Attendance

Attendance at school is compulsory, however, if your child is not feeling well, keeping them at home to recover from their illness is the best thing. If they are displaying cold/flu like symptoms then you will need to take your child for a Covid-19 test and provide the school with the result. We completely understand that it is inconvenient for working parents, but school is not a place to recover from an illness. If your child is away from school you need to notify the school when they return as to the reason for their absence via a note addressed to your child’s teacher. If you believe that your child is going to be away from school for more than a few days please ring the office and let us know. Thank you for your understanding with this matter.

As we know school is a very important part of a child’s life. As such taking holidays during the school term is discouraged by the NSW Department of Education. If this is unavoidable please provide the school with a written note with the reason and dates you will be away. The school is not able to provide a certificate for Extended Leave for this type of leave and your child will be marked as Unauthorised Leave.

Swimming Carnival

Yesterday’s swimming carnival was a great success despite the disappointment of parents not being able to attend. I apologise for this disappointment, however, as a school we could not meet the pool’s guidelines to run a Covid-19 safe carnival. I thank all parents and carers for their cooperation with this event. The students had a wonderful day, with many students competing throughout the day. There was one school record broken, well done Sam!

A huge thank you to Mrs Ford for all her organisation. At this stage the Beecroft Zone PSSA Swimming carnival is going ahead. Early next week we should have the guidelines for this carnival and those who are attending will receive their notes accordingly.

SZ App

The school regularly uses the SZ app to send out important information relating to the organisation of the school. Please take the time to check your settings for this year as all the class groups have been updated.

Meet the Teacher Night

Meet the teacher will take place virtually next Tuesday 16 February. Unfortunately due to Covid-19, we are unable to hold them in the classrooms like previous years. Each teacher will hold a 30 minute Zoom session where they will go through the running of their class. They will also be sending home a Learning Overview prior to the night to assist you with organisation. If you have any questions after the presentation please email the school and attention it to your child’s teacher and they will respond to you.

• Kindergarten 5pm-5:30pm
• Stage 1 (Years 1 & 2) 5:30pm-6pm
• Stage 2 (Years 3 & 4) 6pm-6:30pm
• Stage 3 (Years 5 & 6) 6:30pm-7pm

Each teacher will send out their unique meeting code to the class via a note and an SZ app notification.

Change of Details

It is very important to notify the school’s office if any of your personal details change. Please take the time to ensure that the information we have is up to date with your mailing address, residential address and most importantly phone numbers. We have had instances this year where the numbers provided to the school are no longer connected. This makes it more difficult for the staff to contact you when necessary.

If you are not sure whether your details are accurate please email the school with your correct information.

Family Law related matters

Lastly, a friendly reminder on two family law related matters. 

Firstly; the school is not the appropriate place for family disputes to be resolved nor is it appropriate for school staff to resolve such issues. Where separated parents cannot agree on what is in the child’s best interests, it is the court, not the school, to determine those interests. We urge parents in these situations to expeditiously take steps to obtain court orders relating to issues impacting on the school and provide the school a copy of any orders obtained. The school makes decisions based primarily on what is considered in the best educational interests of the child.

Secondly; we understand that we have very busy families and on occasions parents ask the support of other family members or friends to pick up students during school hours for appointments. This school insists on written permission from parents to release students to the care of others. The necessity of this permission does include grandparents who are not the main carer of the child. At PHPS we take the safety and care of your child very seriously. Where an unexpected emergency has occurred and a signed permission note is not possible, we insist on a phone conversation between a parent and a staff member to verify permission.

Principal’s Awards

K-2 = Ethan F, Emily H, Jade T, Evie B, Richard M

Kind Regards

Mr Matt Pinchbeck
Principal

First Day of Kindergarten

Welcome to our beautiful Kindergarten students who had their first day with us on Wednesday last week and their first full day yesterday. There will be some tired little people come Friday afternoon but they are all happy and very settled. Welcome to all of our new families! Although Covid restrictions have hindered some of the social aspects associated with pick up and drop off, you will soon see how wonderfully welcoming our school community is. Please consider attending and joining the P&C, they do so much for our school and are always looking for new recruits.

