9 March 2023

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

We are over halfway through the term and now preparing for NAPLAN testing and parent/teacher interviews. Thank you to all parents who attended the Parent Information Evenings and volunteered their time to become the Class Coordinators this year. All Class Coordinators have now sent their first email to their classes, so if you have not received an email from your coordinator please make contact with Amy Hansen or Kristen Te Pania on mvpspandccommunication@gmail.com or compete the registration process at the office.

Zone Swimming Carnival

Congratulations to all the students who attended the zone swimming carnival yesterday. Representing your school in these major carnivals is a great achievement. Thank you to all the parents who went and supported the team and cheered on our champions. Thank you to Mrs Birrell, Mrs Ward and Miss Hepworth who attended the carnival with our swimmers. Results will be published next week.

P & C AGM- Tuesday 7 March

Last Tuesday we had our annual general meeting for 2023. All positions were declared vacant, and we now have a new committee to lead the P& C this year. Congratulations to the following parents on their appointment to these vital roles in our community.

President- Karl Treacher
Vice President- Chris Nicholls
Vice President- John Gillings
Treasurer - Peter Weatherston
Secretary – Vacant

P&C Secretary Vacant Position

We still do not have a Secretary, but Karen Murgatroyd will oversee the position until we find someone. This is a vital role in our P & C. Please consider applying for this position if you can take and distribute minutes at meetings (twice a term), liaise with the executive committee, school principal and class coordinators, and work with the uniform shop and canteen to follow up communications. The Secretary must attend all meetings of the P & C. Our next meeting is Tuesday May 2. If you have interest in this position, please email the P & C executive at manlyvaleprimaryschoolpc@gmail.com or have a chat to Mrs Lee on the gate in the afternoons.

I would like to thank and acknowledge the above committee for their support of the parent community and the school. P & C meetings are great ways for parents to find out and understand what is happening in the school. Please make time to come along to these meetings when available.

The next meeting is Tuesday 2 May at 7.00pm in the staffroom.

Thank you to Wendie and Becky

The start to the year has been difficult for both the uniform shop and canteen. For Becky (Canteen) the changes of PSSA and lunchtimes, and for Wendie (Uniform shop) allowing the opportunity for parents to use their back-to-school vouchers. The extras they both do in support of the school community is incredible. Thank you so much.

Interrelate Family Evening- Monday 13 March

Next Monday we will host a family Interrelate program here in the school hall.

The family evening is an opportunity for students and their parents from Year 3, 4 5 and 6 to learn about relationships and sex education from expert educators in a safe environment. An email invitation was sent out to all parents in Years 3-6 with the cost and details of the program. This evening is not compulsory.

The sessions are:

Session 1: Where did I come from? (Years 3 & 4 and their parents/carers). Year 5 & 6 students can come if they wish 6.00pm- 7.00pm in the school hall.

Session 2: Preparing for Puberty (Years 5 & 6 and their parents/carers). Year 3 & 4 parents and students can attend if parents feel it is appropriate 7.15pm-8.15pm in school hall.

The school delivered Interrelate program will be delivered by expert and highly trained educators to our year 5 & 6 students in class during weeks 9-11 this term.

NAPLAN – Wednesday 15 March- Monday 27 March

All students in years 3 & 5 will sit the National tests for literacy and numeracy in a few weeks. The tests are online and are based on the school curriculum for these grades.

There is a parent portal to explain what happens during these days and to give some practice test for students NAP - Public demonstration site

Please ensure your child has a good night’s sleep and comes to school on time during these days of NAPLAN. All students must have their own set of headphones for these tests. If your child is sick, please notify the school in the morning and we will arrange a catch-up day for their test.

Parent Teacher Interviews - Weeks 9 and 10

We have parent teacher interviews scheduled for weeks 9 & 10 this term. Teachers sent out availability on Wednesday 8 March at 3.30pm. Please make sure to book in an interview with your child’s teacher using the booking form which was emailed to you.

Harmony Day – Monday 20 March

Wear a splash of orange and bring a gold coin to donate to a charity supporting other cultures.

The charity we will be supporting with gold coin donations will be CARE Australia to support the victims of the Turkey and Syrian earthquake.

