Balgowlah North Public School eNewsletter

Principal's report

2020 has been a challenging year across the world. It has also been a year of silver linings. Challenges help us grow, build resilience and confidence. Our students have certainly made us proud this year as we have watched them build independence, adaptability and connections with each other, their teachers and their community.

We all know it takes a village to raise a child and this year schools have been drawing on their villages. I’d like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the teachers and parents this year, working together strengthens the quality of engagement our students have with their learning and their personal growth. Please take time out in the holidays to celebrate what is important to you and your family. Wishing everyone a safe, restful break.

Brooke Keevers

Principal

Important dates for your Diary

Last day of Term 4 2020, for students will be Wednesday 16th of December. School will be non-operational on Friday the 18th of December. School will recommence for teachers on the 27th of January. The first two days of Term One will be Staff Development Days.

Students 1-6 will commence on Friday the 29th of January 2021. Kindergarten students will be commencing on the 3rd of February following their Best Start interviews.

Communication

From 2021 we will be using the Schoolzine app. Please see attached information as to how to download to your device. We will not be using the School E News platform after the end of this year.

OC Placements for 2021

Please be aware that the OC offers will have a very tight turn around. Parents will be emailed when the results are released, offers will lapse if parents do not respond in time.

Mid-January 2021 – Placement outcome information is sent to parents and schools. Parents with offers must respond within one week.

Deputy Principal's report

It has been a year like no other. Thank you to all for the ongoing support of our school during a tricky year! I wish all of our families and staff a happy, safe holiday break and look forward to a more settled 2021.

Our Presentation Days went off without a hitch and the photographs are now available. Please ensure that you have viewed and downloaded the photographs before 31 December. Thank you to India from Salty Photography and the P&C for funding the initiative.

It is not too late to join our Junior Band! Our Junior Band is very much welcoming new members and should you be interested in your child joining, please reach out the P&C Band Chair on bnpsband@hotmail.com . Music education is so valuable to many aspects of life, and the band program is a great way to introduce children to loving music and playing instruments. Team work, practice, performance, confidence and active brains are just some of the benefits.

I look forward to seeing you all in 2021, and wish our leaving families and students all the best as they start their new adventures.Belinda Norrie

A/Deputy Principal

Presentation Assembly

Presentation Day photographs

Thank you for choosing Salty Photography! Your downloadable photos are ready to share with parents via the gallery link. The gallery will require a password (balgowlahparents) for access. Please note that while there is a photo of every child, some are more candid as not every student stopped to pose for a photo, however the majority will have an image included holding the certificate. The gallery expires on the 31st of December so make sure that all parents have received the download link by that date to ensure that the photos can be accessed! Thank you once again.

Kind regards,

India- Salty Photography

Gallery link: https://saltyphotography.pixieset.com/balgowlahnorthpublicschool/

VIEW PHOTOS

To access the gallery, use the following case-sensitive password:

Gallery Password: balgowlahparents

This collection will be online until:

Expiry: December 31st, 2020

If the View Photos button does not work, copy and paste this URL into your browser's address bar:

https://saltyphotography.pixieset.com/balgowlahnorthpublicschool/

Salty Photography

https://www.facebook.com/saltyphotographers

Questions? Contact indiaturnerr@gmail.com

Year 2 Bricks 4 Kidz incursion

Library News

State Library

These holidays the State Library of NSW have some wonderful, engaging opportunities for kids and families both online and onsite. These include a writing workshop with popular children’s author – Oliver Phommavanh, a sculpture portrait workshop and fun, adventure tours of the library. More details of these opportunities and more can be found at the following link:

https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/learning/kids-and-families

EBooks and Audio Books

Please make use of our EBook and Audio book collections during the school holidays. Students can borrow these resources throughout the break and can access them through the EPlatform by Wheelers app.

