6 February 2023

Newsletter Articles

February PBL Focus

Engage in learning. Make positive choices. Take care of your belongings.

Principal’s Message

Welcome to St Ives Park Public School

A warm welcome to all our new and returning families.

Our playground has been buzzing with chatter and excitement as students have returned from their long summer holidays. There are many stories of holidays within Australia and overseas. I hope everyone has had a wonderful break and is well rested.

I extend a warm welcome to our new families with students from Kindergarten to Year 6 joining SIPPS for the first time. I believe you will be pleasantly surprised by the ‘SIPPS Difference’, where all our students know each other, and our staff is inclusive and supportive. I’m delighted that you have chosen to send your child to St Ives Park Public School.

For all our returning families, welcome back! 2023 is shaping up to be a really exciting year at SIPPS.

Welcome to our Kindergarten students and families in 2023:

Our Kindergarten students were full of excitement as they began school on Friday. They participated in their ‘Best Start’ interviews prior to starting school which offers their teachers and parents a snapshot of their learning as they enter school. Mrs Wright was enthusiastically welcoming our Kindergarten students for their first day. We look forward to guiding you and your child as they begin their school and learning journey.

I would like to extend a warm welcome to all our Kindergarten parents, some of whom are experienced members of the school community and some of whom are joining the school for the first time. Welcome one and all!

General Department of Education information about starting school can be found at the following locations:

Getting ready for primary school

Maths Trains Brains for Kindergarten Students

Daisy’s first day

NSW Foundation Style writing guide

I would also like to invite our new Kindergarten parents to join us at the first P&C meeting in the school library on Tuesday 15th February at 7:15pm. Entry will be via Gate 2.

Classes and staff in 2023

Students have been placed into classes for 2023 and we have formed 6 classes. As parents, it is important that you are positive and excited about your child’s new teacher and class. Help them to understand the importance of positivity, resilience and a growth mindset. With your help, your child/ren can settle into new routines and very quickly understand that friendships can continue with students who are in a different class. We are very lucky at SIPPS to have a wonderful teaching staff who have the best interests of the students at heart.

In our school administration we will again be supported by Mrs Fazzolari each week and by Mrs Littlewood.

Mrs Hayllar, Mrs Wright and Mrs Follows are our Assistant Principals (AP) at SIPPS. Mrs Taylor will be relieving AP working with the Executive team this year. These ladies work closely with the principal to lead staff in professional learning and support students, staff and parents across the school.

Our staff this year will include:

Parent Information Evening – Partnering in your child’s learning

Information Evening is on Tuesday 21st February, Week 5.

Parents/carers are partners in their child/ren’s education. Our staff would like to share their teaching and learning expectations, the curriculum requirements and advise you on how you can assist in the learning process. This is an opportunity for you to hear from your child/ren’s new class teacher/s and learn about NSW curriculum, important school/class routines, opportunities and expectations.

The timetable for this evening will be as follows:

5:00 pm Stage 1 with Miss Tippett and Miss Goodwin
5:30 pm Kindergarten with Mrs Wright
6:00 pm Stage 2 with Mrs Cipollone and Mrs Field
6:30 pm Stage 3 with Mrs Hayllar, Mrs Taylor or Mrs Cipollone

For parents who are unable to attend, the slides provided on the night will be available via the school website from 20th February.

Parents and Citizens (P&C)

Being an active member of the SIPPS Parents and Citizens Association (P&C) is also a great way to contribute to our school in a positive way. I am looking forward to the P&C’s first meeting on Wednesday evening, 15th February from 7:15 pm in the school library. New Kindergarten parents are most welcome to come along to listen or join the P&C. Please check further in the newsletter for P&C links and a formal invitation from our P&C President Mr Stewart Duncan.

Swimming Carnival

Our school swimming carnival is scheduled for Monday 13 February at Ku-ring-gai Aquatic Centre, West Pymble. The swimming carnival note will be sent out to parents/carers of Grades 3-6 and eligible students in Grade 2. Please check for the online note via SchoolBytes to complete the permission for the event. Mrs Taylor is co-ordinating the event in 2023.

We look forward to our parents joining the school for this event. Students will need to remain in the stands between races. Parents are welcome to view the races from the grassed area adjacent to the pool. Officials assisting with the event and staff will be on the pool deck area.

