PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

LOOK OUT!! I usually start off each new term outlining some of the happenings planned, but Term 2 this year is SO busy I’m doing it now so we can “hit the ground running” after the vacation!

Sport will dominate term 2 this year with many sports pushed forward due indirectly to the Olympics.

Smart Moves activities for the term will be athletics based as we prepare for both the Hampden and Calen District carnivals (see the date claimers below), however there will also be sporting trials in several other sports including soccer and hockey.

As well as these major sporting events we have ANZAC Day (week 2), Education Week and Book Fair (week 7), the new Year 3/5/7/9 National Testing Program (week 5), and an array of other activities including Arts Council, McDonalds Maths Competition, CWA Competition, Mackay Show, the Active After School Program, and more!

So please do keep a sharp look-out for what’s coming up throughout the next term.

THANKS CAROL: The past two weeks of Bronwyn’s long service leave have flown by and Carol Crozier will complete her duties here tomorrow.

Carol has been an excellent replacement teacher for the 2/3 class and I thank her for her efforts at Hampden during the past fortnight.

FAREWELL: As you may have read in Sue Anaru’s Bus Newsletter, the Jones family is leaving us for life in the “Great South-East”.

Fiona and Darren have been great supporters of the school for several years now and were always ready to lend a hand when needed.

Although transferring to a school of over 700 students I’m confident Jett, Jack and Ricky will quickly endear themselves to their new students and teachers as they did here at Hampden.

Best wishes to you all in your new endeavours.

HAPPY HOLIDAY: It’s only a week in duration but I’m sure everyone will make the most of this upcoming vacation.

School resumes for term 2 on Tuesday 15^th April.

See you all then, recharged and ready for action!

Howard Frost

Principal.

DATE CLAIMERS

HAMPDEN SPORTS DAYS:

MAIN DAY: FRIDAY 30 MAY

Some field events: TUESDAY 27 MAY

CALEN DISTRICT SPORTS DAYS:

DAY ONE: TUESDAY 10 JUNE

MAIN DAY: FRIDAY 13 JUNE

WELL DRILLED: We had our first fire drill for the year last week, which was also the first ever drill for the prep class.

Thanks to Mrs Medway’s preparations you’d have thought they’d been through the procedure dozens of times.

Well done, Preps!

UNEXPLAINED ABSENCES: Thank-you to those parents who have responded to the letters sent home regarding these absences. Our request for information is to bring our “paperwork” up to date for Ed Qld compliance purposes only.

WATERWISE: Alison Broomhall from the Mackay Regional Council spent an informative hour with the 6/7’s yesterday discussing various aspects of water conservation.

Rather than saving water by cutting down the time spent in the shower from 5 to 3 minutes, some of the class volunteered not to have showers at all!! They had to be boys!!

KEYBOARD LESSONS: Teacher Mary Hawkins will begin private lessons here on the first Thursday after the holidays (17^th).

See Mary’s advertisement in the community notices section.

SPORTS CAPTAINS: In preparation for next term’s Athletics Carnival the school elected their House Captains for 2008 on Monday afternoon.

Those entrusted with the responsibility of leading their teams to victory this year are:

COBRAS: Chelsea Perna (C) Lisha Smith (VC)

Jordan Proctor (C) Kody Erixon (VC)

TAIPANS: Jordan Perna (C) Andrea Perna (VC)

Jack Cahill (C) Bill Brown (VC)

PYTHONS: Laura Thompson (C) Jaimee-Leigh Grov (VC)

Cody Morrison (C) Ben Wales & Michael Ormonde (Co VC)

HOUSE SHIRTS: We will be offering families the opportunity to have house shirts screen printed for free again this year if required.

If purchasing T-shirts please ensure they are sun-safe (with a collar) to conform to our new dress code and sun safety policies.

SARINA CROSS COUNTRY: Hampden students ran exceptionally well at the Mackay District Cross Country trials yesterday, with all completing the course and being very competitive.

A special mention to Dexter Edmonds who came second in his division and will now be off the Springsure for the Capricornia Trials.

Hello Everyone,

Prep/Year one has enjoyed finding out about how groups work this week. Our class is divided into three groups and each person in the group has a special job to do. We have a leader who sets a good example and is usually first; a listener who remembers and follows instructions, a speaker who talks for the group and reports to the class, a helper who co-operates well, an organiser who knows where everything is and an ideas person. Next term we will continue with our teams and each person in the group will have-a-go at different jobs. We will investigate what being a leader, listener, helper, organiser, speaker and creator looks like, sounds like and feels like!

Some Prep children enjoyed a special High tea with Mrs Leahy this week. They made their own place mats and place names, discussed menus, decorated the table and investigated High Tea on the internet.

Miss Refalo joined us today to find out how we learn to write. The Year Ones showed her their Jolly phonics actions, their THRASS charts, the tricky words pockets, and their writing folders that they use to find spelling choices and words. They used posters about the Great Barrier Reef to help them write captions, and learned how to ‘have-a-go’ at multisyllabic words such as ‘helicopter’ and ‘gardening’.

I would like to congratulate the Prep/Year one children on a great beginning to the year, and to thank the people who have helped with their progress. Everyone walks into our classroom with a smile on their face that says they are looking forward to learning thanks to Mrs De Paoli, Mrs Ashcroft, Mrs Leahy, Mrs Olsen, Mrs Lisle, Mrs Mitchell, Miss Dittman, Mrs Nicol, Mrs Cahill and Mrs Gee!

Enjoy a well-earned break everyone and we’ll see you again next term!

A fortnight has past again and it’s time for another Secretary’s report. Last weekend was the Mackay Cutters home game where we maintained the corporate boxes with liquid refreshments. It was a big couple of days and a huge thank you goes out to all that donated their time to help set up, serve and pack up, whether it was 20 minutes or 20 hours it was greatly appreciated. Special thanks go to Karen Gee, who was heavily involved in the organisation and running of the night. But the biggest thanks go to the parents of ex-students who didn’t have to but were happy to help on the night. The next P & C meeting will be held at the school on the 21^st April hope to see you there. Have a great mid semester break.

Rex Munchow

GROUNDSCARE NEWS

Our grounds are looking great at the moment thanks to Mother Nature – with the sun shining the weather once again dry – and thanks to the Edmonds families (Mathew and his family and Col and Merle) who through the month of March mowed, cleaned and tidied our grounds.

Sam Melross, Michelle Leeding and Chris and Barb Perna will now take over for April.

Hope you all enjoy the holidays and thank-you for your continuing support.

Grounds co-ordinator

Kathy Frost

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

“Success means fulfilling your own dreams, singing your own song, dancing your own dance, creating from your heart and enjoying the journey, trusting that whatever happens, it will be OK. Creating your own adventure!” Elana Lindquist

Issue no. 10, 3th April 2008

Issue no. 10, 3^th April 2008