Melrose Park Public School Newsletter

2022 Term 2 Week 1

Melrose Park Public School


Term 2 2022

Welcome back to the start of the new term.

This term is one of change with cooler mornings and earlier sunsets as we approach the winter months.  At times the wind can be quite cruel and students are encouraged to now wear their winter uniform. We hope that all families take time to ensure all jumpers, jackets, lunch boxes and drink bottles are clearly labelled with your child's name.  Returning property is easy with a current name and problematic when not labelled.  Please check regularly  that your child has not taken another child's jacket home. 

Covid conditions continue to change and we hope that after the two week break, everyone is ready to take on a new term of learning. Whilst many families have worked their way through covid issues, coughs cold and flu like symptoms are common at this time of year. Please remember to keep your child at home if they are unwell with  fever, sore throat, headaches, coughs and/or cold symptoms.

We appreciate how difficult it can be for working parents to manage work, parent duties and sick children. Our focus at school is on the wellbeing of all students and the need to maintain good hygiene as a way of keeping all our community safe and well. This benefits the whole school community such as other students, teachers and other families.

The winter competition of representative sport for the Ryde Zone PSSA commences this Friday (weather permitting). Melrose Park PS will enter a junior and senior netball team, a junior and senior girls soccer team as well as a junior and senior boys soccer team. I thank teachers for taking on the extra demands of representative sport and wish all the teams fun and sportsmanship throughout the season.

COVID Advice

As you are aware covid procedures are continually being updated. Please visit the Covid Advice for families for the latest information.

https://education.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/advice-for-families

Last updated 23 April 2022

Testing  

Remember: Staff and students cannot attend school if they are showing any symptoms of COVID-19.

If symptoms occur at any time, your child should not attend school and should undertake a rapid antigen test (RAT).

All students and staff will receive 1 multipack of RAT kits within the first three weeks of Term 2. The RAT kits can be used for symptomatic testing or for daily testing as part of the close contact requirements. 

Beyond the department's provision of RATs, symptomatic students and staff should continue to access PCR and store-purchased RATs.

  • If a student is unwell and has any COVID-19 symptoms, they should always test for COVID-19.
  • If the test comes back negative for COVID-19, the student should still not return to school until either:
    • The student no longer has any symptoms, or
    • A medical certificate is provided to the school confirming that symptoms are explained by another diagnosis (such as hay fever)
  • It is important that students do not attend school if they are unwell, even if they have tested negative for COVID-19


Close Contacts

This will enable students and staff who are close contacts and have no symptoms to continue to attend school if they follow guidelines agreed with NSW Health. 

Close contacts attending school will need to adhere to the following in addition to the NSW Health guidelines

  • They must notify the school if they are intending to return under this provision.

  • They should conduct a daily 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 or staff member identified as a close contact will be permitted to participate in overnight excursions, including school camps.

Looking good in winter uniform

Girls have option of pants, tights or socks
Boys wear long pants with the option of long sleeve or short sleeve shirt

Professional Learning

Staff Development Days (staff are working and students are not at school) are important days as teachers can spend quality time reviewing, revising, updating and developing new procedures in response to Department of Education policy requirements. Yesterday, Tuesday 26th, teachers spent time focusing on reviewing our procedures of creating, maintaining and supporting safe practices at Melrose Park PS.

In the coming term, parents will be invited to give input regarding the new policies, procedures and framework that keep students engaged in learning at school.

Inclusive Engaging and Restrictive Practices

The Inclusive, Engaging and Respectful (IER) Schools package was announced in February this year by NSW Minister for Education and Early Learning, Hon Sarah Mitchell.

It centres on three new policies and procedures and a framework that together set the guidelines for how we ensure all children and young people can learn through public education in a safe and engaging way.  The IER Schools package includes the:

  •  Inclusive Education Policy for students with disability
  •  Student Behaviour Policy and Procedures
  •  Restrictive Practices Framework and Restrictive Practices Reduction and Elimination Policy and Procedures.

