It is with pleasure that we share the following students who received PBL recognition awards last week for Respect: Caring for our school environment. Mrs Christine Attard, Assistant Principal

LIBRARY UPDATE As the holidays are upon us the library is preparing for the break and as such could you please ensure that your children’s books and any grab bags are returned as soon as possible. If there are any problems please see Mrs Wright.

Bright green Wristband total of 9 High Flyer tokens

Dark green Wristband total of 27 High Flyer token

Bronze Wings pin total of 54 High Flyer tokens

Phoenix Johnson

Rocky badge

total of 90 High Flyer tokens

Bright Green & white wristband

total of 99 High Flyer tokens

Dark Green & white wristband

total of 126 High Flyer tokens Mia Huckstadt

Silver Wings Total of 180 High Flyer tokens

Rocky Badge (2nd) Total of 270 High Flyer tokens

Light Green Wristband Total of 279 High Flyer tokens

Shontai Rowe-Laing

SCHOOL CALENDAR 2016 Term 3 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Every Week

Breakfast Club

Breakfast Club ------------------ School Assembly 1.30pm

Breakfast Club

-------------------- Principal’s Lunch

PUPS 9-11am --------------------- Student banking

Wk 9 Dec 5-9

Swim scheme Week 2

10am Y7 2017 Orientation Day at MHS

PUPS Christmas Under the Stars

Wk 10 Dec 12-16

11am Volunteers morning tea in library

6pm P & C

Year 6 Farewell MPS hall

PUPS – last day

LAST DAY for staff & students

2017 Term 1 Wk 1 Jan 23-27

AUSTRALIA DAY

Staff Development Day

Wk 2 Jan 30 – Feb 3

Students return

Kindergarten Best Start Assessments

Kindergarten Best Start Assessments

Kindergarten Best Start Assessments

Wk 3 Feb 6-10

Kindergarten Starts

COMMUNITY LIAISION OFFICER Hi Everyone. A reminder that TAFE is still offering parents, grandparents, carers and friends an opportunity to attend a free computer or digital imaging course. If you think this could be something you would like to do in 2017 call in or phone the office and leave your details. Let your friends and family know as they are welcome to attend. The course will be one morning a week from 9.30am to 12.30pm here in the school’s computer lab. Dates and times will be confirmed in 2017. This is a great opportunity for this community.

The latest edition of our Community Newsletter will be delivered to homes in Metford over the next two weeks. There’s an article about some of our students who are participating in a robotics competition using coding. Mrs Wright has recorded a short video of the work the students are doing with “Dash” the robot which can be accessed using this QR code. You need to have the QR Code reader app on your smart phone, then scan the code and you can watch what the students have been doing. To all of our parent helpers this year, we hope you can join us for a morning tea

next Tuesday 13th December from 11am to 1pm in the library. Please send in the tear off slip if you can make it. Look forward to seeing you there! Hope you are all looking forward to the P&C’s huge Christmas event this Friday. The Carols will start at 6pm followed by their movie event starting at 8pm. Stalls, food, drinks and lots of fun will be available on the night. Merry Christmas to you all and wishing you a wonderful holiday break!

At Christmas time I have to have my breakfast first before I open my presents. I put a cup of milk and

cookies outside so Santa will give me some presents. I had some snow on my Christmas tree last year and I

was so excited. I got play dough last year but my sister ate my play dough and she ate my brother’s play dough

too. I asked Santa, “Can I please have an iPad”. I wrote a letter to him

and if he doesn’t give it to me my grandma is giving me one.

By Tahlia

After Boxing Day I am going camping. I am staying near the beach for two days. I

am getting a new tent and it is going to have three

bedrooms. Like my uncles we are getting a three double

bedroom. By Mahlia

On Christmas day I’m going to be at my sisters and we might go to the pool in the

afternoon. On Christmas day I’m going to open presents at

dads and at my sisters. On Christmas day I’m going to be at my sisters in the morning.

By Amilia

On Christmas day I celebrate Christmas. And I usually blow up

balloons and I kick the balloons and throw the balloons. It is fun

throwing the balloons up and down. It is very fun to play with the balloons it is so fun I love it and I can’t stop

playing with them. By Erica

When it is Christmas I want lots of presents because

Santa brings his presents. We will give him some West Coast and a carrot for the reindeers. I like Santa he

will give me a doll. By Lucy

On Christmas my family are going fishing all day and we are going camping. We are

going to have fun. In December we are going to

be having a Christmas party.

By Maddison B

At Christmas time my family has a big feast. We put the Christmas

tree out on the first of December. We put Christmas lights up in

December. For dinner we have a whole chicken that’s how we have a

feast. By Samuel

When we have Christmas I go to my cousins and celebrate

Christmas. When I celebrate with my cousins we decorate

the tree with angels. When me and my cousins celebrate Christmas we dress up as angels. I love Christmas

By Miakoda

On Christmas day we have pancakes with ice cream on top. On the 1st of December

we always set up our decorations. I get lots and

lots of presents. Sometimes we go to visit our cousins. I always put the star on the top of the Christmas tree.

By Laithan

On Christmas day I mainly get a Christmas box. I wonder if

I will get one this year. I always help mum and dad put the Christmas tree up. My

sister puts the star on top of because that is fair.

By Olivia

CHRISTMAS WRITINGS FROM 1N and 1PW