Principal Report Clean Up Australia Day Tomorrow Don't forget to bring a glove or a pair of tongs to help us in our school clean up tomorrow as a part of Clean Up Australia Day. After we have collected ‘rubbish’ from around our playground we will be sorting it into two categories: recyclables and landfill. We will also be having a year-long focus on ‘Waste’ in the Library. We really want our students to understand that anything not recycled goes into our land and the need to be more mindful about the waste that we do create, knowing where it will end up.

Does Your Child Have Autism? Included with this newsletter is information about a FREE Information for Parents workshop in Ballina: Developing My Child’s Independence Skills The workshop is designed to help you:

• Understand why everyday self-care skills can be difficult for a child with autism

• Learn strategies for teaching skills • Gain tips for specific skills such as eating, sleeping, toileting etc.

Stage Information Sessions for Parents and Carers- please refer to the note sent home

on Wednesday 24 February for more information. Please remember that before

entering the Hall you will need to sign in using our school’s dedicated QR code AND our

COVID register book. Please try to remember to bring your own pen!

Stage Three (Years 5 and 6): Monday 8 March, 6.30pm – 7.00pm

Information about the Term 4 excursion to Sydney & Canberra will be included in this

session.

Stage Two (Years 3 and 4): Wednesday 10 March, 6.30pm – 7.00pm

Information about the Term 3 excursion to Coffs Harbour will be included in this session.

We have a case of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) in the school. RSV is easily spread and is infectious for up to 10 days after symptoms begin. Symptoms include a runny nose, cough, fever and sometimes an ear infection, very similar to COVID. Please remember that your child must not attend school if they are unwell, even with the mildness of symptoms including fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, loss of taste, and loss of smell. Please remember that students need to be symptom free and a negative COVID-19 test result must be received and sighted by the school prior to their return to school. Where you do not wish to have your child to have a COVID-19 test your child will need to remain at home for a 10 day period and they must be symptom free for at least 3 days prior to their return. A NSW Government Health Factsheet on RSV is included with this newsletter for your information.

Sometimes the thought of standing in a long queue waiting for a COVID test can be very off-putting. Did you know that there is an app called HotDoc that you can download to find testing centres that allow you to make an appointment for a COVID test? The staff

Thursday 4th March 2021

Term 1, Week 6

Volume 5

Wollongbar Public School

Simpson Ave, Wollongbar 2477 Ph: 6628 1302 Fax: 6628 1976

Email: wollongbar-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au Website: https://wollongbar-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/

Principal: Jennifer Thomas

Calendar Term 1

Week 6

05/03 Clean Up Australia Day Week 7

08/03 Kinder Reading Eggs Notes & Payment Due 6.30-7.00 Stage 3 Info Session 10/03 6.30-7.00 Stage 2 Info Session Week 8

19/03 Harmony Day Celebrations Week 9

22/03 Dance Fever Note & Payment Due Parent, Carer and Teacher Interviews begin Week 10 29/03 Parent, Carer and Teacher Interviews continue 31/03 Cross Country 01/04 Last Day of Term 1 02/04 Good Friday Term 2

Week 1 21/04 Dance Fever Multisport Lessons Begin

------------------------------------- http://www.wollongbar-p.schools.nsw.edu.au/

and I have to follow exactly the same procedures as you when we display any of the described symptoms and provide a negative COVID test result before we can return to work. I think we’ve all seen the queues at Lismore Base Hospital (what a big job they have!) but staff advise me that it can be a pretty quick process if you go to Byron Bay Hospital. Please remember that I haven’t made the COVID-19 procedures up, they are instructions from the NSW Government. When you sign in via this much COVID-19 requirements. 3.10pm Freeman and Newcombe 3.15pm Bradman and Cuthbert

Jennifer Principal

2021 Planner Term 1 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

6 1 Mar. 2 Mar.

Bundjalung Language 6.30-7.00 Early Stage 1 Info Session

3 Mar. 6.30-7.00 Stage 1 Info Session 7.00 P&C Mtg

4 Mar. 5 Mar. Clean Up Australia Day

7

8 Mar. Reading Eggs Note & Payment Due 6.30-7.00 Stage 3 Info Session

9 Mar. Bundjalung Language

10 Mar. 6.30-7.00 Stage 2 Info Session

11 Mar. 12 Mar.

8 15 Mar. 16 Mar.

