Newsletter Term 4 week 8 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
Celebrations of Learning
We are looking forward to celebrating our students next Monday and Tuesday morning at our Celebrations of Learning. Students receiving an award have been notified via an email. We hope you are able to join us for these special events.
BNPS Music and Dance Performance Showcase
We were thrilled for you to join us at BNPS Music and Dance Performance Showcase, an event filled with music, dance and individual talent last week in our school hall.
Thank you to the incredible teaching staff (and their families) for being there to support our students and their families. A very special thank you to the Creative Arts Committee for their hard work Eliza McAllister, Alice Pond, Anna Harris and Karina Lewis. We are so appreciative of our administration team including Colleen Tobler, Susant our IT support officer, our General Assistant, Ashley Gualter and even Marg Malar for volunteering her time to assist.
Thank you to parent helpers including Nicki our lead Class Parent and Karen Ciano with the P&C. Thank you to the special class parent representatives who assisted with costumes. We could not have done it without our ‘Costume Queens’ from each class!
Thank you to all the parents for your support. The children loved having their special people watching them and were so excited to perform to a live audience. We had so many words of thanks and were so thankful for those that shared their positive experience!
Finally thank you last but not least to students as it’s them we are all here for. Please return costumes to school asap so they can be used again in the future. A link will be sent out tomorrow so that parents will be able to access our photos of the night.
The Colour Run 2023
Wow our school community is incredible. We are just about to pass the $16,500 mark!. What an incredible effort from our students and our school community. We are all so looking forward to the day. Please come and join us if you are able.
There will be 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 of 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.
Donating
You will find the link for donating in the emails sent to you on the 31 October and 21 November titled "Colour Run". If family and friends wish to donate, the individual email for each student can be forwarded to the donator. This provides a link to the School Bytes payment portal - click add an item - colour run donation - amount and payment methods. These funds will link to the individual student without the donator seeing any confidential information.
Parent voluteers
We also need 15 parent helpers on the day. If you are interested in helping please fill out the below google form by this Friday. Mrs Hardy will be in contact via email early next week to confirm the first 15 parents who returned the form.
Assistant Principals News
School Reports at BNPS for Semester Two.
The teachers at Balgowlah North Public School are now in the process of finalising your child’s Semester Two report.
Teacher’s carry out ongoing assessment of your child as they are learning day-to-day in all six Key Learning Areas. Teacher judgements about student achievement are based on quality and varied evidence seen through learning tasks and opportunities as well as results from formative and summative assessments. Teachers meet regularly to share work samples and assessment pieces and to discuss how the students in that stage are traveling overall, not just in individual classes. These consistent teacher judgment sessions (CTJs) ensure teachers get a well-rounded view of what is a ‘sound’ amount of progress for their students.
The reporting system is called the Common Grade Scale. It has been implemented across all NSW public schools by the government’s Education Standards Authority. All students work towards their stage outcomes.
Students in Kindergarten are placed on a three point scale:
- Working Towards - Working At - Working Beyond
- For students in Years 1-6, there are five performance grades on the scale:
- Limited - Basic - Sound - High - Outstanding
A ‘Sound’ on your child's school report is a wonderful result. It is something to be celebrated. This identifies that your child is performing exactly where they are expected to be at that given moment in time, based on their stage level and the expected content knowledge from the NSW syllabus. They have nailed it!
It is important to also remember that this is a moment in time. Getting a ‘Sound’ in Semester 1, Year 2 and then getting a ‘Sound’ in Semester 2, Year 2, doesn’t mean that your child is stagnant. It means they were on point at the halfway mark of the year with everything they had been taught and have progressed as expected with everything taught in Semester 2. They have improved.
In 2023, the reports of all students in Kindergarten, Year One and Year Two will reflect the outcomes from the new NSW English and Mathematics syllabuses. Reports for students in Years 3-6 will reflect the previously existing NSW syllabuses and move to using the new syllabus for their reports in 2024.
There will be a small change to the format of our school reports this semester. After considering feedback collected from the BNPS parent body, as well as our teachers and students, Balgowlah North students’ reports will include two learning goals for English and two learning goals for mathematics, rather than a comment for these two Key Learning Areas. This format will allow teachers to communicate more clearly the current areas of focus for their child in reading, writing and mathematics. A general comment will be provided as has been in the past to share a picture of your child as a learner; their learning dispositions and behaviour, both socially and in the classroom.
Parents will receive their child’s Semester Two report via email on Wednesday 13th December, in the last week of the school year.
Jenni Reinhardt
(Assistant Principal Curriculum & Instruction)
School News
Year 2 reporting back on our Showcase Performances
Green Grove Seedling Sale
Last Thursday an enthusiastic group of Balgowan North students gathered at the school gate to sell some of our Green Grove produce including cucumber seedlings, red bean seedlings, succulents and sweet-smelling thyme. It was a successful sale thanks to the persuasive stall holders and students’ advertising posters, and raised $57 to go towards our Green Grove chickens and new garden seeds. Thank you to everyone for your support of our venture. Many thanks also to Sadie Melov for her ongoing guidance and knowledge.
