Term 1 Week 2 Newsletter - 5th February 2024
From the Principal
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Term 1 Week 2
A very warm welcome to the 2024 school year, particularly to all of our new families starting with us this year.
We were thrilled to be able to place students into their 2024 classes on the first day of school, and even more thrilled to see the students settling in so well. As I visited the classrooms, the students were engaged and enthusiastic.
BUILDING A CULTURE OF THINKING!
As we embark on another exciting year at John Purchase, I am thrilled to share some exciting news about our commitment to fostering a culture of thinking across the school. On our School Development Day, last Tuesday, our teachers engaged in a professional learning initiative inspired by the work of Ron Ritchhart and the Harvard University Project Zero.
Building a culture of thinking is about creating an environment where every student is encouraged to think deeply, critically, and creatively. Ron Ritchhart, a renowned educational researcher, has dedicated his career to understanding the components of such a culture. His insights, combined with the rigorous research conducted at Harvard's Project Zero, offer us valuable strategies to enhance the teaching and learning experience at John Purchase.
Our teachers have embraced this opportunity to delve into Ritchhart's work and the Project Zero framework, recognising the profound impact it can have on our students' intellectual development. This initiative is not merely about adopting new teaching methods; it's about emphasising the development of thinking dispositions and creating an atmosphere where thinking is valued and celebrated.
OUR CLASSROOMS
A huge thank you to our hardworking teachers, many of whom, spent hours at school during the vacation break, to set up classrooms for the year. This is just one example of their dedication and commitment.
BEHAVIOUR CODE FOR STUDENTS
CYBERSAFETY RESOURCES FOR PARENTS & CARERS
Cybermarvel videos, courses and podcastsExternal link are available to help your family have safe online experiences at home.
To help your child learn how to select quality games, reduce risks and create better habits, register for the How to support your child with online gamingExternal link webinar (Wednesday 7 February 2024, 12:30–1:15 pm or Wednesday 13 March 2024, 4–4:45 pm).
2023 - 2024 Term Dates & Holidays
PLEASE MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO ARRANGE TRAVEL DURING SCHOOL VACATION PERIODS, RATHER THAN DURING THE SCHOOL TERM
Kindergarten 2024 commence on Tuesday 6 February 2024
Term 1 concludes Friday 12 April.
Autumn school holidays - Monday 15 April 2024 to Friday 26 April 2024
Term 2 2024- Monday 29 April 2024 (students return Tuesday 30 April) to Friday 5 July 2024.
Winter school holidays - Monday 8 July 2024 to Friday 19 July 2024
Term 3 2024 - Monday 22 July 2024 (students return Tuesday 23 July) to Friday 27 September 2024
Spring school holidays - Monday 1 October 2024 to Friday 11 October 2024
Term 4 2024 - Monday 14 October 2024 (for staff AND students) to Wednesday 18 December (for students) and Friday 20 December (for staff) 2024
From the Deputy Principal
Term 1 Week 2
Monday 5th February 2024
I trust that our school community has had a refreshing break over the holiday period.
It was such a delight to see and hear the excitement of students returning to school last Thursday. The executive team met a large gathering of new families, before conducting orientation tours.
A warm welcome to our wonderful school!
Students in Early Stage 1 (Kindergarten) have been completing individual Best Start assessments with Kindergarten teachers and they will begin their first full day, at John Purchase Public School, tomorrow. Kindergarten students will be meeting their teachers in classrooms, before school, for the next two weeks, before joining the whole school under the COLA, in two weeks' time.
Morning supervision does not begin until 8:25am. If parents need to drop children at school prior to this time, please arrange supervision at our OOSH. School commences at 8:55am. In fine weather, we assemble under the large COLA. On Monday mornings, Purchase Pride awards and announcements are made by staff. Parents are most welcome to attend this brief gathering. School concludes at 2:50pm, each day. Please ensure that all children know where to meet, or how to follow the family's after-school arrangements. Our office staff are not able to supervise students after school.
