16 August 2021

Newsletter Articles

August PBL Focus

This is especially important for our online platforms at the moment.

Principal’s Message

Learning From Home

Our families have been very practical and helpful in following the requirements of the NSW Health Orders. Please find below a link to a video for your viewing:

Our parents, students and staff are all working hard to make Learning and Working From Home as positive and practical as possible. A warm thank you to all our families for your hard work so far this term.

Over the weekend updated stay at home orders came into effect. Our school remains on Level 4 restrictions and all students must learn from home, unless families are essential workers. Should you need to contact a teacher, please use email or telephone the school office. All parents as non-essential visitors to the school are expected to remain off site unless entering with the permission of the Principal.

Please also be aware that the 5km rule has come into place for exercise and shopping. Teachers at SIPPS and Level 4 schools are still able to attend work from beyond the 5km radius of their home. Staff in schools in the Level 4+ are not able to attend their workplaces. Minimal supervision and staff on site is essential during this time and numbers of students and staff are supplied to the Department every day.

Kindergarten 2022 - Orientation Planning

New enrolments – please let people know if they need to enrol for 2022. The Department has online enrolment procedures available for in-area enrolments. For out of area applications, parents do need to contact the school and applications will be assessed by the enrolment committee on a case-by-case basis.

With the current restrictions we are unable to offer onsite visits or tours. Should you wish to participate in our online session for Parents and Carers of Kindergarten 2022, please contact the office for the Zoom details.

Bandemonium BAND Concert for you!

The Bandemonium Band students are still practicing via Zoom each week and are looking forward to inviting you to a band concert tomorrow morning. This may be a lovely way to start your day! Year 2 students may also wish to view the concert as they may be looking to join the band in 2022.

Staff Professional Learning

Staff professional learning continues in lockdown.

Staff have been working with Fiona Foley from MANSW to integrate individual Schedule For Early Number Assessment (SENA) with the Learning Progressions to identify and support student learning. This enables staff to target core learning.

School Improvement Plan

The school executive team are currently reviewing assessment practices K to 6. We will be conducting an assessment audit starting in English and Mathematics. Identifying the strengths and areas for improvement in assessment will lead our planning and directions in the area of assessment for 2021 and into 2022.

Fencing at SIPPS

As outlined in the final newsletter for Term 2, in order to support the safe learning of all students when at school, there will be safety fencing installed across specific areas of our school site. The Department’s representatives were on out site twice last term to identify and confirm the location of safety fencing to support students and staff when at school.

The fencing locations offer maximum play and learning space for our students within our site. The safety fencing has now been through the tender process and installation is anticipated to start in late August. The company has been approved to create a small compound at the far Woodbury Road end of the oval and plan to commence the fencing process along Woodbury Road before moving to Acron Rd.

My warmest wishes to our SIPPS Community.

Stay home, stay safe and stay well!

Caroline English
St Ives Park Public School

Assistant Principal’s Message

Professional Learning with Instructional Leader

Our staff professional learning journey has continued through the Learning From Home period this term. Working in consultation with myself (Instructional leader), the teachers have continued to review and reflect on their literacy and numeracy programs. Using student tracking and performance data, both K-2 and 3-6 teachers worked collaboratively to reflect on the teaching programs delivered and determine where next to target teaching. In reviewing literacy programs, each stage have developed, guided and modelled reading programs that target identified areas of need for explicit teaching.

As part of our review of numeracy teaching at SIPPS, we continue to focus on constructing rich activities and learning sequences that allow students to develop their mathematical knowledge by making deep and meaningful connections in their learning. As parents may have had the opportunity to experience via Zoom, our teachers have also incorporated Number talks into their weekly maths programming. Number talks allow students to see that there are many ways of seeing a problem and finding the answer.

As the learning from home phase has continued, I have worked with teachers to refine their teaching and programming methods. I continue to collaborate with stage teams remotely as we continually review teaching strategies and learning activities in order to best meet the needs of students while LFH.

Mrs Hayllar
Instructional Leader / K-2 Assistant Principal

Inspiring & Nurturing
Successful Lifelong Learners

Kindy Rainbow work samples

Maddison's Olympic Maths

Kindergarten have been doing lots of Number work for Mathematics. Counting forwards and backwards, doing number of the day and daily 5 warm ups. We have also been doing lots of adding. We enjoyed talking about the Olympics and getting active with GoT Game activities. This fabulous activity combined our Olympic theme and our adding skills. Great job Maddison.

K/1 Turquoise work samples

This work is by Henry (he is in Kindergarten).

Kindergarten have been learning about how to write really interesting Fairy Tales. In this lesson we were focusing on the setting in stories. Henry has used lots of adjectives so that the reader can "paint a picture" in their minds as they are reading. We were also remembering to put spaces between words and form our letters correctly. Well done Henry.

