Term 1 Newsletter 7 February 2022
From the Principal
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WELCOME TO JOHN PURCHASE FOR 2022!
I do hope everyone was able to enjoy some happy memorable moments with friends and family over the summer break. It certainly was lovely to greet the children’s bright and happy faces last week, eager to begin learning with their new classes.
The students certainly looked very settled and ready for a year of learning when I visited the classrooms. We had a number of conscientious and committed teachers who came into school during their break times, to finish setting up their classrooms ready for the year ahead, while many others completed training and began planning their lessons.
We are very excited about the year ahead and the many learning opportunities being planned for the students. Last week we warmly welcomed a number of new families to our wonderful school. I am sure our new families will find our school very welcoming and nurturing. There are many people who have assisted with the transition and are more than happy to continue to support the transition to our school. Please don’t hesitate to ask at the office should you have any questions about our programs and/or procedures and we will pass on your request to the most relevant person.
2022 CLASSES FORMED
Once again, we were delighted to have been able to form our classes on the first day of the school term. Classes are formed following careful consideration by the staff of the students’ needs. This is a very complex process and I thank the teachers and learning support team for the thought and time they have put into placing the students. The classes are as follows:
EARLY STAGE ONE | STAGE ONE | STAGE TWO | STAGE THREE |
KH Mrs Hooper | 1B Mrs Barr | 3G Miss Gillett | 5F Mr Fox |
KN Mrs Narayan | 1M Mrs Mugridge | 3N Miss Nelson | 5S Miss Scholz |
KR Mrs Robbins | 1P Miss Parker | 3P Mrs Pettitt | 5T Mrs Townsend |
2E Miss Eiffert | 3/4B Mrs Button | 5/6B Miss Brennan | |
2M Miss Mahler | 4S Miss Saul | 5/6M Mrs Musgrove | |
2S Miss Stanton | 4G Miss Griggs | 6DW Mrs Ducie and Mrs Winston | |
2Y Mrs Khoo | 4M Miss Moore | 6H Mr Hayman | |
6O Miss O'Brien |
WELCOME KINDY
Our kindy students participated in Best Start assessments last week and were warmly welcomed to big school on Friday morning. They looked very smart in their school uniforms and were enthusiastically joining new friends in various activities.
MEET OUR NEW TEACHERS
PERMISSION NOTES
This week we will be sending home a series of permission notes. Please complete and return these at your earliest convenience.
- Permission to Publish
- Third Party Software Consent
- Implementing the Seesaw Application
- Student Particpation in Homework
- Digital Devices and Online Srvice Procedures
- Using Local facilities for Educational Sessions
- PDHPE Programs
One of the notes that goes home is the Permission to Publish letter. When photographs are placed on the website, others from the community and beyond our school community can access these. We respectfully ask that parents don't use photographs of other parents' children which are placed in the newsletter or websites, for any other purpose.
Parents should be aware that when information is published on public websites, it can be discoverable online for a number of years, if not permanently. Search engines may also cache or retain copies of published information. Published information can also be linked to by third parties.
STUDENT HEALTH CARE NEEDS
We welcome information from parents about your child's health, even if you are not requesting specific support from our school. Our school asks for medical information when you enrol your child. It is also important that you let us know if your child’s health care needs change or if a new health condition develops. Information about allergies, medical conditions such as asthma and diabetes and other health care related issues (including prior conditions such as medical procedures in the last 12 months) should be provided to the school by parents. Please provide this information in writing to the principal. This will greatly assist our school in planning to support your child’s health and wellbeing. Please also remember to notify staff in the school office of any changes to your contact details or to the contact details of other people nominated as emergency contacts. We appreciate your assistance in this regard and assure you that any information you provide the school will be stored securely and will only be used or disclosed in order to support your son or daughter’s health needs or as otherwise required by law.
RAT TESTS
We will let the community know when to pick up RAT tests once the next delivery of tests is made to the school.
RAPID ANTIGEN TEST SURVEY
Thank you for all that you’ve done to ensure that our return to school has been a successful experience for our school community.
I am sharing a short survey with you today about usage of department-supplied rapid antigen tests (RATs). This information will guide the department’s future operational planning and help us protect the health, safety and welfare of all staff, students and communities.
The survey is completely voluntary and anonymous. It will take less than 3 minutes to complete. Your survey responses will not be linked to personal information about you or your family and will not be linked back to our school.
Please complete the surveyExternal link by close of business on Wednesday 9 February.
STATIONERY
A reminder that stationery lists for 2022 will not be sent out for this year, as the school will be purchasing basic equipment such as exercise books and pencils. However, if you would like to purchase your child's own special set of coloured pens and pencils etc, the children can certainly bring these to school, labelled with their name and class.
HOLIDAYS in 2022: REPEATED FROM LAST YEAR
I understand that many of you will be planning holidays for this year and beyond so have included school holiday dates below:
• Sat 9 to Tues 26 April 2022, which includes Tues 26 April as a school development day.
• Sat 2 July to Mon 18 July 2022, which includes Mon 18 July as a school development day.
• Sat 24 September to Sun 9 October 2022.
•Tues 20 December 2022 is the Term 4 school development day, preceding the 2022 - 2023 summer vacation.
We do ask that students take their holidays in the scheduled vacation periods.
DEMOUNTABLE MAKEOVER
Late last year and during the vacation break, work was being carried out to refurbish demountable buildings. They have had a new roof, new carpet and have been freshly painted.
A MAKEOVER FOR CLASSROOM WET AREAS
The wet areas in brick classrooms have been renovated with new cupboards, floors and a fresh coat of paint.