Covid may have assisted our new Kindys in settling in with ease, they are learning the new routines of school life and know how to say goodbye to their parents/carers on drop off without much fuss. Some photos of their first day are below.           

     

Kind Regards

Mrs Kate Wasson

Deputy Principal

1A - Michelle A, Eleanor P

1E - Ethan F, David H, Luca H

1M - Alex C, Chloe H

1/2P - Henry J, Grace P

2A - Tommy J, Kira B, Nathalie H

2B - Emilija L, Jayden S, Emily H

2W - Emily L, Aroon M, Jade T

Scholastic Book Club – Issue 1 Orders Close Tomorrow

Twice a term Scholastic Book Club catalogues, featuring an array of books and other items, are made available to the students to take home if they wish to do so.  The catalogues can also be viewed on the Scholastic Australia website.  In turn, our school receives reward points from the orders that are placed and these are used to purchase a range of educational resources. 

As was the case last year parents place their own orders online. Consequently, the school does not accept cash or cheque payments. If you wish to order from the Book Club catalogue you will need to go to the Scholastic Book Club LOOP website page, register/update your details if you haven’t already done so and then pay by credit card.  After the closing date for that issue your order will be sent directly to the school and distributed.

A reminder that the closing date for Issue 1 online orders is tomorrow - Wednesday 10 February. 

How do I register and order?

1. Go to the Scholastic Book Club LOOP website to register your details. You will need to enter your name, email address and a password.  Click on “Add new child” and using the drop-down menu locate our school and your child’s class.   If you have children on both sites you may decide to register and place your entire order just with one child to save time.

2. Enter your child’s first name and their surname initial. Please note that Scholastic does not share student details with third parties or use this information for marketing purposes.  This information is for distribution when the order arrives at the school.

3. Click on “ORDER” and enter the item number from the Book Club catalogue and follow the prompts to make payment by credit card.

4. All orders are processed after the closing date and delivered to the school to be distributed.

Please note there is no need to return a paper order form or payment receipts to the school.

2021 Library Monitors – Semester 1

Many thanks to the Year 6 students who have volunteered to be library monitors this semester. They fulfil a vital role in keeping the library open before school and at lunch time for the benefit of all students on the 3-6 site. They undertake many duties such as: borrowing and returning books, presenting library reports at assemblies, assisting students with book selection and shelving. 

At the moment they are in training and on a huge learning curve. It has been really pleasing to see how enthusiastically they have accepted their new responsibilities.  2021 is definitely going to be a great library year!

Semester 1 – Library Monitors

6M - Kate A, Lauren P, Gabi C, Eve K, Mary P

6R - Jacqui M, Isabelle K, Ayaana S, Haniya K, Rhia D, Ava N 

6S - Lizzie M, Alanna K, Ameya A, Myrah C, Shirin G, Malavika P, Darcy P, Maysa G, Hafsa M

Ms Davis

Teacher Librarian

Congratulations and a big thank you to the children who have volunteered to be computer monitors this semester!

This requires them to give up their own play time to help supervise the free time sessions before school and at lunch time for those children who wish to come into the lab. They help younger children who need it, and make sure that the work spaces are left in a satisfactory condition. They also assist in various organisational tasks like computer audits and making sure the headsets are in good working order. They perform their duties with my assistance and supervision, and always with a smile!

Well done everyone!

Our team

Callum H, Callum R, Elijah L, Rebecca G, Abigail N, Martha M, Zoe C, Eden K, Akhash K, Celine A, Shwe M, Mihira Y, Margareth M, Mathew M, Ishaan P, Renee C and Kayla Y

Diane Maddison

Computer Coordinator

Welcome to all the new families who have joined our school and community. You’ve joined the best school around and if you need anything at all, please reach out and ask. Everyone is happy to help you settle into our awesome PHPS family. 

Thank you to Peta P, Christine L & Bec S for organising the tea and tissues packs at late notice, they were very well received!

