Welcome Back Gawura

Welcome to our very first Message Stick for 2019. I hope you all had a well deserved break. A very big welcome back to all of our returning families and a few brand new ones as well. We would like to especially acknowledge our new Kindergarten students for 2019 who are BJ, Eleanor, Samara, Latrell and Bryden. We welcome you all to our Gawura family in what could be 13 years of schooling for you all. Graduating class of 2031 just to make the rest of us feel a bit old.

The students have settled in beautifully over the past week and are currently working really well. The whole JSGS are doing initial assessments to begin with along with curriculum course work also starting as well.

I would like to welcome two new staff members to Gawura. Ms Chloe Watson is our new Stage 2 teacher and Leanna Carr-Smith is our new Wiradjuri teacher. Please say hello to both teachers who will make a wonderful impact on our school throughout the year.
I would like to invite everyone to our combined GPAC Meeting and Meet the Teacher afternoon this coming Thursday 7 February. It will start at 2.00pm in the Community Hub on Level 4.

School photographs will be occurring on Friday 14 February. Please send back your order forms to your child’s class teacher before Thursday next week. Once again we are pleased to offer this service free of charge or for just a small fee you can increase the size of your photo pack. Sibling photos will be taken on the same day. A note outlining all of this has been sent home in your child’s bag on Monday as well.

Once again thank you for entrusting us with your child this year. Whether this is your 7th year at Gawura or your first we welcome you and look forward to working with you and your children throughout 2019.

Have a wonderful and safe fortnight ahead.

Mr John Ralph
Head of Gawura

Ms Leanna Carr-Smith

Ms Chloe Watson

Want more photos?

For more pictures, please visit the Gawura Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pg/gawura.sacs/photos/

It’s been wonderful hearing all about the reading you did over the holidays. Thank you to everyone who has already brought back all their holiday books, please keep them coming in. Borrowing from and accessing the Junior School and Gawura Library

Classes this year will have 15 minutes for browse and borrow every week.

Kindergarten can borrow 1 book (in term 1 as they settle in)

Years 1 and 2 can borrow up to 3 books
Years 3 and 4 can borrow up to 4 books
Years 5 and 6 can borrow up to 5 books

Of course, if you make use of the library outside of the scheduled class time you can borrow and return up to these limits as often as you like during the week. The library will be open on Monday, Thursday and Friday mornings before school and all lunchtimes.

The collections and who can access what?

Infants and years 3 and 4 can borrow books from the picture book, junior fiction, non-fiction, magazine and graphic novel collections. Junior fiction has a wonderful selection of titles perfect for all primary school aged students right up to year 6, including challenge and extension reads.

Years 5 and 6 have an extension collection that they can also borrow from. These are shelved separately and labelled with yellow owls (called the OWL collection). These titles have been written with older readers in mind and have content that isn't appropriate for younger students. Students in the younger years won't be able to borrow from this collection and will be suitably challenged and engaged by the titles in the junior fiction and graphic novel collections.

We also have a collection of titles just for our Year 6 students who are looking for that something extra. It's a growing collection that has titles from each of our genres. These titles have been selected to further extend our year 6 students and include the sorts of books students are going to find in the Middle School library. It is a great transitional collection just for year 6.

Donations to the library

The library welcomes donations of books that are in good condition. If we can't add them to our library, we will either hang onto them for the Great Book Swap run to help the Indigenous Literacy Foundation later in the year or add them to the growing D.E.A.R. collections in each open area.

Researching @SACSLibrary

The need for students to be highly skilled researchers and to be academically honest is increasing. So, in addition to the 15 minutes of browse and borrow time, each class will have an additional ½ hour of class time dedicated to the further development of these skills. During this time the class teacher and I will work across a variety of KLAs to give students the opportunity to learn and practice these valuable, life-long skills.

Library monitors in 2019

We are looking for responsible students in Stage 2 and 3 who love the library and who are prepared to commit to keeping it a brilliant space in 2019. We’ve changed the process this year for becoming a library monitor. Like any leadership role it is a whole year commitment.

If you’d like to be considered for the role then please write an application (1 paragraph which includes your name and class) explaining why you should be a monitor and give it to Mrs Paul.

“Everyone is a reader, some just haven’t found their favourite book yet.” – Anonymous

Svetlana Paul
Information and Digital Literacy Coordinator JS and GS

Congratulations to our music students!

Congratulations to many of our Junior School students who have recently been successful in auditioning for parts in professional productions.

Aidan Carey has been successful in his audition for the role of Fritz in Opera Australia’s production of Werther. He will perform at the Sydney Opera House running from mid-February to mid-March. Freddie Cobb was also successful in auditioning for the role of Karl.

In addition, Orlando Lennon was successful in auditioning for a role in Wozzeck and William Wheeler in La Bohème.

This is an amazing testament to the excellent musicianship and commitment of these students and we are extremely proud of their efforts. Congratulations!

Congratulations to Aiden Herman who has been selected to perform in the Children's Chorus at the Turandot Opera.

Congratulations also to James Prestwich, who achieved a Merit from Trinity College London in his Grade 4 piano exam.

We are looking forward to a wonderful year full of music and look forward to seeing students in our ensembles from Week 3.

Kate Robertson
Leader of Learning – Music (K-6)

Banking occurs every Friday in the Junior School Reception office Level 7

Banking will commence on Friday 9 February for Junior School.

Account opening will be online, therefore all parents/guardians wishing to open accounts, either at School or at their own leisure, can do this online.

