Newsletter Term 1 Week 3 2021
Principal's report
New staff
We welcome Ms Georgia Witton and Ms Sascha Carroll to our staff as permanent teachers appointed through the merit selection process that was completed at the end of Term 4 2020. We also welcome Ms Eliza Ross and Mr Dudley Poole, our new school counsellor.
Stage Presentations
Each stage of teachers have put together a presentation that outlines learning programs, organisation and information pertaining to their particular stage. Please ensure you have watched the presentation prior to attending ‘ meet the teacher’ These links will be sent out via the app over the next couple of days.
‘Meet the teacher Opportunity’
Great to see so many parents have taken up the opportunity to meet with our teachers next week to share information about your child. Please remember if you have already met your teacher during these first couple of weeks that it is not necessary to have another meeting at the moment!
If you have tried to book a time and they are full please just email the school for an alternative time. As you would be aware larger classes take more time and teachers need to be able to have breaks scheduled.
The meetings will take place in the library. Please ensure you arrive 5 minutes before your allocated time so that you can QR code in. Chairs will be placed outside the library entrance socially distanced for you to wait on. You will be invited n at your allocated time by myself or Mrs Belinda Norrie.
The meetings for Year One to Year Six will occur in Week 4 on Wednesday the 17th and Thursday 18th February between 12.30pm and 4.30pm. Kindergarten meetings will occur in Week 5 on Wednesday the 24th of February from 12.30pm until 4.30pm.
Bookings close at 4pm on the 16th of February.
Invoices
Invoices will be sent out this week. There has been a slight increase in the costs for sport as there has been an increase in the costs of buses and payment for professional coaches. If at any time you need financial support to cover the costs of school related expenses please contact the school. We work together to ensure every child has access to what they need.
Band and Strings
It was lovely meeting with Caroline Fechner, our new band coordinator, and Natasha Roumanoff our band conductor last week. It was an exciting opportunity to explore options for performance opportunities and set dates for this year. We are very fortunate at Balgowlah North to have such quality band and strings programs available for students to participate in.
P&C Meeting
I look forward to presenting our school Improvement Plan draft tonight at P&C. It is a great opportunity to touch base with the parent body and it would be fantastic to see new parents at our meeting tonight.
Brooke Keevers
Principal
Fun in the Sensory Playground
Deputy Principal's report
MiniLit
Our MiniLit program has started in our Learning Lab for this year. MiniLit is a research based, evidence informed program developed at Macquarie University for students in Years 1 and 2 who are finding it more challenging than their peers to learn to read. It has an explicit focus on phonics, phonological awareness and developing explicit decoding skills. Mrs Amanda Mason is leading this program this year. Students meet with Mrs Mason in small groups for 40 minutes per day, three to four days per week and follow a strict program. The parents of students who have been identified as benefiting from this support have been contacted and a note was sent home early last week. Early intervention is critical when supporting students in learning to read and we are pleased to be able to offer this valuable program.
SEAT
Our SEAT (Scripture, Ethics and Additional Activities Time) program starts on Thursday, 25 February. This time has moved to the afternoons to ensure our key literacy learning time in the mornings remains uninterrupted. The afternoon time slot for SEAT is also anticipating better supporting our volunteers, as a number of our Ethics and Scripture volunteers are parents in our school and this time slot allows for an easy transition to pick up in the afternoon. Miss Vitale is overseeing the SEAT coordination this year. If you are interested in volunteering to be an ethics teacher, please contact bnpsethics@gmail.com . The more ethics volunteers we have allows more students to be part of the program. We are unable to conduct formal teaching during SEAT, so students who are part of the additional activities program or do not have a volunteer for their class that week will be able to read, draw or complete unfinished classwork. They are supervised by a member of our teaching staff.
Assemblies
Our assemblies have moved to Monday afternoon, 1.40pm. We are still unable to have parents attend, however, we will continue to publish awards in the newsletter. Our Weeks 5 and 10 K-6 assemblies will be held under the COLA (weather permitting). Please ensure all awards are given to the office for processing as soon as possible for Weeks 5 and 10.
Safer Internet Day
https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/events/safer-internet-day-2021
There are a number of great resources available from the e-safety commissioner regarding safe use of the internet. I recommend perusing these resources and discussing safe internet use with your children.
Belinda Norrie
A/ Deputy Principal
Chess
Learn to be a chess champion! Coaching for students at Balgowlah North Public School is held on Mondays from 12:50pm to 1:40pm, starting on 8 February 2021.
Learning and playing chess helps children develop their logical thinking and problem solving skills, improves their concentration and focus, while also being a great source of enjoyment. Activities include group lessons on a demonstration chess board or interactive whiteboard, puzzle solving and fun practice games.
Students earn merit awards by making checkmates, or by displaying skills and positive qualities, which all good chess players strive to develop.
The cost of the Chess Program for Term 1 is $108, payable directly to Sydney Academy of Chess. Enrolments will be on a term by term basis.
