18 February 2021

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

It has been a wonderful week hosting all of our parents at the Kindergarten, Stage 1 and Stage 3 Information evenings. The teachers have really enjoyed meeting their new class and their parents and we hope that it has been an informative evening for you all. Thank you to all of the parents who, willingly volunteered for the Class Coordinator role this year. We hope it won’t be as big a commitment as last year with the online learning phase! Thanks To Kristen Te Pania who has again offered to liaise with all the Class Coordinators and represent them at P & C meetings. The Class Coordinator role is such an important one in our school as it is the main communication line for parents, teachers and P & C. We will have our induction for all Class Coordinators on Monday 1 March at 2.15pm in the school hall. If you unable to make it try and send other parents from your child’s class to attend the meeting. Please rsvp the school or Kristen Te Pania on kikiwilliam@gmail.com

Stage 2 – Year 3 & 4 Information Night - Wednesday 24 February at 6.00pm

Please ensure that one parent attends this evening to collect the information and organisation for the year. Teachers will meet the parents in their classrooms for 1 hour only. Please proceed straight to classrooms where you will need to sign in using the QR code as well as the visitor sign on sheets. This is purely an information night. Parents will not be able to have a one to one interview with the teachers during this time. Interviews will take place later in the term.

Swimming Carnival 2021

Last Thursday 11 February we had our first carnival for the year. We had spectacular weather and enjoyed maximum participation rates for all our students. Thank you to Mrs Birrell and Mrs Ward who did an amazing job organising the day and to all the staff (including the extras…Barry and Grant our general assistants, Mrs Webster our librarian and Mrs Warnock our fabulous announcer, for assisting with the day as we were not able to have parent volunteers. Thank you to all the parents who adhered to the COVID guidelines and directions for the day and did not attend the carnival. Although disappointing for all it was terrific to have the event and not be worried about adverse reactions from the community regarding non-compliance. Thanks also to Jono Colwell who always looks after us so well at the Manly Boy Charlton pool. We are so lucky to have one of our parents as the manager there.

The highlight for many of the children was the visit to the canteen and having their own money to spend. This was the first time that we had allowed this (and maybe the last!) but certainly enjoyed by all (except Mrs Lee who was on the canteen all day).

Congratulations to all our swimmers and to every child who went in an event and received a house point! The students all enjoyed time together chanting and cheering and being with their friends. Although it was a very different carnival it was still enjoyable for all who attended. Thanks to the teachers for their dedication, commitment and flexibility to ensure that these events keep happening for our students.

Dance and Gym Program

Our school dance and gym programs have now begun. Every student from Kindergarten to Year 6 will participate in some form of dance and gym provided by external providers. Our dance program for Terms 1 & 2 is run by Ms Vanessa from Limelite Dance Academy. Ms Vanessa will take all students from Kindergarten to Year 2 for dance once a week culminating in a K-2 Dance concert at the end of Term 2.

Paul our gym instructor is working with Stage 3 students this term Years 5 and 6 will participate in half an hour of gym on a Thursday. These programs are at a cost to parents and will be invoiced later this term as part of the Whole School program.

Scripture SRE and Ethics SEE - begins next week

Next Wednesday 24 February our SRE and SEE program begins. Yesterday we had our orientation and inductions of our new volunteer teachers and we would like to take this opportunity to thank all these volunteers for their time and commitment to SRE and SEE.

SRE and SEE is on every Wednesday morning from 9.00am – 9.35am. These classes are supervised by classroom teachers however the teaching and curriculum is provided by external bodies not the Department of Education. If you wish to find out more about the curriculum of these organisations please feel free to access the links below.

robin@ccnb.org.au

If you wish to change or alter your child’s SRE or SEE class please write to the school and the request will be processed at the end of each term. The organisation of these classes is extensive and time consuming. Thank you to Mrs Clair O’Connor who manages this organisation for the school.

