PUBLISHED
We hope you enjoy this week’s edition of Footnotes!
Make sure to check your email or click here to access our April Community eNewsletter.
THE FOOTNOTES TEAM
SYDNEY NEWS
KEY DATES
FOR YOUR DIARY
- 6 APR | DRAG BINGO
- 10 APR | ORDER OF ST. JOHN LUNCHEON
- 15 JUN | LUMINOUS GALA BALL
SCHOOL TERMS
TERM ONE 2024
- MON 29 – WED 31 JAN | STAFF PD DayS
- THU 1 FEB | STUDENTS RETURN
- FRI 12 APR | TERM 1 ENDS
TERM TWO 2024
- MON 29 APR | STAFF PD DAY
- TUE 30 APR | STUDENTS RETURN
- FRI 5 JUL | TERM 2 ENDS
TERM THREE 2024
- MON 22 JUL | STAFF PD Day
- TUE 23 JUL | STUDENTS RETURN
- FRI 27 SEP | TERM 3 ENDS
TERM FOUR 2024
- MON 14 OCT | STAFF & STUDENTS RETURN
- FRI 20 DEC | TERM 4 ENDS
TERM ONE 2025
- DDD 00 MMM | STAFF PD DayS
- DDD 00 MMM | STUDENTS RETURN
- DDD 00 MMM | TERM 1 ENDS
Dear Parents
It was lovely to welcome the Early Years parents for morning tea at Banjo Patterson Park on Wednesday morning. It was lovely to connect with the families of the littlest members of our school community and to celebrate some wonderful achievements so far this year.
Yesterday, former Premier of New South Wales and FGX board member Mike Baird visited the school. Mike showed great interest in the program and was very complimentary of all the hard work parents have put into Giant Steps. Future Generation Fund (FGX) is our largest corporate supporter.
Our term break Holiday Program will run in the first week of holidays: 15-19 April. The program of activities look like great fun and engaging for our students. Thanks to Nicola and the team for all their work organising the program.
With the holidays fast approaching, please let your class teacher know if a visual schedule or calendar template would be helpful for your child and family. This can be sent in digital format so you can edit and add any relevant information that might be helpful to support your child over the break.
This Saturday night, we are looking forward to some friendly competition and lots of laughter at the Barbie Edition Drag Bingo. Thanks to all those attending and supporting. A special shout out to Caz Portbury and the team for organising this fun event.
This Saturday the Giant Steps Greenhouse Project is hosting a Market Day from 9am. Please feel free to share with family and friends who might be interested in snapping up some great quality seasonal produce and other handmade goods from the Adult Services work program. The Market Day takes place at our Greenhouse – 23 Punt Road, Gladesville.Â
Our latest Community eNewsletter has been sent out today, please check your email or click here to access. Happy reading!Â
Have a great weekend.
Andrew
Meet The Team
Henry O’Kane
Hey, I’m Henry – I have been working as a support worker at Giant Steps since the start of the year and have loved my first few months. My pod has been very inclusive and supportive during this first job as a support worker.
What I love most is that we have the opportunity to go out and make a difference in someone else’s life every day. I have also felt very welcome from all the staff and feel supported every day by our group leaders. I am drawn to support work for the sense of fulfilment I get from helping others.
COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHT
Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea
Wednesday, 8 May
Join us at Giant Steps to celebrate Mother’s Day next term. Afternoon tea will be served, and we invite all our attendees to stay and take part in school activities to celebrate Mother’s Day.Â
Please RSVP here by Monday, 1 May.Â
2024 LUMINOUS GALA UPDATE
Saturday, 15 June
We’re less than 100 days away from hosting the 29th Annual Giant Steps Gala. This year’s theme is luminous and we’re excited to light up the night in celebration of Giant Steps.
Corporate Sponsors:
We want to acknowledge and thank our corporate partners:
Gold Sponsors
Chalouhi, Quay Business Services
Silver Sponsors
Addisons, AIPX, Bega, BWS, Douglass Hanly Moir Pathology, Harris Page & Associates.Â
Tickets Sold
Tickets sold: 65 (not including corporate sponsors)
Goal: 1000
Please visit our Luminous Gala website to purchase tickets and click the link below to download the corporate sponsorship packages.
Silent Auction
Prizes received: 8
Goal: 250 prizes
As a guide, can every family please source 3 – 4 auction items valued at over $150 each (total value of donated prizes $1,000 +) OR make a tax-deductible donation to BSB 082 443 Account No. 491677752 Ref. your surname/AUC and we will use the donated funds to obtain suitable prizes.
