24 May 2018

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

This week was a sad week for staff, students and community as we said goodbye to our very popular Mr Bennett. Mr Bennett has resigned his teaching position for personal reasons.

Congratulations Mrs Morrison

Last Tuesday 22 May Mrs Lisa Morrison (science teacher) gave birth to a beautiful baby girl 3.3kgs and 53 cm long. She is doing well, and her husband Dave is now out-numbered with 3 daughters to contend with. She is on maternity leave until next year. Congratulations to the Morrison family.

NAPLAN 2018 Online

This week was the last week of the NAPLAN online tests. Tomorrow (Friday) has been allocated as a catch up day for students who have been away sick or on leave. All tests will be submitted by Friday afternoon. Thank you to all the year 3 & 5 students who embraced this opportunity to do their exams on laptops this year. Next year all schools will complete NAPLAN testing this way. Thank you to the year 3 & 5 teachers, Mrs Blackband and Mr Dylan for their organisation of the tests.

School Cross Country Ribbon assembly - Friday 25 May

Congratulations to all the students who ran the 2-3km distance for our annual cross country event. The place getters for the various age groups will be given their ribbons at tomorrow’s assembly at 9.00am. Parents are invited to come along and watch the presentation.

New school

Yesterday some of the staff were invited to view the construction site. It was a great experience for us all and very exciting to see the new configuration of classrooms and learning areas. The new furniture is being trialled by 4/5H and the children have been very positive in their feedback regarding the benefits of “wobble” stools and “standing desks.” The exciting news for us all is that we may have our new hall and canteen ready for the end of year celebrations.

The bike track entrance is now open for use again. Sorry for the inconvenience last week with it’s closure.

Mothers’ Day Fundraiser

Congratulations to the P & C and especially Penny Dixon and her team of volunteers, who raised $4000 from the Mothers’ day breakfast and stall. This will allow the school to purchase new rich literature texts to support the new English units for all stages and compliment the implementation of the new English syllabus. The P & C will also purchase some STEM kits for the science program including some “spheros” which was a suggestion from the Student Representative Council (SRC). Thank you to all parents who donated presents and purchased from the stall. It was a very successful day.

Band Workshops - Monday 28/5 & Thursday 31/5

Next Monday 28 May the senior band will participate in a band workshop before school and will continue on until 9.30am. This workshop will be made up of intensive tuition sessions with our tutors and band conductors. This is to prepare the band for their upcoming performances. The Junior Band will have their workshop morning next Thursday 31 May. All band members need to attend these intensive workshop sessions.

ICAS Competition- Science

Next Tuesday 29 May we will run the ICAS Science competition during class time. Students who have paid for this competition will be withdrawn from their class and given the tests. Mrs Lee will supervise these tests in the morning session. No catch up days have been allowed for these competitions.

Textbook/Workbook Fees now due

Thank you to all the families who have paid their school fees for the year. Please make a payment promptly if you haven’t paid anything at this stage as many of the items including textbooks and workbooks are now in full use by all the students. You don’t need to pay the full amount straight away you can pay as you go throughout the year as items/excursions occur. All textbook/workbook fees should be paid by now, along with the K-2 dance program, which will finish at the end of the term.

Tina Lee

Assistant Principal’s Report K-2

Developing independent, resilient students within a safe learning environment

Canteen Update

Dear Parents and Carers,

It has been brought to our attention that some students are coming to school with large amounts of money (over $10), wanting to purchase multiple items and/or items for their friends. As a result, I have spoken to students about canteen expectations and have compiled a few reminders for you to discuss with your children at home.

1. No frozen products are to be purchased at recess (with the exception of a frozen pineapple ring).
2. A limit of one frozen product can be purchased at lunch.
3. Students are not permitted to buy items from the canteen for their friends.
4. Students are not permitted to share or swap their recess or lunch with their peers.
5. It is advised that students spend no more than $2 at the canteen each day (this excludes the purchase of a recess or lunch order).

These guidelines have been put in place to ensure that our students are making healthy food choices at recess and lunch and that they are eating the recess and lunch that has been packed or purchased for them. It also supports students in the school who have food allergies and intolerances from potentially experiencing a reaction to a shared food item.

We appreciate your anticipated support with this.

