Drummoyne Public School

NAPLAN 2022

We are very proud of our year 3 and year 5 students who began their NAPLAN tests this week. Every student met the challenges of online testing sustaining their commitment to do their very best on every occasion. This is the first time the students have sat for the tests and they coped so well with the pressure of formal assessments. NAPLAN tests will continue next week from Monday to Thursday and we wish the students well.

The timetable for NAPLAN next week is:

• Monday 16 May - Yr 5 Reading
• Tuesday 17 May - Yr 5 Language Conventions
• Wednesday 18 May - Yr 3 Numeracy 
• Thursday 19 May - Yr 5 Numeracy

Learning Support Team

Each week our teaching and specialist staff meet to discuss strategies and plan support to meet the needs of many students across the school. This support focuses on students who are experiencing difficulties but also on students who are progressing well and maybe exceeding curriculum expectations to ensure their continued progress. If the Learning Support Team is concerned about a student, then contact will be made with the family.

P&C Meeting

The May P&C meeting will be held this Tuesday 17 May from 7.30pm - 8.30pm in the library and all parents/carers are invited to join us.

Community Users @ DPS

The Department of Education’s policy is that schools are encouraged to make their facilities available for use by the community. Even so, this must be for appropriate purposes, must not interfere with the school’s provision of learning programs and be of mutual benefit to the school and the community. DPS accommodates our community groups, where possible, and this year has entered into Community User agreements with nine groups, including GOWRIE NSW, giving students access to music, languages, mindfulness and chess classes as well as community access to Tai Chi and Karate classes. The school has carefully scheduled these classes, in and around school operations. While we have already provided as many spaces as we have available for this year, we look forward to continued support of community programs in the future.

More Rapid Antigen Tests (RATS) will be sent home next week with students. Please let us know if you do not need a new pack. Additional RATS are available from the school office if you need them for close contact, daily testing.

Dancefever lessons

To address PE curriculum outcomes and ensure students are ready for the athletics carnival, any missed Dancefever athletics lessons are being caught up.

On occasion, students may decide to bring items to school that hold significant monetary or sentimental value. In keeping with legal advice from the Department of Education, the school cannot accept liability for personal belongings, valuables and other student owned property if these items become lost, stolen or broken.

As a result, we discourage students from bringing valuables, including mobile telephones, Smart watches, digital devices, cameras, ‘swap’ cards and the like to school.

Any student who is unwell and/or displays symptoms of COVID-19 will be asked to go home and stay there until they can complete a RAT or PCR test.

• If symptoms continue, they should stay at home and take another RAT in 24 hours or have a PCR test.

• If the second RAT or initial PCR test result is negative, the student can return to school.

• In NSW, positive COVID-19 cases are provided a Medical Clearance Notice after 7 days and allowed to leave self-isolation as long as they do not have COVID-19 symptoms.

Last month NSW Health announced changes to isolation rules for close contacts which mean that students identified as close contacts and showing no symptoms can return to school with certain requirements. Close contacts attending school will need to adhere to the following in addition to the NSW Health guidelines:

• They must notify the school and other service providers (including their outside of school hours care provider) if they are intending to return under this provision.
• They should conduct a daily rapid antigen test (RAT) and return a negative result each morning before attending school for 5 school days.
• Primary school students are recommended to wear a mask indoors (except when eating or exercising).
• No student identified as a close contact will be permitted to participate in overnight excursions, including school camps.
• Any visitor to a school site who is a close contact is required to advise the school that they are a close contact before they come on site. Visitors should conduct a daily RAT and return a negative result before attending. They must also wear a mask indoors at all times. 
• NSW Health and Health & Safety have advised that if a parent is positive and their child is not, they cannot drive their child to school as it is a breach of the public health order to be out of the house.  Covid positive cases can only leave the house  in case of emergency or to seek medical attention.

The 2022 digital learning packs are easy-to-use activities for parents and carers to use with their child. The packs are timetabled activities for primary students. Parents and carers can work through them with their child when isolating or when instructed by the school. Please click the link below:

https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/learning-from-home/learning-at-home/2022-digital-learning-packs/primary

Online applications for Year 5 entry to an opportunity class in 2023 close at midnight tonight, Friday 13 May 2022. Parents and carers must apply by the due date as late applications cannot be accepted.