Please click this link to log your auction prizes before delivering to Giant Steps. If you have any questions, please contact Giant Steps’ Event Facilitator, Shaminie Chandra – shaminie.chandra@giantsteps.net.au.
Lucky Dip
The lucky dip is very popular and sells out on the night. Guests pay and then receive a mystery prize that is of higher value.Â
Goal:Â
– 130 lucky dip prizes of $20 valueÂ
– 375 prizes of $50 valueÂ
– 130 prizes of $100 value
Prized collected:
$20 prizes = 15
$50 = 10
$100 = 3Â
As a guide, can every family please source 5+ lucky dip prizes valued between $20 – $150 each (total value of donated prizes $200 +) OR make a tax-deductible donation to BSB 082 443 Account No. 491677752 Ref. your surname/LD and we will use the donated funds to obtain suitable prizes in bulk.
Enter lucky dip prize donations via the Gala website.
Gala Tip
One tip for sourcing silent auction prizes is to cash in Coles and Woolworths Flybuys and Everyday Rewards and donate items to the auction!
Download our Luminous Gala e-invite, sponsorship information sheet, and check-list below. Feel free to also reach out to any fundraising team member if you have any questions or need any help. We look forward to celebrating with you on June 15th!
FUNDRAISING
Australia 108 Stair Climb
Sunday, 28 April
There is less than a month to go until we tackle Australia’s Biggest Stair Climb!
We have over 400 participants, and we want this to increase to 800 by event day. We really need our community to come together to help us market this event! Please reach out to your network, share our social media posts, and distribute posters at your workplace, your child’s school, or your local café and shops. If you have any contacts in the media world that you think may be able to help us, please reach out to Kat Hender in Fundraising.
We are so excited to see our incredible community come together for this fun event. We just need some help to make it even bigger than last year! If you have any ideas, please let us know!
FUNDRAISING | SYDNEY
Drag Bingo
Saturday, 6 AprilÂ
Drag Bingo is this Saturday evening at Canada Bay Club. We know it will once again be a rip-roaring night. Thank you to Giant Steps to everyone involved in this truly unique event. We can’t wait to see all our Barbie-inspired guests!Â
Charity Luncheon
Wednesday, 10 April
Giant Steps family, the Carollos, and the Sovereign Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem Knights of Malta will be hosting Giant Steps families and staff at a Charity Luncheon next Wednesday.
All proceeds from this wonderful annual lunch at Aqua Luna Waterfront Dining in Drummoyne will support Giant Steps. Thank you to everyone involved in this special meal and gathering!
CLASS UPDATES | SYDNEY
GREENHOUSE
Our students and participants have done a fantastic job in assisting our Greenhouse Project team in tending to plants and produce that will be on sale at this Saturday’s Market Day.
Head down to our Greenhouse Project Market Day – 23 Punt Road, Gladesville – from 9am on Saturday.
Our Adult Autism Services work program has also produced handmade goods, such as candles, soap, heat bags and recipe packs, for sale.
Look for our signs on Victoria Road and Punt Road, and enter via Gate 2 at Giant Steps.Â
COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHT
Siblings Groups – Term 2
📅 Save the date for next term’s Siblings Groups:Â
- Junior Siblings – Saturday, 18 May
- Senior Siblings – Saturday, 1 June
More details will be sent through in the next month. Please contact Giant Steps’ Family Support Coordinator Sarah Robertshaw if you have any questions.Â
Australian Museum’s Upcoming Programs
Friday, 5 April & Saturday, 4 May
The Australian Museum has created two programs for neurodivergent audiences with modified sensory environments. Please see information about the two programs below, as well as the website link below.Â
- Night Owls (Friday 5 April)
Owls provides an exclusive, fun night out for visitors 16+ who prefer to visit the Museum in a controlled sensory, relaxed and supportive environment. - Early Birds (Saturday 4 May)
Early Birds provides a reduced sensory, relaxed and supportive environment for visitors of all ages, prior to the Museum opening to the public for the day.
BLOOM: Nurturing the wellbeing of autistic children
Griffith University and Macquarie University researchers are working in partnership with community organisations such as Giant Steps and invite families with autistic children aged between 3 to 8 years to trial a new Australian program focussing on young autistic children’s wellbeing.Â
Please see the flyer attached to learn more and contact Prof Dawn Adams (+61 7 3735 5854) to access more information and consent forms.Â