Term 3 Newsletter - 12 September
From the Principal
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Term 3 Week 9
AUSTRALIA'S NATIONAL DAY OF MOURNING FOR QUEEN ELIZABETH TO BE A PUBLIC HOLIDAY ON THURSDAY 22 SEPTEMBER
On Friday morning, we woke to the sad news that our head of state, Her Majesty the Queen, had passed away.
Queen Elizabeth II was the longest reigning British monarch and the longest serving female head of state, in the history of the world. Throughout her 70 years of service as the Queen, her faultless work ethic, strong service ethos, integrity and kindness had been applauded by many.
Many will feel the loss and will mourn the consistent leadership she provided throughout the decades.
Our thoughts are particularly with the royal family, as well as with our friends from the United Kingdom, at this time.
As has been announced in the media, our Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, has announced a public holiday on Australia's national day of mourning next Thursday 22 September. This will coincide with a national memorial service for the Queen, being held in Canberra.
CELEBRATING OUR UPWARD TREND IN NAPLAN READING RESULTS
Over the past several years, our teachers have worked hard to further develop students inferential comprehension skills in reading, so we are very pleased with the improvement being demonstrated in the students' reading results.
The graph below shows the percentage of students scoring in the top 2 bands since 2010. This year, a record precentage of students in Year 3 achieved results in the top 2 bands. In Year 5, the second highest number of students achieved results in the top two bands over the 12 year period. This is an outstanding achievement. The NAPLAN Test was not administered in NSW in 2020 due to COVID, so there are no results shown for 2020.
CELEBRATING OUR UPWARD TREND IN NAPLAN NUMERACY RESULTS
We are also very pleased with the improvement being demonstrated in numeracy results. The graph below shows the percentage of students scoring in the top 2 bands since 2010. In 2022, the second and third highest percentage of students scored in the top two bands in numeracy. The NAPLAN Test was not administered in NSW in 2020 due to COVID, which explains the gap shown above the year 2020.
You can view results up to and including 2021 on the My Schools website.
https://www.myschool.edu.au/school/41303/naplan/results
When you go into the My Schools Website, search for John Purchase, then select:
- the NAPLAN tab
- then STUDENT RESULTS
- then you can select comparisons with either STUDENTS WITH SIMILAR BACKGROUNDS or comparisons with ALL AUSTRALIAN STUDENTS, by selecting the appropriate box.
- then select the year
Again, it's very pleasing to see an upward trend.
NUMBER TALKS
Last Wednesday, our teachers stayed back at school until 5.30pm, to participate in training to explore the use of number talks in the classroom. This was the first session of a two part training program.
Number talks usually occur at the beginning of a maths lesson and are short, sharp and focused. The talks themselves typically take between 5 and 15 minutes.
Number talks involve students in discussing number problems that are solved mentally. Mental arithmetic encourages students to think more deeply about what they know and understand about numbers and relationships. It teaches students to be more efficient about the strategies they use, as we tend to avoid holding so many numbers in our head. For example, if given the question 99 x 6, it is more efficient to think about 100 x 6, and then take 6 away, than it is to write and solve 99 x 6, using the written algorithm.
Students share specific strategies that focus on making sense of number and making connections between concepts and strategies. Students share and justify their solutions and strategies, and then may decide which is most efficient and why.
They can also use a second strategy to check their thinking and accuracy.
Number talks are an invaluable means to foster students' ability to:
- make sense of mathematics
- develop efficient strategies for solving number problems
- become more proficient with mental computation (working out number sums and problems in their head)
- articulate their thinking in mathematics
- further develop their reasoning ability
As a follow up to the training, it was fantastic to see our awesome Year 2 students in each of the Year 2 classes, enthusiastically participating in classroom number talks on Thursday and Friday.
The Year 2 students were exploring number relationships represented by a number of dots or pictures, and were able to apply their understanding of relationships to the use of different strategies. Students were able to reason after being asked questions such as: How are these two strategies connected? Who thought about this in a different way?
Year 2 Number Talks
MUMS AND BUBS HAVE A DAY OUT
How lovely to see so many of the John Purchase babies having a big day out! Thank you Mrs Stanton, Mrs Ducie, Mrs Murray, Ms O'Brien, Mrs Winston, Mrs Green and Mrs Fazzolari.
TECHNOLOGY LEARNING RESOURCES
Each term the T4L for Kids resource is released, which provides great learning ideas for school and home. Here is a link to this term's issue.
