Holbrook Public School

Welcome to Week 7! I absolutely love this time of year, when the warmer weather signals the end of winter and the beginning of spring. More so than any other year, I’ve been eager for this, as it brings with it new energy and optimism. I hope this correspondence finds you and your family well.

The adjacent photo is of a group of students working on a 'string art' project with our School Chaplain, Sonja Dionysius. It is wonderful to have Sonja working in our school this year. She supports in classrooms, provides one to one and group support for students, is available for emergent wellbeing concerns and also organises engaging lunch time activities.

ICAS Testing

This week, we will have our final two optional UNSW ICAS tests in mathematics and spelling. Congratulations to the students who have taken part. They have indicated that they like to participate in these tests to challenge themselves, push themselves to achieve at higher levels and continue to learn.

Check-in Assessments

Our Year 5 students participated in the Reading and Numeracy Check-in assessments last week. These tests were completed online in the library and computer lab. Parents do not receive a formal report like in NAPLAN, however, detailed information is provided to the school within 24 hours of the assessment being completed. Students who were away last week have now caught up on the assessments they missed. Analysis will be completed once the state-wide assessment window closes at the end of this week. This will provide teachers with the most up-to-date information to support each child with their learning. We will now be holding the Year 3 Check-in Assessments for Reading and Numeracy on Monday, 21 September and Tuesday, 22 September.

Parent/Teacher Interviews

Thank you to all parents, carers and teachers for your ongoing participation in our modified parent/teacher interviews over the past two weeks. Please be aware, that for the remainder of this week, some teachers will be attempting to call parents who haven't been contacted yet.

Whole School Performance

Unfortunately, further school regulations have been put in place preventing us from hosting even a modified version of our Whole School Performance for 2020. Singing and chanting is not allowed and dance activities must have a risk assessment and COVID-19 Safety Plan. Furthermore, large gatherings for students can only be held for 15 minutes, preferably outside, and we still can’t have any external visitors (including parents and carers) at the school. It is just not meant to be. Mrs Wedgwood is still endeavouring to provide a performance opportunity for our Year 6 students.

School Uniform Reminder

I understand that with the change of seasons and continual growth of each child, it may be difficult to find the correct uniform at this time of year. Nonetheless, in NSW public schools, students are expected to comply with the school’s uniform policy and dress code. This is stated clearly in the NSW public schools ‘Behaviour Code for Students’. I encourage all families to visit the school office or contact Tracey or Judith (preferably Mondays, Tuesdays or Fridays) so that arrangements can be made for all children to wear the correct school uniform. The school uniform shop can supply everything, except shoes, and we encourage all families to purchase items through the school so that the uniform is consistent in colour and style. Quality second hand items are also available and financial assistance may be provided on request.

Some important points regarding our uniform policy:

• We only wear black shoes (excluding Fridays, when any coloured sneakers can be worn for sport).
• We wear navy blue, not black - for example, tights, leggings, shorts or pants.
• Our uniform doesn’t include sports branding. As stated above, the correct colours and styles are available through the school office.
• The only item that includes a hood, is our new weather proof school jacket.

New SunSmart Policy

We have recently updated our SunSmart Policy with the NSW Cancer Council which requires students to bring their hats to school every day (Terms 1-4). Whilst preparing the policy, I downloaded the SunSmart app which is great for monitoring when we should be applying sun protection (Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek and Slide). Today, even though the maximum temperature is only going to reach 15 degrees Celsius, sun protection is recommended between 10:10 a.m. and 2:20 p.m., which encompasses our two main breaks. The World Health Organisation’s Global Solar UV Index measures UV levels on a scale from 0 (Low) to 11+ (Extreme). Sun protection is recommended when UV levels are 3 (Moderate) or higher. Today's maximum UV rating will be 4. Did you know that ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a type of energy produced by the sun and some artificial sources, such as solariums. The sun’s UV radiation is the main cause of skin cancer. UV damage also causes sunburn, tanning, premature ageing and eye damage. UV radiation isn’t like the sun’s light or heat, which we can see and feel. Your senses cannot detect UV radiation, so you won’t notice the damage until it has been done.

Thanks to our Community

We are extremely lucky to have such a supportive community who help us around the school (when no-one else is here of course). Many thanks to Abby Paton who organised Dallas Hawkins to do some spraying. Thanks also to Simon and Sarah Finlay who donated the chemicals and Nutrien Ag Solutions for their contribution. Sophie Hearn also popped in to prune our roses. Thank you! It all makes a big difference.

Wacky Wednesdays for Wellbeing

Over the remaining four weeks of Term 3, we will be enticing students to participate in our Wacky Wednesdays for Wellbeing initiative. So much has been taken away from the students this year, so we wanted to give them something, other than their learning, to look forward to each week.

Week 7 - Happy Hats (wear your favourite hat to school with pride)

Week 8 - Beanies for Brain Cancer Fundraiser (more information to come)

Week 9 - Silly Socks (find your brightest, funkiest socks and pull them up high)

Week 10 - Footy Colours Day (wear your favourite sporting code/team's colours - any sport and every colour is welcome)

Talent Quest

We now have over twenty entries for our Talent Quest and entries are still being taken. We are looking for a broad range of talents that will be showcased during lunch times in Weeks 9 and 10. Due to potential risk, acts involving animals (e.g. dog tricks) or whip cracking (which is very popular) will need to be filmed by parents at home and sent in to the school email address prior to Week 9. 

