24 May 2021

Newsletter Articles

May PBL Focus

Principal’s Message

Marvellous Mathematics

Do you know about Number Talks? Number Talks is a mathematical teaching strategy which offers students opportunities to share their knowledge and be able to see, hear and view how their peers understand thinking in Mathematics.

Research indicates that Number Talks are short ongoing daily routines which are designed to extend and engage students in mental mathematical skills. They offer students opportunities to share and justify their thinking about numbers, problems and solve problems mentally in variety of ways. They are part of the planned teaching and learning program. Each term the staff at SIPPS are working with the Mathematical Association of NSW’s Primary Consultant to refine our scope and sequence K to 6 and integrate teaching strategies which promote mathematical thinking into daily practice to engage our students.

The Department of Education has also launched their Everyday Maths support on their website and their #MathsTrainsBrains. Maths is used to solve problems in all aspects of life, from sport to business to creativity. This website is for parents to help kids to succeed. Will you start brain training with them today by clicking the link?

New Assistant Principal

As stated in The Patter of February 1st, 2021, Mrs Sheehy resigned from her position in late January this year. While awaiting the completion of the panel process, Mrs Jacobs has been teaching 3/4 Purple in Semester 1 this year.

The panel process has been completed and there will be an email to all families on Wednesday this week to inform you of the appointment of the new Assistant Principal to support all the students, families at SIPPS. The successful candidate will begin on day 1, Term 3, 2021.

Reporting to Parents

Teachers complete formal written reports to families twice per school year. Teachers are currently busy completing Semester 1 reports which will be issued to parents and carers on Wednesday 23rd June, 2021.

Reports are a summary of your child's progress for each semester. Reporting to parents consists of Term 1 Parent/Teacher Interviews, written reports twice a year and further ongoing detail through requested interviews or meetings. The majority of students are expected to achieve the sound level on school reports. Achievement is assessed and identified across the five bands which include:

Outstanding
High
Sound
Basic
Limited

Effort rating in 2021 on reports has changed with the labels now listed as:

Outstanding
High
Satisfactory
Low
Minimal

While reports are written for parents and carers, please discuss with your child/ren their areas of strength and areas for future focus and revision as they move forward in their learning. Report time should not be an anxious time but a time for all involved in your child’s education to reflect on his/her progress and to set new and achievable goals for next semester. It is important that all students know that there is always more to learn and that learning is a journey throughout their lives.

Successful, Lifelong Learners!

What is bullying?

Bullying is defined by three key features:

• it involves a misuse of power in a relationship
• it is intentional, ongoing and repeated
• it involves behaviours that can cause harm.

Some behaviours, while not bullying, are conflicts that still need to be addressed and resolved. Examples include:

• mutual arguments and disagreements (where there is no power imbalance)
• not liking someone or a single act of social rejection
• one-off acts of meanness or spite
• isolated incidents of aggression, intimidation or violence.

Having a disagreement with a friend, or a single incident or argument is not defined as bullying. These behaviours may be upsetting, and should be resolved, but they are not bullying.

We discuss with students key information in relation to bullying. In the next two weeks our students in Years 3-6 will be completing lessons to support students to have the knowledge to implement preventative strategies through discussing the following concepts:-

• bullying – what is bullying?
• the bullying triangle
• being an up-stander not just a bystander
• knowing who to turn to for help
• understanding diversity

Further information can be found at:

Dates for your diaries

26/5 Assistant Principal email to SIPPS community

2/6 Years 5 & 6 to Great Aussie Bush Camp commences.

9/6 P&C Meeting - hope to see you there.

23/6 Semester 1 reports go home to families.

ICAS ASSESSMENTS

 

St Ives Park Public will again be participating in the ICAS Assessments this year. ICAS is designed to target students’ higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills. Students in Years 3-6 are invited to enter the competitions in Science, Mathematics, English and Digital Technologies.

 

All exams are online. They will take place in the 5/6 Blue classroom in the morning before the start of the school day. Students will need to bring headphones and a pencil with them.

 

Your child will compete against students in Australia and around the world. The exams provide an opportunity for students to gain a measure of their own achievement in an external assessment situation. Every student will receive a printed certificate and an online results report. Top performers from each state will be eligible for medals and are invited to attend special award ceremonies.

 

Dates and costs are as follows:

Test	Cost	Date
Digital Technologies	$17.05	Wednesday 11th August
English	$17.05	Wednesday  18th August
Science	$17.05	Wednesday 25th August
Maths	$17.05	Monday 30th August

 

2021 Participation

Our school has signed up for the ICAS Assessments parent payment system. Through this system parents can pay for ICAS directly online. Tests will be held at our school. Please use the following details to register your child and return the no later than Friday 16^th July 2021.

