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Week 7 Term 4 2015 20th November, 2015

MAINSBRIDGE SCHOOL NEWSLETTER www.mainsbridgeschool.com.au

Presentation Assembly - 25th November at 9.30 am

School Website – we have added some great photos of our

Grandparents Day and Year 12 Formal. View them in our Photo Gallery

School Holidays – First day Thursday 17/12 Return Thursday 28/1

Dear Parents/Carers,

Last Friday evening our school held the 2015 High School Formal. It was such a wonderful night with over 60

people attending Mount Pritchard Community Club to celebrate the school life of each of our 6, Year 12 leavers.

Halime, Loan, Phon, Brandon, Drusilla and Aaron were all showcased in a special presentation and were

presented with gifts and certificates to mark the occasion. The room was beautifully decorated by our formal

committee and the tables were packed with students, family members and staff. Halime, one of our school

captains made a speech which was very moving.

Next year we will have 17 students leaving from Year 12 and I know the formal committee has already

commenced planning for 2016. It will certainly be an event not to be missed.

I am really looking forward to seeing most of you next Wednesday, 25 November at our Annual Presentation

Assembly. We are very pleased to be able to use the assembly hall at Liverpool West PS again this year and the

staff and students are very appreciative of this kind gesture.

Grandparents Day was also held this month with over 20 grandparents visiting our school to spend time in the

classroom with their grandchildren. It was so successful we are looking to make this an annual event.

Remember to look up our school website where you will find an update of events and photos relating to these

events. You can also pay for excursions, uniforms and school contribution fees via the school website.

See you next week,

Kind regards, Marienne McLean

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Term Four is always busy and this one is no exception.

1-2 Emerald went on an excursion to fly the kites they made in class. The kite was constructed

from an A4 piece of paper and proved to be a very successful design. Ayoub managed to fly his

kite way up into the sky – at least 100 metres.

More recently, they have been taking part in learning activities about fire fighters. They created a burning building from a large box and a fire truck as well. They have dressed up with fire fighter’s hats and pretended to put out fires.

K-1 Ruby have been learning about environments. They went on a nature walk around the school and looked at a variety of plants and animals. They took butterfly nets on the walk and collected flowers to use in a collage. The students have smiled and laughed as environment songs have been played.

Both classes attended ‘Travelbugs’ and were able to

observe and hear about some weird and wonderful bugs

that are found in Australia.

Grandparents Day was a lovely day. 1-2 Emerald had a

maths inspired session. They sang some songs, cooked

some ‘3-2-1 magic’ cupcakes and used paint to print

circles. The cupcakes were a big hit with the students

and something they could learn to independently make

themselves. K-1 Ruby made a card using a variety of

media on Grandparents Day and personalised their cards

with a photo.

Over the last few weeks, 1-2 Emerald have been learning about

postal workers. As part of their studies, they have been making a

daily visit to the school letterbox.

They have delivered the mail to some of the

staff members and have been fortunate

enough to each receive a letter from

Mrs Hobbs with a small gift inside.

They created a letterbox in the classroom

and ‘wrote’ letters to each other.

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On the 14th of October 2015 the Travel Bug Mobile Mini Beasts “hands on” education show visited our

school. Live mini beasts were brought along with large and colourful stick insects, centipedes, spiders

and scorpions. Students listened attentively to the talk about the mini beasts. Some students were

happy to gently touch the insects while others enjoyed watching the movement of the various mini

beasts.

On the 20th of October 2015 3-6 Sapphire and 1-2 Emerald went on an excursion to Wanda

Beach to reinforce the topic studied “Seasons”. The students were given the opportunity to fly

their kites made in class at the parklands adjacent to the beach.

Mainsbridge celebrated Grandparents Day on 5th November 2015. All classes prepared artwork

related to this special day. Grandparents had the opportunity to visit the classrooms to

participate in activities with their grandchildren. The grandparents wandered through the art

gallery in our garden to view their grandchildren’s artwork. Our cake stall was a huge success,

from which grandparents purchased delicious cakes and goodies.

In week 8 Primary students will be participating in the Sailing Program at Penrith Lakes. Some

Primary students will be participating in the swimming program in weeks 9and 10. All participants

will follow water safety procedures with adult supervision.

Thank you, Primary staff

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Last Friday, Mainsbridge School held the Year 12 Farewell function at Mounties. It was an amazing night for

six of our High School graduating students. Students received their Year 12 Graduation Certificate from our

school principal, Mrs McLean. The presence of parents and family members made the occasion more

special and a memorable one.

Next week brings Christmas theme to our High School classes. Students are always delighted to engage in

Christmas art and craft activities and demonstrate their interest by producing quality work. Students

thoroughly enjoy the Christmas party at the end of each year. Again, this year many exciting activities have

been planned for our students and we have decided to have a ‘Beach’ theme for this year’s Christmas

party. The activities include face painting, hair spray, sack racing, water play and disco and students will

enjoy party foods as well.

HSM is proud to announce its success after the class’s artwork was selected to be featured in the calendar

for Cultural Diversity 2016. The NSW Department of Education and Communities acknowledged our

students’ hard work and the quality of the work produced. The students have been kindly awarded with

certificate of achievement award. HSM students were presented with their certificates at the High School

assembly.

High School continues to engage in on campus workplace and community-based learning life skills program

which assist them to prepare for appropriate post-school opportunities in future. It is always rewarding to

witness HS students receiving ‘Work Experience’ awards at assembly for developing some work skills

during their participation in the workplace learning experiences at school and in the community.

Regular sport sessions in High School have provided students with the

opportunities to develop knowledge and skills to engage in a range of

outdoor activities. Moreover, students continue to benefit from social skills

such as turn-taking, sharing, cooperating and team work.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the parents for their continuous

support and generosity throughout the year.

