22 October 2020

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

We have had a few staff members away for various reasons over the past few weeks but will welcome back Mr Dylan (6D), Mrs Abrahams (Learning and Support) and Mrs Luise Nealon (Office) next week. Thank you to the relieving staff members Mrs Sarah Humphreys and Ms Kate Lewis (6D), Mrs Wendie Hayfield (Learning and Support teacher) and to Ms Daniela Wareham who assisted in the administration office. Mrs Pam Davison is still recovering from heart surgery and we wish her all the best for a speedy recovery. Mrs Helen Simpson will remain in the office for another 4-5 weeks during Pam’s absence.

Leadership Day- Year 5

Last Monday 19 October our year 5 students took part in a Leadership virtual training day with the theme “Leading with heart”. The students enjoyed the activities and it was a great way to launch into our Leadership election process this term.

Year 5 students will have the opportunity to nominate for a variety of leadership positions including School Leaders, House Captains, Flag Monitors and Class Managers of the SRC. It is always a very exciting time for Year 5. Mrs Blackband and Mrs Ward will oversee the process this year.

Book Week Parade

On Wednesday our students were able to dress up and enjoy a grade/stage parade. There were some delightful costumes and our teachers always enjoy this time to dress up too. The theme for this year was “Curious Creative Creatures Wild Minds”. Mrs Webster our new librarian organised some guessing competitions and games in the lead- up to this week. We also had our virtual author visits late last term. Book Week is always such a memorable experience for the students and staff and we would all like to acknowledge and thank Mrs Webster for her efforts to create some fun and interesting activities around this year’s theme.

Farewell to Peter Snailham

Our most loved School Learning and Support Officer (SLSO) “Pete” as he is known to the students, has decided that after 20 years of service to the students and teachers of Manly Vale Public School, he will retire at the end of this year. We are all devastated to lose such a wonderful teacher from our staff and I know many parents and students will also miss him greatly.

We will hopefully be able to have a farewell for him towards the end of the year and allow students, staff and parents the opportunity to wish him all the best in his retirement.

Basketball Clinics- 26 October and 2 November

Next week we will have Mrs Radan’s husband a professional basketball coach and player in to run clinic for our Stage 3 students. The following week a clinic for the Stage 2 students will be organised. A big thank you to Mrs Radan for organising such a wonderful experience for our primary students. Some of our Year 2 students will also be able to participate in some of the sessions. Basketball is not a PSSA sport but we have many interested players so it is a great opportunity for these students. We look forward to “Rad” coaching our future Globe Trotters.

Kindergarten Orientation- 2 November, 9 November

We are excited to meet our 2021 Kindergarten students in week 3 and 5 this term. We are able to have face to face time with our new students, however parents are not able to stay at the school. The transition program enables us to observe the students in the classroom, and allow them to become familiar with the school setting.

Thank you to Mrs Oscroft who has prepared a wonderful “take home” book for our new students and to the Kindy team Mrs Robertson, Mrs O’Connor, Mrs Rae, Mrs Holman and Miss Mason for preparing some exciting activities for our new students first day at “Big School”.

Skip-A-Thon 2020

To raise funds for our school we will be having a whole school skip-a-thon on Friday 6 November. All students will participate. Sponsorship forms have been sent home this week with the idea that students collect donations that support 1 ½ hours of skipping activities. Grades will be separated for this event.

Please collect donations and then make a final payment on Flexischools to cover the sponsorship. All sponsorship forms must be returned to the class teacher by Friday 6 November. No cash will be accepted on the day.

Tumbarumba Bushfire fundraiser- $2400

Thank you to all parents and students who donated to our “Adopt a school” fundraiser last Friday. Students dressed in the Tumbarumba school colours of green and white and generously donated money to support the bushfire devastated community. Tumbarumba Public School will be very happy to receive close to $2400 to go towards financing excursions and camps for their students next year. As the fires destroyed lots of property and livelihoods of this community the school principal is unable to finance a lot of the extra-curricular activities the students love to participate in. Parents of this community are unable to finance these additional extra-curricular activities. If you wish to donate more money to this cause please send it in an envelope tomorrow.

The biggest fundraising classes were KM ($166.90) and 6D ($204.70). Thank you to everyone who participated and raised money for this public school, in the Riverina area, whose community was devastated by bushfires last January.

Classes for 2021

If you are leaving our school and do not require a class placement for 2021 could you please email the school. Teachers will be forming classes for 2021 towards the end of term. Classes are made by the classroom teachers and overseen by the executive staff. Parents may email the school regarding specialist needs or requirements, or matters of custody or family law that need to be adhered to when arranging classes.