OOSH MAKEOVER
The OOSH has also been painted and has had minor maintenace carried out during the vacation break.
Until next week, keep safe, happy and well!
Mrs Leonie Black
From the Deputy Principal
Dear Parents and Carers
A warm welcome back to a new school year and our very first edition of the JPPS newsletter!
Below, I have included some important school dates and events occurring in the coming weeks, for your information. As we are all keenly aware, our planning can change overnight due to Covid, so we really appreciate your flexibility, if changes need to be made at the last minute.
My family, like yours, has been impacted in some way, by the pandemic. However, we have been fortunate to gather for the celebration of my youngest daughter's wedding. Hence, I write this week's column remotely and I am looking forward to returning to school, at the end of this week. I thank Mrs Cole, for relieving in my absence.
I do hope that the start of the 2022 school year, is a positive one, for all families.
Regards
Mrs Adela King
Deputy Principal
2022 School Photographs
As cohort groups are currently permitted, our class, Year 6 groups, individual and family photos (siblings only), will be taken at school on Thursday 17th February. Envelopes detailing photograph and package costs will be distributed to all classes shortly. Please DO NOT return these envelopes to class teachers until photo day. Students will need to wear their full summer uniform. Please note that a second photo day for special groups (e.g. band, choir, dance, sport teams) is planned for Term 4, on Friday 14th October.
2022 Parent Information Sessions
At JPPS, we are committed to engaging parents in their child’s learning and we highly value positive relationships between home and school. Our teachers are keen to invite parents to a 45-minute information session about the curriculum and class organisation for 2022. Please mark this date in your diaries: Wednesday 23rd February. The locations (online or at school) for the evening, will be published soon.
Planned session start times are as follows:
Early Stage 1 (Kindergarten) classes will commence at 4:45pm.
Stage 1 (Year 1 and Year 2) classes will commence at 5:30pm.
Stage 2 (Year 3 and Year 4) classes will commence at 6:15pm.
Stage 3 (Year 5 and Year 6) classes will commence at 7:00pm.
Induction of 2022 Student Leaders
Our four school leaders, as well as junior and senior sporting house captains were elected at the end of 2021. As classes settle into their new routines, students in years 2-6 will also elect SRC representatives. Two students from these classes, along with the four student leaders, will form the Student Representative Council for 2022. Our student leaders assist Kindergarten and Year 1 classes throughout the year.
Depending on Covid guidelines, we are planning to hold the Student Leaders' Induction Assembly at 1:30pm on Thursday 3rd March.
School leaders, house captains, Year 6 library monitors and elected SRC representatives, will be presented with their badges.
Please be aware that Covid guidelines may impact the organisation and we may need to have more than one assembly on this day, so further details regarding times and format, will be confirmed next month.
Student Participation in Homework
The Department of Education’s policy regarding homework states that:
‘Homework is a valuable part of schooling. It allows for practising, extending and consolidating work done in class. Homework provides training for students in planning and organising time and develops a range of skills in identifying and using information resources. Additionally, it establishes habits of study, concentration and self-discipline.’ (Source: Policy Reference Number PD/2002/0003/V02 PD-2002)
In 2012, ‘Research scan’ was undertaken by the NSW Department of Education. There is little consensus in the literature, as to whether homework raises student achievement. Most researchers conclude that for primary students, there is no evidence that homework lifts academic performance. However, research indicating that student learning may be enhanced if homework is:
- appropriate for each student’s age and ability
- relevant to each student’s needs
- purposeful and designed to meet specific learning goals
- varied and challenging, but achievable
- built on knowledge, skills and understanding developed in class
- clearly stated and requirements made explicit during class time
At JPPS, every student will be provided with the opportunity to engage in suitable homework plans this year; designed to be achievable and stress-free for students and their parents, as well as, manageable for teachers. The staff will outline class/stage homework programs at our planned parent information sessions, so these programs will not commence until after this event. However, every student is encouraged to participate in reading at home, every day. We cannot emphasize enough, the importance of regular reading at home. If you choose not to participate in homework activities, we do implore you to maintain and reinforce the importance of a daily reading regime at home.
Please refer to the parent letters being sent home soon and send responses back to class teachers by the due date.
Expectation of the Week
Responsibility: Attend school, be punctual and be prepared
Congratulations to all students, demonstrating our school expectations.
Respect Responsibility Aspire
Purchase Pride Badges
Purchase Prides recognise positive student behaviour on the playground and in the classroom. When students receive ten Purchase Pride award cards, these should be left in Mrs King’s ‘award shelf’ in the school administration corridor. The ten awards need to be bundled together and clearly labelled with the student’s name and current class.
Award recipients will be presented with a coloured Purchase Pride Badge, the week after their name is published in this newsletter.
Purchase Pride cards also 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.
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 school 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. A clear, snap lock bag is ideal for this purpose! Students need to be responsible for their own awards, as replacements are not issued.
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!
This year, all awards (including Bronze) 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. Depending on Covid guidelines, 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.
From the Office
STAY UP TO DATE WITH SZAPP
Please download this app to your phone if you haven't already (instructions below). This year we will be using this form of communication to get important notices to you. The access PIN will be sent to you via email.
It is important you attach your details to your child/ren's class, year group and any other extra curricular group your child is involved in to receive all notifications.
Please don't hesitate to contact the office on 9875 3100 if you need assistance.
From the P&C
This BBQ is a P & C event. Please note teachers will not be in attendance to provide supervision, and parents and carers are responsible for the supervision of their children.
Community Announcements
Please note our school publishes events for the convenience of families but does not endorse any activity, organisation, person or product.