Holbrook RSL War Memorial Scholarship Test

These Year 6 tests will be hosted at Holbrook Public School on Wednesday, 9 September. Students from St Patrick's school will complete the test at their own school this year. Notes have been sent home and returned for those wishing to participate.

Year 4 Opportunity Class Placement Test

Students who applied for a position in the first Aurora College Virtual Opportunity Class for high potential and gifted Year 5 students will now complete the placement test at their home school (Holbrook PS) on Wednesday, 18 November.

Nathan Fisher

Principal

This year, due to the many ways students engaged in learning while at home it has been tricky to keep track of where Kindergarten students are up to with their 100 days of school! With everyone doing different things, we decided instead to celebrate Kindergarten’s 100+ Days of school!

Though it will look different this year, our 100+ Day party will be held on Tuesday, 15 September. Students will participate in a range of activities to celebrate this milestone. And we will still have a cake!

Watch this space for more exciting updates as we near our 100+ Day Party!

The adjacent photo is of our scarecrows, Barry and Penny.

Miss Hemphill

Do you have some free time in your calendar during Term 4? If so, we would really value your time to help with lunch orders on Monday and/or Friday mornings. The process is simple:

1. Arrive at the office at around 9:20 a.m.,
2. The students will put their lunch orders in their class baskets and bring the baskets to the office,
3. You will take the baskets to the Holbrook Bakery,

It only takes around 20 minutes out of your day. Please email Georgie Millard on gmillard75@gmail.com‎ to volunteer or if you have any questions.

In consultation with the P&C, Voluntary School Contributions for 2020 are $35 per child, however, feel free to contribute more, if your budget allows.

That’s around 18¢ per child, per school day!

This money allows us to purchase teaching resources as well as writing books, stationery, art supplies and library books. All of which your child benefits from. Last year, through generous donations from parents, we were able to purchase the class set of djembe drums. Remember, every cent counts!

Thank you to those families who have already contributed to their child’s learning experience.

The wearing of the correct school uniform at all times at Holbrook Public School has been endorsed by the school P&C Association, and will be upheld by the school principal.

It is expected that students will bring a note to explain their reason for being out of school uniform. Students continually out of school uniform will be spoken to by the school principal and their parents contacted, and may eventually be withdrawn from representing the school, including sport, and other co-curricular activities.

The school's uniform shop also includes second hand items, and uniforms are available at extremely moderate prices. It is hoped that parents will endeavour to dress their children in the school’s uniform and that children will wear it with pride. If a family is unable to purchase uniform items, financial assistance may be available on request at the school.

Students:

• are not to wear make-up;
• are to wear stud earrings only;
• are to be encouraged to wear basic watches;
• are not to wear necklaces, bracelets or rings as they could be a cause of harm to them or a distraction in class situations.
• are to be encouraged to wear navy or yellow hair accessories (hair bands, ribbons or scrunchies only);
• are only able to wear a navy wide-brimmed hat, preferably with the school crest. Hats are to be worn all year round under the ‘NO HAT, PLAY IN THE SHADE’ Policy. Caps are not to be worn to school.
• only navy scarves can be worn, but are not to be worn in the classroom.
• gloves may be worn to school, but are not to worn in the classroom.
• no beanies to be worn at all.

The entire school uniform, except black shoes, is available from the school uniform shop.

• Please note that track pants are to be worn on sports day only.
• Full school uniform must be worn at all times and when representing the school.

SPECIAL NOTES

• Students are encouraged to wear the supplied uniforms with the school emblem. No obvious branding should be visible.
• The school will, when possible, supply pre-loved uniforms at a greatly reduced cost.
• Students are to wear shirts tucked in at all times.
• At the end of each term (or sooner if necessary), the administration staff will clear the lost property box, returning any named articles to students and any unnamed ones to the second hand clothing shop. The administration staff will remove any items that may be re-sold whilst items not required will be donated to the local Op Shop.
• Students who leave the school and no longer require uniforms will be encouraged to donate them to the second-hand section of the School Uniform Shop.
• Students are to wear normal school uniform on all days other than those when the sports uniform or a ‘mufti/non-uniform’ day has been advertised.
• Students who fail to comply with the uniform code will be asked to comply under the Student Welfare and Discipline Policy, and NSW Public School Behaviour Code for Students.
• All items are to be clearly labelled with your child’s name. When items of clothing do get lost or misplaced, a name makes it easier to find its owner.

Rationale:

• The NSW Department of Education requires that schools set local school uniform requirements.
• The NSW Department of Education supports the wearing of school uniform, which promotes a sense of belonging for students and creates a positive identity for the school community. School uniforms also contribute to the personal safety of student by allowing easier recognition of students inside the school and in the community.
• The NSW Department of Education’s Behaviour Code for Students states that ‘In NSW public schools, students are expected to comply with the school’s uniform policy or dress code.’

Please have a look through the lost property box in the office. Any unclaimed items will be donated to either the Op Shop or our second hand uniform shop at the end of this term.

We have a project a little later in the year that requires milk bottle lids. Although we cannot accept them just yet, we would appreciate it if you would start collecting them for us.

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