Spring Farm Public School

Wednesday 2nd September	ICAS
Friday 4th September	Primary Cross Country Carnival

Please download the Skoolbag app for all school information: https://www.skoolbag.com.au/parentinstructions.pdf

Dear parents and carers

Congratulations to everyone for their understanding and following recent Covid 19 guidelines. It has been challenging times, however, the school community is working hard to reflect our school motto of “Inspiring Creative and Resilient Learners!” Thank you to everyone!

All schools are guided by the Department of Education NSW’s guidelines. Currently we have been directed to monitor students and staff who have flu like symptoms. If a student or staff displays these symptoms at school, contact parents and carers to collect their child or children and seek medical assistance either through a Covid test or doctor’s examination. Staff are directed to not attend school and seek the same medical assistance. Please understand that securing casual staff has been challenging. At times, students will need to be split into other classes.

Students or staff returning back to school from their sickness either require a negative Covid- 19 test result or a medical certificate to confirm that they do not have symptoms of Covid-19. Please view the link for more information:

 https://education.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/advice-for-families

Thank you to the parents and carers for supporting their child(ren) in the ICAS assessments. We had a significant increase of students participating in Science, Mathematics, English and Spelling. Thank you to Mrs Creber for all of their organisation. We encourage more students to participate in 2021. For more information:

https://www.unswglobal.unsw.edu.au/educational-assessments/products/icas-past-papers/

This year's Education Week theme was ‘Learning Together’. The year has provided a number of challenges, one which was the period of learning from home during the latter part of Term 1 and early Term 2. Teachers needed to learn new ways of presenting learning experiences online and students and their families needed to learn how to access, complete and turn work in to their teachers. These challenges were met with dedication, determination and professionalism from all staff and persistence, enthusiasm and commitment from our SFPS students. Education Week is a time to celebrate the values of Public Education and the partnerships between home and school that have been strengthened throughout this year.

Thank You!

Thank you to the Hodson family for entering a School Stay Safe promotion and donating the winning Stay Safe Pack valued at over $250. The school has been using the products for students and staff.

Thank you for to the families that have been making an effort to be on school on time. The office is still inundated with late students. Please continue to establish a good routine the night before and in the morning so that your child or children can get to school on time.

Similarly, setting up a good routine to regularly attend school, provides the necessary life skills for your child or children to meet future deadlines and work on the skills of time management. If you have concerns and difficulties with your child’s attendance, please do not hesitate to see the school or School Counsellor for advice and assistance. If your child arrives late, from 8:55am onwards they are required to get a late pass from the school office, before going to their lines or classroom.

Our school, like many other public schools in the state, is participating in a Department of Education initiative: the Tell Them From Me student and parent/carer feedback surveys. The survey measures factors that are known to affect academic achievement and other student outcomes. The focus of the NSW-wide survey is on student wellbeing, engagement and effective teaching practices.

The parent survey provides school principals and school leaders with parents’ perspectives on their school as well as learning at home. Communication between parents and staff, activities and practices at home, and parent views on the school’s support of learning and behaviour help build an accurate and timely picture that schools can use for practical improvements. Participating in the survey is entirely voluntary.

The survey is conducted entirely online on smartphones, iPads, tablets, laptops or computers. The survey will typically take 15 minutes or less to complete and is completely confidential. Parents/carers can complete the survey here: http://nsw.tellthemfromme.com/sfps2020.

The survey is available in 23 languages.

Although participating in the survey is entirely voluntary, your responses are very much appreciated.

Thank you,

Terese Bareham   - Classroom Teacher                            

   

Friday 4 September we will have an in-school cross country for 8 years and above. Please make sure students bring their running shoes. The school is currently organising an in-school athletics carnival and more information will be sent out.

Unfortunately, due to updated advice from the Department of Education, our gala days and Swim Schemes have been cancelled until further notice. 

Staff and the school leadership team are beginning the process of school planning for 2021-2024. This process begins with a very thorough situational analysis. Feedback from our internal school surveys as well as the Tell them from me surveys is an extremely important component in establishing baseline data and assisting with developing targets and strategies for our school improvement plan. There is a strong focus on core curriculum, teaching, learning and assessment to support student growth and attainment.