Congratulations to all the kids who participated in the swimming carnival, we hope you all had a great fun day! 

P&C Information and Class List Details

This week you’ll receive some information home and we ask that you complete your details for each of your children’s classes this year using the QR Codes; the links are also below. The information will be used to create your class list so that your teacher, school and P&C can communicate with you by email. 

Please complete one for each child at PHPS by the end of this week, Sunday 14 Feb.

Kinder link - https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BZ2CL2R

Year 1 link - https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HKTM73L

Year 2 link - https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/H8S2DSC

Year 3 link -  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/H8ZLK3G

Year 4 link - https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HLQSF6G

Year 5 link - https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HLZH8HS

Year 6 link - https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HVGCFKP

Our 2021 Business Directory is OUT NOW

Read now: https://tinyurl.com/y3hsf7pp

We are all keen to minimise our waste and choosing sustainable products and packaging can really deliver….

There are all sorts of nature friendly technologies gaining in popularity, including bamboo utensils, recycled / reusable and compostable bags and wax wraps. In researching this article we even came across a raw linen insulated lunchbox – who would have thought!

Also have a think about what you put in the lunch box - individually wrapped chips and biscuits create more waste than buying a bigger packet and using a reusable container. It's also a lot cheaper!

So next time you are at the shops with the kids have a look around and see what you can find, be brave and give it a go.

Send us your stories and we will include them in future Green Team updates.

Enquiries to phpsgreenteam@gmail.com

If you would like to subscribe to our P&C meeting emails (minutes and agendas), 

please subscribe at the following link: http://eepurl.com/dlK3PD

Andrew Passé-de Silva

President, PHPS P&C

pandcpresident@gmail.com

0410 653 878

The uniform shop has now reopened for all sales and service with the following procedures put in place:

 
Covid-19 Operating Protocols

 
The Uniform Shop has reopened for over the counter sales and service.
However all parents are required to make an appointment before attending the Uniform Shop. This is to ensure that there is no overlapping of families or crowding and queuing at the shop.
All parents will be required to sign in and register at the 3-6 office before coming to the shop for their appointment. As a result of the sign in requirements, the Uniform Shop has had to adjust its operating hours and for the remainder of the term the shop will now open on Thursday mornings instead of Thursday afternoons.
To make an appointment at the Uniform Shop please use the following link:

https://calendly.com/phpsuniformshop/15minutes?month=2021-02

Uniform Shop Committee

We are currently seeking new members for the Uniform Shop Committee. The committee meets just once a term to discuss and monitor the supply, quality and price of the school uniform. The committee members also provide assistance to new families at the Kinderlinks program. If you are interested in joining the committee please contact me on the below email address.

Girls Size 16 Summer Uniform

Please note the size 16 girl's Peter Pan collared short sleeve shirt and summer dresses have sold out. Due to the lengthy manufacturing time, these will not be available until September.

Second Hand Uniforms

If you have any size 14 and size 16 uniforms in good condition that you no longer require please consider donating them to the Uniform Shop.

PSSA Socks

The navy PSSA football / softball socks in sizes 2-7 and 7-11 are available for sale at the Uniform Shop for $8.50. The socks can also be purchased online through Felxischools, but prices will include the Flexischools' surcharge. 

Ordering Uniforms

Uniforms can be ordered by making an appointment at the Uniform Shop during opening hours, or alternatively an order form can be completed and together with payment of cash, cheque or card details handed in at either office. Orders will be filled and then delivered to the children’s classes. A combined pricelist and order form can be downloaded from the school website by following the links to Our School and What We Offer. Uniforms can also be ordered online through Flexischools, however prices will include the Flexischools’ surcharge.

Please note that uniform orders cannot be paid via the school online payment service

Order forms are available on the school website by following the link to Our School.

https://pennanthil-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/p/pennanthil-p/about-our-school/uniform-shop/Term_1_2021_Order_Form_and_Price_List.pdf

Hours

Monday and Tuesday 8:45am – 10:45am

Thursday revised to 8:45am – 10:45am

Alison Parker

Uniform Shop Manager

phpsuniformshop@gmail.com

We're Back!!!

