We are in the last fortnight of the school year and what a year it has been!

At our Junior Primary assembly last Friday, the SRC Representatives from each JP class recapped the events from this year which have been a highlight for them. These included:  Colour Fun Run, Excursion to see 'The Gruffalo', Sports Day, Excursion to the Hahndorf Farm Barn, Science Day, Incursion with Bugs and Slugs, Indonesian Day, Swimming, Peter Combe, Book Week Parade, visits from a Dental Hygienist and the Police, Outdoor Classroom Day and Music Count Us In.  I am certain that if we continued with highlights from our Primary and Senior students, we could fill the page.

In the coming fortnight there are a lot of events occurring either as preparation for the continuation of Primary School or as a rite of passage for graduation on to High School. We are part of the early transition to high school trial for South Australia so our end of year graduation will formally recognise both Year 6 and Year 7 students in this event. I am looking forward to recognising them all and celebrating at their ceremony and dinner next week. 

In the mean time, this week we have our End of Year Celebration on Thursday night which should be another fantastic event for everyone to come together to appreciate and celebrate all that is special at Pimpala Primary School.

At this stage we are waiting on HR before we can confirm class teachers and this process may not be final before before the end of the year, as there are many details which must be finalised before schools can confirm staffing.  We hope to send home a light newsletter next week with final details of staffing for 2020.

This time of the year is can be difficult for some students and families so please look after each other and keep in contact with the school if there is any support which can be provided.

Kind Regards

Penny Wilde  

Please note: school will finish at 2:10pm on Friday, 13th December, 2019.

It’s not far away now! Our End Of Year Celebration will be held on Thursday, 5th December at 5:00pm and is expected to finish around 7:00pm.  This will enable more families to attend.  Each class will be involved in a short item, which will be performed over 2 acts on the night.  

Students will be expected to be at school from 4:45pm in order to meet their teachers and make sure they are organised and ready to perform. It is at this time that students will find out whether their class is in Act 1 or Act 2.

If you child is in Act 1 they will stay with their teacher from 4:45pm until the end of the act.  If your child is in Act 2, they will return to the care of their parents/caregivers until an announcement is made at the end of Act 1.

Students will be under the supervision of their classroom teacher during the entirety of the act they are performing in. They will then need to be signed out so they can spend the part of the evening they are not performing, with their families.

Please do not collect students while the rest of the act is on as they will be watching their fellow students performing with their class.  If there is a desperate need to do so, please let teachers know before the evening.  Teachers will have a sign in/sign out sheet. 

There will be a variety of sweet and savoury food and drinks available to purchase on the night.  We also encourage families to bring along their rugs and chairs, as seating will not be provided. 

Please note: this is strictly a no alcohol event.

If you have any questions regarding your child’s class performance, please see their classroom teacher.

Please come along and enjoy this wonderful display of talent and see your child and their classmates’ performance and celebrate the end of a fantastic year.

Student reports for 2019 are currently being processed.  These will be sent home with the students on Friday, 6^th December.    

Due to timing, parent teacher interviews will not be held.  Any questions about reports should be directed to the class teacher.

If you are part of a separated family and would like a second copy, please let the Front Office staff know by Thursday, 5^th December.

Class structures and placements are being finalised and we plan to inform you of your child’s class placement when notes are sent home on Wednesday, 11^th December. 

A range of factors are taken into consideration as part of the class placement process including academic and social needs, friendships, working relationships, teacher input and parent requests.  We are unable to guarantee any requests.  However, we are confident that after careful consideration we have made the best class placement for your child for 2019.

As always please keep in mind that unforeseen circumstances between now and the commencement of next year may result in some changes.  If you have any concerns, please contact us.

If your child is not at school on the days the notes go home, the notes will be available for collection from the Front Office.  Any uncollected reports or class placement notes will be posted at the end of school on Friday, 13^th December, the last day of school. Please ensure your address details are correct.

Have you returned your Library books?  Please start looking for any Library books you may have borrowed during the year but haven’t yet returned.  Stocktake will commence Monday, 2nd December so please return any books you have at home as soon as possible.

Please note: If any books are not returned by the end of Week 8, Friday, 6^th December or returned in a poor state, families will be invoiced for the cost of the book.

Please note: The Canteen will be open for lunchtime counter sales on the Special Lunch Day, Wednesday, 4th December.  

