ENewsletter

Principal's Column

Hello, Giinagay, Hai,

Welcome to the Week 8 Newsletter.

The health and safety of our students and staff is paramount. I ask parents NOT to send students to school if they are unwell. Staff have also been instructed not to attend if unwell.

The Department has instructed all excursions and large gatherings are to be cancelled for the present time. A number of our activities have been cancelled due to both the weather and to the social distancing policy. I encourage every parent to read the directive from the Department of Education on our school website.

https://scottshead-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2020/3/schools-to-implement-distancing-measures.html

The newsletter, our website and Facebook will keep you informed of cancellations and further directives from the Department.

Below you will find articles regarding Harmony Week, our Numeracy professional development day for our teachers and a thank you letter from Erica Lyne, Principal, MHS.

Thanks, yaarri yaraang, terima kasih.

Bu Gillian
Gillian Stuart - Principal

Strategies for Maintaining a Healthy School

If you have to give your child Panadol or Nurofen for a fever, they should STAY AT HOME.

If your child has a hard cough, constant runny nose, sore throat or swollen glands they SHOULD NOT BE AT SCHOOL.

If you have given them Panadol or Nurofen in the morning to get them 'through the day' then they SHOULD NOT COME TO SCHOOL.

If you child has vomiting and/or has diarrhoea, they SHOULD NOT COME TO SCHOOL FOR 48 HOURS AFTER SYMPTOMS HAVE RESOLVED.

Please, please DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL IF THEY ARE SICK, STILL RECOVERING FROM ILLNESS OR FEVERISH. PLEASE DON'T SEND YOUR CHILD BACK TO SCHOOL EARLY.

If your child presents to sick bay unwell, the office will be calling the parents and asking for them to take the child home.

Cancellations

The following events have been cancelled due to the social distancing and limiting inter-school contact:

Parent and Teacher Conferences due to be held on Wednesday 25 March.
WAVES Program.
The 'Adopt-a-School' get together with the Dundurrabin PS students and parents at the Youth Centre.
Macksville High School Expo which was postponed to Wednesday 25 March.
Mid North Coast Soccer Trials - scheduled for Thursday 19 March. Will hopefully be rescheduled later on this year.
Adult Indonesian Classes - until further notice.
Playgroup on Wednesdays in the LLLC - until further notice.
ANZAC Day Service.

Letter to families

Please find attached letter to families which has been sent home today.

Download

This Week's Award Winners

Nambucca-Bellinger District PSSA Soccer Trials

Harmony Week

What is Harmony Week?

It is a time to celebrate Australian multiculturalism, and the successful integration of migrants into our community.

Australia is one of the most successful multicultural countries in the world and we should celebrate this and work to maintain it.

Harmony Week is about inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, united by a set of core Australian values.

Facts and figures

There are some fascinating statistics about Australia's diversity that can be good conversation-starters:

Nearly half (49 per cent) of Australians were born overseas or have at least one parent who was born overseas
We identify with over 300 ancestries
since 1945, more than 7.5 million people have migrated to Australia
85 per cent of Australians agree multiculturalism has been good for Australia
apart from English, the most common languages spoken in Australia are Mandarin, Arabic, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Italian, Greek, Tagalog/Filipino, Hindi, Spanish and Punjabi

more than 70 Indigenous languages are spoken in Australia.

Numeracy Professional Development for our teachers in Additive Strategies

This four-day professional learning program held over two terms is designed to help teachers understand where additive strategies are referenced in NSW syllabuses. They will also understand how the numeracy learning progression provides fine grain detail on the development of additive strategies and plan for differentiated teaching across the curriculum in light of student learning needs with regards to additive strategies.

Our teachers are learning about pedagogies that develop student confidence in using flexible strategies for addition and subtraction and consider classroom applications.

They have now competed their third day.

Day 1: Investigation of where additive strategies are referenced throughout NSW syllabuses and considering how to use formative assessment to inform their knowledge of student's current skills.

