Term 2 Week 6 2021 Principal’s Award - Archie

Archie is a kind and considerate student who always shows respect to everyone around him. He is a dedicated and focused learner in the classroom who listens carefully and always does his personal best. Archie is the first to offer help to both his teachers and peers and is often seen using his own time to do so. He is a responsible student and a fantastic role model for others.

Principal’s Award - Leo Leo is a happy, friendly and enthusiastic student, whose positive attitude to all school activities and learning makes him a valued member of his class and the school. Leo is always focused on his learning and always tries to do his personal best. When things are challenging he uses his strategies, and is resilient and persistent. Leo consistently shows a respectful attitude to staff and students and is always making sure that he is following the school rules. In class he loves to help and encourage others and celebrates other's success. Well done Leo for showing responsibility, respect and absolutely always doing your personal best!

Afternoon Pick Up – School Grounds We are delighted to have our community back onsite for afternoon pick up. Please remember to wait in the COLA of an afternoon, not outside the classroom of your child. Thank you for your understanding.

Student Safety – Drop Off and Pick Up The school has had a number of concerned community members contact the school to express concern over the poor choices some parents and carers are making when dropping students off and collecting students of an afternoon. Please ensure you are following the road rules, in particular rules in relation to parking. Students are required to cross roads and often have their vision obstructed due to the illegal parking of some community members. The school is very concerned that one of our students will be injured as a result. The local ranger has been asked to do regular patrols of our school over the coming weeks.

Attendance – Every Day Counts! Congratulations to our students who have worked incredibly hard to increase their attendance this term. The school is continuing to monitor the attendance of students and will contact the parents and carers of students sitting at or below 90% attendance for the year. Often parents and carers don’t realise that a day here and there has a significant impact to the learning and development of students but it is important to remember that every day counts. A day of missed school is a day of missed learning experiences. Week 1: 96.88% Week 2: 92.5% Week 3: 93.9% Week 4: 95.4% Week 5: 92.5%

School Caps The school has been phasing out our old school caps and moving to a broad brimmed hat over the past three years. From the beginning of Term 3 students will no longer be able to wear a cap to school and will be required to wear the school hat. School hats can be purchased from the office for $15. If you are unable to purchase a new hat please contact the office.

Head Lice We have had a number of reported cases of head lice over the past few weeks. Please take the time to check your child’s hair and treat where necessary. For more information please go to NSW Health_Head lice on how to treat head lice.

Facebook Thank you to Mrs Lyden for the beautiful, fun and creative facelift to our school Facebook page. Just a reminder that this is a space to share the wonderful things happening in our school, this is NOT a space to ask questions. If you have a question about something that is happening at school please contact the office. Questions will not be answered on our Facebook page, thank you for your understanding.

Leave I will be on leave from Wednesday 16th of June until the end of the term. Mrs Samuels will be Relieving Principal in my absence.

Staying Well A reminder to our families that if students are displaying any signs of illness students are to stay home. We are seeing an increasing number of students attending school and being sent home throughout the day as they are not well. As we continue to navigate the COVID pandemic we need to remain vigilant and keep students home when they are showing possible signs of illness.

NSW Health Recommendation NSW Health has requested that schools encourage anyone who is unwell or has even mild flu-like symptoms, to arrange to be tested through their local medical practitioner or one of the COVID-19 clinics. Students and staff with flu-like symptoms need to be tested and provide a copy of a negative COVID-19 test result and be symptom-free before being permitted to return to school. Students who do not undertake a COVID-19 test will not be permitted to return to school for a 10-day period. Additionally, they must be symptom-free for at least 3 days prior to returning to school. Students who have seasonal allergic rhinitis or another condition that presents similarly to flu-like symptoms are still required to get tested for COVID-19 and return a negative test result. Where their symptoms continue beyond 10 days, students should provide documentation from their GP confirming their symptoms are typical for their condition. If the student develops new or changed symptoms, they should get tested for COVID-19. Find more information about COVID-19 symptoms. COVID-19 testing for students with complex health or disability may be challenging. In these situations, schools will ask the parent or carer to have their child assessed by their medical practitioner. Where a medical practitioner determines that a COVID-19 test is not required, documentation must be provided to the school to confirm that the student does not have symptoms that warrant a COVID-19 test. The certificate must also indicate that the student is able to return to school.

Louise Dunn

Principal

Debating On Wednesday, the 12th May, selected Year 6 students competed in a debating competition at Merewether Heights Public School. Hayden, Ruby, Lilly and Ruby all represented our school, arguing for the affirmative team. The topic that they chose was “all classrooms should adopt a dog or cat.” They all gave such great arguments and rebutted effectively, however didn’t come away with the win this time. We are looking forward to hosting Cardiff South Public School in the next few weeks, where they will put what they learned from this debate into action. Congratulations Hayden, Ruby ,Lilly and Ruby on a fantastic debate!

