Balgowlah North Public School eNewsletter

"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 report

Multicultural Day

We are all looking forward to celebrating Multicultural Day today! Our classrooms are decorated, students and teachers have dressed up and we are all looking forward to our multicultural lunch.

My New Gallery

Neurodiversity Week

Neurodiversity Celebration Week runs from March 21st-27th. This worldwide initiative aims to challenge the stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences, whilst celebrating the many advantages of being neurodivergent.

Many of our classes will be incorporating lessons around diversity, empathy and inclusivity this week in acknowledgement of this important initiative.

You may be interested to find out more about Neurodiversity Week here:

https://www.neurodiversityweek.com/

Regional Swimming Stars

Congratulations to our eight swimmers that competed at the Sydney North Regional Swimming Carnival at Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush on Wednesday 16th March. The team of Edward G, Nic H, Tess P, Rose C, Amelia S, Millie G, Chloe G and Chris O participated against twelve other zones. All the students swam outstandingly and our Manly Zone ended up placing first!

Seven of our swimmers will be representing our region at the NSWPSSA Swimming Championship on Monday 4th and Tuesday 5th April. We wish you all the very best of luck. A special congratulations must also go to Chloe G who was named the Senior Girls Age Champion and broke a regional record for the 13yrs Girls 50m Freestyle.

Results from the finals:

Chloe G

1st 12-13yrs Girls 50m Freestyle

3rd 12-13yrs Girls 100m Freestyle

1st 12-13yrs Girls 50m Breaststroke

1st 12-13yrs Girls 50m Butterfly

2nd 12-13yrs Girls 50m Backstroke

2nd 11-13yrs Girls 200m IM

Chris O

3rd 11yrs Boys 50m Freestyle

Nic H

1st 8yrs Boys 50m Freestyle

Tess P, Rose C, Amelia S, Millie G

2nd Junior Girls 4x50m Freestyle Relay

COVID Guideline Changes

A household contact will only need to self-isolate for 7 days commencing from when the diagnosed person took the test, rather than 7 days from last contact with the diagnosed person.

A household contact is not obligated to self-isolate as a contact more than once in a 21 day period (if the person is diagnosed with COVID-19, they will need to self-isolate again).

A person who had COVID-19 and later becomes a close contact or household contact does not need to self-isolate as a contact if it has been less than 8 weeks since the person finished their self-isolation period (up from 28 days in the current Order).

Extended Leave Applications

For absences of 11 school days or more an Application for Extended Leave - travel form must be completed. is form can be collected from the school office and must be submitted to the Principal with copies of the relevant travel documents and/or the itinerary prior to the absence.

Once the permission for leave has been approved, A Certificate of Extended Leave – Travel will be issued.

Kind regards,

Brooke Keevers

Principal

School news

Parent Teacher Interview booking process

You will receive an email from schoolzine confirming your booking time for your Parent Teacher interview if you have completed the booking process correctly.

If you have not received an email, you have only held the time slot and not completed the process. This will clear at the end of the day. Please revisit your booking and complete the booking process 1. Select Student 2. Select Staff 3. Select times 4. Review times 5. Success.

"Success" will generate an email.

All "locked" Parent Teacher appointments will be cleared this afternoon and made "available".

Please ensure your booking is "confirmed".

High Potential and Gifted Education Update

Forest High Enrichment Program

We have been given the opportunity for a select group of our Stage 3 students to participate in the Forest High Enrichment Program again this year..

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 commenced on Wednesday the 9th of March 2022 and will run for 10 weeks. The first group of students attending are from Year 6 as these students did not have the opportunity to complete the program in Semester 2, 2021 due to the covid lockdown.

There will be 2 further intakes of Year 5 students this year. Each intake of students will have the opportunity to complete a 10 week program in Terms 2- 4.

At Balgowlah North Public School, Classroom Teachers review and consider a range of academic data to help them make an informed choice about the five students we feel will most benefit from inclusion in this program.

Maths Olympiad

Balgowlah North Public School will enter the Maths Olympiad again this year. The first Maths Olympiad contest for 2022 will be held on Thursday 24 March. There are 5 contests of the Maths Olympiad competition that are interspersed from Term 1-Term 3.

Our Maths Olympiad teams are comprised of Stage 2 and Stage 3 students who have been identified for this enrichment opportunity. Students will meet for 40 minutes every Thursday during school hours.

Each week, students will work through a mathematical problem solving activity to develop their skills and strategies, foster creativity and strengthen confidence and intuition. These problem solving lessons will also support our students in preparing for the Maths Olympiad contests.

More information about Maths Olympiad can be found on the website. https://www.apsmo.edu.au/main/apsmo_home_cm.php

Playmates

We will be running our Kindergarten social skills program, Playmates, for the remainder of Term One and into Term Two.

Playmates provides the opportunity for our Kindergarten students to develop their social skills through participation in coordinated playground games. The small group activities are planned to support our students in developing their skills working collaboratively, taking turns and regulating their emotions and behaviour whilst also providing a structured setting to form new friendships.