2023 Dates for your diary

• 13 Feb: SIPPS Swimming Carnival
• 15 Feb: P&C Meeting. Please see school newsletter for further information. Looking forward to meeting new parents in the library at SIPPS, please enter via Gate 2.
• 16 Feb: Staff training on the AECG Partnership Agreement
• 21st February: Parent Information Sessions.
• 13 March: PLASPS – Personalised Learning and Support Plan parent meetings commence from 13 March.
• 15 March: P&C Meeting in the staffroom at SIPPS.
• 27 to 31 March: Parent Teacher Interviews – format to be advised (DoE has not advised as yet).
• 8 April: 2pm – 3pm Festive and Easter hat parade

Kind regards,
Caroline English

Important information

The following is important information for parents of our school. Please take the time to read through it so that you are aware of how you can help make 2023 a successful year at SIPPS!

Attendance Matters

Education in New South Wales is compulsory for all children between the ages of six years and below the minimum school leaving age. The Education Act 1990 requires that parents ensure their children of compulsory school age are enrolled at, and regularly attend school, or are registered with the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards for home schooling. Once enrolled, children are required to attend school each day it is open for students.

Education for your child is important and regular attendance at school is essential for your child to achieve their educational best and increase their career and life options. NSW public schools work in partnership with parents to encourage and support regular attendance of children and young people. When your child attends school every day, learning becomes part of their daily routine, and your child will build and maintain friendships with other children.

Student absences from school

Parents of children from Kindergarten to Year 12 must ensure their children attend school every day. On occasion, your child may need to be absent from school. Justified reasons for student absences may include:

• being sick or having an infectious disease
• having an unavoidable medical appointment
• being required to attend a recognised religious holiday
• exceptional or urgent family circumstances e.g. attending a funeral.

Parents must provide a written explanation for absences to the school within 2 days from the first day of any period of absence. SIPPS parents can complete the SchoolZine App to notify of a student’s absence. Where an explanation has not been received within the 7-day timeframe, the school will record the absence as unjustified on the student's record.

Parents need to be aware that only the above listed absences will be accepted as justifiable. Unauthorised absences are listed as explained: unjustified in the roll marking system.

Communication

The school’s newsletter (The Patter) is the main form of communication to parents. Please read it regularly. It will be emailed to each family every alternate Monday. You will also be able to access it on the school website from the link below.

Please also download the SchoolZine mobile app. Click the link for instructions:

Contacting your child’s class teacher

If your matter is urgent, please contact the office via email or telephone.

Teachers have very busy days with their core teaching duties, mandatory meetings and playground duties. Please be aware you will not receive an instantaneous response. There is an expectation that teachers will reply within 3 days of your email. Teachers are not required to respond to emails outside their work hours (e.g. evenings, weekends or holidays).

Parents may send correspondence via the school email, and it will be forwarded to staff each day. Please contact your child’s teacher via email through the office or directly, if you have questions or information your child’s teacher needs to know. Contact details for your child’s teacher will be provided during the information evening presentations.

Approaching the school

Please find attached the St Ives Park Public School Community Code of Conduct and the Department’s School Community Charter. These documents will advise parents and community members regarding how to approach members of staff in all Departmental schools.

It is important that we are all proactive in ensuring that our students and staff enjoy a safe and harmonious school environment. It is up to all of us to model behaviour that is consistent with the school’s expectations of Respect, Responsibility and Personal Best. Please click here to see the SIPPS Community Code of Conduct and School Community Charter:

SIPPS Gates

Students may enter each day via Gate 1 or 2.

Gate 1 is located closest to the school office. Gate 2 is located closest to the hall. Gates are open until 9:10 each morning when all students should have arrived at school.

Students arriving late to school should be accompanied by an adult and have a valid reason for their late arrival. Parents will need to sign their child into school. Please attend Gate 1 should your child be arriving late to school or leaving early. Press the intercom button and wait for a reply. The gate will be released by a member of staff in the office and you must come into the office when you are on site to sign in.

Social Media / School App updates

As stated in the recent information to all families. The DET Covid guidelines are available using the link below.

Parents are also able to download the DET app ‘NSW School Updates App’

Social Media:

SIPPS has a Facebook page and Instagram account (St Ives Park Public School),

Please join us on the Facebook pages to keep informed about all the wonderful things happening at SIPPS. This is not a formal communication platform as it is open to the public.

