News From the Principal

Dear Families

Remembrance Day

Last week we acknowledged the end of WW1 (100 years) with both a school assembly and representation at Largs Bay RSL on Sunday morning. Thank you to Nicholas S who read a poem and laid a wreath on behalf of the school. I think it is fitting that we dedicate part of this newsletter to those who gave their lives, whilst acknowledging some of the history of our school.

Some history of Largs Bay School

Largs Bay Adjunct School 1919-1924

This school was set up in the Naval Drill Shed on the corner of Military Road and Jetty Road.  A part of the building was set aside for military use but the rest became a school with Miss Pepper in charge.

The shed had an asphalt floor and classrooms were improvised by hanging cloth dividers from the roof.   At least one ex-pupil remembers slipping under these dividers to join another teacher’s class when her own was engaged in less than exciting work.   She also remembers the sandy yard with couch grass struggling to survive.

Some of the first decisions made by the Largs Bay Adjunct School Committee were to supply water bags for the children and to frost the windows.   The first school bazaar raised Eighty pounds which was used to buy a piano.   An interesting feature of this period was the amount of labour contributed by volunteers to make the Drill Shed comfortable – the fitting of footrests to desks, the construction of outdoor seating, the trimming of the boxthorn hedge – were all speedily done.

Largs Bay School 1924 –

In 1924 most of the children from the Adjunct School started at a new school built on Fletcher Road.  The building had cost over Eleven Thousand Pounds and was only the eastern half of the large brick building that we see today.  Initially there were 257 primary and 215 infant pupils in eight classrooms.

In 1924 the building was a prominent landmark completely surrounded by white sandhills.   During the 1920’s & 1930’s most children walked to school across sandy paddocks from the Largs Railway Station area.

Almond Tree Flat, which was a low lying area surrounded by sand and the remains of an Almond orchard was used as a site for athletics, sports days and football practice.  

Before 1933 the playground was covered with coarse gravel – one corner was tarred for basketball and drill.

In 1925 eighteen Norfolk Island Pines were planted in honour of the fallen soldiers from Largs Bay.

WW2 brought many changes to both Largs Bay School and the community.

In 1941 a telephone was installed ‘for military purposes’.   The building was occupied by soldiers during the summer holiday period and were still in residence for weeks into the 1942 year.  The school committee took the responsibility to provide trenches near the school for the pupils and to make shelters available in the homes of nearby residents.  Students were supplied with identification discs and satchels containing a first aid pack and were rehearsed in emergency procedures.

When peace came in 1945 a special thanksgiving was held and school dismissed at 9.30 a.m. on the 15th May.

Sports Day

I would like to thank everybody involved in our recent Sports Day – the children, staff, families & friends.

Even though we had to change things due to the hot weather, it was great to see how everyone was able to adapt to the changes and make the day so successful.

Special thanks to our canteen staff, parent help group, Ian Burge, Phil Crossing & the Weinert family for presenting the shield to the Green team.

All children tried their best and were excellent sports. Congratulations to the Green team.

Final scores were:

Green – 604

Blue – 581

Red - 567

OSHC - Pupil Free Day

A reminder that Friday 7th December (Week 8) is a Pupil Free Day. 

In order for the service to be viable, we require a minimum of 15 children to be booked in on any given Pupil Free Day. Therefore it is essential that we receive all bookings by Friday 30th November.

Please see the OSHC staff if you require care on this day.

Class Placements 2019

We are working on the assumption that we will have 23 classes next year, based on our current enrolments (594).

However, I need to point out that this could change as late as the first day back next year, based on new enrolments or students leaving the school.

Your child/rens class placement information will be sent home during the last week of term.

Please note that we may not know all class teachers by this time.

Reception Transition Visits

Our new Receptions for 2019 have now had 2 visits to the school.

I would like to welcome them and their families to Largs Bay School. In total, there are 92 children!!!

They will be in Rooms 3, 4, 5 & 5a for their transition visits as well as next year.

Special thanks must go to our Year 4/5 students who have taken on the role of mentoring the new reception children. It has been wonderful to see the efforts that they have put in and the positive relationships that they have already formed.

This is what Largs Bay is all about – supporting and caring for each other.

There are 2 more visits this year.

End of Year Event

A reminder that our end of year event will take place on Thursday 6th December.

The theme this year is “The Greatest Show on Earth”.

The staff and students are putting a lot of work into the night and it would be great to see as many parents & families come along as possible. You will soon receive information asking for donations for classroom themed baskets that will become our raffle prizes. Last year, this was extremely successful due to your support and we look forward to another great selection of goods for the baskets.

Next week you will receive raffle books to pre-sell.

ATSI Graduation

Two weeks ago, our Year 7 ATSI students participated in our Partnership graduation. They were presented with certificates and enjoyed a lunch. We also had Vanessa M perform a song. Congratulations to all of them. Special thanks to Carmel and Karen for all their work in organising the day. The students are pictured below.

Pictured L – R Carmel, O’Shea Mc, Byron P, Royce B, Cooper K, Malakye G, Tyrell T, Karen

(absent Shakaya B)

Vanessa M performing

Salvation Army Donation

I would like to congratulate all the children (& families) for their food donations leading up to Sports Day.

In total, we collected 540 cans, which have all been donated to the Salvation Army.

Well done to everyone who contributed.

Facilities Update

Over the coming weeks, we will be installing glass walls & sliding doors in both the Resource Centre and at the rear of Rooms 26 & 27. This will allow areas to be closed off when required and opened up for group work etc. This has been necessary due to our significant increase in enrolments.

Regards,

Mike