Term 1 Week 6 Newsletter - Monday 3rd March 2025

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Term 1 Week 6

Monday 3rd March 2025

Dear Parents and Carers

As we head closer to the Autumn equinox, I find myself wondering, where did January and February go? It has been a very busy start to 2025!

From today, Year 6 parents and carers are required to complete the online application process for enrolment into Year 7, for 2026. Mrs Walters has included information about this below.

Our vision: Empowering Learners Today for Tomorrow

A culture of thinking at JPPS emphasises the importance of fostering an environment where students are encouraged to engage deeply with their learning. This involves promoting critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity; allowing students to express their ideas and challenge one another's perspectives. Teachers play a vital role by modelling thinking strategies, asking open-ended questions, and providing opportunities for reflection and discussion. By valuing diverse viewpoints and encouraging a growth mindset, we create a community where students feel safe to take risks, share their thoughts, and develop a lifelong love for learning.

Were you one of the many parents seated in your own child's classroom last week? What were you thinking? What did you learn? What else? How do you know?

I had the pleasure of popping in to every classroom during the parent information sessions and was thrilled to see an outstanding turnout of interested parents. I trust that you found the presentations, extremely valuable. Content overviews from each of the Key Learning Areas and learning trajectories have also been communicated to families, via email. Sincere thanks to our dedicated teachers who remained at school, after hours, for these meetings to occur.

The annual school swimming carnival was also well-supported by parents and grandparents, last week. Congratulations Miss Davidson and Mrs Murray, for your coordination of the event, staff and students. I was excited to see that several records were broken on the day. Good luck to the students competing at the zone carnival on Thursday!

This Thursday morning, at 9am, Mrs Robbins will be presenting training and information for any new parents or carers, interested in volunteering in classrooms or on excursions, this year. Please refer to the information flier below.

Class Photo Day (including individual and school sibling portraits) will be held on Monday 24th March. Parents must have completed the permission sign off on School Bytes, for students to be photographed in their class group. This must occur even if you don't intend purchasing a photo, otherwise your child will be asked to stand aside when the class group shot is taken.

Scripture classes will commence at school tomorrow. K-2 students are timetabled at 11:30am and Years 3-6 at noon. I thank Mrs Robbins, Mrs Cattell and Mrs Blieva for organising groups, teachers and learning spaces.

Have a positive week!

If you can be anything, be kind.

Regards

Adela King
Relieving Principal

School Leaders 2025

Many proud parents were in attendance at last week's special assembly, to induct 74 new student leaders. Congratulations to all of the students.

Swimming Carnival

Recognising Our P & C

We are ever grateful to the wonderful support we receive from the JPPS P & C Association, led by current president, Richard Walusimbi.

The next P & C meeting will be held on Monday, 10th March, via Zoom. All parents are very welcome to attend.

Please be advised that the AGM and General Meeting of the P & C will be held on Monday 7th April, commencing at 7pm in the school annexe. Nominations for positions are now being advertised and interested parents are invited to complete the form below and submit this to the front office prior to the AGM.

Child Protection - A Shared Responsibility (repeated)

We want to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all students in our care, and as such, it’s essential for you to be aware of the NSW Department of Education’s Child Protection Policy.  Here are the key points you need to know:

• Policy Overview: The policy provides direction and guidance for staff regarding child protection, including training, reporting on safety, supporting children and young people, and monitoring, evaluation, and reporting requirements.
• Responsibilities: All staff, including volunteers, have a responsibility to report any concerns about the safety, welfare, or wellbeing of children and young people. This includes identifying risks of harm and providing support where necessary.
• Mandatory Reporting: Volunteers are considered mandatory reporters under NSW legislation. This means parent volunteers have a legal obligation to report any suspicions or concerns of child abuse or neglect. If these become apparent while volunteering in the school, these should be communicated immediately to the Principal or relieving principal or the most senior person in attendance at school. You can also make reports directly to the Department of Communities and Justice.
• Training: Volunteers are required to be informed about indicators of abuse and neglect, as well as reporting procedures. Please ensure you sign up for the training provided by the school if you are volunteering to assist at school
• Supporting Children and Young People: Volunteers should cooperate with efforts to coordinate service delivery and decision-making with relevant service providers and inform students about their rights and available support avenues.
• Monitoring and Review: The implementation of this policy is monitored regularly to ensure its relevance and accuracy.