Book Club and Book Recommendation

The Year 5/6 book club has just finished reading another inspiring book about survival and determination. The young readers’ edition of Lion by Saroo Brierley is a non-fiction book based on the true story of a young boy in India who at the age of 5 gets lost and separated from his family. This novel is recommended for readers in year’s 4-6 and comes highly recommended by our book clubbers.

I hope you have a wonderful holiday break with lots of rest, family fun and good books.

Debbie Horsley

Sports news

Sporting Achievements

Congratulations to Jake Medved, Will Jenkin and Guy Jenkin for their selection in the AFL Sydney Swans Academy for Under 12’s. Congratulations also to Bede Kirwan for his participation at the State level tennis final for his age group.

Balgowlah North Tennis Tournament

This term we once again were able to run the lunchtime Balgowlah North Tennis Tournament. Well done to all the Year 5 and 6 students that played in the tournament. There were many exciting games played and the students learnt a lot about match play.

A massive thank you to our wonderful teachers who gave up their lunch hour in order to provide this fantastic opportunity for our students.

Congratulations to all the finalists:

Girls Finalists: Charlotte Allen vs Emilia Stucci

Boys Finalists: Bede Kirwan vs Guy Jenkin

Mixed Doubles: Guy Jenkin/Ines Mitton vs Hugo Gaudry/Eve Burke

The final games were played in good spirit and there were some scintillating shots played by all finalists.

Congratulations to the winners:

Girls Singles: Emilia Stucci,

Boys Singles: Bede Kirwan

Mixed Doubles: Guy Jenkin/Ines Mitton

You played some wonderful tennis that everybody enjoyed! Awesome effort!

Waste Free Wednesday - week 9

2020 winners of Waste Free Wednesday, congratulations 6Z!

Dates for your diary

16 December

Year 6 farewell assembly
Last day of term 4

27-28 January 2021

School development days

29 January

Start of term 1 for Year 1-6 students

02 February

Best start Kindergarten 2021

03 February

First day of Kindergarten 2021

22 February

School swimming carnival

We need volunteers to help look after our chickens in the Green Grove over the holidays. Please use this link to sign volunteer.

P&C news

Dear Members of Balgowlah North Public School,

On behalf of the P&C I would like to wish you all a wonderful Christmas and a well-deserved break over the holidays. What a year!!

I have one important request for the school holidays and that is regards to school security. As a community it is all our job to ensure that whoever is on OUR school grounds over the Christmas holidays is treating the property with respect. Several incidents at neighbouring schools should be a timely reminder that we are not immune to vandalism, and the idea of ‘fence gate’ coming back should be enough of incentive for all of us to do our part.

It has been an ‘interesting’ year to be working closer with the school community and I would like to thank the wider exec team for welcoming me to the team and getting me up to speed as quickly as possible. I have been extremely impressed with how we as a community have worked together to try to limit the disruption for all of us, but mainly for the kids.

I would also like to thank all the teachers for their tireless work and smiling faces, putting the kids minds at ease with the ‘show must go on’ kind of attitude. A special mention to our two principals over the year, Belinda who started us off and took on whatever challenge was thrown at her, and then Brooke who has come in and hit the ground running getting to know the teachers and kids. I know Brooke is looking forward to getting to know the parents as well when the opportunity presents itself.

From a P&C perspective we haven’t had the opportunities we would have liked to bring the community together in a face-to-face environment, especially in a social aspect, but the virtual P&C meetings have been well attended and engagement is high which is all pointing to a solid foundation going forward. And that is exciting with what 2021 will bring us!

Kind Regards,

Richard Wokes

P&C President

Legacy Bricks

It was fantastic to see the brick pavers finally laid in the October school holiday. They look amazing! Thank you to everybody who contributed to this project. Click on the following links to view a short video clip and an aerial photo of the area. You can zoom in on the photo to read the bricks. Thank you so much to Angus Bullough for giving his time to film and put together the images.

The Legacy Brick Team

Brick video

Brick photo