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issue : 30 10 OCTOBER 2012
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NOTICES SENT HOMEIf you have not received any of the following notices, please ask your child’s teacher or contact the school office
Term 4 Planner – Years 3 & 4
DIARY DATES REMINDERS / DIARY NOTES
OCTOBER
17 October – Wednesday
23 October - Tuesday
25 October – Thursday
26 October – Friday
29 October – Monday
NOVEMBER
6 November – Tuesday / Year 6 – OECD Science Test
National Nude Food Day
School Council
Science Night
Ready Set Go – 1.30 pm – 3.15 pm
Year 6 – Graduation Photos – 11.10 am – 12.50 pm
MELBOURNE CUP – PUBLIC HOLIDA / WELCOME BACK
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REMEMBER YOUR HAT
FOR TERM 4
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Doncaster Gardens Primary School Every Child Matters
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Doncaster Gardens Primary School Every Child Matters
Dear Parents,
First can I welcome everyone back for our last term of the year. Thank you to all staff for their wonderful contributions to school camps at the end of Term 3.
The new National curriculum will focus on our Nation, Australia and Studies of Asia next year. We will plan all of our Units to cover all aspects of our country and a special focus on countries in Asia and World events. Our Multi-cultural days and our school will always celebrate our diversity and all the countries in the World, the wonderful World that we live in.
I arrived back last week from Beijing after 2 weeks work with 4 of our teachers. I have been working to set up friendships, relationships and sister school links with an International School in Beijing.
This relationship will benefit our LOTE program and establish wonderful opportunities for our students and teachers for the future. This is fully endorsed by the Government, DEECD and our School Council.
Fan Cao Di International School kindly hosted all in country expenses for our group of Year 6 students earlier this year. I am really pleased to let you know that I have been able to set up a similar arrangement for 2013. Thank you to Kerry Law who assisted me with all of the interpreting at the formal meetings and ceremonies and translated my speeches at the School and University. The school in China would also like to enter into teacher exchange for 3 months in the future.
Eastern Region and School Council has approved for us to host a teacher from Fang Cao Di this term. I was invited to bring teachers to China for a teacher study conference and we were hosted by the Beijing International Languages University. We lived in at the university and walked to lectures each morning. Kerry Law, Grace Cheung, Janine Chung and Roy Beal attended the cultural experiences and lectures at the University with me. I will write about our University Studies next week.
We left Melbourne with some teachers and also 12 students from Blackburn Primary School also on a study tour. We arrived safely 14 hours after leaving Melbourne. Flying from Guangzhou to Beijing for 3 hours the countryside in parts could have been Australia (from the altitude) but lots more villages or farming settlements surrounded by large tracts of farmed land (not cattle mainly vegetables).
We arrived at the University a little hot and tired but already reeling the size and number of people, cars, bikes, motor cycles, scooters and pedestrians. Cars zoom in and out and hoot horns but don’t appear to have any problems. We soon learnt to join a group of locals when crossing the roads.
We all looked forward to a good night’s sleep ready for the next day visiting the Forbidden City. Breakfast wasn’t quite what we expected. Grace Cheung and Kerry Law enjoyed the conjee and some spicy pickle cabbage and a dough like dumpling type dish, whilst we settled for boiled eggs and sesame buns and lots of green tea.
After breakfast we met our guide “Frank” a 20 year old university student and headed to the city with a university driver. If we thought watching the traffic was scary it was worse being in it! But we arrived at Tiananmen square safely and after security checks we were soon mixing with another couple of thousand visitors from all over the world but mainly extremely patriotic Chinese families waving little Chinese flags and taking photos of themselves with soldiers, policemen and us too! We must have featured in at least half a dozen photos with some lovely old Chinese people – they would just join in whenever we stopped for a photo.