The Year 7 Graduation Ceremony will be held on Thursday, 12th December at 5:30pm at the Wirreanda Secondary School Gymnasium. Family and friends are invited to attend the ceremony to celebrate this special event, to see our Year 6 and 7 students graduate.

The ceremony will be followed by a dinner for the graduating students and staff at the Southern Districts Workingman's Club, 24 Epstein Drive, Morphett Vale.  Students will walk a short distance to the dinner venue from the gym.  Students will be supervised at all times.

The cost is $38 per student and is payable by Thursday, 5th December, 2019.

Notes have been sent home by class teachers this week advising of the dates of class celebrations and what your child should bring.

The canteen will be closed during the last week of this term, 9^th to 13^th December, 2019.  We regret any inconvenience this may cause.

On Wednesday, 11^th December we will be holding our annual Volunteers Morning Tea to acknowledge and appreciate the valuable contributions our volunteers make.  Invitations have been sent home.  If you do not receive one but have contributed in some way to our school during the year, we would love for you to join us at 10:45am on Wednesday, 11^th December in the Dining Room.

There will be an end of year assembly on Friday, 13^th December at 10:15am to say goodbye and good luck to our Year 6 and 7 graduates – all 66 of them. 

 We will acknowledge and thank our contract teachers from this year.

The Uniform Shop will be open on Wednesday, 22nd January, 2020 from 10:00am - 12:00noon for any uniform needs.  Bundles will be available for sale for the first four weeks of term.

Pimpala PS will be hosting a seminar for students in Years 3-7 on the topic of Christmas on Wednesday, 11^th December.  The seminar will be presented by representatives of the Schools Ministry Group (SMG) who are a Christian based organisation that specialises in values education for students of all ages.

The theme of the seminar is Christmas: what dreams are made of!  This exciting presentation celebrates the best parts of Christmas – gift giving, trimming of trees, sharing, and joyful friendship – but most of all, the Christmas story is shared.  The Christian content in this presentation is shared in a sensitive, inclusive and relevant way.

 Parents and caregivers are welcome to opt their child out of the presentation if they wish.  All Year 3-7 students should have received a note about this, however, if you haven’t received one, please see the Front Office staff for an opt-out note.

As in past years, Pimpala is co-ordinating donations of canned and non-perishable food and presents for the Vines Uniting Church to distribute to families that need support. These items are used to make hampers for the less fortunate in our community.  We are very grateful to The Vines for organising this.

 Let’s make it a great time for everyone this Christmas by bringing something to help struggling families. Please bring items including canned food, packet food or unwrapped new presents and toys to the Front Office.

Congratulations to Taya who was a prize winner in the recent Christmas Card Drawing Competition.  Senator Alex Antic came to school to present Taya with her prize.

Taya's message is:

Christmas is not about presents its about family and friends.

The school does not provide spoons or forks for students to eat their recess or lunch (unless they have a lunch order from the canteen), so students must bring their own cutlery.  Under NO circumstances can knives be brought to school.

Colour Fun Run prizes are on their way!  It won't be long now and they will be distributed to all of the participants who raised money for the school.

Many parents are coming on site to collect their children well before the bell and will often allow younger siblings to play on the playgrounds or in the sand pit while they wait.

We ask your co-operation in not coming onto school grounds early.  Please don’t arrive before 3:00pm in the afternoon for normal dismissal and 2:00pm for early dismissal.   Seeing parents or other people outside of classrooms can easily distract some students.

 We also ask that you do not allow your children to play on the school playgrounds or sandpit during school hours.  Occasionally students are rewarded for good behaviour with a final play on the playgrounds or sandpit, so the school needs total access to these facilities at all times.  POSHC also use the equipment after school hours.

 Thank you for your cooperation.

Thank you for everyone who donated to this cause which helps homeless women and children.  Thank you for your generosity.  

It was heartwarming to see one family in particular who gave each of their children money to spend on items they thought a homeless child would want.  The enthusiasm the students showed when they brought in the toys was joyful, and it was wonderful to see how excited they were as they explained how they made the decisions about what to buy.  Their joy in giving was wonderful to see. You know who you are and thank you.

Thank you to those people who came along on Friday, 22nd November to make up the bags and backpacks. 

 Skye  Keller, our Pastoral Support Worker was able to take the bags and backpacks to Bunnings on the weekend so they can be distributed to those in need before Christmas.

Picasso Inspired Portraits