Term 3 Week 9 Newsletter 2021
From the Principal
OUR NEWSLETTER CAN BE TRANSLATED INTO MANY DIFFERENT LANGUAGES EACH WEEK BY SELECTING THE PREFERRED LANGUAGE IN THE DROP DOWN MENU ABOVE
ARE YOU OKAY?
This Thursday is National R U Ok Day! It is the day we are reminded to ask those around us whether they are okay. We all experience ups and downs in our lives from time to time and there may well be someone you know who may benefit by a conversation that starts with the three simple words: Are you okay?
While the day reminds us to reach out to those around us who may be struggling, of course this is important throughout the year.
We can also support the national day by wearing a splash of yellow.
Here is the link to the R U Ok website if you would like further information or if you would like to watch one of the webinars:
https://www.ruok.org.au/join-r-u-ok-day
HAPPY FATHERS DAY
I do hope our dads, grandads and father figures enjoyed a lovely day with their families yesterday, even though you may have celebrated in a different way this year.
Our dads certainly deserve to be spoiled given the wonderful efforts and extra contributions being made during this extended lockdown learning from home period.
A big thank you from all of us at JP!
A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR SASS STAFF!
This week we enthusiastically applaud our School Administrative Support Staff (SASS) for the invaluable work they each do to ensure our school is an excellent one!
A heartfelt thank you to:
- Clare - our business manager
- Sharena - our school admin manager
- Lorraine, Kirsty, Helen and Margaret - our school admin officers
- Susan, Sarah, Donna, Sareen and Svetlana - our school learning support officers
- Peter and Adrian - our general assistants
The SASS members fulfill so many important responsibilities each day, and are extraordinarily adaptable and flexible. They seem to manage the many curve balls that come their way effortlessly, and that includes the global pandemic and all the changes this has brought to the administrative workload in the school.
The strong service ethos and incredible work ethic are appreciated by all - teachers, support staff, the leadership team, students, parents, carers and the wider community. We are incredibly fortunate to have our mighty SASS team.
If there is someone on the SASS team you or your child would like to reach out to thank, I am sure they would appreciate a kind message via the school email. I know a few words of appreciation go a long way.
COVID UPDATE
As you are aware, schools are expected to return to Level 3 plus restrictions across staggered dates next term. An update was emailed out yesterday which contained information related to the staged return, as it stands at this point. Please note that further details will be sent home prior to students returning. Parents are encourgaed to visit the website below for more detailed information.
https://education.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/advice-for-families/level-3-plus-schools
VACATION CARE
Out of school hours care can continue to operate during the upcoming school holidays. However, parents are strongly encouraged to keep their children at home unless the service is needed.
Parents and all adults must wear a mask whenever on the school site, whether inside or outside, and it is mandatory to check in using the QR Code.
OUR THOUGHTFUL YEAR 6 STUDENTS
We are very proud of our Year 6 students for taking the time to write such thoughtful messages to their kindergarten buddies. You are kind and considerate leaders of our school, and this has demonstrated our three school expectations beautifully: respect, responsibility and aspire! Thank you Year 6.
KINDY RESPOND WITH ENTHUSIASM
Our kindy kids seemed very grateful for the letters from their buddies and I'm sure the replies cheered up our Year 6 students.
IN PRAISE OF FATHERS: THE PLACE OF THE MODERN DAD
We all know how important our dads are, but Michael Grose, parenting expert, believes there’s a growing need to be supported and to widen our view of what it is to be a dad. Read the Parenting Ideas article below, selected this week in honour of Fathers Day!
A WELLBEING NUDGE
Until next week, keep safe, happy and well!
Mrs Leonie Black
From the Deputy Principal
Welcome to Week 9 of Term 3!
I have pondered how many of us are 'glued' to screens, perhaps even more now, than in a life before Covid-19.
Are you or your children at risk of sitting too much?
Are your days punctuated by some exercise?
Current research supports the notion that a sedentary lifestyle can be detrimental to our long term health. I sourced the following tips for encouraging mobility, from an article entitled: The Risk of Sitting Too Much.
- Invest in a treadmill or bike desk, so you can stay physically active in your desk-bound job. Anyone who has visited Mrs Black in her office, may have noticed the treadmill in place, in front of the computer screen!
- Wear a monitoring device and aim to do 10 000 steps a day, including exercise and incidental walking. My family members have challenged me to walk 500kms before Christmas and a newly installed gps app is now testament to my effort!
