Blacktown North Public School Telephone: 9622 2277 1 Bessemer Street Facsimile: 9831 3519 Blacktown NSW 2148 Principal: Carmen Cefai www.blacktownn-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Term 3 Week 8 3rd September 2021

We respect and acknowledge the Dharruk people as the traditional custodians of this land.

The Principal’s Message Dads are most ordinary men turned by love into heroes, adventurers, story tellers and singers of song. Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome to Week 8.

Much has been said about the effects of remote

learning on families and children's schooling in the last

weeks and I thought I would share with you some

insights from Professor Jenny Gore and Pasi Sahlberg.

Prof Jenny Gore, is the head of the Teachers and

Teaching Research Centre at the University of

Newcastle where they released a study earlier this

year on the impact of the eight-week NSW lockdown

of last year.

She states that “I find the term ‘learning loss’ really

problematic because it suggests students lost learning.

Well, they didn’t lose. They didn’t go backwards.

What we found was that all students, at least on

average, were learning and gaining new knowledge

and so on throughout last year.”

Professor Gore also says there is no evidence yet for

the impacts of repeated lockdowns. “It is unknown,”

she says. “I think, based on the evidence so far, my

best guess would be to say that student learning is

going to be OK.”

Pasi Sahlberg is the deputy director of UNSW’s

Gonski Institute for Education and like many parents

is in lockdown with two primary school aged children.

He states that “The kids just can’t do this every day.

It just cannot happen. My message to parents is to not

feel guilty about it.”

Sahlberg also says that it is the non-academic factors

in children’s lives that have more impact on later

success: “Much more important powerful things that

explain children’s success and future are often not the

academic skills, and those are exactly the things that

children can learn outside the school,” he says.

“The mistake that we can sometimes make is that we

are quick to ask about learning losses, but we forget

to ask what these kids have learned during this

disruption.”

Spring is here-enjoy the sunshine.

The education and wellbeing of our students is of the utmost importance to us and we look forward to working with you. We have high expectations for your children both academically and socially.

Yours in partnership, Mrs Carmen Cefai Principal

Food for thought from Mrs cefai

This sunday is FaTher’s day.

BLACKTOWN NORTH PUBLIC SCHOOL

1 Bessemer Street

BLACKTOWN NSW 2148 TELEPHONE: 9622-2277/2968 FAX 9831-3519

E-MAIL blacktownn-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au PRINCIPAL: MRS CARMEN CEFAI

26th August 2021

Dear parents and carers As many of you are aware of the Afghan crisis. We have many families and some staff that have families and friends in Afghanistan, this would be a very difficult time for all these families. Our thoughts are with our community at this time as the COVID situation struggles to improve and for many families the crisis in Afghanistan increases threats to loved ones. Please be aware that these circumstances can lead to stress symptoms. Some suggestions for wellbeing break throughout the day:

• A gentle stretching or exercise

• A phone call/video call with a friend

• Taking time to draw or paint

• Playing a game with a household member

• Going outside and noticing small, beautiful things

• Taking five deep breaths with slow exhale Please contact the school if you or your child requires further support during these uncertain times. Students from Afghan backgrounds or with association with Afghanistan may need additional support please call the school to connect with the school counsellor. STARTTS’ contact details-9646 6800 helps support people living with refugee trauma. Please reach out- WE ARE STILL HERE.

Yours sincerely Mrs Carmen Cefai Principal

To the following students who will celebrate a birthday in September 2021

DOMINIC FILIPE RONBIR CHOWDHURY ROHAN SHRESTHA

JIA MEHTA POOJAN PATEL DENMARC PABUSTAN NAMIT ARORA

ABHINAV VENKATESH KAVYA SUTARIA SUSAN NAZARI

SHAURYA SHARMA RAYAN BUDATHOKI LARISSA MORCOMBE

AARUSH PRAJAPATI PRISHA PATEL KEERATNOOR KAUR

JULIAN TULIFAU ISAAC MITREVSKI AGAMBIR SINGH SHRAVAN SHAJI

ABHIGNA CHHETRI GHARTI ADAM KERDI ALVEERA SAMAD

AMANAT KAUR THIND JACOB ACE ANDERSON RAGHAV KUMAWAT

Mrs. Lam Mrs. Kalra

CHANGE OF DETAILS

Just a reminder that it is very important to change your details at the

office each time your phone number, address, email or emergency

contacts change. We need to be able to contact parents at all times & send

mail to the correct address.

PHONE CALL

If you are calling the office during after hours, can you please make sure

to leave your name and number clearly so that we can call you back.

SCHOOL APPS

Please like and follow our Facebook page &download our Skoolbag app.

We upload fortnightly newsletters and current activities to this app.

Anything that is posted on the Skoolbag app will be pushed through to

the email you signed up with. You can also process your child’s leave

through this app.