27 March 2025

Principal’s Report – Term 1 Week 9

It was great to finish all the NAPLAN testing last Monday. Well done to all our year 3 & 5 students on completing these tests. The bookings for parent teacher interviews also closed last Monday. If you did not make an appointment with your child’s teacher for an interview, please email the office for the teacher to contact you.

Parent/teacher interviews will take place over the next two weeks.

Interrelate Family Evening - Monday 24 March

Thank you to all the parents and students who came to the family night for Interrelate last Monday evening. There was a great turn out and everyone gave positive feedback regarding the presentation given by the Interrelate instructor. Our year 5 & 6 students will now complete the Relationship and Sexuality Education program covering topics including “Moving Into Teen Years”. These programs are evidence based and age -appropriate for students and help to build strong resilient and healthy humans. Thank you to Mrs Blackband for her organisation of this program for our students and their families.

Leadership Camp - Tuesday 25 March

Last Tuesday our eight school leaders attended a combined school’s Leadership Camp. The leaders participated in team and leadership building activities to support their leadership of our Student Representative Council (SRC) initiatives this year. The leaders discussed their strengths as leaders of the school and worked together to complete activities using teamwork including designing and building rafts to go across some water, making paper planes with little instruction and using sign language to communicate ideas.

The leaders had a wonderful day together and enjoyed meeting school leaders from all our local schools.

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Friday Assembly - SRC

This week at 9.10am we will have our second SRC meeting for the year. The guest classes for this week are 6D, 4V and 2W. The school leaders will use their newly developed leadership skills to run the meeting this week, and work towards solutions to issues and suggestions from our student body during the meeting. Parents are welcome to attend the meeting.

PSSA Trials - Friday 28 March

This week we will be trialling students in years 3-6 for the winter sports teams. The students may try out for the following teams:

Boys Soccer, Girls Soccer, Rugby League & Netball

Summer PSSA will resume in Term 4 at the end of the year. Please ensure your child comes ready for the trials including wearing shin pads and mouthguards. Hats and water bottles are a necessity.

Banner Assembly - Friday 4 April 9.00am

Next Friday the following students will receive a School Banner. This important assembly will take place in the school hall at 9.00am. Our Senior Band will open the assembly with Principal awards and Banners presented afterwards. Parents are welcome to attend this assembly.

School Banner Recipients

Opal Cards

Last week members from the bus service came to assess how many students use the Opal cards. We really need to tap on and off, so that the number of students catching the bus is registered with the company. This registration determines the number of buses we will get to service our school students. Please apply for an Opal card using the link below. At this stage, all students have been offered a free replacement Opal card if needed. Please apply and ensure your child uses their Opal card daily.

Regional Swimming Carnival- Tuesday 1 April

Next Tuesday some of our students will compete at the regional swimming carnival at Homebush Aquatic Centre. We wish them every success at this highly competitive event. Good luck to these zone representatives as they compete against the best swimmers in our region.

Backflips Against Bullying Incursion- Wednesday 2 April

Next Wednesday all students from years 1 - 6 will participate in the Backflips Against Bullying program. This is an evidence based high energy performance in the school hall that uses parkour and acrobatics to engage students in life changing discussions about anti-bullying and empower them to make a positive change. The program will be an introduction to our peer support program which will start next term.

Please complete the permission note online.

School Photo Day- Wednesday 9 April

School Photo Day is approaching, and it is important that students have full school uniform for this day. Plain black shoes without any markings or colour on them is the uniform. Students should not wear any jewellery on this day. Photos always look better when the whole class is in the full school uniform.

Tina Lee – Principal

Dates for your Diary

K-2 Easter Hat Parade

Manly PSSA Zone Swimming Carnival

What a fantastic day we had last Wednesday at the Manly PSSA Zone Swimming Carnival, held at Warringah Aquatic Centre! The event ran smoothly from start to finish, and we were incredibly proud of all our swimmers who dived in with determination, gave it their all, and represented our school with such pride and enthusiasm.

A huge congratulations to all students who participated your effort, sportsmanship, and support for one another made us so proud.

We are thrilled to announce that four of our students have qualified for the upcoming Regional Swimming Carnival next Tuesday. Congratulations to:

• Nicholas Lutze – Junior 50m Freestyle MC
• Charli Gower – Senior Individual Medley, 12yrs 50m Backstroke, 12yrs 50m Freestyle
• Josie Han – 11yrs 50m Freestyle, 11yrs 50m Backstroke
• Jules Huisman – Senior 50m Butterfly, Senior 50m Freestyle

We wish you all the very best as you take the next step in your swimming journey!