Day 2: Analysis of diagnostic formative assessment and identify the learning opportunities. Exploring connections between the content identified in NSW syllabuses and the Additive Strategies sub element of the Numeracy learning progression. Exploring the pedagogies that will best support student learning, of flexible strategies for addition and subtraction.

Day 3: Exploration of how the progressions can be used to monitor student growth in the progression of learning for additive strategies and how the progressions support differentiation to cater for the diverse needs in classrooms.

Photos from the Numeracy Professional Development Day

Students Transitioning from Primary to High School

Currently primary school principals are working with the Macksville High School principal and head teachers to build relationships regarding the transition of our students from Year 6 to 7. This is an exciting time as each of these collaborations, conversations and connections will enrich and nurture better transition school programs.

I just wanted to say a big thank you for a great collegial day. It was so nice to have the time and space for meaningful and deeper conversations about how we can improve the learning outcomes for our students. It is heartening to be working with you all and hopefully over the next few years making a difference in education in the Valley.

Kind regards,

Erica Lyne, Principal Macksville HS

NAPLAN on line 2020 Information for Parents

NAPLAN on Line 2020 Information for Parents of Year 3 and 5

https://www.nap.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/naplan-online-information-brochure-for-parents-and-carers.pdf?sfvrsn=23

Learned Leaders

During Learned Leaders with Bu Bettina we handmade Batik bags using organic materials with paint to create unique personal designs.

School News & Parent Information

School Photos - Week 8 - Thursday 19 March.

School photos are this Thursday. If you haven't already sent in your order form, please do so before Thursday.

Book Club - Issue 2

Book Club - Issue 2 is due back to the office by Friday 20 March.

Permission to Publish

There are still a number of outstanding Permission to Publish forms for 2020.

It is a Department of Education requirement that each year a Permission to Publish form is received for each student. Please ensure your completed form is sent back to school with your child.

Change of Contact Details

A reminder to parents/carers to update contact phone number and any change of details with the school office. It is important the school has the most current details listed on file so parents/carers can be contacted quickly in the case of an emergency.

Details can be updated either by a note sent to the school, by telephone, email to the school email address or through the Skoolbag app.

Our Murals

Community Notice Board

From the P&C

Canteen News

Sushi Days

The sushi orders need to be at Canteen on the Monday prior to ensure orders can be fulfilled. SORRY, NO LATE ORDERS CAN BE ACCEPTED.

The cost is $3 for 1 roll and $5 for 2 rolls. Flavours on offer are: tuna and cucumber, chicken teriyaki and vegetables, and a vegetarian option.

Send your order form into the office. The canteen will still be open for lunch orders as normal on sushi days.

The next sushi date will be 1 April.

Ordering Snacks on Canteen Days

Order your snacks with your lunch order. A token/s will then be given to the children with their lunch orders (in the bag) for them to return to the canteen to redeem once they have eaten their lunch. We hope this will allow for quicker service to the kids.

Student Injury Insurance and P&C Annual Membership for 2020

A note regarding Student Injury Insurance and P&C Annual Membership has been sent home last week. Please complete the form and return along with payment in the attached envelope, to the office by Tuesday 31 March.

P & C Upcoming Events

P& C Meeting Monday 23 March 3.15pm in the Library

Sushi Day Wednesday 1 April Orders due 30 March

Easter Raffle Drawn 9 April Donations needed for raffle

2020 Easter Raffle

The P&C will soon be selling raffle tickets for our annual Easter Raffle, which will be drawn on the last day of Term 1 – Thursday 9 April 2020.

We are kindly asking for donations of goods to go towards the hampers. Donations can include: Easter goods, toys, household items, toiletries, etc…. Donations can be handed to the office until Wednesday 8 April.

Volunteers Needed

We urgently require volunteers to assist in the canteen on Monday’s and Wednesday’s from 8:30-12:00. Parents, grandparents and community members are gladly welcomed to help in any capacity. Without volunteers we may have to close the canteen.

Many thanks,

SHPS P&C Association