THANK YOU FOR FATHERS DAY BREAKFAST
I do hope all our families attending, enjoyed the scrumptious Father's Day breakfast. There was a wonderful variety on offer including: eggs, bacon, toast, muffins, pastries, fruit, coffee and more.
A big thank you to our P & C and the volunteers, under Kaleshni's leadership, for this much appreciated initiative. I'm sure this really helped to make Father's Day special for our dads and father figures as well as the kids.
Congratulations Aditi
Congratulations and thank you to Aditi for participating in community programs at Kids Giving Back during the second term of this year as well as in the July school holidays.
Aditi is among over 500 young people who produced over 13,500 hot meals, soup, salads, fruit kebabs, breakfast boxes, snack packs, care packs and decorated tote bags, with empathetic, positive messages, which were distributed to 13 charities around Sydney. Volunteering in the July school holidays was especially valuable as twice weekly soup kitchens were held, making and handing out almost 1000 servings of soup in the cold and rain, to those who needed warm food and support. The students also helped by folding and packing new clothes for over 12,000 vulnerable people, many of whom were affected by this year’s floods. The service to others and the kindness extended was appreciated by many.
CHANGES TO COVID-19 REQUIREMENTS
As you would be aware from media releases, National Cabinet met on Thursday 31 August and agreed to reduce the isolation period for COVID-19 positive cases from 7 days to 5 days, with the following caveats:
- this would apply only to people with no symptoms at day 5 of their isolation
- 7 days isolation remains for workers in high-risk settings including aged care, disability care, and those providing care in the home
- the change will come into effect from Friday 9 September.
From the Deputy Principal
Term 3 Week 9
Monday 12th September 2022
Dear Parents and Carers
Due to the newly gazetted public holiday in memory of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth 11, our Book Character Parade Assembly is now re-scheduled to be held on Thursday 13th October, at 9:30am. This will be the first Thursday of Term 4. Please note that there will not be an assembly in Week 2 (Thursday 20th October) because of this change.
Parents of current Year 2, Year 3, Year 4 and Year 5 students will receive email advice regarding the assessment program, for High Potential and Gifted (HPG) classes at JPPS, in 2023, today.
Invitations to attend the Principal's Morning Tea for Bronze Award recipients and their parents, and Bronze Medallion morning tea for recipients, will be sent home with students this week.
Our Student Representative Council (SRC), coordinated by Mrs Townsend, is trying to promote environmentally sustainable practices at school (and at home). Please see their article below.
I know our parents try to plan ahead for extra-special school events. So, as we approach the end of Term 3, please note these diary dates for the five special assemblies at the end of Term 4:
Year 6 Graduation Assembly - 9:10am Monday 12th December
Stage 2 (Year 3 and Year 4) Celebration of Learning - 11:30am Monday 12th December
Year 5 Celebration of Learning - 1:30pm Monday 12th December
Stage 1 (Year 1 and Year 2) Celebration of Learning - 9:10am Tuesday 13th December
Early Stage 1 (Kindergarten) Celebration of Learning - 11:30am Tuesday 13th December
Have a fabulous week!
Mrs Adela King
Deputy Principal
Spelling Bee Champions
The regional final of the NSW Premier's Spelling Bee was held over the Zoom platform last week. Our representatives competed against students from more than twenty other schools. Congratulations to Adam L (Stage 2) and Aiden P (Stage 3), who performed creditably under pressure! Adam completed ten rounds unscathed and after two 'playoffs', scored third place overall.
High Potential and Gifted Classes 2023
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 2023, 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 2023. Please note that students currently in HPG classes, remain in the HPG cohort.
This year, all Year 2 students will be assessed (unless parents opt out of the testing program by the due date). Students in Years 3-5 must complete an application form by the due date, with a nominal administration fee, in order to be considered.
Closing date for all applications is 3pm Tuesday 1st November, 2022.
Parents will be notified if their child is offered a placement at the beginning of the 2023 academic year. Numbers of students accepted into an HPG class may vary from year to year, as school and grade student numbers impact on how many HPG places are available.
Further information can be found in the letter emailed home to parents on 12/9/2022.
Our School Expectations
Congratulations to our students who have demonstrated our school expectations of Respect, Responsibility and Aspire.
This week's expectation is:
Aspire: Encourage others to do the right thing
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.
The Purchase Pride Badges recorded below, will be presented next Monday morning.
