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 message

Celebrating Excellence

Congratulations to Isaac R for his incredible achievement, representing our State Cross Country team at Nationals in Adelaide - an incredible result. Congratulations also to Chris O and Darcy H on their selection to represent Sydney North at the forthcoming NSWPSSA Rugby Union Championship.

Our Drama Ensemble will also be performing at Chatswood Concourse tonight. We look forward to seeing them perform during Education Week and at a K-6 assembly later this term.

Last term every student in Year 1 to Year 6 participated in the school Bear Pit Public Speaking competition. Three finalists from each class presented their speeches at a stage assembly. In Stage 2 and 3, one finalist from each stage was selected to present the school at the Premiere’s Bear Pit Public Competition at Parliament House on 5 August 2022.

A very big congratulations to Talon D from Stage 2 and Darcy Y from Stage 3 who were the successful candidates to represent our school at Parliament House. We wish you both good luck.

Also congratulations to all the following finalists.

1E Sadie S, Joshua C, Freddie L
1HR Frankie B, Julian M, Seren B
1KM Hugo M, Izzy L, Chloe M
2P Nic H, Edward O’D, Grace H
2R Frankie J, Alyssa S, Sam W
2M Sofia B, Aria B, Claire Z
3E Abbey Mc, Asher S, Bonnie L
3M Blake L, Cooper C, Grace K
4/3V Jessica M, Meg A, Ben Mc
4KG Talon D, Aven L, Tess P
4W Josh H, Millie G, Evelyn S
6/5M Darcy Y, Ella M, Clementine R
5R Chloe W, Scarlett P, Jessica D
5S Holly S, Emily G, Josie P
6H Erin R, Chloe G, Elisha D
6S Beau P, Emily H, Naomi G

Congratulation to Lucy O who was one of 50 children performing with the Sydney Children's Choir and Gondwana Indigenous Children's Choir for the reopening of the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, following its significant renovation. She performed for 5 nights alongside the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Sydney Philharmonia Choir. An experience I've no doubt Lucy will remember forever!

Brooke Keevers
Principal

School News

NBLA Enrichment Writing Workshop

This Thursday the 28th of July, BNPS will be hosting the NBLA Enrichment Writer’s Workshop. We will be bringing together 35 Stage 3 students across 10 local primary schools for a day of engaging talent development lead by professional mentors including authors, publishers and high school teachers. We are so excited to have founded this powerful learning opportunity that will engage and inspire our talented young writers.

Kindergarten 2023 Information Session

On Wednesday the 3rd of August we will be hosting a virtual information session for families with students commencing at our school in Kindergarten in 2023. This will be an opportunity to find out more about our school and orientation and transition to school program.

Please find details of the virtual session below:

https://nsweducation.zoom.us/j/69400368406?pwd=cWU1cUFIK2I5bW5QUGVtaGZ3b1ptQT09

Meeting ID: 694 0036 8406

Passcode: BNPS

We have chosen to maintain a virtual format for this information session as the feedback we have received is that it makes it more manageable for families with small children.

There will be the opportunity for parents of 2023 Kindergarten students to join us on site for a school readiness session later in the year.

We also have another school tour scheduled for Thursday the 11th of August for families who are new to our school community.

ICAS orders close next week

ICAS Assessment orders will close on August the 1st. If you wish for your child to participate in this academic competition we ask that you complete your online order via the Parent Portal:

https://shop.icasassessments.com/pages/pps)

School Access Code – CQO552

100 Days of Kindergarten

Kindergarten will be celebrating 100 Days of Kindergarten on Friday 29^th July (Week 2). On this day, we invite Kindergarten students to come to school dressed as if they were 100 years old!
We encourage students to rummage through cupboards. We do not expect families to be purchasing additional items.
We look forward to celebrating this exciting milestone with a morning full of games and party fun!

Rachel Ridley
R/Deputy Principal

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The Reading Project

This year, the Stage 2 teachers have been working towards improving reading comprehension through the restructuring of explicit guided reading sessions in the classroom. During these sessions, students are engaged with targeted activities to enhance their fluency, vocabulary, phonics and comprehension skills. These groups are supported by the Fountas and Pinnell reading resources, where students are engaging with texts at their challenge level and setting goals for ‘where to next’ with their reading.

