9 February 2023

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

Welcome to our 97 Kindergarten students who started school this week. I am sure for most families it has been a hectic lead up to this start, but hopefully things will settle down now as children get used to their teachers and new classmates.

A big thank you to Mrs Oscroft and the Kindergarten teachers for all their work in preparing our school for the enrolment of the largest Kindergarten cohort we have ever had. We now have 5 classes.

KC- Mrs Cadence Abrahams
KT- Mrs Agata Tams
KA- Miss Alisha Tamone
KS- Miss Natasha Smyth
KL- Miss Simone Lord

Next week the kindergarten students will be dropped off at the front gate and make their way up to their classrooms independently. The afternoon pick up time will revert to 3.00pm. We have clearly marked areas around the flagpole where each of the grades in kindergarten, year 1, and year 2 are to be picked up.

Parent Information Nights- Weeks 4-5 (13 February- 24 February)

Later this term there will be an opportunity for you to meet your child’s class teacher and visit their classroom. Information Nights for all grades will be held over a 2 week period starting from 13 February. The P & C may like to give out a flyer on these evenings and have a stall under the COLA for parents to approach and ask questions.

Monday 13 February - 5.00-6.00pm Stage 3 High School with Mackellar & Balgowlah Boys (in school hall)
Monday 13 February - 6.00-7.00pm Stage 3 Information night (in school hall)
Wednesday 15 February 5.00-6.00pm Kindergarten Information night (in classrooms)
Wednesday 15 February 6.00 -7.00pm Stage 1 Parent Information night (in classrooms)
Thursday 16 February - 6.00pm Band Information night and Annual General Meeting
Thursday 23 February – 5.00-6.00pm Stage 2 Information night (in classrooms)

Amy Hansen will be our new Class Coordinator Liaison this year. On the Parent Information evening parents will need to QR code into a google doc to share their emails with the class. You are only able to access the class email list if you sign up on the Parent information night or complete a permission note after the evening to give your consent for your email to be included in these lists.

Please make it known on the Parent Information nights if you can be the Class Coordinator for your child’s class. This role involves sending out P &C communication and school information to the parents in your child’s class.

School Uniform

The school uniform should be worn every day. Black shoes and white ankle socks are part of that uniform and should be worn every day. Only sports day (Friday 3-6) does the sports uniform and sports shoes need to be worn.

Please purchase the school hat from the uniform shop and refrain from purchasing old second-hand hats. The old hats are very faded and often don’t have enough shade cover.

Year 6 Camp- This Week

Our Year 6 students attended the Great Aussie Bush Camp Monday - Wednesday. This camp has been a great opportunity for year 6 to bond as a grade and prepare for school leadership.

P & C meeting- Tuesday 7 February

Thank you to all the parents who attended the P & C meeting last Tuesday. It was great to discuss the staffing and directions for the school. All parents and community members are welcome to attend these meetings.

The P & C plays a vital role in supporting the programs, staff, and students at the school. As a school we really appreciate the time and efforts of all our volunteers and thank the P & C for all their support. Last year alone the P & C provided the new school playground equipment ($75,000), a learning & support teacher 2 days a week (($35,000) and science, hospitality, and IT resources ($8,000) and the maintenance of our school oval ($3,500).

Our Annual General Meeting and election of new executive leadership will take place on Tuesday 7 March. An outline of the roles of the P & C has been attached. Please consider standing for one of these positions. If you are interested, please don’t hesitate to contact the school or the P & C on manlyvaleprimaryschoolpc@gmail.com to express interest or find out more about the positions.

Only financial members may vote at the AGM. If you couldn’t attend last Tuesday’s meeting, you can send in your gold coin membership in an envelope to the office clearly marked with your name and child’s name and class.

Band starts next week

Next week our band will resume rehearsals. Please see schedule below.

Junior Band – Rehearsals
When: 7.45-8.45am Tuesday and Thursday
Where: Hall
Conductor: To be confirmed - currently recruiting

Intermediate/Senior Band- Rehearsals
Year 5 & 6 only
When: 7.45-8.45am Monday
Where: Hall
Conductor: Ben

Full Senior Band - Years 4, 5 and 6
When: 7.45-8.45am Wednesday
Where: Hall
Conductor: Ben

Year 4 2023 only
When: 7.45-8.45am Thursday
Where: OOSH Space - (Green area, near tech room)
Conductor: Ben

Band Information Night- Thursday 16 February.

We currently have a Treasurer but no Secretary or President. We are currently recruiting to replace Carlos our Junior Band conductor who is not returning this year. Currently Mrs Monika Johnston and Miss Hannah Taylor are doing all the organisation for band, but we will need parents to step up into volunteer roles. Please see attached list of roles for band. Please consider taking on one of these roles and make your interest known on the band Information night. The Band is unable to run without a Band committee.

School Swimming Carnival- Tuesday 21 February 9.30am-1.30pm

Our school swimming carnival is at Andrew Boy Charlton pool in Manly. Notes were emailed out last week electronically to all parents of 8 years and up students in the school. Please note that there is a change to our usual times this year due to another school coming in after us on the day.

We have also asked that our junior and senior Individual Medley competitors, and the Open 100 metre freestyle competitors, to go directly to the pool at 8.45am so the carnival can start 9.00am. Students competing in all the other events will be transported by bus to the pool from school at 9.00am.

Stationery Packs 2023

Online ordering of this year’s stationery packs has closed. If you still wish to purchase the Humphrey’s pack, you need to go directly to the Humphreys store in Balgowlah next to Manly Freezers. Richard is the contact there. Otherwise, you need to purchase or provide the items from the list from other stores or home supplies. Currently there are still many students who need to purchase stationery for the year. Headphones for years 3 & 5 students need to be purchased in preparation for NAPLAN on 15 March.

