PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

ELECTION TIME! From Russia to the U.S.A., from Mackay City to Hampden State School, elections are in the air!!

Our year 7’s have done a tremendous job of designing posters, promoting themselves through legitimate (and some rather dodgy!!) techniques, and writing and delivering campaign speeches to rival Barack Obama!

And the results of our class elections for 2008 Student Council executive positions are:

President: Jordan Perna

Vice-President: Jack Cahill

Secretary: Chelsea Perna

Treasurer: Jordan Proctor

Congratulations to these student leaders and to all the other year 7’s who participated so well.

Next week it’s the turn of our year 6’s who will campaign for positions in the “shadow” executive.

WORKING BEE: We seldom have more than one of these per year, so you won’t want to miss this Sunday’s working bee!

Seriously, do try to find a couple of hours to come along and spend with us this Sunday morning helping out on a multitude of tasks to make the school safer and tidier.

It’s not all work either, with a social lunch-time barbie to give everyone a chance to get acquainted and spin a few yarns.

See you there!

Howard Frost

Principal.

WELCOME: This week we welcomed the Wiggett family to Hampden.

Paul (Year 6) and Anthony (Year 4) have already settled in and are becoming involved in all facets of school life.

Parents Bill and Faye are equally keen to be involved with their children’s new school.

TAPPET COVER RACERS: This competition has really sparked the imagination of some of our older students and their dads, with some very impressive creations showing up already.

Unfortunately Hampden can only take one entry to the district trials in just over a week’s time, so an elimination competition will be held at school next Wednesday 12^th March, after big lunch.

PIANO/KEYBOARD LESSONS: Piano teacher Mary Hawkins has offered to conduct private lessons here at Hampden for interested children and adults.

Mary is a member of the Music Teachers’ Association, has a current “Blue Card”, and teaches keyboard at Coppabella State School.

See the Community Notices page for more details.

TERM 1 DISCO: Tomorrow night everyone will have “disco fever” as our special D.J. “Al” gets the school rockin’ and rollin’ at the Student Council’s first disco for 2008.

A sausage sizzle will operate from 6.30pm, with the disco commencing at 7.00.

See the insert for more details.

EASTER HAMPER RAFFLE: Today’s newsletter contains tickets in this annual raffle which will be drawn on Wednesday 19 march, following our Easter Hat Parade.

Please do your best to sell these tickets, and don’t forget to pop something extra into your trolley next time you’re shopping, to donate towards the prize.

ARTS COUNCIL VISIT: It’s amazing that such incredible music can be made from sections of a 44 gallon drum, as witnessed at Wednesday’s Arts Council performance by Banana Joe!

Thank-you for allowing your children to be a part of this experience.

ADULT COMPUTER COURSE: The Tuesday night course resumes this coming week, with a fortnight of lessons which will cater for less confident participants prior to beginning new/more advanced topics.

See the Community Notices page for the course overview.

FREE DRESS THANKS: Am incredible $296.15 was raised from last Thursday’s free dress day in support of Mackay’s flood victims.

Everyone knows someone affected by the floods and gave accordingly to support them in their time of need.

Thanks everyone!!

CROSS COUNTRY: With only a little over a week until the Hampden Cross Country training is getting serious.

Keep up the great work everyone!

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” – George Carlin

The first level in our wishing jar has been reached and we are getting close to our next level. The children have wished for an iceblock for their first level but they have to find out how many we need. Lots of people have put stones in our wishing jar including our wonderful helpers, Specialist Teachers, and Teacher Aides. They are all part of our Prep/Year One team. Other wished include a ride in a tractor or harvester, a camp out and a movie night. Keep at it team! Mrs Medway is wishing for a visit from the Easter Bunny next!

Some clever Prep and Year Ones have been writing number stories this week. Jack McLeod’s group and Rowan Leahy’s group found six different stories about six. We all got together and worked out the other story by putting the ones we ken in a sequence. Can you work out the missing story about six?

6 + 0 = 6

5 + 1 = 6

4 + 2 = 6

3 + 3 = 6

2 + 4 = 6

1 + 5 = 6

_ + _ = 6

Year Ones have been looking at some elements of Functional grammar. We found chunks of text in our shared book that tell us who, how, when, and where.

We are also very busy learning poems, rhymes and songs with Year 2/3 about Easter for our upcoming Easter Bonnet Parade. Next week we hope Year 6/7 can join us to help make our Easter Hats!

Mrs L enjoyed her week with Prep/Year One and is ready to come back anytime! Thank you Mrs L. Mrs Wiseman and I also enjoyed ourselves and return with lots of fresh ideas for promoting Literacy in our school.

