Term 1 2023 Newsletter - 6 February
From the Principal
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Term 1 Week 3 2023
WELCOME TO JOHN PURCHASE FOR 2023!
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.
Our Classrooms
2023 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 Miss Barrett | 3B Mrs Barr | 4/5B Miss Brennan |
KN Mrs Narayan | 1KR Mrs Khoo & Mrs Reed | 3G Mr Girvan | 5B Mrs Button |
KS Mrs Stanton | 1M Miss Mahler | 3S Miss Saul | 5N Miss Nelson |
2D Miss Davidson | 3/4B Miss Brasler | 5T Mrs Townsend | |
2R Mrs Robbins | 4M Miss Moore | 6DM Mrs Ducie & Mrs Murray | |
2E Miss Scholz | 4R Mrs Robinson | 6GF Mrs Green & Mrs Fazzolari | |
6G Miss Gillett | |||
6H Mr Hayman |
CONGRATULATIONS!
We enthusiastically congratulate Miss Brooks and partner on the birth of their precious baby girl, Lara. She entered the world on 30 December, weighing 3305g.
CONGRATULATIONS ALANNAH
We enthusiastically congratulate Alannah for her very impressive achievement over the weekend. Alannah competed in the Cole Classic Ocean Swim, which is held anually at Manly Beach. Take a look at her awesome results. Alannah placed:
* 1st of 27 (9 - 12 years females)
* 28th of 839 (all age females)
* 110th of 1739 (all age male and female competitors).
We are incredibly proud of you Alannah!
A SAD FAREWELL
We congratulate Mrs Pettitt, for securing a teaching position much closer to her home and thank her for providing her students with a very solid education over the last three years. This will save her two hours of driving time in heavy traffic each day. Her students were very fortunate to have such a caring and capable teacher.
We also congratulate Miss Eiffert on securing a permanent position after filling temporary maternity positions at our school for two years. We are very appreciative of her commitment to her students, her ability to tailor teaching and learning to students across the learning spectrum and for her proactive contributions to her stage team.
WELCOME TO OUR NEW TEACHERS
With sad news about teachers leaving, comes happy news about outstanding new teachers coming to our wonderful school. We enthusiastically welcome our new teachers to John Purchase:
Miss Brasler, Mr Girvan, Mrs Lizarraga (Science), Mrs Prot (Fri for Term 1) Mrs Reed (Thurs & Fri), Mrs Robinson, and Mrs Rolley (Mon & Thurs)
We also welcome back Mrs Green, Mrs Murray and Mrs Fazzolari, from maternity leave and welcome back Miss Barrett.
Welcome 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
- Teachers to Student Email Permission
- Student Particpation in Homework
- Digital Devices and Online Service Procedures
- Using Local Facilities for Educational Sessions
- PDHPE Programs
- Parent Contact List
TEACHER PLANNING
Last week, our teachers worked collaboratively to develop learing trajectories for students in reading and writing, based on the triangulation of student assessment data.
This was a wonderful opportunity to reflect on what our students already can do and understand, what they need to learn next, and what will success in the learning 'look like.' Planning together in this way, allows our highly skilled teaching team to share their expertise and to learn from one another.
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.
STATIONERY
A reminder that stationery lists for 2023 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 2023
I understand that many of you will be planning holidays for this year and beyond, so I have included school holiday dates below:
• Monday 10 April to Friday 21 April, as well as Monday 24 April, as a school development day and Tuesday 25 April for the Anzac Day public holiday. Students return on Wednesday 26 April.
• Monday 3 July to Friday 14 July 2023, as well as Mon 17 July, as a school development day. Students return on Tuesday 18 July.
• Monday 25 September to Friday 6 October 2023. There will be no school development day at the beginning of fourth term, so studnets return on Monday 9 October.
• Monday 18 December 2023 is the first day of the summer holidays for students, due to school development days being held on Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 December 2023.
We do ask that students take their holidays in the scheduled vacation periods.
From the Deputy Principal
Term 1 Week 3
Monday 6th February 2023
Dear Parents and Carers
Welcome back to an exciting school year! An especially warm welcome to our Kindergarten families and many new students, across the school.
Monday’s newsletters are a vital source of information about happenings at school! Please spread this message to family and friends. Details about school photo day, parent information evening, Student Leaders' Induction assembly and scripture, are included below.
I also encourage you to attend to the myriad of permission forms, that will be distributed this week, as soon as they arrive home, in order to assist teachers with their organisation and planning.
