Term 3 Week 10 Newsletter - Monday 22nd September 2025

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Term 3 Week 10

Monday 22nd September 2025

Dear Parents and Carers

How delightful to celebrate the joy of reading with so many parents, at our special assembly, last week. Thank you to Mrs Chapman and our wonderful library monitors, for hosting such an enjoyable book character parade.

Over the past three weeks, Mrs Paris and I have had the pleasure of delivering The Anxiety Project parent course, to our community. Course content, outlined below, is based on the work of registered psychologist and former school teacher, Michael Hawton. https://www.parentshop.com.au/about/media

Michael's book, 'The Anxiety Coach', expertly delivers simple, effective techniques for parents to use in helping their children to overcome anxiety, lessen worrying and reduce avoidance of challenging tasks.

Feedback from JPPS course participants has been overwhelmingly positive. For example: 100% of attendees surveyed would recommend the course to others. 

Michael Hawton references William Stixrud and Ned Johnson's 'The Thriving Child', and the importance of radical downtime. Research into our brains is now confirming that we need this downtime for our 'Buddha' Brain (i.e. our settled brain) to: store information in more permanent locations, gain perspective, process complicated ideas and be truly creative.

With the school holidays approaching, it may be especially worthwhile to consider the importance of establishing time for 'radical downtime' at home, each day. What might this look like? Ten minutes. No devices. No television. No reading. No conversations. A chance to daydream, or even snooze! All brains will benefit!

The school holidays may also be an opportune time to reflect on strategies for healthy technology use at home. Parents are encouraged to:

• consider where devices are stored at bed time;
• set clear boundaries and time limits for device use;
• encourage face-to-face interactions and outdoor activities;
• model responsible technology use as parents;
• reinforce online safety habits; and
• create tech-free zones or times in the home.

The Anxiety Project parent course also addressed the issue of sleep. You may be interested to know these statistics about sleep requirements in children below, and reflect on patterns of behaviour currently occurring in your home.

I am also publishing below, some examples of calming strategies that our students are learning, as part of their Anxiety Project lessons. Parent feedback from The Project has delivered many suggestions for future topics of discussion, central to reducing childhood anxiety. As is usually the case, I will advertise any future workshops in the newsletter.

I am looking forward to celebrating the achievements of Bronze Award and Bronze Medallion recipients at their respective morning teas, this week.

Best of luck to our athletes competing at Sydney North today and our debaters competing in their semi final against Manly, on Wednesday. We are very proud of you all!

A reminder that students return to school on Tuesday, 14th October, after the school development day, on Monday 13th October. The first newsletter for Term 4, will be published on Monday, 20th October.

My best wishes to all JPPS staff and school families in the hope you will all find time to engage with one another, explore the idea of radical downtime, relax and travel safely over the school holiday break!

Have a postive final week of Term 3.

Relieving Principal

The Anxiety Coach - Parent Course 2025

Congratulations Olivia

Olivia (3N) competed in the NSW Gymnastics State Clubs Championships last week and she earned 1st Place Overall State Champion in Development Junior section, including 1st in Ball, 1st in Hoop and 4th in Freehand routine. She will compete in the National Clubs Carnival at the Gold Coast this week. Congratulations Olivia!

Selective High Schools and Opportunity Classes 2026 (repeated) 

Information regarding selective high school placement for Year 7 2026, was released on Friday afternoon, 22nd August.

Information regarding placement in Opportunity Classes for Year 5 2026, was released on Friday, 5th September.

Parents are advised to refer to the following information from the NSW Department of Education, should you have queries regarding this year's process and testing methodology. This 'Outcomes' information site will have updates to parents' frequently asked questions, as well as translation pages: 

https://education.nsw.gov.au/schooling/parents-and-carers/choosing-a-school-setting/selective-high-schools/outcomes

Student Attendance - Every Day Matters (repeated)

If your child is absent from school, a member of the administrative team will send you a text message or email. Parents are encouraged to respond to these messages as soon as possible, to avoid absences being recorded as unjustified.

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, at any day during the year. The attendance rate is calculated on the number of actual and partial days attended, as a percentage of the total possible school days for the term. 

As part of your child's Semester 1 and Semester 2 report, we include the semester's attendance summary, imported from School Bytes.

If you need any assistance setting up or navigating the School Bytes portal, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our office administration team.

2025 Term Dates & Holidays 

We encourage student travel to be taken in school holiday periods, not during term time.