Hope to see you all at the Annual Presentation assembly in week 8.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Staff of HS

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Looking Back Over the Year in the Library for 2015

This year we linked a lot of our library program to topics being studied in classes across the school.

As part of “The Environment” topic, being studied in Infants and Primary, I was able to accompany classes to

Cronulla Beach and Minnamurra Rainforest near Kiama. It was great to see how much interest and enjoyment

students displayed in these different environments.

Looking at “Seasons/Weather/Clothing” was a sensory experience for Infants. Feeling the wind on your face,

warmth of a woollen scarf, playing with autumn leaves, wearing hats and sunglasses for summer, scent of flowers

at spring time. We looked at slide shows and read stories about the seasons.

“Family Histories” - the people who make up our family, the activities inside and outside our homes, the

celebrations we take part in both family traditions and cultural activities. And, of course, recording these through

the photos we take.

“Community Helpers” – we looked at people in the community who help us - police, firemen, doctors, nurses,

paramedics, dentists, shop keepers, builders, postmen, school crossing wardens……. In particular, infant and

primary students had fun role playing being a doctor. I joined classes who enjoyed a visit from the firemen with

their fire engine and the police with the police van.

In High School we have looked at “Music, Dance, Songs – Traditional and Contemporary”. Students enjoyed

Aboriginal and colonial music and dance on the IWB, we used the internet to find colouring pages of their favourite

pop stars to add to their class wall displays and Youtube allowed students to enjoy watching various cultural

dances and contemporary music.

This semester, in high school, we are looking at the weird and wonderful life of “Insects and Mini Beasts” and

“Ocean Life”. We have watched some amazing clips of insects and ocean creatures from the internet and identified

lots of different fish and sea creatures. HSN have shelled tiger prawns, taste tested calamari, hake, prawns, tuna

and enjoyed a seafood lunch.

We also attended Travel Bugs where different insects and mini beasts were on display. Students were able to

handle millipedes and stick insects.

Throughout the year classes have also enjoyed Shared Reading sessions in the library. They particularly enjoy our

Leisure Sessions where students can select from a variety of activities – reading books and magazines, listening to

music (with headphones), stories on the Listening Post (with headphones), ipads, computers, activities on the IWB,

colouring activities relating to the topics we are studying.

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I would like to thank Sharm Wilkinson for the work she does in the library office, SLSO’s for their assistance during

library sessions and students who have worked as Library Monitors.

Also, a big thank you to mothers who have helped with covering library books throughout the year.

Jenny Hobbs – Teacher Librarian Sharm Wilkinson – Library Assistant

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A S S E M B L E Y A W A R D S

Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7

K-1 Ruby

Class Yahua Al-Khameesi Raneel Nambiar Farhan Nabi Amara Castellaz-Faico

PBL Ayah Tahan Antonio El-Azar Ayah Tahan Yahua Al-Khameesi

1-2 Emerald

Class Isabella Tan Danial Alemadi Isabella Tan

PBL Anthony Potros Ayoub EL Fata Anthony Potros

2-4 Diamond

Class Paige Little Amani Ghamrawi Dominic Le

PBL Amani Ghamrawi Jayden Smith Paige Little

3-5 Pearl

Class Phu Thien Nguyen Ashlee Grover Kariss Kajic Shaun Dorsamy

PBL Anthony George Lilly Ranapia Lorenzo Ausage Phu Thien Nguyen

3-6 Sapphire

Class Sebastian Clarke Dario Schweinitz Natalie Meng

PBL Sarah Lin Phillip Au Nicole Henderson

3-6 Onyx

Class Jarif Zaman Jarif Zaman Marinos Kalo

PBL Abdul Hasan Abdul Hasan Andre Pomare

3-6 Amethyst

Class Yousif Jasim Jamie Irwin Yousif Jasim Yousif Jasim

PBL Jamie Irwin Leah Ranapia Leah Ranapia Leah Ranapia

H S A Class Ali El Masri Naomi El Saje Isa Temel

PBL Phillip Taing Emily Dang Richard Thang

H S E Class Moutaz Alakkad Lally Maatouk Joshua Au Winnie Clark

PBL Winnie Clark Moutaz Alakkad Oscar Tir Joshua Au

H S F Class Joshua Bruno Harrison Mew Joshua Bruno

PBL Hussein El-Kheir Aden Condell Edreece Obeido

H S G Class Jesse Crosby Blake Saville Adib Rahman Blake Saville

PBL Aleksandar Vujanic Chevy Huynh Aleksandar Vujanic Chevy Huynh

H S H Class Alex Petrovich Noah Banicevic Alex Lee

PBL Alex Lee Alex Petrovich Christopher Zabanah

H S K Class Michael Lotfi Ryan Haines Steven Nguyen Andrew Duong

PBL Joshua Tofa Lazar Bukorovic Ryan Haines Michael Lotfi

H S M Class Karen Kuz Loan Vu Angelo Ungos Sreitouch Phon

PBL Krystal Huynh Matthew Van Hoek Halime Zreika Martin Su

H S N Class Lucas Aguirre Luke Park Zeinab Noun Caitlin Balfour

PBL Luke Johnston Zeinab Noun Matthew Mkail Matthew Mkail

H S T Class Noora Ghaznavi Angel Jabbour Rebecca Hide Noora Ghaznavi

PBL Drusilla Adu-Boateng Alyssa Almazan Alyssa Almazan Angel Jabbour

Living Skills Class

Alyssa Almazan Nicole Henderson Ayah Tahan Angelo Ungos

PBL Krystal Huynh Ashlee Grover Jamie Irwin Nicole Henderson

Library Infants/Primary

1-2 Emerald 2-4 Diamond 3-5 Pearl

High School High School N HS K & HS H High School G

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