18 March 2019

Newsletter Articles

March PBL Focus

Principal’s Message

Hopefully everyone has “weathered” the storms over the last week. They were certainly impressive. The school survived the onslaught with just one tree branch down near the tennis courts. Luckily it is in an area that is out of the way and does not pose a danger for the students or the buildings.

There will be a bit of work happening around the school in the coming weeks and months, weather dependant of course. The sail poles are being painted and we have just been informed that the roofs on the other two school buildings will also be replaced, to match the ones that were done during the Christmas holidays.

The following weeks are looking very busy at SIPPS. There are many events coming up so it is essential that you keep up to date on what is happening so that you don’t miss out on anything. Keep your eye on the calendar and check any notes that come home.

This weekend is the state election. The P&C will be holding a sausage sizzle and cake stall here at SIPPS during polling. It is a very important fundraiser for the school and we really need to make the most of this opportunity. Please help out by donating cakes and slices to be sold on the day. Also come along and help with the stalls during the polling if you can. If you can’t help on the stall, please try to come here to vote and buy your sausage sandwich and cakes.

After the polling is the inaugural School Camp Out. There seems to be quite a lot of people who are all set to come along and camp out overnight in the garden playground. I’m sure the movie and BBQ dinner will be a highlight, as will all the interesting nocturnal sounds that will be echoing through the place! Fingers crossed that the weather will be kind!

Our annual Grandfriends’ Day will be held on Friday 12th April. We will be holding it in conjunction with our Easter Hat Parade and Book Fair.

Family members and friends are invited to join us for the Easter Hat Parade and are encouraged to join us for a picnic lunch after the parade. Families are asked to bring their own packed lunch for the picnic. If you wish to take your child home after lunch, please ensure that a note is given to the teacher beforehand so they can mark the roll accordingly.

The Book Fair will be running in the Library all day for you to purchase books, this is another great fundraiser for the school – as well as a chance to encourage your child to enjoy reading a new book.

Easter Hat Parade Program

12.00-12.20pm: Students go to classrooms to get their hats ready for the parade
12.20-12.30pm: Students make their way to the COLA behind the ES1 and Stage 1 classes
12.30-1.15pm: Easter Hat Parade
1.15-2.15pm: Whole school picnic lunch (under hall COLA and in the new playground area) PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU ARE DIRECTLY SUPERVISING YOUR PRESCHOOLER IF THEY ARE PLAYING ON THE EQUIPMENT – THEY ARE NOT TO BE LEFT IN THE CARE OF THEIR OLDER SIBLINGS.
15-2:45: Clean up and return to class
3:10: Home bell

We will also be holding our Easter raffle at the conclusion of the Easter Hat Parade. As in previous years, to participate in the raffle, students need to donate chocolate eggs in exchange for raffle tickets. Each medium sized egg or bag of small eggs is worth one raffle ticket. The more chocolate eggs donated the more baskets there are to win! There will be a change in how the prizes are distributed this year to try and have as many students receiving baskets as possible. Each child will only be eligible to win one prize. If the child’s name is drawn again they will not receive another basket. The odds of winning a prize are still greater the more tickets you have and the more baskets we have the more winners there will be.

This week, students in years 4- 6 will participate in a presentation by the Office of the eSafety Commissioner entitled “Bouncing Back from Online Bullying’. This presentation will explore digital resilience skills including building supportive peer relationships, ways to balance time online as well as identifying helpful resources.

The presentation is designed to empower students to build personal skills to help them recover from negative online experiences. At the end of the session, students will pledge to use these digital resilience strategies to help themselves and others.

I look forward to talking to the students about what they learnt.

Parent teacher interviews will be held during weeks 9 and 10. If you have not already been online to book a session please do so by going to the link below:

Whooping Cough (Pertussis)

The Ministry of Health is preparing a public information campaign about the dangers of Whooping Cough (pertussis), which has been increasing in incidence across NSW in 2018 and is expected to continue to increase in 2019. The Ministry has asked the Department of Education to support the campaign by sending information to primary and secondary schools. Information from the Ministry of Health about Whooping Cough is provided below.

Keep coughing kids home and see your GP.

Whooping cough (also called pertussis) began increasing across NSW towards the end of 2018, especially in children between the ages of 5 and 14 years. NSW Health anticipates that this increase will continue into 2019.

School-aged children who are infected with whooping cough usually experience a troubling cough that can persist for months, but they rarely get severe illness. However they can spread the infection to younger siblings and other more vulnerable people, who are at higher risk of severe disease. Whooping cough can be a life threatening infection in babies.

What can you do to prevent whooping cough?

1. Make sure vaccinations are up to date for all family members
2. Be alert for symptoms of whooping cough
3. Keep coughing kids home, to prevent them spreading the infection to others, and see your GP to get them tested for whooping cough

For more information on Whooping Cough and vaccination visit the NSW Health Website.

Thank you all for your support over the last few weeks. I have been overwhelmed by the messages of support from the community. Have a great fortnight !

Jodie

Assistant Principal’s Message

PURPLE DAY!

On Tuesday the 26th of March, students are invited to wear purple to school as well as a gold coin donation, this is to raise funds for Epilepsy.

