Newsletter Term 1 Week 4 2021

Principal's report

Meet the teacher

Great to see so many parents connecting in with their child’s teacher. This is an important time for you to share your hopes for the year ahead for your child and for sharing any important information pertaining to your child. This is not an academic interview.

Extra Curricula Activities

Our students at BNPS have many opportunities to engage in a variety of extra curricula activities. We are hopeful that our students will be able to perform, dance and play instruments through our fabulous music, dance and drama programmes provided by Mrs Malar. We have been able to offer a junior and senior choir and a lunch time senior dance group this term. Chess and lego club are also available at lunchtime. Our strings and band timetables are now operating, as is PSSA sport. Thank you to our teachers for providing the wide variety of extra curricula activities for our students to engage in.

Swimming Carnival

We are all looking forward to the swimming carnival next week. Unfortunately, this year we have only been able to offer competitive Year 2 swimmers an opportunity to compete. With Covid restrictions on parent attendance at our venue,  the swimming carnival committee Molly Mc Indoe, Susie Stock and Kerry Kelly have had to make some changes to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all our students at this event.

Demountable removal

Removal of the demountable has been postponed due to the inclement weather predicted for this week. Further information will be forwarded to the school community once we are aware of the new date.

Class Parents

Communication at Balgowlah North Public School is central to everything that we do. Thank you to the parents who have responded to the call out for the position of class parent. We still have a few positions to fill, if you are able to give of a little time please call or email the school. Please see below the role of the class parent:

Your role

• Help with communication between the families of children in the class, with the teacher, school and P&C Committee
• 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 Committee
• 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 in the class

Brooke Keevers

Principal

Forest High Enrichment Program

We have been given the opportunity for a select group of our Year Five students to participate in the Forest High Enrichment Program.

This program is an opportunity for gifted and talented students to undertake hands-on activities that enrich their learning and foster the development of critical thinking, communication, problem solving and project management skills.

Students attend from five different primary school partners, giving the gifted students involved the opportunity to work and explore learning with similarly gifted students from across a wider local area.

The program will commence on Wednesday the 3^rd of March 2021 and will run for 15 weeks (culminating with a presentation session on the 23^rd of June). The students will attend the high school from 9:00am to 2:45pm each week and parents are responsible for transporting their child to and from Forest High campus each week.  The cost of the program is $360 to fund the teacher and required resources for the program.

At Balgowlah North Public School, we will be reviewing and considering a range of academic data to help us make an informed choice about the five students we feel will most benefit from inclusion in this program.  It is important to us that we consider our parents’ perspective in identifying our gifted and talented students who should be included in this program. If you feel your child excels academically and you would like to nominate them for consideration in this program, please complete the form below and return it to school by Wednesday the 18^th of February. You are welcome to submit a supporting statement of 200 words or less to support your nomination. No late submissions will be accepted.

We sincerely apologise for the tight turn around in our nomination process. We only received notification of the program today and are actioning it immediately. If you have any further questions about this program, please contact the school office and we will respond to your enquiry.

Please see link to the Enrichment Program Selection Procedure: 

Kind Regards,

Rachel Ridley and Susie Stock

Stage 3 Assistant Principals

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Deputy Principal's report

The Forest High - Gifted and Talented test for Year 7 2022

Please be advised that the advertised dates are now incorrect. The Forest High has advised us that they will advise new dates in the coming weeks. We will let you know through the newsletter once the dates have been confirmed.

What Works Best - High Expectations

Each week I will be showcasing visuals from The Vision Hub that highlight the research and evidence from NSW CESE ‘What Works Best’ document. This research is driving best practice in schools and our teachers are regularly engaging with it. The first highlight is about ‘High Expectations. Our teachers have been using this research to lead the writing of high quality, differentiated teaching and learning programs. To view an animated version of this poster, please go to https://twitter.com/i/status/1360871967763492867

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.

Smart watches and mobile phones

This is a reminder that students should not have mobile phones on during the day, and that all smart watches must have cellular capabilities turned off. Mobile phones should remain at home, or if necessary to be brought to school, left turned off in school bags until the end of the day. If smart watches are unable to have the cellular capabilities turned off then they should be left at home.

Belinda Norrie

A/ Deputy Principal

Library News

There are just a few tickets left for students who would like to attend the Sydney Writers Festival excursion. This excursion is for students in years 4 - 6 and is a great way to motivate reading and writing. The cost is approximately $40. If you would like to reserve a ticket for your child please use the following link: https://form.jotform.com/210311504357039

Last week Paul MacDonald, children’s book publisher, author and book shop owner, visited our school and spoke to our Year 6 classes about the latest book releases across a variety of genres and formats for their age group. He spoke about the importance of reading for pleasure and how this significantly impacts all other areas of learning. The students were highly encouraged and engaged with his recommendations, some of which include:

Catch Me If I Fall by Barry Jonsberg,

The Grandest Bookshop In The World by Amelia Mellor,

We Are Wolves by Katrina Nannestad,

White Bird by RJ Palacio.

Debbie Horsley

Teacher Librarian

Music News

Junior Choir

Children in Years 3 and 4 are invited to join the Junior Choir.

The choir will be led by Mrs Harris and Mrs Malar and will rehearse each Wednesday first half lunch.

Senior Choir

Children in Years 5 and 6 are invited to join the senior choir.

The senior choir will be led by Mrs Bee and Mrs Malar and will rehearse Thursday morning at 8am.