Katherine Evans
Year 6 Fun Day
Year 6 students have designed and made their own games and sporting activities. They will be holding a Fun Day event on Tuesday 12th December. All classes will be scheduled a 40 minute time slot. Activities will take place under the COLA and on the adjacent ovals. The games for Years 2-5 will range in price from 10c- 50c per turn and for Kindergarten and Year 1 a gold coin donation will be appreciated. Money raised will be used to purchase a Year 6 gift for the school.
K-6 Picnic Day - Winnerremy Bay, Mona Vale
Our students and teachers will come together to celebrate a wonderful year of learning, friendship and fun at the K-6 Picnic Day on Thursday, December 14, 2023. We will be spending the day at Winnerremy Bay, Mona Vale, leaving at 9:15am and arriving back at school at 2:15pm.
What to wear: Students can wear comfortable picnic clothes including an appropriate hat. Please pack a raincoat in case.
What to bring:
- Bring recess, picnic lunch and water bottles in a small backpack or library bag that is clearly named. Pack a waste-free lunch. Any food packaging will need to be taken home in lunchboxes. *Please note that there are no canteen orders and students are not permitted to purchase food at the park.
- Please apply sunscreen in the morning before school and bring more to reapply during the day. Teachers will have some sunscreen supply as well.
- Similar to last year, students may bring a small mat to sit on, a game or ball to play with. Make sure everything is clearly labeled.
The cost of this excursion has been included in the Term 4 Statement of Account. It is essential we receive payment for this excursion and complete the digital permission note and make payment by Tuesday 12th December. We look forward to a fun day out celebrating with friends, wrapping up a fantastic school year.
Sascha Carroll, Carol Saab and Olivia Wakelin
Waste Free Wednesday
Admin News
Email addresses
Please check the email addresses you have provided us with and ensure they are the same on School bytes. We have had several bounce back to us.
School Bytes Parent Portal
We will be transitioning to School Bytes in 2024 so it is really important that you download the parents portal. For any parents who still have not set up the School Bytes Parent Portal, please find instructions below:
Admin Team
Class Snapshot - 1M
Positive Behaviour for Learning
Library News
Last week was the final week of borrowing for the term. Please help your children remember to return all library books this week. While our library is closed for borrowing please make use of our digital platforms. These include: Storybox Library Username - booksbnps, Password - books; EPlatform by Wheelers - download the app or go to the website. To access a book, students use their school username and password.
Book Club
Orders close for Issue 8 of Scholastic Book Club at the end of this week.
Book Sale
Please see below for information about our Book Sale next week. If you would like to donate any used children’s books to the book sale, which are still in good condition, please bring them to the library this week.
The Week Ahead
Thursday 30 November - BNPS Colour Run
Friday 1 December - Sports Captains Election 9am-11am
Monday 4 December - K-2 Celebration of Learning 9.15am-11am
Tuesday 5 December - 3-6 Celebration of Learning 9.15am-11am
Wednesday 6 December - BNPS Community Thank you Breakfast for all of our voluteers and helpers 8.30am-9.30am
Thursday 7 December - Christmas Stall
Friday 8 December - Year 6 Farewell Dinner 6pm-9pm
Monday 11 December - K-6 All School Assembly
Thursday 14 December - K-6 Picnic Day - Winnerremy Bay, Mona Vale
Friday 15 December - Last day of school for students and teachers
Friday 15 December - Year 6 Assembly and clap out 2.15pm-3pm
Band News
Last week our Performance Band performed to our little friends next door at Farmhouse Montessori which we look forward to each year. The pre-schoolers really enjoy listening and singing along to the Christmas carols. This is always such a lovely event.
There is still time to join band 2024
Our Junior Band 2024 is coming together. There is still places available so if your child is interested in joining the band in 2024, we will arrange an instrument tryout, please contact bnpsband@hotmail.com. Read all about band and fill in the Expressions of Interest form on the band website: https://bnpsband.wixsite.com/website/general-8
Join Our Strings Program 2024
It was wonderful to see our string group perform at assembly last week. Current Kindy and Year 1 (Year 1 and 2 in 2024) children are invited to join our string program and learn a string instrument. You can read all about our String program on our website https://bnpsband.wixsite.com/website/about-3.
Enquiries to bnpsband@hotmail.com .
Koolkuna News
As we approach the holiday season Sustainable OSHC is participating in a Reverse Advent Calendar. In support of One Meal - Northern Beaches, Sustainable OSHC will be collecting a range of goods to donate to those families doing it tough these holidays.
Our Reverse Advent Calendar began on Tuesday 14th November and run for 24 week days until Friday 15th December. Refer to our Reverse Advent Calendar on display at the Sign In/Out Area to identify what products we are collecting on which days.
We hope our families will support this initiative by encouraging your children to drop the goods under the Koolkuna OSHC Christmas Tree.
Koolkuna OSHC Admin
P & C News
Final P&C Meeting 2023
The final P&C meeting will be held tonight at 7.30pm at the school library. We welcome your attendance as we discuss the wrap up of the year and plan for the year ahead.
School Community News
Disability Service Provider Expo 2023
As part of International Day of People living with Disability (which is observed on Sunday 3rd December) Northern Beaches Council is holding a Disability Service Provider Expo. Join us for a free one-day expo featuring stalls from over 35 local disability service providers on the Northern Beaches. Connect, find support and new activities.
No bookings required - come along on the day!