A heartfelt thank you to all the parents who helped get students to and from the carnival your support is always appreciated and plays such a big part in making these days a success.

Well done again to all our amazing swimmers you did our school proud!

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Mother’s Day Stall - Friday 9 May

The P&C will be hosting the first fundraiser for the year, the Mother’s Day Stall and Raffle. 

How the stall works:

Children donate a new & unused gift that Mum would like. The students are then able to purchase ONE gift for $10.00 and they must have donated a gift in order to visit the stall. Please do not bring in alcohol or nuts.

Some parents in the past have been extra generous and donated more than one gift. Please note, regardless of how many gifts you donate, there is a limit of one gift purchased per child. 

Parent volunteers from the kindergarten classes will be required to sort out gifts and collate items, as well as set up the stall and work on the day. Please contact your class coordinator if you can assist in any way. 

We also need raffle prizes, the bigger the better. If any parent has a link to a local business that could donate a prize, please could you reach out to them. 

Please advise of any raffle donations to
mvpspandccommunication@gmail.com

P&C Committee

High School Information for Year 6 Parents

All Year 6 parents are required to complete an online enrolment form by Friday 28 March (week 9).

This indicates your preference of NSW Government High School. If you intend to send your child to a Catholic or Private school, there is a section on the form to indicate this decision.

THE FOREST HIGH

Academic Placement Test - Wednesday 2 April 8:45am-12:45pm

NSW Government High School’s Year 6 Orientation Day takes place on Tuesday 2 December 2025.

Parents are advised to regularly check the local high school’s websites throughout the year.

Boys Eagle Tag

As we play our last game for the term, we feel incredibly lucky to spend our Friday afternoons engaging in sport with other local schools. It has been a joy to watch these boys consistently embody our school values of caring and sharing, no matter the outcome. We look forward to returning after the Winter PSSA!

Mrs Taylor

Garden Club Returns

Garden Club is back and bigger than ever, bursting with eager green thumbs ready to dig in! With so many passionate members, we’ve hit the ground running, tackling the big job of weeding our garden beds to prepare for our winter crop. There’s plenty of dirt under our nails and smiles all around as we get ready to plant, grow, and nurture something wonderful this season!

Jackie Holman - Stage 1 Science Teacher

Stage 1 Exploring Life Cycles in Science

Stage 1 students have been diving into the wonders of life cycles, and their curiosity has been in full swing! There was a buzz of excitement when they discovered a delicate, shed snakeskin; its intricate details, including facial features, had everyone amazed. Adding to the thrill, students closely observed silkworm eggs as they began to expand, a sure sign of life beginning to stir. It’s been a hands-on, awe-inspiring journey of discovery, and we cannot wait to see what happens next!

Jackie Holman - Stage 1 Science Teacher

Stage 3 Science: Designing a Solubility Experiment

Last week, our stage 3 Science students took on the challenge of designing their own scientific investigations into solubility. After being introduced to a range of materials—including water, vinegar, bicarbonate soda, sugar and salt—they worked collaboratively to develop testable questions and identify variables. Using the scientific process, students planned how they will conduct their experiments in the next lesson, where they will also form a hypothesis, and record their observations, results and conclusion. We look forward to seeing their investigations in action soon!

Mrs Sarah Humphreys - Stage 3 Science Teacher

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High Potential & Gifted Education (HPGE) Committee

Supporting High Potential and Gifted Education

At Manly Vale Public School, we are committed to ensuring that every child reaches their full potential. We recognise that students learn at different paces and have varying academic needs, which is why we use differentiated learning strategies in our classrooms.

What is Differentiation?

Differentiation is a teaching approach that tailors learning experiences to suit individual student needs. This might involve:

✅ Adjusting the level of challenge in activities
✅ Providing different resources or support structures
✅ Offering choices in how students demonstrate their understanding
✅ Using small group instruction or targeted interventions

Supporting All Learners

Every class consists of students who excel or perform highly in some areas of learning and require support in others. This is a natural and expected progression in any student's learning journey. We aim to cater to all students, from those needing additional support to those requiring extension and enrichment opportunities to stay engaged and motivated.

🔹 Support for Students Who Need Extra Help

Students who need additional time or support benefit from small-group instruction, targeted learning programs, and individual assistance where needed. Those who require targeted intervention are referred to the Learning Support team, where their needs are discussed. 

