Newsletter Term 1 Week 3 2023
"We acknowledge and respect the traditional custodians on whose land our school rests. Their footsteps and whispers blow in the wind, drift on the clouds, remain deep in the sandstone and float on the waterways of this place. Their memories and Dreaming stories will continue to connect us to the land and guide future generations of our school community. Country is alive if you take the time to look, listen and learn."
Welcome Kindergarten 2023
Principal's message
Playground Protocols
Building connections and resilience are an important part of the start of a new school year for our students. Thank you for supporting your children with this. An important aspect of this is our Stage One and Kindergarten students taking responsibility for their own belongings. Students should be carrying their own bag once in the school grounds, hanging it up and organising themselves for the start of the day.
Our playground has supervision from 8.30am. Please ensure your child is at school by 8.45am. This gives them time to say goodbye to you and gives them time to play with their friends. This transition time is important for your child to feel settled and ready to start a day of learning.
Interested in the role of Class Parent?
Your role
- Help with communication between the families of children in the class, with the teacher, school and P&C Committees.
- Help to make families feel part of the school.
What does the Class Parent do?
- Make a list of names and contact details of class families.
- Support your class teacher as required.
- E-mail important information to class families from the school or P&C Committees.
- Organises social activities for class families.
NOTE: Class Parents from different classes often work together to help organise joint social activities.
- Attend P&C Meetings or read the minutes if unable to attend.
Things to consider when acting as Class Parent
- The cultural diversity of families in the class.
- Family and work commitments of parents on the class.
How do we choose a Class parent?
- An Expression of Interest is sent out to parents with a closing date.
- If only one parent volunteers they become Class Parent
- If two parents are interested, we will invite the parent who has not filled this role before to
become Class Parent.
- If all volunteers for the role have been Class Parent before, we will draw a name out of the hat (witnessed by the class teacher).
- Class Parents will be invited to a Morning Tea to talk more about the expectations of the role.
If you would like to volunteer to be a class parent please fill out the link below by Friday 10th February.
All class parents will be invited to a morning tea to network and ask any questions.
Thank you
We wish Ms Sarah King all the best as she takes her maternity leave for 2023. We look forward to welcoming her back in 2024. Ms Olivia Wakelin will be relieving in her position supervising Stage 2. Hot of the press is the very exciting news of the birth of Ms Julia Gough's baby boy Jude who has arrived today!
Dates for the diary
Wednesday 15th February Forest High Writing Session Stage 3
Thursday 16th February Paul McDonald Writing Workshop Stage 2 and 3
Wednesday 22nd February School swimming Carnival 3-6
Friday 24th February PSSA Round 1 commences 3-6
Saturday 4th March P and C Parents Night out (details TBC)
Parent Information Sessions
We look forward to seeing you all at our Parent information evenings next week.
Monday 13th February Stage One 5.00pm to 6.00pm
Monday 13th February Stage Two 6.00pm to 7.00pm
Wednesday 15th February Early Stage One 5.00pm to 6.00pm
Wednesday 15th February Stage Three 6.00pm -7.00pm
Get to know our teachers!
We have three specialist teachers who work across our school in the area of Library (Debbie Horsely), Physical Education (Kerry Kelly) and Creative Arts (Eliza Mc Allister) from left to right below.
Debbie works with students on encouraging a love of reading. She also organises rich learning opportunities for students to connect with authors, illustrators and builds connections across our local schools. She will also be team teaching across Stage 2 and Stage 3 with a focus on writing, rich literature and History and Geography.
Kerry has worked at Balgowlah North for many years and brings passion and committment to Physical Education. She works closely with our teaching staff to ensure we provide a diversity of sporting opportunities as well as the fundamental skills needed for all students across the school K-6.
Eliza has returned from maternity leave and works Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. She has a passion for the Creative Arts space particularly in the area of dance and music. She enjoys mentoring and supporting our staff in building performance opportunities in and outside the school for our students to be part of.
I'd like to acknowledge the committment, passion and opportunities these teachers provide for our students.
Brooke Keevers
Principal
Instructional Leadership in 2023
At its core, Instructional Leadership is a framework embedded within our school practice that puts quality teaching and learning at the center of all that we do. Instructional Leadership is the strategic and intentional focus on facilitating evidence- based teaching practice that delivers strong impact on student learning.
Our instructional leaders identify focus areas for ongoing teacher professional development and work collaboratively with Classroom Teachers to resource strategically,implement instructional programs and establish a strong focus on high expectations for all students.
