12 December 2019

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

It is hard to believe that this is the last newsletter for 2019. The year seems to have flown by. This time of year always brings mixed emotions for students, staff and parents. Sadness at leaving the classes that we have known and worked with this year, farewelling friends and families that are moving onto new schools, but excitement for the holiday and festive season and the anticipation of 2020.

It has been a fabulous year in our new school and we look forward to having the full extent of our playground space next year. Thank you for your patience and congratulations to all the staff and students who have been so flexible and accommodating of all the changes around them this year.

I would like to farewell all those students who will be taking up the challenge of the Opportunity Classes at Neutral Bay and Balgowlah Heights Public Schools Thomas Bradley and Emily Zhang and wish them all the best in their new schools. Farewell to other families who are returning to overseas homes and moving interstate, and to Mr Chapman and his family who are moving to Wagga Wagga. Good luck with your move.

We will also say goodbye to Mrs Ann Baleisis after 20 years of service to Manly Vale Public School. Ann will retire at the end of the year and will be greatly missed. Jun Ou our computer technician for this year also leaves us to go and assist with another school next year. Jun has been a tremendous support to teachers and students during the implementation of the 1:1 devices this year.

Year 6 2019

Last week we acknowledged our year 6 students in the Celebration of Learning assemblies. They started Manly Vale Public School in 2013 and now move onto various high schools and new challenges in 2020. They have been a fantastic group of leaders and buddies for our school and will be greatly missed next year. It is always with a great deal of sadness that we say good bye to our year 6 students at the end of the year. Good luck in high school and please come back and visit us next year.

Thank you to our school leaders Mia Lougher, Joshua Slatter, Callum Matheson, Diya Malhotra, Talia Stedman, Toby Marsters, Tilly Graham and Jake Van De Water for the outstanding job they did in leading the Year 6 and the SRC this year, and thank you also for hosting the Celebration of Learning last week. Special recognition to Emily Levingston and Mia Lehman for assisting during that assembly with the sound.

Year 6 will be officially farewelled in their final assembly next Monday 16 December at 1.00pm, and clapped out of the school on Wednesday 18 December at approximately 2.40pm.

2020 School Leaders

Congratulations to our 2020 school leaders:

Farewell Mrs Lucey

Next Wednesday 18 December we will farewell one of our amazing teachers Mrs Lucey as she takes a year’s maternity leave. Mrs Lucey has done an amazing job as the Kindergarten Assistant Principal this year and will be greatly missed in that role next year. Mrs Lucey leads our choir, works on the WHS team in keeping a school safe, leads Kindergarten, leads the technology committee K-2, assists with timetabling, programming, and planning and runs the Kindergarten Orientation program at the school. Liaising with local Kindergartens and making our new families feel supported and welcome at our school. She works tirelessly for the students in her class and is always willing to lend a hand in any form of organisation whole school including CAPA night, dance concerts, Remembrance Day ceremonies, carnivals, picnic days and the list goes on. She will be greatly missed next year and we wish her and her husband Gary all the best as their welcome a new brother or sister for Oliver in the new year. Thank you Mrs Lucey.

Reports

End of year reports went home this week. These reports are a reflection of how your child is performing according to grade and stage expectations. A “sound” ranking means that they have achieved the necessary standard to meet the outcomes according to grade and stage expectations. “Sound” is an excellent achievement for students. Some students will receive a “High” or Outstanding” ranking if they are performing above the grade/stage level in that area. Work samples are assessed according to grade expectations and sometimes students are performing well above the grade norm and do receive a “high” or an “outstanding” assessment score. This is not usual. Most students will achieve “sound” on their reports and should be extremely proud of their achievements as it has meant that they have satisfactorily achieved the grade standard in that area of the curriculum.

Please take this explanation into account when reviewing reports. Sometimes students can score a “high” in one area of English and then due to the change in outcome expectations can be ranked at “sound” at the end of the year. Please read the outcome statement carefully to see what was being assessed.

Minifest

Last Friday we held our Minifest organised and run by our year 6 students. The students thoroughly enjoyed the waterslide, laser tag, sponge throwing and many other activities. Money raised goes towards the year 6 gift to the school. We also asked for a ‘mufti’ donation for the Bushfire Appeal and are happy to announce we collected just over $1,000.

Talent Quest 2019

Last Tuesday we held our School Talent Quest 2019. There were amazing acts on display including dance groups, joke telling duos, a magic show, singers and dramatic and acrobatic acts. The students really enjoyed being entertained for the day. Thank you to every student who performed on the day and to Ms Pembroke and Ms Stacey for organising the event. Congratulations to our Talent Quest winners:

Henry Smith – KM - reciting the 36 times tables
Isabelle Earle – 4M – for her beautiful singing rendition.

Canteen - Outstanding IOUs

Robyn and Kerry always provide a lunch for students who don’t have one and follow it up with invoices to parents. Please pay your outstanding IOUs by this Friday to avoid the follow up phone call from Mrs Lee.

School Fees - Outstanding

Next week calls will be made to follow up reminders of outstanding fees. Please finalise all payments by this Friday 13 December.

Wednesday 18 December - Final School Day

Next Wednesday is our final day of school with staff development days scheduled for the Thursday and Friday. If you are requiring care for these days please make contact with the PrimaryOSHcare on 0430 369 288 to make a booking. No teachers will be on duty on Thursday 19/12 or Friday 20/12 so alternative arrangements need to be made.

Holiday Works

During the school holidays there will be holiday works conducted on the site. There is no access for students or the community (other than the PrimaryOSH care holiday program) during this break. All playground works are due to be finalised during these holidays. Please see attached flyer from the Department of education regarding works conducted during this time.