Opportunity classes cater for intellectually gifted and high potential students who may otherwise be without sufficient classmates of their own academic standard. These classes help students to learn by grouping them with students of similar ability, using specialised evidence-based teaching methods and materials.

Parents apply when their children are in Year 4. Successful students are offered placement, and if the parents accept the offer, the students will attend the opportunity class full time in Years 5 and 6 at the relevant public school.

This week the DPS debated against Orange Grove Public School in two debates. The topic was ‘School uniforms should be compulsory’.

The Gillards were the away team. As the affirmative, they clearly and confidently argued that uniforms  promote school pride, make it easier to identify students and prevent competitiveness and distraction. They also said they make sense from a health and safety point of view and are cost effective. Their teamline was ‘School uniforms are practical, safe and sensible’.

Congratulations to 1st speaker Amber Worden, 2nd speaker Lucy Fernley, 3rd speaker Sienna Zheng and team advisor Leo Giannichronis on their convincing win. Well done Amber, who the Gillards chose as debater of the day, for her excellent manner. A big thank you Mrs McCauley for driving us to Orange Grove.

In the second debate, the Rudds were the home team. As the negative, they clearly and confidently argued that school uniforms are expensive, uncomfortable and impractical. Also they argued that they do not allow students to express their individuality and can lead to child protection issues. They managed to bamboozle their opponents. With their compelling teamline, ‘A school uniform is a symbol of  student oppression that suppresses the right to expression!’ 

Congratulations to 1st speaker Demi Pavlis, 2nd speaker Zella Modena, 3rd speaker Julian Doyle and team advisor Gabrielle Buckman on their convincing win. Well done Zella Modena, who the Rudds chose as debater of  the day, for bringing humour into her well thought out speech. 

Also, thank you to our chairperson Arun Baines, timekeeper Lachlan Ong.

Stage 1 Choir

Stage 1 students interested in joining the choir are asked to please meet Miss Xenos and Ms Buchanan in the library at 8.50am each Thursday.

Stage 2 Choir

Any students in year 3 or 4 who are interested in joining the Stage 2 choir are asked to please meet Ms Champion at the front gate on Rawson Ave, each Wednesday at 8.30am.

Stage 3 Choir

Stage 3 students interested in joining the choir are asked to please meet Miss Xenos and Miss Cantlay in the library at 8.30am each Wednesday.

Resilience awards - Bretty says congratulations to:

• Eleanor Sutton - 2D

Mr Dill says congratulations to:

• Sun Woo Kim - 2T - Respect Badge 

Learn to be a chess champion! Coaching for students at Drummoyne Public School is held on Tuesdays from 11:15am to 12:15pm.

Learning and playing chess helps children develop their logical thinking and problem solving skills, improves their concentration and focus, while also being a great source of enjoyment. Activities include group lessons on a demonstration chess board or interactive whiteboard, puzzle solving and fun practice games. Students earn merit awards by making checkmates, or by displaying skills and positive qualities, which all good chess players strive to develop.

If your child is interested in taking part, please collect an enrolment form from the school office, or email enrol@sydneyacademyofchess.com.au for a copy. For all enquiries, please contact Sydney Academy of Chess on (02) 9745 1170.

Both lessons and band rehearsals are well underway as we now work towards our mid-year evening concert in week 10.

Both bands will also be hosting an open rehearsal with Junior band held on Friday morning of week 4 and Senior band on Monday of week 5. 

I’m really pleased with the progress shown by all students. Keep up the great work!

Kevin Christmas

Program manager

Drummoyne PS band program

The school is very excited to hear the news that Ivan Gizycki (see photo) has been selected for the SEPPSA Basketball Team. Ivan will be representing the Sydney East Public Schools region of NSW in the NSWPSSA Boys’ Basketball State Championships to be held over 4 days in Tamworth starting Tuesday 31st May. 

Pretty much all of the students here at the school would have seen Ivan practicing during lunchtimes ever since he was in Grade 1 and he dribbles the basketball to and from school most days. Ivan is known for his great teamwork skills in offence and his hard work under the basket defending and rebounding.