Parents are directed to to commbank.com.au/schoolbanking, then click on the "Open Now".

Parents will go through a fast account opening/identification process if parents have their own ID and their Child's ID: Medicare Card or Birth Certificate.

The accounts book and wallet will be sent directly to the Child's home address from the Commonwealth Bank's Processing Centre

Please do not hesititate to liaise with Mrs Magee our parent volunteer Banking coordinator on Friday mornings from 10am - 11am located at Junior School Reception on Level 7.

Welcome to the first edition for 2019 of Parenting Tips.

I am Joy Rohrlach and I teach Year 6 at SACS. I am a parent of two children, Michael and Jackie and a grandmother of two gorgeous children, Jonathan and Lucia.

Every two weeks I write an article in the newsletter about situations, articles I’ve read or seen or fascinating ideas that have captured my interest and maybe even share some of my conspiracy theories for you to think about - The full moon’s effects being my favourite!!

I offer ideas to try when bringing up your children, interesting strategies to use in your home or thoughtful scenarios that may get you thinking. Not for one minute am I suggesting I am an expert nor that I know all the answers. I certainly don’t and I have made many mistakes in my journey as a parent and grandparent…that I may occasionally share! What I am hoping though, is to present ideas for you to think about, discuss with me or others and hopefully we may help each other along this road called parenting.

I look forward to meeting you and sharing ideas and helpful hints.

Joy Rohrlach
Stage 3 Coordinator and Classroom Teacher

Wednesday and Friday morning appointments offered to Gawura families

I would like to advise you that we have secured the services of a very generous doctor in the city who is willing to see our Gawura students and their families free of charge (he will bulk bill through Medicare) if the need arises.

Dr Shuo (Shore) Zhao is located at Level 1, 70 Pitt St, Sydney. You can book an appointment with him on any Wednesday and Friday morning between 8am – 12pm. The number of the practice is 02 9233 3399.

We understand that many parents already have their own doctor that they use, possibly even through the Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS) in Redfern but this is just another option for you to use if you choose to do so and one that is located in the city, near our school.

Mr John Ralph
Head of Gawura

Summer Uniform Term 1

St Andrew’s Cathedral School is one of the most visible schools in NSW with students moving between buildings throughout the day, seniors visiting the Town Hall Arcade during lunch and over a thousand of our students catching public transport all over Sydney and beyond as they travel to and from school. Parents send their children to St Andrew’s because of its high standards in academic, pastoral care, co-curricular and Christian education. In turn, St Andrew’s has high expectations of students. Literature also shows that good uniform standards lead to reduced discipline problems, an increased sense of belonging and higher academic engagement and standards. It also shows pride in the school.

Summer uniform is to be worn from the beginning of Term 1, students have been reminded of our uniform standards.

Below is an outline of the topics that have been discussed:

Hair – to be neat and tidy. Hair cuts must be conventional and unlikely to cause comment. No shaved sections, no facial hair. Girls’ hair to be completely tied back; boys’ hair to be cut above the collar and eyebrows.

Shirts & Ties –shirts must be tucked in, top buttons done up and boys’ ties worn correctly at the neck. Shirt sleeves not to be rolled up.

Blazers – to be worn to and from School and between buildings. (If it is very hot, I will communicate to students a variation to this rule on the day)

Jewellery – no rings, bracelets, necklaces. Only one pair of earrings for girls - small sleepers or simple studs only. No other piercings allowed. No earrings for boys.

Makeup – no makeup or nail polish allowed.

Sport Uniform – students to wear SACS tracksuit/sports uniform to and from venues.

Shoes – black leather traditional school shoes. No casual style allowed. Please see student diary for allowable styles.

Socks – Boys must wear grey or black socks. Girls must wear white plain socks that sit above the ankle. Socklets are not allowed.

Skirts – skirt hems should be at the knee. Skirts must not be rolled.

Please be aware that these expectations and standards remain applicable to the very last day of the school year. For those who have summer uniform requirements, please contact Mr Ralph or the Uniform Store, on 9286 9547 for a fitting time.

Please label all new (and old) items of uniform.
The Uniform store normal Hours of Operation are:
Monday – Wednesday – Thursday  |  8am to 3.30pm

To attend our care, parents/guardians must register their child with us by completing an online enrolment form via our parent portal. It’s very important that parents/guardians fill out all compulsory enrolment documentation for their child and notify us of any medical conditions, illnesses and other, to ensure the health and safety of all children in our care.

Families can register for free at https://pp.campaustralia.com.au/account/register-contacts

For more information, please visit https://www.campaustralia.com.au/

Uniform Store

For those who still have 2018 uniform requirements please contact the Uniform Store, on 92869547 for a fitting time. Remember that students in Kindergarten to Year 6 wear the same uniform so please label all items of uniform.

Mobile phone use

Older students, who travel to and from school on public transport and have a mobile phone, need to ensure that they are switched off during the school day and kept in school bags or handed to your child’s/children’s teacher each morning.

Health Centre

Please send in a note detailing any daily medication needs. Daily medication is to be dispensed by the School Nurse at the Sick Bay. Any medication to be dispensed by the School Nurse must be given to the nurse in its original box (containing the prescription label and your child’s name).

Absences

If your child/children are absent from school, I ask that you text or call Neal on 0439 653 334 or the Reception on 9286 9500 before 9am to notify us. The school requires a note from a parent or guardian explaining any absence from school.