11 November 2021

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

This week we have seen an easing of the Covid guidelines allowing us all a few more freedoms at school.

Pick up and drop off – All students will enter the designated entries and exits as per previous arrangements; however, we will now return to normal school hours for all students from years 1 to 6 (9.00am – 3.00pm). Kindergarten, however, will still finish at 2.50pm daily to allow parents to pick up and leave before the rest of the school finishes at 3.00pm. There will be no more staggered time exits from the school. Please communicate with your child as to where you wish to meet them in the afternoon.

Parent Volunteers – We can now allow parent volunteers to assist in the uniform shop and canteen. All parents must be double vaccinated and show proof prior to entering the school site. All adults must wear a mask. All volunteers need to QR code in at the office. Declaration for Volunteers and Non-Child Related Contractors form needs to be completed, if not already done. Parent classroom volunteers will resume next year.

Assemblies – We will resume our combined assemblies but adhere to the social distancing and isolation of stage cohort groups. K-2 will have their assemblies on Wednesdays after recess under the K-2 COLA, and years 3-6 will have their assemblies on a Friday morning on the basketball court. Banners and Principal awards will be given out at these times. Unfortunately, parents are unable to attend assemblies.

Celebration of Learning Assembly – Our annual presentation days are in week 10 of this term, Years 1-6 will have separate assemblies on Monday 6 December and Kindergarten will have their presentation day on Friday 10 December. Unfortunately, parents are unable to attend these ceremonies, we will be filming them to send home the following week.

Year 6 Graduation Assembly – The Year 6 Graduation assembly will take place in the school hall and outdoor area on Monday 13 December. Two parents per child can attend this event as we will be using the outdoor area and the hall space to meet the social distancing requirements. Strict guidelines which will be communicated to the Year 6 parents closer to the date. Mask wearing will be compulsory and only parents who are double vaccinated will be able to attend. If it is raining, then only one parent will be able to attend.

Book Week - Old World New Worlds Other Worlds

Thank you to Mrs Morrison and Mrs Webster for all their organisation of our Book Week activities. The author talks on Wednesday, the competitions, and the Book Week Character parade tomorrow. It was great to have a week of celebration!

Remembrance Day - 11 November

Thank you to Mrs Blackband and our School Leaders on presenting a virtual Remembrance Day service today for all the students. This is one of the leaders last official duties as they prepare to leave our school to go to high school. Isabella Earl our school captain also represented the school at the Manly Dam memorial service writing and presenting a speech on Australia’s Victories in France 1918.Thank you to Mrs Ward who accompanied Isabella to the service.

Banner Assembly

Congratulations to all the students who received their Banners last week. We will return to weekly assemblies as from next week to present banners and awards. Congratulations to the following students who will receive the School Banner this week in assembly:

Sean Cook - 3/4T
Jasper Williams - 2LS
Zoe Shalav - 2S
Henry Smith - 2LS

Kaleidoscope Science Incursion

Next week Mrs Fisk has organised a spectacular science incursion with Kaleidoscope Science. This incursion has been invoiced as part of the whole school fees. If you haven’t yet paid your fees you will need to make this payment before next Tuesday.

Mitchell Serena will perform the Big Science Show for all students. Students will be separated into stage cohorts for the show

Kindergarten Friday 19 November 11.30am
Stage 1 Tuesday 16 November 11.30am
Stage 2 Tuesday 16 November 10.00am
Stage 3 Friday 19 November 10.00am

Thank you to our enthusiastic science team Mrs Holman, Ms Fisk, Mrs Hacking and Mrs McManus for always providing such engaging lessons.

Leaving in 2022?

Please notify the office in writing if you are leaving the school for 2022. We are currently securing staffing and making classes for next year and need to know if students are leaving.

OC Test - Wednesday 17 November

Next week Mrs Nelson will oversee the OC placement test for our Year 4 students. Students in year 4 who have applied for the Opportunity Class in years 5 & 6 next year will need to come to school next Wednesday prepared to sit the placement test. Good luck to all of our students in completing such a difficult application test and process.

Selective High school 2023

Applications close online on Wednesday 17 November.

Band for 2022

This week we had our band recruitment week. Our Year 2 & 3 students were able to see a virtual demonstration of all the instruments of the band. A Q & A session was also conducted over zoom with our conductors Ben and Carlos.

Please complete the application process if your child is interested in joining the band for 2022. We will have our final band meeting for the year next week on Wednesday 17 November. All welcome.

Farewell Ms Stacey

Ms Stacey leaves us to go on maternity leave next week. We wish her all the best for the start of her new life as a mother. We will all miss Ms Stacey and hope she soon returns to Manly Vale.

Operation Art

Congratulations to the Operation Art recipients.