🔹 Extension & Enrichment Programs

There is a significant difference between extension and enrichment programs. While extension programs offer learning experiences beyond the grade level, enrichment programs aim to deepen and broaden the understanding of given topics. APSMO Maths Olympiad and its lower levels are classified as extension programs, whereas gardening, Minecraft or Lego Clubs are examples of enrichment programs offered at Manly Vale. 

Both types of programs benefit students’ learning and enhance wellbeing and interaction with one another. 

Teachers Enable Talent Development 

At Manly Vale Public School, we are lucky to have passionate, dedicated, and highly skilled teachers willing to create programs to extend our students. Teachers not only deliver such programs but also give up their time to take care of administrative tasks (entering competitions, etc) that these programs inevitably create. 

Among these teachers are Ms Tamone, Mrs Adamo, Mrs Hacking, Mrs Speight, Mrs Legg, Ms Webster, Mrs Webster, Ms Hepworth, Ms McManus, Mrs Mauger, Mrs Banham, Mrs Johnston, Ms Taylor and Mrs Lee. 

Money Matters

In previous years, Manly Vale Public School was fortunate to be able to cover some materials costs, entry fees, and subscriptions to programs that enable talent development for those students. We are grateful that parents have already contributed a fee to cover those costs associated with some of the programs. Unfortunately, current changes to school budgets may mean that parents may be asked to contribute to all of these programs in the future. 

Extension and Enrichment Programs 

ENGLISH 

Speaking and Listening 

Public Speaking

Term 2 Week 1 School Finals

Multicultural Perspectives Public Speaking Competition aimed at students in years 3 - 6

Term 3 

On Your Soap Box (K-6 years) and the Bear Pit at the NSW Parliament House (1 student from Stage 2 and 1 student from Stage 3) 

NSW Premier’s Debating Challenge

Our school enters two debating teams comprising year 5 & 6 students who compete against other local school teams. The program offers trainee entry level aimed at year 4 and 5, who learn the basics of debating throughout term 1, 2 and 3. 

NSW Premier’s Spelling Bee

Students from years 3 - 6 enter the Spelling Bee competition and progress through elimination rounds until they are named the School Spelling Bee champion. Then, they compete in the local finals. 

Writing

Writing Club is offered to students in years 4 - 6 who enter various competitions, ranging from short stories to poetry, including the Northern Beaches Library Young Writers Competition, Dorothea MacKellar Poetry Competition, and Write On competition. The club runs in terms 1 and 2. 

MATHEMATICS 

APSMO (Australasian Problem Solving Mathematical Olympiad) competitions cater for a range of students at different stages of their schooling 

Maths Quest - carefully selected students from years 1 & 2
Maths Explorers - carefully selected students from year 3 
Maths Games - carefully selected students from year 4, 5 & 6
Maths Olympiad - carefully selected students from year 5 & 6

Students sit a pretest at their group level, and teachers analyse the results, considering results from last year’s competitions, students’ engagement and participation, and their potential. 

CREATIVE ARTS

Music - Band

Manly Vale Public School offers comprehensive junior and senior bands that rehearse in the school hall. Students present their skills at various competitions and school events. 

Music - Choir

Manly Vale Public School offers junior and senior choir that rehearse during lunchtime. Students present their skills at various competitions and school events.  

Drama

The selection process for this program proves to be increasingly challenging, as many students want to try it. Successful candidates practise their lines and hone their acting skills during lunchtimes and perform their play at the Arts Alive Drama Festival. 

Dance

Successful candidates are selected for the boys and girls ensembles and perform their dances at the North Sydney Dance Festival and school events. 

Visual Arts 

Art Shack Stage 3 - Students hone their skills from late term 1 to term 3, and carefully selected artworks are entered into the Operation Art competition and the school's Art Gallery during term 4. 

Art Shack Stage 2 - Students hone their skills from late term 1 to term 3, and carefully selected artworks are entered into the school's Art Gallery during term 4. 

CROSS-CURRICULUM PROGRAMS

STEM 

A small group of students showing interest and demonstrating skills in engineering, critical thinking, and problem-solving are learning about electrical circuits and building games. These are displayed at the school’s Art Gallery in term 4. 

Chess Club - Rookies 

On Friday afternoons, parents run a Chess Club in the library. Students learn the basics of chess and will participate in competitions. The school chess club team will compete in an interschool chess competition during term 2 on a Friday afternoon. Mrs Lee and Mrs Webster will oversee this club. 

Minecraft Club 

Students in Stage 2 engage with creative pursuits during lunchtime. 

Lego Club

Students in Stage 1 engage with their engineering, creative and collaborative skills during lunchtime. 

