11 March 2021

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

The term seems to be flying by and with only 3 weeks until our Easter holidays we still have a lot to get through.

Zone Swimming Carnival - Friday 5 March

Congratulations to our school swimming team on their wonderful achievements at last week’s zone swimming carnival. There were some outstanding results from our swimmers and we are certainly proud of the way they participated and showed good sportsmanship at this event. Thank you to Mrs Ward, Mrs Birrell and Mr Dylan for accompanying the team. Results are attached to this newsletter.

Photo Day - Thursday 4 March

Last week we had our annual school photo day. Thank you to Mrs Radan for her work and organisation around the day. Photos can be ordered online. You may pay for your school photos via the secure online advancedorder web portal below specifically set up for our school using the unique 9-digit online order code P2B 27Y HEW.

P & C Meeting

We had our first P & C meeting for the year this week. The new committee is:

President - James Fewtrell
Secretary - Karen Murtgatroyd
Treasurer - Tony Sherlock
Class Coordinator Liaison - Kristen Te Pania

The new P & C website has been launched with thanks to Mrs Shay Gillings for all her work. You can visit the website by following the link below. Minutes from the meetings along with event details and news from the canteen, band and uniform shop are all available on this website. Thank you to all the Class Coordinators for their role in liaising between class parents and carers and the P & C.

The first fundraising event will be run by the Kindergarten parents. A Mother’s Day stall on Friday 7 May. Our next P & C meeting will be on Tuesday 27 April to further discuss the fundraising and events calendar and expectations. Kristen Te Pania will be in touch with the Kindergarten Class Coordinators closer to the event to outline the organisation of the stall.

P & C Funding Priorities for 2021

At the meeting the following list was presented to the P & C from the school. These are only some of the priorities for 2021. P & C also give generously to the band program, and employ canteen coordinators and a uniform shop coordinator. Fundraising and donations this year will be focused around these priorities.

Replacement of the fixed equipment - $50,000 +

Oval renovation - $3,000 per year
New laptops for additional classes - $19,730
Charging cabinet - $3,324
Hospitality - $500
New shelving for senior fiction and returns bin (Library) $5,963.

Volunteers

We are able to have volunteers in the uniform shop and canteen. With the uniform shop opening every Friday until the end of term we need volunteers to assist Wendie with sales. The canteen also needs parents to help out in the canteen especially Thursdays and Fridays. It is only a 1-1/2-hour commitment on the day. If you are able to volunteer in either the canteen or the uniform shop please use the volunteer form on the P & C website or email the school of your availability.

Café Owl Coordinator Required

With the COVID restrictions still requiring careful planning for events larger than 50 people we are unable to manage the opening of Cafe Owl this term. As restrictions ease we may be able to open Café Owl on a Friday morning next term but at the moment we don’t have a coordinator. Chris Nicholls has offered to be the chef, we still do not have a parent to coordinate the volunteers, purchasing of the rolls, buns and supplies and manage the cash flow. Thank you to Justine Northcott who previously did this job.

If you are interested in coordinating or volunteering in Café Owl on a Friday morning please complete the volunteer section on the P & C website, contact your Class Coordinator or email the school.

Autism Class - 2021

Manly Vale Public School has been selected to host an Autism class. The class would be for 5-8 students with high needs. It would be placed outside the OOSH space. Students must apply to get into the class. There may be 2 classes eventually put into the school but we are trialling 1 class at this stage. This is a great opportunity for our teachers and students and community. The class is due to open in term 3 of this year.

Class Coordinators

Thank you to all the parents who volunteered to be Class Coordinators for this year. We had an informative induction meeting on Monday 1 March. All Class Coordinators will now be formulating email lists. For those parents who were not at the information evenings you can be included on the list by completing the slip sent home with your child, giving permission for your details to be shared with the class. These email lists are only to be used as distribution lists for school and P & C matters. Please do not use the list to advertise your business or promote out of school events. Thanks Kristen Te Pania for agreeing to be the liaison again this year.