The School Photographer will be at JPPS next Thursday 15th February, to conduct class and individual student portraits. Purchase of photographs is entirely up to parental discretion. Order packages will be distributed to students, when they arrive at school. Please do not send order forms back until photo day, next week. All students should be wearing their full summer uniforms, including black shoes, on photo day. Please refer to uniform photographs and more information from our P&C Uniform Shop at: https://uniforms.jppspandc.org.au/
A hat is an integral part of our school uniform. All students are encouraged to wear the JPPS broad-brimmed, sun-safe hat. As the temperatures soar, I have included the JPPS guidelines regarding extreme hot weather, below.
Parents are reminded of our approach to mobile phones and associated digital devices. Personal devices such as smart watches and fitness bands cannot be connected to the internet when children are at school. Parents and students need to ensure that measures are taken to ensure that the internet connection is disabled at school (or on an excursion), such as switching the device to aeroplane mode.
Mobile phones should be off and away, while students are in the classroom or on the playground, during the school day. Mobile devices can be taken on school excursions following the parameters in our guidelines outlined below.
Please remember that students in Year 3 and above, wanting to ride bicycles to school, must apply for a 'bike licence' annually.
A reminder too, that, in the unfortunate event that your child sustains an injury, please ensure that you contact the school on the day he or she returns, so that any necessary additional plans can be made to ensure a safe transition.
Have a positive week!
In a world where you can be anything, be kind.
Adela King
Deputy Principal
2024 Parent Teacher Evening at JPPS
Wednesday 21st February 2024
Parents are cordially invited to attend the information sessions to be held in classrooms at these times:
Early Stage 1 classes (Kindergarten): commencing at 4:45pm
Stage 1 classes (Years 1 and 2): commencing at 5:30pm
Stage 2 classes (Years 3 and 4): commencing at 6:15pm
Stage 3 classes (Years 5 and 6): commencing at 7:00pm
Each session will last approximately 45 minutes.
JPPS Extreme Hot Weather Guidelines
John Purchase Public School is committed to providing a safe and caring environment for students, staff and parents. From time to time, outside temperatures reach above 36 degrees, which can impact on the wellbeing and comfort of everyone.
Flexible approaches to regular school practices can be implemented to facilitate comfort and wellbeing. The following may be implemented once temperatures reach above 36 degrees:
- Use of air conditioners, and rotation of classes through the available air conditioned spaces, if required (e.g. if a classroom air conditioner is not working);
- Providing access to student water bottles during classroom and outdoor activities;
- Postponing or cancelling regular physical activity timetables that may stress students or expose them unnecessarily to the sun;
- Considering use of shaded outdoor areas, including the COLA;
- Remaining in classrooms at break times or for a portion of a break times; and
- Shortening or amending the length of outdoor activities.
- Children should wear a sun safe hat (protecting ears, shoulders and necks) or alternatively, use shaded areas.
- It is recommended that parents apply sunscreen to their children prior to outdoor excursions, carnivals and other activities.
Additional strategies may be put in place as required at the discretion of the senior executive.
Term 1 Diary Dates (correct as at 5.2.2024)
- Tuesday 6th February - Early Stage 1 (Kindergarten) students commence
- Monday 12th February 7pm - P & C Meeting via Zoom
- Thursday 15th February - School Photography Day One (Year 6 group, Kindergarten 2018, all current class and individual student portraits)
- Monday 19th February - 7:30am Stage 1 (Years 1 & 2) dance auditions
- Wednesday 21st February - 7:30am Stage 2 (Years 3 & 4) dance auditions
- Wednesday 21st February - Parent Information Evening at school
- Thursday 22nd February - JPPS Swimming Carnival @ Knox Aquatic Centre for Years 3-6 (& some Year 2s)
- Friday 23rd February - 7:30am Stage 3 (Years 5 & 6) dance auditions
- Thursday 29th February - 1:35pm under COLA 2024 Leaders' Induction Assembly
- Friday 1st March - Summer PSSA competition begins
- Tuesday 5th March - SRE classes planned to commence
- Thursday 7th March - Zone Swimming Carnival @ Sydney Olympic Park
- Friday 8th March - P&C Welcome BBQ
- Monday 11th March - 7pm P & C AGM & Meeting at school
- Tuesday 12th March - Stage 3 Excursion to CTHS musical production
- Wednesday 12th March - NAPLAN period commences
- Thursday 14th March - JPPS Cross Country Carnival for Years 3-6 (some Yr 2s)
- Thursday 21st March - 1:35pm Harmony Day Assembly under COLA
- Thursday 28th March - 9:15am Easter Hat Parade Assembly under COLA
- Good Friday Holiday - Friday 29th March
- Easter Monday Holiday - Monday 1st April
- Tuesday 2nd April - 10:30am Principal's Morning Tea for Term 1 Bronze Award recipients and their parents
- Wednesday 3rd April - Bronze Medallion recipients' morning tea with Principal
- Monday 8th April - Parent/Teacher Interviews held at school this week
- Monday 8th April - 7pm P & C Meeting (to be confirmed)
- Friday 12th April - last day for Term 1
Our School Expectations
Congratulations to our students who have demonstrated our school expectations of Respect, Responsibility and Aspire.