This is a wonderful opportunity for the children to learn choral and performance skills.

If interested children need to add their name to the list on the music room door.

Looking forward to meeting with the choirs next week for our first rehearsals.

Mrs Malar, Mrs Harris and Mrs Bee

Sport News

Year 3-6 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.

PSSA Training Times

Eagle Tag Junior Girls and Boys:       Thursday lunch times on top oval
Eagle Tag Senior Girls and Boys:       8am Friday mornings on top oval
Newcombe Ball:                                  8:10am Friday mornings - meet Miss Wakelin on Futsal Field
Volleyball:                                            8am Friday mornings with Miss Rooleht - meet at basketball court.
AFL:                                                    3pm-4pm Wednesday afternoons on top oval
Cricket - Junior and Senior:                8am Friday mornings at cricket nets

Good luck to all our PSSA teams who will compete this Friday.  Please make sure all permission notes are returned.  

NOTE - Friday morning training will commence next week 26/2 

Tennis and Futsal will also commence this Friday

Venues for PSSA 

Utopia Wondering 

Musty clouds wafted from the roof of the coal factory. Jack's hands were black and charred and his usually pale hair had been dyed grey from the coal dust. He worked day and night, forced to by the government. As he chucked coal into the burner he wondered what it would be like in a perfect utopian world. He had been borne into a dystopian society, his mind started to wander about everything that could be better in his life. No coal factories, no mining and sustainability for everyone. 

Lucy and Talia 6/5S

The Dystopian Classroom

Miser filled throughout the classroom. It was as dull as a pretzel without salt. The teacher had given out a near impossible assignment where we had put sustainability and dystopia in a single story. Everyone was stressed that they wouldn’t finish their story in the short timespan that they had been given. The classroom had become a complete and utter dystopia.

“TIMES UP!” shouted the teacher.

Some faces were filled with relief as they had finished their story on time. Others were filled with shock that the time was up already and they had to read their unfinished story to the class. This was the dystopian classroom.

Max and Benji 6/5S

Time for Change

Smoke filling the air. Dead black trees disintegrating into the so-called earth. Miserable, sad, lonely. Lakes turning to oil, grass turning to dust. People hiding. Streets empty, silent, ghostly. Pollution taking over. Food is gone, plants are dead, people are suffering. This is the land of dystopia. Just one word will change us all. SUSTAINABILITY. But can we do it before the world ends. 

Safi and Lucy 6/5S

Look at Me

Would you rather look into a world Dystopian and destroyed or one vibrating with joy, so sustainable it looks unreal? There was a time I had to make that choice, all I can say is you can’t be happy either way, there will always be a problem. Now look at me and decide...

Erin and Lani 6/5S

The Memory

The filthy, rough dirt didn’t have a single patch of grass. The windows were cracked and the sky stayed dark like midnight. No one had any memories of happiness since the first minute of the first year. Something happened to the dystopian world that created a sustainable memory stuck in the people’s heads.

James and Scarlett 6/5S

Dark

The dystopian world was losing its sustainability as smoke was pumped into the air. As people worked away in dark coal factories spewing black fumes they heard the loud gunshots and cries of desperation from innocent people. The world was in utter devastation and none could save it.

Jonty and Darcy 6/5S

Dreamgiver…

Way back in ancient times they believed something magical would happen and the Dreamgiver would come…

Big fuzzy, soft furry, these are the words to describe the Dreamgiver. He would lurk around at night looking to give dreams. He steps around lighter quieter and sneakier then a mouse. Three billion dreams to be given one night to give them all. Children sleeping waiting for dreams to come. With a faint glow he gives the dream and dashes away. Moon as bright as the sun watching to make sure everyone gets a dream.

Snore, snore, snore. The Dreamgiver approaches gently swiftly and lightly. A child sleeps with hope of a good dream. The Dreamgiver stops and thinks carefully. He gives her a dream and in a blink of an eye he vanishes, not seen not heard not watched…

by Isla Kempe

Peer Mediation

Last week, Year 5 learned all about peer mediation. It was lots of fun and we learned lots of things such as patience, communication skills and problem solving. We sat in the hall and talked about solving problems and ways we can sort out any K - 2 issues. We discussed what we would do if there was a big problem that we could not solve. We are all looking forward to peer mediation and helping others in the K-2 playground.

Grace Parker 5M

Waste Free Wednesday

Well done to 1H and 2K who were waste free last week!

3M love learning!

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)

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

Green Grove

Canteen News

We are very pleased to announce that the BNPS Canteen menu has been checked against the food and drink criteria of the NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy and has been awarded a Great Choice Certificate confirming that we are meeting the requirements of the strategy.  

Unfortunately, it hasn't been all smooth sailing for term 1 as our online ordering system has let us down on the last two Fridays.  We have received an apology from the Flexischools team and would like to pass that apology on to families who experienced problems on either of those days.  Friday is always the busiest day of the week in the canteen and we would recommend ordering the night before or even setting up a reoccurring order to avoid the frustration of internet traffic jams.

This week is the last week that we will have Nachos as our Friday Special.  From week 5 to the end of term our Friday Special will be Chicken, Beef and Veggie Burgers.  We also have a new hot homemade dish on offer this term; Lemongrass Chicken with Fragrant Jasmine Rice which we think the children will love.

Mel and Alex

Cracker Catering for BNPS Canteen

P& C News

Below is the link to the minutes of the P&C meeting on 10th february.

Community information

Sponsors