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.

• 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 3 Week 10

From Lab Coats to Literary Legends: A Season of Learning 

There’s so much to celebrate at John Purchase Public School!

Last week, our students had the unique opportunity to visit My Future Lab at Cherrybrook Technology High School. Dressed in lab coats and safety glasses, they stepped into a real laboratory environment, eager to learn about chemical reactions and kinetic energy. It was a powerful reminder that science is not magic but a series of explainable processes that help us better understand the world around us. Be sure to check out the photo gallery below—each picture captures a moment of wonder and discovery!

A heartfelt thank you to Mrs Somasundaram , one of the many dedicated teachers at Cherrybrook Tech, for leading this inspiring initiative. It’s wonderful to provide such enriching and practical learning experiences for our young learners.

Our annual Book Character Parade was another highlight of the term, bursting with joy and creativity. Students and staff alike, delighted in dressing up as their favourite literary characters. Many thanks to Mrs Chapman for coordinating the event and to the parents who came along to support and celebrate with us. Don’t miss the photo gallery below showcasing some of the fantastic costumes!

Looking ahead, the Principal’s Morning Tea for Bronze Award recipients and their parents will be held tomorrow at 10:30 am in the hall. Additionally, Bronze Medallion recipients will enjoy a special morning tea with Mrs King on Wednesday during recess.

We extend our best wishes to the students representing JPPS in Round 3 of the Premier’s Debating Competition this Wednesday. We sincerely thank Mrs Robinson for her tireless effort and commitment in guiding and supporting the team throughout the process. We are proud of our students’ dedication as they take on this exciting challenge.

Please mark your calendars for Group Photo Day on Thursday, 16th October—the first Thursday after the school holidays. This will include photographs of sporting teams and other extracurricular groups.

Finally, may I take this opportunity to wish everyone in our school community a relaxing and enjoyable spring break. We look forward to welcoming you back refreshed and ready for an exciting term ahead.

As this term draws to a close, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Mrs King for her guidance and support during my time as Relieving Deputy Principal. I am also deeply thankful to the dedicated staff and our wonderful school community—especially the 1/2R community—for their ongoing encouragement, support and collaboration throughout the term. It has been a privilege to work alongside you all. We now look forward to welcoming our new Principal, Mrs Rogers, next term as we continue to build on the strong foundations of learning and community spirit at JPPS.

Thank you for your continued support of our students and school. Together, we make JPPS a place where learning, creativity, and community thrive.

It has been a privilege to serve as Relieving Deputy Principal this term.

Irene Robbins
Relieving Deputy Principal

Congratulations Silver Award Recipients

Congratulations Gold Award Recipient

Congratulations Bronze Medallion Recipients

HPGE (High Potential and Gifted Education) - repeated

The NSW Department of Education recognises that high potential and gifted students require support to optimise their growth and achievement. Professor François Gagné suggests that potential exists along a continuum, where, given optimal conditions, high potential can lead to high performance and achievement. Gagné outlines that students may exhibit potential in one or more domains including intellectual, creative, social-emotional, and physical.

At John Purchase Public School, we offer a rich and varied educational program, combining academic, cultural and social opportunities, designed to assist each student to fully develop his or her skills, in a happy and supportive classroom environment.

We believe that high potential and gifted students benefit from:

· an opportunity to learn with their like-ability peers;

· an opportunity to experience a rigorous and challenging curriculum;

· experiencing high cognitive tasks and

· being supported in their special interests and talents.

John Purchase Public School is staffed by supportive teachers, who plan both skills-based and critical thinking programs, to address syllabus requirements. High potential and gifted students benefit from participating in learning that is rigorous and incorporates extension and enrichment activities. These activities allow students to extend basic concepts and to connect their personal interests within a differentiated curriculum. All John Purchase Public School staff are committed to providing an outstanding education. Learning programs are based on NSW syllabuses. However, the content of our special programs within the high potential and gifted classes, are further differentiated to meet the needs of these students. Planned teaching strategies include:

· compacting of the curriculum

· basic skills expansion

· higher order thinking

· student choice

· open-ended tasks

· advanced content

· acceleration in curriculum areas

· collaborative learning

In 2026, we plan to provide High Potential and Gifted (HPG) classes at our school. The quantity and structure of the classes will be dependent on student numbers in Stages 2 and 3, as well as staff available next year. Selection of students for HPG classes, is based on test performances and the limited availability of places within the classes formed in 2026. Please note that students currently in HPG classes, remain in the HPG cohort. Therefore, students currently enrolled in 3/4B, 5/6B or 5/6H, do not need to re-apply.

