Newsletter Volume 3 2004

Volume 3 - 26th February 2004
Week 5 .... Term 1

Ph: 8381 7166
Fax: 8381 6041

Inside this issue…
Weather, Premier’s Reading Challenge, Reading, IT and Girls, Head Lice, Kookaburra Council, CSIRO Research, Photocopier for Sale, Friends of Panalatinga Reserve, Parents in Theatre, Parent Club, Kookaburra Café, Healthy Heads, Tear Off Slip

Acquaintance Night
Thank you to all who came to the 2004 Acquaintance Night.

	Indications are parents were pleased with the information they received and staff felt that parents have a better understanding of the program they teach and routines they follow. Please remember that teachers will be more than happy to meet individual parents to discuss issues if they arise about your child’s learning and achievements.
However if it takes more than a couple of minutes please make an appointment avoiding Tuesday after school, due to staff meetings, and most mornings before 8.40am as teachers are trying to set up programs for the day.

AGM 2003 – We need your Support

AGM Nominations
It is great to see the interest from parents about nominating for the 2004 Governing Council in preparation for the AGM on Monday, 8^th March 2004 at 7.00 pm.

Nominations slips were sent to all families as part of the last newsletter and are included again on the last page of newsletter. If you have any questions or queries about being a governing council member please contact Peter Simmonds on 8381 7166.

All parents are invited to come along to hear Peter Simmonds –recently appointed Principal to Happy Valley School who will both introduce himself to the Happy Valley Community and address the topic of taking a good school and making it into a Great School!

All are welcome to attend.


Messages to students – We need your help.
	We would appreciate it very much if messages to students during the day could be kept to a minimum. Of course there will be times when circumstances beyond your control will mean a message will need to be relayed to your child/ren. However at the moment there are a significant number of messages that could be avoided simply by communicating with your child/ren before school. We would be very grateful for your help in this matter.

Hot Weather and Food Safety
Given the current spate of hot weather and conversations with both staff and parents, it is timely to highlight issues surrounding food safety and lunch boxes. About 5 million lunches are prepared in Australia every day. I found this information from the Illawarra Public Health Unit and have permission to reproduce some of their concerns to parents.

Illawarra Public Health Unit food inspectors have warned that children are at risk of serious illness because of the impact of hot weather on the school lunch box.

“Parents must be aware of the principles of keeping food safe,” Senior Food Inspector Sally Russell said. “Temperature control, sandwich fillings, cross contamination and personal hygiene should be considered when preparing school lunches.”

Before preparing lunches, parents should make sure chopping boards, utensils, and benches are clean as these can be source of harmful bacteria. Washing hands before preparing food is also important in keeping school lunches safe

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When making school lunches, consider what foods are being used. High-risk foods, such as meats, poultry, small goods, dairy products, seafood, cooked pastas and rice, support bacterial growth.

“Keeping these foods cold is vital in ensuring a safe school lunch,’ Ms Russell said. “When preparing lunches, make sure all the ingredients are cold, including the bread.

Freezing lunches can sometimes work well, depending on the fillings - food items including salads and some small goods do not freeze well.

“When packing the lunch, include a frozen drink. This acts as a freezer brick, keeping lunches cold, as well as providing a cold drink for children at lunchtime.” Ms Russell said children should also be educated about food safety. “Encourage children to wash their hands before eating their lunches and other meals. Ask children where they keep their lunches during class. If in the sun, suggest to the school to provide a cool place for storage of children’s lunches and school bags, such as shady areas or inside outside of direct sunlight.

“People can become complacent with food hygiene and food safety principles. Some food-borne illnesses can be quite mild and are often mistaken for a 24-hour virus. However some food poisoning bacteria can cause serious illness, and can be fatal. Following basic food hygiene principles help ensure a safe school lunch for your school children.

Within Happy Valley School we will be encouraging the following practices

Encourage children to consume water regularly
Encourage children to store their lunch box in the classroom if the food includes high bacterial risk factors
Encourage parents to pack a nutritional lunch and snack items with a cooling device – frozen water, drink or cool pack
Encourage parents to pack a lunch which requires little cooling eg bread, pita bread; bread rolls, processed cheese or cheese sticks, canned or fresh fruit, rice cakes, pikelets, dried fruit, mixed nuts, frozen UHT milk
Encourage children and parents to purchase fresh foods from the Happy Valley School Canteen, ensuring the canteen is a viable service to the school community

Websites of interest for further information and lunch ideas include;

http://www.health.qld.gov.au/brochure/school_lunch.asp
http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/printpage/0,5942,
8509854,00.html
http://www.kids.cyh.com.au/cyh/kids/detail.html?topic
_id=1471&l1=3
http://www.cyh.com/cyh/kids/main.html?topic_id=1471&l1=3

WEATHER – WET, HOT AND EXTREME WEATHER POLICY INFORMATION

When dealing with extremes of weather and students welfare, staff have endorsed, in principle, a new weather policy which will be further discussed by staff in the next 2 weeks.