Last week, I spoke briefly to new parents about the quality practices we aim to explicitly demonstrate at John Purchase Public School. These practices stem from current research and are enshrined in the Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation document, ‘What works best in practice’. Specifically, they are:
1. High expectations
Our teachers are currently getting to know their students, in order to best support their learning needs. We hold high expectations for every student.
2. Explicit teaching
Students need to know what they are learning and what they need to do, to be successful, as learners. Teachers use acronyms like WALT (Learning intention - We Are Learning To), WILF (Success Criteria - What I’m Looking For) and TIB (Why - This Is Important Because) in their planning and lesson delivery.
3. Effective feedback
Relevant, explicit, constructive feedback is important and is regularly shared by teachers, peers or even when students are self-reflecting.
4. Using data to inform our practice
Teachers use a variety of qualitative and quantitative data to inform their planning. Improvement of student outcomes, is the key driver of our practice.
5. Assessment
Throughout the year, teachers use a variety of assessment strategies to determine if students are actually learning.
6. Classroom management
We work hard to build positive relationships with students; fostering a safe and supportive learning environment. We employ restorative, rather than punitive practices, to manage behaviours. Our classrooms are underpinned by the school’s three overarching expectations: Respect, Responsibility and to Aspire.
7. Wellbeing
All staff are responsible for supporting our students’ wellbeing. Teachers endeavour to build connections with their students in order to support cognitive, social, physical and spiritual wellbeing.
8. Collaboration
Our staff work collaboratively to plan, using evidence-informed practices. We highly value sharing ideas and encourage a positive school culture, harnessing the strengths of others.
We are proud that JPPS is, indeed, an 'excelling' school!
Have an enjoyable week!
Mrs Adela King
Deputy Principal
Parent Information Evening At School
Wednesday 15th February
Class teachers are looking forward to the opportunity of meeting parents, personally, in their classrooms, next week. These information sessions, for parents only, are planned for 45 minutes. The purpose of the evening is to meet teaching staff and better understand class routines and learning programs. It is not a forum to discuss individual students. Please note that individual student interview times will be held at the end of Term 1.
Please enter and exit the school, after hours, via the Main Gate 3, on Purchase Road. For safety, please do not use the staff car park as an access point.
Location: Classrooms (A school map is located on the wall of the administration block.)
Session start times:
4:45pm - Early Stage 1 (Kindergarten)
5:30pm - Stage 1 (Years 1 & 2)
6:15pm - Stage 2 (Years 3 & 4) and Class 4/5B
7:00pm - Stage 3 (Years 5 & 6)
School Photograph Day
Thursday 16th February
This photo day will be for class group photos, Year 6 group photo, Year 6 in Kindergarten and family (school siblings only) photos. A second photo day is held in Term 4 for other group photos, such as dance, band, SRC, sporting teams and choirs. Shortly, staff will be distributing school photo envelopes to all students to take home to parents.
If you require sibling photographs, these separate pre-payment envelopes may be collected directly from the front office. Please instruct your oldest child to do this on your behalf.
All envelopes, with payments, are to be returned on the actual photo day, so teachers may hand these directly to the photographers. We do not store payments/photograph envelopes at school.
Please ensure that students are wearing full summer (not sport) school uniforms and black shoes for the photographs. Our school uniform shop website illustrates specific uniform option information:
https://uniforms.jppspandc.org.au/
Induction of 2023 Student Leaders
STOP PRESS - NEW DATE!
The induction of student leaders will be held at the first assembly for this year, now planned for Thursday, 9th March. This assembly will be held at 1:35pm under the COLA. Parents are cordially invited to attend. Please note the change of date, due to a clash with zone swimming carnival commitments, the week prior.
Scripture and Ethics Classes 2023
Special religious education (SRE) is the beliefs and practices of an approved religious persuasion delivered by authorised representatives of that persuasion. SRE is often referred to as scripture. Special education in ethics (SEE) is education in ethical decision making, action and reflection within a secular framework, based on a branch of philosophy. SEE is commonly referred to as ethics.
General religious education, is education about the world’s major religions, what people believe and how that belief affects their lives. It is taught through the school curriculum. Further information is available on the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) website.