School Fees

The whole school program fee covers the additional resources and programs not covered by the DoE funding. These include gym (Paul - qualified instructor) dance Ms Vanessa (Kindergarten – Year 2 Concert) dance Ms Vanessa (Years 3-4 Hip Hop) Thabang (Dancesport - Year 5) Dance to be Fit (Year 6 graduation night).

CAPA fees cover the additional special requirements for K-6 art and craft. School magazine and text books are for textbooks including handwriting, Maths mentals and large display books for art portfolios.

Voluntary contributions - $90 per child. This goes into Learning and Support programs including additional School Learning and Support Officers, computer maintenance and the employment of a technician, gifted and talented programs and licences (Maths 100) registrations for competitions, welfare and awards, additional resources for classrooms.

No excursions have been put on school fees at this time due to the changing environment with the COVID regulations. Incursions for Book Week and Science Week have been added but no excursions or PSSA costs. These will be charged as a pay as you go charge.

Strategic Directions

As a school we have completed the evaluation of the last school plan. Over the past 3 years we have full implemented; 6 new syllabi, collaborative teaching using flexible furniture and spaces, 1:1 device for teaching and learning in Kindergarten to year 6, established a whole school well-being program which included mindfulness and life skills along with a cumulative reward and award system. Teachers have created school-based scope and sequences for all Key Learning Areas and assessment schedules for every grade. As a school we now have a formalised transition program between Stage 3 and high school, along with the local feeder preschools.

All staff are accredited as Proficient Teachers and all follow the PDP (Personal Development Plan) process. Goals and directions are set by the school executive team and professional learning is based around these goals and directions. Staff have been trained in digital technology syllabus, Life skills well-being and mindfulness, teaching students with special needs including autism, embedding technology into practice, literacy and numeracy interventions, using data to evaluate practice and programs and the impact they have on student’s learning, Aboriginal education and local history.

All of this along with building a new school. Out of this evaluation and using the data from surveys and workshops conducted with teachers, parents and students over the past few months we have drafted some strategic direction for our new Strategic Improvement Plan (S.I.P) for the next 4 years. These draft school directions were discussed at P & C last week. Thank you to all the parents who attended and have given some ideas and suggestions around the directions.

Draft - MVPS Strategic Directions 2021-2024:

1. In order to maximise student learning outcomes in reading and numeracy and to build strong foundations for academic success, we will further develop and refine data driven teaching practices that are responsive to the learning needs of students.
2. In order to maximise students learning outcomes teachers will develop high expectations for students, explicit and collaborative teaching practice, provide effective feedback whilst maintaining a positive classroom climate.
3. In order to improve students’ sense of belonging we need to build resilience so as to become happy, productive global citizens.

COVID Guidelines

The new guidelines were emailed to parents this week. No big changes as we were already allowing parents onto the school site. Parents are still unable to go directly to classrooms without signing in at the office. Pick up and drop off will remain at the front grass area to avoid the signing in. There is however flexibility to host events as long as we follow a COVID plan for over 50 people. The plan must reflect the guidelines regarding social distancing and hygiene practices.

We will now be able to:

1. Have 2 parents at the parent/teacher interviews in week 9
2. Host parents at assemblies and special events - banner assembly in week 9
3. Run our choir and additional programs for performances later this year
4. Have parent volunteers in classrooms (term 2 onwards), uniform shop, canteen, and to assist with additional programs. Sign in is compulsory at the office
5. A COVID safety plan is required for all events with over 50 students.

Sign in and out is only to be done for late and early arrivals. Not for pick up and drop of students in the mornings and afternoons.

Parking and Traffic

We have staggered the pickup time to allow for movement of cars and additional parking. Kindergarten and siblings are dismissed at 2.50pm so that parents can park easily then leave immediately so as to provide spots for the second round of pickups. Please try and leave promptly to allow for parents of older students to get a park. No children are allowed to play on the fixed equipment when there is not a teacher to supervise. Please do not allow your child to play on the equipment during this pick-up time.

Tina Lee – Principal

Deputy Principal’s Report

Tell Them From Me student feedback survey

I am delighted that this term, our school, like many other public schools in the state, will participate in a Department of Education initiative: the Tell Them From Me student feedback survey. The survey measures factors that are known to affect academic achievement and other student outcomes. The focus of the NSW-wide survey is on student wellbeing, engagement and effective teaching practices.