Risk of harm within the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 relates to the impact of abuse and neglect on a child or young person. The following indicators  in tis link have been developed from research and clinical experience over recent decades. One indicator in isolation may not imply abuse or neglect. Each indicator needs to be considered in the context of other indicators and the child’s or young person’s circumstances. The lists are not in hierarchical order. Reference: https://education.nsw.gov.au/schooling/school-community/child-protection/child-protection-policy-guidelines/resourcesThank you for your commitment to the safety and well-being of our students.  Your dedication is invaluable to our school community.

Child Protection and Parent Volunteers (repeated)

INFORMATION FOR VOLUNTEERS

Responsibilities: All staff, including volunteers, have a responsibility to report any concerns about the safety, welfare, or wellbeing of children and young people. This includes identifying risks of harm and providing support where necessary.

Mandatory Reporting: Volunteers are considered mandatory reporters under NSW legislation. This means you have a legal obligation to report any suspicions or concerns of child abuse or neglect. If these become apparent while volunteering in the school, these should be communicated immediately to the Principal or relieving principal or the most senior person in attendance at school. You can also make reports directly to the Department of Communities and Justice.

Training: Volunteers are required to be informed about indicators of abuse and neglect, as well as reporting procedures. Please refer to the indicators in the JPPS Volunteers and Non-DoE Staff document that you must sign at the school office. 

https://education.nsw.gov.au/schooling/school-community/child-protection/child-protection-policy-guidelines/resources

Always stay in sight of the classroom teacher. Leave the door open. You need to protect yourself as well as the child.

All teachers are trained in the up-to-date procedures to follow.

ANY information disclosed is confidential!

Selective High School & Opportunity Classes (repeated)

Parents must understand that the NSW Department of Education does not support students being removed from the school day to attend tutoring preparation for examinations. These absences will be recorded as unjustified. 

'Students with too many unjustified absences from school will be brought to the attention of the selection committee. The selection committee is reluctant to offer placement to those whose attendance might not allow them to benefit fully from placement in an opportunity class or selective high school.'

Visit: education.nsw.gov.au/shs-oc

Extracurricular Groups (repeated)

The information published below provides a guide for parents. Our coordinating teachers communicate directly to parents and students regarding dance and choir activities. When considering after school activities provided by facility hirers, please contact the organisers concerned, for the most up-to-date costs and timetables on offer.

NAPLAN 2025 (repeated)

Students in Year 3 and Year 5 will be completing assessments in Literacy and Numeracy next month. If you want to know more about the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9, refer to the parent and carer brochure, available in a wide range of languages: https://nap.edu.au/naplan/for-parents-carersExternal link

Students new to NAPLAN can visit the public demonstration site to become familiar with the online testing process. Remember that excessive preparation or external tutoring for NAPLAN is not necessary.

Visit the site today: https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/public-demonstration-siteExternal link

ATTENDANCE MATTERS (repeated) 

To support you in monitoring your child’s attendance, we encourage parents to access the Parent Portal in School Bytes where you can view your child’s attendance levels on a visual map. This map provides a clear view of your child’s attendance rate, calculated on the number of actual and partial days attended as a percentage of the total possible school days for the term. Attendance summaries will also be included in your child’s half-yearly and yearly reports.

Instructions for accessing this information through the Parent Portal are provided below. If you need any assistance setting up or navigating the portal, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our business manager, Mrs Clare Cattell.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR HOW TO SEE ATTENDANCE DATA ON SCHOOL BYTES (repeated)

Once you have set up your Parent Portal account in School Bytes (see below information in 'From the Office' news) you will be able to view your child's attendance data.