The effect of this policy is to cover two areas, additional to the school’s wet weather and sports policies relating to weather for after school hours team practice and competition;

hot weather
abnormal circumstances

Wet
Recess

one siren - students to be dismissed
two sirens - students to stay inside or return to rooms immediately. The Principal or the person on north-central yard duty makes the decision to invoke the decision for students to go inside.

Lunch

one siren - students to be dismissed
two sirens - students to stay or return to areas - supervision as for recess. The Principal or the person on north-central yard duty makes the decision to invoke the decision for students to go inside.
Resource Centre closed for the rest of that period.
one siren - will be sounded if weather improves and students to be dismissed. The Principal or the person on north-central yard duty makes the decision to invoke the decision that student can go back outside for play.

General Procedures Where recess or lunch is inside, an additional ‘duty’ roster is drawn up of teachers to cover classroom areas
Students stay in own classroom area Quiet activities are required - use of outside equipment (balls etc. are prohibited) Withdrawal, Long Room and Resource Centre will not be used unless supervised
Students leaving area (canteen/toilets) must receive teachers' permission Change of clothing - teacher to send child to School Services Officers for attention. Parents will be contacted if students act irresponsibly and need constant change of clothing. (Standing in the rain, sliding in mud on grassed areas are examples.)
Hot/Extreme Under normal circumstances the Policy will be temperature based as follows: Up to and including 35 degrees – no change
Children play and move around the school in all play areas We encourage children to consume water regularly We encourage children to store their lunch box in the classroom if the food includes high bacterial risk factors

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36 degrees plus – children have a 15-minute ‘outside lunch time’ with the remainder of the lunch being in classrooms with staff supervision.
The Principal or nominee will do a temperature verification at 12.30pm using the Happy Valley School Weather station. If this is not in operation we will access information from the Bureau of Meteorology website http://www.bom.gov.au/ using Noarlunga as our local measure. If the temperature is 36 degrees or over then the inside supervised play for lunchtime would occur.

The 15 minutes ‘outside lunch time’ provides an opportunity for all students to access the canteen for ice-blocks and drinks as well as getting some ‘fresh’ air.

On the days where forecasted temperatures are predicted to be 36 degrees plus staff of Happy Valley School would encourage:

parents to pack a nutritional lunch and snack items with a cooling device – frozen water, drink or cool pack
parents to pack a lunch which requires little cooling eg bread, pita bread; bread rolls, processed cheese or cheese sticks, canned or fresh fruit, rice cakes, pikelets, dried fruit, mixed nuts, frozen UHT milk
children and parents to purchase fresh foods from the Happy Valley School Canteen, ensuring the canteen is a viable service to the school community

Under abnormal circumstances (eg excessive wind)
The Principal or Deputy Principal will make a decision as to which part of the above to enact.

In any of these extreme weather conditions, specialist physical education teachers will have first priority to the school gymnasium and will use their professional judgement as to modifying the learning program to include low impact activities in hot weather.

THE PREMIER’S READING CHALLENGE

Happy Valley is pleased to announce that we intend to take up Premier Rann’s challenge of our children to read 48 books during the next four years. The Premier of South Australia, Mike Rann, is challenging all students from Reception to Year 9 to read 12 books a year from the start of term 1 and before 10^th September 2004. At least 8 books must be chosen from nominated booklists, for Reception - Year 2 Year 3 – 5 and Year 6 – 9. The resource centre is creating a list of books within our resources.

Kirsten and Daniel really value their reading time
and have a love of books.

The remaining four books are at the selection of the students but have to be at an appropriate reading level. Each student who completes the program will receive a signed certificate. After completing two successful years, students receive a bronze medallion, silver after three and a gold after four years. Judy Miller will be coordinating the program and together with Phyllis Carn will support students, staff and parents in meeting this achievable target for all children at Happy Valley.