SchoolZine App and SIPPS School Calendar

Should there be an emergency, the school community will be notified via the SchoolZine app regarding the status of the school and updates

While the school Newsletter is the formal means of communication each fortnight with our community, the SchoolZine App is an additional important communication tool. It is strongly recommended for parents to download the app. Short communication messages are communicated through this app to our families. For example, if changes to an anticipated event need to occur, the school may send brief messages through the SchoolZine App to inform parents.

The school calendar is available via the SchoolZine ‘SZapp’. The calendar provides parents with the key events scheduled for students at the school.

School Times

8:40am – Students may arrive at school. Teacher on duty from 8:40am.
9:10am – Lessons begin
11:10am – Recess begins (10 mins sitting and eating and 20 min break to play)
1:10pm – Eating break (10 mins)
1:20pm - Lunch break (35 minute break)
3:10pm – School concludes

Supervision of students commences at 8:40am. Parents are asked to ensure that their children arrive at school between 8:40 and 9:05 am. There is no supervision for students prior to 8:40am when staff open the gates. Staff are required on site by 8:40 am each morning. School commences at 9:10am. School concludes at 3:10pm for all students. All children must be collected by 3.10pm as staff supervision ceases at this time.

We have two breaks in the day. 30mins at recess and 35 mins at lunchtime. At recess, students sit and eat for 10 mins and play for 20mins. There are 10 mins supervised eating at lunchtime and 35 mins of playtime. Crunch ‘n Sip is a healthy fruit and vegetable break during the morning learning session.

Our ‘Helping Hands’ OOSH facility can take students on a casual basis who are not collected after 3:10pm if they have been registered. Registration is free and we encourage all parents to register their child.

For safety reasons, students are not permitted to be on the premises prior to 8:40am unless they are booked into OOSH or have school-based training or practice.

Playground Equipment

The playground equipment cannot be used by students before school, after the 3:10 pm bell on school days, on weekends or during school vacation periods. This is a Department of Education safety regulation.

Update to Parent Contact Information and Court Orders

The office needs to be notified of any changes to your personal details and or court documents immediately so that prompt contact can be made in emergencies. Please let the office know if you have changed any contact details. Parents are kindly requested to send all correspondence for students through the school office during school hours. Students are not permitted to use mobile phones during school hours and while on site at school. Further information will be provided to parents as the Department of Education is currently updating this information for schools.

School Crossing and Road Safety

Please familiarise yourself with the parking rules around the Acron Road pedestrian crossing to prevent parking infringement notices. The council rangers do patrol the area intermittently.

If your child needs to cross Acron Road, they must go via the school pedestrian crossing. Parents, please walk your child to a gate via the school crossing. Children have been hit by cars when responding to parents who have called them across the road. Please park your car, come to school and walk with your child across the road via the school pedestrian crossing rather than taking the risk.

Please remember that our main priority is to ensure our students are safe coming to and leaving school. Taking an extra couple of minutes to wait, to slow down, or to drive around the block instead of performing a dangerous manoeuvre is much better than the potential disaster that could occur to one of our precious students.

Staff Car Park

This is strictly a no parking area for parents and the community. Please park outside the school grounds where there is plenty of street parking in Acron Rd and Woodbury Rd. Please observe ‘no stopping’ and bus zones to ensure that you are not fined when the police or rangers make their patrols. There is no pedestrian access to the school via the staff car park. We have two school gates on Acron Road that provide safe access for students and parents.

Medical Plans and Conditions

If your child is on a medical plan these need to be updated annually and signed by your doctor. Please make an appointment with your doctor to update your plan and provide the signed and dated copy to the school during February.

The Department of Education requires all students diagnosed with asthma to have a current Asthma Management Plan lodged with the school on an annual basis. Students with asthma should always carry or have available at Sick Bay appropriate medication, for example, reliever puffers. The same applies for anaphylaxis and other medical conditions.

Anaphylaxis

This is a severe and sudden allergic reaction to foods, insect bites, medications and latex products, which is life threatening. We have students at SIPPS who are allergic to peanuts and / or nuts. To assist us to manage their environment as safely as possible, we ask that you do not send your child to school with peanut butter or Nutella and refrain from supplying snack bars or foods with nuts. Please reinforce our school policy about not sharing food with friends at school as there are a number of students with health care conditions across the school.