In the Parent Portal you will see a tab called 'attendance' on the top bar of the page. This will bring you to your child/ren's attendance information.

COMMUNITY CHARTER

The School Community Charter outlines the responsibilities of parents, carers, educators and school staff in NSW public schools to ensure our learning environments are collaborative, supportive and cohesive. It describes expectations regarding communicating with our school, that respectful communication is a right and the importance of working together in partnership to maximise the learning and wellbeing outcomes for our students. Please take some time to look at the charter attached.

2025 Term Dates & Holidays 

TRAVEL SHOULD BE TAKEN DURING SCHOOL VACATION PERIODS, RATHER THAN DURING THE SCHOOL TERM

2025 NSW Term Dates and School Holidays

Please note: School development days for staff are included in these term dates and parents and carers should not send their children to school on these days.

• Term 1 - The last day of term is Friday 11 April. 
• Autumn school holidays - Monday 14 April to Friday 25 April
• Term 2 - Monday 28 April to Friday 4 July. School development days are Monday 28 April and Tuesday 29 April. All students K - 6 begin on Wednesday 30 April.
• Winter school holidays - Monday 7 July to Friday 18 July
• Term 3 – Monday 21 July to Friday 26 September. The school development day is on Monday 21 July and all students K- 6 start on Tuesday 22 July.
• Spring school holidays – Monday 29 September to Friday 10 October
• Term 4 – Monday 13 October to Friday 19 December. The school development day is Monday 13 October. All students K - 6 start on Tuesday 14 October.
• Summer school holidays (Eastern) – Monday 22 December to Monday 26 January 2026

Term 1 Week 6

Last week, our students had the opportunity to hear from Constable Joel and Constable Ethan, our local NSW police officers. The officers shared important messages about their role in the community, staying safe and making wise choices; inspiring our students to be responsible and aware in their daily lives. It was a fantastic experience, fostering a sense of community and safety for everyone.

This Wednesday, March 5, marks P & C Day, celebrating the theme 'Together for School Communities'. This day recognises the invaluable contributions of P & C Associations and their dedicated volunteers who foster community spirit and inclusive environments in public schools. P & Cs unite parents, carers, students, and staff: ensuring every voice is heard in shaping the school’s culture.

Volunteering at JPPS and with the P & C offers numerous benefits, including building connections within the school community, making a positive impact on school programs and modelling the importance of community involvement for students. It also allows parents/carers and community members to have a voice in school decision-making, ensuring both the school and community thrive.

We take this opportunity to express gratitude to all our volunteers for their time, energy, and dedication.

Volunteering at JPPS

A friendly reminder that there is a parent volunteer information/induction session this Thursday 6th March, at 9:00, am in the school hall for anyone wishing to help within the classroom, during school events and on excursions.

If you would like to attend, please register your interest via the google form link below:

https://forms.gle/AbjqCVo86ekhUfxL8 

We look forward to working alongside you this year.

