N E W S L E T T E R D A T E

Gundaroo Public School

Week 4, Term 4, 2017

Dear Parents,

Last week I had the pleasure of attending the NSW State Primary Principal’s Conference in Sydney. Whilst providing an excellent opportunity to connect with colleagues (including my Kindergarten teacher!), we were also treated to an inspiring range of guest speakers.

Deng Audt started out his life in South Sudan, before war became part of his life art just six years old. He was one of many children of his generation conscripted by the Sudan People’s Liberation Army. By the age of eleven, Deng was given an AK47 and made to fight on the front lines. Being so small, the first time he fired the gun it dislocated his shoulder. After coming to Australia in 1998, Deng has taken every opportunity to pay back the debt he believes he owes. Deng learnt to speak English, and has worked hard to earn degrees in both accounting and law. He now holds a Master’s Degree in law and practices as a criminal lawyer. He has also written a book, with proceeds going to supporting education and justice in both Australia and South Sudan.

2016 Young Australians of the Year, Lucas Patchett & Nic Marchesi are two self-described ‘normal everyday blokes’. After spending time volunteering at homeless shelters, they had the idea to set up a free, mobile laundry service for the homeless. Starting out in Brisbane and with now twenty services across the country (including in Canberra/Queanbeyan), Orange Sky Laundry wash over 6.2 tonnes of clothing each week, and most importantly, provide over 1300 hours of positive conversation whilst doing it. Their aim is to help homeless people regain a sense of dignity and connection to the community.

Major Matina Jewell (retired) is one of the most highly decorated females in Australian military history. Matina’s military career began when at just 23 years old and after just two weeks serving, she Commanded the Army Dept aboard HMAS Kanimbla. After being deployed on five missions over fifteen years, including completing the navy diver course, ‘fast-roping’ and serving with elite American Navy Seals and tracking down notorious militia leaders in the Solomon Islands, Matina earned a coveted posting serving as part of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO) in the Middle East. Sadly, she suffered a career-ending injury while leading a convoy to another patrol base to escape fighting. This led to a severe bout of depression and a long legal battle to receive the health care she was entitled to. Matina has since dedicated her life to becoming a mother, working as ANZAC Centenary Commissioner & National Mental Health Forum member, and is a founding Ambassador for the ‘Thankful Project’ and Australian Peacekeepers Memorial Project.

Michael Crossland has defied the odds his entire life to simply be alive today. He has survived cancer twice, including being the only survivor of a cancer trial in which 24 out of 25 patients died within 90 days, as well as two heart attacks. Michael has played baseball for Australia, been one of the youngest State Sales Development Managers for one of the largest companies in the world, and now dedicates his time to a school and orphanage he has set up in Haiti.

All of these are normal people who have been impacted by the most extraordinary of circumstances, and are devoting their lives to helping to improve the lives of others despite the odds stacked against them. I encourage you to sit down with your children when you next have a minute to spare, and to see for yourselves not only what is possible when you have a goal, but also how instances of human kindness can have such a profound impact on others.

Have a great week,

Nigel Trethowan.

02 62368115 gundaroo-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au www.gundaroo-p.schools.nsw.edu.au

EVERY THURSDAY

Tin Shed Bread

Lunch

$5

3.11.17

Band Workshop

Sutton

9am-3pm

7.11.17

P&C Meeting

7pm

All welcome

10.11.17

Whole School

Assembly (2/3)

2:20pm

17.11.17

Royal Australian

Navy Helicopter

10am

Shout Outs!

Toby for helping

Louis when he fell

over

Laurie for picking

up rubbish in the

playground

Lily for being

kind to Sarah

George for

helping Ryan

when he fell over

Tin shed bread lunch!

Chicken Fried Rice!

(gluten free, dairy free)

$5

There is an EFT option this term; parents may

pay for their child for the term ($45), or still pay

cash on the day ($5).

For any parents with outstanding payments

from Term 3, they may also use the following

bank account details to pay anything in

arrears:

Commonwealth Bank of Australia

Tin Shed Bread/Maribeth Cole

BSB: 063 097 ACC: 11289934

REF: Child’s name.

Library

News

We had a most informative talk about the

Royal Flying Doctor Service on Friday from

Lana Mitchell.

Lana has kindly donated a set of books

about the work the RFDS does. They are

ready for borrowing! Come in and read

some of these fabulous stories.

Enrolling in 2018?

If you know of anyone who is looking to enrol

their child/ren at Gundaroo in 2018, ask them

to get in touch.

Alternatively, if your child will be leaving

the school at the end of the year, please

also let us know.

This information is vital in helping us form

classes for next year.

