Dear Parents, Carers and Families of EHPS

It has been wonderful to know we have just had a whole term of face to face teaching. From the update the Department of Education had put out Thursday, we are excited to see schools are moving to lighter restrictions. (More information attached to this newsletter).

This is particularly important for our Year 6 students who are a priority for us as they come to the end of their first seven years of schooling. We will continue to plan to ensure that Term 4 is a very busy, exciting and full of memory making moments for our Year 6.  In terms of other events such as school sport, other excursions, Presentation Day and possible Christmas events we will have to see how changes in the guidelines will support these going ahead.

Some key points relevant to Edgeworth Heights PS:
* Kindergarten orientation can go ahead  
* Year 7 orientation can proceed from 12 November following the conclusion of the HSC 
 * We can plan for the Year 6 formal/farewell and graduations provided it occurs in a COVID-safe way  
* Further information will be provided in Term 4 about end of year school celebrations 
* Non-essential adults are still not permitted on school grounds or at school events. This includes parents and carers except for face-to-face parent/teacher meetings that are essential
 * P&C meetings and events must continue to be on-line or off school site only.

Thank you, parents, for your understanding in these matters we truly are trying to do the best for our students. I’d like to take an opportunity to thank staff and students for the tremendous effort they have put into Term 3 with ongoing quality teaching and learning programming, assessment and reporting and student goals.

In regards to Kinder Orientation for 2021, we have been busily working to bring the information to parents. In recent weeks, we have shared with our enrolled Kinder 2021 parents links to a Seesaw Kindergarten 2021 class.  Staff have been very creative and have prepared great uploads already to support  our new Kindergarten students and parents in the excitement of enrolling and being a part of big school.  If you know of a new or existing family in our school zone who have a Kinder aged child ready for school in 2021, please encourage them to enrol ASAP so we can include them in the communication links.   

School Planning At present, every school in NSW is undergoing the new school planning process, starting with a situational analysis. The situational analysis is a key component of the School Excellence cycle and is an essential step in the development of a Strategic Improvement Plan (SIP) that will effectively prioritise our school's identified areas for growth. Conducting a situational analysis allows our school to develop a rich and highly contextualised understanding of our current situation. As part of this situational analysis, every school collects qualitative and quantitative data, collates evidence, collaborates widely, and engages with research. In Term 4 staff, students and parents will be asked to participate in  two very important pieces of communication that will serve to strengthen our partnership: Tell Them from Me Survey (SkoolBag) Strategic Plan Survey - School Vision. Both of these surveys results will be very valuable to us to hear all voices to plan for our new four year plan. The more voices, the stronger we are.

Student Recognition Awards At the last P&C meeting it was discussed about clarifying to school community what was happening with the school recognition certificates. We were hoping to have already introduced a new student recognition by now but that is not the case. Planning of our new student recognition system will be informed by feedback and results in Term 4 surveys and analysing what our school behaviour and student performance data is revealing. Until then we will continue in 2020 with the current system of 10 certificates equals a Principal’s award. Another 10 certificates equal a medallion. Students will be presented with the new look Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) certificates starting next term. Reading Gem certificates, Attendance Awards, Kindness Awards and Learning at Home certificates will all contribute to a Principal award. 

Uniform Survey

We had a great response to our Uniform survey this term. Over 300 responses from students, staff and parents. In the next newsletter I will explain the results and where to from here.

Term 3 Internal time changes

We have reviewed the feedback from staff, students and P&C about the internal changes we trialed this term. Over all it has been a positive change and in Term 4 we will put in place some adjustments from feedback to improve even further. We are so proud of our students and how they have returned to face to face learning. This week we have organised a week of special activities to reward them. To end the term today our students are having a popcorn, poppa and ice block movie session in their classes. Well done EHPS students!

 Have a well deserved break everyone and thank you for your great efforts this term.

Make the most of the awesome moments. Kathryn Duncan Principal

The Check-in assessment is an online reading and numeracy assessment for students in Years 3 and 5. The check-in assessment will supplement our existing school practices to help us identify how students are progressing in literacy and numeracy.

Year 5 completed the Check-in assessments in Week 6 and Year 3 are scheduled to complete it during Week 1 in Term 4.

Edgeworth Heights Public School, in partnership with the Heights Christian Church, is introducing a new program called Kids Hope Australia. This program is a 1:1 mentoring program designed to support the emotional and social resilience in children. The mentors are volunteers and have undergone training through Kids Hope Australia. Even though the mentors are affiliated with the Heights Christian Church, this is a non-secular program. We aim to have this program up and running in Term 4, depending on Covid restrictions. Attached to this newsletter is a parent information sheet from Kids Hope Australia.

Dear Parent/Carer

Selective high schools cater for academically gifted students with high potential who may otherwise be without sufficient classmates at their own academic standard. Selective high schools help these students to learn by grouping them with students of similar ability, and by using specialised teaching methods.

Applications for selective high school placement are considered mainly on the basis of the Selective High School Placement Test results and school assessment scores. The Selective High School Placement Test will be held on Thursday 11 March 2021.

If you would like to have your child considered for Year 7 selective high school entry in 2022, you need to apply on the internet using a valid email address (not the student’s email address).

Detailed instructions on how to apply online will be available in late September 2020 at https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/selective-high-schools-and-opportunity-classes/year-7.

The application website opens at that link on 6 October 2020 and closes on 9 November 2020. You must apply before the closing date.

There are no paper application forms. If you do not have internet access, you could apply at a public library. If you have a disability that prevents you from using a computer, you can contact the Team for assistance after 6 October 2020.

You must submit only ONE application for each student.

The tear-off slip below is not an application and the school cannot apply on your behalf.

Yours sincerely

Principal

Cut along the dotted line and return the completed slip below to this school by ____________________.

-------------------------------------------- Cut here and return the note below to the school ---------------------------------------

Student’s name: ________________________________________ Class: _______________________

I intend to apply for selective high school entry in Year 7 in 2022 through the High Performing Students website between 6 October 2020 and 9 November 2020. 

Signature of parent/carer: _________________________________