ILLAWARRA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL TONGARRAnewsletter

Key dates

PRAYER & PRAISE

Please check the website for updates.

Monday, 7 March K - 6 Performance at School - Showdown at Two Bob Billabong

Monday, 7 March Primary CSSA State Swimming Carnival

Tuesday, 8 March Prep - 4 Parent Teacher Interviews (presentation of LaND profiles)

Thursday, 10 March Day time Parents & Friends Forum, 2pm in the Green Room

Thursday, 11 March Year 7 Open Day / Orientation Day for 2017, 1pm - 3:30pm

Monday, 14 March Years 5 - 8 Pi day celebration activities

Tuesday, 15 March Annual Speaking Competition, Evening.

Thursday, 17 March - Thursday, 24 March Year 12 Half Yearly Exams

Monday, 21 March - Friday 25 March Year 10 Work Experience Week

Tuesday, 22 March Years 5 - 12 Pastoral Care Interviews

Tuesday, 22 March Dr Patricia Weerakoon Presentation, on the facts and effects of pornography from a Biblical perspective.

Friday, 25 March - Monday, 28 MarchEaster Break

A message from Mr Babbage The Importance of Good Communication and ParticipationICS partners with you as parents to "bring them [children] up in the training and instruction of the Lord." Ephesians 6:4b It is critical that as we partner with parents, that the communication channels remain strong.

The best way to think of how communication channels flow, is to think of the communication triangle. All lines of the communication triangle, are equal, flow between each other and need to be as strong as possible. The points of the triangle are our parents, students and teachers The three sides of the triangle are the methods we use to communicate with each other - Diary/Email, Home and School.

Parents are the top point of the triangle of communication, who communicate to teachers via the student diary or email and to students in the home. Students and Teachers form the base points of the triangle with the base line of communication to each other being school life.

While all parts of the triangle are equal, it is important to note that you are the head of our triangle of communication. We value and need you to communicate with us in order for us to all work effectively with your children in the most loving Christ like manner. At ICS, we do not want to become a school which has a 'drop your children at the gate' approach to education. We encourage you to partner with us by being involved in lessons. This helps facilitate learning through small group opportunities.

If you know someone in your wider family who is keen to volunteer some time at Illawarra Christian School, we'd love to have a conversation about how they might help. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, godparents or strong friends of the family - we don't mind. We love our volunteers and they make a huge difference. If you are interested and available to help, please contact the Campus Office.

Stephen Babbage.Deputy Principal

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by payer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:6-7

Give praise for the wonderful day the P-4 children had this week celebrating Dr Seuss Day and give thanks for all the hard work that our teachers put into this day to make it a joyous success.

Pray for the Year 12 students preparing for upcoming exams and the Year 11 students who are adjusting to the senior student workloads.

Pray for the students who will be preparing to speak at our annual speaking competition. Pray that this will be a time of growth and encouragement to all students participating regardless of where they place in the competition.

Pray for those students, parents and teachers in our school who are suffering with various illnesses and injury recovery. Pray that God will give them, healing and strength to grow and persevere in serving him during this time.

Now that Term 1 is in full swing, please pray for the staff to find a balance in their busy schedules to ensure that they all continue to grow in their own spiritual journey. For us all to continue to fix our eyes on Jesus as we run the race with perseverance. Heb 12:1-3.

TERM 1 WEEK 6 4TH MARCH 2016

These things went home this week:• Year 12 Hot Cross Bun Fundraiser

Order forms • P - 4 Parent Teacher Interview letters• K - 4 Progress Reports • Year 7 Orientation Day for 2017• Working Bee letterPlease note:• Pies/Sausage Rolls Food Day is

Thursday• Food Day has commenced and is

Thursday.

