Class Awards- Academic Achievement Award

The newsletter is published fortnightly the next on 26 March. Awards will also be given out fortnightly.

K: Louise C: for trying hard to write sounds she hears in words

Ruby K: for using blocks to show addition

K/1: Audrey S: for including adjectives to describe nouns in her writing

Knox B: for attempting new words in his writing

1/2: Jake S: for always being a hard worker and developing great strategies in numeracy

Cleo M: for working above and beyond in all literacy areas

2/3: Yi-Ting B: for thinking creatively and giving evidence for her opinions when writing persuasive texts

Archie M: for enthusiastically participating and sharing his ideas in all class activities

3/4: Paddy D: for taking his time and using finger spacing in his writing!

Abbey J: for her consistent sharing during class discussions!

5/6B: Eamon C: for coming up with great arguments in his persuasive writing

Hayden D: for using his modality language in our persuasive writing debate

Up and coming events Event Year Date Note Due/Cost

Harmony Day K - 6 Friday 20 March Maths Olympiad Wednesday 25 March Easter Raffle Mufti Day K - 6 Friday 27 March P&C Meeting Monday 6 April 7pm in staffroom Easter Raffle drawn K – 6 Wednesday 8 April Easter Hat parade K – 6 Wednesday 8 April 2/3 and 3/4 Excursion to Copacabana Beach 2/3 and 3/4 Thursday 9 April

Phone: (02) 4367 7444 • Fax: (02) 4365 3088

Email: holgate-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au Web: https://holgate-p.schools.nsw.gov.au

Newsletter 12 March 2020

TO THINE OWN SELF BE TRUE

EXCELLENCE / EQUALITY / ENGAGEMENT

5/6N: Shari M: for showing immense dedication to learning and achieving her personal goals!

Zoe D: for using her prior knowledge and clues from Parvana to create justified inferences

Positive Behaviour for Learning Award - PBL

K: Hugo V: for always being in the right place at the right time

K/1: Bronte M: for always being ready to learn and try her hardest

1/2: Jasmine B: for working hard in all areas in the classroom

2/3: Denver D: for always being respectful towards his school, teacher and fellow students

3/4: Amelie V: for always being willing to help in class and on the playground!

5/6B: Dash B: for helping others get involved during basketball

5/6N: Finlay M: for trying his personal best in all areas of learning

Principal’s Address

NAPLAN 2020

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is an annual national assessment for all students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. All students in these year levels are expected to participate in tests in reading, writing, language conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy. This year's NAPLAN assessment will take place from Tuesday 12 May – Friday 15 May 2020. Friday 15 May will be used as a ‘catch-up’ day for any students absent earlier in the week.

All students are encouraged to participate in NAPLAN tests, however students with a disability may qualify for adjustments that reflect the support normally provided in the classroom. Students who have a temporary injury may also be reasonably accommodated. A formal exemption may be granted for a student with significant intellectual disability and/or significant coexisting conditions, or for a student who has recently arrived in Australia and has a non-English speaking background. For more information about NAPLAN: you can visit the NAPLAN website – https://www.nap.edu.au/ or contact the school on 4367 7444 to talk to your child's class teacher. PLEASE contact Miss Ball or Miss Nunn if you wish to have your child exempt or an adjustment made.

Our Year 3 and 5 students will complete an omnibus practice 45 minute assessment online between 23 March and 9 April 2020 as a trial run and preparation for NAPLAN online. This is to assess the school’s readiness in completing NAPLAN online. This omnibus assessment involves 45 minute assessment and entails a few reading, spelling, punctuation, grammar and mathematics questions. If you have any concerns please contact staff.

Further information can be accessed in the link provided. I have included a parent and carer fact sheet in this week’s newsletter: Resources available for parents and carers:

Fact sheet for parents and carers - information about their school's transition to NAPLAN Online has been attached the newsletter

Public demonstration site and additional information for parents and carers can be located by clicking the link https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/parent-carer-support/ .

Parliament Ministers Semester One

Those students who were absent at our last assembly will be award their badges at tomorrow’s assembly.

Congratulations Zone Football!

Congratulations to Callum Mc, Lily Q and Hayden D for successful selection into the SCCPSSA Zone Football. Well done to all those other students who gave it a go!

Progress Report Term 1 2020

Student progress reports will be coming home Friday Week 8. This is in postcard format and includes parent and/or teacher request for an interview. This is a snapshot of how they have settled into 2020. Please send the report back with your signature. Please tick the box if you request an interview and teachers will contact you regarding an appointment. This year we have included additional opportunity for parents to communicate with teachers regarding your child’s strengths, concerns and anything else you would like us to know about your child.

Reminder of School Supervision

The school supervision times are 8:15am to 8:45am. There is no supervision prior to 8:15am and the bell for class time is 8:45am. In the afternoon the bell goes at 2:45pm. Staff are on site until 3:15pm. We always check the school grounds in case a student has not been picked up. The front office is available up to 3:30pm.

Lego Wanted

Our school is seeking donations of your old lego that you no longer use for our classrooms. Please drop any old lego that you would like donated to our classes to the office.

