For 75 years, the name Dearden has been synonymous with road projects across NSW.

Firstly with Hedly Dearden, who retired in 1984 after 44 years of service with the Department of Main Roads (DMR), then Ross Dearden who retired after 42 years with the DMR and Roads and Traffic Authority.

Peter became the third member of Dearden family to join DMR with his retirement bringing an end to a combined 128 years of dedicated Dearden service to NSW.

Peter intends to spend his retirement alongside his wife, children and grandchildren.

I wish Peter all the best for a well-deserved retirement.

Crunch and sip program

Primary school children from Wellington are having fun learning about the importance of healthy eating and staying hydrated as part of the Crunch and Sip program.

Each day students bring fruit or salad vegetables to school to eat in the classroom at a set time.

Each child has a clear small bottle of water in the classroom to drink throughout the day to prevent dehydration.

The Crunch and Sip program break gives children the opportunity to eat the piece of fruit that might otherwise be left in their lunchbox or not be eaten at all.

The program is the daily routine of in 1814 primary schools across NSW including; St Mary's Central School, Wellington Christian School, Geurie Public School and Stuart Town Public School.

It's great to see so many local schools getting on board with the program and providing a practical way to learn about the importance of healthy eating.

You can read more about the Crunch and Sip program at http://www.crunchandsip.com.au

STARTING

SCHOOL - SMOOTHER THAN EVER

The

move to big school should be smoother for next year's Kindergarten

thanks to a NSW Government initiative designed to ensure teachers are

provided with important information about their new students.

The

first-ever NSW Transition to

School Statement provides a

consistent picture of a child, which should help them to better

settle into the new world of school.

It also gives parents the opportunity to provide their unique

perspective on the child's early learning and development.

Children, too, have the chance to provide their own input.

Many schools already offer transition-to-school programs - and

Kindergarten teachers have an opportunity to identify strengths on

orientation days - but the type and depth of information obtained

can vary.

It makes sense to capture a consistent report of how they have developed

in their early years and ensure this information is passed on when

they make the move to school.