1/2 Emerald work samples

By James

3/4 Purple work samples

Write a number sentence to match the image below.

4x4=16

18X6=9X12=108
I did this using the double/halving strategy.

By Anna

3/4 Yellow work samples

Alena’s Resolution

Alena loved AFL and wanted to join the team with her friends but she was scared that she would never get in! She tried last year but she didn’t make it and was too worried to try again this year as she knew she still wouldn’t make it.

The next day Alena came home from school and saw her Dad on the couch. “Sweetie, we haven’t got out of the house much!” he exclaimed. “Would you like to go for a jog with me?”. Alena loved jogs just as much as she loved AFL. “Of Course” Alena screamed with joy!

“Can I come?” her brother Jacob asked.

“No you can’t, you’ve got homework young man.” Mum answered as she came out of the office.

Mum nodded to me as if she wanted me to go, which she probably did!

Alena and her Dad went for a 20 minute jog up and down the street and saw Alena’s friends, Daisy and Natalie, on the way.

“Oh, Hi Alena!” Nat said “Are you trying out for AFL this year? It was boring last year without you.”

‘Yeah, it was and we lost basically all the games” Daisy added on…

“I don’t know”, Alena replied. “Didn’t make it last year, won’t make it this year” she moaned.

“You will, of course you will!” her Dad encouraged her.

“Let’s go to the oval and play AFL instead of talking about it!” Daisy yelled. “I might need some practise myself.”

We ran to the oval and Nat got the ball out of her bag. “Ready?”. Nat kicked the ball towards Alena and screamed “Kick it!” Alena fumbled the kick as her legs wobbled, she kicked the ball towards no-one.

She tried again, from her foot towards Daisy’s head but it bounced off her hands and back to hit Alena in the head. Ouch!

Alena kept trying and Natalie gave her lots of advice. After a few days of practice Alena was quite good at kicking and trained every day. The bruise on her head still hurt from the hit to her face but she was getting excited for try-outs.

“You’ll do good” Daisy and Natalie said.

Alena went to the tryouts and remembered her training. She did great kicks and passes and for the first time ever she caught the ball when someone passed to her. At the end of the day she was sweaty and dusty but confidence pushed her to keep going.

“So did you make it in?” Natalie questioned.

“Don’t know, maybe – I did my best and sure hope I made it!”

“Attention please” the announcement came, “The AFL team for 2021 is…” Alena’s heart was thumping… “Ruby, Lexie, Max, Daisy, Nat”. The announcement stopped, and so did Alena’s heart. She did all that work and still didn’t make it.

“Oh and Alena makes six.”

Alena made it in! Ruby, Lexie, Max, Daisy, Nat and Alena were all in the team! Finally!

Alena was jumping in the air with joy.

A year later…

“… and Alena scored another goal” the announcer called for about the one hundred and fiftieth time ever!

by Alena

Coding by Andrew

A poem

When I started soccer in Kindy I wanted to quit
Now I realise that I was really a nit wit
So, I hear you ask, why did I want to quit?
I’ll tell you my story while you sit

My first practice with the team was so boring
That I ended up falling asleep and started snoring
My coach woke me up and asked what was wrong
I said dude I want to play soccer, but you talk far too long

My coach laughed and said it was time
To get on the field because it was kick off time
I had so much fun playing with all my friends
I really hope this fun never ends

By Brahm

5/6 Blue work samples

Trapped in my house,
also in my mind,
feeling my mental health,
going blind.
Doing school from my dining room table,
Everyone's lives are now unstable.
Recess and lunch
whenever I want.
On my laptop,
choosing a font.
Life was awesome
before this mess,
now we are all under
a lot of stress.
Life has changed before our eyes,
and now we can hear each other’s cries.
Everyone at home
having fun together,
there are some silver linings
We'll remember this forever.

By Sophie

5/6 Pink work samples

Shape Poem by Justin 5/6 Pink

A
Lightning
knocks
loudly.
Oh my it burns.
Window my lonely,
window,
a piece
glass

Daily Writing - Spooky Story by Charlotte 5/6 Pink

Every night before bed my grandma tells me and my sister a story but it's not a wonderland, happy ending or fairytale. It's a nightmare!! She tells us, I know it's all fake though, when I was little she got me believing it was real. I had to wear nappies all over again, I was wetting the bed!! The weird thing was at night, I could hear the noises and I could hear the chains. Shivers still go through my back thinking about it.

