HouseUpdate

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As you are aware, the Premier of NSW Ms Berejiklian has encouraged parents to keep their children at home from school. However, she also stressed that for practical reasons parents that are workers and have no option are still able to send their children to school.

At Pittwater House we are preparing ourselves for what this may look like over the next couple of weeks. We are launching into remote learning as being our main form of lesson delivery for all lessons. However, we will continue to have staff on campus providing a safe and monitored learning environment for our students.

Remote learning is not going to be perfect overnight. Several independent schools in Sydney have put in place student free days for several days this week to allow their school to prepare. We believe we have prepared well already, but are aware that this is new territory and plans will need to be reviewed, feedback will be sought and the process will evolve. We are determined as a school, that we will be able to provide an engaging remote learning environment for our students and our students will continue to thrive in their learning.

There is a considerable and understandable amount of stress from elements within our community. For example, I spoke with all of Year 12 today and reassured them around their HSC and assessment. This again is an area that will continue to be updated as we progress through this process.

Please click on the following links to read the corresponding document:

• K-6 Remote Learning Student and Parent Guidelines
• 7-12 Remote Learning Student and Parent Guidelines
• K-12 Remote Learning Parent and Student Wellbeing Guide

We thank you again for your patience and support and we look forward to working with your family in this new era.

Regards,
James Walmsley 
Deputy Principal

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As per Monday’s communication to parents we are following the NSW State Premiers advice and encouraging families to keep their children at home. Learning will be through remote learning delivery. In line with this advice, the School will continue to remain open for those parents in essential jobs who need to send their children to school.  Students who come to school will still be supervised, but they will be learning in a remote learning capacity.

In order to ensure we are certain of each student’s attendance permissions we require parental notification if they are keeping their children at home to engage in remote learning. If you have not informed the School, please complete the Absence Notification Skoolbag form and select ‘Other’. Please also include a description to indicate they are remote learning.

We are unable to accept an indefinite timeframe for your child’s absence, you will need to inform the School the date range your child will be home on self-isolation. This can be done day by day or in blocks of time until the end of term.

Students on remote learning will be recorded in Edumate as a non-reportable absence on a ‘Flexible Timetable’ with the expectation that school work is being completed from home.

If your child is unable to complete school work due to sickness, whilst in self-isolation please complete an Absence Notification Form on Skoolbag and select ‘Sick’ or email attendance@tphs.nsw.edu.au.

Any time your child’s situation changes can you please advise the School.

Kind Regards,
Pittwater House Attendance Administration attendance@tphs.nsw.edu.au

Pittwater House Private Buses - Service Suspended from Monday 30 March

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Our buses are currently running largely empty for the morning and afternoon bus runs.  As a service to those parents still sending their children on our buses, we will keep the service running for the remainder of this week.  I hope this will allow you to make alternative arrangements if your children will still be physically attending school for the last two weeks of term.  We will not be charging for the bus service for this week, regular booking amounts will be adjusted to reflect that.

We hope to see all our regular travellers back on our bus runs as soon as it is safe to do so.

Kind Regards,
Lynn Phelan
Business Manager

Dear Year 7 Parents and Carers,

The vaccination clinic that was to be run next Monday 30 March has been postponed. We will notify you with an alternate date when known.

If you have any questions please contact the Health Centre on:  healthcentre@tphs.nsw.edu.au.

Kind Regards,
Health Centre

There are  two exciting competitions which provide a platform for our students to shine in a variety of ways outside of the school environment.

The first opportunity is The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition. This is an opportunity for young Commonwealth citizens to share their thoughts, ideas and experiences on key global issues and have their hard work and achievement celebrated internationally. There is a Junior and a Senior category. This year’s topics draw on the increasing youth movement across the Commonwealth and the ongoing climate crisis. Young people are called upon to consider their position and power in bringing about change, and how the Commonwealth can be used as a tool for positive action. Entries close on 30th June 2020. Please enter your creative writing here - https://www.thercs.org/the-qcec

The second opportunity is Sleek Geeks Science Eureka Prize. Sponsored by the University of Sydney, it encourages students to communicate a scientific concept in a way that is accessible and entertaining to the public while increasing their science knowledge. It is intended to support budding young scientists across the nation, who will be our future leaders in research, discovery and communication.

There is a primary and secondary category.

Each film entered in 2020 must be based on the theme ‘Water’.

Entries close 1st May 2020.

Enter here - https://australianmuseum.net.au/get-involved/eureka-prizes/sleek-geeks-science/

Please continue to let me know if your child has decided to submit an entry for any of the external competitions -  victoria.james@tphs.nsw.edu.au

Good luck!

Dear Parents and Guardians, 

The PHPA Clothing Pool will be closed for the remainder of term to further help reduce the need for parents to come into school.

We will re-open again when the current situation improves.

In the meantime we will be processing the sales so far this term and contacting families where payments are due. Please ensure you  check your inbox and junk folders for an email from phpaclothingpool@tphs.nsw.edu.au

Thank you for your ongoing support. 

Best wishes,
PHPA Team

School Uniform Shop - Fittings and Purchases
Due to the School’s desire to limit visitors to Campus, we ask that all fittings for winter uniform are by appointment only and that only one family member accompany the student to the appointment. Please call Mrs Tess Spark on: 9972 5721 to book your appointment or for further inquiries. For other purchases we suggest you utilise the online order forms available here.  The uniform shop manager will call or email you to let you know when the items are available for collection.  This will significantly reduce the number of people in the uniform shop at any one time.

Older students may still attend the uniform shop during the school day, but we will be restricting the number allowed in the shop at any one time.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Please Note: Students in Years 1-6 must have their blazer for the start of Term 2.

Available Now: Years 5-12 Girls Navy trousers to be worn as an option to their winter skirt.

School Uniform Shop - Autumn Recess
The School Uniform Shop will be open during the upcoming Autumn Recess. Please call Mrs Tess Spark on: 9972 5721 or email: school.shop@tphs.nsw.edu.au to book your appointment.