- Encourage colleagues to go on walking meetings. This is certainly happening in my neighbourhood, as I notice conversations happening with ear pods in place.
- When you’re on a phone call, stand (or walk) rather than sit.
- If you have trouble remembering, set a timer to get up from your desk every hour and walk around. I must remember to do this!
- Swap sedentary leisure activities, like watching TV, with physically active ones.
- While you’re watching TV, do some house cleaning or ironing, to stay on your feet.
I have been inspired by 'Tip Number 5' from the Coping Calendar below, to find my skipping rope and start some practise of my own.
Until next week, take care of yourselves, be active and stay safe!
Mrs Adela King
Deputy Principal
adela.king@det.nsw.edu.au
Mrs King's Skipping Challenge
Where is Johnny Purchase? Chapter 6
This week, Johnny Purchase basked in the spring sunshine, surprised Kirsty in the school office and watched Year 1's Learning Programs.
Where is Johnny Purchase? Chapter 5
It's time to welcome new Kindergarten students and their parents to JPPS! There's so much to see and learn. Our new Kindergarten students will receive a special story book about our school.
Where is Johnny Purchase? Chapter 4
Books. Books. And more books! Johnny Purchase went searching high and low for interesting books to read this week. Don't forget to check out which titles are this year's Children's Book Council of Australia award winners, in the video above!
Where is Johnny Purchase? Chapter 3
Johnny Purchase has been getting his exercise this week! What an adventure; nibbling herbs that have been growing beautifully in 3/4B's garden, climbing on the row of box trees, practising public speaking in the hall, counting Purchase Pride badges in Mrs King's office and even discovering a brush turkey, scratching about, next to the Year 3 classrooms.
Where is Johnny Purchase? Chapter 2
Can you find Johnny Purchase, our school mascot, as he explores the Year 1 picnic area, knocks on the principal's door, has a sleep outside 6C, finds a book to read from the Library, relaxes in the Library ampitheatre and gets some exercise shooting goals in the K-2 playground?
Where is Johnny Purchase? Chapter 1
Johnny Purchase escaped from Mrs King's office! Can you recognise where he visited on his adventure?
Cancellation Notice - Regretfully, the Group Photograph Day (for sporting teams and extra curricular groups) scheduled for Friday 8th October, has been cancelled by the School Photographer, this year.
What are our SRC reps up to?
During Covid or online school, I have been going on bike rides with my father and family bush walks every Sunday. We walk about 6 kilometres every Sunday. Online school can be fun and I like how we have mini lessons on our zooms. I loved Wellbeing Wednesday, as well, because of all the fun zooms and activities that there were to do and enjoy.
I have also been cooking and I made some cupcakes. I’ve also made dinners such as nachos, gnocchi, enchiladas and chilli con carne.
Riya T 5M
Hey JPPS teachers, students and parents
There's no doubt that Covid and lockdowns restrict what we can and can't do. However, I am still grateful that we can connect with friends and family through facetime, catching up with what they're doing and how they're coping during this challenging time.
Dance is a big part of my life. It's something that makes me feel happy and fit. I've been missing the face-to-face contact with friends and teachers from dance, but thanks to technology, I have been doing zoom instead and it’s really helped me to not lose my motivation to keep active and healthy, especially as I prepare to do my ballet exams in November.
Lots of us haven't been able to see friends outside of school, so the people we have been spending a lot of time with are our families! As I have been enjoying more time with my family, we have rediscovered our love for family games. The popular ones in our house are Bananagrams, Monopoly and Uno. They are always fun to play, as my mum, dad and brother are very competitive, which results in a lot of friendly banter and laughter around the table.
During this lockdown, we aren't able to do many things but walking is something we can do, and boy, I have been doing lots and lots of walking. Whether it's just around the streets, or a walk up to a park and back home again, it’s great taking in the beautiful cherry blossoms and early signs of spring. One of my favourites was a bush walk called the Callicoma Walk near Cherrybrook Lakes. It was challenging but fun in some parts, as we made our way over and around rocks and creeks. The walk definitely got our heart rates and steps up for the day. One of the best bits was climbing up to the open rocks. It felt like you were sitting in a cave. Here's me in one.
So, whether you are enjoying family time, reading, writing, playing a board game, climbing a tree or learning to bake, remember to enjoy the slower pace and simpler things in life.
I’m looking forward to seeing all my friends and teachers again.