Buddy Picnic- Years 6, 5J, 5CR and Kindergarten- Monday 13 March

Next Monday Kindergarten will have a picnic at Manly Dam with their stage 3 buddies. All Kindergarten students must bring a packed lunch for this day as they will be going down early to the park. Year 5 & 6 students will be able to order their lunch and pick it up from the canteen before they head down to the dam.

New Finance System – Now up and running

The lock out period has now ended. Please refer to the below information for payment information.

Afternoon Arrangements

If you need to change afternoon pick up arrangements or send a message to your child, please make sure you contact the office before 12.00pm. After this time, the office cannot guarantee that messages will be passed on as classes are often not in their classrooms and hard to track down with sport, excursions, and outdoor lessons. Parents are calling the office up to 3.00pm daily to organise afternoon arrangements and we are unable to get to the children in time before they leave their classrooms.

Tina Lee - Principal

Traffic and Travel Changes 2023

Bus service to New Catchment Area

We are currently working with Transport NSW and the Department of Education to provide a bus service to the new areas within our catchment zone. To truly reflect the need for a service to this new additional part our catchment, we require parents to apply for an Opal card for their children that will reflect their address details. Please complete an application for an opal card using the link below, even though there is not a service currently running to your area.

Please be aware that students who live within the SSTS exclusion zone (1.6km as the crow flies from the school) will need to pay $55 per term for the School Travel pass. Please complete your application prior to 14 March so a final decision can be made as to whether a bus is required to this new area.

Bus Stop at Quirk Road

Thank you to Mr Andrew McGuirk who has successfully petitioned Transport NSW to have a safer bus stop and crossing option for those students who currently catch the 618 buses. Engineers are currently looking into relocating the bus stop in Quirk Road further away from the intersection and putting a raised crossing for students to safely cross the road after exiting the bus.

There will be some community consultation over the next few weeks so parents and community within this area are encouraged to support this initiative, for the safety of our students. If you currently live in Quirk Road, please look out for consultation paperwork over the coming few weeks and make your responses.

Parking area closed during school pick up and drop off- From today!

In response to the recent traffic audit by Northern Beaches Council, the car park located on the corner of Sunshine Street and Gibbs Street is now closed for pick up and drop off for children.

Parents and community will not be permitted to enter and park in this council carpark from 8.00am- 9.30am (morning drop off) and 2.30pm – 4.00pm (afternoon pick up). Please be prepared to park away from the school and walk up, as Parking Rangers will be policing this over the next few weeks.

Exemptions apply for those vehicles who have a “Mobility Permit” sticker.

5 minute Parking Zone next to Car Park on Gibbs/Sunshine Street

Please make sure that you only park in the 5-minute parking zone next to the car park on Gibbs/Sunshine Street. Rangers will be fining drivers who stay longer than the 5-minute time slots. The “Kiss and Drop” 5-minute parking zones are meant for drivers to drop in and pick up or drop off. You are not supposed to leave your vehicle.

You are not permitted to do U-turns at the front of the school when leaving this zone so please continue down Gibbs Street. Rangers will be enforcing all these regulations over the next few weeks.

Please contact Northern Beaches council on 1300 434 434 or email council@beaches.nsw.gov.au for further information.

Dates for your Diary

Swimming Ribbons

Band Captains

Dance News

Our year 6 students Zac Lincoln and Ruby Miles-McGuirk have been elected as our Dance Captains for 2023 Congratulations Zac and Ruby! They received their badges last Friday 3 April at 9:00am Assembly. Zac and Ruby will host the K-2 Dance Showcase in Term 2.

Congratulations to the boys and girls who have been selected to represent Manly Vale Public School at the Sydney North Dance Festival.

The boys’ and girls’ dance ensemble groups have been working tremendously hard at lunchtime to perfect their dance routines to ensure they are ready to perform to the best of their ability at the K-2 Dance Showcase and at Glen Street Theatre as part of the Sydney North Dance Festival.

The boys’ and girls’ dance ensemble groups cannot wait to show you their astonishing dance moves next term.

Mrs Kennedy, Miss Smyth and Miss Vanessa.

