Willoughby Public School Newsletter

Dear Parents and Carers

What a difference a few days make, in relation to the weather. I hope you didn’t experience too much damage in and around your homes from the torrential rain on Tuesday. We had a number of roof leaks but damage is minimal. The positive vibe across the school is contagious from simply moving back to a single timetable K-6. Happy students – happy teachers!

Congratulations to our WPS swim team for your outstanding participation at the zone carnival on Tuesday. The students displayed great resilience managing the rainy weather. A huge thank you to Miss Hammond, Miss Tonks and Mr Hutchison for taking the team to the carnival and coping in such challenging weather conditions on the day.

It was a very proud moment in our assembly on Monday to see the 2022 Semester 1 SRC students receive badges. Our WPS Student Representative Council is capably run by our school leaders, encouraging all students to voice their opinions and concerns. I know the students are focusing on fund raising for the students impacted by the flooding on the far north coast. We look forward to their valuable input throughout Semester 1.

It is very exciting to see how well our new kindergarten students have transitioned into the WPS routine. They are settled and engaged in their learning and are very happy to explore the wider playground seeking out their older siblings. We are looking forward to welcoming our new kindergarten parents to our first P&C event this year, morning tea in the school hall on Friday 18 March. We hope parents can stay after drop off to catch up with our kindergarten parents. A big thank you to our P&C for hosting this welcome event.

The rainy weather earlier in the week has highlighted the need to obey the road safety rules at drop off and pick up. Please be great role models for your children by using the designated pedestrian crossings on Oakville Road and Keary Street. We have witnessed parents with children walking out between parked cars to cross the road. We need to keep everyone safe, please obey the traffic rules.

We are celebrating Harmony Week from Monday March 21 to Friday March 25. Parent / teacher student progress interviews Monday and Tuesday 28 &29 March – online booking information will be emailed. We are also planning Open classroom times in the last week of term – something we have been unable to do for the past two years. Information on these events will be emailed.

Kind regards

Jennifer Simmonds

Principal

Zone Swimming Carnival presented with some very difficult conditions and challenges but we prevailed. The Willoughby Public School swim team show grit, resilience and embraced the challenges of the day. Some were apprehensive about the weather but put their heads down and tried their absolute best. I can not say how proud I am of the whole team because words fail me. Everyone supported their school mates with pride and cheered the whole day despite the rain and various other difficulties that presented themselves on the day. Well done to all!!

A special mention to our amazing teachers Ms Hammond and Ms Tonks that braved the rain and stood in it for the entire day to record times and judge students in races. You are both amazing!

Thank you to the parents that were able to come and support our team on the day.

There were many personal bests and achievements which included;

Lucia Burrough 2nd in 50m Freestyle 8yrs Girls

Cam Kernaghan 3rd in 50m Freestyle 9yrs Boys

James Lyle 1st in 50m Freestyle 10yrs Boys

Thomas Cunningham 4th in 50m Freestyle 10yrs Boys

Harvey Ekas 1st in 50m Breaststroke Junior Boys

Harvey, James, Cam and Thomas 1st in the Junior boys 4 X 50m Freestyle Relay (an exciting highlight of the day watching these boys represent our school)

All of these students mentioned will go on to represent the North Shore Zone Swimming Team at Homebush Olympic Aquatic Centre next week! Good luck to you all!

Thank you all again for a fabulous day.

Simon Hutchison

Reading, and truly enjoying what you are reading, is one of life’s real joys. We have also found that children who enjoy what they are reading, will usually come back for more! It plays a large part in the work that we do as we try to help them find the right book at any given time. 

The school library is now open for students before school (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday) and second-half lunch on Monday. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. 

Students need to bring a Library Bag with them to be able to borrow. Unfortunately, we had several books last year come back to us waterlogged, damaged or mouldy. These books would have been able to be saved from accident or mishap, had they been in a protective bag. This can be a named WPS Library Bag, available from the Uniform Shop, or another sturdy bag with handles or a plastic bag. Please make sure it has your child’s name and class clearly marked. Lost or forgotten bags can then be promptly returned to your child.  

