MAGPIE MESSENGER TERM 4 WEEK 8

Issue 19 2020

Term 4 Week 8

Heathcote Public School

Stage 3 Surfing Program

Students in Stage 3 attended Surfing Course at North Cronulla beach on Monday 23 November. The program was run by Cronulla Surfing Academy and covered three stations: Ocean Safety, Body-Boarding and Surfing. As you can see from the photos below they had a wonderful time while learning some valuable life skills.

Year 6 Pedlars' Day

 Our Year 6 students ran a very successful Pedlar's Day last Wednesday.  There were a lot of very excited students throughout the school who contributed to Year 6 raising a grand total of $3241.85 for their farewell gift to the school.  This was a magnificent effort.  Congratulations Year 6!

Showcase Concert

Our end of year showcase concert took place on Thursday 26 November as an opportunity for our band, drama group, dance groups and choir quintet to perform in a COVID-safe way. 

K-2 Gold Award Winners Morning Tea

I had the pleasure of hosting the K-2 Gold Award Winners Morning Tea this morning.  Congratulations to all.

Synthetic Turf

Our new synthetic turf on the primary playground is almost finished and the students are very excited to try out the new handball courts. Not long to go now!

Stage 3 Camp

Our Year 5 and 6 students headed off to the Nepean Adventure Centre at Douglas Park for their Stage 3 Camp today. We are very happy that camp has been able to go ahead and hope everyone has a wonderful time there.

Coming Events

• Tuesday 1 December - Stage 1 Christmas Craft Activities.  Stage 1 will be participating in a Christmas Activities Day.  Students will also receive a BBQ lunch consisting of a sausage sizzle on bread with sauce. 

  Please pack extra food if you feel your child requires this. 

• Monday 7 December - Kindergarten Bush Christmas Incursion.  The Royal National Park Environmental Education Centre will be visiting our school to facilitate the Bush Christmas Program.  Kindergarten children will participate in craft, music and story activities designed to increase their awareness of the Australian bush and the animals which live in it.  The classes will also be given an Australian native to plant in the school grounds.
• Tuesday 8 December - Year 6 Farewell   This year’s Year 6 Farewell will be held at Club Heathcote with a beach theme.  Students are not required to dress up for the theme.  The doors will open at 6:00pm for students. Parents are welcome to return at 8:30pm.  The boys are asked to wear dress shorts or long pants and a collared shirt.  The girls can wear dresses, skirts or pant suits and comfortable flat shoes or sandals for dancing. No thongs or heels are to be worn by any children. 
• Thursday 10 December - HPS Presentation Day to be held a school commencing at 9:15am 
• Friday 11 December - Heathcote High School Orientation Day for Year 7 2021  Year 6 students who will be enrolling at Heathcote High School in 2021 will be attending a special orientation session on Friday 11 December at 9:30am. Parents are responsible for transporting students to Heathcote High School in the morning. Students will walk back to Heathcote Public School at 12:30pm accompanied by the Stage 3 teachers.

HOOSH / P&C Meeting

A reminder that our HOOSH meeting will be on tomorrow night at 6:00pm in the HOOSH room, followed by the P&C meeting at 7:00pm in the library. Please see the HOOSH and P&C report for more information on how you can log into the meeting online.

New Assistant Principal

Following a very competitive merit selection process for a new assistant principal, the position has been offered to Jeanine Payne and she has accepted. Jeanine is currently a relieving assistant principal on Stage 3 at Engadine West PS.  She brings with her a wealth of teaching and leadership experience. She will join our school from day one 2021 and we look forward to welcoming her. I would like to thank Marleigh Bourke for the outstanding job she has done as our relieving AP for the last two years.

Farewell Miss Smith

Congratulations to Miss Smith who has been successful in gaining a temporary position at Sylvania PS for 2021. Miss Smith has taught at Heathcote PS for five years and we are sad to see her go, but wish her all the best with her future teaching career.

Congratulations Miss Anderson

We wish Miss Anderson all the best for her upcoming wedding on Friday 11 December.  Miss Anderson's last day will be this Friday, 4 December as she prepares for her big day.  Mrs Woods will be teaching 5/6A for Weeks 9 and 10.  Best wishes to Miss Anderson and her fiance, Scott, for your special day. Next year Miss Anderson will return as Mrs Graham.

Presentation Day

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Presentation Day will be held at school this year under the COLA on Thursday 10 December from 9:10am. The event will be live streamed for parents on Microsoft Teams. There will be no PSSA awards this year due to the small number of games that have been played, and a sport award for each class will be presented instead.  Please be on the lookout for an email which will be informing you if your child will be receiving an award.  It is advisable for everyone to check their junk mail as well.