Happy Holidays

May I take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy and safe holiday. Thank you to all our parents and volunteers for supporting the school this year. Thank you to our wonderful teachers for their dedication to the students at Manly Vale Public School and to the amazing executive team Carol Speight, Nicole Blackband, Catherine Thompson, Patrick Dylan and Karen Lucey for their leadership this year.

Special thanks to our amazing office team Pam Davison, Luise Nealon, Annabel Marsden and Ann Baleisis for all they do each and every day to support teacher, students and staff at the school. They often work behind the scenes and we forget to acknowledge and thank all they do for all of us.

Enjoy a well-deserved break and we look forward to seeing you all back next year. Students commence school on the following dates:

Years 1-6 - Wednesday 29 January 2020
Kindergarten - Thursday 30 January 9.00am-10.00am - Meet the Teacher followed by Best Start one to one interviews
Thursday 30 January, Friday 31 January & Monday 3 February – Kindergarten Best Start interviews
Tuesday 4 February - first full day of Kindergarten 9.30am – 2.30pm.

Tina Lee - Principal

Dates for Your Diary

Back to School Stationery Packs 2020

Each school year, parents are asked to provide some essential stationery items for their children. This year, we have joined in partnership with Humphreys Office Supplies to provide all of these stationery items straight to the classroom for 2020. To order follow the steps in the Stationery Packs Letter attached. Our school code for orders is MVPS2020. Instructions on how to order can also be found on Manly Vale’s website

Junior Girls Eagle Tag - champion of champions!

Last Thursday our junior girls eagle tag team played for the “champions of champions” title at Forestville. It was a scorching hot day and the girls battled hard and won solidly against Narrabeen. The final score was 3-1 and the girls were crowned “champion of champions”! Well done team. Thanks parents for all your wonderful support.

Lisa Cash and Bianca Martin

School Student Transport Scheme 2020 Applications (including Opal Cards)

School Student applications for 2020 open from Friday 11 October 2019. Students progressing to year 3 and year 7 do not need to re-apply if they:

• Are continuing at the same school;
• Are residing at the same address;
• Have not been sent an expiry notification from Transport of NSW.

Where a student meets a new distance eligibility, the system will automatically update their entitlement. If they do not meet the new eligibility, they will receive an expiry notification.

Term Bus Pass holders will receive a notification to re-apply.

If students need to update their information or re-apply, they should go online to:

Applications need to be submitted before 31 December 2019 to ensure student entitlements are updated and their current entitlement/card is not cancelled. If their application is submitted after 31 December 2019, the system will automatically cancel a card and a new one will need to be issued.

Students in the Opal network applying for a SSTS or Term Bus Pass entitlement for the first time will receive their card at their nominated postal address. Cards will be mailed out from January 2020.

Transport NSW

Only 1 Café Owl Friday left in 2019

Don’t miss out. We’d love to see you this Friday at our popular Café Owl breakfast club.

Where: Old canteen building in the top playground, carpark entrance
When: 8.00-9.00am
What’s on the menu: Bacon & egg rolls, hash browns, hot drinks, flavoured milk & juices
Who’s invited: Children, parents, grandparents, friends
Why come: Meet up with friends for a community breakfast, where all money raised goes back to the school. Check out the newly opened outdoor space and listen to school band buskers play their instruments.

PS: Cash orders only but credit card coming in 2020!

Canteen News

As the term draws to a close over the coming days some of the canteen food items and meals will not be available through flexi schools and over the counter as we are not re stocking until the start of next year term 1. We are sorry for any inconvenience this might cause but we do ask for your understanding

Help needed in the canteen for the last day of the school term. If you are able to spare a few hours we would love for you to sign up on the following link below.

Term 1 2020 roster will be coming out soon so please keep an eye out for it and sign up.

Kerry, Becky and I would like to this opportunity to thank all the many volunteers for giving so generously of their time to help in the canteen this year. There is no way we could have achieved and served all the many lunches, recess without your help. We look forward to seeing you all again next year and to those parents who are finishing up this year a special thank you goes to you.

May you all have a restful and enjoyable Christmas holiday, wishing you all a very Happy Christmas.

Kerry, Robyn & Becky – Canteen Coordinators

Canteen Volunteers Roster Term 4, 2019

Community Notices

Young Investigators Science Club

Young Investigators Science Club is coming to Manly Vale Public in 2020!! For more information or to book a place please visit the link below.

Robokids @ Manly Vale Public School 2020

Join Robokids for Lego WeDo building & coding in Terms 1 & 2 at Manly Vale Public School in 2020! Our award-winning after school programs are engaging and fun!

When: Wednesday afternoons, starting at 3.00pm (Week 2 of Term 1)
Who: Years 1 - Year 3
Where: At Manly Vale Public School!

A fun 10 weeks of building, coding & programming. Students will undertake computational thinking concepts such as algorithms, data-collection, representation & analysis, pattern recognition, logical thought patterns & sequencing, all pitched to the appropriate age level. To book a place at the link below:

Kids Christmas Club

Get excited for Kids Christmas Club, Thursday 19 & Friday 20 December 2019, 8.30am-5.00pm at Christ Church Northern Beaches, 3 King Street, Manly Vale. Two fun days for primary school kids to spend together celebrating Christmas. Christmas themed activities, craft and fun with lots of friends! To book a place click at the link below.

Harbord Scout’s Christmas Trees

Christmas trees & stands, Christmas cakes & puddings will be available through Harbord Scouts.

Northern Beaches Council Summer Vacation Care

Bookings for Summer 2020 are now open at the link below.

Middle Harbour Yacht Club Learn to Sail Summer Camps

Cricket Holiday Camps for boys & girls

Queenscliff Netball Club