Mary Street, NORTHMEAD, 2152

Phone: 9639 8448 email: thehills-s.school@det.nsw.edu.au Website: www.thehills-s.school.nsw.edu.au

Principal and Deputy Principal’s Report

WEDNESDAY 20 March

Harmony Day “Team Beat Drumming”

FRIDAY 23 March

Comedy for a Cause 7pm

MONDAY 26 March

P&C Meeting and AGM 7pm

WEDNESDAY 28 March

Royal Easter Show Visit

TUESDAY 10 April

PLUS Meeting

FRIDAY 13 April

LAST DAY OF TERM

TUESDAY 1st May

FIRST DAY OF TERM 2 (for students)

Newsletter No.2

9 March 2018

Thank you to all the parents and carers who set time aside to attend our school’s recent information evening. School

information evenings provide a great opportunity for staff and families to get to know each other and to help us in our

combined effort to support student learning and wellbeing. The information evening has been followed up by a significant

number of IEP meetings that have taken place in recent weeks. Thank you to families and carers who have made

adjustments and accommodations to their week to ensure that they could attend the meetings. The ongoing partnership

between families and our school is highly valued and vital as we work together to see students learn, grow and reach their

full potential. While the formal IEP meetings take place twice a year (in Term 1 and Term 3), teachers are pleased to hear

from families in addition to these meetings, at any time throughout the year. Open communication through the home-

school diary will help ensure that we are working together to achieve common goals. Thank you for your cooperation and

commitment to this partnership.

Congratulations to all the students who recently received a Principal’s Award at our assembly. Congratulations to the

following students: Jarod (Bura JM); Ravleen (Bura DL); Meena (Gura DD); Krishnan (Gura DD); Kiddi (Gura DD); Tara (Yura

BD); Ashvini (Yura BD); Adib (Yura KG); Omar (Yura KG); Amelie (Yura KG) and Daniel (Nura PH).

Congratulations also to Eliza Fenech for her recent summit of Mt Kosciuszko. Please read the exciting account of this

outstanding achievement.

Six lives changed forever

On Saturday 2 March 2018 six individuals were special guests for a Mt Kosciuszko climb, including Hills School student, Eliza

Fenech, aged 8. It made Channel Nine TV news throughout the entire next day because it was no ordinary mountain climb. It

was the Mt Kosciuszko Wheelchair Summit Challenge. This opportunity, sponsored by the Rotary Clubs of Turramurra and

Cooma, was supported by local community groups including RFS, SES, and sportsclubs who provided the pure manpower to get

five wheelchair-bound people to the top of Australia’s tallest mountain. Eliza reached the top, thanks to a team of four

amazing volunteers from Cooma, Berridale and Jindabyne, who were attached by a harness to her wheelchair the entire 2,224

metre high, 20km, 6 hour climb to the top and back to Charlotte’s Pass.

“It was a beautiful sunny day. The view was spectacular. The people were so generous of their time and were so determined to

get Eliza to the top. It was a wonderful experience one that we’ll never forget,” said Eliza’s mum, Monique, who joined Eliza for

the Challenge as well as her Dad, Steve and two siblings Nicholas (14) and Sophia (12).

Bura RL Rebecca La Plume (Teacher) Vanessa Fahmy & Yasna Suefong (SLSOs)

Welcome to Bura RL! Ethan, Nikhil, Adam, Lochlan, Blake and William have enjoyed learning with their new classmates and

developing friendships. Students have enjoyed cooking, music, gardening and learning to play and work as a group. We look

forward to a great year of learning.

Bura DL Deborah Lenon (Teacher) Amber Buckland (SLSO)

The first half of Term 1 2018 has been busy and fun for students and staff in Bura DL. We have been learning new routines,

activities and games, but most importantly we have been learning to be a group. The students have been developing

friendships with one another and it has been beautiful to watch the kindness and helpfulness that they show towards one

another. Our favourite activity at the moment is watering the plants outside the classroom and they are looking fantastic.

Gura DD Dalia Dulinskas (Teacher) Brigette Baird (SLSO)

Gura DD have settled into the school year and are enjoying all our activities. Every day the class is going on a community

walk and they are all staying together as a group and walking at a good pace. There should be an improvement of their

fitness level and stamina as the year progresses. Monday is our cooking day with Sheriden where the class are making

pancakes. All the students love participating especially when it comes to eating. Tuesday will be our swimming day. On

Wednesdays, we visit the farm where the class are learning how to water plants using a hose and watering can. The class is

having fun not only watering the plants but themselves as well. Thursday is our Community Access day where we will be

going to Crestwood Reserve to enjoy morning tea, play on the equipment and have a walk around the reserve. We had our

first visit last week and everyone enjoyed exploring the new playground equipment.