Semester 2 Reports

Teachers and supervisors are busy finalising and checking reports at the moment. Please start sending in your report folders in preparation for the end of year report to be sent home on Friday 11 December.

Have a fantastic fortnight!

Damien Field

Principal

We are currently doing a Library stocktake and going through all of our book collection. Thank you very much to all the students who have already returned their library books. If you still have books at home please return them all to the Library as soon as possible, especially the Year 6 students who will be leaving our school. The first class to return all their library books will share some cool ice blocks with Mrs P. as a reward.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Library Monitors of 2020 who have demonstrated outstanding leadership skills and supported me throughout the year with running lunchtime activities, borrowing and returning books, shelving books and other administrative exercises.  A pizza lunch will be organised for the monitors in Week 9. Good luck in High School.

Thank you to all our families for supporting the Library this year, especially with the Book Parade and Book Fair. Our students have borrowed over 4000 books in 2020 and these books have left our shelves and have visited your homes. They’ve been read by the students or together with parents. It is so rewarding to see many of your children embracing the love of reading.

The winners of the Book Week Competition were Cailin D (KA), Xavier W (1H), Audrey D (2)  and Noah G (3S).  Congratulations!!!

I would like to also wish all our families a wonderful and joyous Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year. See you all in 2021. 

Happy reading everyone!!!!

Mrs Pucovski

Librarian

Congratulations to these children who have received an Achievement Award.  Their names will be announced at this week's assembly. 

KA   Daniel G, Lucienne B, Dylan M, Logan E

KM  Chase I, Ellie P, Kye T, Joseph B

1B   Isaac M, Alex V, Curtis F, Hazel B

1H   Vivienne G, Lyam P, Sienna F, Geordie S

2D   Eli M, Casey G, Aaliyah S, Andy B

2G   Tyson W, Kiana C, Natasha C, Declan P

2S  Chloe B, Rocky R, Maddie N, Olivia D

3R   Makya D, Harvey M, Connor P, Grace A

3S   Flynn L, Jack S, Phineas Z, Kaitlyn L

4A   Ruby M, Carter S, Mikayla D, Ben H

4S   Jacob D, Lucas C,  William P, Aaron F

5/6A  Shae H, Jolie B, Charlotte D, Riley W, Allee R, Eliza S, Jayla H, Sophie P

5/6C   Hannah C, Bella E, Ella H, Mikayla K

5/6M  Alan W, Sienna D, Azaelee B, Cruz C

RFF    Grace C (3R), Grace A (3R), Renae M (3S), Sian J (3S)

Library  Ethan H (1H), Nicole L (5/6C)

LaST  Jarryd T (3R), Claire C (2D)

• Morgan C
• Kaitlyn L
• Cooper S
• Joshua F
• Bodie P
• Grace A
• Lia B
• George K
• Isabella F

Congratulations to the following students who will be presented with a Silver Award at the next assembly. 

• Alana W
• Isaac B
• Morgan C
• Alex V
• Bodie P

Congratulations to the following students who will be presented with a Gold Award at the next assembly. 

• Xavier W
• Byron K
• Olive R
• Grace S
• Jacob W
• Jordan F
• Carla W
• Jessica W

Congratulations to the following student who will be presented with a Platinum Award at the next assembly

• Grace S

Congratulations to the following student who will be presented with a Principal's Honour Badge at the next assembly.

• Cruz C
• Jordan Y
• Lauren W
• Riley G

Executive’s report

 The last P&C meeting will be held next Tuesday night at 7:00pm in the school library.  A zoom link will also be provided for those who can’t attend in person.

Remember you don't have to be a member to attend the meetings - it would be great to see some new faces. For those already attending I encourage you to bring a friend along too.

We would also like to invite you to the End of Year P&C Celebration!

As 2020 comes to an end we would love to get together to say thank you for supporting the P&C and our school throughout what has been a very challenging year.

This is a great opportunity for you to get to know the school community and P&C members, share any ideas you have or any projects you would like see the P&C focus on in the coming year.

Possible dates are Wednesday 9 December, Saturday 12 December, Sunday 13 December at Club Heathcote or local restaurant. Once we have numbers and a date we can lock in the location.

Please feel free to share to other parents and carers from our school. All are welcome – you don’t have to be a member to attend!

Any questions please comment or email us at heathcotepublicschool@pandcaffiliate.org.au

Don’t forget also to join the Heathcote P&C Facebook Group.

This is the private group page for Heathcote Public School's P&C.  All parents and citizens of the Heathcote Public School community are welcome to join.

Click here to join https://www.facebook.com/groups/393271318718015

Stay tuned to the P&C Facebook Page for more information and feel free to post any questions in the Q&A session. 