At SIPPS, we have some students who have allergies which are severe enough to warrant the use of an EpiPen (the emergency response) if they come into contact with the wrong foods. The safety of all St Ives Park Public School students is paramount and we ask that you please follow our request to not send nut-based products to school with your child.

Sun smart – Hats and sunscreen

It is so very important that we have 100% of students wearing their hat each day. All school students are required to bring and wear a school hat during outdoor activities including sport and playtime. No hat, play in the shade! All students need to protect themselves from UV radiation. Until around May, UV levels in NSW are high. Protecting skin and eyes from UV in the first 15 years of life significantly reduces skin cancer risk in later years. For more info about UV and protecting your skin, visit the link below.

Uniforms

SIPPS students proudly wear the red and green. Our Uniform Shop is run by the SIPPS P&C and is staffed by parent volunteers. Please be sure to contact the Uniform shop website for enquiries. Further details about the school uniform are available from the school’s website and in the newsletter.

Students are requested to wear full school uniform at all times which includes black leather school shoes and school hat. In 2023, Sport uniform will be worn on Tuesdays and Fridays for sports lessons.

Out Of School Hours (OOSH) Care

St Ives Park Public School has ‘Helping Hands’. This service is an external provider of before and after school services to the SIPPS families.

If you require this service, please contact them on:

Phone: 0475 838 226 or Email: stivespark@helpinghandsnetwork.com.au

Please keep up to date by reading the newsletter regarding Vacation Care Services.

Parent Volunteers

We welcome assistance from parent volunteers for various activities and events during the year. If you wish to be involved in this way, you must ensure that you have lodged a completed Declaration for Volunteers form with the school office. All volunteers must hold a current Working With Children’s Check from Service NSW (Volunteer ones are free) before they may volunteer in NSW Public Schools. Please contact the office if you need assistance with this.

Library

At SIPPS, we provide families with the opportunity to purchase books and other items for their children through the Scholastic Book Club.

Twice a term, a Scholastic Book Club catalogue will be sent home with your child.

More information is available here:

How do I place an order?

The Book Club LOOP platform for parents allows you to pay by credit card. Your order will be delivered to the school and will be given to your child to bring home.

You can place your child’s order at scholastic.com.au/LOOP or by using the LOOP app, which can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.

For more information or assistance, you can always contact the Scholastic Customer Service team on 1800 021 233.

Every order that is placed by the SIPPS school community earns our school bonus dollars which are used to purchase books for our School Library.

If you have any questions or concerns, please email the school office

and I will be happy to assist.

ISSUE 1: Book Club 2023

Students will receive the catalogue via their class teacher this week.

All orders need to be placed online via the LOOP Platform by Friday 17/2/23.

Virginia Allman
Teacher Librarian & Book Club Coordinator

Band

News for Band / Piano and Guitar

It’s going to be a fabulous year to play music with more face-to-face music performance and exams returning in 2023.

BAND

Junior Band is commencing soon, if you have a letter from blow test last year and haven’t replied it’s not too late. From $ 30 a week for band and a group class it’s amazing value.

We also perform at competitions and festivals.

If you would like to join

Piano lessons are a wonderful instrument to learn from kindergarten or at any stage of primary school, as an introduction to music.

If you would like to join

Calling all ROCKSTARS
Guitar lessons are available with Mr David at the school

If you would like to join

Contact Kate Habkouk – 0419 630 511
Kate @actionmusic.com.au

Notes from the school office

School Photos are coming!

School photos will be taken on Monday, 27 February 2023. All students will participate in their class photo and all students will have an individual photo taken regardless of whether you order or not. All orders are to be placed online, no envelopes will be sent home and cash payments are not available.

If you would like a sibling photo, a separate order it required, this is also available online.

Full summer school uniform is to be worn on this day.

School finance

Our school will be transitioning to a new finance system during Term 1. Whole school and Term 1 invoices will not be issued until after Week 6. More information will be issued in the coming weeks. A flyer from SchoolBytes is below.

P & C

Join us for our first P&C Meeting of 2023
Wed 15 Feb, 7:15pm in the school library.