Visit: https://shop.icasassessments.com/pages/pps
 

Melissa Field 

ICAS Coordinator

Stage 3 Classroom Teacher

Learning and Support

Learning and Support

The role as the Learning and Support Teacher is to provide direct and timely specialist assistance to students in mainstream classes. Assistance is provided to students with disability and additional learning and support needs and their teachers.

My work emphasises:

• the needs of individual students
• school priorities, and
• evidence-based programs to assist students with additional learning and support needs.

I use a collaborative and consultative approach so that students themselves and you, their parents and carers, are actively involved in decision-making.

If you have concerns with the learning, social or behavioural needs of your child, your first port of call is to speak with your child’s classroom teacher. They will treat your concerns with respect and confidentiality and will collect relevant data through assessment, observations, and active monitoring of your child in the classroom or playground. The classroom teacher will also discuss your concerns with the Assistant Principal and together they will form a plan to support your child to overcome any problems and get back on track with their learning to the best of their ability. Your child’s progress will be discussed with you.

If however, after a period of time, the class teacher and Assistant Principal believe that further modifications or adjustments need to be made, they will put a request in for the Learning and Support Team to consider the learning needs of your child. At this point, I will send home some paperwork requesting background information for your child and a formal statement of your concerns. This information then goes to the Learning and Support Team for further consideration.

I will detail the makeup and role of the Learning and Support Team in my next newsletter instalment.

Until then, please enjoy the remaining summer season and family time together.

Warm Regards,
Adrienne Reid
Learning and Support Teacher.

Inspiring & Nurturing
Successful Lifelong Learners

Stage 2

This semester, Stage 2 have been enjoying modelled reading experiences. We have been studying a number of carefully selected high quality texts on The Anzacs and beautifully illustrated informative books on Earth Worms and Natural Disasters. Modelled reading provides rich opportunities to teach effective reading strategies and for teachers to share their enjoyment of reading.

We continue to work in ability groups for Mathematics. The Stage 2, teachers have been working closely with a Mathematics specialist Fiona Foley developing integrated programs that allow us to differentiate for the students and their individual needs. Number talks have also been introduced into our classrooms. Number talks provide opportunities for students to solve mathematical problems using a range of strategies. The focus is on the thinking about mathematical relationships. Students share their answers and thinking and we use incorrect answers to discover misconceptions students may have.

The students in Stage 2 have been highly engaged in these learning experiences and have already demonstrated a lot of growth in both reading and Mathematics.

 

 Lara Cipollone

K-2 enjoyed being part of the National Simultaneous Story Time on Wednesday 19th May. They participated in a variety of space based activities throughout the day. At 11:00am we all tuned in to watch Dr Shannon Walker, an astronaut from the Japanese Experiment Module of the International Space Station, read ‘Give me some space!’ by Phillip Bunting.

Kylie Follows

Notes from the school office

Kindergarten 2022

Now is the time to let the office know if you have a child starting Kindergarten 2022.

We will print off a pre filled enrolment form for you to complete and lodge. Information regarding Kindergarten 2022 will be shared with the community in the coming week.

If you know of anyone in our school catchment area who would like to enrol at St Ives Park Public School please advise them that they are able to enrol online. Just visit the school’s website and look under the heading Enrolment.

Please find below the Kindergarten 2022 Information

Please label all of your child/children’s belongings such as lunch boxes, lids and containers, hats, jumpers and bags.

Please advise the office of any changes to your phone number, address and/or child’s medical condition as soon as possible.

If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact the school office on 02 91444085.

Schoolzine app – Please download the schoolzine app. The school uses this app for payment of fees, viewing of school newsletters, absentee notes, school alerts

Qkr! app – Please download the Qkr ! app – this app is used by the P & C for the ordering and payment of school uniform items and for Canteen ordering and payment of items.

Canteen

Uniform Shop

The uniform shop will open every second Friday starting in Week 2 from 8.30 am to 9.30 am approx.

If you are ordering online please have your uniform orders in by the Wednesday evening of even weeks ie Week 2, 4 etc of the school term.

Goods will be handed out to your child just before the end of school on the following friday afternoon. If you have any questions please call the school office or send an email to the uniform email address below.

sippsuniform@gmail.com

School Uniform items can be purchased every week by using the QKr! App.

P & C

2021 SIPPS P&C Voluntary Contribution

The SIPPS P&C is passionate about supporting our school to improve the infrastructure and resources for your children. This year they have made it simpler to help, by splitting contributions into instalments by Term via the school's quarterly invoice. Whilst the school voluntary contribution supports resources in the classroom, the P&C voluntary contribution supports additional resources and facilities around the school, as outlined in the P&C flyer. Thank you in advance.

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