Uniforms

It is week 6 of the school term and as a school we have high expectations that all students will be in uniform. 

For both boys and girls the uniform is the green and gold polo obtainable from the office, but a plain yellow polo is also acceptable.  Green shorts or skorts on the bottom, and closed in shoes and socks.  Students also need a hat so that they can participate in HPE and to play in sunny areas at lunchtimes.

Students who are not in uniform will be asked to bring a note from home to explain if it is an unusual circumstance, ie the washing got wet. 

We encourage all students to be in uniform as a way of showing pride in their school, being dressed appropriately for school activities and also as a WPHS consideration to ensure all of our students are clearly identifiable and safe.

Clean Up Australia Day, Harmony Day,and Captains Induction Day

Clean Up Australia Day: Friday March 2nd

This Friday for the last 30 minutes of the day we are all going to work together to make our little part of Australia and Mount Isa a little better.  Each class will be allocated a small part of the school and be able to work as a team to seek out all of those little bits of rubblish that get trapped in the grasses and fences.   If you are picking your child up, why not stop off a few minutes earlier and help out.  Maybe send some gardening gloves along if your child would like to use them!

Prep: prep playgrounds
Year 1: area in front of the office and main gates
Year 1/2: Eating areas
Year 2/3: soccer oval and basketball courts
Year 3/4: around C block, library and fenceline
Year 4/5: around I, J and old Library
Year 5/6 and Year 6/7: Ovals and fenceline

Harmony Day: March 21st

Harmony Day is a time to celebrate the diverse and rich melting pot that makes the Australian people.  To mark this special day all students, staff and even parents are invited on March the 21st to wear something that celbrates you family history.  Maybe that is Dutch clogs, wearing the colours of your flag or a tee shirt that shows your love of Australia.  Please remember we are a sun safe school, so costumes and outfits will need to be sun safe, including a broad brim hat to wear in play times.

Captains Induction: March 19th

Please save the date as March the 19th at 9am.  All school leaders will be presented with their badges followed by morning tea with family.  Invitations to all leaders will be issued shortly.

Literacy and eLearning

Literacy Leaders
This year Healy SS is fortunate enough to have several key staff who are in pivotal roles to build literacy skills in all students. 

• Our Literacy Coach, Vaunessa Parker, is working with all teachers and students during the year to invigorate classroom routines and practise.  This semester she is focusing on NAPLAN skills and strategies in all 3-7 classes.
• The 2 Literacy Leaders, Joanne Randl and Jane Perkins will be working with teachers each fortnight as mentors, helping teachers set targets, develop strategies, and monitor student progress.

Between these 3 ladies and the wonderful teachers at Healy who are continually focused on student improvement, this is an exciting opportunity for both professional improvement and increased student outcomes.

eLearning
All students in year 3 5 and 7 are currently participating in on line lessons that will help them prepare for NAPLAN.  The exciting thing for our students is to be able to in real time interact with students from across the state and compare their own skills to those of their peers.   Today it was exciting to see the grade 7's reflecting on their skills and super keen to blitz the questions this Friday.   Great work, Year 7 and Mr Nastasi!

Showing Pride in our School

Yesterday was a very exciting day for our Interschool Sports Teams as they proudly donned the uniforms and headed off for their first games.  Whilst both teams were defeated the happy faces and conversations about how they are going to do things better, train or help team mates was wonderful.  Congratulations to all students who participated for your effort and representing the school with pride.

Those who were back at school also showed how eager they are to help make this a great school.  About 20 of our youngest students yesterday made a game, quite spontaneously, of finding bits and pieces of rubbish in the playgrounds.  They did a fantastic job hunting those frustrating small things that get away on windy days like popper straw wrappers and the corners of packets.  I was absolutely impressed by this group of year Prep, 1 and 2 children and by how clearly they kept telling me they want a nice school.  Well done!

Next week on the 13th of February is our Annual P and C AGM.  I look forward to meeting many of you there so that as adults we can continue to support the students in taking pride in their school and offering the best possible advantages to them.

yours in Education

Samantha Moore
Principal

Specialist activities and lessons

MUSIC
Our Music teacher, Mrs Emmerson, has received a transfer to Happy Valley as a classroom teacher, which is her main teaching area.  At this time we are in negotiations with District office as to how best to fill the position, however so that our students do not miss out, I will be continuing with the lessons in the short term.  You maybe aware that I was formerly a classroom music teacher back in the 90's here at Healy, so it will be a pleasure to get to work with each of your children.

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
The Instrumental Music program is already forming for 2012.  There was an exciting demonstration of ukuleles last week with Kerrie Melamed, and this will be a wonderful new program to offer to students in year 2-4.  If your child is interested in playing an instrument, please contact us and we will ensure the information and contact details are sent home.

SWIMMING
All students from P-7 are invited to participate in swimming lessons this term with Miss Ferris who is also a swimming instructor.  We are very fortunate to have such a qualified PE teacher, and your children will really benefit from her experience.   For the course of lessons it is $30, and this includes pool entry and transport.  If you need more information or would like to make a payment, please contact the office.

INTERSCHOOL SPORTS
This week sees the Footballers of 2 codes, Soccer and Touch, begin their battles against the other teams.  We wish them well for this!  At this time there was no published cost for the teams, as parents and helpers are required to assist with transport.  If you can help, please contact Craig Marshall or Chelsea Morris, our 2 coaches.

Yours in Education


Samantha Moore

Class Changes

At the end of last week we had to make the move from 9 classes to 8 as the predicted numbers did not begin the year.  This is unfortunate, but the students, staff and community have been very supportive.  This has meant that all student are now in the right rooms ready to keep progressing on Monday the 6th of February.

The new classes are
Prep Tania Leiter
Year 1 Jane Perkins
1/2 Leah Hermann
2/3 Tash Jessen
3/4 Casey Larsen
4/5 Chelsea Morris
5/6 Shane Wilkie
6/7 Frank Nastasi

The newsletter was sent home on Wednesday the 1st of February.  If you did not get a copy, please let the office know.

Yours in Education

Samantha Moore