Newsletter Term 4 week 2 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."

Principal's message

World Teacher’s Day
World Teachers’ Day is held internationally on Tuesday 5 October. As it usually falls during the school holidays in many parts of Australia. In NSW, we celebrate World Teachers’ Day on 27 October 2023. Thank you to our wonderful P&C for hosting a staff breakfast for our teachers.

This is a day to recognise and reflect upon the care, commitment and impact that our teacher’s have on our students' lives. Whether you're a current student, have children in school, or have been out of school for many years, World Teachers’ Day is a chance to say, ‘thank you’.

BNPS Music and Dance Performance Showcase

Wednesday 22nd November (in school hall)
5:00pm-6:00pm: K-2 Performance
6:45pm-7:45pm: 3-6 Performance 

We are excited to share that our upcoming BNPS Music and Dance Performance Showcase on Wednesday 22nd November will truly highlight the diverse talents and creativity of all of our students. With an emphasis on co-creation, students have embraced the opportunity to take the lead and work collaboratively to arrange their item including choosing any instruments, movements and even costume design.

The focus for the showcase is "Around the World".  In weekly lessons students have been busy listening to music, appreciating the works of others, creating their own sounds and composing their own dances. Each class has been working together to shape the direction of their performance item, fostering a sense of teamwork and shared responsibility. This unique approach has allowed our students to truly take ownership of their performances and now they are eagerly preparing to share their creations with the audience!

A dress rehearsal will be held during the day to prepare students for their performance. We invite parents/carers to join us on Wednesday 22nd November for an evening filled with music and dance. More information will be posted closer to the date. (Due to hall capacity, please note that attendance is for  2 parents/carers only.)

Mrs McAllister and The BNPS Creative Arts Commitee (Mrs Pond, Mrs Harris, Mrs Lewis and Mrs Keevers)

Colour Run 2023!
One of our students' favourite days of the year. It’s coming soon! Thursday 30th November, is the big day! Who wouldn’t want to colour bomb and slime the teachers??

This event is an opportunity for our students to collect sponsors from family and friends. They will bring home a pledge card this week. We are raising money to purchase Science and Technology, home reading books and Physical Education resources for classrooms.

Students not returning for 2024
If your child will not be returning in 2024 could you please complete the google link below. This information is very important because it has an impact on our class structures and staffing of the school.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSevF22CKG1yS5KMZ1AMyGn3PQMaXy1yuaIhyPMA6FRRWOVZSg/viewform?usp=sf_link

Planning for 2024
We are extremely fortunate at BNPS to have highly skilled, professional and passionate teachers. Creating classes is an extremely rigorous process that teachers take very seriously. Our aim is to provide equity for all students based on their academic, social and emotional needs. We will be creating composite (multi stage) classes in 2024. These classes as all our classes will be created carefully to create best fit for all our students at BNPS.  Please see the attachment for further information .

If your child has any social, academic or emotional needs that we are unaware of which may have an impact on their class placement for 2024 please email the school - attention Brooke Keevers. This information must be submitted by Friday 3rd of November. Requests for specific teachers will not be taken into consideration.

K-2 Parent Workshop
With curriculum changes to our Mathematics syllabus our teachers are providing an opportunity for you to have a stronger understanding of the new syllabus. They will be providing opportunities for you to engage with activities that your children use in the classroom, and they will be able to answer any questions about how Mathematics is taught at Balgowlah North Public School. Timing for parent events can often be tricky, we are hoping that this will be a valuable opportunity for you to be able to attend this afternoon, the 18th of October at 3.30 - 4.30pm. Please add your name to the link below so that we can ensure we have enough resources and space for everyone to participate.

K-2 Maths Workshop (Parents and Carers Survey) - Google Forms

Kind regards

Brooke Keevers
Principal

Assistant Principals News

3-6 Syllabus 
This year the 3-6 team has been engaging with the new English and Mathematics Syllabus documents which will be implemented in schools in 2024. The new curriculum has provided us with an opportunity to reflect on current practice and to re-energise what we teach and how we teach it.  

The professional learning our staff has been involved in over recent years ensures our teachers have a strong understanding of ‘best practice’ pedagogy and the evidence that underpins the direction of the English and Mathematics syllabuses. This means we are in a strong position to seamlessly adapt our teaching and learning programs to meet new syllabus requirements.

This term, the 3-6 teaching team will further explore the new syllabus outcomes and examine sample units of work to analyse how we can strengthen our teaching and learning programs to ensure our students are provided with every opportunity to meet their academic potential. 