Tracie Junghans

Vice President

Paver orders have now closed. Thanks to everyone who has placed an order. We will have 152 new engraved pavers laid in the new year and cannot wait to see it come to life

The Online Gift Stall has reopened via FlexiSchools for those wanting to purchase some light up accessories for New Years Eve or a gift item for Christmas. Order close on Wednesday 9 December and will be sent home with the child the order is placed under.

Club Heathcote Community Christmas Festival is on Sunday 13 December. The club has kindly allowed us to have a stall free of charge to assist in selling stock left over from this year’s online stalls.

We need helpers on the stall on the day and would also love to hear any ideas on displaying & setting up our stall!

Rebecca Bussell

Fundraising Co-ordinator

Ph: 0428 439 794 E:rbussell@rockymountaineer.com

Just a few reminders.  You can still purchase uniforms via Flexischools whilst the uniform shop is closed for the year. These orders will then be filled once we return to school in 2021. School hats are also available via the front office for $14 (cash only).

We will be re-opening on Monday 1 February 2021.

Emma Stokes

Uniform Shop Coordinator

0418 993 679

CBA School Banking 2020

Watch this space for Term 4!

Thank you for your understanding.

In the meantime if you would like more information about School Banking at HPS please contact Helen Holloway 0434 120 218 or visit 

Many thanks for your understanding.

HPS School Banking Team

“On Tuesday No Limits Sport came to teach us fitness. We did a soccer game, a shooting drill, jumping on a ladder, touch footy, and partner ball passing. My favourite part was the soccer because we played a game and it was fun to be a team.” Imogen P - Stage 2

 This term we have been supporting the Smiles2U charity by collecting donations of toiletries and small toys for children and families in hospital to put smiles on their faces. We are drawing this collection to a close by the end of Week 8, so get in quick with your donations!  A special thanks for all the generous donations we have already received!

 The children have also loved exploring planting seeds in different ways and watching them sprout!  To round off the term, we will begin growing our own plants ready to be taken home and replanted over the holidays – from our home to yours.

Heading into December, we will begin enjoying a myriad of Christmas crafts and activities, including setting up our Christmas tree and looking forward to the return of Gizmo, our elf!

 For those who bring their own devices to HOOSH, we are introducing a new Wifi agreement to be signed by both children and parents. We will be begin handing these out this week to be returned, ready for the new year.

 Just a reminder that the HOOSH meeting is tomorrow night at 6:00pm in the HOOSH room or via the zoom link.

As always, if your child will be away and not attending the service or if you require urgent casual placements, please let us know by contacting HOOSH on 0437 001 753 or via email at hoosh@live.com.au. 

Lauren Doel

HOOSH Convenor

The last day to order the take home Anzac slice and Brownie is this Friday, 4 December. They will be baked on Monday 7 December.

Last canteen day is Friday 11 December.  I will start to run low on stock and will delete off Flexischools as required.  An alternative will be given to your child(ren) if they have ordered something that is not available. Thank you for your understanding.

Have a great fortnight,

Naomi Russell

Canteen Coordinator 

Friday 4 December       Gemima Mennell, Marie Clissold

Friday 11 December - Last day for Canteen for 2020 

                                       Danielle Adams, Amy Stein    

The P&C email address is

heathcotepublicschool@pandcaffiliate.org.au

Monday 30 November

• Stage 3 Camp - Nepean Adventure Centre
• Last day for Uniform Shop for 2020

Tuesday 1 December

• Stage 3 Camp - Nepean Adventure Centre
• Stage 1 Celebration Day
• HOOSH Meeting 
• P&C Meeting

Wednesday 2 December

• Stage 3 Camp - Nepean Adventure Centre

Thursday 3 December 

• Assembly

Friday 4 December

• PSSA

Monday 7 December

• Kindergarten Bush Christmas

Tuesday 8 December

• Year 6 Farewell

Wednesday 9 December

Thursday 10 December

• Presentation Day 9:15am

Friday 11 December

• Last Day for Canteen for 2020
• Semester 2 reports sent home
• Year 6 to Heathcote High School orientation 9:30am-12:30pm

Monday 14 December

Tuesday 15 December

• End of Year Activities Day

Wednesday 16 December

• Last day for students for 2020
• Year 6 Farewell Arch 2:45pm-3:00pm

Thursday 17 December

• School Development Day

Friday 18 December

• School Development Day

If families would like to enrol their children in the Heathcote East Vacation Care please contact them direcly at info@hepsoshc.org.au 

A timetable of the activities is below.

Heathcote Public School 

Oliver Street

Heathcote, NSW, 2233

9520 8759

Email: heathcote-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Visit us on the web at http://www.heathcote-p.schools.nsw.edu.au/