Carpark at Gibbs and Sunshine Street

After a follow up interview with Road Safety Officer Robynann Dixon in the last few weeks of Term 4 in 2022, after the Northern Beaches Council conducted a review of the traffic conditions around the school, the following problem areas have been identified and some proposal put to the traffic committee for consideration.

Basically, parents have been asked to park a little further away from the school to avoid traffic congestion at pick up and drop off times. Recommendations have been made to close the Gibbs/ Sunshine Street carpark at drop off and pick up times for one hour, not allowing cars to enter or exit during this hour.

The second traffic concern was the speeding along King Street. Here the recommendation has been to put speed humps on this road. These recommendations have been forwarded to the Northern Beaches Traffic committee for consideration. Communication will come out later this term regarding these recommendations.

Buses and Drivers

The shortage of buses and drivers was of great concern last year and PSSA sport was greatly impacted for many local schools. Principals wrote letters asking for assurances that PSSA will go ahead this year, and this seems to be working for our local schools. However, it is tricky to get buses for excursions and other outings still.

PSSA times have had to change to a 12.00pm pick up and a return to school by 2.30pm. To avoid wasting time in the mornings and afternoons we have moved our assemblies and SRC meetings to a 2.30pm start on a Friday. PSSA teams will have a recess/lunch break at 11.40am on those days so that students have a decent amount of learning time in the morning.

PSSA is not due to start until Friday 24 February so communication will come out regarding lunch orders and changes to lunchtimes in the next week or so.

Tina Lee - Principal

Dates for your Diary

Boys & Girls Dance Ensemble Groups – Years 3-6 only

Manly Vale Public School it is our favourite time of year again…… Dance Time!

Auditions for the boys and girls in Dance Ensembles groups will occur in Week 4. Girls’ ensemble auditions will be held on Tuesday 14 February and boys’ ensemble auditions will be held on Wednesday 15 February, at lunchtime. This is for students in Years 3 – 6 only.

If you are considering to audition, please keep in mind that you will have to be available to perform in Glen Street Theatre Performances and the K-2 Dance Showcase, which will be held in the last two weeks of Term 2 (Monday 19 June to Friday 30 June).

For further information about Sydney North Public Schools Dance Festival, please click the link below:

Home | SN DRAFT

We can’t wait to see you all auditioning!

Mrs Kennedy and Miss Vanessa

Important Stage 3 Parent Information

Manly Vale Public School Stage 3 Parent Information Evening

Monday 13 February - School Hall
5.00pm - 6.00pm Session 1: High School Information
6.00pm - 7.00pm Session 2: Stage 3 Classroom Information

Year 6 parents are encouraged to attend both sessions, as guidance will be given on completing High School Expression of Interest Forms.

Year 5 are welcome to sit in on the first session if it is of interest or just attend from 6.00pm for relevant classroom information.

Your Local High School

Mackellar Girls High and Balgowlah Boys High offer Academic Placement for gifted and talented Year 6 students moving into Year 7 2024.

Your family's residential address must be within the school catchment area to apply. You can check this using the following link

These programs required a separate application and academic test to the process for mainstream enrolment.

If you are interested in applying for your child to sit the Mackellar Girls or Balgowlah Boys academic placement test, please see the attached flyer for more information.

You will need to apply asap.

Mackellar Girls and Balgowlah Boys Open Days: Tuesday 14 February 9:15am

Academic Applications close: Friday 17 February

Academic Placement test: Thursday 16 March

Nicole Blackband – Assistant Principal Stage 3

School Photo Day

Our School Photo Day has been scheduled for Thursday 2 March 2023. On this day, Advanced Life will be taking class, individual and sibling photos for the entire school as well as the SRC, Grade 6 and leadership group photos.

Prior to then, parents are encouraged to purchase the school photos for their child/ren by going to the link below and using the online order code P2B 27Y HEW. Attached is a detailed information sheet about how to do this online. Envelopes will also be sent home with your child/ren as an alternative way to purchase your photos. If purchasing via the envelope, please return your envelope with your payment to the photographer on school photo day. Online orders do not require an envelope returned to the school.

If you would like to have your children have a sibling photo taken, you need to pre-order online up to 24 hours before photo day. Please note that sibling photos only apply to children enrolled at our school.

Past years’ photographs are also available to order under the “previous years or group photo” tabs at our school’s advancedorder site when you click on the “Order School Photos Here” button. You can also order past packages, portrait images and gifts from your child’s unique, individual and secure advancedyou image archive site using the unique 9-digit image code P2B 27Y HEW.

Further information will be sent out closer to the date regarding school uniform expectations and reminders.

Sarah Birrell – APC&I

Canteen News

The canteen is open for recess and lunch orders placed through Flexischools. We are open at lunch only for counter service to purchase frozen treats and snacks.

When making orders please ensure you check your confirmation email to ensure your order has been placed correctly.

Frozen Treats

Frozen items for years 1-6 must be collected from the canteen. Please remember to bring your lunch order bag to obtain your item.

Volunteers

The canteen needs your help to get all the lunches made as well as serve at the counter.

Please sign up below, feel free to sign up with a friend if you want, just pop both your names in the sign up sheet.

Birthday treats

Please only order frozen birthday treats through the birthday section to ensure we have enough stock. Orders must be placed by 1.00pm the day prior (or Friday for Monday orders)

When making orders please ensure you check your confirmation email to ensure your order has been placed correctly.

Becky McGowan - Canteen Manager

Community Notices

School Information