Founded in 2008 by then nine-year-old Cassidy Megan of Nova Scotia, Canada, Cassidy started Purple Day in an effort to get people talking about the disorder and inform those with seizures that they are not alone. Cassidy named the day ‘Purple Day’ after the internationally recognised colour for epilepsy – lavender.

Epilepsy Australia, the official Australian partner of Purple Day, and the Epilepsy Foundation will join with other organisations around the globe promoting Epilepsy Awareness. Together we can end the stigma and discrimination of epilepsy during the month of March and on Purple Day, March 26.

Get involved and go purple!

Please be reminded it is sports day, and as per department regulations, closed in shoes MUST be worn.

Thank you

Stephanie Emerson
Relieving Assistant Principal (Tues & Fri)
St Ives Park Public School

Celebrating Student Success

Congratulations to Shahly on being the first student to receive a wrist band in 2018!

Inspiring & Nurturing Successful Lifelong Learners

STEM Learning

Once a fortnight Stage 3 students participate in STEM. This week we created Pom Pom Launchers!

In small groups, students planned their launcher. Everyone was given the same material:

2 x paper clips
1 x paper cup
1 x elastic band
1 x paddy cake paper
1 x straw
1 x pom pom

Students had 15 minutes to plan & draw a scientific diagram and then 15 minutes to create. We then went outside to test them out!

There are some wonderful engineers in Stage 3, and we can't to continue our fortnightly lessons!

Miss Emerson & Mrs Woodwell & Stage 3.

Stage 2

All Things Wormy

This term 1/2 Red and 1/2 Blue have been investigating worms as part of our Science unit, Schoolyard Safari. They have listened to books, watched video-clips and got up close and personal with our very own compost worms. The students have drawn diagrams, written descriptions and discovered many wormy facts. Did you know that worms have 5 hearts and a mouth but no eyes, ears or nose? Well Stage 1 does! They now have a great appreciation for this slimy but under-rated creature of the underworld.

Stephanie Took
Stage 1 teacher

Notes from the Office

PHOTO DAY is Monday APRIL 1 2019

Monday April 1 is the date for our school photographs to be taken.

The “How to Order Forms” from the ‘The School Photographer’ company were sent home with each student last Monday March 4.

EACH STUDENT must hand in THEIR OWN completed envelope to their teacher.

SIBLING ENVELOPES are available from the school office, and must be handed in separately to the school office. The school office will collect the sibling envelopes in order to keep track of the number of siblings having their photo taken and can hand them onto the photographers on the day.

PAYMENTS – The preferred option for payment is online.

IF PAYMENT IS TO BE IN CASH then please bring the envelope with the correct cash inside ON THE DAY OF THE PHOTOS. The envelope will be handed directly to the photographers.

Reading Program

I would like to take this opportunity to encourage parents and friends of the school community who have some spare time, to consider becoming a volunteer reading tutor for our students in Years 1 and 2.

This program involves helping at the school for 1 or 2 hours of a morning. You will receive training on what you will be required to do with the students during these support sessions.

As with all activities that involve working with students you will need to complete an Appendix 5 – Declaration for volunteers and non child related contractors and lodge it at the school office. Please click on the link below or ask for one at the school office.

100 points of Identity are required – please see the link below for a list of documents that may be provided. Your ID and your form need to be lodged at the school office where it will be processed.

If you can help, please fill out the form below and return to the school office.

Thank you.

Adrienne Reid
Learning Support Teacher

Woolworths Earn & Learn 2019

Woolworths Earn & Learn is back and it is now easier than ever to earn valuable equipment for your primary school, secondary school or Early Learning Centre. In our last campaign, more than 16,000 schools and Early Learning Centres benefited from the program, boosting supplies in classrooms, libraries, music rooms, gymnasiums and science labs.

It's simple to participate. From Wednesday 1st May and Tuesday 25th June 2019 or while stock lasts, when your staff and parents shop at Woolworths they can collect Woolworths Earn & Learn Stickers from the checkout operator, via team members at the self service checkout or through an online order and place them on a Woolworths Earn & Learn Sticker Sheet. There will be one Woolworths Earn & Learn Sticker for every $10 spent (excluding liquor, tobacco, and gift cards). Once completed, simply place the Sticker Sheet in the Collection Box, either at your school or at your local Woolworths.

You can then redeem your Woolworths Earn & Learn Stickers for valuable education equipment for your school or Early Learning Centre.

You can find everything you'll need for the program below. And don't forget parents and friends can access your barometer so be sure to keep updating your points!

Parents and Citizens Association

State Election BBQ and Cake Stall

Sat 23 March from 8am

We will run the ever-popular election BBQ and Cake Stall and Cake Stall to raise funds for the school.

The Cake Stall will be managed by years K-2 parents and the BBQ by years 3-6 parents. Please nominate yourself for a slot on the roster HERE

Then make sure you stop for a bite to eat while you're down to vote.

School Camp Out

Sat 23 March 5pm - Sun 24 March 9am

Thanks for all the RSVPs. See you there. You need to have RSVP'd and pre-paid for this event for planning purposes.

Next P&C Meeting

Wed 20 March

7:15pm in the staff room.

Get in Touch

If you have any queries or would like to get involved with the P&C, please get in touch at: stivesparkpc@gmail.com

Uniform Shop

sippsuniform@gmail.com