Some of our Year 4 students have volunteered to assist with the program which provides them with a wonderful leadership opportunity.

Pickles uniform orders

Just a reminder that from Monday 21 March all uniform orders from Pickles will be pick up only from the Pickles shop in Brookvale.

Rachel Ridley

Deputy Principal (Acting)

NAPLAN Practice Tests
This week, all students in Year 3 and Year 5 will be participating in NAPLAN practice tests. These will provide students the opportunity to become familiar with the type of questions they will experience in NAPLAN and allow staff to familiarise themselves with the functions of the online assessment platform.
The practice tests include an omnibus test (combination of reading, conventions of language and numeracy questions) and a writing test. Year 5 students will complete both tests and Year 3 students will complete the omnibus only.
All students will require headphones for the practice assessments. More information about the NAPLAN assessments can be found at https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/parent-carer-support

Check-in assessments
Year 4 and Year 6 students will participate in a reading and numeracy Check-in assessment this term.
The Check-in assessment is a NSW Department of Education online reading and numeracy assessment available to support schools to assess and monitor student learning.
The assessments can supplement existing school practices to identify how students are performing and to help teachers tailor their teaching more specifically to student needs.

Mrs Sarah King

The week ahead

28 - 1 April Year 2 swimming scheme

29 March NBLA Student leadership day

Parent teacher interviews

30 March Parent teacher interviews

31 March Selective High School test

01 April P&C Parent night out

Harmony Day reflections

Heartwarming to see people having empathy

Anyone and everyone belongs

Really amazing when everyone celebrates and appreciates each other

Mighty and strong, that’s who you are

Orange signifies social communication and meaningful conversation

Nobody is perfect

You don’t have to be like everyone else, you always belong

Neve and Isaac, 5R

Harmony Day is very different for different people. People from different cultures or who are neurodiverse may sometimes find it more challenging than others when it comes to school or making new friends. But we all have our strengths and that’s what we should be celebrating on Harmony Day. It doesn’t matter who you are, be proud of how you treat others.

Jess, 5R

As part of Harmony Week on Monday, we went to the hall to see the Walangari Karntawarra Indigenous Dance group performance. The three men told us dreamtime stories such as how the mother kangaroo got her pouch and they performed traditional dances with the didgeridoo.

They taught us about native plants and their uses. Did you know the Lily Pilli berry can be made into jam?

By Josh W and Max C 3M

Sports news

We celebrate an amazing sporting achievement, Isaac R represented Manly Warringah at the Little Athletics NSW State Championships. Isaac qualified in the maximum 4 events allowed & his results in the under 10 division were: 800m - gold, 400m - gold, 200m - silver & long jump - bronze. Congratulations Isaac.

World’s Greatest Shave

BNPS have registered to take part in this year’s World’s Greatest Shave on Thursday 28^th April to raise money for the Leukaemia Foundation. Year 6 pupils will shave, cut or colour their hair and K-5 will participate in Crazy Hair Day.

Every single day, over 50 Australian families will receive a devastating blood cancer diagnosis. The money we raise will provide these families with the special care and support that they need. We will also help brilliant research scientists continue their search for better ways to diagnose and treat blood cancer more effectively, and ultimately find a cure.

Use this link to sponsor a Year 6 student and/or donate to the BNPS team for crazy hair day. You can also donate cash on the day at school.

http://my.leukaemiafoundation.org.au/balgowlahnorthpublicschool

World’s Greatest ShaveI’m taking part in #worldsgreatestshave to help beat blood cancer! Please sponsor me today.my.leukaemiafoundation.org.au

Greatest Shave fundraiser scrunchie stall!

To help raise funds for the Leukaemia Foundation’s Greatest Shave, we are going to be selling our homemade scrunchies on Thursday 24th March at the kindergarten entrance on Bardoo Ave from 8:30am-9am. We have lots of different colours and even some in school uniform fabrics. We are selling them for $3 each or 2 for $5. If you buy one you will be helping sick kids and the researchers to find a cure for this awful disease. Please come and check out our stall on Thursday morning and support the Year 6 Fundraiser - The Greatest Shave.

By Lucy & Nina

PBL

Waste free Wednesday

Many congratulations 1E & K/1M both 100%!

Green grove & working bee

The Kindie, year 1 and 2 working bee on Sunday was a great success. Thanks very much to the many volunteers who worked for 2 solid hours painting, weeding, trimming, wheelbarrowing and much more. The Green Grove and surrounding bush tucker gardens are looking much better. Now the students can get on with planting and propagating seeds for their autumn garden.

BNPS P&C

Band news

Balgowlah North Public School has a strong and vibrant music ensembles program which caters to students from Year 2 - 6. Currently we have a Concert Band Program comprising three bands and a Strings Program.

Further information can be found at Home | BNPS Instrumental Music Program (wixsite.com)