PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

WELCOME BACK! It’s great to see our students (and staff for that matter) return after the holidays much healthier than they were prior to the vacation.

Everyone will need all their energy to copy with what will be another very hectic term that will fly by.

Some of the events coming up in the next few weeks include the start of SWIMMING, ACTIVE AFTER-SCHOOL, EISTEDDFOD, MIRANI HIGH ORIENTATION #1 and SCHOOL PHOTOS.

Swimming and Active After-School information has already been provided to all students, so if you haven’t seen it, please ask your children.

Following on through the term we have SCHOOL CAMP and then the wind-up to the year with REPORTS, CONCERT NIGHT, BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT REWARD DAY and BREAK-UP DAY.

Bring it on!!

NAPLAN RESULTS: Year 3, 5 and 7 students have now received their result booklets form the first every National testing program which was conducted earlier this year.

A copy of an Ed. Qld newsletter item accompanies these test booklets.

With newspaper articles and ministerial comments indicating that Queensland students overall had performed poorly on these tests when compared with their interstate peers, it was pleasing to note that the statistical data for Hampden shows that none of our three year levels had results lower than the Australian average in any of the five areas tested (Reading; Writing; Spelling; Punctuation and Grammar; Numeracy)

Never-the-less I know that our teachers are committed to supporting the growth and development of every child in their class, and as a school we will engage actively in examining the results for our students with a view to further lifting the literacy and numeracy skills of every child here at Hampden.

Howard Frost

Principal.

SCHOOL CHOIR: Our children have now just two more practices before their Eisteddfod appearance on Friday 24^th.

The school bus has been booked to take the children to the Entertainment Centre, and parents and younger siblings wishing to accompany us are welcome to do so.

A separate notice will be forwarded to parents with all details next week.

FIRST-AID CHANGE: Unfortunately our first-aid course provided is now unable to attend on 25 October, and we are hoping to re-schedule to November 15 (the day after our return from camp).

Please contact the school to inform us whether this changed date is or is not suitable.

Others wishing to do a first-aid course may now find this new date more suitable as well.

The providers have sincerely apologised for the inconvenience this late change has caused.

MAGPIE SEASON: It has been many years since we’ve had a “swooping magpie” in our grounds, but the one which currently has us in its sights is certainly making up for lost time!

Visitors to the school should be aware of the presence of this bird as it will go to great lengths to attack.

Our children and staff are also going to great lengths not to be attacked, and it’s not uncommon to see umbrellas, parade mats, cricket bats and even witches hats being worn to scare off the magpie.

Fortunately, as these antics began before the holidays, we’re hopeful the swooping will soon stop, but just the same I’m communicating with the Dept of Environment for advice.

REMOTE CONTROL RALLY: The Student Council are holding a rally for remote control cars at big lunch next Friday 17^th.

The students will design a flyer to send home regarding this event.

ERRATUM

The Active After-School notice sent home yesterday incorrectly indicated this term’s activities would be on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

In fact Gymnastics will be held on Monday afternoons and Soccer will be on Tuesday afternoons.

DATE CLAIMERS

MONDAY 20 OCTOBER – STUDENT FREE DAY

-P & C MEETING 7.30PM

TUESDAY 21 OCTOBER – ACTIVE AFTER-

SCHOOL BEGINS (SOCCER)

WEDNESDAY 22 OCTOBER – MIRANI S.H.S. ORIENTATION #1

FRIDAY 24 OCTOBER – CHOIR – EISTEDDFOD

MONDAY 27 OCTOBER – SWIMMING BEGINS

- ACTIVE AFTER-SCHOOL (GYMNASTICS)

WEDNESDAY 29 OCTOBER – SCHOOL PHOTOS

Hello!

Almost everyone in Prep/Year One is back on deck and ready to come aboard for a Pirate adventure this term. Some of our students, parents and teachers have already launched into ‘Pirates’. Alicia found some information on the net and Rowan brought in some books about pirates and sea monsters, Jake has brought in his pirate sword to share, Miss Dittman and Mrs Nicol found a Pirate box in the shed, Lee’s mum has some good ideas to share, and Mrs Taylor has a hat we can borrow!

Our Kings and Queens Day in the last week of Term Three was a fitting end to our learning journey into Medieval life. We presented maps of our kingdoms to the Emperor (who DID’T wear his new clothes), enjoyed a medieval feast in the Great Hall, and marched as knights bearing pennants and shields to the tournament grounds where we participated in some gruelling events, including ‘Filling The Moat’. Many thanks go to Mrs Leeding and Mrs De Paoli who did the shopping and organized the cooking, Mrs Olsen and Miss Dittman who helped with preparation for the day, Kuttabul Butchery who generously donated a smoked pig’s head and trotters for our feast, the children who did a magnificent job, and of course The Emperor. We hope everyone who attended enjoyed themselves.

PLAYGROUP

Our next Playgroup will be held on Monday 27^th October, as Monday 20^th is a Pupil Free Day. The session times will change for Term Four running from 9.00am until 11.00am.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

You grow up the day you have the first real laugh – at yourself!

GROUNDS NEWS:

Thank-you to our September group of volunteers who mowed and tidied the grounds for the commencement of Term 4: PETER & KYLIE LEAHY and MAX GROV.

The next two months of the year are as below:

MONTH	NAME	PHONE NUMBER
OCTOBER	TERRY & ROBYN PRIDMORE GARY & MARYANNE VOLKER	49540124 49540793
NOVEMBER	REX MUNCHOW COLIN & JOANNE BURLEY	49540352 49540493
DECEMBER	PLEASE - REQUIRE VOLUNTEERS
JANUARY\2009	PLEASE - REQUIRE VOLUNTEERS

PLEASE PHONE THE SCHOOL 49540189

OR MYSELF 49540403 IF YOU CAN ASSIST

THANK-YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUING SUPPORT

Kathy Frost

Mowing Co-ordinator

WEEKLY CLASS AWARDS

We’ll begin term 4’s awards tomorrow, however it’s good to see some of our students have been busy counting their awards over the holidays to start off the new term with a Milestone Award.

Congratulations to:

Cate Cahill (100 awards) SUCCESSFUL CENTURION

Melissa Burns (100 awards) SUCCESSFUL CENTURION

Abbey Medway (50 awards) LEARNED LEGEND

Issue no. 32, 9th October 2008

Issue no. 32, 9^th October 2008