Woodlands News 

Welcome Back

Welcome back to Term 4, it is hard to believe we are here already.

We are all looking forward to a busy term full of growth, connection and learning. Some key events to look forward to include the Year 3 Camp, Woodlands Got Talent, Colour Run, End of Year Concert and Year 6 Graduation. 

To our Year 6 students, I wish you all the very best for your last term here at Woodlands. I hope you have a great 10 weeks and leave Woodlands on a high with many fantastic memories.

Administration Area Upgrade

Although slow at the moment, things are continuing to progress with our building works. The roof to the new admin area is now complete with window and door frames currently being installed. Plastering has begun in the existing building area.

Over the next few weeks we should have windows and doors installed, cladding complete and the last of the guttering installed. Attention will then move to the inside of the building with plastering to take place.

I again thank everyone for their flexibility and understanding during the building process. Although inconvenient the end result will deliver our school community with the facility we required to keep functioning at a high level. 

Shamwari Trip - Community Dog Collars 

I have returned from my 2 week conservation program at Shamwari Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.

As part of the program we spent 2 separate days in local communities at Paterson and Alicedale. These are impoverished townships where unemployment runs north of 80%, houses have not had running water for nearly 2 years, drug and alcohol issues are rife and schooling can be quite arbitrary. Obviously with this level of poverty the dogs come second to feeding themselves. At each township we provided basic treatments for infections, mange and provided food support for the dogs. All dogs we treated we provided a new collar and leash ( from Woodlands donations ) and they were eagerly and gratefully accepted. Each township now has a lot of smart looking dogs bedecked in many varieties of the new colourful collars. We had a lot of collars left over so the work will continue with the volunteer program in future community visits. Dogs are a large part of community lives as they are in ours.

Again Danke! Danke! Danke! ( Afrikaans for Thank You ) to all who donated. 

To see the appreciation and smiles I hope will be reward for your generosity.

Cheers Jon Watson J