Tina Lee – Principal

That’s a R.A.P – Mrs Lee

Each week there will be acknowledging the Aboriginal history, heritage, and culture in this section of our newsletter. “That’s a R.A.P” acknowledges our school’s Reconciliation Action Plan, to work towards cultural inclusivity and safety along with a shared understanding and knowledge of Aboriginal history of this site and of our country Australia.

Due to the traumatic impact of colonisation on the Sydney area and in particular our Northern Beaches a lot of language and history has been lost. It is our vision at Manly Vale Public School to share the knowledge of what we learn about our local area, and work in partnership with the Aboriginal Education Consultancy Group (AECG) and our local Elders to develop a shared understanding and vision for our future as a culturally inclusive school.

Here is my personal Acknowledgment to Country:

I would like to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land that Manly Vale Public School stands on today. It is Aboriginal Land. Always was, always will be.

I pay my respects to Elders past present and emerging and extend a warm welcome to all Aboriginal people who are part of our Manly Vale community.

We meet on the land of the Saltwater people. A land where bush meets the sand, and the sand meets the sea.

The Aboriginal people lived in organised family clans and passed down their history and connections to land through yarns and stories, carvings, and art.

It is our duty as educators to ensure the true history of this site be told to our students. To embed Aboriginal perspectives into our curriculum and teach Aboriginal history alongside the Anglo-Saxon stories.

We fly the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags alongside the Australian National flag in recognition that, Manly Vale Public School will hear, teach, and learn the stories of this site in our Road to Reconciliation.

Dates for your Diary

Tell Them from Me Survey

Our school will again be taking part in the Parent and Student Tell Them From Me Survey. The survey will provide us with valuable feedback on what our students think about school life, how engaged they are with school and the different ways that teachers interact with them. Schools in Australia and around the world have used the Tell Them From Me survey to help them improve. All students in Years 4-6 will complete the survey between Tuesday 16-26 November.

Parent Tell Them From Me Survey - the Parent survey has also opened and we invite all of our parents to please complete the survey below. Your participation in the survey is anonymous and confidential. The survey provides our school with information to help guide our school improvement plan and give us directions for the coming year. Thank you for taking the time to complete the quick survey, we value your responses and input.

To access the survey please click on the link below:

Sharon Oscroft – Deputy Principal

Library News

Happy Book Week!

This week we are celebrating our love of all-things-books! On Wednesday we were very lucky to host virtual visits from the fabulous authors Zanni Louise and Tim Harris. Students pre-prepared and sent in some really interesting questions for both authors. We have learnt so much about the writing process and the life of an author and cannot wait to read all of Zanni and Tim’s books!

Book Week Dress Up Day

We look forward to seeing all of the wild and wonderful book characters at our Book Week Dress Up Day tomorrow. Bring a copy of the book (if you own it) or wear a nametag so we know who you are dressed up as.

Book Week Challenge

The gold Book Week Challenge entry box was filled to the brim this week – thank you to all of the students who participated and to their families who helped them. Challenge winners will be announced in next week’s newsletter.

Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Winners

In the lead up to Book Week we have been studying many of the CBCA shortlisted books for 2021. These books have been selected as the best Australian books published throughout the year, and winners from each category are announced during Book Week.

Ali Webster – Teacher Librarian

Scholastic Book Club

Brochures have been distributed and are due back at school by Thursday 18 November 2021.

2022 Bus Travel Information

From 1 November 2021, the bus service provider in the Northern Beaches area will change from State Transit Authority (Sydney Buses) to Keolis Downer Northern Beaches.

Students, parents or carers applying for a School Opal card will need to nominate Keolis Downer Northern Beaches as their bus operator.

Students with an existing School Opal card will automatically have Keolis Downer Northern Beaches added to their travel entitlement.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out via

Canteen News

Is your child celebrating a birthday? The canteen offers a service whereby you can order ice treats for your child and their class via Flexischools.

On offer are:

Quelch sticks - 60 cents
Canteen made mini ice blocks - 50 cents
Apple and black current frozen fruit cups - 80 cents (Mon-Thurs)

Please just remember to inform your child's teacher on the morning that you have organised birthday ice treats.

IOU - Forgotten Lunches - please pay any outstanding money as soon as possible that is owed to the canteen for lunches that the canteen has provided due to forgotten lunches.

Robyn, Kerry and Becky - Canteen Managers

Community Notices

Northern Beaches Lifeline Book Fair

Our next book fair for 2021 will be running from Thursday to Sunday, 9-12 December at St Augustine’s College, Federal Parade, Brookvale. We will be following all NSW Health COVID-19 and venue protocols required at that time.

Balgowlah Rotary Road Rally

School Information