This program will be incorporated into the children reading program and not seen as an extra or additional to the literacy program for students. Further information will come out via Judy Miller in the coming week/s. Have a great and enjoyable time reading.

Further detailed information and booklists can be found at http://www.premiersreadingchallenge.sa.edu.au/

READING
WHAT CAN I DO TO SUPPORT MY CHILD?

We know that learning to read and being literate sets a child up for greater opportunities in life than for those who cannot read.

Reading poses many challenges for all children and so needs continued support from both school and home.

So simply how can I help? Well these are the things we associate to a person developing literacy skills.

Over the first 6 years, most children

hear sounds, see movements, and make connections between what they see and hear;
talk and listen;
pretend to read;
identify things in books;
write with scribbles and drawing;
identify letters and say them;
connect single letters with the sounds they make;
predict what comes next in poems and stories;
connect combinations of letters with sounds;
recognize simple words;
sum up what a story is about;
write individual letters of the alphabet;
write words;
write simple sentences; and
read simple books.

We expect that the interest will grow as the child get older, however this is not always the case and so we need to continue to coach our children to read and gain further information from which they can interpret the world around them. This will need constant interaction between child and adult through the child years in primary school.

It is of critical importance that children see us as adults reading for both information and leisure and that part of this process is talking and listening to each other on what we are currently reading. We know that from a very young age, babies try to imitate sounds and read the looks on our faces and the movements of our hands. That's why it is so important to talk, smile, and gesture to them. Hearing you talk is their very first step toward becoming readers, because it helps them love language and learn words. As your child grows older, continue talking with them. Ask about the things they do. Ask about the events and people in the stories you read together. Let your child know you are listening carefully. Getting your child to use words gives them practice. You are also encouraging to think as they speak. And you are showing that you respect their knowledge and ability to keep learning.

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*Reading together is so important.*
Try to spend 30 minutes each day reading to and with your child. At first, read for no more than a few minutes at a time, several times a day if you can when they are young. As they grow older, you should be able to tell if your child can read for longer periods.
But don't be discouraged if you skip a day or don't always keep to your schedule. Just get back to your daily routine as soon as you can. Most of all, make sure reading stays fun for both of you!

When you take your child to the library, check out a book for you. Then set a good example by reading yourself. Ask your child to get one of their books and join you while you read a book, magazine, or newspaper. Don't worry if you feel uncomfortable with your own reading ability. Just doing it counts. When your child sees that reading is important to you, they may decide it is important to them, too.

Learning About Print
Reading aloud together is a perfect time to help a late toddler or early preschooler learn what print is. Now and then, stop and point to letters and words as you read them; then point to the pictures they stand for. Your child will begin to understand that the letters form words and words name the picture. You are also letting her/him know that each letter has its own sound. This is one of the most important things your child can know when learning to read.

By the time children are 4, most have begun to understand that printed words have meaning. By age 5, most will begin to know that not just the story, but the printed words themselves go from left to right. (Follow the words with your finger to help get this message across.) Many will even be identifying some capital and small letters and simple words.

In late kindergarten or early reception, your child may begin to read from print itself. They may want to do it instead of you. Let them! But be sure s/he wants to do it. It should be something s/he is proud and eager to do, not a lesson.

Once reading has started don’t let it stop in the middle and upper primary years. Together with your child try to

Read and write 5 days every week for at least 30 minutes each day.
On one of those days, have someone read to or with you for at least 30 minutes a day.
Learn one new word and what it means every day.
Get a library card and use it
Reward yourself for the work you have done in reading and writing.

Reference Helping Your Child Become A Reader
http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/Reader/read.html

I.T. AND GIRLS

As reported in The Advertiser this Wednesday, 25 February 2004, students from around South Australia were invited it attend a girls only SHIP focus day on technology. This DECS sponsored day asked schools to nominate a Year 6/7 girl with such an interest or skill. The teachers invited Samantha Finan to attend and this is her report.

On Monday I went to Technology of the future. Once we (the 80 other girls and I) had been divided into groups we went to the first activity. I did robotics. Robotics is like building a Lego car then adding a motor that connects to a computer then does what the computer down loads to it. After lunch my group went to animation where I partnered up with another girl then drew a kite on the computer and made it move across the screen then fall into a tree. I enjoyed it and think that in the future other Happy Valley schoolgirls will like it too.

Samantha Finan

HEAD LICE

Yes we have head lice in the school but don’t panic, for head lice are a part of any school life and we are no exception. Some believe the cleaner and better cared for hair is, the easier it is for head lice and eggs to grip the hair shaft.