Irene Robbins
Relieving Deputy Principal

Congratulations Silver Award Recipients

Congratulations Gold Award Recipient

Term 1 Diary Dates 

• Friday 31 January - All staff return
• Thursday 6 February - All students K-6 return
• Monday 10 February - 7pm P & C Meeting via Zoom (refer to Zoom link in P&C section below)
• Monday 10 February - Kindergarten Best Start assessments continue over the next few weeks
• Tuesday 18 February - 7:30am Stage 2 Dance Auditions in hall
• Thursday 20 February - 7:30am Stage 3 Dance Auditions in hall
• Friday 21 February - 7:30am Stage 1 Dance Auditions in hall
• Tuesday 25 February - K-6 Police Talks in the hall
• Wednesday 26 February - 1:35pm Student Leaders' Induction & Awards Assembly under COLA
• Wednesday 26 February - Parent Information Evening on site
• Thursday 27 February - JPPS Swimming Carnival at Knox Aquatic Centre
• Tuesday 4 March - planned date for scripture classes to commence
• Thursday 6 March - Zone Swimming Carnival
• Thursday 6 March - 9am Parent Volunteer Induction Training
• Friday 7 March - Summer PSSA competition begins for Stage 2 and Stage 3
• Monday 10 March - P&C Meeting via Zoom
• Wednesday 12 March - NAPLAN testing period begins
• Wednesday 19 March - 1:35pm Harmony Day and Awards Assembly under COLA
• Thursday 20 March - JPPS Cross Country Carnivals
• Monday 24 March - School Photograph Day (class, individual, sibling portraits)
• Monday 24 March - NAPLAN testing period ends
• Tuesday 25 March - 4 Students Leaders to Halogen Conference
• Tuesday 25 March - 9:30am Parent Interview booking site opens
• Tuesday 1 April - 10:30am Principal's Morning Tea for Bronze Award recipients
• Wednesday 2 April - 11am Morning Tea for Bronze Medallion Recipients in Principal's office
• Friday 4 April - 9:30am Parent Interview booking site closes
• Monday 7 April - Parent Interview week commences
• Monday 7 April - 7:00pm P&C AGM/GM at school in annexe (confirmed)
• Friday 11 April - 9:15am Easter Hat Parade and Awards Assembly under COLA
• Friday 11 April - last day of Term 1

Our School Expectations

Congratulations to our students who have demonstrated our school expectations of Respect, Responsibility and Aspire.

This week's expectation is: 

Respect: Keep our playground environment clean

Keep our environment clean: pick up 3 for the sea!

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. The acceptance of awards closes for administration at 9am every Thursday morning.

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, at the Monday morning assembly, 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:

Phillip B (1T), Harper B (1/2R), Matilda B (1/2R), Talia L (1/2R), Caitlin P (2B), Rose P-B (2B), Manuja W (2-O), Isla T (2-O),  Madison B (3B), Samuel L (3N), Emma H (4ML), Aarush M (5W)

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) 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

The Term 1 Principal's Morning Tea, will be held in the hall, at 10:30am on Tuesday 1st April. Parents of recipients are cordially invited to attend. 

Congratulations:

Rose P-B (2B)

Silver Award

These awards will be presented at the next assembly. This assembly is planned to occur at 1:35pm on Wednesday 19th March, under the COLA. This assembly will be the Harmony Day Assembly. Parents are cordially invited to attend.

Congratulations:

Numair K (4ML)

Gold Award

These awards will be presented at the next assembly. This assembly is planned to occur at 1:35pm on Wednesday 19th March, under the COLA. This assembly will be the Harmony Day Assembly. Parents are cordially invited to attend.

Congratulations:

Sachkeerat R (5/6H), Alastair B (5/6B), Caroline L (6B)

Bronze Medallion

These awards will be presented at the next assembly. This assembly is planned to occur at 1:35pm on Wednesday 19th March, under the COLA. This assembly will be the Harmony Day Assembly. Parents are cordially invited to attend.

A morning tea for Term 1 Bronze Medallion recipients, will be held on Wednesday 2nd April, at 11am in the Principal's office.

Silver Medallion

These awards will be presented at the next assembly. This assembly is planned to occur at 1:35pm on Wednesday 19th March, under the COLA. This assembly will be the Harmony Day Assembly. Parents are cordially invited to attend.

Gold Medallion

These awards will be presented at the next assembly. This assembly is planned to occur at 1:35pm on Wednesday 19th March, under the COLA. This assembly will be the Harmony Day Assembly. Parents are cordially invited to attend.

Important Message to Year 6 Parents and Carers - Year 7 2026

Dear Parents and Carers of Students currently in Year 6 in 2025

Even though the school year has only just begun, parents and carers must begin the online process of enrolling your child into high school for 2026. You will need to complete an expression of interest (EOI) form using the following link: 

Enrolment form (for moving on from Year 6 to 7). Applications are ONLINE.

The expression of interest will let you indicate which school you would like your child to attend in Year 7. 

If your child will not be attending an NSW Government high school next year, please let us know by completing a placement not-required form. 