P & C Meeting - Tuesday 9 March 7.00pm

We will hold our first P & C meeting for the year. At this meeting the school’s directions for the next 4 years will be discussed along with feedback from parents and students’ surveys. Spending priorities for the year will be presented by Mrs Lee and an explanation of class structure and organisation will be given. Volunteer positions and the role of the Class Coordinators will be discussed along with the set-up of Band, Canteen and Uniform Shop. Fundraising ideas will be another point on the agenda. These meetings are a forum for parents to get involved and discover what is happening in the school. All are welcome to come along. Our first meeting will be in the staffroom at school. We look forward to all parents attending P & C meetings.

Band Meeting – Wednesday 3 March

We will have our first band meeting on Wednesday 3 March in the staff room. All parents connected to the band are welcome to attend. Performances for the year, tutors and band memberships, camp and fundraising events will be discussed at this meeting. Please feel free to come long and find out more about our school Band program.

Parking Problems

We are having a lot of issues with parents choosing to park illegally around the school. Our neighbour across the road from the administration block is unable to get in and out of his driveway as parents park in the “No Stopping” zone right near the crossing on Gibbs Street.

Please be aware of our local community and allow them to enter and exit their driveways in the morning and afternoon. No cars should be stopping in these “No Stopping” zones at pick up and drop off times. Please just park down the street so that driveways are not blocked. There is plenty of parking further down the road towards King Street. Your cooperation and consideration are greatly appreciated.

Photo Day - Thursday 4 March - full school uniform is required on this day

We have our annual school photo day on Thursday 4 March. Please ensure your child comes to school with the correct uniform including plain black shoes for the photo. Haircuts and styles may need to be organised this week in preparation for the day.

PSSA Training

Volleyball, Newcomb Ball and T-Ball teams will train at school from 8.10am on Friday mornings and Eagle Tag will practice down at David Thomas at 8.10am and walk back to school.

Tina Lee – Principal

Dates for your Diary

School Photos

Our Manly Vale Public School photos are fast approaching. On Thursday 4 March (Week 6), Advanced Life Photos will be at our school to take photos of the whole school, classes and families/siblings.

In Week 4, children will be sent home with an order form envelope outlining different options for photos if you wish to purchase them. You may pay for your school photos via the secure online advancedorder web portal at the link below specifically set up for our school using the unique 9-digit online order code P2B 27Y HEW. Parents who place their order online DO NOT need to return the order envelope. Only families who wish to pay via cheque or cash will need to return the order envelope to the school prior to photo day.

Sibling/family photos may be ordered online using the same code above or via a special sibling order envelope which can be collected at the office. Please note that sibling photos are only for siblings who are enrolled at Manly Vale Public School.

Please ensure that your child/children come to school on photo day wearing their neatest and cleanest, correct full school uniform and presentable hair.

Please note that students who do not have permission to be photographed WILL be included in the full school photo or their class photo.

Ellie Radan and Sarah Birrell

Year 6 High School Information Evening – Monday 1 March 2021, 6.00pm

Year 6 parents are invited to attend an information evening on Monday 1 March, 6.00pm in the Manly Vale Public School Hall. At this session you will hear from our two local high school principals, Christine Del Gallo (Mackellar Girls) and Paul Sheather (Balgowlah Boys). There will also be the opportunity to ask questions about the two campuses.

Following this session Mrs Blackband will distribute the NSW High School Expression of Interest forms and guide you through how to fill them in. Please remember to complete the COVID sign in upon your arrival.

Any questions please contact or email Mrs Blackband via the school office.

Swimming Carnival

Thank you to all the staff and students for their wonderful involvement at the Swimming Carnival last Thursday. The weather was fantastic and participation from the children was excellent. Thank you to the huge majority of parents who respected the school’s request for no parents to attend the carnival. I would like to extend a special thanks to all the extra staff that were involved in helping out on the day with timekeeping, your efforts were appreciated.