PDHPE

Leadership 

Apart from the leadership program run every year, which leads to the election of our school captains, vice captains, and prefects, all year 5 & 6 students are trained in leading small group activities during the Peer Support program. 

PSSA sports, carnivals, zone, and state competitions are run by dedicated teachers, including Mrs Birrell, Mrs Ward, Mr Dylan, Mr Le Jeune, Ms Cash, Mrs Gibson, Ms Hepworth, and Mrs Blackband. 

Working Together

We value open communication and collaboration with parents. If you have any questions about your child’s learning or would like to discuss how we can further support them, please feel free to contact your class teacher.

Thank you for being a valued part of our school community. Together, we can create a learning environment where every child thrives.

Mrs Banham, the HPGE Committee and Manly Vale Public School Teachers

Ride2School Day

School Photo Day

School Photo Day – Wednesday 9 April

A friendly reminder that School Photo Day is coming up in Week 11 on Wednesday 9 April.

Photo order envelopes have been sent home with students.

Parents can place orders online via Advancedlife.com.au using our unique school code, P2B 27Y HEW. Online ordering is the easiest way to ensure a smooth process on the day, however envelopes can be returned to the office prior to the day. 

Thank you for your support! 🌟

Ali Webster – Teacher Librarian

Manly Vale Public School Chess Club

Library News

Congratulations Library Monitors

Congratulations to our wonderful team of library monitors who received their badges at assembly last week. It is very special to be selected for this very important role within the school. Library monitors help the library to run smoothly and complete tasks such as scanning and shelving books, organising the collection and helping other students and teachers with reading recommendations. We look forward to working with you in the library this year!

Please congratulate: Alicia Davidson, Zoe Chakravarty, Eve Dawson, Poppy von Stieglitz, Georgie Hurren, Alice Kemp, Elliette Smith, Immie Higby, Elliya Dent, Annabelle Atkinson, Samskriti Hugar, Amelia Lutze, Hamish Ward, Monica McCormack, Claudia Creak, Isla Morrow, Ivy Vickery, Maya Fowlie, Olivia Pinks, Betty McIntosh, Macy Stobo-Jones, Caoimhe Bulcraig, Francesca Cliffe, Jasmine Gray, Jules Chappell and Cara Modra.

Crafty March

Thank you to all students who visited the library during Crafty March – we had so much fun making friendship bracelets and pom poms galore. A special thank you to families who sent special wool in with their children to use.

For the final two weeks of this term, we invite students in Year 1-6 to “Hop into the Library” at lunchtime. We have plenty of fun Easter-themed books and activities waiting for you to explore.

Ali Webster – Teacher Librarian

Canteen

Kindergarten Frozen Items

Kindergarten have done a great job learning how to collect their lunch orders. They are now ready to collect their frozen treats from our frozen treat collection point at the canteen. Please help the canteen by reminding your children to bring their lunch bag back to the canteen to collect their frozen item. We will be highlighting the frozen item on their lunch bags to help them remember.

New Menu Items

The Canteen will be trialling some new menu items over the next few weeks (our first trial item is an extra mild butter chicken). If you would like to provide a review to us of the new items, please have your children hand write a review and hand it in to the canteen at recess or lunch. Please include the date you tried the item and the name of the item.

You may be lucky enough to receive a free item from the canteen for providing a review.

Placing a flexischools lunch order

Please make sure you select the correct date for your lunch order and check that you get a confirmation email that the order has been placed. Remember to order by 8.50am or use the late order section up until 10.00am

Got an allergy?

If your child has an allergy, please make sure to let the canteen know ahead of time so we have a record of it. Do not forget to tick the allergy alert button when making an order so that we can take extra care when preparing your child's food.

Sign up to help at the canteen

Volunteering at the canteen is a great opportunity to see your kids. Please sign up for a shift to help out. 

Please consider completing this short food safety course if you will be making sandwiches and toasties with us. Once you have completed the course don't forget to send us a copy of your certificate. 

Birthday orders

Order your birthday frozen treats through the birthday treats section on Flexischools by 1.00pm the day before. 

Flexischools Ordering

If you are having trouble ordering or need help with your account you can call Flexischools on 1300 361 769 or submit a question online https://flexischools..com/hc/en-au/

Got a question? or need to get in touch

Feel free to contact the canteen on email manlyvalepscanteen@gmail.com

Becky McGowan – Canteen Manager

Community Notices

Kids Creative Workshop at Manly Art Gallery & Museum during the April School holidays.

School Information