Tiananmen Square is a vast expanse of paved slabs in between the People’s Meeting Hall and Mao’s Mausoleum. Must be several acres. We crossed the road about a 6 lane highway (actually we went under) to the Forbidden City. We entered through the gates in the massive wall- at least 25 metres thick. (Hard to imagine it was built nearly 1000 years ago). The city covers acres and acres, it’s huge and full of different places and courtyards. We walked for 15 minutes through several more gateways with incredibly thick walls until we eventually came to the actual beginning of the Emperors Palace!
We walked down the main path (the width of a road- it was the shortest distance - but we were later told in former days only the Emperor was allowed that privilege - everyone else had to use the side paths depending on your importance. Although some of the buildings were badly in need of repair we couldn’t but be impressed by the vastness of it all. It was hard to believe that most of this work was done at least 600 years ago.
Finally with aching legs and feet we left by the back gate and headed for our next cultural adventure the Taoist Temple.
China is a wonderful country and Doncaster Gardens Primary School Council and I hope our students and teachers will have many more opportunities and interactions with our sister school and for an International tour each year.
More to come next week
MICHELE BEAL
PRINCIPAL
With much sadness, we say goodbye to Amy Dickinson, much loved and respected Doncaster Gardens Primary School Out of School Hours Care Assistant who passed away due to a tragic accident.
WELCOME
Doncaster Gardens Primary School would like to extend a warm welcome toJully 3A, Sara 2D,Anjali 1C,Kaajal 3B, Lisa, 6B.
HEALTH NEWS
Nut Allergy
IMPORTANT!
Several children enrolled at Doncaster Gardens Primary School have a life threatening allergic reaction to nuts. Even contact with nut products and the wrappings in which they come in can be critical to these children. Although children are encouraged to eat their own food and NOT share any items of food, we would like to make a special plea to parents to avoid sending nut products to school with your children.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
健康快讯
“生死一线 ：你我都有责任”
可能贵子女从小到大没有什么大病，但您对食物过敏症的知识又认识多少呢？
现时有不同的食物过敏症和危害生命的程度也不一样。但很肯定的是任何人如有食物过敏症，他们的生命在任何时间和地方都有威胁性。他们的生命可能就在你的手中被抢走。
本校有几位学生有非常严重的食物过敏症，任何坚果，坚果食品的包装或接触坚果制成品也危及他们的生命。如这个是你的子女，你有什么想法和行动呢？
现在本校严重声明与及特别呼吁各家长切密带任何坚果制品回本校。
感谢您的谅解与合作。
Alicen Perrin
学校急救队主任
SCHOOL HATS
All students are to wear the slouch style school hats at recess & lunchtime. ‘No hat, No play,’ is school policy. Hatless students will have to sit in the shade. The Anti-Cancer Council SunSmart program also recommends the use of sunscreen.
HATS $13.00 can be purchased from
Campus Choice – Blackburn
Melways, Map 47, H9
182 Whitehorse Road
BLACKBURN VIC 3130
Ph: 03 9877 8388 or 9877 9188
Fax: 03 9877 8898
Trading Hours: M-F 9am–5.30pm, Sat 9am–3pm
If you are unable to attend the store, please phone on the above numbers for assistance.
MENTAL HEALTH WEEK
7 -13 October
Enjoying mental health means having a sense of wellbeing, being able to function during everyday life and feeling confident to rise to a challenge. Like your physical health, there are actions you can take to increase your mental health. Boost your wellbeing and stay mentally healthy by following a few simple steps.
1. Connect with others. Develop and maintain strong relationships with people around you who will support and enrich your life.
2. Take time to enjoy. Set aside time for activities, hobbies and projects you enjoy. Let yourself be spontaneous and creative. Do a crossword; take a walk; read a book; sew a quilt; draw pictures with your kids; play with your pets – whatever takes your fancy.
3. Participate and share interests. Join a club or group of people who share your interests. Being part of a group of people with a common interest provides a sense of belonging. Join a sports club; a band; a walking group; a dance class; a theatre or choir group; a book or car club.