Mrs Debbie de Silva 

Teacher Librarian 

The WPS canteen, GreenWillo Café, is now serving all food and drinks in the reusable "Ruzi" containers. The cutlery provided with each order is also reusable. 

After eating or drinking, all of these containers and cutlery MUST be placed into the white RUZI bins around the school. The containers are then taken offsite, washed, sanitised and returned for reuse.

Just like Willoughby Public School staff and students, the canteen operators are passionate about sustainability and are trying to reduce the amount of plastic and rubbish we, as a school, send to landfill.

The RUZI initiative is a big step towards that and we are a pilot school for the use of RUZI in a school setting!

If any RUZI packages accidentally come home, please return to them to the school. 

To help ensure students are eating foods that parents/carers are happy with, the school canteen, Greenwillo Cafe is now offering Recess orders. Parents/Carers can order recess which students can collect at the canteen window during recess. 

At Willoughby Public School we have a number of students with a

LIFE THREATENING NUT / PEANUT ALLERGY.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

Even a small trace of nut, peanut or nut/peanut product may trigger a severe allergic reaction called Anaphylaxis, which attacks the immune system leading potentially to death within minutes.

This reaction can happen by taste, touch and sometimes can be airborne. All of these students have access to an adrenaline injection in the form of an Epipen, which can save lives. Photo posters are displayed in the classrooms, canteen, staffroom, playground bags and sick bay for easy identification of these children.

Willoughby PS works with parents/carers to support students in developing an awareness of their allergies and what foods to avoid. Students are encouraged not to share food and to always check with a parent/adult/teacher if unsure at any time. 

HOW CAN YOU HELP TO KEEP WPS STUDENTS SAFE? 

Please help us by not including peanut or any nut products in your child’s lunchbox. This includes peanut butter and Nutella. 

Please avoid products with any nuts/peanuts listed as an ingredient. 

Explain about nut/peanut allergy to your child and encourage the ‘no food sharing’ rule. 

Please consider what you are sending for birthday treats to share with the class, checking there are no nut products included. 

The school canteen does not serve products containing nuts. 

It is only with the continued support of all parents and staff that we can effectively maintain a safe school environment for these children.  

Thank you for your understanding. We know you will want to support the school and these children.

During preparations for Band Registration Day in January this year, it became apparent that the instrument storage room had developed a damp problem. The Band Committee decided that we would form a working bee to clean up the room, reorganize the shelving and do an inventory of all the instruments.

The call went out to the band families for volunteers to assist on the day. We had a great response with over a dozen volunteers who turned up on the day. Mr Anthony Marsden, the Band Director, was there to provide guidance and advice.

The day nearly turned into a disaster early on as we found ourselves locked out of the school, but Deputy Principal Shaun Michaeil very kindly took time out of his Saturday to open the gates and the storeroom – thanks again Mr Michaeil!

Once on site the day ran smoothly. All the instruments were taken out from the storage room and the volunteers cleaned any signs of dust and mold on them. The inventory, led by Helen and members of the Instruments team, turned up some esoteric percussion instruments (such as the bell tree) that the band had acquired over the years. Shelving was removed from the back wall to allow the building team to inspect for any signs of damp or water damage. Once the room was given a good sweep and vacuum clean, the instruments were placed back into the room.

After all of the virtual meetings in the last two years, it was really wonderful to have a team working together again in person for the benefit of the school and band program. I’d like to say a special thanks to all the volunteers who helped on the day, to the Instruments team, Mr Marsden, and Mr Michaeil.

The band is looking forward to their first event of the year, which will be the Easter Welcome concert, to be held on Monday April 4th, 7:30am at the school. We look forward to seeing you there!