Newsletter Volume 20 2002

Volume 20 - 5th December 2002
Week 8 Term 4

Ph: 8381 7166
Fax: 8381 6041

Inside this issue…
Farewells, Tradition of Excellence, Kids Sing CD, Thank you Governing Council, Raffle, Principal's Awards, Parent Club, APTS, Chess Champions, Korfball, Tree Stump Wanted, Sport, Farewell to Brian, Kookaburra Café, Canteen Assistants, Diary Dates, Community News. Inserts: Annual Report and German News

SEASON’S GREETINGS TO EVERYONE

This is our final newsletter for 2002. It’s a very special one for several reasons. On the second page you will find our farewells and thanks to staff who are moving on, with a letter from Brian too. There is a snapshot of our annual report for 2002, which informs our school community of our successes and achievements for this past year. Of course, there is also information about next year’s classes and the many final events that we are now holding.

We wish you all a happy, safe and relaxing holiday and look forward to seeing you in 2003. Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year

2002 Annual School Report
(Abridged Version)

Last Day of Term Friday 13 December
EARLY DISMISSAL - 2.15pm

CLASSES 2003

Junior Primary
Junior Primary classes for 2003 will be announced on Wednesday 11 December, when students will visit their new classrooms and meet their new teacher. There will be six junior primary classes next year. We do not expect to start a seventh class during the year, at this stage. We are indeed fortunate to have five junior primary teachers continuing at Happy Valley next year, with just one appointment still to be made.

Primary
As reported in the last newsletter we are working through a difficult decision with our projected numbers in 2003 for primary classes. We are currently planning for 8 primary classes, but hoping for 9 classes. We are planning at this stage to post the class lists for the 8 primary classes on the front notice boards on Wednesday 22 January.

Once our first day enrolments are established and student numbers confirmed, we might have achieved the numbers to make a decision about restructuring for 9 classes. This would give us smaller classes at most year levels. This means we may have a messy start to the year and we ask you to understand that if a reshuffle takes place we may need to wait until Monday of Week 3 to confirm our numbers before making changes to classes. Primary teachers are working through a process for placement of students in both scenarios

CHRISTMAS EVENING
Next Monday 9 December
6.30 - 9.30pm

*Rock band, *Parent, student, staff, choir performances, *Fun and fireworks!!

Bring along a donation of a can or packet of food, to put in the food hampers we'll be putting together on the night. These will be distributed to needy families in our community, by the local churches or community groups.

Come along early and have a picnic tea with your family on the grass. Catering will be provided by the Pedal Prix committee, so come and buy

Sizzling sausage                         $1.00
Super steak sandwich                 $2.00
Soft drink or bottled water          $1.00

Food will be available from 5.45 pm.!

Pedal Prix parents can ring
Tatts on 83871301
if you can help.

PARENT RECOGNITION AWARDS

Congratulations to Lee Brine, Sandie and Trevor Sherriff and Ian Tattersall for their outstanding contributions to our school. They were acknowledged for their efforts at our Thank You Morning Tea on Tuesday. We thanked the almost 200 parents who have helped make this another successful year at Happy Valley. We also thanked the many other parents who have spent years providing support in a myriad of ways and are leaving the school. We wish them all the best with their involvement in High School.

Farewell Tracey, Heather And Yvonne

After 10 years at Happy Valley, sadly, it is time for Tracey Ranaldo, Heather Bath and Yvonne Ridge to move on.

Tracey has been our primary German teacher for all that time and she has also worked in tandem with a number of class teachers. This is a very demanding role and Tracey has done it very efficiently and effectively. Over the past two years Tracey has had a prime role in our Language Focus project with Aberfoyle Park High. Our students are very successful with German when they continue it in High School.

Heather has taught a range of primary classes and has been a strong promoter of maths in our school. The fantastic maths puzzle room resources are a result of Heather ‘s hard work. She also has excellent artistic skills, which have come to the fore with her leadership role in the visual arts this year.

Yvonne has been our Special Education teacher for most of her time here. In that role she has provided excellent support for teachers, students and parents and developed very close relationships with many families and students across all primary year levels. Over the past few years Yvonne has been an upper primary teacher and for her whole time at Happy Valley, she has also been a parent at this school. She, therefore, has had a unique and broad perspective on this school.

