Wangi Wangi Public School

Year 5 students: Start organizing your speech for Captain/Councillor Election Day. Friday 28th November. Assembly at 12.15pm. Speeches to follow.

Year 6
The year is almost gone. All too quickly.
Morisset and Toronto High School Orientation date is Thursday 4th  Dec. More info should be available soon. ALSO High School Enrolment forms are OVERDUE.
YEAR 6 FAREWELL
Formal wear to be worn. For the girls, an opportunity to ‘dress-up’, AND for the boys NO JEANS OR T-SHIRTS- collared shirt and dress pants-also an opportunity to ‘dress-up’ too! NO LIMOUSINES PLEASE_ We are ONLY in Year 5 and 6!! Photo opportunity outside and inside the club at 6.30pm.
Good News! No More Homework

MYUNA BAY CELEBRATION DAY 2008 Bus and entry $7. Swimming note MUST be completed

LIBRARY

Stocktake will take place next week 27th & 28th November.  Please return all library books as soon as possible and borrowing is finished for 2008.
Congratulations to all who have earned their Bronze and Silver Library Awards this year.  It has been pleasing to see improved home borrowing.  The remainder of these awards will be presented this Friday at assembly (21st November)
Book Sale – next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday – buy a bag of books for $1.
Premiers Reading Challenge – Newspaper supplements to be here week 7, we are still waiting for certificates to arrive. 
Cheers Mrs Rayfield.

P&C NEWS
The P&C Christmas Dinner will be held on Friday 5th December at ‘The Shack’ (Wangi Hotel). All welcome!! Please RSVP at the school office by Monday 1st December.

We have a limited supply of the old style school tops in sizes 12 & 14 which will be selling at a bargain price of $5.00 each.
The order of our Bomber jackets has FINALLY arrived and is available in a range of sizes.

CANTEEN NEWS

  CANTEEN VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
If you would like to volunteer for 1 day per month please contact Jodie Milligan on
0408866370 or if you are unable to attend on your rostered day please ring.
Sun Safety
“Be Safe” is our number 1 school rule so…
REMEMBER, NO HAT – NO PLAY, NO SPORT, NO P.E!!!NO THONGS AT ANY TIME – this includes DISCOS

The Department of Education states that overseas research has shown children in composite classes do no better or worse academically than their peers in straight grade class, but that, socially, their development is enhanced. They are more confident, can operate better as part of a group, are more assertive, become more independent learners and better problem-solvers. They also make friends outside of their standard age-groups.

NSW Board of Studies documents refer to “stages” of development and reflect the developmental nature of learning in young children. The organisation of classes should take into account current research on learning and best practice in teaching and learning. These include individual differences such as:
• different learning rates and styles;
• developmental stages of children;
• social and emotional development;
• varied social background.
Classes should provide opportunities for:
• different learning styles;
• cooperative learning;
• development of life long learners;
• development of students taking responsibility for their own learning.

Research has shown that students benefit from class structures that focus on these factors. The DET published the report Multi-Age Classes in NSW – 1997. This report found that these classes based on educational principles do not disadvantage students academically and may benefit them socially and emotionally.

The good thing about composite classes is that it draws attention to individual needs and development and facilitates individualised learning.
Managing composite classes requires experienced teachers. Teachers at Wangi Wangi Public School are well-versed and experienced in conducting programs in multi-age or composite classes.
Straight age grades were never implemented because they were found to reflect good educational practice. Straight age grades are part of our school system today simply because they reflect how educational administrators originally set up schools. This originated in the 1850’s . This factory model for schooling was intended to prepare workers for the industrial society of the time. Today’s schools need to teach people how to learn and love learning throughout their lives. Students are explorers who are both producers and consumers of knowledge with teachers who are facilitators and provide links to the broader learning community.

Research shows that children in multi-age learning groups appear to be more caring and cooperative with each other. Diverse social groups provide opportunities for the older children to reflect on the needs of the younger ones and they are more likely to see the younger children to be in need of their care and help. Older children provide valuable role models for the younger children both socially and academically. Year by year as the classroom structure changes, younger children gradually find more opportunities to develop and practice their own leadership skills.

The learning group structures that operate provide the framework which supports effective learning. Within this structure our prime aim is to prepare children to be life long learners. Producing ‘quality work’ is a major component of this process.
Benefits of Multi-age Groupings
• Younger students are able to seek help from a wider range of people rather than relying on the teacher to help them all the time.
• Older students provide a model of intellectual development as well as of appropriate behaviour for the younger students.
• Older students are able to practise the skills they learn by teaching them to the younger students
• There are less behaviour problems because younger students integrate quickly into established class routines as older students model appropriate behaviour and give younger students the attention they need.
• There is a great sense of family within each multi-age class, as some students stay with their teacher for more than one year.
• The older students are very nurturing and the younger students feel safe and secure knowing that there is always someone to turn to when they need help.
• Outcomes for students are greatly enhanced because the teacher develops an in depth knowledge about each student and their needs.
• Teachers are able to give more time to new students or students with special needs as the older ones develop independence in their learning habits.