Kind Regards,

Mrs Carol Speight

Dates for Your Diary

Winter PSSA Sport 2018

Cross Country

Wednesday 9 May saw the running of the school cross country down at David Thomas on a beautifully sunny Autumn day. It was an abnormally early start for a few year 6 boys who had to run their race at 8.00am so they could attend extension studies programs during the day. The rest of the competitors walked down to the oval after scripture and arrived eager to get started.

Congratulations to every student who participated and gave the race their best. It is always wonderful to see the ‘have a go’ and ‘try your hardest’ attitudes of MVPS students. Who wouldn’t try their hardest with so many exuberant supporters cheering them on every time they went passed the finishing line?

Students who placed in the top 6 in the age group will receive a ribbon at this Friday’s assembly and are selected for the Zone team. The Zone carnival will be held on Tuesday 5 June. It is asked that students who receive a note please return them as soon as possible so we have time to make changes to the team if any are needed.

Pat Dylan

Library News

This week is Library Information Week. The theme is “Find Yourself in a Library”. Children have discussed what a library offers them and how they can find literature, information and more just by walking through the doors of a library.

Suggestion: Join your local library as a family

Glynis Poole - Teacher Librarian

SRE Scripture / SEE Ethics

SRE (Special Religious Education) and SEE (Special Education in Ethics) classes have commenced for term 2. If you would like to change your child’s class, this must be done at the office on an official change form (no emailed changes will be accepted). Please note all K, 1, 2 & 3 ethics classes are full and have extensive waitlists.

No new classes will be formed in 2018 due to lack of classrooms and SEE teachers available to take the classes. Please contact MVPS Ethics (Lorna Galt coordinator) if you would like to sign up for training as an SEE teacher mvps.ethics@gmail.com.

Glynis Poole

Waste Free Wednesdays (WFW) Begins - 6 June

That’s right parents and students. The time has finally arrived. Last year’s SRC passed a suggestion for Manly Vale Public School to join many other schools in holding a rubbish free lunch each week. Waste-free lunches benefit the environment by reducing packaging waste, which in turn reduces energy and resource use. Participating in a waste-free lunch activity also promotes sustainability awareness among students, parents and school staff.

The process has been in development by the student leadership team who earlier in the year conducted a litter audit after the school’s Clean Up Australia Day event. Their results featured in an earlier newsletter and indicated that reducing disposable plastics were a huge priority.

Waste-free lunches contain only items that are eaten, composted or recycled. They don’t contain wrappers or packaging that will be thrown in the rubbish bin.

Recyclable packaging – we understand that some children’s lunches may need to contain packaged food items for dietary, religious or other reasons. You can also check which items can be recycled at home, by visiting RecyclingNearYou.com.au and searching under your council area. This information may be relevant for your bulk containers at home. Packing a bottle of frozen drink with the lunch will give your child a cold drink and also keep the lunch cool.

To add a bit more relevance to the concept we will be holding a weekly competition between the classes. Teachers will do a quick survey of lunchboxes of their class just before lunch and results will be tallied by year 6 students. The winning class will be announced each week in the newsletter on a special certificate designed by a student from our school (see article below for details). Their SRC reps will also be presented with our WFW mascot (a plush sea turtle) at Friday’s Assembly to be kept in the class for the week.

We understand that sometimes just getting a child dressed in the morning and to school can be a challenge and we don’t wish to make anyone’s morning more difficult than necessary, but we also believe in the power of positivity and the potential of young children to change the world. We thank students and parents for their support as we embark on this exciting project together.

Waste Free Wednesday Certificate Competition

Meet our Waste Free Mascot Salty the Sea Turtle

After the huge success of our student designed anti-bullying posters we are excited to hold another poster competition.

Design a certificate which meets the following criteria:

• A4 in size
• Includes a Sea Turtle for the logo

• Need to leave a blank space for the weekly class winner to be announced
• Identify with Manly Vale Public School (name or logo)

Hints or tips:

• Catch phrase
• Bright and colourful
• Clear and easy to read

Submission:

• Please hand your poster to your class teacher by Wednesday 6 June (Week 6)

The winner of the competition will have the privilege of having their poster used to announce the weekly class winner each week in our newsletter. Stay tuned for more information at upcoming assemblies.