We wish these three great staff members all the best in their new schools. It will not be the same without them. Their contributions to our school are highly valued and will be remembered fondly.

Farewell Rosemary, Liz, Ros, and Serenity

We would also like to recognise the significant contributions made by each of these staff, who joined us this year. Rosemary Molden-Hauer, Liz Loveday, Ros Edwards and Serenity Hancock have all worked extremely hard to provide the very best educational programs for their students in the short time they have been appointed to Happy Valley.

Rosemary has introduced her reception students to learning and school life. This task is huge and Rosemary has established a fantastic classroom where students love learning with their very special first teacher.

Similarly, Ros has also inducted receptions into school life. Ros’s knowledge and leadership in the teaching of reading has been highly valued by staff and we thank her for this special contribution. We congratulate Ros, on her appointment to Flaxmill School as a permanent teacher.

Serenity will continue to teach German at Modbury Heights. Our students have loved working with Serenity in the junior primary German room. We have loved having a graduate teacher on our staff.

Liz, who is well known to Happy Valley through her TRT work, took the opportunity to become a classroom teacher during terms three and four. Whilst we knew of her talents before, now we have truly seen what a great teacher she is.

Thank you to all these staff for the special way that they have contributed to Happy Valley. We wish them every success in the future.

Farewell Brian

Brian Marshall completes a seven year tenure at Happy Valley School this year. In his role as primary principal, Brian has jointly led Happy Valley School through a time of great change, to become a school with a reputation for excellence, innovation and a strong sense of community. The results of Brian’s ideas, initiatives and dedicated commitment to improve learning for students can be readily seen around the school. Learning technologies, environmental education, the edible garden and the Jason Project are just a few of the many projects that have become part of the success story for Happy Valley.

Many, many people have worked with Brian to make Happy Valley the great school that it is. Staff, students and parents have all valued his ability to encourage, include and develop people to their full potential.

We would like to thank Brian for his outstanding commitment and service to Happy Valley School and wish him every success in his new appointment as Principal at Woodend Primary School.

Farewell from Brian

My sincere thanks to all for your wonderful sentiments and compliments over the past months. I feel very proud and honoured to receive such feedback.

I have really enjoyed my seven years here and the enormous time and energy I have devoted to this school has been given with pleasure, because of the wonderful support and generosity of spirit I have felt from all in this community.

I feel it has been a very successful time for me and I understand how very true it is that personal success depends on the support of others. I have been blessed, I feel, by a tremendous team of staff, incredibly appreciative and enthusiastic parents and absolutely delightful students.

I can only feel that leaving Happy Valley is like stepping out of paradise. (My, doesn’t everything seem so rosy when you’re leaving!)

While I am looking forward to new challenges and new friends at Woodend Primary, this great school will always hold a special place in my heart.

Brian Marshall

DEVELOPING HAPPY CONFIDENT LIFELONG LEARNERS:
Look for our Advertisement in the Messenger Press (4 December)

A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE

Have you seen the latest Southern Times or Hills and Valley Messenger for the school advertisement? We are promoting the fact that we have been developing happy, successful lifelong learners for a very long while. Monday night’s Aberfoyle Park High graduation ceremony was an excellent example of this tradition; our past students featured very prominently, receiving quite a number of the awards. We are seeking some extra enrolments to enable a ninth primary class to be formed in 2003. You can do your bit to promote our school.

"KIDS SING" CD features a song by the Happy Valley School Choir. The CD is available for purchase from the Customer Service Desk at Colonnades Shopping Centre for $11 or by phoning Tania on 8384 2000

CHRISTMAS RAFFLE

A reminder that the raffle books are due back NOW! Please return them sold or unsold to the front office!

The draw will be at Assembly on Tues. 10 Dec. at 11.00am

PRINCIPAL’S AWARDS

Congratulations to the following students who have received Principal’s Awards at the last Primary Assembly, for demonstrating our school values. They are – Emma Kleeman, Nick Boath, Tyson Slattery, Cameron Dennert, Josh Merritt, Daniel Spraakman, Elizabeth Clavell, Sarah Witty, Laura O'Brien, Nic Bauer, Kim Wilson, Talia Williams, Patricia Bozyk, Alex Bulley, Beth Excell, Lauren Hankinson, Sarah Lapere, Kirralee Sachse and Trent Spacie.