This week's expectations are:
Responsibility: Wear a hat on the playground
and
Aspire: Encourage respectful behaviour in the toilet blocks
Purchase Pride Badges
Purchase Pride awards recognise positive student behaviour on the playground and in the classroom. When students receive ten Purchase Pride award cards, these should be left in the boxes on the ‘award shelf’ inside the school office foyer. Each set of ten awards needs to be bundled together and clearly labelled with the student’s name and current class.
Purchase Pride cards also have a 'tear-off' strip. This strip may be removed by the recipient and placed in the appropriate stage box in the award shelf, to go in the lucky dip draw, for a canteen voucher. Canteen vouchers are drawn by our SRC representatives, at the end of each term. Students are notified directly, if successful.
Award recipients will be presented with a coloured Purchase Pride badge, the week after their name is published in this newsletter, during term time. This badge may be worn on the school uniform. Students are encouraged to hand in their awards regularly and not 'stockpile' them.
Congratulations:
Neyanshi K (Year 3), Estelle W (Year 2), Jayden (Year 2)
Class Awards System
In addition to Purchase Prides, JPPS has an incremental class awards system. When a student has received ten class awards, these should be left in the boxes on the ‘award shelf’ inside the school office. The ten class awards need to be bundled together and clearly labelled with the student’s name, current class and award level reached. A clear, snap lock bag is ideal for this purpose! Students need to be responsible for their own awards, as replacements are not issued. Students are encouraged to hand in their awards, rather than 'stockpiling' them until Term 4, so they don't miss out on special celebrations, such as the Principal's Morning Tea.
10 Class Awards = Bronze 20 = Silver 30 = Gold 40 = Bronze Medallion
50 = Silver Medallion 60 = Gold Medallion 75 = Platinum Medallion and Principal for the Day!
All awards (including Bronze) now received by 9am on Thursday mornings, are ‘stamped’ and published in the next school newsletter, which is usually on the following Monday, in term time. At this time, I indicate when these awards will be presented. Silver Awards, Gold Awards and all Medallions, are presented at whole school assemblies. Please note that Bronze Awards are only presented at the end of each term, at the Principal's Morning Tea.
Bronze Award
These awards will be presented to recipients at the Principal's Morning Tea, towards the end of Term 1. This event will be held in the hall at 10:30am, on Tuesday 2nd April. Parents of recipients, are invited to attend.
Silver Award
These awards will be presented at the next assembly. This assembly is planned to occur at 1:35pm on Thursday 29th February, under the COLA. All parents are cordially invited to attend. This assembly will also be the induction of student leaders 2024.
Gold Award
These awards will be presented at the next assembly. This assembly is planned to occur at 1:35pm on Thursday 29th February, under the COLA. All parents are cordially invited to attend. This assembly will also be the induction of student leaders 2024.