For the past two years he has played representative basketball for the Inner West Bulls and is currently playing in the U14 Reps team for the Bulls.

Good luck for the tournament Ivan and we will all be cheering for you.

The Premier's Spelling Bee is a fun and educational way for primary school students in years 3-6 to engage with and improve their spelling.

The program includes activities that encourage students to become more confident users of language through broadening their vocabulary, and promotes improved literacy skills in conjunction with the NSW English K-10 syllabus.

Preliminary stage spelling tests will be held in the STEAM room during lunchtimes.

• Tuesday 24 May - Year 5
• Thursday 26 May - Year 6
• Friday 27 May - Years 3 & 4

Please direct any questions to Mr Sutton.

Word lists

The word lists that will be used for our school competition AND the NSW Premier's Spelling Bee finals are available to download on the links below but due to copyright please ask your teacher or the office for the password to open the documents.

The Premier’s Reading Challenge is off and running! 

To log your reading, please access the Premier’s Reading Challenge website through the student portal, or here: https://online.det.nsw.edu.au/prc/home.html

This table will tell you how many books you need to read to complete the challenge.

 Joseph Neufeld

Teacher Librarian

If you or your child has lost their glasses please check with the office. These 4 pairs are waiting to be claimed.

A new, upgraded POP page is now live. It replaces the old Westpac page and is accessible from the school’s website. The page allows parents and carers to make online payments anywhere and anytime. By using the upgraded page, parents and carers will enjoy:

• a quick and simple user interface;
• mobile-friendly experience – making it easier to pay via phone or tablet (as well as from a desktop computer); and
• multilingual support which enables them to use POP in their preferred language.
  

Election BBQ

Volunteers are still needed for the Federal Election BBQ on 21 May.

Please click on the below link to volunteer and add your name to one of the shifts, either cooking or serving. 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1TDO6BcAjCr2FeT39UomHiE4ieIZSh-4CWE58wuEIZwA/edit#gid=0

Cake Stall

We will also be holding a cake stall on the Election Day and are asking each class to participate.  We will gladly accept any baked goods.  Information regarding where the baked goods can be dropped off will be provided shortly.

Uniform Shop

Just in time for winter, size 16 long sleeve polo tops have arrived in the Uniform Shop.  The Uniform Shop is currently very well stocked with second hand items and therefore is only able to accept very good quality clothes for resale via School24.

P&C Meeting

The next P&C meeting will be held on 17 May 2022 in the school library.  All are welcome to attend.  The agenda is included below.

P&C Committe members

There are still some vacant positions on the P&C namely:

• Social Media & Newsletter Coordinator
• Kindy Coordinator.

Please contact the P&C at secretary@drummoynepublicschool.com.au if you are interested in these positions.

Class Parents

The following class is still without a Class Parent: 5H. Please click on the link to nominate yourself:

Many thanks,

DPS P&C

Please order uniforms online. The P&C will process orders and the school office staff will distribute them.

 Please use our school Registration ID: 2572963 to create an account if you don’t already have one for canteen orders.

Thank you also to the following student volunteers namely: Ava, Emerson, Zara, Arun, Lachlan, Cyra, Sebastian, Aria, Asher, Mary, Demi and Shireen. These students have helped with putting labels on lunch bags, sorting into trays, serve fellow students over the counter, giving out online recess orders and filling up the fridges with stock. The students really are a big help!

A friendly reminder to our parents that Thursdays and Fridays are two of our busiest days. We really need and appreciate your help on these days. Orders can be up to 200 or more on Fridays and this can be pretty stressful if there are not enough helpers.

Volunteering is a great way to meet other parents and of course seeing your child's smiley face. They truly love seeing their parents helping out! Why not volunteer with a friend?

To register:

Log in to your school24 account.

To the right of screen...click on Volunteer Roster( writing in purple).

Follow the prompts.

Canteen and P&C Committee

Contact Rekkha for more information on 0436 616 744.

To book Gowrie NSW enrolment forms can be found on the Gowrie website:

With Google Translation integration, you can access our newsletter in ANY language. Simply scroll to the bottom of the newsletter preview to give it a try.