“Story time” grandma sings, “he's tall, he's loud, he's hungry, he's hungry for children!!” ‘’Ahhhhh” my sister screams. “He's got ch..." Grandmas continued. "Chains on his feet" I interrupt, "yes" grandma says surprised, "he's blind but can hear so well, pointy horns stick out of his head." Grandma walks off, leaving us with that disgusting image in our brain. I rest my head on the pillow thinking about everything but that.

12:00 o'clock on the dot. Woken up from loud thumps and chains scraping in the attic. I ran fast across the hall into my parent’s room, they're already up from my loud running. "He's here, he's here" I yell, they already know what I'm going off about, “it's not real, go to bed” they demand.

Trotting my way back to my room, I see him eating my sister!!!!!! I tried to squeeze out a scream but then I remembered they were blind not deaf. Tiptoeing back to my parent’s room I whisper, "it's too late we have to leave her."

They run into my sister's room, then they scream and cry, then they turn back to me. "What did you do to her?" I'm shocked, "you can't see him!" Shaking their heads, I yell he's there before I know it. I'm saying "Watch out", I look away because I know what has happened. Then I see my grandma “wait gran help me” she turns to me and says "the people who can see him don't die", now I have to live with watching everyone else die.

Library

Dear Parents and Carers

Book Week 2021 is going to be a very different one this year due to Sydney’s lockdown and students learning from home!

Zoom Book Event

To celebrate Book Week this year we are inviting all students to dress as their favourite book character or to dress as something that reflects the 2021 theme of Book Week: ‘Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds’.

Students will show off their outfit to the class in a scheduled class zoom to be held on Thursday 26th August.

Please keep this event manageable and use whatever you have around the house. It might be an animal hat, a mask, a headband, some simple makeup, a onesie, something created out of recycled materials, a special outfit…

Students will be encouraged to tell the class about their outfit and what book or world it represents during their class zoom.

For K-2 Students: You can assist your child by making sure they are aware of the book and character they are dressed as or which Book Week world they represent: old worlds, new worlds, other worlds.

Examples:

I am Wilbur the black cat. Wilbur is Winnie the Witch’s best friend and companion in the Winnie the Witch picture books.

I am dressed as an “Old Worlds” character. I am a Knight who lived in the middle ages and fought in lots of battles.

We would love to capture the students Book Week characters and would love you to post up a photo of your child to their seesaw class so we can put the photos together and share with the school community.

Bookface Competition

We are running a book face competition for students in K-6 to celebrate Book Week. There is a separate flyer advertising and explaining this competition. Bookface involves “strategically lining up your face or another body part alongside a book cover that features a matching body part so that there appears a melding of life and art.”

It is fun and easy to do. The photo is to be posted in the student’s Google Classroom into the Bookweek topic folder called Bookface Competition. Entries need to be uploaded by Friday 20th August. Winners will be announced in Book Week.

Virginia Allman
Teacher Librarian

General Information for families

Cyber safe families

The following resources are available to support families and their children in being responsible online users:

• Cyber safe families – an overview of cyber safety
• Technology and wellbeing – useful tips and tools
• Digital citizenship External link – a collection of articles and resources to maximise students’ use of technology.

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 weeks.

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.

All school tours are on hold during lockdown restrictions.

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

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

Canteen will be closed until further notice.

Uniform Shop

Uniform shop will be closed until further notice.

P & C

New member invitation video

Hear from a few of our current P&C members on why they joined the P&C and what they get out of it:

Everyone is welcome and indeed needed at the SIPPS Parents & Citizen’s Association. Great things can be achieved through a diverse membership. Join us for our next online meeting and have a listen to what we are about. You don’t even need to leave your lounge room.

Or reach out at stivesparkpc@gmail.com if you have any questions.

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Next P&C Meeting

Please join us to find out more about the school, meet other parents and input into the direction of the school. We are currently meeting via zoom while onsite restrictions are in place.

• Date: Wednesday 25 August
• Time: 7:15pm
• Where: Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2880957081
• Meeting ID: 288 095 7081

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A thank you caffeine hit

As a token of our appreciation for all the hard work Caroline, the teaching and admin staff put into our kids, especially right now during Covid, the P&C have arranged for a pre-paid Coffee Van to visit the school twice a week for a warming brew on us. If you’d like to shout them a coffee or two, you can do so via QKR.

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Condolence Book Closed

Thank you to everyone who signed the condolence book for the Prior family. The book has now closed. We know our school community will continue to pull together and be there to support the family for the long haul.

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Uniform Shop

We will need a new Uniform Shop Manager next year as the lovely Mercy’s kids will be heading off to high school. This is a fun and rewarding role that you can make your own, usually once a fortnight. Ideally Mercy would onboard and train someone up in Term 4 this year before she leaves. Contact us to learn more stivesparkpc@gmail.com

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Canteen and Tennis Courts

Currently closed until further notice due to Covid.

Community