17 October 2022

Newsletter Articles

October PBL Focus

Value yourself and others. Be courteous and polite. Care for your environment.

Catch Card Winners

This fortnight’s catch card winners are:

Sophie M

Principal’s Message

Welcome back to Term 4

It has been delightful to welcome back all our students and their families to school this week. I trust everyone enjoyed the term break and the sunshine. Term 4 is always very busy and will just fly by, so I will need to keep you all up to date with what is planned. Please keep checking the newsletter each fortnight as it is the official channel for formal school information.

School Development Day Announced

There is a new K-2 English and Mathematics curriculum which will be taught from the 2023 school year. The NSW Minister for Education has announced an additional school development day or teacher education day for all teachers across NSW on December 19th, 2022. This means the last day for students to attend school in 2022 will be Friday, 16th December. Parents and carers may wish to contact Helping Hands should they require care for their children. Staff will be working on the Curriculum Reform or new syllabus to ensure we have a solid foundation for 2023.

Mental Health Awareness Month

October is Mental Health Month in Australia and we have five weeks of suggestions for everyone to help you focus on your own wellbeing. There is a mental health connection calendar via this link for young people, students and families which you may wish to access.

Smiling Mind is a great app and website to assist all people to stop, listen, explore whilst developing your mindfulness. Thrive Inside is a special initiative by Smiling Mind to help everyone stay calm and healthy inside your mind.

Smiling Mind also have a challenge for November to keep everyone healthy and active for 21 mins per day. Will you take the challenge?

Emergency Planning and Drills Term 4

All NSW public schools are required to have an Emergency Plan to assist in safely evacuating or safely keeping students on site depending on the emergency. Last term I advised families that we were planning evacuation practices in Term 3 and Term 4. We will complete our Term 4 evacuation drill in the next two to three weeks, depending on weather to enable the practice, review and reflection of current planning.

This term we have also updated the required Bushfire Emergency Plan. St Ives Park Public School is listed as a category 2 school by the Department of Education due to our close proximity to natural bushland and stands of natural vegetation on our site. All families need to be aware that should the NSW Fire Service announce a ‘catastrophic’ fire rating level, our school would be required to temporarily cease operations as advised by the Department of Education. All our families need to have the SchoolZine app to receive this information. The announcement to the school of a ‘catastrophic level’ would not occur before students finish school, therefore this information would need to be advised after 4:30pm. If you have not already installed the SchoolZine app onto your mobile device now is the time. While this year is anticipated to be wetter than usual, we are prepared in case of a bushfire emergency.

The NSW Rural Fire Service fire danger ratings:

Behaviour Strategy and Inclusive Education Policies

The new Student Behaviour Strategy and Inclusive Education Policies are now in practice in NSW DoE schools. These new policies have been developed to support all students in NSW public schools to ensure all students have opportunities to learn and achieve their potential.

Inclusive Education Policy

All students with disability have the right to access and participate in education in NSW public schools. The new Inclusive Education Policy for students with disability and associated practice resources have been designed to support all schools to engage with and support students with disability to access education.

Student Behaviour Strategy

The new Student Behaviour Strategy supports student behaviour and teachers’ classroom management with a preventive, student-centred and positive approach. The approach is based on research undertaken by the Telethon Kids Institute in their 2018 evidence review of what works best to support student behaviour needs. It also incorporates the recommendations of independent reviews, data analysis of suspensions and stakeholder consultation over three years.

This term the SIPPS Executive team will commence the planning for the School Behaviour Support and Management Plan so as to consult with staff, P&C, SRC and our families. This will be a 6 month process as set out in the guidelines from the Department of Education. There are key principals which the Student Behaviour Strategy is underpinned by and they can be found here with further detailed information:

The expectation is that student behaviour will be integrated into a strategic, system-level approach to learning and wellbeing which includes a continuum of care to support our students.

In the coming weeks I will share more information with our community regarding these two policies.

AP C & I Position at SIPPS from 2023

The five priorities for literacy and numeracy will provide a focus on the areas known to lift the literacy and numeracy growth of students. The Department of Education is focussed on students achieving their potential and improving instruction in schools.