Congratulations to:
Gabriel B (2S), Noah (6H), Kalvin L (5T), Gemma (1B), Sasha W (2S), Divisha C (1M), Bella E (4S), Emily P x2 (4S), Neal S x2 (4M), Vennela I (4S), Donnie Z (4G), Elizabth B (4S), Aadi (4S), Liam K (3/4B), Liam F (3P), Ekansh G (4S), Marcus C x2 (4G), Viven K (3/4B), Aiden K (1P)
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.
Bronze Award
These awards will be presented to recipients at the Principal's Morning Tea at the end of Term 2. This event is planned to be held at 10:30am on Tuesday, 20th September. The morning tea will be held in the hall and parents of recipients, will be invited to attend.
Congratulations to:
Diya V (2M), Nairah M (2M), Joshua B (4M), Kyler L (1B), Maya H (2E), Jordan Z (2E), Claire H (1B), Taj L (2E), Isabella E (4S)
Silver Award
These awards will be presented at the next assembly. This assembly will also be the Book Character Parade and is planned to occur at 9:30am on Thursday 13th October, under the COLA. All parents are cordially invited to attend. Please note the change of day due to the newly nationally gazetted public holiday this term.
Congratulations to:
Lucy C (5F), Justin S (3N), Elvin B (3/4B), Liam F (3P)
Gold Award
These awards will be presented at the next assembly. This assembly will also be the Book Character Parade and is planned to occur at 9:30am on Thursday 13th October, under the COLA. All parents are cordially invited to attend. Please note the change of day due to the newly nationally gazetted public holiday this term.
Congratulations to:
Aiden P (5/6M)
Bronze Medallion
These awards will be presented at the next assembly. This assembly will also be the Book Character Parade and is planned to occur at 9:30am on Thursday 13th October, under the COLA. All parents are cordially invited to attend. Please note the change of day due to the newly nationally gazetted public holiday this term.
The Bronze Medallion morning tea for recipients and Mrs Black and Mrs King, will be held at recess on Wednesday, 21st September.
From the Teachers
Term 3 Mini Fete Fundraiser
On Thursday 15 September 2022 (Week 9), Year 6 will be holding another fundraiser for their mini fete at the end of the year. Students are invited to wear their pyjamas to school for the day. All students wearing their pyjamas should bring a gold coin donation that will be collected by year 6 students.
Thank you for your support.
Year 6 students and teachers
New Enrolments for Kindergarten 2023
Do you know someone who will be starting Kindergarten next year?
Enrolments for Kindergarten at John Purchase Public School are open and applications are made online.
If you or someone you know is looking to enrol a child into Kindergarten next year, then please complete the online application form by following this link: https://johnpurch-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/about-our-school/enrolment.html
Please make sure you register your details with our office staff to ensure you receive all of our communication regarding transition to school.
The first of our transition dates is the Parent Information Session planned for Tuesday 30 August via Zoom at 6pm.
All parents of children who are enrolling for Kindergarten in 2023 are invited to attend.
Mrs Irene Robbins
Early Stage 1 Assistant Principal
DANCE NEWS
Please note that morning dance sessions will end for the year, but we will be continuing our lunch-time rehearsals. We will be opening lunch-time rehearsals for ALL students to come and participate and check it out before our next lot of auditions for next year's dance groups. If your child wishes to come along and check it out below are the following days
Monday Lunch with Miss Griggs: For Kindergarten and Year 1
Wednesday Lunch with Miss Mahler: For Years 2 and 3
Tuesday Lunch with Mrs Musgrove: For Years 4, 5 and 6
Please see the draw below for Summer PSSA (League Tag and Teeball - Stage 2 and Softball - Stage 3), which commences back up again in Week 8-10 of Term 3. The first morning training session for Summer PSSA starts in week 8.
Please keep a look out on Szapp.
From the P&C
Topic: P&C Meeting via Zoom
Date & Time: September 12th @ 7pm
Topic: JPPS P&C Zoom Meeting
Time: Sep 12, 2022 19:00 Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney
Join Zoom Meeting
https://nsweducation.zoom.us/j/66889469695?pwd=bGU4a2xDRjRxNzc0a2hteVgvSjBJQT09
Meeting ID: 668 8946 9695
Passcode: JPPS
One tap mobile
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CANTEEN NEWS
Sushi Increase - Due to our supplier increasing prices, we are having to put our sushi prices up but only by 10c. Our sushi has been the same price for the last couple of years but increasing prices across the board are forcing this increase which will take effect from Monday 10th October - the start of Term 4.
Community Announcements
Please note our school publishes events for the convenience of families but does not endorse any activity, organisation, person or product.