The aim of the new English syllabus is to provide teaching and learning opportunities that will enable students to become confident communicators, critical and imaginative thinkers, and informed and active participants in society. The Mathematics syllabus aims to develop essential numeracy skills and fluency, while nurturing the ability to think logically, critically and creatively, reasoning about relationships and generalising solutions.

Both English and Mathematics syllabus documents have a renewed focus on core concepts and developing knowledge and skills through interconnected practices and experiences.

School News

The Colour Run 2023 - Thursday 30th November (Week 8)  Time: 1:45pm
This event at our school promises to be lots of fantastic, messy fun! The Colour Run is raising funds to purchase Science and Technology, home reading and Physical Education resources for the classrooms. Students run/walk/skip around a designated course here at school, socialising with friends, being covered in vibrant colours, being squirted with water and almost forgetting that they are exercising! Adding interest and duration to the course along the way will be obstacles and challenges to make it more fun!

Our students will be bringing home a pledge card this week to collect sponsors for our Colour Run. Sponsors can pay online through the following link and instructions:

1. Parents will be sent an email from School Bytes with a payment link 
2. Click add item
3. Select Colour Run Donation – add item
4. Add amount and click “pay now”
5. Payment type – “other” and add details

It would be fantastic if you could encourage your child to be involved in this, as it builds a shared sense of responsibility and ownership towards making a difference for our school. 

ALSO we have some fabulous prizes:
-  A pizza lunch for the class that raises the most and a chance to COLOUR BOMB some teachers.
-  Movie tickets for the family for the student that raises the most in every grade from K-6. If we reach our target goal, these students will also be able to slime some teachers.
- Our goal this year is to raise $20 000!! There will be a display in the office area each week showing what we have raised. Mrs Hardy and Miss Mete will be announcing the class that has raised the most money that week during Monday morning lines, from week 4-7. As a reward they will receive an ice block bucket from the canteen later that week.

We would appreciate all donations are transferred online and sponsorship cards be returned to school by Tuesday 28th November at the latest. Parents are welcome to attend on the day to watch the fun. Please arrive at 1:40pm.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

When is it being held?
Thursday 30th November at 1:45 pm on the school oval.

Should students wear special clothes?
We are expecting the students to come dressed in mufti (don’t wear your best clothes or shoes). However, the powered paint will show best on white clothes. This year the school is providing students with rainbow sunglasses for eye protection. If your child would prefer to wear goggles they are more than welcome to.

Do the powders clean up easily?
Yes. Powders will wash into the grass, off trees with the first rains. Otherwise a bucket or a hose will do the same job. Powders will not permanently mark paths or buildings. They dust/wash off very easily. Powders will wash off the skin and out of hair with the first wash with soap. Powders will wash out of clothes with the first wash. This being said, most people don’t wear their most expensive shirt on the day.

What about asthmatics?
While the powders are generally not inhaled by the participants, it is never a good idea to expose people with respiratory illnesses to flying dust particles and the like. Medical kits with asthma inhalers will be at the first aid table on the day if they are needed.

How safe are the powders?
The school is using powders that are made purely from corn flour and food colouring.

What if I don’t want my child to participate?
If you do not want your child to participate, you must advise your classroom teacher via email to balgowlahn-p.admin@det.nsw.edu.au before the day.

We are very excited to have a fun and exciting afternoon to raise money for our wonderful school!

Mrs Hardy and Miss Mete
(Colour run coordinators 2023)

Sports News

Regional Athletics
Last week our school was well represented at the PSSA Regional championships for athletics held at Olympic Park.  It was wonderful to be there and witness our students performing at such a high level!   Manly Zone came second overall, a huge achievement!

Congratulations to 
Jessica D - 4th in High Jump 
Matthew D - 1st in the 12 years 800m  
Edward G - 4th in Shot Put and  Discus competitor 
Isaac Robinson 1st in 11 yrs 800m and 1500m,  2nd in 200m
Jamison S -  1st in multiclass Long Jump, 800m, 200m and 100m.
Frankie J - 100m competitor and 5th in junior girls relay final.
Aria B - 5th in junior girls relay final.
Lexie B -  5th in junior girls relay final.
Alice O  - 5th in junior girls relay final.

Special congratulations to Isaac Robionson for setting new records on the day!

We are so proud of everyone who competed and wish Matthew, Jamison and Isaac best of luck at the State Championships!

