CHATTERBOX Panania Public School 21A Lawler Street, Panania NSW 2213

Phone: 9773 9017 Email: panania-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au

www.panania-p.schools.nsw.gov.au

Term 2

Week 3

13/5/2020

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE Returning to school in Term 2

Term 2 is well underway and this week we welcomed students as they returned to school one day per week. Careful planning for the return of students has provided the opportunity for teachers to reconnect with their students and focus on individual needs. In coming weeks it is expected that days will increase as the number of COVID-19 cases continue to decline within NSW. See attached plan: managed approach in returning to school. Recently, life has been somewhat different and without a doubt overwhelming at times. I would like to acknowledge and applaud all students, their parents/carers and families for showing such strength in adapting to and engaging with remote learning. Despite this, some parents continue to express some anxiety about the amount of schooling their children have received in the past several weeks. World renowned leading educator and chairman of the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL), Professor John Hattie urges parents not to panic. Australia has one of the longest school days and school years from around the world. If we were to take out a whole term of 10 weeks due to COVID-19 then Australian would still have more in-school time compared to Finland, Estonia, Korea and Sweden, which continue to outscore Australia on PISA results. PISA is the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment. It measures the ability of students to meet real-life challenges by drawing on their knowledge and skills of reading, maths and science. To further illustrate, when the earthquakes hit Christchurch NZ in 2011 they severely disrupted schooling. There was no remote learning and on returning to school, results in final exams actually went up. This is because teachers tailored teaching and learning to what the students could not do. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-17/will-missing-school-due-to-covid-19-matter-for-school-students/12154266. Teachers are experts in identifying and meeting educational gaps in children’s learning. They will plan how to best support your children and match teaching and learning programs to extend their knowledge, skills and levels of competency. In focusing on the positives, I interviewed some outspoken students from Year 5 and asked them to share their thoughts about remote learning. They reported that when they are learning from home they get to:

- sleep in; - enjoy the warmth and comfort of their homes; - have ample time to get ready in the morning; - have breaks accompanied by TV; - spend time outdoors riding bikes and scooters; - spend time cooking and drawing with mums and dads; - enjoy the company of their pets; - enjoy better food at lunch; - stay indoors when the weather is rainy, windy or cold.

From our experiences will spring resiliency and tenacity with the ability to innovate and think creatively. From the darkness

will spring shining examples of light. New ways of being, thinking and doing. When we can, will we fall back into our old

lives and ways or are there lessons to be learned here? Perhaps, we now know that we can fully operate via a digital/virtual

world but perhaps we have come to a realisation that we do not want to?

Safe Health Practices

Panania Public School remains vigilant in maintaining safe hygiene and health practices. Each classroom is equipped with

hand sanitizer and antibacterial wipes. Classroom furniture has been rearranged to minimise physical interaction,

communal resources have been restricted and or rotated in-between use for cleaning and children are encouraged to wash

hands on a regular basis.

In terms of cleaning, we have secured an additional 1 hour of enhanced cleaning in the morning and additional 2.5 hours

during the day to wipe down hard surfaces, door handles, light switches, taps and outdoor seating. Student toilet blocks

will be cleaned after recess each day.

Staffing After a lengthy and robust application and interview process Miss Howell was successful in securing a permanent teaching position at Panania Public School which was left vacant by Mr Murphy’s retirement last year. We congratulate her and warmly welcome her as a permanent member of staff. The Panania family continues to grow as we also congratulate Mrs Deering on the birth of her daughter, born 20.4.2020. Both mother and newborn are doing well. A further addition to our staff is our school psychologist, Miss Panagiotaros, who will be onsite each Tuesday and Thursday during odd weeks and Thursday morning during even weeks. During staff development days at the beginning of term staff viewed a livestream held by the Department of Education in regards to the continuity of teaching and learning in schools for Term 2, engaged in Disability Standards for Education online training as well as training for working with students with additional needs, including Autism. Professional learning upskills staff and enables them to differentiate teaching and learning to meet the wide variety of needs within a class.

NATIONAL SORRY DAY

National Sorry Day is a day of healing

held on 26 May to commemorate the

mistreatment of the country’s

Indigenous people. It acknowledges

the pain, grief and suffering that the

Stolen Generations endured when they

were forcibly removed from their

families and communities. View the

Prime Minister’s full apology here:

https://info.australia.gov.au/about-

australia/our-country/our-

people/apology-to-australias-

indigenous-peoples

SCHOOL SPORT Like all things at the moment, school sport is in a holding pattern with an uncertain future for 2020. What we do know is that:

All SSW sport events have been cancelled for Term 2;

East Hills PSSA Season 2 has been cancelled in its current format for 2020; and

At this Stage, SSW Athletics Carnival scheduled for Term 3, Week 9 is still scheduled but we wait for future confirmation and announcements.