If you would like your child to be considered for HPG class placement in 2026, he/she must participate in the assessment program at our school. There is no charge for this.

Application forms must be returned to the school office by 3pm Tuesday 4th November 2025. No late applications will be accepted. All candidates who have submitted their applications by the due date, will be tested over the two weeks, commencing Monday 17th November 2025.

All assessments will be completed during school hours, at flexible times determined by the coordinator. A testing timetable will not be published.

Parents will be notified if their child is offered a placement at the beginning of the 2026 academic year. Numbers of students accepted into an HPG class may vary from year to year, as school and grade student numbers impact how many HPG places are available.

Term 3 Diary Dates 

• Tuesday 23 September 10:30am Principal’s Morning Tea in Hall
• Wednesday 24 September – 11am Bronze Medallion Morning Tea in Principal’s Office
• Wednesday 24 September - Premier's Debating Challenge Round 3 - Semi Final 
• Friday 26 September - Last day of Term 3

Our School Expectations

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

This week's expectation is: 

Aspire: Plan for radical downtime in your holidays!

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:
Oliver S (KNO), Matilda B (1/2R), Michael H (1/2R), Ava S (1/2R), Caroline F (3/4B), Isabella H (3/4B), Erisa L (3/4B), Aiden K x 2 (3/4B), Ariel C (3ES)

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

Bronze Awards will be presented at the Term 4 Principal's Morning Tea, for Bronze Award recipients. This special event will be held on Tuesday 16 December at 10.30am, in the school hall. Parents are cordially invited to attend.

Congratulations:

Katie R (1T), Reuwan K (4D)

Silver Award

These awards will be presented at the next assembly. This assembly is planned to occur at 1:35pm on Wednesday 22nd October, under the COLA. Parents are cordially invited to attend.

Congratulations:

Isabella H (3/4B), Charlotte S G (4ML)

Gold Award

These awards will be presented at the next assembly. This assembly is planned to occur at 1:35pm on Wednesday 22nd October, under the COLA. Parents are cordially invited to attend.

Bronze Medallion

These awards will be presented at the next assembly. This assembly is planned to occur at 1:35pm Wednesday 22nd October, under the COLA. Parents are cordially invited to attend.

A morning tea for Term 4 Bronze Medallion recipients will be held in the principal's office at recess on Monday 15th December at  11am.

Silver Medallion

These awards will be presented at the next assembly. This assembly is planned to occur at 1:35pm on Wednesday 22nd October, under the COLA. 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 Wednesday 22nd October, under the COLA. Parents are cordially invited to attend.

The Anxiety Project Lessons

INTERRELATE 2025

ONLINE Family Evening Program for Stage 3 students and their Parents

PLEASE REFER TO THE LETTER SENT HOME TO STAGE 3
FAMILIES FOR THE LINK TO JOIN

Date: Thursday 16 October 2025

Session 1:Where did I come from ?
Time: Session 1 - 6.00pm to 7.00pm (1hour)

Session 2: Preparing for Puberty
Time: Session 2 - 7.15pm to 8.15pm (1 hour)

Program focus: Session 1

• discuss the male and female reproductive systems, foetal development and the birth process
• sexual intercourse & conception including assisted methods
• personal safety and protective behaviours

Program focus: Session 2

• discuss the physical changes of puberty, emphasising that is can be different for everyone
• develop student's understanding of periods and sperm production, as well as the physical, emotional, social and intellectual changes associated with puberty.
• enhance awareness of children's personal safety and protective behaviours.

Adele Walters
Stage 3 Assistant Principal

5DM’s ‘MY FUTURE LAB’ 

Last Friday, 5DM students were invited to visit the science laboratory at Cherrybrook Technology High School to enrich their learning as they continued to explore the unit: Material World. At the lab, 5DM investigated household liquids using red cabbage and universal indicators to observe chemical reactions. They were engaged in a safe, hands-on learning experience, equipped with lab coats and safety glasses for the real high school experience.

5DM absolutely loved their time in the new science labs! Thank you to the wonderful science teacher, Miss S, who made this lesson so enjoyable.