Ribbons and announcement of the winning house will be announced at Friday morning assembly. A note will be sent home with children soon if they are to attend the Zone Carnival on Friday 5 March (no PSSA that week). Students who had the fastest 3 times in the 50m freestyle, or the 2 fastest times in all other events will represent Manly Vale Public School at this carnival.

Congratulations to all the children who participated and the wonderful achievements.

Melinda Ward and Sarah Birrell

2S ‘Rolling with the Waves’ Display

2S Setting Personal Learning Goals 2021

Year 2 Say Sorry Day

5T Self Portraits

KCH Valentine’s Day

Stage 2 University of Newcastle Research Project

This year, year 3S & 4B students will be participating in an exciting new research project on teacher professional development. The research is being undertaken by the University of Newcastle, commencing in Term 1, 2021. Children will be invited to participate in this project if their teacher is involved. Invitations will be sent out to relevant classes in due course.

Participating students in 3S & 4B will complete some surveys and assessments as part of their usual school activities. All names will be removed and only student numbers will be given to the research team so that they can link survey and assessment results with NAPLAN and school attendance data.

If you have a child in 3S & 4B and do not want the research team to have access to these data, you can opt-out on your child’s behalf via a form that will be sent home with your child in the coming days. For further information about the research, please visit the research website at the link below or call the research team on (02) 4921 5351.

Catherine Thomson - Stage 2 Assistant Principal

School Uniform

We have had many enquiries as to what is considered to be the school uniform. The definition of uniform according to the Macquarie dictionary is “a distinctive dress of uniform style, materials and colour worn by and identifying all the members of a group or organisation e.g. school”

This means that the uniform should look the same on every student so that financial status or peer acceptance does not become a means for discrimination amongst students and families.

The uniform at Manly Vale Public School is very affordable for all families. You are able to clothe your children in a tunic style dress, skorts or shorts (red) with a white polo shirt. Plain black school shoes should be worn with this combination of dress.

The plain black shoes can be leather, canvas or runners but they must be plain black. All black. Not black with white soles, or blue laces, or a white NIKE tick on the side. Just plain black. White ankle socks should be worn with the shoes. Not socks where you can’t see them above the shoe.

Runners of any colour or sports shoes can only be worn 1 day per week and that is a sports day. This is Friday for years 3-6 and other days for years K-2. Not gym day or dance day. These activities require students to take their shoes off and so therefore they can wear their school shoes.

Students who do not wear the correct black shoes during the school day will not receive house points towards the uniform award.

Canteen News

Canteen Volunteers Needed

We are in need of volunteers for the following spots next week. No experience is needed.

Thursday 25 February - 11.30am-1.30pm
Friday 26 February – 9.00am-11.30am
Friday 26 February - 11.30am-1.30pm

Please sign up via the following link:

Flexischools

Apologies for the problems we have had for the last two Fridays. Flexischools assure us that they have sorted out the error now, but it might be a good idea to place your order before the Friday morning rush if you can.

Cash

Please keep an eye on how much cash your child is bringing to school to spend at the canteen. We have had several children at the counter with $10 or more in the last couple of weeks, we don’t allow them to spend the whole amount in one break time of course. $2 or $3 is plenty to get yummy treat or two.

Recycling

We are encouraging the children to return their recyclable drink containers, juice cups, sushi containers back to the canteen so that we can recycle them with our recyclables. We will give them a Superkids voucher for returning their items to encourage them to do the right thing.

PSSA Sport and canteen orders

If you child has made a PSSA team, when ordering on Flexischools for Friday, you must say YES to the PSSA option (otherwise your child’s lunch will not be ready at the earlier time). No hot food (including toasties) can be ordered.

Reminders

We are sending out email reminders for unpaid canteen orders. Please either send in amounts owing via envelopes sent home or via the Flexischool’s IOU section.

Robyn, Kerry and Becky - Canteen Managers

Community Notices

Manly Roos ‘Try Rugby’ Day

School Information