Kids Club
Every second Tuesday 4-6pm at Wangi Uniting Church.
Kindergarten to year 6 for stories, music, craft and dinner.
Cost $4 for 1 child, $7 for 2 children and $8 for more than 2 children.

Tutoring – Maths – Kinder to Year 12
University student will tutor in your home
Ring Ben 0421235309

YMCA 49594444
Before School Care is 7am to 9am.  Breakfast included then children taken to school.
After School Care 3pm to 6pm – Collect from school, afternoon tea provided
Gymnastics most afternoons.

LINDA’S PET CARE
 
Don’t spend your holidays worrying about the house and the pets. 
Linda can keep an eye on both!
I can collect your mail/ Newspapers/ put  out the bin/ water the plants etc.
Let Linda treat your family pets to all the love and attention they need while you’re away
Phone 4975 3731
Mobile 0488 211366

 
JUMP START MATHS
Accelerated learning in School Maths for Year 2 to Year 9
Step up your children’s potential in maths, beyond Expectation
Be guided by fully qualified teachers to see their confidence

Do your children need extra help with their maths and home work?
We can do all this, for as little as $20 week.
Phone: 4973 2001

Holidays Programs for children and their families of all ages.

Junior adventure, Kreative Kids, Surf’s up, Family New Year Getaway, Family Long Weekend Getaway and Family Weekend Getaway.

For more information please contact Debi on 4973 3301 or 4973 1262

Danish National Performamance Team – Gymnastics
The team will be visiting Newcastle and performing at the Hunter Sports Centre on Friday 21st November at 7:30pm
Event entry is $15 for an adult, $10 a child and $40 for a family pass.
Tickets are available by contact the Hunter Ports Centre on 4953 6366

SAVE $$$100′s this Christmas on Beauty Treatments with Pulse’s Advent Calender. From 18th of November you will receive free & discounted treatments, free & discounted products.

For a copy of our Advent calender call the salon on 49 75 31 00. Or pop into the salon at 236 Watkins Road Wangi Wangi. Have a merry xmas from all the staff at Pulse Hair & Beauty.

What a great day we all had at Taronga Zoo last week despite the rain. Congratulations to our students who displayed great behaviour that made us proud of Wangi students. HUGE thanks to the tremendous turn out of parents who met us there and took groups around the zoo – we couldn’t do it without you…what an adventure! The zoo was tigeriffic!

Wangi staff will NOT be taking part in the next NSW Teachers Federation 2 Hour Stop Work meeting on 19^th November. We are exempt due to our prior booking at Wangi Workers Club for a whole school rehearsal to our Tea Time Concert for Semester 2.

We are really looking forward to the Tea Time Concert as this is where all our students are given another opportunity to shine. This is one of the benefits of a small school where children can be ‘a large fish in a small pond’ and not lost among the numbers.

Most parents understand our school has been getting smaller and has been ‘under review’ for the last two years. In 2009 we will most likely be forming 5 multi-age classes, but need to wait until Kindergarten Orientation Day next Tuesday to confirm the Kinder numbers for 2009. We also URGENTLY need any families who will be moving house and/or transferring their children to another school in 2009 to let us know by next Tuesday as we will be contacting staffing at DET to confirm numbers and to start planning classes for next year. I will update you all regarding this with further details in the next newsletter.

Congratulations to our Year 5 students who completed their ‘Buddy Training’ this week. Their first roles as Student Leaders will start with taking on the big responsibility of Kinder Buddies – we are confident they will to do a terrific job!

Our Captain and Counsellor Speeches for 2009 will soon be upon us – Friday 28^th Nov after assembly. Please encourage your child to ‘have a go’ for these important roles as a student leader. Parents can help by ensuring their child is prepared and rehearsed as this will boost their confidence.

Best of luck and have great fun to our 8 fab flag bearers this Saturday night at Energy Australia stadium for the NZ Vs England RL match… Sarah, Scott, Brodie P., Jai J, Brodie H., Liam C., Caitlyn R., & Toby.  Whoo-hoo!

Joel B in Year 1 for “Persistence, Confidence & Getting Along”;

Zachary W in Year 2 for “Getting Along, Persistence & Confidence”;

Declan G in Year 4 for “Persistence”;

Johnny in Year 6 for “Persistence & Resilience”