P&C AGM – advertising positions

P&C Annual General Meeting was held last week. Congratulations to those taking on positions in our P&C! There are some positions not filled please consider joining our dynamic team.

Covid-19 (Coronavirus)

Students presenting with cold or flu like systems will be sent home immediately. If any family members have travelled overseas please consider two weeks home quarantine as being appropriate. The school is currently revisiting hygiene practices across the school. If your child is sent to sick bay you will be sent home with the sheet and pillowslip from the sick bay bed to launder and return to school. Please be mindful, if your child is sick please keep them at home. Parents with concerns can contact their local Public Health Unit on 1300 066 055 for advice or visit:

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/diseases/Pages/coronavirus.aspx

Absenteeism School Procedures and Communication

The school has recently reviewed school procedures in regards to roll marking and absenteeism. Please communicate with the school reasons for absenteeism through the following means:

1. Skoolbag and text messaging 2. Email the school or Mrs King and Mrs Bergan 3. Phone the school 4. Write a note to the teacher on the day your child returns and the

reason for the absence.

Please use these four forms to communicate absenteeism.

If after seven days the school hasn’t received an explanation an additional “orange note” will be sent home. All this documentation is mandatory under DoE policy.

It would be greatly appreciated if you could communicate the reason for absenteeism on the day.

Please refer to the Department of Education Attendance Policy through this link

https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/practical-help-for-parents-and-carers/quick-guide-for-parents

National Day of Action 20 March

The National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence is the 20 March. Our school will be participating in the stand against bullying and violence and say that it is unacceptable on Monday 20 March. Our Stage 2 and 3 students will be participating in Cyberbullying and antibullying lessons. K-2 students will engage and utilise bullyingnoway.gov.au video and lessons. We urge you to discuss strategies at home in tackling and managing bullying, communicating there is no place for bullying and violence.

Clean Up Schools Day

On Friday 28 March our students K-6 participated in Clean up Schools day. We were so surprised at how much rubbish and garden debris was around the school. It is looking so much better. Thank you to Mrs Papps for organising.

Kind regards Vanessa Gordon Principal

School News

Selective High School Placement Test

The Selective High School Placement Test will be held on Thursday 12 March 2020 from 9.00am to 1.30pm. Unless parents have made special arrangements with the High Performing Students Team to attend an individually allocated test centre candidates from this school have been sent to: Gosford High School Racecourse Rd GOSFORD NSW 2250

Go to https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/selective-high-schools-and-opportunity-classes/year-7 to find: Test centre allocations by public school. A map of test centre addresses under the heading 'The test'. The bulletin, Test information for parents and students. The bulletin contains very important

information about the test and should be read carefully. Easter Raffle

We will be holding our very popular Easter Raffle commencing with a Mufti Day on Friday 27 March when the cost to come in mufti is an Easter egg for the raffle. Raffle tickets will cost 50c each or 3 for $1. Raffle tickets will be sent home Thursday 26 March, one to each student and will be drawn on Wednesday 8 April. Extra tickets are available from the office. Tickets are to be returned to school Tuesday 7 April. If you are selling tickets to people outside the school community could you please include your child’s name on the ticket as it becomes a logistical nightmare trying to contact winners who we do not know and who don’t answer their phones. Last year’s Easter raffle had 114 prizes. The money raised will go towards purchasing electrical circuit kits for our Maker Space. We again ask for donations of baskets for our first five or so prizes. We will not be wrapping the rest of the prizes to save on excess packaging. Thank you in advance for the support of this extremely popular fundraiser. Another reminder will go into the newsletter the day before the Easter Raffle Mufti Day.

Year 3 and 4 Cockatoo Island Excursion

Thank you to everyone for returning your expression of interest forms so promptly. We are happy to report that the overnight excursion will go ahead in Term 3 on Thursday 24 September to Friday 25 September. A note with more information and final costings will be sent home once we have finalised bookings for each component of the excursion. If would like to begin paying for this excursion we are happy to keep fees in advance for you. Once the cost is finalised we will let you know your balance.

Headlice

Unfortunately we need to inform parents that head lice have been found in students of our school. We recommend that all parents check and treat their children and family members so that we can eradicate this recurring problem before it becomes any worse. You should be looking for eggs or nits. These appear as tiny silvery white specks attached to the hair shaft near the scalp. Dandruff and hairspray may look similar but these are easily brushed away, the eggs are not. Other signs of lice infestation may be red rash and scratch marks on the scalp, nape of the neck or behind the ears. Department of Education policy dictates that students with live lice must be excluded from school. It is therefore essential that all children’s hair should be inspected on a regular basis, as prevention of head lice is easier than cure. Thank you for your support and time in this matter.

Stewart House 2020 Donation Drive

Stewart House is a children’s charity supported by the Department of Education that provides short term respite care for children in need. Envelopes were sent home today. Please make a donation of at least $2 and return it to school by Friday 15 May. By returning this envelope with a $2 donation you could win a $4000 family holiday. Please support this very worthwhile charity.