During small group reading instruction with their teacher, students are learning to think about a text in three different ways:

Thinking Within the Text: Readers efficiently and effectively understand what is on the page—the author's literal message.
Thinking Beyond the Text: Readers make inferences and put text ideas together in different ways to construct the text's meaning.
Thinking About the Text: Readers analyse and critique the author's craft

It has been wonderful to see our students grow in confidence with their reading skills, work collaboratively with their peers and self-reflect on their reading ability. Well done Stage 2!

Mrs Sarah King
Stage 2 Assistant Principal

Student Teachers Mentoring at BNPS

Please remember to check the school App for digital permission notes to be completed.

The week ahead

28 July Gifted Writers Workshop

28 July Maths Olympiad Competition 4

29 July 100 Days of Kindergarten Celebration

1 Aug Education Week

2 Aug Stage 3 Forest High School visit

3 Aug Kindergarten 2023 Virtual Information Session

4 Aug Education Week Open Classrooms

PBL Week 2 Term 3

Class Snapshot - KH

Library News

Open Day August 4
It is so exciting to welcome parents back to our school this year for Education week. During our open morning on August 4, our library will be having a donation book drive. If you would like to donate a book to our school library this year we will have a large selection of quality texts, supplied by the Children’s Bookshop at Beecroft, available for you to purchase. The library will be open from 8:30 – 11:30.

Premier’s Reading Challenge
It looks like many of our students did lots of reading over the school holidays and have now completed the reading challenge. Well done to the following students:

Year 1: Lachlan A, Jake I, Arlo L, Amelie P
Year 2: Manon D, Faith G, Noah G, Thomas G, Kora P, Evie R, Lucia S, Luc V, Nicholas W
Year 3: Will J, Grace K
Year 4: Meg A, Olivia C, Will G, Cooper I, James J, Jack O
Year 5: Alex C, Matthew D
Year 6: Naomi G, Max J

These names are now on the Wall Of Fame in our library. The PRC officially finishes on Friday 19 August.

Music News

Live Music comes to BNPS!

We are thrilled to be welcoming Music Viva in week 5 for a whole-school incursion. Musica Viva’s repertoire blends folk and jazz from different cultures including Turkey, Wales and France. Students in each stage will be treated to a one-hour performance in the hall. Leading up to this performance, students in all stages will be learning some of the songs from the repertoire during music class with Ms Saab. You may even hear your little one singing one their songs at home! For more information on Musica Viva head to https://www.musicaviva.com.au/.

Waste Free Wednesday

It was very exciting to see two classes win the prize for the most Waste Free Wednesday wins last term. Congratulations go to 4/3V and 1/KM who enjoyed a canteen treat for their efforts!

Congratulations to week 1 winners:1KM and 3E!

Works during the holidays

A small excavator was in school during the holidays to renovate the muddy staff carpark with recycled asphalt gravel. Whilst he was here the operator moved ten large sandstone blocks around the new front garden to provide both additional protection for the new plants and lunchtime seating for our students. Hopefully in the warm summers to come, everyone can enjoy a pleasant spot under the cool shade of our newly planted Tupelo trees (Nyssa Sylvatica).

Canteen News

We are currently making a few tweaks to our Flexischools menu that you may notice over the next week. The main change will be that you no longer need to choose a bread or spread on sandwiches and we are adding an $8 Monday meal deal to the menu. All sandwiches are on wholemeal bread with butter by default unless you choose a customisation like 'gluten free bread' or 'no butter'. This means if you are happy with the wholemeal bread and butter option you just choose the sandwich and then confirm the order - a few less clicks to streamline ordering. Also, depending on the sandwich type, we will have a few other customisations available like mayonnaise, salt, pepper and 'no beetroot'. For the Monday Meal Deal we will have a "quick pick" basic combo of Pasta Bolognaise, an apple and a Juice box and a "custom pick" option where you can choose a hot meal, small snack and a drink.

Mel & Alex
Cracker Catering
BNPS Canteen