22 August 2022

Newsletter Articles

August PBL Focus

Wear your hat or play under the COLA.

Be polite. Follow teacher instructions. Sit silently and still.

Catch Card Winners

This fortnight’s catch card winners are:

Principal’s Message

Eco-challenge

Students are shining at SIPPS!

A wonderful student-led initiative to collect recyclable containers last week.

With $45 worth of containers collected. Thank you to Lizzie, Beth and Chloe for their initiative and organisation.

PSSA Jersey Day

This was a whole of Kuring-gai PSSA initiative to raise money for the local Pararoos at North Turramurra. The Pararoos are Australia’s National Football Team for athletes with cerebral palsy, acquired brain injury or symptoms acquired from stroke. Students enjoyed wearing their jerseys on Friday and $150 was collected thanks to all our SIPPS students and families.

Book Fair and Book Parade – Have you got your costume ready?

The Book parade will commence at 2:15pm and families are welcome to arrive via Gate 2 from 2:00pm.

The annual Book Fair will be open before school from 8:00am, entry via Gate 2 and again after the Book Parade. Please pop into the library to purchase a book with your children.

Enrolments 2022 – Message to all parents

Each year all NSW Public Schools are asked in August to indicate their anticipated enrolments for the following school year. This means parents need to inform the school that their child will be returning to St Ives Park Public school in 2023.

Thank you to all our parents who have completed the online SchoolBytes form informing the school if their child will or will not be returning to SIPPS in 2023.

This is important for the school to be able to identify numbers of student for 2023. We receive our teacher allocation according to the numbers of students who are enrolled in our school. Please complete the online form by 9th September, 2022.

Technology Upgrade @SIPPS – starting next week

The Department of Education has advised that we will be one of the first Northern Sydney Region schools to receive a technology upgrade for internet services. Between weeks 7 – 10 this term there will be upgrades to internet infrastructure and re-cabling work undertaken at SIPPS. While there will be some disruption between 29th August and 23rd September, we look forward to a really positive result with upgraded connectivity early in Term 4.

Father’s Day Events – next week

Our SIPPS P&C are already underway in the planning for the Father’s Day stall on the 31st August and the Father’s Day breakfast from 7:30am on September 2nd. We look forward to welcoming our Fathers to school that morning with their children. Check the P&C information section in the newsletter for further information.

Term 3

25th Aug Book Parade and Book Fair T3 W6 2:15pm
26th Aug SIPPS P&C Disco
31st Aug Father’s Day Stall
2nd Sept Father’s Day Breakfast
6th September Kindergarten Teddy Bear’s Picnic for students
7th to 9th September Canberra Stage 3 Excursion
9th September Online 2023 enrolment confirmation due
15th September School Tour 9:20 – 9:50am
19th September – SRC Talk Like a Pirate Day
20th September SIPPS Spectacular
24th September School Holidays commence

Regards,
Caroline English

COVID 19 2022 – Term 3 Updates

Covid Settings to start Term 3

This provides you with an overview of how the DoE is working with schools to continue to ensure schools remain COVID-safe throughout this term.

As we continue to prioritise student and staff learning and wellbeing while at school, our layered COVID-smart measures will continue for Term 3. These ‘baseline measures’ are aligned to the NSW Government’s general community settings and include:

• students staying home and getting tested if unwell, and only attending school when symptom free
• strongly encouraging mask-wearing for all staff and students, particularly in the first 4 weeks of term
• rapid antigen testing for symptomatic students and staff, and close contacts attending school to learn and work
• strongly encouraging COVID-19 vaccinations for students, staff and their families, including a booster shot (when eligible)
• strongly encouraging students, staff and their families to get a flu vaccination
• strict requirements for close contacts attending school - you must notify the school if your child is attending school as a close contact.
• good hygiene practices
• maximising natural ventilation
• boosted cleaning during the day, with particular attention given to high touch surface areas
• responding to local COVID-19 conditions when necessary, by working with the department’s Health, Safety and Staff Wellbeing team.

Continuing these baseline COVID-smart measures allows us to prioritise student and staff wellbeing while giving our learners a consistent and productive learning environment this term.

What’s new in Term 3?

As winter continues, our COVID-smart measures have been updated in consultation with NSW Health to provide appropriate protection to our school community.

• Vaccinations. The department has updated its policy regarding COVID-19 vaccination for employees following an independent risk assessment of school (and corporate) settings and consultation with unions and relevant stakeholders. While vaccination will no longer be a requirement for our staff from 1 August 2022, it is pleasing to see that a recent survey highlighted that more than 99% of the department’s active school-based workforce have had at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. We will continue to strongly encourage all our staff to keep up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations as a way of protecting themselves, students, and our school community.
• Boosted day cleaning. The department has made a slight change to its cleaning process. Cleaning of school sites will now be more concentrated during the day, with an increase in cleaning in school hours, and a subsequent reduction out of hours. Boosted day cleaning will continue to focus on high-touch areas and other hard surfaces, door handles, lockers, light switches and handrails in stairways and movement areas.

What’s continuing for Term 3?

