From the editor
Leaves NewsletterPRINCIPAL'S REPORT
This week I would like to thank those who attended our Education Week Activities for Year 7 parents. A number of people attended. They visited Year 7 classrooms and then had morning tea in the Library. Two of our Year 11 music students performed for the parents and I thank them for their contribution on the day. It provided an excellent opportunity for Jane Dean, the Deputy Principal and myself to meet with parents and talk to them about our plans for Year 7 and for Year 8 in 2010.
In addition to our open morning, The Forest High School had a display at Forest Way Shopping Centre this week. I hope parents and community members were able to see the display, as it highlighted some of the numerous activities in which our students so successfully participate.
I take this opportunity to congratulate one of our school captains, Brooke Cresswell, who received a Belrose Rotary Club Youth Service Award at the Rotary Club Youth Awards Night 19th May. Brooke is an outstanding member of our school community and she makes a positive contribution to our community in so many ways. We are extremely proud of Brooke and all our school leaders who represent The Forest as exemplary individuals and community members.
Rosemary McDowall
Principal
HUMAN SWINE FLU - INFORMATION SHEET
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
H1N1 Influenza 09 (Human Swine Flu)
Information Sheet
NSW Health has confirmed a small number of schools in
To limit the potential exposure, NSW Health has advised the department to take steps to exclude staff or students who may have been in countries that have had community or school transmission of the virus.
Currently the countries are
This will allow time for any illness related to that travel to develop, and for prompt assessment and treatment to commence. If they remain well after seven days they can return to school.
Human swine influenza is a new strain of flu that has recently been confirmed in 41 countries around the world. This flu virus is a concern because:
· it is new, so there is no vaccine
· it seems to spread more easily than normal, seasonal flu
· while many people who get sick with this virus have a mild illness, some people get very sick and need hospital care, and some have died
· it is affecting mostly young people under the age of 30, which is unusual for flu
· there is potential for the virus to develop into a more dangerous form.
A lot of effort is going into containing the spread of the virus in our community. This is important while we wait for a vaccine to be available. A vaccine is some months away.
At this stage (and this is likely to change over coming weeks) there are five countries where the virus is spreading within the community to an extent that warrants extra precautions. These countries are
There are grounds for extra precautions to help stop the virus spreading from returned travellers returning from these countries.
The advice from NSW Health is that, for the time being, any student who travels to
During the seven days that a student is away from school, they should not attend after school activities, community events, sporting events or training, public entertainment facilities, or go to shopping malls/centres. Students should remain at home as much as possible, and away from other people.
Please contact your child’s school to advise them that you are keeping your child at home for seven days as they have arrived home after travelling to one of the identified countries. The school will arrange for education materials to be available for your child for the time they are excluded from school.
Students will not be recorded as being absent from school for the exclusion period. The attendance register will record them as having an approved exemption from school.
This strategy is important and will help protect the whole community. At this stage the exclusion does not affect children at child care. This decision is based on information available so far about how this virus spreads.
For more information about these arrangements, please contact your school.
If you would like more information about swine influenza, this can be accessed on the NSW Health website (http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/publichealth/swine_flu.asp) or by calling the national information line on 180 2007.
If you have recently returned from overseas and are feeling unwell with any flu-like symptoms or believe you have had contact with someone who has been confirmed as having Human Swine Influenza, please go to your closest hospital Emergency Department for assessment, or ring your general practitioner if you are from a rural area and do not have ready access to a hospital.
Reconciliation Week - 27 May - 3 June
Each year National Reconciliation Week celebrates the rich culture and history of the first Australians.
This year’s theme is ‘See the person, not the stereotype’.
It’s the ideal time for all of us to join the reconciliation conversation and to think about how we can help turn around the disadvantage experienced by many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
You can find out more at the Reconciliation Week website. (www.reconciliation.org.au )
New campaign to help families save power
Ever wondered how much carbon pollution your household really emits? A new community awareness campaign called ‘what can you do in your world’ could have some surprising answers.
The website explains carbon pollution through the use of simple black balloons - one balloon equals around 50 grams of carbon pollution. The average NSW household produces around 8 tonnes of carbon pollution and 160,000 black balloons every year.
Compare your carbon output with other
For example, your household could save:
· more than 11,600 black balloons by using energy efficient light globes
· 10,100 black balloons by switching appliances off at the power point when they’re not in use
Go to www.savepower.nsw.gov.au for more information.
CANTEEN - THANKS
We wish to thank the Jenna family for their fantastic donation of a
fridge for the canteen. This has helped the canteen immensely.
Canteen Committee
CHANGE OF ADDRESS AND/OR PHONE NUMBER
Please advise the school if you have changed your phone numbers at home or work and also if there are any changes to email addresses. It is important to keep phone numbers up to date in case your child is sick or injured and we need to contact you.
WARRINGAH COUNCIL EVENTS - SPEAKERS NIGHT FOR PARENTS
Click on the following link to view upcoming free evenings Triple_P_seminars_Term_2_2009.pdf
and Speakers_Night_3_June_2009.pdf
COOL KIDS ANXIETY MANAGEMENT GROUP
The Northern Beaches Adolescent Service (NBAS) is pleased to be offering the Cool Kids Anxiety Management Group Program for adolescents in Years 7 - 9 and their parents.
This group will run throughout Term Three (starting 10th August) at Queenscliff Community Health Centre on Monday afternoons (from 4 - 6pm). The cost for the group is $80 per adolescent.
Click on to the following link which outlines the group in more detail.
Please feel free to contact me if you would like any further information. =
Sally Carter.
Clinical Psychologist
Northern Beaches Adolescent Service
Phone: (02) 9466 2540
Fax: (02) 9938 4805
Email: sncarter@nsccahs.health.nsw.gov.au