Check your child's bag

t. 02 4230 3700www.ics.nsw.edu.au

Tongarra Campus234 Calderwood Road, Albion Parktongarra@ics.nsw.edu.au

Member of

Gallup Student Poll for students Years 5 -12Once again, the time of year has come for our students to have the opportunity to participate in the Gallup Student Poll. The poll is a 20- question online survey that asks students about their levels of hope, engagement and wellbeing with the school.Our students will participate in the coming weeks during Pastoral Care/Devotions. When students take the poll, we will use one access code for the whole school and results are reported back to us by Year level. This way your child’s individual responses will not be known, as students cannot be identified in any way. Enhancing the hope, engagement and wellbeing of children is extremely important to us at ICS and with these results we will be better able to track the success of our programs over time.If you do not want your child to participate, please contact the Tongarra Campus office in writing before Tuesday, 8 March. For more information on the poll or to see the actual items students will answer, please visit Gallup’s Australian website www.gallupstudentpoll.com.au

Upcoming Working Bee DatesYears 11 & 12, 5 March, 2016, 8am - 11am.Each family is rostered to one working bee per year. The roster places you on your youngest child's class where possible. However, you may attend any working bee throughout the year. Further details will be sent home. All enquiries to Jill De La Torre, in the Campus Office.

Dealing withPornography in theDigital AgeInformation session with Dr Patricia Weerakoon about the facts and effects of pornography from a Biblical perspective.Location: Tongarra Campus, Learning Hub.Tuesday, 22 March, 7pm - 9pm. Designed for parents of Years 9-12, but everyone is welcome! Light refreshments provided. Q&A opportunity. More information, contact the Campus Office.

What happens if your child misses a dose of the vaccine at school?

To improve vaccination completion, students will be offered any missed doses during Visit 3.

COMPLETED FORMS NEED TO BE BACK TO THE SCHOOL OFFICE BY 9AM TUESDAY, 17 MARCH, 2016

Annual Speaking CompetitionTuesday, 15 March, at 6:30pm to 9pm. Come along and the hear the best of the best at our annual speaking competition. A selection of students from years 7-10 will be speaking on such topics as:- Things you would change in the world- Extreme weather warnings- Lessons learnt from older relatives - Thinking outside the circleEveryone is welcome to attend. It will be great to have your support for our students as they work through these topics. We are sure you will be challenged, encouraged and impressed by what they have to say.

Day Time Parents & Friends ForumTopics for Discussion - Fundraising and Healthy Foods.Thursday, 10 March, 2pm in the Green RoomWe would love you to have your input on the topics to be discussed. Come along and enjoy a cuppa and a chat.Tongarra Parents & Friends

Fundraising Helpers NeededParents and Friends are looking for helpers to run a sausage sizzle at Masters on Saturday, 26 March. If you are available to help for an hour, please contact the Campus Office.

TERM 1 WEEK 4 • 19TH FEBRUARY 2016

School Immunisation ProgramsCombined programmes will be run over 3 visits to the school: 1st visit, 17/3/2016 : (girls & boys)•Year 7 Human Papilloma Virus vaccine (HPV) (dose 1 of 3)•Year 7 Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis booster (single dose)2nd visit, 30/5/2016•Year 7 HPV (dose 2 of 3)•Year 7 Varicella (chicken pox) vaccine – 1 dose – catch up only. Not required if student has had the disease or have received 1 dose as a child.•Year 11 & 12 Measles/Mumps/Rubella vaccine MMR (This is a “catchup” for students in Yrs 11 & 12 that missed their doses usually given at ages 1 & 4 years. 3rd visit, 16/11/2016•Year 7 HPV (dose 3 of 3)•Year 7 Catch up HPV, dTpa and Varicella will be provided to students in Yr 7 if vaccines missed at previous visits.•Year 8 At each clinic held in 2016 catch up HPV vaccination will be offered to Year 8 students who commenced but failed to complete the course in 2015.

It is advisable to read all the information provided in the Parent Information Pack, complete the consent form (in black/blue ink) and return it to the school if you wish your child to be vaccinated.

Parent/s guardians who wish to withdraw their consent for any reason may do so in writing to the school principal. The procedure for Withdrawal of Consent is available on the NSW Health website at www.health.nsw.gov.au/immunisation/Pages/withdraw_consent.aspxParents/guardians must record their Medicare Number (including all 10 digits) on the consent form, as this is required to record the student’s health information on the National HPV Vaccination Register and to link to the National Cervical Screening Programme.

A Record of Vaccination will be provided to your child on the day of the clinic. Please ask your child for this record. Do not assume that your child has been vaccinated if you do not receive a Record of Vaccination. NSW Health advise parents/guardians to take these records to their family doctor.