Year 3 and Year 5 students will participate in a new reading and numeracy check – in assessment in Term 3, 2020. The Check-in assessment is a NSW Department of Education online reading and numeracy assessment available to support schools to assess and monitor Year 3 & 5 student learning following the period of learning from home.

 

The Check-in assessments can supplement existing school practices to identify how students are performing in literacy and numeracy and to help teachers tailor their teaching more specifically to student needs.

The assessment will be scheduled for our Year 5 students from 17 August to 4 September 2020.

The assessment will be scheduled for our Year 3 students from 21 September to 23 October 2020

The assessments will be administered in the coming weeks at Mount Annan Public School and will be utilised for planning and programming purposes

Thank you for supporting Crazy Sock Day. The student leadership group, who is led by Ms Bonin, are organising events and resources for the students. The money that was raised of $480, enable the student leaders to purchase paper recyclying bins for all the classes so that they can place their spare paper for recyclying. 

In this day and age our mobile phones have become a necessity rather than a luxury. For students, our school’s policy states that they are able to bring their mobile phones or Smart watches to school to use before and or after school. During school hours (8:30am to 3pm) communication devices are to be left in student’s bags and at their own risk. Students who need to communicate to parents and carers during school hours are required to arrange this with their class teacher; who will arrange for the school to make contact

Thank you to Ms Scuteri and team who have organised and volunteered their time to provide a breakfast club for all students.

The next Spring Farm Public School P&C meeting will be on Monday 7 September 2020 at 7pm via a zoom meeting. All parents and carers are welcome to attend. More information about Spring Farm P&C can be found on https://b-m.facebook.com/Spring-Farm-Public-School-P-C-297673650711663/

Congratulations to Mrs Evans and her husband for their second baby girl Jemma born on 9 August 2020, 3.05kg and 49cm.

Regards

Donvan Jance

Principal

The school and the P&C have been continuously working with Camden Council on the traffic issues around the school. The council have stated that they are working on speeding up the process to implement the various traffic signs and crossing. 

I ask that all drivers adhere to the traffic rules and drive at 40km or less, especially when entering or leaving Barley Road as there are some students who cross at the various intersections at either Millman Road or Wagner Road. At the same time, teachers and the school are teaching ongoing Road Safety lessons with all students.

We are encouraging those students who walk to and from the school to cross at Barley road near the electronic sign as this is where the future Pedestrian Crossing will be placed and it will be expected that all pedestrians will use it. Please have ongoing discussions with your child/ren about being responsible, being alert and crossing the road near the school electronic sign when crossing Barley Road; as everyone’s SAFETY is a priority. If you are accompanying your child/ren when walking, please demonstrate good role modelling and cross near the school’s electronic sign.

If you are picking up your child early, please email the school prior (other than an emergency) so that we can arrange this in a timely matter.

If you choose to come within the lunch break times of 11: 30am to 12:15pm for lunch or at recess from 1:30pm to 2pm when all the students are out playing, staff are either on playground duties or having their mandatory breaks.

It is difficult to notify the child/children from the playground as they don’t hear their names and most school bags are locked in the classroom. You may have to wait until the end of the breaks so that your child can be notified properly and enable them to organise their belongings.

If you know in advance that you have to pick up your child or children early please email the school in advance!

A short video will be posted on our facebook page and website about the leaving arrangements.

Please see the bell times below. 

We are very proud of our uniform which stands out and is unique in the Macarthur area. We are establishing pride in Spring Farm Public and has stated that wearing full school uniform can assist in developing ‘self-esteem and a sense of connection to the community,’ more information about wearing the school uniform:https://education.nsw.gov.au/policy-library/policies/school-uniform-policy

The school asks, if you can source a navy blue jacket, navy sloppy joe, navy blue shorts and pants and school shirt as we are trying to instill pride, set a good example for our new enrolments and develop a connection with each other. If you require assistance in purchasing various uniform please contact the school for assistance. If you have any spare uniforms please donate to the school and we can assist other families. 

A Kind reminder to all parents/carers please utilise the online ordering system with the Canteen.  

As Department guidelines still states that NO parents are permitted on school grounds.

Thank you