Below is a clear message from the conference that promotes Literacy learning at home and at school.

Read to your children, read with your children, and listen to reading by your children. (And … let them see YOU reading!)

P & C NEWS

It has been a couple of weeks since last correspondence and a number of activities have come and gone. The Mackay Cutters first home game and the Cowboys/Raiders League match both sadly cancelled due to the weather which has now reduced the potential earnings for the P & C considerably. Now looking forward, the school grounds mowing roster has been circulated and there are still a few vacancies. This is a great way to meet new people it you are new to the school and also a big money maker for the P & C. The first general working bee for the year is to be held at the school on Sunday 9^th March at 8.00am, Howard Frost has a list of jobs as long as his arm to complete so please if you can spare a couple of hours on Sunday we would love to see you. The Mackay Sugar Productivity Awards night is to be held at the school on Friday 14^th march. This is Mackay Sugars’ way of “giving back” to the local community and we are looking for people to man the bar and BBQ’s for this evening so this is another night to keep free on your calendar. We are meeting in the Library on Friday night while the children enjoy the disco to make necessary arrangements. Come along at 7.00pm to see how you can help make it a success. Next P & C meeting scheduled for 17^th March at 7.30pm, hope to see you there.

Cheers

Rex Munchow

P & C Secretary

PIANO/ORGAN & KEYBOARD LESSONS

For adults & children

½ hr (Private) lessons during and after school hours at Hampden State School.

$20.00 per lesson.

Depending on the amount of interest in lessons – (Tuesday or Thursday)

Piano Teacher:

Mary Hawkins

49575441

0408740412

(Keyboard provided for lesson use.)

PLAYGROUP

Playgroup are joining our Prep to Year Three children for an Easter Bonnet Parade this year. We’ll make our bonnets on Monday 17^th March during our regular Playgroup time (11.15 – 1.00pm). Materials will be provided – so come along and help your child to create their own masterpiece! We’ll parade our hats on Wednesday 19^th march from 9.15, watch the Prep to Year Three children’s performances and have morning tea.

Yours sincerely

Barb Perna and Annette Medway.

PIONEER VALLEY LITTLE ATHLETICS – SEASON 2008

FAMILY FUN DAY AND SIGN-ON

Sunday 9^th of March at 10am

Mirani State High School Oval, Alice Street, Mirani

(Ages 3 – 16yrs)

Please bring Birth Certificate, Waterbottle, hat and covered shoes. (Sunscreen, drinks and sausage sizzle available)

For more information please contact Natasha Benhow on 07 49591102

CLASSROOM ROUND-UP YR 2/3

By Nakita Daniels

What lesson can Foxy Woxy be taught so he’s never mean again? We will send him to jail and tell him to be good and if he doesn’t be good we will send him to a meeting to learn to be good. If not we will send him back to jail to learn to be good if he doesn’t.

By Riley Cruickshanks

What lesson can Foxy Woxy be taught so he’s never mean again? Give him a big smack on the bottom, that will teach him a lesson. Take him to a nice school. Give him a chicken cake. Make him stay in his den for a year. This will make him nice to animals.

By Zayne Lisle

What lesson can Foxy Woxy be taught so he’s never mean again? Go to a school that is fun with curry chicken. Put him in jail.

By Mikaela Gee

What lesson can Foxy Woxy be taught so he’s never mean again? Take him to boarding school to be nice and friendly and keep him there until he’s nice.

By Mikeely Morrison

What lesson can Foxy Woxy be taught so he’s never mean again? Take him to a nice school. Take him to a meeting to be nice. Teach him not to bite. Teach him not to bite other chickens.

By Ricky Jones

What lesson can Foxy Woxy be taught so he’s never mean again? He could come to school and learn to be nice and the teacher would say you have to be mean or nice.

By Ryan Olsen

What lesson can Foxy Woxy be taught so he’s never mean again? I will put you in jail and keep you there.

By Douglas Pridmore

When Goldilocks tried to escape the bears grabbed Goldilocks and said I am going to teach you a lesson. I am going to throw you in the cellar and that is your lesson.

By Lillyann Burgess

Then one day Goldilocks came back. But she had leart her lesson. If someone she didn’t know she would not go into their house. So that day she went for a walk with her family in the woods. They all came to the three bears house. Goldilocks mum knocked on the door. Come in said Mrs Bear. Hello Mrs Locks. You know them. Of course I do. And they all laughed. That’s what I tried to tell you.

By Josie Faltinsky

Goldilocks went into the dark, dark woods. She got scared. She cried for her Mum, then she found a village. She knocked on the door. There was no answer so she ran off and they lived happily ever after.

Issue no. 6, 6 March 2008