CHESS CHAMPIONS

Congratulations to the winners and runners up and all participants in our annual chess tournaments. David Eddy and Elliott Smith show great organisational skills in running the tournaments. Well done boys.

Year 3-5 Boys Champion: Michael Eddy

Year 3-5 Girls Champion: Abigail Ellacott

Year 6-7 Girls Champion: Nickie Hein

Year 6-7 Boys Champion: David Eddy

KORFBALL CHAMPIONS, AGAIN!

Congratulations to our Year 6 and 7 Korfball teams who played off in the finals of the U14 League competition. The competition is run each term. The Year 7 team (the Bullets) triumphed, making it the 4 wins in a row for them and 6 wins in a row for happy Valley School teams. Wow! Congratulations to all players and thank you to Paul and Deb Adams for their promotion of this great sport.

TREE STUMP WANTED!

Our edible garden is full of healthy veggies. It’s looking great and once the new water feature is completed it will look even better. Congratulations to Travis Kreslin for his winning water feature design. Travis’ design incorporated a Kookaburra on a tree stump. A small tree stump with a fork or a hollow large stump with a bit of a fork would be great … can anyone help us with one?

SPORTS NEWS

NOMINATION FORMS must be returned before the end of the year if your child wants to play sport next year. They can be left at the front office.

BASKETBALL

With only one more round to go for 2002, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the coaches, Helen Gilbertson, Andrew Keynes, Toni Karran, Colin Campbell, Luke Ross and Matt Hirlam for their fantastic effort towards their teams this year. A special mention goes to Helen Gilbertson who is leaving at the end of this year. Helen has been involved with coaching both after school basketball and SAPSASA. Her contribution to this sport will be greatly missed and I wish her all the best in the future. See you in 2003.

Melissa Braham – Co-ordinator.

YEAR 3/4 BASKETBALL RESULTS

Happy Valley Tigers defeated Prescott Raiders 28 - 10.

CRICKET – C GRADE

A great year we have had only losing 1 game this term. All players have played well improving week by week. Well done boys!

Thankyou to Peter Campbell for doing a great job coaching the team this year.

Melissa Braham.

KOOKABURRA CAFÉ

Thank you to all the parent helpers for your time and help during the year.
Thank you also to the student helpers for your time and I hope you have learnt some skills in customer service for the future.
All the best to the year 7's for the next step in life.
A new price list will be coming home first day of next term. Some items will be deleted from the latest list.
Slush Puppys will be $1.10 sm. And $1.60 lg. from next year.
Lunches only available on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday next week. Please make a second choice for hot food and all drinks on those days as stocks are limited. Counter sales only Thursday and Friday.
Christmas Evening Monday 9 December - Iceblocks, icecreams, tea and coffee will be sold from the Canteen.
There will be NO CREDIT given to students who don't have lunches during the last week of term.

Helen King

CONGRATULATIONS CANTEEN ASSISTANTS

The following year 6 & 7 students are to be congratulated for their hard work in the Canteen throughout the year. Their efforts are much appreciated 2 terms - Annika Cowley
3 terms - Patricia Bozyck, Kirralee Sasche, Emma Kleeman, Kate Tattersall
4 terms - Tyson Slattery, Nikki Hein, Ashleigh Hartwright, Nicole Nash, Josie Dimond

DIARY DATES

Mon. 9 Dec.       Crazy Day
Mon. 9 Dec.       Christmas Evening and Fireworks 6.30pm
Tues.10 Dec.     11.00 am Raffle Draw
Wed. 11 Dec.     Father Christmas visits the Jun.Primary
Wed. 11 Dec.     Farewell to Brian in the Hall 4.00 - 6.00pm
Thur. 12 Dec.     Reception Transition Visit
Thur. 12 Dec.     Year 7 Graduation 7.00pm
Thur. 12 Dec.     Year 7 Graduation 7.00pm
Frid. 13 Dec.      Farewell Assembly 11.00am
Frid. 13 Dec.      Early dismissal 2.15pm


BRIAN MARSHALL PRIMARY PRINCIPAL	DOUG MACLEAN DEPUTY PRINCIPAL