In 2023, we will be building upon the instructional leadership model we have implemented at Balgowlah in previous years. We now have two designated instructional leaders who will support a more extensive program from Kindergarten to Year 6.
Mrs Jenni Reinhardt, Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instruction will lead Instructional Leadership focusing on implementation of the new K - 2 syllabus.
Mrs Rachel Ridley, Assistant Principal, will work with Stage 2 and 3 to develop evidence-based practice in preparation for the implementation of the new 3-6 syllabus in 2024.
Our Assistant Principals, Mrs Sascha Carroll, Miss Olivia Wakelin and Ms Susie Stock will also continue to provide instructional leadership in classrooms that will provide targeted support for the specific literacy and numeracy needs of each class.
Rachel Ridley
Instructional Leader
School News
MiniLit Information Session
MiniLit is a special teaching program from Macquarie University, designed for young children in Years 1 and 2 who have been identified as needing a little extra support in learning to read. Our MiniLit program is led by Mrs Amanda Mason. They will be working with small groups of five or six children for four days per week in the Learning Lab. Mrs Mason will be working with small groups for 40 minutes a day, using the carefully structured MiniLit program materials. The program takes approximately two terms to complete.
Each MiniLit lesson has three main components:
(1) Sounds and Words - Activities where children learn to pay attention to the different sounds in words and to associate them with the letters of the alphabet
(2) Text Reading - Which gives children the chance to practise their new skills
(3) Story Book Reading - Which involves the teacher reading and discussing a story book with the students, to help improve their vocabulary and comprehension.
Research completed over the last five years has shown consistently that students make remarkable gains following MiniLit instruction. For children who are struggling to learn to read, intervening early is the best way to stop reading problems from becoming more established.
An information session on MiniLit will be held with Mrs Mason in the school library on Wednesday 1st March at 2.15pm. All welcome to join.
Mrs Amanda Mason
Buddies
On Friday, Year 6 students had a very exciting day, we met our kindergarten buddies.
It was a great experience for us and we hope it made them feel welcome for their first day at BNPS. Our activity was to create colourful crowns together and get to know each other. We ate lunch with them and our friends. It was an opportunity to get to know everyone's buddies. It was an amazing time and we can’t wait to go back.
Addie B and Charlie O 6S
As we were walking down to meet the kindies there was a bubble of excitement going around to all the year six’s which filled the air with joy.
Lucy J-P
We helped the kindy’s build their crowns and it was an amazing time. Everyone was laughing and talking with their buddies.
Isaac A
We help our buddies connect with others and they help us connect with younger people and it's an overall great experience.
Hudson L
Sitting with your buddy, being excited about what you have just done together is a great feeling. We get to eat lunch with them and talk with them and their friends. It is a wonderful experience.
Chloe H
Library News
It has been a wonderful start to the year in the library with lots of enthusiastic borrowing! This year every class is coming to our library for a 40 minute lesson, within which time students will be given an opportunity to borrow from our extensive library. Over the next couple of weeks I will be reminding the students about the different digital platforms we have. These include:
- eBook and Audio Book library. These can be found at http://balgowlahnorthps.wheelers.co/
or by downloading the EPlatform by wheelers app and finding our school. To borrow a book on this platform, students use their DET username and password.
- Storybox Library – a fantastic collection of videos of favourite stories read by wonderful storytellers. password: booksbnps, Username: books
- World Book Online – online encyclopedia. Username and password: bnps
Library at Lunchtime
Students are welcome to come to our library at lunchtime on a Tuesday and Thursday. They will have the opportunity to play with Lego, draw or read books. Students can also borrow at this time.
Book Club Volunteer
Our school is looking for a new Book Club Organiser. Scholastic Book Club is a valuable resource to the school as it not only helps to encourage at-home reading and improve children’s reading skills, but every Book Club order earns 15% in Scholastic Rewards to help purchase additional learning and literacy resources for our school.
If you are interested in helping, it would be a commitment of about 1 hour per catalogue of admin and distribution. We have the opportunity to distribute 8 catalogues a year (2 each term). Please contact me on the school email, if you have any questions or would like to volunteer for this much appreciated role.
Debbie Horsley
Teacher/Librarian
Sports News
School Swimming Carnival
The swimming carnival will be held on Wednesday 22 February at Manly Boy Charlton pool. Students in Years 3 to 6 can participate and students in Year 2 who are turning 8 in 2023 are invited to participate. Please ensure you complete the online permission and event entry form as soon as possible if you havent already. We look forward to parents cheering on from the side!
