Orange Grove

The P&C will be holding a lunchtime sausage sizzle for the kids after they have completed the Cross Country and Walkathon Courses on Friday 9th. Children who would like a freshly sizzled sausage on a roll will need to fill out the order form in this newsletter and drop it into the P&C box by Thursday 8th May. If anyone would like to volunteer to help with the BBQ on the day, please let Louise, Justine or David know!

Thanks to everyone who contributed to the P&C survey in Term One which sought feedback on Fundraising events in 2007. We have collated the responses and reviewed them in depth at our last Fundraising meeting, with the following changes now being made to the Fundraising calendar for 2008:

• Raffles - The majority of respondents agreed that 3 raffles were enough for one year, so we will conduct raffles for Easter, Mothers’ and Fathers’ Day only.
• Cake Stalls - We love our cake stalls, but arranging them around the class based system was creating chronic volunteer shortages. This year we will be organizing them around the school ’stages’, and holding only one per term. Stage 2 (years 3 & 4) is next in Term Two.
• Santa’s Winter Soiree - A much-loved school community event, but again the majority opinion was that it would be more beneficial held once every two years. We agree, and the next Soiree will therefore be in June 2009!
• Laughternoon Teas - We will keep these ’special’ by changing them from once every term to a ‘Welcome’ in Term One and a ‘Farewell’ in Term 4!
• Trivia Night - Overwhelming vote to continue with this as an annual event, including new volunteers to assist with the function! See you all in November!
• Chocolate Drive - Usually a good fundraiser, but we will support the popular feeling that it does not promote a healthy product and drop it out of the calendar for 2008.
• Mother’s and Father’s day stalls - not planned but gifts will be provided through P&C support of the school art program

It is important to the P&C that we can be flexible with our fundraising plans - some things will be widely embraced and successful and others less so. We are always seeking better ways to achieve our targets, and we hope that changes planned for this year will allow us to continue our fundraising efforts as well as allow us to assist in the united effort to celebrate the OGPS 125th Anniversary at the end of the year. We look forward to your support!

Our next (Fun)draising Meeting is scheduled for next Tuesday, and we will be happy to see as many people as can make it! May will be a very busy month for us this year, after Mother’s Day we will finalising the Car Boot Sale and our first Football Parking for 2008, so come along to the meeting if you would like to help out!

What: May Fundraising Meeting.
Date: Tuesday May 6th
Where: School Library
Who: All P&C and School Community Members
Time: 7.00pm to 8.30pm

Next Thursday, the 2008 Mother’s Day Raffle is to be drawn, with some really fabulous prizes to be won by some lucky Mums! Two ticket books have gone home with the eldest sibling in each family, and each book of tickets has FIVE x $2 tickets. Parents/carers are reminded that we recommend children sell only to friends, family and neighbours. The P&C do not recommend door-to-door selling unless an adult accompanies the children. We also ask that those parents with children under 8 years of age sell the tickets on behalf of their children.

What: 2008 Mother’s Day Raffle
Drawn: Thursday May 8th
Where: School Assembly
Tickets in by: Wednesday May 7th

There will be no Band rehearsal for the first three weeks of Term Two.
Our bandmaster Bob Young was invited to play his bugle at the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial ANZAC Day Service in France, and will not be available for the first 3 weeks of term. The next Band date is Friday May 23rd, at 8.30am for Junior Band and 9.30am for the Senior Band. Notes went home this week with further information.

What: Change to Band Dates for Term 2
Next Date: Friday May 23rd
Who: All Junior and Senior band members

Winter is creeping up on us, but there is no surer way to warm up on a Tuesday morning than getting on board the Walking School Bus! See you all next week, and remember, if you would like to try Driving or Conducting let one of the operators know!

Our next (Fun)draising Meeting will be held in the second week back after the holidays. May will be a very busy month for us this year, after Mother’s Day we will finalising the Car Boot Sale and our first Football Parking for 2008, so come along to the meeting if you would like to help out!

What: May Fundraising Meeting.
Date: Tuesday May 6th
Where: School Library
Who: All P&C and School Community Members
Time: 7.00pm to 8.30pm

The 2008 Mother’s Day Raffle is up and running, with some fabulous prizes to be won by some lucky Mums! Two ticket books have gone home with the eldest sibling in each family, and each book of tickets has FIVE x $2 tickets. Parents/carers are reminded that we recommend children sell only to friends, family and neighbours. The P&C do not recommend door-to-door selling unless an adult accompanies the children. We also ask that those parents with children under 8 years of age sell the tickets on behalf of their children.

What: 2008 Mother’s Day Raffle
Drawn: Thursday May 8th
Where: School Assembly
Tickets in by: Wednesday May 7th

Thanks to all those incredibly creative Walking School Bus artists, the colouring competition entries were dazzling, and the SRC had fun doing the judging and awarding prizes! The entries are on display in A-Block hall. The bus will be running in the first week of term, on the first day back after the holidays and the pupil-free day. Have a great holiday everyone, and remember, if you would like to try Driving or Conducting let one of the operators know!
The WSB will run again on Tuesday 29th April, after the School Development Day on Monday.

Nylon art smocks with long sleeves are now available from the uniform shop for $9 each.