Science Kindergarten and Stage 1

This week in science, Kindergarten have had an exciting learning experience, diving deep down under the sea into a cave and exploring. Kindergarten students discovered treasure chests and they had to find and classify them into human made and natural objects. They found jewellery boxes filled with real treasure - diamonds, pearls, gold, silver, opals, and jade and found it fascinating to learn about how these are sourced. There were toys made of wood, rubber, plastic, cork, metal, and they discussed why these materials were chosen for each toy. They even discovered a chest full of clothes made of wool, satin, leather, cotton, silk, polyester and much more! Kindergarten enjoyed feeling the various fabrics and coming up with descriptive words. It was exciting trying on the various items of clothes and accessories and learning about how the various fabrics were made before returning from their deep-sea adventure.

Whilst kindergarten have been diving deep into the ocean Stage 1 have been busy in the chemistry laboratory. This term students have been investigating how some objects can undergo a chemical change which then changes its use.

Stage 1 scientists had lots of fun experimenting with cooked spaghetti. The scientists noticed how when spaghetti was cooked it became flexible. This allowed them to make patterns, pictures, play noughts and crosses and write their names with it.

For the next experiment Stage 1 scientists used uncooked spaghetti and marshmallows to make spaghetti towers. The scientists learned how brittle, uncooked spaghetti had a completely different purpose to cooked spaghetti.

It was a delight to observe how the Stage 1 scientists displayed great team skills, sharing ideas, and worked collaboratively to construct their towers. The completed spaghetti towers showed what amazing engineers we have in Stage 1!

PS we all enjoyed eating marshmallows at the end!

Mrs Holman and Mrs Sorensen - ES1 and S1 Science Teachers

Harmony Day

The theme for this year’s Harmony Day is ‘Everyone Belongs’. Harmony Day celebrates our diversity and brings together Australians from all different backgrounds. It’s about inclusiveness, respect, and a sense of belonging for everyone.

Manly Vale Public School is celebrating Harmony Day on Monday 20 March. Students can wear a ‘touch of orange’ as orange is the colour chosen to represent Harmony Week. Traditionally, orange signifies social communication and meaningful conversations. It also relates to the freedom of ideas and encouragement of mutual respect.

We will also be collecting a gold coin donation to support the families affected by the Turkey/Syrian earthquake.

Classes will be engaged in discussions and lessons celebrating diversity. You may like to talk with your children about your own family’s heritage, share special recipes, memories and photos of celebrations and anything that celebrates your diversity and culture.

Students are also invited to enter the Harmony Day poster competition run by movingforwardtogether.org.au. Entries are open to all school students in Australia. The theme for 2023 is Living in Harmony and students must submit an A3 size drawing, painting, or mixed media artwork. For more information on prizes and eligibility please see the link below.

Mrs Lucey can arrange for postal entries to be submitted by the closing date. If you are interested in entering the competition and would like her to arrange your entry, please submit your A3 artwork to Mrs Lucey (2LY) no later than Wednesday 29 March. Please remember to include your full name on the back of your artwork.

If you would like to learn more about Harmony Week, please visit the link below

Mrs Karen Lucey

Library News

IT’S BACK FOR 2023!
PREMIER’S READING CHALLENGE - how to enter books online.

The Premier’s Reading Challenge (PRC) aims to encourage a love of reading for leisure and pleasure in students, and to enable them to experience quality literature. Participation is voluntary.

Books can be entered from now until 18 August.

The school library has hundreds of PRC books for students to borrow. The K-2 Challenge is for students to enjoy 30 books with an adult or by themselves. The K-2 students will be completing the challenge entirely at school. They will receive a participation certificate at the end of the year.

The 3-4 and 5-6 Challenges are for students to read 20 books independently, with support from library staff as needed. They need to enter their PRC books on the website by the closing date, Friday the 18 August, to qualify for a certificate at the end of the year.

More detailed information can be found online at

How to enter books online

• Go to student portal
• Click on the Premier’s Reading Challenge Icon
• On the left-hand side of your screen, click on Student Reading Log.
• Enter book– Type the title or author I the box, then click the title that appears. ‘Add’.
• The book doesn’t come up at all. Use the ‘Add a Personal Choice Book’ box.

Thank you for supporting your child’s reading. Please contact us if you have any questions.

Sue Yardley and Laurenza Butcher - Teacher Librarians

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.

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.

PSSA

If your child is competing in PSSA you will be able to order recess only on Friday. Please DO NOT order Friday lunch for your PSSA child as they will not be at school to collect it. We encourage PSSA children to order earlier in the week to enjoy all their lunch favourites.

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)

Becky McGowan - Canteen Manager

Community Notices

School Information