If you are unsure whether they will be attending a NSW Government school, such as if you have applied for a private school or moving interstate, we ask that you still complete an EOI and follow up with your school once a decision has been made. 

The online process will guide you through your options and collect the information required to make the process as smooth as possible. 

For further information, including translation instructions, please visit: year 7 High school enrollment.

Mrs Adele Walters

Stage 3 Relieving Assistant Principal

Sports Report

Congratulations to the students who have made it through to the Zone Swimming competition! The list of qualifiers is posted outside the 4D classroom, and a note has been sent via School Bytes.

The Zone Carnival will be held this Thursday, March 6th. Please ensure that the permission note and payment are submitted as soon as possible. Additionally, Summer PSSA will begin this Friday, March 7th. Please make sure that all permission notes and payments are completed before this date.

 Laura Davidson

 Sports Coordinator 

LOST PROPERTY

The lost property boxes are sitting on the benches outside the admin block.  The office staff are happy to deliver your child's items back to their class if their name is clearly visible.

If your child has misplaced something please check these boxes regularly.

SZAPP - repeated

Szapp is our handy mobile app for communications if your child/ren are on an excursion, at a dancing/sporting event or if there are any last minute changes to a timetable.  From time to time there are delays in buses returning to school on time or, there are unforseeable changes to an event that we need to get information to you in a hurry.  An example of this is when it rains and PSSA sport training is held before normal school hours.  Training can be cancelled so we need to notify you that training is off so you don't bring your child/ren to school as early.

The weekly newsletter can also be viewed via this app. 

Please help us by following the instructions below and install it on your device.  It would be a great idea to turn notifications on for this so you are notified immediately of any changes.

HOW TO SET UP THE PARENT PORTAL ACCOUNT IN SCHOOL BYTES - Repeated

IMPORTANT: To ensure that the registration process works smoothly, and you can link your account to your child, make sure that you use the same email address that you have provided to the school upon your child’s enrolment.

The School Bytes Parent Portal can be accessed via an app on your mobile device or your computer. The Parent App can be found on your mobile device’s app store. 

Please find detailed information on the below link on how to set up a parent portal account. 

https://support.schoolbytes.education/hc/en-us/articles/5184859634191-Parent-PortalSet-up-your-parent-portal-account

How to login and use Parent Portal?

Open the portal link and login: https://portal.schoolbytes.education/auth/login

Currently, we are using the following modules:

• Payments - to get a statement of account and make payments for fees and excursions.
• Activities - to check the current events and give a consent to participate and pay any fees attached to an activity.
• Forms -  to give consent for any permission forms, submit change of details form or extended leave applications.
• Attendance - to view and manage your child's attendance, including creating future absences and responding to attendance alerts as required.

P & C Meetings

Next General Meeting :

Monday 10th March  commencing at 7pm via Zoom (details in next week's newsletter)

Notice of Annual General Meeting and General Meeting:

Monday 7th April commencing at 7pm in the school annexe

Calling for nominations of office bearers for 2025 

To nominate - please use the form included in the principal's section above

JPPS UNIFORM SHOP

Opening Hours (School Days):

8:30-9:30am every Monday, Wednesday, Friday

Dear Parents,

1. We are temporarily unable to accept donations of pre loved uniforms until further notice, as our shop currently has an excess of stock. We appreciate your kindness and understanding.
   
2. Recently, we have received requests from parents to exchange items without full packaging. To avoid disappointment, please note that all size exchanges must be made within 14 days of purchase, with the item in its ORIGINAL packaging and accompanied by the receipt. Unfortunately, we won’t be able to process exchanges for items that do not meet these conditions.
   

Thanks for your understanding!

Regards 

Pace
Uniform Shop Manager

FROM THE CANTEEN

Volunteers needed:  

Our school canteen is in URGENT need of volunteers to help keep it running smoothly!  We have a few days where we desperately need an extra helper - specifically Wednesday and Thursday. If you can spare time from 9.30am - 1.15pm once a month, please email jpps.canteen@gmail.com or call us. Your support makes a huge difference -

Thank you in advance!

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.