website; http://www.ardeersthps.vic.edu.au
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Newsletter
8th May 2015
Principal’s Report
When I was a student at Primary School a story we read has remained with me throughout my life.
Robert the Bruce was King of Scotland. After being defeated at a battle, Bruce escaped and found a hideout in a cave. Hiding in a cave for three months, Bruce was at the lowest point of his life. He thought about leaving the country and never coming back.
While waiting, he watched a spider building a web in the cave's entrance. The spider fell down time after time, but finally it succeeded with his web. So Bruce decided also to retry his fight and told his men: "If at first you don't succeed, try, try and try again". He then went on to lead his army to a great victory even though he was outnumbered 10 to 1.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Long ago map makers sketched dragons on maps as a sign to sailors that they would be entering unknown territory at their own risk. Some sailors took the sign literally and were afraid to venture on. Others saw the dragons as a sign of opportunity, like a door to new territory. Are your dragons driving or draining your results?
Dropping Off and Picking Up Students from School
What could you do with $148.00?
You could pay two lots of school fees at Ardeer South Primary and have $8.00 spare change!
I was speaking to the Traffic Officer from Brimbank Council, and on Monday morning 4th May he booked seven vehicles outside the school in Murray Street, that is a total of $1036.00! I know that I do not have money to throw away, and I am wondering who does?
Diary Dates
May 12th NAPLAN -Language Conventions and Writing
13th NAPLAN – Reading
14th NAPLAN – Numeracy
15th Interschool Sport Vs St Pauls at St Pauls
18th Victorian Opera at Ardeer South PS
20th Education Week Open Morning
21st Whole School Excursion to the Arts Centre to see ‘Alice’s
Adventures in Opera Land.’
22nd Interschool Sport Vs Our Ladies at Ardeer South PS
26th Grades 4/5A(5s), 5/6A, 5/6B excursion to Lygon Street as part of our Italian Program.
Before and After School Care
At our last school council meeting on Monday 27th April School Council decided to continue exploring the possibilities of OUT OF SCHOOL CARE being available to the community at Ardeer South. A special School Council Sub Committee met on Wednesday 6th May with representatives from ‘Sherpa Kids ‘to further explore details. I look forward to keeping you informed on what transpires.
Why do we have excursions and Visiting Artists at Ardeer South Primary?
At Ardeer South Primary the students are asked to attend excursions and also to watch Visiting Artists. Recently our senior grades went to Werribee Zoo as part of their endangered species theme. Our excursions and visiting artists are a vital part of the curriculum providing experiences that we simply cannot at school.
The teachers work hard organising events for the students to enhance learning, however we have some students who choose not to participate! No student has come to school and said ‘I am not doing this subject because I do not want to.’ Students need to realise that excursions and visiting artists are just as much a part of school as any other part of the curriculum.
The school is aware of the expenses that are incurred and we make every effort to keep costs to a minimum and to not have too many money paying events close together. If there are families who are struggling to find money for events I am more than happy to discuss things in an attempt to make special arrangements in an effort to ensure all students are able to fully participate in school.
School Council Levy
There is still a number of parents who have not paid the School Council Book Requisite Levy. All students have been supplied with books and stationery at the beginning of the year.
To cover the associated costs the school relies on the School Council Book Requisite levy which is $70 per student. Thank you to those parents who have already paid. It would be appreciated if all outstanding contributions can be paid at the school office as soon as possible.
Merit Certificates
Congratulations to the following students who received Merit Certificates:
Fatma 4/5A / Fardwas 4/5A / Brya 5/6AVanessa 5/6A / Geena 5/6A / Shayla 5/6A
Aaliyah P/1B / Anne 3/4B / Jacob 5/6B
Simon 3/4A / Emily 3/4A / Emmitt 3/4A
Samel 3/4A / Aiden 3/4B / Abby 1/2A
Lachlan P/1A / Deborah 1/2A / Grace 4/5A
Scott 5/6A / Ian 5/6A / Phong P/1B
Abby P/1B / Ivan 1/2A / Joe 5/6B
Sienna 5/6B / Linda 3/4A / Tara 3/4A
Athou 3/4A / Taranvir 3/4A
Prep Enrolments for 2016
Prep enrolments for next year are now being taken for children who reach the age of five on or before 30th April 2016. Please help us with planning for next year by enrolling your child as soon as possible. You will need to bring your child’s birth certificate and certificate of immunisation with you.
School Uniform
Please note: Navy leggings are required to be worn by girls when wearing netball skirts.
What’s Happening Around Our School
Year 5 and Six - Our Trip to Werribee Zoo
We were filled with enthusiasm and excitement as we waited anxiously on the bus. On Tuesday 5th May we went to the Werribee Open Range Zoo to learn more about our topic, endangered animals
The first thing we did when we got to the Zoo was talk to two ladies named Michelle and Phoebe. They gave us a lanyard to put around our neck that told us what causes animals to be endangered. It also had a map of the Zoo on it. They also said that our task for the day was, to save a Vervet monkey or a Gorilla..
We went to Michelle and did an activity. We had to pretend we lived in a place in Africa called the Congo and that an incident had happened and we had to find out who was responsible for killing the Gorillas. There were four groups that could have been responsible and they were the tourists, miners, rangers and the farmers. Most people suggested the tourists may have killed the gorillas because they might have wanted to take pictures or hunt for its fur.
After the activity we walked around the Zoo to look at all the animals and talked about what type of habitat they lived in. We then went to eat our snacks before we went on the safari tour. As we entered the safari bus tour it started to rain heavily and we were all freezing but enjoyed the wonderful time anyway. We saw lots of animals like camels, giraffes, ostriches, bison, antelopes, rhinoceroses and zebras. The tour ended and it was time for lunch.
After lunch we had lots of time left to explore the rest of the zoo. We saw kangaroos and koalas and found a very interesting place which was once used to shear sheep. Before we went back to school we had to vote for which animal we would save and most people voted for the gorilla. Sadly it was time to go back to school but we had a fun day. The Zoo was a brilliant experience and everyone really enjoyed learning about different types of animals. Mi 4/5A