Quality Teaching Rounds (QTR) This year our staff are participating in a wonderful teaching and learning opportunity, Quality Teaching Rounds (QTR).

QTR involves three or more teachers working together to observe and analyse lessons in each other's classroom based on the Quality Teaching Framework. As teachers observe and discuss teaching, they become more aware of their strengths and what they can improve to help their students learn.

Over the next few terms teachers will be observing each other in their classrooms as part of this program. It is a great opportunity for all of our staff and students and we look forward to sharing the impact of this program throughout the year!

Term 2 Sport Update

PSSA Gala Days

Crossroads Stage 2 and 3 Soccer and Netball Gala days:

Term 2, Friday 4th and 18th June.

Soccer is at Stevenson Park, Mayfield

Netball is at Cardiff Netball courts, Cardiff

Girls Northern NSW Soccer Gala Day - Stage 2/3 Girls:

Term 2, Tuesday 22nd June

Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility, Speers Point

Athletics Carnival Our school Athletics Carnival is fast approaching and we are looking forward to a day of fun and fitness. It will be held on Tuesday 8th June, 2021 at Neegulbah Park (Macquarie Hills). Please be reminded that this event includes all students from Kindergarten to Year 6 and their attendance is expected like any other school day. Students are to wear their sport uniform or house colour. Parents are welcome to attend and we ask that you stay behind the fenced area. Please remember to socially distance and to stay home if you’re feeling unwell.

FROM THE OFFICE

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Environment News Totally Trash Free Tuesday has been running for 2 weeks now and the students are enthusiastic. They are either packing their lunch in containers, some do 5 days a week, and others have taken their rubbish back home with them. Classroom compost buckets and the playground green bin is still available for food scraps. The classrooms still have a general rubbish bin for tissues (hygiene purposes).

World Bee Day was Thursday 20th May. Classes worked on bee artworks or researched the importance of bees and other pollinators. The Rockets are making bug hotels from Milo tins filled with natural materials. These will be mounted in a pollinator’s garden that the Rockets are helping design, then pricing materials and plants.

Monday 24th May, 2 groups of students attended a Waste Warrior Workshop delivered at school by Karen from Lake Macquarie City Council. The students were mainly talking about the 3 bin waste disposal system Lake Macquarie residents have at home, but we also referred to the RedCycle and Return and Earn we have at school.

Students were asked where they thought household rubbish went once the red bin was collected from their home by the truck. A photo of the landfill at Awaba Waste Management Facility was shown. A discussion was had about the types of waste and the amount that goes into landfill. 1500kg per person per year average. That’s a lot of waste.

A strong message was ‘Your trash is someone else’s treasure!’ Clothing, toys, books can be given to someone younger, donated to charity or go to the school clothing pool (uniform shop).

2020 saw a dramatic increase in the use of disposable masks and gloves. This has had tragic results for whales, fish, seabirds, turtles and many other animals. Gloves are mistaken for jellyfish, a favorite food of turtles. The elastic on masks has a risk of entanglement on a variety of birds, fish and animals. If you need to wear a disposable mask cut the elastic before disposing so that doesn’t happen.

Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

Julie Brewer

Classroom News – Martians Students in the Kindergarten Martians have been working hard to develop their reading skills and have made amazing progress in their first 6 months of school. Look at us go!

Classroom News – Milky Ways

Classroom News – Rockets

Congratulations to all the winners, who were lucky enough to share a milkshake with Mrs Dunn this fortnight.

Monday

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL)

Week 6/7 Our PBL focus this week is being accepting of others • Being accepting of everyone and their differences

Canteen News

GSPS Canteen Roster

Fri 28th May 2021 Karra

Wed 2nd June 2021 Sarah

Thurs 3rd June 2021 Juliet

Fri 4th June 2021 Karra

Tues 8th June 2021 Athletics Carnival Help needed

Thurs 10th June 2021 Sabina

Fri 11th June 2021 Karra

Upcoming Events 28 May 2021 PSSA Regional Cross Country

31 May 2021 P&C Meeting

3 June 2021 Star Struck Rehearsal 8.30 – 10.30am

4 June 2021 PSSA Crossroads Netball and Soccer Gala Day

8 June 2021 Athletics Carnival

14 June 2021 Public holiday - Queen’s birthday

15 June 2021 Sydney Zoo Yrs K – 2 Excursion

17 June 2021 Star Struck Rehearsal

18 June 2021 Star Struck 7PM

18 June 2021 PSSA Crossroads Netball and Soccer Gala Day

19 June 2021 Star Struck 1.30PM

22 June 2021 PSSA Girls Northern NSW Soccer Gala Day