22 February 2016

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Message

Congratulations!

Many parents took the opportunity last Tuesday evening to meet class teachers and learn about the school’s strategic directions, class routines, opportunities and expectations. We trust that it was a positive and informative experience.

Swimming Carnival

Last Monday’s Swimming Carnival was another great success thanks to Mrs Apter, staff, parent volunteers, students and spectators. Ribbons for this event will be awarded at Wednesday’s K-6 Assembly at 2:20pm in the school hall. Congratulations to all competitors.

The Tell Them From Me student feedback survey

I am delighted that this term, our school, like many others in the state, will participate in a Department of Education initiative: the Tell Them From Me student feedback survey. The survey aims to help improve student learning outcomes and 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 our school 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. Schools in Australia and around the world have used the Tell Them From Me survey to help improve how they do things at school.

I want to assure you that the survey is confidential and school staff will not be able to identify individual students from their responses. The survey is conducted online and will typically take less than 30 minutes to complete. It will be administered during school hours between 14 March and 8 April. Participating in the survey is entirely voluntary.

A consent form and a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) for parents/carers about the survey is being sent home with students. If you do not want your child or children to participate, please return the consent form to school by Friday 26 February. The FAQs and copies of the consent form, including translated consent forms, are available from the website above.

Parents and Citizens

Parents advocating for their child/ren’s school creates a positive and productive partnership that benefits all students. At SIPPS we are very fortunate to have a P&C team committed to supporting the school’s strategic direction of Effective Partnerships. I congratulate them on their new website which supports stronger communication links. The link is:

Communication

The school’s newsletter (The Patter) is the main form of communication to parents. Please read it regularly. It will be emailed to each family every alternate Monday. You will also be able to access it on the school website:

Please also download the Schoolzine mobile app. Click the link for instructions:

Road Safety

Recently some students have been seen not using the pedestrian crossing when crossing Acron Road. All students must cross the road at the pedestrian crossing. Although this may require a longer walk to where the car is parked, it is a much safer option for all concerned. Please see the following information from the NSW Government’s Centre for Road Safety.

Best wishes
Gillian Tegg
Principal

Inspiring & Nurturing Successful Lifelong Learners

SIPPS students are enjoying the high quality program that is being provided by Sports in Schools Australia (SISA) this term. The students participate, on alternate weeks, in either Gymnastics or a Social Skills Program.

The gymnastics program is designed to enhance physical strength, flexibility, coordination, balance and control in a fun, challenging environment that is fundamental for a child’s growth and development. It supports the PD/Health/PE syllabus across all stages of learning and develops core movement patterns such as static and dynamic balance, rotation, springs and landings.

The social skills program supports values education and focuses on the development and positive consequences of good social skills. The program includes a wide range of team building and cooperative learning activities. Student engagement in high quality learning experiences leads to improved social skills and behaviour with broader implications for educational outcomes. Our school’s expectations of respect and responsibility are two of the core social skills that the program focuses on. The SISA team provides a specialised range of innovative educational equipment for the students to enjoy as their skills are developing.

Live Life Well @ School - Healthy Ideas

Notes from Office

Stewart House School Clothing Appeal 2016

The Stewart House Clothing Appeal is in progress for collection on the Tuesday 8th March 2016. If you have any clothes to donate please bring them into the office before the 8th March.

Thank you

Library News

Congratulations to Leigh Hobbs the newly named Australian Children’s Laureate for 2016-2017. The Australian Children’s Laureate promotes the importance of reading, creativity and story in the lives of young Australians.

Leigh is the best-selling author of many Australian books for children including Old Tom, Mr Chicken Goes to Paris and Horrible Harriet.

The theme for Leigh Hobbs’s two-year term as Australian Children’s Laureate will be ‘to champion creative opportunities for children, and to highlight the essential role libraries play in nurturing our creative lives’.

You might like to download the special “It’s your story” 2016 calendar that Leigh has created.

Every year, World Read Aloud Day, which is celebrated on the 24 February, calls global attention to the importance of reading aloud and sharing stories.

World Read Aloud Day “motivates children, teens, and adults worldwide to celebrate the power of words and creates a community of readers taking action to show the world that the right to literacy belongs to all people. World Read Aloud Day is celebrated by millions of people in more than 100 countries.”

So on Wednesday make an extra special effort to read aloud to and with your children, your family and friends. By sharing stories with one another we build a literacy community and grow strong as readers.