If inter-school sport can continue in Term 3, the EHD PSSA is looking at a number of alternative formats to ensure students can participate at some level in a variety of sports. For the moment, stay active! Keep your distance and follow protocols - then hopefully all things will be back to normal soon. Brett Dodd, Sports Coordinator.

APPLICATIONS FOR OPPORTUNITY CLASS ENTRY IN 2021

Applications for Opportunity Class entry in 2021 will be delayed until later in the year. Revised dates for applications and

tests will be announced as soon as they are confirmed.

KINDERGARTEN ONLINE LEARNING

All of Kindergarten have been working hard with learning from home. Thank you, parents and carers, for your support and dedication to your child’s education. Here is some highlights of the amazing work that Kindy have been doing. We are so proud of all the hard work each child has done. Miss J McIntyre, Miss M Thyrd and Miss C Crowley Kindergarten Teachers.

What does our name mean?

Why were we given our names?

By Jordan and Hilal

Science Diorama’s

Harvey, Aria, Zarah, James

Fine Motor Skills

Aadil and Eesa

Visual Arts

Freddie and Ella

Mathematics

Caspian and Cooper

YEAR 1 ONLINE LEARNING

YEAR 2 ONLINE LEARNING

Year 2 have learnt how to research and write information reports to provide interesting information

about a topic to the reader. We focused on animals because there are so many interesting things to

learn about all different types of animals. We even created our own imaginary animal information

reports which was lots of fun!

STAGE 2 ONLINE LEARNING (YEARS 3 & 4)

ANZAC DAY

Traditionally the K-6 students of Panania Public School commemorate ANZAC Day on the first Thursday of Term 2.

However, this year many of our students and families commemorated with their neighbours as they stood in their

driveways in the early hours of 25 April. It was truly a special occasion this year with young and old remembering those

who lost their lives in time of war and those who returned. We remember all the men and women who served our country

in the armed forces, past and present.

During home learning activities, students reflected on the spirit of the ANZAC’s and recognised the qualities of courage,

mateship and sacrifice which they passed onto us.

We would like to thank Mr John Shield’s, a veteran himself from the Vietnam War and a past parent of Panania Public

School for sharing a photo of the ANZAC Day Commemoration outside his house this year.

Follow the link to a series of poems that pay tribute to our Anzacs: https://anzacday.org.au/poetry

With their hair a little whiter, their step not quite so sure

Still they march on proudly as they did the year before.

Theirs were the hands that saved us, their courage showed the way

Their lives they laid down for us, that we may live today.

From Gallipoli's rugged hillsides, to the sands of Alamein

On rolling seas and in the skies, those memories will remain.

Of airmen and the sailors, of Lone Pine and Suvla Bay

The boys of the Dardenelles are remembered on this day.

They fought their way through jungles, their blood soaked desert sands

They still remember comrades who rest in foreign lands.

They remember the siege of old Tobruk, the mud of the Kokoda Trail

Some paying the supreme sacrifice with courage that did not fail.

To the icy land of Korea, the steamy jungles of Vietnam

And the heroic battle of Kapyong and that epic victory at Long Tan.

Fathers, sons and brothers, together they fought and died

That we may live in peace together, while at home their mothers cried.

When that final bugle calls them to cross that great divide

Those comrades will be waiting when they reach the other side.

Ken Bunker

SCHOOL RULES The rule we are focusing on for

Term 2, Weeks 3, 4 & 5 is:

Be Safe

You can support us at home by having discussions with your child/children about “Being Safe” and what this rule means in different settings.

SCHOOL VALUES Be Curious/Fairness

Please support us at home by having discussions with your child/children about what ‘being Curious and Fairness’ means at home, at school and in the community.

COVID-19 UPDATE

The best way to protect yourself from COVID-19 is the same way you would protect yourself from catching flu or other

respiratory illnesses.

For further information on COVID 19:

https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert

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

For information on remote learning: https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-

learning/curriculum/learning-from-home/advice-to-parents-and-carers

HELPFUL RESOURCES Please find attached resources to support you in talking about COVID-19 with your children. Being informed can alleviate anxiety and tension. Remember to stay positive, stay active and stay connected.

K-2 Support

material COVID19.pdf

3-6 support

material for COVID19.pdf

Special Needs

students social story for COVID19.pdf

Tips for isolation

20APS-IS-COVID-19-Isolation-P1.pdf