Mrs Ducie 

STUDENT TRAVEL PASSES

Students who require a School Opal card or travel pass but have not yet applied need to apply or update their details as soon as possible.

In the Opal network, students should travel with a Child/Youth Opal card until they receive their valid School Opal card. If outside Greater Sydney, parents should contact their local bus operator to discuss their travel needs.

Students living in rural and regional areas will receive their travel pass from their nominated transport operator. It may be issued via their school or be sent directly to them at home. Note: some rural and regional operators do not issue travel passes. Students/parents should confirm with their nominated operator if they do not receive a pass.

TERMS OF USE

Students using School Opal cards must tap on and tap off in line with the Opal terms of use .

This includes travel within the approved times between 6.30am and 7.00pm from Monday to Friday on school days only. Students must use their Child/Youth Opal card for any travel outside these times.

All students are required to comply with the Student code of conduct. The code of conduct aims to ensure the safety and well-being of school children and other passengers. It is important that parents ensure their child is aware of this, as failure to comply with the code of conduct can result in a suspension from travel.

We're Hiring! Casual Canteen Supervisor

Location: John Purchase Public School Canteen
Hours: Casual, 12–18 hrs/week (school term only)

Love food? Love kids? Join the heart of our school community at John Purchase Public School!

As a Canteen Supervisor, you will support the day-to-day operations of our canteen. Operated by the JPPS Parents & Citizens Association, the canteen runs five days a week during NSW school terms.

We’re looking for someone who’s passionate about healthy food and values making a positive impact on children’s wellbeing. You’ll help deliver nutritious, affordable meals aligned with the Department of Education’s Nutrition in Schools Policy, while ensuring smooth operations and hygienic food preparation.

_________________________________________________

Application submission: exec@jppspandc.org.au

Applications close on Friday 17^th October 2025.

Regards
Richard Walusimbi
P&C President

JPPS UNIFORM SHOP

General Notes:

Opening Hours (School Days):  8:30-9:30am every Monday, Wednesday, Friday.

Online Ordering & Pick Up In Shop:
To shorten your waiting time in the shop, we highly recommend all parents order uniforms online and arrange pick up. Items can be changed if there is a sizing issue.https://uniforms.jppspandc.org.au/

Friendly Reminders: 
Any size change of items (except hats & socks) has to be arranged within 14 days upon purchase with FULL packaging and receipt shown ONLY. Any used items or missing packaging will definitely NOT be accepted.

FROM THE CANTEEN

Wednesday 17 September – Due to the unexpected power outage on Wednesday 17 September last week from 10.20am-12.20am, the Canteen was unable to provide any hot lunches to students – sushi and sandwiches were not affected.   We apologise to students who were disappointed not to get what they had ordered – especially on Pizza Day which is a big favourite with the students - but please understand it was out of our control.  Our main concern was feeding over 100 students some lunch and sandwiches was all we could provide on such short notice on our busiest day of the week. 

We have refunded all the lunches that had ordered hot food on this day.   In all our years in the canteen, this has never happened before and we hope it never happens again!

A MESSAGE FROM THEIRCARE OOSH SERVICE

TheirCare is an experienced Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) company with 495 services nationally. TheirCare was founded in 2017 and provides a stimulating and safe environment for all children in OSHC. During sessions, children develop life-skills, friendships, confidence, and creativity through play-based programs. We look forward to starting the TheirCare service with an official start date of Monday 21^st July - 2025. An online information night is scheduled on Tuesday 1^st July – 5.30pm (details attached) so families can meet the team and to find out about registrations, times and bookings for the service.

🎉 Ready to Jump In? Let’s Get Started!

Not enrolled yet for OSHC? No stress—it’s super quick and easy to sign up! Just click here and get started.

📝 A Few Quick Checks Before You Finish:

To help us create the best experience for your child, please double-check these details during enrolment:

• ✅ Emergency contacts – make sure we have someone to call if needed
• ✅ Medical information – including allergies, medications, or health conditions
• ✅ Any diagnoses – like asthma, anaphylaxis, or other important info

This info helps us keep your child safe, supported, and smiling throughout their time with us.💬 Got Questions? We’re Here to Help! Our friendly Customer Support Team is available Monday to Friday, 6:30 AM – 8:00 PM (AEST) 📞 1300 072 410📧 info@theircare.com.au

We can’t wait to welcome your family to TheirCare!

Please also refer to the flyers below for further information.

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.