The survey is a great opportunity for our students to provide us with valuable and quick feedback on what they think about school life, how engaged they are with school and the different ways that teachers interact with them. More than 6,300 schools in Australia and around the world have used Tell Them From Me to survey 5.4 million students. Capturing the voices of our students will help improve how we do things at our school.

I want to assure you that the survey is confidential. The survey is conducted online and will typically take less than 20 minutes to complete. It will be administered during school hours between 16 March and 30 April. Participating in the survey is entirely voluntary.

If you do not wish for your child to participate please print off the non-consent form from the link below and please return the form to school by Monday 15 March. Copies of the form and FAQs are available from:

Translated forms can also be found at the link above.

Further information for parents and carers can be found

If you would like further information regarding the survey and a detailed parent FAQ can be found at:

Parent Contact Class Lists

Thank you to all the parents who completed the QR code for our parent contact lists for your child’s class. We have created class lists from this data which our class coordinators will soon be sharing to the parents on the lists. If you haven’t yet shared your parent contact details please print off the form below and return it to your child’s teacher. The class coordinator will add your details from the form. Thank you again to our incredible class coordinators.

Wishing everyone a wonderful week!

Sharon Oscroft - Deputy Principal

Dates for your Diary

High School Expression of Interest – Year 6

Just a reminder that all high school EOI forms are due back by this Friday 12 March. If you require guidance on completing your child’s form please contact Mrs Blackband via the school office.

Library Monitors

Rugby League News

Well done to all the students who went to the combined Manly/Pittwater/Warringah PSSA Zone Rugby League trials last Thursday. Congratulations to Alexander Matheson (Opens) and Harrison Bromiley (11 Years) for being successful at the trials and will now trial at the end of this month against other combined zones for selection in the Sydney North teams. Best of luck boys!

Tennis Champ

On Tuesday Oliver Prosek 6R, Mason Macphee 6W and Alejandro Bernal-Granados 5BC competed at the Sydney North Regional Tennis trials. All three played their best tennis and represented Manly Vale Public School and Manly PSSA with pride. This was an awesome effort by all three boys and after a whole day of competition Mason was successful in making the State Tennis Team! What an amazing result Mason and good luck at the State Championships in April.

Zone Swimming News

Last Friday our Zone Swimming Team went to Warringah Aquatic Centre to compete in the Manly PSSA annual swimming carnival. All swimmers swam their best. Jules Huisman, Hudson McLaren, Joel Cowell, Reuben Te Pania, Charli Gower, Hannah Huisman and Charli Lehmann were all successful in making their 50m Freestyle final. Hudson came 1st in his 9 years 50m Freestyle final and Hannah Huisman also came 1st in the 11 years 50m Freestyle final.

Hannah also came 3rd in the Junior Girls Open 100m Freestyle, 2nd in the 11 Years Breaststroke, 2nd in the 11 years Backstroke and 1st in the 11 years Butterfly and she was awarded 11 Years Girls Champion at the end of the carnival. Wonderful effort Hannah! Reuben came 2nd in the Junior IM and our Senior Girls Relay Team: Hannah, Charlie, Isabella Entwistle and Iona Roy came 2nd. Congratulations to these swimmers who are off to the Regional Swimming carnival representing Manly PSSA.

Thank you to all students, Mr Dylan and Mrs Birrell for their wonderful involvement at the Zone Swimming Carnival.

Melinda Ward

Scholastic Book Club

Book club brochures were distributed this week. Orders are due back at school no later than Monday 22 March 2021.

Canteen News

Volunteers

We are very grateful to everyone who has come in to help in the canteen so far this term. However, we do still have lots of shifts which need filling so if you are can help at all, please follow this link and sign up:

Kerry, Robyn & Becky – Canteen Supervisors

Community Notices

Play Soccer in 2021

Manly Vale Football Club have a few more spots to fill on their U6-9 teams. Mixed and/or girls. Sign up now so you don’t miss out! You can use active kids vouchers to register.

Email Andrew for more info: vpsubjuniors@manlyvalefc.com.au

School Information