There are a variety of treatments and from time to time parents do ask what we recommend. We cannot be definitive, as not one solution is effective on all children and so a number of methods and treatment solutions may be required to be totally effective.

It’s timely then to remind all parents of the information we received from the Onkaparinga school nurse. Part of her advice was for parents to undertake daily checks of their child’s hair and for any one with hair that is longer than shoulder length to always ensure it is tied up, preferably in a plait.

Also using normal hair conditioner is an easy and cost effective way of detecting and removing Head Lice. A diagram of this application is attached to this newsletter. Click here to view

In addition there are 4 “families” of insecticide treatments available to ensure the eradication of resistant strains of Head Lice. City of Onkaparinga Council has found a new product, which can help eradicate head lice.

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Nit Slip is sprayed onto dry or wet hair and makes removing eggs a lot easier. An Environmental Health Officer from Council tried it on a number of students and found it to be very successful in eliminating eggs.

We understand that Council has bought a number of bottles, of Nit Slip, and it is available for sale at its three Council offices, located at Aberfoyle Park, Willunga and Noarlunga, for $15.00 a bottle, which includes a free head lice comb.

Finally, DECS (the Department of Education and Children’s Services) has published requirements for the control of Head Lice in schools. This documentation states, “A director or Principal can require that a child be treated before returning to the school or centre. Principals and Directors may request confirmation from the child’s doctor that the child is free of eggs (nits) and lice if they are not sure that the required treatment has been undertaken.”

Remember any treatment needs to be on going as the life cycle of head lice is approximately 3 weeks.

KOOKABURRA COUNCIL

The Council Executive organised and ran a successful training day for newly appointed class representatives. They planned a range of activities and games, Reps were introduced to their buddies and a mock debate was organised.

All the elected class representatives are to be congratulated on their appointments. Many of the candidates were asked to present a speech to their class prior to elections being held. Classes also talked about the positions and the skills required to successfully undertake the role. Reps have already shown keenness to contribute to Kookaburra Council.

The 2004 Kookaburra Council is
EXECUTIVE POSITIONS
Chairperson                            Greg Abroe
Secretary                                Olivia Vardas
Treasurer                                Samantha Finan
Fundraising Manager              Caitlin Addison

Class Representatives

Year 7 Mr Jones	Sebe Bolanos Kim Wilson	Year 3 Mrs Atherton	Samantha Staker Scott Watts
Year 7 Ms Williams	Scott Butler Zoe Udy	Year 3 Mrs Foster	Katelyn Sandric Adam Davidson
Year 5/6 Mr Francis / Mr MacLean	Jacob Herbert Deni Varnhagen	Year 1/2 Mrs Higgins	Lucy Vardas Mitchell Molnar
Year 5/6 Mr Draper	Nikki Sharp Declan Day	Year 1/2 Mrs Bailey / Mrs Rigby	Ashleigh Paterson Kieran Phillips
Year 5 Mr Pope	Kristen Murphy Shaun Lapere	Year R/1 Mrs Brettig / Mrs Loveday	Tally Cox Alex Stratton
Year 4 Mrs Petho	Aaron Finan Kate Moore	Year R/1 Mrs Saunders	Maddy Gavin Ben Lawrence
Year 4 Mrs Varga	Jayden Perry Amelia Vardas	Year R/1 Mrs Nicholson	Isabella Selin Jesse Chudleigh

At our first meeting reps received their badge and class folder. Meetings will be held on Tuesdays after recess on the odd weeks.

PARTICIPANTS WANTED FOR RESEARCH:

The effect of supplementation with highly unsaturated fatty acids and co-nutrients on learning and behaviour problems in school children

Do you have a child aged between 7-12 years who has known or perceived learning and behaviour problems such as problems with concentration, attention, learning, school work, impulsivity and hyperactivity? (The condition does not need to be diagnosed.)

Is this child currently not taking any medication? If so, your child is invited to take part in the above research project. To take part, your child will be required to take three small capsules containing highly unsaturated fatty acids (fish oil and evening primrose oil) twice daily either alone or with a chewable vitamin/mineral tablet for 8 months during 2004. The child will also be given a one-hour long psychological assessment at the CSIRO in the city before, during and after the study, and parents and teachers will be asked to fill in a questionnaire before, during and after the study. This study will be conducted in conjunction with the University of South Australia and CSIRO Health Sciences and Nutrition. If you and your child are interested in taking part in this research, please contact Natalie Gannon on phone 8303 8858 or by e-mail natalie.gannon@csiro.au for further information.