• Masks. Masks are an effective way of minimising the transmission of respiratory viruses and infections, and protecting our community, especially those who are at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and flu. We strongly encourage all students and staff wear a mask for the first 4 weeks of Term 3, particularly in indoor settings or when distancing is not possible.
• The latest NSW Health advice also recommends wearing a mask for people who have recovered from COVID-19 and recently completed their 7-day isolation period for an additional 3 days (from days 8 to 10 after receiving a positive COVID-19 result).
• Additionally, as outlined in the below section on close contacts, mask wearing is mandatory for staff and high school students returning to school as close contacts for 5 school days and strongly recommended for primary school students returning to school as close contacts for 5 school days.
• Rapid antigen tests (RATs). The department will send another round of RATs to our school early this term, which we will provide to you in the form of 1 multipack of 5 RAT kits per student. These RATs can be used as required for symptomatic testing, such as if your child is displaying even mild symptoms. Once these department-supplied RATs are exhausted, please continue to access store-purchased RATs which are now readily available in the community or PCR tests. Alternatively, let the school know that you need more and we will try and assist if possible. Additionally, our school will be maintaining a reserve stock of RATs onsite to support symptomatic testing in the event of an outbreak in our school community. Please also remember that positive RAT results must be registered with ServiceNSW, and students who test positive to COVID-19 must not attend school until their isolation period ends and they are symptom free.
• Close contacts. Students identified as close contacts remain able to attend school providing:
     - they are symptom free,
     - notify the school and
     - return a negative COVID-19 test result daily for 5 consecutive school days.
• Additionally, secondary students are required to wear a mask for 5 consecutive school days (except when eating/drinking or exercising). Primary students, while not required, are strongly encouraged to wear a mask for 5 consecutive school days (except when eating/drinking or exercising). Please note that students identified as close contacts are still unable to attend overnight excursions, including camps. Visitors identified as close contacts who are engaging directly with students are required to return a negative COVID-19 test result before attending our school and wear a mask.
• Responding to our local situation. We will continue to liaise with NSW Health and the department’s Health, Safety and Staff Wellbeing Case Management team to ensure our COVID-smart settings keep up with the latest developments. If local conditions require it, this may mean reintroducing temporary additional COVID-smart measures to act as a ‘circuit breaker’, including:
     o mandating mask wearing for all staff and students in Year 7 and above (high school settings)
     o mandating mask wearing for all staff (primary school settings)
     o postponing or limiting non-essential activities like excursions, indoor assemblies and visitors to the school
     o directing cohorts to learn remotely for short periods of time.
• Maximising natural ventilation. The department has reviewed environmental differences across NSW as part of their winter ventilation planning to ensure that local climatic conditions at each school are considered. The department will continue to provide local guidance to schools, including advice on maximising natural ventilation while balancing thermal comfort and the use of indoor and outdoor learning areas for school activities to support schools to adapt to local climate conditions throughout the winter months.
• Reducing the risk of illness this winter. Finally, it is important to note NSW Health’s advice to reduce our risk of not only COVID-19, but other illnesses that may affect our school at this time of year such as the flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) both of which can be serious in younger people. We can all protect our loved ones and our community by:
     o staying home and getting tested if unwell or displaying any symptoms
     o keeping up to date with our vaccinations – including the flu vaccine, which is available from your local GP, pharmacy or Aboriginal Medical Service now
         flu vaccines are free for all children aged 6 months to under 5 years, or for a small charge for those aged 5 years and older
     o getting tested immediately for COVID-19 if you become symptomatic and isolating until you receive a negative result and are symptom free
     o practicing good hand hygiene by washing regularly with soap and water
     o taking a RAT before visiting vulnerable loved ones or going to large gatherings and events.

With these updated settings in place, we hope to have a happy and healthy Term 3.

Assistant Principal’s Message

Developing Mathematicians

Research shows it is vital that students are able to connect mathematical content and initiate prior knowledge to fully grasp new concepts. At SIPPS we are on the journey to changing the way we teach Mathematics. Part of this journey is changing the culture of thinking in our classrooms. Already, through Numbertalks, our students are learning to be mathematicians by focusing on discussing strategy and not the answer. As our students become stronger mathematicians, they will need to learn to be uncomfortable with not ‘knowing the answer’ or not instantly recognising what mathematical knowledge needs to be applied to solve a problem. Building great mathematicians means building their resilience and learning stamina.

What might this look like in a maths lesson?

How can you help your child/ren at home?

Build their learning stamina by:

• Setting regular achievable goals that gently increase what they can do. Example, a nightly reading goal.
• Encourage persistence when working through something difficult or challenging.
• Celebrate their successes, help them to recognise the effort, challenge they worked through and the achievement they feel in doing something for themselves.

Build their understanding of Mathematics by:

• Help your child to recognise the Mathematics in everyday situations.
• When presented with an everyday problem that may involve calculation, ask your child to identify the most appropriate operation or strategy to use and explain their thinking.
• Let your child ‘struggle’ or ‘work through’ a problem for a small period of time before providing assistance. Ask questions that may activate existing knowledge eg, can you tell me what you have done to complete the previous questions? What is different about this question that makes it confusing? Which part of the question do you find confusing?