Chloe D 5L
In my lockdown I have been playing with my sister and family with
the Nintendo Switch on Mario Kart and also with the basketball hoop
out the front. For me, lockdown is not bad at all. I can entertain
myself easily by playing with my mates on Minecraft, Fortnite and Rocket League.
I finish my work early, so I go help out my sister with her work. Even my birthday was in lockdown, so I could celebrate at my house, which was amazing.
By myself, I have done not much at all really. I have shared an office with my dad, which is good. I enjoy having someone in the room to help me. I have not done much at all but my family now has a lot more time to be together and I enjoy that. My parents teach me new skills, so I can help out, like washing up.
This is me with my pets!
Taylor L 5L
Expectation of the Week
Aspire: to show gratitude
Congratulations to all students, demonstrating our school expectations of Respect, Responsibility and Aspire.
Expressing gratitude can be intrinsically beneficial to one's own wellbeing.
Purchase Pride Badges
When students receive ten Purchase Pride award cards, these should be left in Mrs King’s ‘award shelf’ in the administration corridor. The ten awards need to be bundled together and clearly labelled with the student’s name and current class. Purchase Pride cards have a tear off strip. This strip may be removed by the recipient and placed in the appropriate stage box outside Mrs King’s office, to go in the lucky dip draw for a canteen voucher. Badge recipients, whose names have already been published, will be presented with their awards when we all return to school.
Class Awards System
JPPS has an incremental class awards system. When a student has received ten class awards, these should be left on Mrs King’s ‘award shelf’ in the administration corridor. The ten class awards need to be bundled together and clearly labelled with the student’s name, current class and award level reached:
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!
A clear, snap lock bag is ideal for this purpose!
With the exception of Bronze Awards (which are published at the end of the term and presented at a Principal’s morning tea for students and parents), all awards received by 3pm on Thursday afternoons, are ‘stamped’ and published in the next school newsletter, which is usually on the following Monday. At this time, I indicate when these awards will be presented at the next Thursday afternoon assembly.
Students need to be responsible for their own awards, as replacements are not issued. Please note: During the learning from home period, teachers are issuing awards remotely and they will present these to students, when we all return to school.
Missing school? Take a virtual tour, or a 3-minute fly through tour!
Our John Purchase community is representative of many cultural backgrounds. Parents please be advised that the SBS portal provides Coronavirus information and updates translated into 60 different languages. I have shared the link below.
From the Teachers
Kindergarten 2022
Do you have a child enrolling in Kindergarten at John Purchase Public School in 2022?
With the year flying by, it is time to start thinking about Kindergarten enrolment for 2022.
If your child will be starting Kindergarten at John Purchase Public School in 2022 please go to the link below and complete the online school enrolment application.
https://enrol.education.nsw.gov.au/#/?schoolCode=4572
Dates and details regarding information evenings and transition will be provided in the coming months.
We look forward to welcoming our new students to John Purchase Public School in 2022!
Miss Claire Eiffert
Relieving Early Stage One Assistant Principal
ICAS 2021
This ICAS sitting window has now been extended until the end of November. More details on sitting date to be published next term.
Miss Brennan
ICAS Coordinator
How can I help my child stay safe online?
Young people usually don’t discuss with adults social problems they experience online, for fear they will have their access to the internet or mobile phone taken away from them. Therefore, it is recommended that each family establish a ‘Family Agreement’ for use of the Internet and mobile phones.
When negotiating a family agreement, the most important consideration is that it works for your family. Having an effective family agreement is about building a positive relationship with your child. It ensures that technology can be enjoyed in a safe and mutually acceptable manner. Young people understand that they are responsible for their behaviour online. As such, the agreement should include consequences for unsafe or unacceptable use of technology.
Discuss with your child what they think are reasonable consequences if the agreement is broken. The most effective agreements are those where mutual decisions are made in negotiation with your child. Whilst it is important to discuss all technologies with your children, the final agreement needs to be clear, simple, concise and manageable, and should be reviewed regularly.
Please click on this link for more information and ideas for parents. https://www.esafety.gov.au/
More helpful resources and information for schools, parents and carers, and students can be found on the NSW Department of Education anti-bullying website at:
https://antibullying.nsw.gov.au/parents-and-carers/Keeping-my-child-safe-online
Mrs Leonie Cole
Learning and Support Teacher
Community Announcements
JPPS Parents are invited to a free webinar about digital wellbeing presented by Dr Kristy Goodwin on Wednesday 8 September at 8pm. Details appear in the flyer below.