Scholastic Book Fair Term 1

On Thursday 24/3/16 the Library will be hosting a Scholastic Book Fair. This Book Fair provides families with the opportunity to purchase books and assorted items for their own children from a huge and varied selection on display in the Library. Our Library benefits from every sale that is made by receiving a percentage of profits made on the day. This money is used to purchase new books for the Library for students to borrow.

More information will be forthcoming in future editions of the Patter.

Chess

Learn how to be a chess champion! Coaching for students at St Ives Park Public School is held on Thursdays from 1:00pm-1:50pm. Term 1 lessons commenced on 18th February, 2016.

Chess is the world’s most loved board game. Learning and playing chess helps children develop their logical thinking and problem solving skills, improves their concentration and focus, while also being a great source of enjoyment! Activities include group lessons on a demonstration chess board or interactive whiteboard, puzzle solving and fun practice games, with personal feedback from the coach.

Students earn merit awards by making checkmates, solving puzzles, or by displaying skills and positive qualities, which all good chess players strive to develop.

If your child is interested in taking part, please pick up an enrolment form from the school office, or you can email enrol@sydneyacademyofchess.com.au for a copy. For all enquiries, please contact Sydney Academy of Chess on (02) 9745 1170.

Band

We have had a great start to the year with both bands learning new music and wonderful sounds coming from the school hall.

It’s very exciting that the school has a concert band and a beginner’s band this year.

If you would still like to join, however don’t know what instrument to play please come and see me in the school hall at 9am on Monday or Tuesday.

The beginner’s band is currently working on the Essential Elements exercises 1-9, and the Concert band has started Shake It Off by Taylor Swift.

All tutorials have now been finalised, so if you don’t know your time please contact Bandemonium at the website below and I will be reminding the children at rehearsal on Monday and Tuesday.

Kathryn Ney – Band Director

Canteen

There have been minor changes to the Canteen Menu for 2016. Please print the new menu for your reference. The updated menu has also been uploaded onto the school’s webpage.

Uniform Shop

The red sports socks for PSSA touch football will be in stock from the 2nd March.

Socks can be pre-ordered through sippsuniform@gmail.com. Please specify size, either 9-12 or 2-7.

The uniform shop will be open fortnightly – the next date being Wednesday 24 February

Parents and Citizens Association

The SIPPS P&C has a new website!

The SIPPS P&C website is an excellent resource for staying “in the know”. Here’s just a few reasons to visit the website:

1. With an up to date calendar, you’ll be able to plan ahead and know what’s happening at the school months in advance.
2. It has a section with Parent Resources which we will continue to add to. There are tools on how to help your child with homework, upcoming NAPLAN assessments, and how to build resilience.
3. Find out who’s on the P&C Executive team, know our faces and feel free to come and chat to us in the school playground.
4. Access minutes of our meetings, and agendas for future meetings. A great way to keep yourself informed of what’s happening in the school community.
5. Become a member! You can sign up on line to be a member of the P&C.

Join Us for the SIPPS P&C Picnic Day

Next P&C Meeting

The P&C meets on the 3rd Wednesday of every month. To make the meetings accessible to both working parents, as well as parents with young children, we alternate the timing of the meetings. e.g. February 2016, meeting scheduled for 7pm, March 2016, meeting scheduled for 2.00pm.

Our next meeting will be on Wednesday 16th March, from 2pm – 3.15pm

Why Should I attend?

1. To be in the know!
   You have the opportunity to hear about what is happening at the school, Mrs Gillian Tegg (our school principal) is usually in attendance at the meetings and it's a wonderful opportunity to get insightful information about her plans and vision for the school, as well as to ask her questions.
2. To be engaged in the SIPPS community
   Attending the meetings is a great way to engage with others and to foster a close and caring school community of parents, children and teachers. The meetings promote communication, understanding and co-operation between teachers and parents.
3. To advocate for your child
   We are always keen to hear about any issues affecting your children as well as ideas for improving the school environment, activities for the school, and new fund-raising ideas or events that you may have in mind.

NOTE: The P&C Meetings are not a forum to discuss specific issues you may have with your child's learning. If you have concerns about this, the correct line of communication is to speak to your child's teacher first. If the issue cannot be resolved, then you should make an appointment with the Stage Supervisor (K-2 = Mrs Kathie Anderson, Yrs 3-6 Mrs Leanne Hayllar), An appointment can be booked with them by contacting Trudi Morris (School admin manager) on 9144 4085,

Tennis Courts