Pat Dylan

Write4Fun Finalist in the ‘Horizon of Dreams 2018’ Competition

Congratulations George Morris (2GC) for your short story ‘The Tall Man’.

The Tall Man

It was the dead of night. I was in my cozy bed when suddenly I heard a noise. I quietly got up and looked out the window. There was a tall man just standing there. I thought I might be dreaming so I went back to bed.

Later I heard the sound of my curtains swaying. It was impossible, there was a big glass window behind it there was no way the curtain could sway and right in the same place was the man. I took up all my courage and went outside. But the man wasn’t there he had disappeared.

The next night was worse. The man was still there but he had moved a bit closer to the window I woke up my little brother but he couldn’t see him. Surely enough the man was gone. Weeks and days past and the man was still there but every night he got closer to the window until one night bang! The man had broken the window.

The man spoke “well come on Alex”.

“How do you know my name?” I said, surprised. The man said, “because I’m your future brother” and I can prove it. He jumped and clapped his hands and feet at the same time, something I knew only my brother can do.

“Why are you here?” I said.

“You’re coming with me on a quest”, he replied. “To the Amazon. Your future self has been bitten by the obra snake and his blood is so rare only you can save him."

“Wait”, I said “if I need to save my future self why did it take you so long to ask me?” My future brother said “obra poison takes a while to work. Tonight is when he needs you. You can’t be in the future too long otherwise you will turn to dust and without the past there is no future."

Then my future brother clicked his fingers and we were in the Amazon.

“Whoa” I said, “now where is my future self?” “Exactly 1km away”, said my future brother, “we need to hurry.”

The rainforest around us was full of weird creatures some I didn’t even recognise. But we were walking really fast. Suddenly I could see my future self lying down about 3m away but 'oh no' I was starting to turn to dust! I ran and when I was about 10cm away I reached out and touched my future self. Suddenly I became whole again and my future self stood up and said “you saved me.”

“OK”, said my future brother “let’s take you home.” He clicked his fingers and I was in my bed. Then I said “what about the window?” My brother said “it will be fixed when you wake up”.

“OK”, I said and I went to sleep. When I woke up the window wasn’t broken and my future self and my future brother weren’t there. I guess I’ll find out in the future if I was dreaming.

Stewart House Donation Drive

Donations from Manly Vale Public School to Stewart House is $157.50. Thank you to all those parents who donated. Good luck in the draw!

P&C News

Trivia 2018 – Saturday 16 June

All you need to know is on the Events website. There are 3 things that you need to do this week:

1 – Trivia 2018 Tables – get organised!

To help keep it really simple to organise where everyone would like to sit - you need to be organised before you can buy your ticket online!

From Tuesday 22 May to Sunday 27 May you need to:

• chat with your mates
• decide on a theme for your table – NB! this year each table will have a table cloth only – you need to bring the rest and then take it home with you!!
• decide on a name for your table
• decide on who will head the table
• Email your table name, table head & number of people on your table (max 10) to manlyvalepcevents@outlook.com

When we release the tickets on Monday 29 May 2018, you’ll need to look for your table name / head person’s name when you buy your ticket. There are points on offer for the most creative table name, the most creative table theme, the best executed table theme! Start the night off well!

FIRST IN, BEST DRESSED PEOPLE.

2 – Hampers and prizes

Hampers: Like we did last year we will be asking for donations from each class to help make up hampers that will be auctioned on the night. To keep it simple, each year / class will be given a theme to ensure we get a wide variety of items. There will be more information coming via the class co-ordinators soon.

Prizes: If you are or you know someone who is in a position to donate a gift voucher, an experience, a big ticket item – please let us know.

3 – Can you help?

As with any community event, many hands make light work. If you can help with setting up the hall, creating trivia questions, cleaning up afterwards, sourcing prizes – please let us know by clicking below.

We can’t wait to enjoy a great community event with you – 2018 will see more trivia, less talking, more band, loads of fun! 4 weeks to go!!

P&C Committee

Canteen News

We have a new Volunteer time slot Thursdays and Fridays 11.30am – 1.30pm that has been added due to the increase of orders. If anyone can help on one of the vacant days/time slots please contact Robyn 0402 911 655 or email manlyvalepscanteen@gmail.com.

Canteen Volunteers Roster Term 2, 2018