Bundjalung Language 17 Mar. 18 Mar. 19 Mar.

Harmony Day Celebrations

9

22 Mar. Final day to submit note & payment for Dance Fever Parent, Carer and Teacher Interviews

23 Mar. Bundjalung Language

24 Mar. 25 Mar. 26 Mar.

10 29 Mar. Parent, Carer and Teacher Interviews

30 Mar. Bundjalung Language

31 Mar. Cross Country and SRC Iceblock Fundraiser

1 Apr. Last Day of Term 1

2 Apr. Good Friday

Term 2 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

1

19 Apr. Staff Development Day

20 Apr. Students Commence Term 2

21 Apr. Dance Fever Program Begins

22 Apr. 23 Apr.

2 26 Apr. 27 Apr. 28 Apr.

Dance Fever Program 29 Apr. 30 Apr.

UPCOMING EVENTS Who Event Due Date Cost

Kindergarten ABC Reading Eggs Monday 8th of March 2021 $25 / student

Whole School Dance Fever Multisport

Lessons Monday 22nd of March 2021 $25 / student

Year 5 & 6 Years 5 & 6 Excursion to

Canberra and Sydney 2021 Monday 16th of August 2021

(Final Payment)

Individual costs are on notes sent home with students. Contact the Office if you are

unsure of your remaining payments. Payment Options: (Payments can be made in instalments) Online with credit card: Visit the school website and click on the ‘Make A Payment’ tab to pay online and return permission notes to the front office the next day. Cash & Cheque: paid to the front office with the permission notes. Eftpos by 1pm: paid to the front office before 1pm with permission notes.

Harmony Day - 19th March On Friday the 19th of March we will be celebrating Harmony Day which raises awareness of inclusion and diversity. All students are invited to wear orange to celebrate the theme of Harmony Day. This could be in the form of a t-shirt, hair tie or socks. On this day students will be learning about the meaning of Harmony Day and participating in a whole school Art activity. Students are not required to bring a donation for this event. We look forward to seeing everyone in orange!

Amy, Kirsty and Sasha SRC Coordinators

Year 6 Kindergarten Buddy Program

Year 6 students surprised their Kindergarten buddies on Friday 26th February with a Lego and robotics display. The Year 6 students showed off their skills with computer coding and Sphero Balls to their buddy. Kindergarten students thoroughly enjoyed the experience and immediately asked when they could do that again. It was lots of fun!

Nicole, Emma & Brendan Class Teachers

PSSA Zone Swimming Carnival

Last Thursday 25 March a group of Wollongbar students attended the PSSA Zone Swimming Carnival at Alstonville Pool. Unfortunately parents and spectators were unable to attend but luckily Mrs D was there to make sure nobody missed their race. Miss C was also in attendance performing one of the top jobs as Chief Timekeeper.

Wollongbar students showed great sportsmanship as many students came to compete only in team relay races. It was lovely to watch our students support and cheer each other on throughout the whole day. We all had a wonderful day competing and supporting one another – the canteen was also a big hit.

Margie Sports Coordinator

Cross Country 2021

Our school Cross Country will be held on Wednesday 31 March 2021 (Term 1, Week 10). In order for students to participate they must return their General Permission Note and have the General Excursion Consent approved. More information will be sent home soon.

Megan Cross Country Coordinator

Stewart House Donation Drive

Stewart House offers a residential program for children from Year 2 to Year 8 who are enrolled in public schools in NSW and the ACT. This experience provides children with a much-needed break from their current circumstances through educational programs designed to develop their social and emotional skills, build self-esteem and improve their overall wellbeing. All costs associated with the children’s stay are met from charitable donations.

Today your children will receive a Stewart House Donation Drive envelope. If you would like to donate, please send a $2 coin in the envelope to the Office. All donations will be sent to the Stewart House charity. We appreciate your support.

Office Staff