Royal Australian Navy

Helicopter

Next Friday, 17th November at 10am, we will be treated to a visit by 723 Naval Air Squadron and a Royal Australian Navy

Helicopter.

The visit is expected to last two hours. Parents are more than welcome to attend.

Talking Tickets

“The expert in anything was once a beginner”

With the warmer weather comes an

increase in the UV index. In Term 4 and Term 1, we ask that all students wear a

broad-brimmed hat when playing outside or participating in outdoor activities.

Children who do not have a hat in the playground will be asked to play under

the COLA. A limited number of hats are available to borrow. School hats are also available to

purchase in the Office for $12.

BIRTHDAYS! George L - 4th Nov Laurie - 7th Nov

Luke - 5th Nov Robbie - 7th Nov

Joella - 6th Nov

Strawberries - there’s more to this

summertime fruit than its juicy sweetness!

Strawberries are the only fruit that wear their seeds on the

outside.

The strawberry plant is a perennial, meaning once planted,

it will come back year after year!

The ancient Romans thought strawberries had medicincal

powers, curing anything from depression, fainting, bad

breath and fever!

Strawberries are believed to help reduce the risk of heart

disease. They are low in calories and high in vitamins,

potassium and amino acids!

Kindy is ready for HALLOWEEN!

In the 1/2 assembly we presented a

quiz to the rest of the school. This

was based on the number of sides,

faces and edges of 3 dimensional

shapes.

During class time last term we

made a wonderful farm

incorporating many 2 and 3

dimensional shapes. It is great to

see these students using

mathematical terminology!!

The class worked very hard and

produced a confident, well

presented assembly item. Well

done 1/2 .

COMMUNITY BANKING

Who do you bank with?

Most banks generate margins through interest and fees and those profits are not enjoyed by customers. Bendigo Community Banks have a different model and are set up to create and sustain local communities.

What if Gundaroo had a bank that provided banking facilities and funneled profit back into our local community?

Bendigo Community Bank is the 5th largest Australian bank, with outlets already in Canberra, Braidwood, Bungendore, Boorawa (and shortly in Yass) and over 100 outlets across the country. Each of these banks support their local schools, fire service, libraries, sporting clubs, community groups, arts & crafts, cultural activities, service facilities and more.

With the front office of The Nest At Gundaroo being in a prime position on Cork Street (next door to the Post Office and Gundaroo Grocer), we are assessing interest and feasibility in the establishment of a local community bank.

We are investigating a two step plan over the course of the next 10 years:

A) Firstly, creation of a Gundaroo Agency of Bendigo Bank, under the parent Palerang Community Bank (Braidwood & Bungendore). Over 4 – 5 years the Gundaroo Agency could build a strong local customer base for general banking, loans and financial services while at the same time supporting the local community. It would be a simple operation with a single staff member, supported by Braidwood/Bungendore Branch management, staff, accounts, online banking services and marketing. If there is community support, we could be open as an Agency at the beginning of 2018;

B) B ) Ideally this would be followed by the Gundaroo Agency becoming a full Gundaroo Community Bank branch. This is a longer process, including crowd-funding of $750,000 (Gundaroo shareholders), establishment of a constitution, appointment of a local board, and then expansion/training of bank management and staff. This could potentially be achieved by 2022, if it is desired by the community, or we could remain an Agency under the auspices of Palerang Community Bank.

We need your feedback and would appreciate if you could take a few minutes to fill out the following survey on this idea:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/gundaroobank

Gundaroo Public School Term 4 Calendar

WEEK MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN

Oct

1

9

10

Morris Gleitzman visit.

P&C Meeting 7pm.

11

12

Kindy Orientation

9-11am

13

Dress up day fundraiser for

MND

14

Gundaroo Music

Festival

15

Oct

2

16 17

18

19

Kindy Orientation

9-11am

20

Whole School Assembly (1/2)

2:20pm

21 22

Oct

3

23

24

25

26

Kindy Orientation

9-11am

27

28 29

Oct/Nov

4

30

31

1

2

3

Band Workshop

Sutton Public

4 5

Nov

5

6

7

P&C Meeting 7pm

8

9

10

Whole School Assembly (2/3)

2:20pm

11 12

Nov

6

13

14

15 16 17

18

19

Nov

7

20

21

22 23

24

Whole School Assembly (3/4)

2:20pm

Nov/Dec

8

27

28

29 30

School Concert 6pm

1

2

3

Dec

9

4

Bike Week

5

Bike Week

6

Bike Week

7

Bike Week

8

Reports Home. Whole School

Assembly (2/3) 2:20pm

9 10

Dec

10

11

12

13

Year 6 Farewell

14

15

Community Breakfast

7am

16 17