In all government schools, time is set aside for the religious education of children. At John Purchase Public School, students from Kindergarten to Year 2 attend scripture classes between 11:30am and 12:00pm each Tuesday. Students from Years 3 to 6 attend scripture classes from 12:00pm to 12:30pm each Tuesday. Classes are formed based on the availability of qualified volunteer providers of the various religious persuasions and subsequent parental nomination. SRE options at John Purchase Public School currently include: Buddhist, Catholic, Islamic and ‘Combined Christian’ SRE (incorporating Anglican, Presbyterian, Uniting and Baptist). Unfortunately, we have been advised that a Hindu teacher is currently, not available in 2023.
Students not attending SRE attend supervised alternative groups and participate in reading and private study. As mandated by the NSW Department of Education, these students are not permitted to participate in curriculum based lessons or other extra-curricular activities during this time. For students not attending SRE, SEE is currently available at John Purchase Public School via written parental request (after non-scripture is nominated).
Students continue in the same arrangement each year, unless a parent/caregiver has requested a change in writing. At any time, you have the right to change your SRE nomination or to withdraw your child from the nominated lessons. A note to the Deputy Principal will affect this change.
The organisation of scripture is currently underway and classes are planned to commence on Tuesday 28th February, pending availabilty of staff.
Our School Expectations
Congratulations to our students who have demonstrated our school expectations of Respect, Responsibility and Aspire.
This week's expectation is:
Responsibility: Wear your hat outside
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. Canteen vouchers are drawn by our SRC representatives, at the end of each term.
The Purchase Pride badges recorded below, will be presented next Monday morning.
Congratulations to:
Ahveen S (4M), Lena K x3 (5B), Parisaa S (4R), Jennifer Q (1KR), Siena Z (5T), Ronnie (2D), Aarika (5B), Angela S x5 (5B)
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. 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 1. This event is planned to be held at 10:30am on Tuesday, 4th April. The morning tea will be held in the hall and parents of recipients, are invited to attend.
Congratulations to:
Philippa T (2D)
Silver Award
These awards will be presented at the next assembly. This assembly is planned to occur at 1:35pm on Thursday 9th March, under the COLA. All parents are cordially invited to attend.
Congratulations to:
Ahveen S (4M), Joshua Y (4/5B), Andy F (5T), Teresa B (3G)
Gold Award
These awards will be presented at the next assembly. This assembly is planned to occur at 1:35pm on Thursday 9th March, under the COLA. All parents are cordially invited to attend.
Congratulations to:
Cara C (5B), Andy F (5T)
Bronze Medallion
These awards will be presented at the next assembly. This assembly is planned to occur at 1:35pm on Thursday 9th March, under the COLA. All parents are cordially invited to attend.
The Bronze Medallion morning tea for recipients and Mrs Black and Mrs King, will be held at recess on Wednesday, 5th April.
Silver Medallion
These awards will be presented at the next assembly. This assembly is planned to occur at 1:35pm on Thursday 9th March, under the COLA. All parents are cordially invited to attend.
From the P&C
FROM THE CANTEEN
Volunteers – thank you to our lovely volunteers who have put their names down, some for the first time and some from previous years, to help out in our canteen daily. Without the help of our volunteers we would not be able to offer the service to the students that we do.
However we are in desperate need of more volunteers to fill our roster. We have spots available on two Thursdays and two Fridays which are our busiest days so we ideally need two volunteers per day.
Typically volunteers come in anytime between 9 and 9.30, make sandwiches etc (no cooking involved!), serve at recess and lunch and finish approx. 1.10, lunch is provided.
If you can help out please contact us on jpps.canteen@gmail.com or call the school and they can put you through to us. If you can help on another day, we would also love help on other days.
Price increases – 2022 saw the cost of living increase and therefore so did a lot of our costs which were passed on from our suppliers. Because of this, we have had to increase some of our prices which we do every year – we haven’t increased everything on the menu, mainly just items which haven’t increased in price for 1-2 years.
Lunch Notes – If your child has forgotten lunch, dropped it or had it eaten by cockatoos (yes this does happen on a regular basis!), your child will get provided lunch by the canteen and a note will be sent home with them. We ask that you kindly pay this amount as soon as possible, or a follow up email will be sent by the school. While it may seem like a small amount to you, over a week or a term this amounts to a lot of money and these amounts aren’t paid, it is a lot of lost income for the canteen.
Community Announcements
Please note our school publishes community information for the convenience of families but does not endorse any activity, organisation, person or product.
Hindu Dharma Scripture Teacher 2023
If you are interested in teaching the Hindu Dharma scripture classes at John Purchase Public School this year, please contact Mrs Akila Ramarathinam for further information. Her contact details are:
Mobile 0450 117 372
Email: akilar@vhp.org.au