Epic effort at the election cake & jam stall / bbq today, raising over $1500! Thanks to all involved for your time organising, helping, cooking, selling, cleaning, spruiking. A special mention to to team Askew - woulna happened without the both of you!

Roll up, roll up.

The DPS S&C are holding a BBQ & Cake / Jam Stall at school during the local government elections next Saturday 8th September, and we need your help!

There are many ways you can help out...

BAKING:
Please bring your baked goods to the school either on Friday 7th (location to be determined), or directly to the cake stall on Saturday 8th. Please label your lovely donations with the type of baked good as well as the ingredients. Suggestions include:
- muffins
- whole cakes
- cupcakes
- honey joys
- chocolate crackles
- lamingtons
- gluten free options
etc

ROSTER FOR HELP ON THE DAY:
There will be three shifts of three hours each, if you are able to volunteer for one of these shifts please reply with your name and the timeslot. If you can't commit to a full three hours but still want to help out for an hour or two, please let us know by email.

8am - 11am
11am - 2pm
2pm - 5pm

PREPARATIONS BEFOREHAND:
So you can't bake, and you are busy on Saturday, but you still want to help out? Assistance with preparation jobs small or large over the next week would be very much welcome too! These jobs include things like making signage, ordering / picking up packaging for cakes, shopping for general supplies, helping co-ordinate the cake collection on Friday at school etc.

Please email us if you are able to help with any of the above.

Thanks!

Darlington School & Community Association (S&C)

darlo.parents@hotmail.com

Rock Trivia Is Back!

Darlington Public School S&C Fundraiser

ROCK TRIVIA • SILENT AUCTIONS • LIVE AUCTIONS • LUCKY DOOR PRIZES • DANCING • SINGING (for a price)

Details are:

Time: 7:30pm, Saturday 31st March

Place: Souths on Chalmers

Cost: $20 per ticket

Please note: Tickets do not include dinner or drinks, but you can purchase your own at Souths on Chalmers if you would like. Food brought in from outside is not allowed.

TICKETS & TABLES:

- Tickets will be available for sale in the school playground (outside the office, at the Golden Grove entrance) most mornings & afternoons from Monday 18th March. If you are unable to be at school at these times to purchase tickets, please reply to this email to arrange another way of securing your ticket/s.

- Each table seats 8 people so gather together with your buddies and nab a table!

- For new parents to the school, we will try to get together tables for each year / class. Stay tuned.

Easter Gourmet Hamper Guessing Competition

The annual Darlington Public School S&C EASTER GOURMET HAMPER GUESSING COMPETITION is back!

Please bring donations to the School office before Thursday 29th March

gourmet food • recipe books easter eggs • chocolate • wine • baskets • jams • chutneys


Ticket books will be going out in children's bags over the next week, there are extra books at the office if yours doesn't make it home!

Back to school

Happy 2012!

No doubt there are many excited kids out there raring to get back to school (and possibly some excited parents).

Just to let you know that from now on the S&C meetings will be held on the FIRST Wednesday of every month. So that means this Wednesday for the first one.

I realise it's a busy week for most of us, but it would be great to see you there. A great opportunity to get moving and plan out the year.

Cheers

Pete

Darlington School & Community Association (S&C):

President - Pete Wilson
Vice Presidents - Rebecca Askew, Michael Keating
Treasurer - Jen Burn
Secretaries - Anna Butler, Suzy Pickles

Hi Everyone

A last minute change of plans for this Wednesday’s meeting. As the final school week wraps up there are quite few things on, such as the Year 6 Farewell, which means many staff won’t be able to make the meeting.

Given many of the agenda items do require input and sign-off from the school, we thought it might be best to cancel the meeting and hit the ground running next year.

But we also thought it might be a good time for a very informal catch up at the pub (The Royal on Abercrombie Street). The S&C Executive will be down there from around 6pm on Wednesday if you fancy a shandy or two.

Thanks to all those who have contributed items to the agenda. They have been noted and if you would like any of us to follow up in the meantime please let us know. Or perhaps we can discuss on Wednesday night?

And one final thing. Due to a few people’s schedules we are planning on changing S&C meetings to the FIRST WEDNESDAY every month next year (that makes February 1, 2012 our next date).

Thanks again for your involvement with Darlington PS and if we don’t see you Wednesday night, have a great Christmas and enjoy the break.

Cheers

Pete and the S&C Executive

Darlington School & Community Association (S&C):

President - Pete Wilson

Vice Presidents - Rebecca Askew, Michael Keating

Treasurer - Jen Burn
Secretaries - Anna Butler, Suzy Pickles

With respect we acknowledge the Gadigal people as the custodians and traditional owners of the land where our children go to school.

"Voluntary School Levy - NSW Government policy enables all schools to request contributions from parents to enhance their School's educational and sporting programmes. School contributions are voluntary and payment is a matter for decision by parents. The voluntary school contribution for 2010 is $100 per child for the year, and payments can be made at the office. The S&C would like to encourage all families to make this valuable contribution to our school."

If you would like to receive emails from the S&C, please send an email to darlo.parents@hotmail.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

Preschool Funding Campaign

As many of you will have heard, the State government has increased the fees for preschool by more than double. As the childcare rebate is not available for preschools in public schools our wonderful preschool at Darlington is threatened with closure due to low numbers.

Click on these links to read some recent newspaper articles about the issue:

August 16: Spelling out how NSW preschools can do better

September 8: Preschool fees move has parents doing sums and raising expectations

October 9: Preschool fee jump pressures parents

October 27: Preschool fee backdown is cheery news (for some schools)

October 28: Child's play no more - preschool enrolments tumble with new fees

November 1: A good early start is a child's best chance

To send a form letter to the NSW Premier, Barry O'Farrell, NSW Minister for Education, Adrian Piccoli, and your local State MP, go to Stop Fees in DEC Preschools at the NSW Teachers Federation Website. Please add a personal message if possible.

Best of all, please download the petition at the Redwatch website, get it filled out and return to the S&C President (details on the form).