If your child is interested in taking part, you can now enrol online: https://sydneyacademyofchess.com.au/payment and enter the code: HUG1VRH3L9
For all enquiries, please contact Sydney Academy of Chess on (02) 9745 1170 or email enrol@sydneyacademyofchess.com.au
Library News
Sydney Writer’s Festival
There are still tickets available for students who would like to attend the Sydney Writer’s Festival on May 3. This excursion is a great way to inspire both reading and writing as students engage with entertaining presentations from an exceptional line up of well-known authors. More information about the presentations can be found at the following link: https://www.swf.org.au/primary-school-days-authors/
If you would like to reserve a ticket for your child, please register at the link below. This full day excursion and costs approximately $40.
https://form.jotform.com/210311504357039
Lunchtime At The Library
Tuesday and Thursday - Lego Club
Wednesday: Reading, Drawing, Games
Debbie Horsley
Teacher Librarian
My New Gallery
New Look Mini Merit Awards
Balgowlah North’s Mini Merit awards have been redesigned to reinforce our school values of being Safe, Respectful and Responsible learners. When children collect ten Mini Merits (any colour), they bring them to their teacher and receive a Certificate of Merit. Hold onto your old blue Mini Merits as they still can be traded for a Certificate of Merit.
Sport News
Could all students in Year K-6 please wear their sports uniform to school on the day that they have their Physical Education lesson. If your child has an injury or illness which prevents them from participating in physical activity, please write a quick note, explaining their limitations. Thank you for your assistance. Looking forward to a fun and exciting year in sport.
BNPS Summer PSSA (Primary School Sports Association) teams for 2021.
Senior Volleyball (2 Teams)- Boys and Girls (Miss Rooleht)
Newcombe-Ball (2 Teams) Juniors (Miss Wakelin)
AFL - Junior and Senior (mixed teams) (Mr McCall)
Cricket - Junior and Senior (Mr King)
Eagle Tag - Junior and Senior Girls (Ms Mussett)
- Junior and Senior Boys (Ms Stock)
Trials will start this Friday and run for 2 weeks. Please make sure you child has the appropriate attire and equipment if necessary. Competition starts in Week 4 on Friday 19th Feb.
Tennis and Futsal will also be offered for 6 weeks at an additional cost to parents.
All students in years 3-6 will be participating in Friday afternoon sport regardless of whether or not they make a PSSA team. Students remaining at school will participate in a range of skills and games including an AFL program run by specialist coaches from NSW AFL.
Swimming Carnival
The swimming carnival is fast approaching. It will take place on Monday 22nd February. Please ensure you have completed the digital permission form and event entry for your child. The deadline for event entry is Wednesday 17th February. Your child can purchase house coloured swimming caps in the mornings from 15/2 through to 19/2 from house captains in the front playground.
Kerry Kelly
BNPS Sports Coordinator
Second Hand Uniform Shop
Welcome to the second hand uniform shop!!
For those who are new to our school, BNPS has a second hand uniform shop available to all families. 100% of the money raised from sales goes directly back to the P&C and helps to provide resources for our children and the school.
All items are $10.00 each, with the exception of things like hats, library bags, etc. which are only $5.00 each!!
As Covid still restricts parents on school grounds, the second hand uniform shop now uses an online ordering system.
All orders can be emailed through to: bnpsuniformshop@gmail.com
Please ensure you include your child’s name and class with the order.
Orders are filled on a fortnightly basis and placed in the office for collection by your child. Please note, the office is only accepting cash payments, and we would appreciate you trying to send your child with the correct money.
Reply emails will be sent advising when items are ready for collection, what items are / are not available, and the amount owing for orders that can be filled.
To make this whole process possible, we need your uniform donations. Please only donate items that carry the current logo and are in good condition (would you put it on your own child?). We would also appreciate items being washed before being donated and please only donate items that are the current BNPS school uniform. All uniform donations can be dropped to the office at any time.
Please keep an eye out on the ‘North Balgowlah Community Group’ and ‘BNPS uniform shop’ Facebook pages for reminders of when orders are due.
Thanks in advance for your support,
Brooke Krncevic and Vanessa van Rijswijk
(Second Hand Uniform Shop Volunteers)
Adjective affirmations from the amazing artists in 3/2P
My New Gallery
Dates for your diary
17/18 February
- Meet the teacher parent meetings - 12.30pm-4.30pm
22 February
- School swimming carnival
24 February
- Kindergarten meet the teacher - 12.30pm-4.30pm
25 February
- SEAT Begins
P&C News
Calling year 2 & 3 parents!
Traditionally each year the fundraising organisation is owned by the year 2 parents, however given last year didn’t allow us to deliver what we’d planned, we’re inviting years 2 & 3 to join us. If your child is not in these years but you’re still keen to be involved then great! We’d love to have you, please come along.
We will be meeting on Sunday 14th Feb at Woolgoolga Park 4-5pm. Have a chat to your friends about what you might like to organise or just come and long and we can set up groups to work together.
Being part of our school fundraising events is a great opportunity to get to know other parents, have fun and raise money for our school. We are lucky to have incredibly supportive and engaged families in our school who love to get behind our events and support us.
Many thanks,
P&C Fundraising Team
Green Grove
Community information
Sponsors