Hats

We are grateful to have such lovely sunshine and to be able to use our wide open play spaces at recess and lunchtimes once again. A reminder to parents, can you please ensure your child has a school hat with their name on as part of their school uniform. We are monitoring students who don’t have a hat at break times and providing a sunsafe place for them to play.

Kind regards,
Leanne Hayllar and Alison Wright

ICAS

ICAS TEST DATES

This is a reminder that there are two ICAS tests remaining. Please see the schedule below.

Students who are registered and have paid for the specific tests will need to be at school at 7:50am on the morning of their test.

Please enter the school using Gate 2, near the hall.

The gate will be closed, but it will be unlocked. Please open the gate by lifting the bottom latch and close the gate behind you.

Proceed to the spare Stage 3 upstairs classroom (next to the art room) and wait there.

All test students need to bring a pencil.

The test takes approximately 45-50 minutes to complete.

The dates of the tests:

Regards,
Adrienne Reid
ICAS coordinator.

Library

Nat Amoore Author Visit

On Thursday 11 August St Ives Park Stage 2 and 3 students welcomed Nat Amoore to the school.

Nat enthralled the students with tales from her life and involved the students in creating and acting out their own original stories all interspersed with some great tips for the student’s own writing.

Everyone present was captivated with Nat’s performance which demonstrated to the students that authors can be cool, funny, irreverent and exciting.

There are a huge number of students waiting to borrow her books from the library. It is great to see how Nat has enthused the students to want to read her books.

I am sure this author visit will be one of the highlights of the students 2022 school year.

Virginia Allman
Teacher Librarian

Welcome to Book Week 2022.

We look forward to welcoming family and friends to SIPPS on Thursday 25 August for our special Book Week Assembly and Book Parade.

Please plan to arrive at 2pm. We will be hosting the event outside the Assembly Hall. It is highly recommended that you wear a mask in line with the DET and Government guidelines.

Our Book Fair will be open for book sales from 8-9am in the morning and also after the Book Parade.

Please support our school Library by purchasing a book from the Book Fair for your children.

The Book Fair will be set up in the SIPPS library.

See you there.

Virginia Allman
Teacher Librarian

Eco Club

Dear Parents & Carers

We are very excited to say that we have raised $45.00 (450 x 10 cents) from the 10c collector's challenge.

We have announced the winners at lines today.

Congratulations to:

Olivia D with 143 x 10c containers. Olivia will bring two friends to the morning tea.

And

Henry G – who will bring one friend to the morning tea.

Thank you,
Lizzie and Beth
Eco Club Leaders

Band

Lights, Camera, Action the bands are learning movie themes for the upcoming SIPPS Spectacular.

There are so many great movie themes to select from Top Gun, Rocky, Grease, Calamity Jane, Trolls, The Magnificent Seven, Indiana Jones, James Bond … and Jaws.

The most iconic movie theme of all time is Star Wars!

BUT WHAT TO CHOOSE……..

Senior Band

Showcase Piece is Jurassic Park by John Williams

Junior band

Showcase Piece is Power ROCK – A selection of Queen songs from the movie “Bohemian Rhapsody”.

Kate Habkouk
Band Conveynor
Action Music

Mobile 0419 630 511
kate@actionmusic.com.au

Notes from the school office

Online permission notes

The following permission notes are available online for signing:

• Canva – Student Access
• Students not returning in 2023

Term 3 Fees

Term 3 reminder notices will be emailed this week.

Reordering School Photos

Photos for Leaders, SRC, Year 6, Year 6 Fun and School Leaders are available to be ordered. Details below.

P & C

The NSW Department of Education wants to hear from parents and carers on how access to schools, outside of standard school hours, can better support families and students

Uniform Shop Dates this term:

• Friday 19/8: online order packing
• Friday 2/9: online order packing  
• Friday 16/9: online order packing and second-hand uniform sales (summer uniform)

Out of this world disco - Fri 26 Aug

$10 per child. Please pay on Qkr!.

We have 2 volunteer spots left to fill to make this a successful event - please sign up for a shift HERE

Father Day Stall – Wed 31 Aug

$10 per child to purchase a special gift for Dad. Please pay on Qkr! before 30 Aug

Father Day Breakfast – Fri 2 Sep

7:30-8:30am

A lovely morning for kids to spend with Dad or special loved one before school.

$5 per adult, please pay on Qkr!

SIPPS Spectacular

Tue 20 Sep from 6pm

$5 per adult spectator. Please purchase on Qkr!. All proceeds go to the P&C.

Great to have this back on the calendar this year. Come and see what your children have been working hard on this term.

Camp Out – Save the date

22-23 Oct

Back by popular demand. SIPPS favourite event on the social calendar.

Next P&C meeting

Wed 7 Sep 2022, 7:15pm. In the School Library

Helping Hands - OSHC

Vacation Care bookings are available, please click on the brochure below for details.

Community