Friday Afternoon Sport – Term 1 Overview
All students in years 3- 6 participate in Friday afternoon sport. The options for Friday afternoon sport are: PSSA teams/ Tennis / Futsal/ School Sport. These options are explained in more detail below:
PSSA 2023 (Primary School Sports Association)
PSSA is an inter school competition. All students from years 3-6 can try out for a PSSA team. The summer season includes Term 1, and Term 4. Trials for Summer PSSA sports begin this Friday 3 February (weather permitting). These trials will continue for 2 weeks with the first PSSA round being on Friday 24 February. If students are selected in a team they are expected to commit to the whole summer season including a training session each week. Games are played on a Friday and students are transported to the relevant venue by bus. The cost is $65 per term. The sports offered in the PSSA inter school competition this term are:
Summer sports: (Term 1, end of Term 3 and Term 4)
- Junior and Senior Cricket
- Girls Eagle Tag Junior and Senior
- Boys Eagle Tag - Junior and Senior
- Junior and Senior AFL – mixed competition
Age groups for competition:
- Junior division is for those students who turn 8, 9 or 10 years of age in the current calendar year.
- Senior division is for those students who turn 11 years and over in the current calendar year.
Tennis / Futsal
Tennis and Futsal will be offered each Term on Friday afternoons for those not participating in P.S.S.A. or school sport activities. The cost per child is $10 per lesson, and the number of weeks varies each term. This term, the cost will be $50 as tennis will run for 5 weeks. Students need to re- register for Tennis / Futsal each term when the permission note is sent.
The students will be walking from Balgowlah North Public School to the Wakehurst Tennis Centre. Students must wear school sports uniform including a school hat. There are no tennis racquets available at the courts so students must provide their own racquet and bring a water bottle. Digital permission notes for tennis / futsal will be sent via School Bytes. Notes and payment need to be completed and submitted ASAP as tennis / futsal operates on a first in, first served basis.
School Sport
The school engages external providers and specialists in various sports to provide lessons and games on a Friday. In the past, school sports which have been offered include: Bike riding, AFL, Hockey, Orienteering, Yoga, Martial Arts, Basketball. We try to vary the school sports each term so that students get to experience a range of different activities. The cost is $40 per term.
Term 1 2023 school sport will be provided by Orienteering NSW and Ultimate Frisbee. The students participating in school sport will do both of these sports in term 1.
Congratulations to all those who competed at Regional athletics at Homebush this weekend for their clubs. Congratulations to Edward G who won gold for both Shot Put, and Discus. Well Done.
Kerry Kelly
Sports coordinator
PBL
P & C News
Save the date! Parent’s Night Out // March 4th from 6pm.Tickets & more details to follow.
Administration
Schoolzine
The app can be downloaded by following the link below:
SZapp - School Communication App - Schoolzine
On the app you can:
- Read information and updates from our school
- Submit an absence form for your child
- Make payments
- See the school calendar
- Give consent for excursions and activities
School Bytes
The app can be downloaded by following the link below:
Parent Portal: Provide consent and payment for an excursion – School Bytes
On the app you can:
- Make payments and pay fees
- Give consent for excursions and activities
Flexischools
The app can be downloaded by following the link below:
Flexischools: Australia’s #1 School Canteen Online Ordering App
On the app you can:
- Order recess and lunch for your children
- Book tickets for P and C fundraisers
Community News
Voluteers to teach Primary Ethics
Our Primary Ethics team is seeking more volunteers to teach Primary Ethics. We particularly need volunteers for kindergarten, year 1, year 4 and year 6 students who are currently without a Primary Ethics teacher.
Ethics teachers receive full training by Primary Ethics, the not-for-profit organisation approved to design the curriculum and training for the ethics program. Training consists of a two day workshop and short online modules. Suitable volunteers have an interest in children’s education and the development of their critical thinking skills. You must be available to teach a 30 minute class on a Thursday afternoon each week. All lesson materials are provided.
In ethics classes, we aim to give students an opportunity to discuss and think for themselves about ethical issues relevant to them. Students discuss topics such as:
- empathy;
- being an ethical consumer;
- how should we treat living things;
- how do we know when we have done something wrong?;
- intentions and knowledge - what might a whale know?; and
- understanding diversity.
If you are looking for an opportunity to make a valuable contribution to our school and be part of a great program, please visit www.primaryethics.com.au. You can also email our Primary Ethics Coordinator Susan Gray at bnpsethics@gmail.com for further information.
School Sponsors