CANON OFFICE PHOTOCOPIER FOR SALE

Happy Valley School has for sale a Canon NP A6650 II. In working order, this office grade, high volume copier is to be replaced in the coming weeks. All offers considered for this Canon maintained machine however once removed the maintenance contact, if required, will be the responsibility of the purchaser as no warrantee can be offered by the school.

For further information and offers please contact Peter Simmonds

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FRIENDS OF THE PANALATINGA RESERVE

	Please consider being involved in all or at least some of the following weekend activities with your family for the benefit of the Environment and Panalatinga Reserve which bounders the school. (Children are most welcome).
Each working bee is from 1.30 to 4.00pm. Meet on porch by oval.

Sat May 8^th	Weed control as above
Frid.June 18^th	Yrs. 3 *& 4 planting of plants in Reserve. Watering of plants by volunteer parents and children after school.
Sat. June 19^th	Working Bee to check trees planted on Friday, put guards around and water.
Sat. July 24^th	Replace any trees which have been lost as part of National Plant a Tree Day. Watering if required. Hand pull small bone seed and olive plants.
Sat. Aug.21^st	Hand pull weeds as above. Water and week around seedlings.
Sun. Sept.19^th	Plant Identification Day Plan to be there to learn to recognise Panalatinga’s wonderful variety of flora.
Sat. Oct. 23^rd	Water and weed around seedlings
Sat. Nov. 27^th	Water seedlings and weed around them in readiness for summer.

AND Break-up – social get-together

PARENTS IN THEATRE

What we achieved!!

Parents in Theatre is a lovely group of parents and teachers who got together, with the assistance of a PIE grant from the Education Department. It gave them all a chance to learn about the workings of theatre and to understand what our children are learning in The Arts.

The group was given the freedom to show a little bit of their talent in a production totally produced by the parents and teachers using their own ideas and performed by these wonderful people for the community. It was a complete success.

We were lucky to have the wonderful help and guidance of Deb Excell who’s youngest child left the school last year. Deb was and has been our light at the end of the tunnel. With the experience she brought to the sessions it was simple but rewarding and very much fun.

She, along with all who were involved last year, with possible exceptions from staff because of other commitments are all coming back with gusto. But we really need extra people who, if they do not wish to act, sing or anything like that can help with lighting, sound, music, costuming, props or anything they feel they would like to learn more about or are already good at. We really need you! You may be able to teach us something new or have an idea that we may use at the end for our final production.

So come and make new friends, have fun and learn.
For further information, contact Sandie Sherriff 8387 0004.

PARENT CLUB NEWS

Parent Club will be holding our monthly meeting to talk about some ideas for our year of events and projects and we would love to see some new faces at this meeting. We have had a lot of new children start this term and we need new parents to continue the success of our group.

Hopefully you can spare some time to come and have a friendly coffee with us on Tuesday 2^nd March at 9.00am in the Long Room.

Reminder of Uniform Room Hours.
Wednesday 2.45 – 3.45pm
Friday 8.30 – 9.30am

If you can assist in the running of the Uniform Room we would appreciate your help. Call in and see us during opening times or speak to a member of the Parent Club.

Thanks.

Sharon Kreslin (Secretary)

KOOKABURRA CAFÉ

A BIG THANK YOU to the parents and students for supporting the canteen during 2003. Our supplier Balfours have sent the school a cheque for $142 to be used to purchase books from Pegi Williams Bookshop. The canteen will be donating the books to the Library.

We have also received a food processor valued at $50.00 from Streets/Arnotts Snackfoods School Rewards Program for using their products. Thank you once again for your support.

Freshly made rolls, sandwiches, salad plates and cold drinks are available during the HOT weather.
Jelly is available and can be frozen if required. Just write it on your lunch order bag.
Any suggestions for menu items are welcome.

ROSTER:

Mon      1 Mar              Rachel McBride
Tue      2 Mar               Katrina Allen
Wed     3 Mar              Tracey Evans
Thu      4 Mar               Julie Day
Fri        5 Mar               Sharon Clarke
Mon      8 Mar
Tue      9 Mar               Jenny Brown
Wed     10 Mar
Thu      11 Mar
Fri        12 Mar             Tracey Evans

Helen King Manager

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