Peter Gurrier-Jones Neale Rudland Principal Deputy Principal

The Challenge joined an additional initiative, Project 7in4, to utilise the climb for a good cause Spinal Cure and Surf Life

Saving, as a result of the Project 7in4 founder, who is climbing seven of the world’s largest mountains in four months after

recovering from a surfing accident that left him temporarily paralysed. Spinal Cure, in particular, is pushing the boundaries of

research to get paralysed bodies moving again. Team Eliza raised over $1,000 for this great cause.

“She inspires the people around us every day with her infectious smile and appetite for life,” said Eliza’s mum. “The Challenge

is potentially set to become an annual event one which can offer The Hills School students the same amazing experience. It’s

important for children in wheelchairs to be a part of something as life changing as a mountain climb. We feel so lucky that The

Hills School nominated Eliza to be part of this great program.”

Yura DS Dishanka Sekhar (Teacher) Rebecca Taylor & Lauren Unsworth (SLSOs)

We have had a busy and engaging start to the year with our work enterprises. Dakshya, Habeel, Jaisleen and Peter have been

enjoying crushing biscuits and using the microwave to melt chocolate and set our slice. Matthew, Ciara and Nilesh have been

putting their sales skills to use as we make deliveries around the school and collect payment for our hard work. We are

looking forward to starting our other programs and exploring the community.

Yura JU Jenny Unsworth (Teacher) Ramona Bodnar (SLSO)

Welcome to 2018. We have had a great start to the new school year. Students in Yura JU are: Cedric, Joel, Joe, Stuart, Thehan,

Thomas and Samuel. This term we have started our walking, swimming and bike riding programs to keep fit and to enjoy

the outdoors. On Wednesdays, we have also begun our candle and soap making work enterprise program. We are looking

forward to a year filled with learning and fun.

Nura AC Angela Corfield (Teacher) Janelle Poole & Louise van Kruyssen (SLSOs)

This year Louise, Janelle and I welcome Angelina, Tahlia, Rebecca, Krithik, Navieen and Elvin to our class, Nura AC. We have

been enjoying exploring new activities and opportunities together. This term we have been making gift tags with beautiful

seeds in them that can be planted after use. This sees our students learning to make paper pulp (from shredded recycled

paper), using the blender to make it finer, pouring the paper pulp out and adding beautiful seeds straight from Janelle’s

garden. The students are learning to prepare the seeds and participate in each step of the process, including admiring their

finished products! Keep an eye out when they go on sale!

P&C News

to the following students from all your friends at

The Hills School:

Omar, Joshua, Stephen,

Matthew, Maya & Jesse

At the recent General Meeting, the introduction of

unisex navy blue school shorts to the uniform shop was

discussed. It was decided to introduce them for older

students first on a trial basis. Parents and carers will be

notified when they are available for purchase.

Our next meeting on Monday 26th

March will be the

AGM. Please consider being involved on the P&C

Committee it is truly very rewarding on so many levels.

Our big fundraiser for the year - Comedy for a Cause is

just around the corner and we need your support.

Please purchase a ticket or two and join us for what will

be a great night of entertainment. Tickets can be

purchased online as per the website on the flyer. We

are also looking for items or vouchers that would be

suitable for the raffle.

All money raised will be going towards the fabulous

Hills School Kitchen Garden.

Thanks in advance for any support you can give, it is

greatly appreciated.

Michelle Gough Jenny Harris Marjie Capple

President Treasurer Secretary

Bulk billed, after hours medical care

13SICK, National Home Doctor Service is Australia’s largest

network of home visiting doctors. When you need urgent

medical care, but your GP is closed, you can call 13SICK and

book a bulk billed, after hours, doctor home visit.

To request a booking for an after-hours doctor home visit, call

13SICK (that's 137425). Our call centre is open from 6pm

weekdays, 12 noon Saturday, all day Sunday and public

holidays. Our Doctors are on the road from 6pm weekdays, 12

noon Saturday, all day Sunday and public holidays.

Whilst we have been working hard to ensure there is minimal

impact on our call centre wait times, the best way to skip the

queue and book an after-hours home doctor visit will be

through our App or online on our homepage.

Phone: 137425

Website: http://homedoctor.com.au/

Or Download the app “13SICK, National Home Doctor” from

AppStore or Google Play

BULK BILLING

WEEKNIGHTS 13SICK

WEEKENDS

PUBLIC 137425 HOLIDAYS

Partial Absences &

Picking Up Early From School In order to assist you with a quick and smooth transition,

we ask that where possible, if you need to pick up your

child early from school, you try to avoid collecting your

child between the following times 11.00am to 11.45am

and between 12.50pm and 1.50pm. This means that

your child will be able to come directly from their

classroom to the administration area and avoid the delay

of having to locate them. Your cooperation with this

small matter is appreciated.