Bronze Medallion
These awards will be presented at the next assembly. This assembly is planned to occur at 1:35pm on Thursday 29th February, under the COLA. All parents are cordially invited to attend. This assembly will also be the induction of student leaders 2024. A morning tea for the term's Bronze Medallion recipients, will be held for students in the principal's office at recess, on Wednesday 3rd April.
Silver Medallion
These awards will be presented at the next assembly. This assembly is planned to occur at 1:35pm on Thursday 29th February, under the COLA. All parents are cordially invited to attend. This assembly will also be the induction of student leaders 2024.
From the Teachers
Dance Announcement
We are excited to kick start another great year of extracurricular dance. If your child is interested in auditioning for the JPPS dance troupes, you will need to have filled out a permission form and students then need to attend their allocated audition morning.
Stage 1 group audition | Monday 19th Feb - 7:30am Annexe |
Stage 2 group audition | Wednesday 21st Feb - 7:30am Annexe |
Stage 3 group audition | Friday 23rd Feb - 7:30am Hall |
Please be aware that students who are accepted, are required to attend 2 rehearsals a week and a fee is involved. Please read the form for further information.
Adele Walters
Dance Coordinator
From the Office
School Travel Applications 2024 (repeated)
2024 school travel applications are now open.
Students who need a School Opal card or travel pass for 2024 can apply here. A new application will need to be submitted if they are applying for the first time, or if they are requesting additional travel entitlement because of new shared parental arrangement (e.g. joint custody).
Students who change address, school, or have received an expiry notification from Transport for NSW for their school travel entitlement should renew or update their details before the end of Term 4. This will ensure that schools can endorse applications, and entitlements remain valid for the start of the 2024 school year. School Opal card holders will have the changes applied to their existing card.
If a student’s distance eligibility has changed based on their grade (i.e. grade two to grade three), the system will automatically update their entitlement if they meet the new criteria. If they do not meet the new eligibility criteria, we will send them an expiry notification via email.
Students who have an entitlement approved under a medical condition that is due to expire will receive a notification advising them to re-apply.
Term Bus Pass holders will receive a notification to re-apply.
Students in the Opal network applying for an Opal card (including a Term Bus Pass) for the first time will receive their Student Opal card at their nominated postal address. Cards will be mailed out from January 2024.
From the P & C
PARENT VOLUNTEERS
Are you interested in volunteering?
At John Purchase Public School, there are many opportunities to be involved and to support our P and C.
- P & C positions
- Special events
- Canteen
- School Uniform Shop
Volunteering helps you connect with people in the community.
If you would like to get involved, please put your name down at the canteen (for volunteering in the canteen), email our president, Richard at richardw@jppspandc.org.au or at the front office (for volunteering for other P and C roles).
P & C Volunteer Sign Up Form
Please remember to sign up to volunteer using the volunteer sign up form. This will assist in planning for next year. See the below link to the sign up form.
FROM THE CANTEEN
Welcome to new families: Welcome to new families of JPPS. The canteen is open daily from 8.30am to 1.15pm and provides recess and lunch to students and teachers. Lunch orders can be placed over the counter before school or via the FlexiSchools app by 9.30am. Lunches are picked up from the canteen at 12.30 by students and taken to their class. If any students do not have lunch, or it gets dropped or eaten by birds (yes this does happen), the student will be given lunch from the canteen and a note to take home with the money due the following day.
Volunteers: We are always looking for volunteers to help in the canteen from 9.30am to 1.15pm one day a month. Please contact Anna or Snowey at jpps.canteen@gmail.com if you would like to volunteer.
Prices for 2024: Over the last 12-18 months we have been facing cost increases from our suppliers and to date we have passed on minimal increases and absorbed these additional costs from our suppliers. However that is not sustainable and this year we have to increase our prices more broadly by an average of 4%. We hope you understand our need to increase prices while still trying to maintain reasonable to our parents.
From the Community
Please note our school publishes community information for the convenience of families but does not endorse any activity, organisation, person or product.
JOHN PURCHASE PUBLIC SCHOOL accepts no responsibility for content on third-party websites and providing a link does not imply that the school endorses that website.
CLEANING POSITION
If you are interested in a cleaning position in a local school, please use the Q Code below.