Our school supports the achievement and progress of literacy and numeracy through the contextualised initiatives and system negotiated targets articulated in our School Strategic Improvement Plan (SIP). These are represented in newsletter items I have shared with you in 2022 regarding reading, vocabulary and the work we have undertaken with the MANSW consultant which are part of the SIPPS School Improvement Plan.

After completion of the recruitment process, I am able to confirm that Mrs Kylie Follows has accepted the permanent 0.8 position. This position will commence in 2023.

Kind regards,
Caroline English

Term 4

22nd & 23rd October – SIPPS Family Camp Out
24th & 31st October - Kindergarten Orientation Days for parents and students
Parent Information Night – Term 4, Week 4 – Tuesday 1st November 6:30pm.
7th December Presentation Day 9:30 am
7th December Semester 2 Reports go home
13th December Student Picnic / Party Day
12th December Year 6 Farewell
15th December Student Talent Quest / SIPPS Factor
16th December final day for all students for 2022.

Assistant Principals

Kindergarten Orientation Sessions

The orientation sessions for students starting Kindergarten in 2023 are scheduled for Monday 24 October and Monday 31 October. Times for both sessions are 9:30 to 10:45 am. More information has been emailed to families.

If you have any further questions around starting Kindergarten in 2023 or the orientation sessions, please email at: alison.wright10@det.nsw.edu.au

Kind regards,
Alison Wright

K-2 Highlight

K-2 Excursion to Sydney Zoo

K-2 were extremely excited to take the big trip to Sydney Zoo for our ‘Living Things’ excursion. We enjoyed seeing all the animals and especially loved getting up close and personal with some of them. Kindergarten found out about some special animals in the zoo and their unique features. Stage 1 explored with creating appropriate environments for some of the native Australian animals we saw at the Zoo. It was a very full day with lots of tired bodies on the return trip.

A BIG THANK YOU to our parent helpers who helped this be a safe and fun time for all!

Library

Book Club Issue 7 has been handed out to the students and orders need to be entered online by 24 October 2022.

Band

The bands had an amazing rehearsal on Tuesday.

Senior Band

New music has been handed out to the players in the band:

1. Pomp and Circumstance by Elgar – Elgar composed “Pomp and Circumstance” which was named after a line from Shakespeare’s Othello. The song was composed in 1901 and the march was intended for the coronation of King Edward VIII.
2. Skygazer Fanfare – Explores the infinite possibilities of the sky.

Junior Band

The Junior band is busy learning “Old MacDonald’s Haunted Farm”.

Next week, they have chosen to commence learning “Lets Rock” and “Mickey Mouse March”.

Wahroonga Wine and Food Festival – The Senior band is performing at 3.55pm – Come along and hear our wonderful band perform.

Junior Band 2023

Calling all year 2 -5 students interested in joining the junior band for 2023.

If your child is interested, please contact Kate on kate@actionmusic.com.au .

Kate Habkouk
Band Conveynor
Action Music
Mobile 0419 630 511
kate@actionmusic.com.au

Notes from the school office

Term 4 Fees

Term 4 Statement of Accounts were sent out today. Please check your emails.

Term 4 School Travel

P & C

Camp Out

22-23 Oct

Don’t miss out on SIPPS favourite all school event. Bookings close this week, we need final numbers to cater accordingly. Please purchase one ticket per family member on Qrk! and advise dietary requirements while you are paying. If you aren’t into camping, there is also the option to just come to the evening activities – a giant inflatable course, movie and sausage sizzle dinner.

Of course, we need parent helpers to make such an event a success, so please put your name down for a shift HERE

Christmas Gingerbread House Fundraiser

Get your family into the Christmas spirit with this fun activity for all to enjoy. Help support our P&C fundraising by purchasing a Gingerbread house kit before the end of November. Yum!

Year 6 Farewell
Mon 12 Dec
St Ives Bowling Club
Year 5 and 6 – save the date.

Next P&C meeting
Wed 19 Oct 2022, 7:15pm. In the School Staff Room, enter via Gate 1.

Helping Hands - OSHC

Community