4. Contribute to your community. Volunteer your time for a cause or issue that you care about. Help out a neighbour, work in a community garden or do something nice for a friend. There are many great ways to contribute that can help you feel good.
5. Take care of yourself. Be active and eat well. Physical and mental health are closely linked; it’s easier to feel good about life if your body feels good. Combine physical activity with a balanced diet to nourish your body and mind and keep you feeling good, inside and out.
6. Challenge yourself. Learn a new skill or take on a challenge to meet a goal. Learning improves your mental fitness and gives you a sense of progress and achievement.
7. Deal with stress. Be aware of what triggers your stress and how you react. You may be able to avoid some of the triggers and learn to prepare for others. Stress is a part of life and affects people in different ways. It only becomes a problem when it makes you feel uncomfortable or distressed. A balanced lifestyle can help you manage stress better. If you have trouble winding down, you may find that relaxation breathing, yoga or meditation helps.
8. Rest and refresh. Get plenty of sleep. Go to bed at a regular time each day. Sleep restores your mind and body. Fatigue can still set in if you feel constantly rushed and overwhelmed.
9. Allow yourself some unfocussed time each day to refresh; let your mind wander, daydream or simply watch the clouds go by. It’s OK to add ‘do nothing’ to your to-do list!
10. Notice the here and now. Take a moment to notice each of your senses each day. Simply ‘be’ in the moment – feel the sun and wind on your face and notice the air you are breathing. It’s easy to be caught up thinking about the past or planning for the future instead of experiencing the present. Making a conscious effort to be aware of your inner and outer world is important for your mental health.
11. Ask for help. This can be as simple as asking a friend to babysit while you have some time out, or speaking to your doctor (GP) about where to find a counsellor or community mental health service. The perfect, worry-free life does not exist. Everyone’s life journey has bumpy bits and the people around you can help. If you don’t get the help you need first off, keep asking until you do.
If at any time you are worried about your mental health or the mental health of a loved one call Lifeline 13 11 14. To find a mental health service, search under ‘mental health’ in the Better Health Channel’s Health Services Directory.
Alicen Perrin
First Aid Coordinator
COMMUNITY NOTICES
Is there some good news in your family that you would like to share with the rest of Doncaster Gardens Primary School, let me know and I will place it in the newsletter. A new addition to the family, a win in a Grand Final or a special award. Let me know in the office either via email on or 9848 5282.
Katrina Nanos
CANTEEN
The Meal Deal for Tuesday 16 October at a cost of $4.50 is:
· 6 Chicken Nuggets
· Carrot Sticks
The Meal Deal for Wednesday 17 October at a cost of $4.50 is:
· Vegie/Sausage Roll
· Apple Slinky
If you wish to purchase the Meal Deal for your child, simply write “Meal Deal” with your child’s name, grade and room number on a paper bag and enclose $4.50. Please add an additional 10 cents if you do not have a bag. Normal lunch orders will be available as usual.
Mei Lee
OHSC
Come and join the fun at our before and after school care program! The 15 October begins our fun and creative Ocean Week. We will have all of the children participating in our programmed indoor and outdoor activities to get active together! We will be making our own boats and seeing if they can float! We will also be making various creatures of the sea together. Our week will end with making a lighthouse together. Our service runs from 7am-9am and 3.30pm-6.15pm every day, and we're always eager to meet new people! To book, call 98487852, or email us at
Lauren Cameron & James Kershaw
Co-ordinators
SCIENCE QUESTION OF THE WEEK
This Week’s Question: My teacher told me that clouds are made up of tiny water droplets. If this is true, why aren’t clouds a blue or clear colour, like water?
Answer: Your teacher is right – clouds are made up of tiny water droplets. The colour of a cloud is caused by what happens to light as it passes through these water droplets. When light passes through water droplets it gets scattered in all directions, making it appear white. This is why many clouds appear to be white. Thick clouds tend to look dark and grey. Because these clouds are so thick with water droplets, not much light gets through at all. What you are seeing when you look at a dark storm cloud is really a type of shadow.