19 August 2021

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

This week has been Science Week and I know that the students have been doing a lot of fun experiments at home. Thank you to our wonderful Science team Ms Fisk, Mrs Holman, Mrs McManus and Mrs Hacking for the interesting lessons you have been planning for online learning over the past few weeks and the engaging experiments planned for this week. The theme for this year was “Food: Different by Design.” This theme honours the United Nations Year of Fruits and Vegetables and the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables, and the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development.

Virtual events and activities can be found by following the link below.

Home - National Science Week

Congratulations to all students for their engagement in Science Week remotely this week. Special mention to some of our Year 6 students Zak Nethery, Isaac Lau and Alex Black for their group coding project and to Natasha Li for her role play of the “States of Matter.”

LEARNING FROM HOME GALLERY

KINDY LEARNING FROM HOME GALLERY

YEAR 5 LEARNING FROM HOME GALLERY

Farewell Robison Family

Sadly, we are losing one of our families during this lockdown period as they relocate to Queensland. Jason (4S) and Tahlia (1Y) Robison and their parents Kirsty and Matt will begin a new adventure in Queensland. Thank you Kirsty for your commitment to the Class Coordinator role in both 1Y and 4S this year. The new Class Coordinators for these classes are Anna Green (1Y) and Sally Likely (4S). Thanks Anna and Sally for taking on these roles for the remainder of the year.

Learning and Support - Mrs Cadence Abrahams

Mrs Abrahams our Learning and Support teacher will be making contact with some of our families over the next few Wednesdays to check in and see how the remote learning is going with our children who need additional support. Classroom teachers will be referring students to Mrs Abrahams additional programming support. Congratulations to all parent/teachers for the work you are doing at home. We realise it isn’t easy when students require one to one support for learning.

Band Rehearsals - Zoom

Thank you, Ben and Carlos for trying to keep our Band students rehearsing and playing during this lockdown period. Zoom rehearsals are now being trialled on:

Monday - Senior Band – 1.00 -1.45pm
Tuesday - Junior Band -1.00 -1.45pm.

Please be sure to keep up with all correspondence from Band Liaisons over the next few weeks regarding rehearsals. Regular practice is required for all musicians.

2022 Kindergarten Open Day - Tuesday 14 September (Parents only)

We have had to cancel our face to face open day for next Monday 23 August and replace it with a virtual Q & A zoom session on Tuesday 14 September at 10.00am. An email will go out to all families on our current Kindergarten database this week explaining the log in details and allow you to lodge questions you need answered. If you haven’t enrolled for next year please do so as we need your contact details for our orientation program beginning on 14 September. Kindergarten transition days will be confirmed on the Q & A session.

Remote Learning - Feedback Zoom with Mrs Lee

Thank you to our wonderful community in your efforts to home school this term. It has been an extremely difficult time for parents and teachers, but we are all staying positive in the hope we will be back to face to face teaching for Term 4. There will be an opportunity for Class Coordinators to liaise and give feedback regarding the Learning from Home programs later this term, via a zoom with the Principal Mrs Lee. Please email or talk to your Class Coordinator with any questions or concerns you wished raised in that Zoom.

Farewell Mrs Bianca Martin - Welcome Ms Erin Jones

Mrs Bianca Martin will finish her time with 4M at the end of next week Friday 27 August. Ms Erin Jones joins us next week to take over the role as classroom teacher on 4M. Ms Jones is a very experiences Stage 2 teacher who also holds a position as a consultant at Corvin Australia (the home of visual learning and research centre for John Hattie). We are very lucky to have engaged such an excellent educator and experienced teacher with a passion for learning and a strong student focus.

Mrs Martin will be a great loss to 4M and the staff of Manly Vale Public School. We wish her and her husband Pat all the best for the birth of their first child and look forward to a visit next term. Thank you, Mrs Martin, also for your commitment to dance this year and for your assistance with the preparation of the K-2 dance concert and the school dance ensembles.

Dancesport - Virtual events

Attached to this newsletter are some special virtual family events run by Dancesport Australia. Please feel free to break up your days at home with some ballroom dancing lessons.

Latin Lunch

The students in Year 5 have loved their Dancesport classes and this may be an opportunity for the whole family to join in the fun. Online ballroom dancing classes are also available for years 3-6 students. Enrolment can be made through the website

Support for Families

Some helpful links below:

Provides free, reliable, up-to-date and independent information to help families grow and thrive together. Contains information on COVID-19 and how to help your family cope.

Information on how to stay safe online during the COVID –19 pandemic

Provides telephone counselling, information and referral service for parents and carers of children ages 0 to 18 who live in New South Wales. Ph: 1300 130 052

Brings together families, support services and community resources so that our children and young people are safe and well. Ph: 1800 066 757

Information, advice and strategies to help you manage your wellbeing and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ph: 1800 512 358

Resources for parents and carers to best support their children and reduce worry and distress during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tina Lee – Principal

Dates for your Diary

Library News

Premier’s Reading Challenge

The 2021 Premier’s Reading Challenge will be closing soon so for Year 3-6 now is the perfect time to record all of those extra books you’ve been reading lately. This year we are running a competition to see which primary class will have the most students complete. The class to beat is 5BC who have 11 students already finished! The winning class can look forward to a special treat when we return to school.

Remember:

Infants Students (K-2) have already completed the challenge through their regular library program – you do not need to do anything at home. We have updated Student Reading Records with the books read during library lessons this year and students will receive a certificate at the end of the year.

Primary Students (3-6) are expected to complete the challenge independently. They need to read 20 books and enter them into the PRC website by the updated closing date, Friday 3 September, to qualify for a certificate at the end of the year. Students use their regular school login to access the website.

Please see the Week 5 library lesson slides in your learning at home platform for further information about important rule updates and book access. The PRC website can also be accessed for further information and you are also welcome to contact me via email if you need support or have queries relating directly to your child’s account.

PRC Website - online.det.nsw.edu.au/prc/home.html

Students login with regular Department of Education details.

Book Week

Each year the Children’s Book Council of Australia brings children and books together to celebrate CBCA Book Week. It is usually scheduled during Term 3 but this year many schools including ours have opted to postpone our celebration until next term when we can celebrate more fully. Students can look forward to author talks, a dress-up day, fun challenges and more.

All students are currently learning about the CBCA shortlisted books during their weekly online library lessons. The CBCA shortlist can be found at the link below:

This year the theme for Book Week is “Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds”. It will be a great opportunity for us to escape into another world. More information about Book Week will be communicated closer to the event.

Library Subscriptions

Manly Vale Public School Library subscribes to some wonderful resources to support your child/ren’s learning and leisure. These include Storybox Library, World Book Online and Wheeler’s eBook Platform. Students can access direct links to these resources, and login details, through their Student Portal/My Library. More information will be sent home this week through class parents.

Ali Webster – Teacher Librarian

Community Notices

Vinnies

Vinnies is here to help. If any family needs help with food, bills and/or housing during this difficult time, please direct them to our Helpline on 13 18 12 or call their local Vinnies Support Centre

School Information