We hope everyone is settling well into the new school year and a warm welcome to our new families. We look forward to lots of exciting social and fundraising activities this year to support you and your children. We hope to see you at our first meeting on Wed 15 Feb. The SIPPS P&C is so much more than cake stalls and BBQ duty.

The SIPPS P&C is an amazing parent community that work with our school to get things done for our kids. There is no commitment to get involved, but come along, meet other parents and the school executive team. We hope to see you there.

Communication Channels

There are a number of important communication channels to keep you on top of everything that goes on in the school:

1. The Patter is the school newsletter, please ensure the school has your up-to-date email to receive this and other vital school information.

2. P&C website sippspandc.org/

3. Class WhatsApp groups – these are the key channel for teacher and P&C updates, method for you to communicate with the other parents in your class and arrange class social activities. Signup to your relevant class and social group/s below by scanning with the QR reader on your phone.

4. Dad’s Social WhatsApp group (casual social group who plan dinners once or twice a term)

5. Tennis WhatsApp group (for the private lessons after school with Mark Geffan, receive weather updates, details of lessons and tournaments etc).

6. Pencil Squad - whole school Facebook message group. If you would like to be included, please email stivesparkpc@gmail.com with your details.

School enrolment and catchment boundaries – Updated

The SIPPS P&C have been working hard for many years with the NSW Government asking for a review of the current enrolment catchment area. We presented our business case to the Minister for Education and a review was conducted last year. The result is positive for SIPPS, the enrolment boundaries have been increased and a number of additional streets have been moved out of the St Ives PS catchment and into the SIPPS catchment. This includes both sides of Killeaton Street all the way down to Mona Vale Road.

Tennis Court Access

The P&C have been working with the school to provide improved access for parents to drop off, pickup and watch their kids tennis lessons after school.

We will utilise some of our 2022 fundraising to install two new gates for the tennis courts that will provide direct access from Acron Road. Watch out for this work commencing in the next few weeks.

Canteen Reopen

Exciting news for kids and their lunch-making parents, the canteen will reopen on Mon 27 Feb. The canteen is open Monday lunchtimes only, all orders are via the Qkr! app.

The Canteen is run by parent volunteers and we need all Monday shifts filled so we can operate. This is a great, fun experience, please sign up for a shift or two here:

Note, you will be asked to update your profile in Qkr! at the start of each year, so we have the correct class detail for your child for Canteen and Uniform deliveries, and phone number to reach you of any order issues.

We sell very handy reusable lunch bags which make it much easier for the canteen to get your child’s lunch order back to their classroom, these can also be purchased via the Qkr! app in the ‘Extra’s’ section.

Uniform Shop

The uniform shop is also run by parent volunteers, we stock all NEW uniform items, and a small selection of second-hand items. We gladly accept donations of any preloved official uniform items, to be dropped at the school office, during office hours.

New uniforms are to be ordered via the Qkr! app (see instructions attached) and will be packed every second Friday during school term (odd weeks only ie week 1,3,5 etc). The orders will be delivered to your child’s classroom. We open for second hand sales periodically through the term (this will be announced via class chat groups).

Please email sippsuniform@gmail.com for any queries or if you need to change any sizing (items must be unworn with tags).

Order and pay using Qkr! by 8am on the delivery date (every second Friday, Odd term weeks). Please ensure your child’s class details are correct for 2023.

A pair of black school shoes and a pair of sports joggers also need to be purchased separately.

Uniform Type and Days worn at school

Monday, Wednesday & Thursday - School Uniform.
Tuesday & Friday - Sports Uniform

Name Labels Offer

Do you need name labels for the return to school and inevitable lost property hunt? SIPPS families get 5% off at My Name Label and 15% goes towards our school as fundraising. Order name tags and labels online and take advantage of this saving.

Use this unique code SIPPS0515 at checkout to receive 5% off your order.

Next P&C Meeting

Wed 15 Feb. 7:15pm in the Library

Planned P&C Dates for your diaries – to be confirmed

Helping Hands - OSHC

Community

SIFC (Soccer) Registrations are now open for 2023, open to boys and girls.

Register your interest for SIFC Come and Try Day - 26th February, U6 - 3pm and U7 - 4pm.

SIFC are particularly looking for girls in the G11 and G12 age groups to form development teams ready to be entered into the Diamond League in 2024, if interested please contact cccfemales@sifc.com.au.