The classroom teacher is the expert when it comes to children who work well together, or those students who require specific friendship support for the classroom. Parents are advised to leave these decisions up to the school. Please refrain from emailing the school regarding friendship groups or teacher requests for class placement next year.

Parking

Every week a neighbour calls the school with complaints of driveways being blocked due to parents illegally parking in the pick-up and drop off times. Please do not park across the neighbour’s driveways. There is plenty of parking just a short walk from the school. Please respect our neighbours and their property.

Tina Lee – Principal

Mrs Lee Poetry Reading

Year 5 were lucky enough to have a visit from Mrs Lee, donning her outback gear (Akubra and all), to kick start our poetry unit. Mrs Lee read The Man From Snowy River and explained the language and themes of this iconic bush ballad. The classroom was set up like a mini gallery displaying typical outback Australia to help set the scene. The students were enthralled by the ballad and the meaning behind it.

Thank you Mrs Lee for taking time out of your busy schedule to share this special poem with Year 5.

Year 5 Team

Book Week

Happy Book Week! This week we are celebrating our love of all-things-books! On Wednesday our school was a sea of colour with so many students and teachers dressed as wonderful book characters for Book Week Dress Up Day. We were so impressed with students’ creativity and their enthusiasm to celebrate their favourite books.

Curious Creature Wild Minds Challenge

We have had so many entries in to our Curious Creatures Wild Minds Challenge. Students have to figure out which book character is represented on each letter in our Book Week display – some letters are very tricky! All students who return an entry form to the library by Thursday week 2 will go in the draw to win a curious prize.

Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Winners

Over the last term we have been studying many of the CBCA shortlisted books for 2020. These books have been selected as the best Australian books published throughout the year, and winners from each category are announced during Book Week. Classes all have their individual favourites but the most popular book overall this year was “Hello Lighthouse” by Sophie Blackall.

Skip-a-thon- Friday 6 November

Friday 6 November 2020 (week 4), all children from K-6 will be participating in our school skip-a-thon. The children will be demonstrating their skipping skills across a range of rotational skipping activities. This is the main P & C fundraiser for 2020. This week your child has brought home a green sponsorship form. All sponsorship forms need to be handed in by Friday 6 November. Due to covid restrictions donations will be collected through Flexischools online. Students are encouraged to collect donations from family and loved ones and then parents deposit these amounts through their Flexischool accounts.

Year 5 Students - Selective High School Test, Year 7 2022

Year 5 students all received a note outlining the application process for Selective High School applications for Year 7 2022. Could you please return the permission note by next Friday 30 October if you would like your child to apply for Selective High. If we do not receive a reply we assume that you and your child are not applying.

The Selective High School Placement Test will be held on Thursday 11 March 2021.

If you would like to have your child considered for Year 7 selective high school entry in 2021, you need to apply on the internet.

Detailed instructions on how to apply online will be available at:

The application website opened at that link on 6 October 2020 and closes on 9 November 2020. You must apply online before the closing date.

There are no paper application forms. If you do not have internet access, you could apply at a public library. If you have a disability that prevents you from using a computer, you can contact the High Performance Unit for assistance.

TO APPLY YOU WILL NEED TO REGISTER AND THEN APPLY THROUGH THE HIGH PERFORMING STUDENTS WEBSITE.

If you have any further questions please contact Mrs Blackband via the school office.

Nicole Blackband

Canteen News

Welcome back to school.

This term's volunteering roster is up and running and we would love to see all of you signing up for one shift or more.

Please click on the below link to sign up.

PLEASE NOTE: Enclosed shoes MUST BE WORN for all shifts.

New to volunteering? Please be sure to list your phone number so we can contact you if necessary.

Shift Description

Involves helping to finalize all the lunch orders, placing the lunch orders in class boxes or on the counter and serving at the counter at lunch time

Due to COVID and the well-being of all of us, we ask that you do not do your shift if:

You or someone in your family is sick
You or someone in your family has travelled to a Hot spot in the 14 days leading up to your shift
You or someone in your family has travelled to Victoria in the 14 days leading up to your shift

From Wednesday this week we are allowing students to buy food/snacks over the counter at lunch time from 1pm to 130pm.

However, we would still prefer students to order via flexischools and it will also mean they can pick up their order at the start of lunch even if it's a frozen treat.

A reminder

If you need to cancel a flexi schools order you can ring the canteen on the day before 9:30 am and we can do it for you so as to avoid being charged.

Robyn, Kerry and Becky – Canteen

Scholastic Book Club

Scholastic brochures have been distributed. Orders are due Friday 30 October 2020.

Dates for your Diary

Community Notices