Ukele Group

The Ukulele Group will be starting next week on a trial basis. Notes have been sent home today to those students who expressed interest in joining the group.

Harmony Day

We are celebrating Harmony Day next Friday 20 March. Students are invited to dress in multicultural or orange mufti on the day and will participate in cultural and anti-bullying activities in classrooms. We will hold our Harmony Day parade from 10.15am in the hall and all family and friends are welcome to attend. Toddlers are welcome to dress up and parade with their older siblings too. Following the parade, we will be taking a whole school photo to show our commitment to a bully-free school, and we'd love our mums, dads and siblings to join us in the photo. And of course, we'd love you to stay for a picnic recess afterwards. We look forward to seeing you next Friday for Harmony Day!

Easter Hat Parade

We will be holding an Easter Hat Parade on Wednesday 8 April. Family and friends are welcome to join us. Our annual Easter raffle will be drawn at the parade. More information to follow.

Amy Ball

Administration

Assembly

Assembly is fortnightly at 2pm on Friday in the hall unless otherwise communicated. The next assembly will be TOMORROW Friday 13 March.

Expression of Interest for Placement in Year 7 2020

Expression of Interest forms went home today to all Year 6 students. These forms must be returned by Friday 20 March. If you are applying for an out of zone government high school and do not return this form by this date you could miss out on first round offers. If your child is attending a private school in Year 7 please tick Box E, sign and return. These forms must be returned by all students regardless of whether they are attending a private or public high school.

Tell Them From Me survey

2020 Student survey Semester One – Tell Them From Me

This term, our school, like many other public schools in the state, will participate in a Department of Education initiative: the Tell Them From Me student feedback survey. The survey measures factors that are known to affect academic achievement and other student outcomes. The focus of the NSW-wide survey is on student wellbeing, engagement and effective teaching practices.

More information about the survey is available at: http://surveys.cese.nsw.gov.au

The survey is a great opportunity for our students to provide us with valuable and quick feedback on what they think about school life, how engaged they are with school and the different ways that teachers interact with them. More than 6,300 schools in Australia and around the world have used Tell Them From Me to survey 5.4 million students. Capturing the voices of our students will help improve how we do things at our school.

I want to assure you that the survey is confidential. The survey is conducted online and will typically take less than 30 minutes to complete. It will be administered during school hours between 9 March and 8 May. Participating in the survey is entirely voluntary.

A consent form and FAQs for parents/carers about the survey is being sent home with students. If you do not want your child or children to participate, please return the form to school by 20 March, 2020. Copies of the form and FAQs are available from: http://surveys.cese.nsw.gov.au/information-for-parents.

The consent form and FAQs are available in 23 languages.

If you would like further information, please contact me on 4367 7444.

Thank you - Rebecca Rodwell - Assistant Principal

Green Dream Team News

Clean Up Day

Thank you to all our students for helping clean up our school for Schools Clean Up Day last week. We really are very lucky to have such a beautiful school and we are proud of our students for looking after the environment. Thank you to Mrs Papps for coordinating our clean up this year.

Chook Food

A reminder that the Green Dream Team are giving away free food for your chickens! To get your hands on this juicy, delicious food, simply grab a bucket from our chook food stand near the front gate to the school and return it the following day.

Amy Ball

Library

Premier’s Reading Challenge 2020

It’s that time of year again. The Premier’s Reading Challenge (PRC) began on March 2 and continues until August 28. The challenge aims to encourage a love of reading for leisure and pleasure in students, and to enable them to experience quality literature. It is not a competition but a challenge to each student to increase their reading volume and read more widely. I strongly encourage all students to participate. During library time students in K–2 will be read a book from the PRC list each lesson and I will add this to their online reading log. 3–6 students are expected to record books on their reading log independently. Students can access the student site through the following link.

https://online.det.nsw.edu.au/prc/studentExperience.html#/

Further information and rules can be located on the above link.

Thank You – Loren Ireland – Teacher Librarian

Canteen

CANTEEN IS ONLY OPEN FRIDAYS FOR RECESS AND LUNCH

Don’t forget to checkout our Facebook page -https://www.facebook.com/groups/101340980385866/

Search Holgate P&C Canteen or follow the link to find us and keep up to date with what’s going on. You can also like our volunteer post and choose which date you can help out. If you can spare from 10.30 to 11.30 or 12.30 to 1.30 will help a lot. Thanks.

Please complete lunch orders on a brown lunch paper bag (no small zip lock bags) with CHILDS NAME, CLASS and ORDER with prices and please include payment. There are still orders coming in without a class on them.

Recess items on the menu are only sold over the counter at recess. Please don’t order recess items on lunch orders. Just come at recess and say g’day and it will be ready.

Ice blocks, chips and drinks will all be sold over the counter at lunch. Drinks can be ordered on the lunch order and will be placed in the bag with lunch.

Please double check all currency. Australian dollars only please. Canteen menu is available on the school website and also Skoolbag app.

See you all tomorrow.

Cheers - Richard Shedden - Canteen Co-ordinator