With these new policies, we want all students to:

·         be included in all aspects of school life and supported to learn to their fullest capability 

·         be supported in engaging, respectful, and effective classrooms with positive and inclusive practices  

·         feel welcomed, valued and safe in our schools and classroom

Two of the policies are new: the Inclusive Education Policy; and the Restrictive Practices Framework and policy.  Both clarify existing legal obligations, effective, appropriate and prohibited practices, and the rights of students, parents and carers.

The Student Behaviour Policy replaces the Student Discipline in Government Schools and Suspension and Expulsion Policy.  The key change is the approach all NSW public schools will take to address disruptive or inappropriate behaviour by a student. The duration of a suspension will be reduced along with the number of suspensions across a school year.  Every school will be able to draw on the support of a range of staff including behaviour specialists to effectively address issues resulting in these behaviours in order to prevent future escalations. We will continue to work closely with you and all our families.

It does not mean, however, that students who are violent or seriously disrupt the learning and wellbeing of others will be kept at school.  Any student who puts the safety of other students, teachers and staff or visitors at risk of harm – will be suspended until it is safe for them to return.

The Inclusive Education Policy for students with disability and the Student Behaviour Policy become operational in Term 3, 2022 and the Restrictive Practices Policy becomes operational in Term 1, 2023.

Melrose Park PS school already takes a strong, positive student-centred approach. We want to work with you to ensure, together, every student has the right support at the right time to help them grow into confident, resilient adults.

For more information on these policies, please visit the NSW Department of Education website.

Preservice teachers

We welcome to Melrose Park PS a group of preservice teachers.  

Professional experience is a key component of teacher education programs and our supervising teachers have an important role to play in their development.   Our preservice teachers are University students enrolled in an initial educator preparation program, studying to become practicing teachers.  They will be part of the teaching team during Term 2.

Ryde PSSA Winter Competition

The winter PSSA competition rounds are played at Meadowbank Park. As staff and students walk to and from the park, there is no cost to the competition for Melrose Park PS participants.  Students need to bring a hat, water bottle, jumper, and sunscreen to each game. 

Teams entered include;

Netball Coach - Miss Mee/Mrs ONeill

Girl's Soccer Coach - Mr Sean Bowden

Boy's Soccer Coach - Mr Max Brennen

A uniform will be provided and it is the responsibility of each student to take care of it throughout the season. If it is not returned in good condition, the cost of replacing the uniform will be $50.

Socks for the soccer teams are available at the uniform shop for $10. Soccer boots are not compulsory to play in, but students must wear shin pads. Trainings will be held every Thursday morning at school starting at 8:15am. If it is raining, training will still go ahead.

Permission notes will be sent home with selected students this afternoon and as the first game is scheduled for this Friday, please send the note back immediately.

Spectators are welcome at the game. Students may be signed out from the oval after all games are finished, the equipment is packed away and the teacher completes roll marking. 


Mr Brennen  Sport Coordinator

Cross Country Carnival

We are going to try again and hold  our annual Cross Country carnival  next Monday 2nd May.  This of course is weather dependent. If cancelled we will put out a notification through Skoolbag by 8.30am

The carnival will commence at 9:15 and conclude by 11am. Students  are encouraged to wear their sports uniform with their house colour t-shirt.

  • Red for Wentworth
  • Blue for Lawson
  • Yellow for Blaxland

Parents are invited to join us for the carnival and stay for a picnic lunch with their children. If you are able to volunteer at the carnival, please let the office or Miss Fury know. It would be greatly appreciated.

Get your running shoes on and start training! Looking forward to a fun filled day.

Miss Fury  Coordinator

Admin News

CONTACT DETAILS


Have you moved or changed details?

A form will be sent home shortly to update your contact information so that when we need to contact you, we can do this quickly and easily. It may be a telephone number, an email address, a change of street address, a change of doctor or a change in medication. 


Thank you.


Year 4 to Year 5 OC 2022

Mother's Day