Kerry Kelly

Admin News

Waste Free Wednesday

Class Snapshot - KR

Positive Behaviour for Learning

Library News

Writers Workshop
On Thursday, Balgowlah North Public School hosted a Writers Workshop for students from the Northern Beaches Learning Alliance. Scarlett P and Josie P joined us to learn, write and have fun with peers. The first person to come in was author Pip Harry. Pip Harry talked about why she writes, what she writes, and what type of writing she does. Pip Harry writes verse poetry. Verse or prose are a type of writing with not many sentences, lots of white spaces and you can emphasis certain words. Pip Harry has written lots of amazing books such as The Little Wave, Are You there Buddha and August and Jones.

Our second session was with Paul MacDonald. He taught us about the setting of the story and how to use the five senses to make a descriptive, engaging setting that pulls the reader in and makes them feel as if they are in the scene. Paul MacDonald gave us the opportunity to do lots of descriptive writing about different pictures of things like beaches, storms and alleyways. For the best writing or the writer, Paul rewarded them with a book to keep.

In the third session, students from Forest High came to our school to teach us lots about writing. We started with a warmup game and continued with lots of different writing exercises. In the end we all wrote Haiku poems and each high school student was to choose their favourite. Overall, it was a very productive day and we all loved it while learning lots of new skills.
Mae and Darcy 6S

Debbie Horsley
Teacher Librarian

The Week Ahead

Band News

Band 2024 – Join our Fabulous Band Program.  We are excited!

Learn about our Band Program at the Band Parent Information Evening – Thurs 26 October 6.30pm in the Hall
We are delighted to invite students who will be in Years 3 -5 in 2024, to join our band program next year. Playing an instrument and being part of a large team such as a band is an enjoyable, social experience, benefitting the children in many ways.  There is a sense of pride and accomplishment that comes from playing an instrument as well as many other benefits including improved literacy and mathematical skills, better coordination, social development, organisation skills, leadership and much more. 

If you already know which instrument/s your child might like to try at the instrument tryout morning, please register for a tryout via the Band Registration Form.

IMPORTANT DATES to learn about Band. 
Make a note of the dates below to ensure you have the information to make a decision about your student joining band.

Thursday 26 October – Parent Information Evening  6.30pm
It's the parents turn to learn about band at the Parent Information Evening.  Join us from 6.30pm in the Hall. Our concert band is putting together a special presentation where you will enjoy their performances, learn about the instruments from the players themselves and hear from our Director of Bands about the opportunities and positive experience your child can have as a member of the band.  Plus there will be plenty of time to ask questions.  Please bring your future band member/budding musician along also.  They will really enjoy it.

Thursday 2 November – Try An Instrument 7.30am in the Hall
Bring your child along to the tryout some instruments to see which instrument they are best suited to play.  Experienced tutors will look at factors, such as mouth shape, stature, teeth, hands, balance of the band and your child’s preferences to advise the instrument that will give your child the best chance of success and enjoyment.  Register to participate in the instrument tryout via the Band Registration Form.

More information about our band program can be found on https://bnpsband.wixsite.com/website

If you have questions please contact our band manager on bnpsband@hotmail.com.

Canteen News

Our friday lunch special is nachos, hop onto Flexischools to place your orders!

Please also be advised that there are no birthday buckets on Fridays.

Mel and Alex - Canteen

Koolkuna News

Dear Families, 

Koolkuna OSHC has rolled out a new digital sign in/out system called Xplor HUB on Monday 9^th October. This replaced the sign in/out system for QK Kiosk. The HUB will allow you to sign your children in/out via contactless QR code scanner from your Home App on your phone or using your Mobile/pin number created for Xplor.

All families who have attended within 2023 have been migrated to the upgraded software. 

Please contact Koolkuna OSHC for information on linking your Xplor Account or Re-enrolling if you did not receive the invitation link to finalise your account. 

Koolkuna OSHC Admin

P & C News

Principal for the day
Would your child love to be Principal for a Day? Go in the draw for them to be Principal of BNPS for A Day on Monday 23rd October. Get your raffle tickets on Flexischools now. What will you do as principal? Visit classrooms, organise meetings, make announcements, talk at assembly, give out stickers and awards, choose songs for the bell, help on playground duty, have morning tea in the staffroom, and more. You might even have a special idea or project you might like to talk about.

Sales close 11pm Sunday 22nd October.
The winner will be drawn at morning lines on Monday 23rd October (Week 3). Money raised will support the band program, keeping fees down by contributing to costs throughout the year.

P & C Meeting
The next P & C Meeting will be help on Wednesday 25 October at 7.30pm.

School Community news

School Sponsors