We are open for lunch orders at both sites every day!

Recess orders are available for the 3-6 site Wednesday - Friday

Frozen treats are available to order on Fridays.

All ordering is through the Flexischools app or website.

We have had a couple of offers to help in the canteen, which is wonderful!! More offers would be even better so that we don’t have to rely so heavily on our existing volunteers.

I volunteered in the canteen at my daughters’ primary school for a number of years before taking on this role, and I always loved it, as did my girls.

No experience is required; our canteen is a very friendly and happy place. Have no fear of what might be expected of you, it’s all very basic stuff. I would love to hear from anyone who is interested!

   

This Week’s Roster

K-2 site:

Friday 12 February - Rebecca Davey and Kate Ashton

   

3-6 Site:

Wednesday 10 February - Claire P

Thursday 11 February - Help needed please

Friday 12 February - Narelle and Stef

  

Heather Tyler

0425 274 681

canteenphps@gmail.com

2021 Training Band 

Training band students should all have received their red books, and blue folders last week. Please talk to their tutors and ensure they're working with the books and the worksheets, and encourage your child as they practice. The more they practice, the faster they'll progress.

Intermediate Band

At the time of writing we urgently need a parent helper for this week's rehearsal. A parent from a student in Group 1 would be ideal, just in case we need to implement the wet weather option.

SCB - Monday Afternoon Rehearsals

If you're attending Monday afternoon rehearsals, please encourage your child to get to the music room as soon as possible after the bell goes. It's a short rehearsal and if we need to move gear outside then rehearsal time is very limited.

Rehearsals

Like last year, due to COVID we have social distancing requirements at rehearsals, so all bands have been placed into 2 groups. On fine and sunny days band members from both groups would attend the rehearsal, which will be done on the grass outside the band room. On days where it's raining or the ground is too wet only the group assigned to rehearse that day would attend.

Senior Concert Band

Group 1 - Brass, Bass guitar & Percussion: Monday afternoons 3:30pm - 4:30pm

Group 2 - Woodwind: Thursday mornings 7:30am - 9am

Intermediate Concert Band - Wednesday 7:30am – 9am

Group 1: Brass, Bass guitar, Bass Clarinet, Tenor Sax & Percussion - Odd weeks

Group 2: Clarinets, Flutes, Alto Saxs and Percussion - Even weeks

Training Band - Friday 8am – 9am  

Group 1: Woodwind & Percussion - Odd weeks

Group 2: Brass, bass guitars & Percussion - Even weeks 

Your conductors will be making the decision on wet weather so please keep an eye on the WhatsApp group for messages from them.

Worksheets

Please make sure you print off the new set of worksheets for your child to work on. They can be found on the Band web pages here. We're also working on a new way to submit these so keep an eye on your email inbox for these details when we have it finalised. In the meantime, if you have one ready to submit, please take photos of them and send through all completed worksheets (or AMEB results) to phpsband+worksheets@gmail.com

Parent Helpers

Doodle polls are now open to fill in for Parent Helper slots. Please remember the band doesn't function without parent helpers and if we don't have a parent helper for a rehearsal it cannot go ahead. 

At the time of writing we still need a parent helper for ICB. Just a reminder, if we do not have a parent helper for a rehearsal it will be canceled.  

A big thank you to this week's helpers, Liz B & Helena N.

BASC

If your child attends BASC on a rehearsal afternoon or morning, please ensure you let them know so they can make arrangements to ensure your child is in the right place at the right time.

Jazz Band

The plan is to have Jazz band auditions on the Thursday morning rehearsal of week 4. Watch this space and your emails.

Piano Players - Jazz band auditions are open to piano players who are not currently in the band program. Playing standard needs to be around AMEB grade 5-6+.

Future Committee Members

We've sorted out our committee members for this year, but would still love to get some interest from parents of current year 2 students who are looking to join the band program next year.

We have a number of people in key positions who will be leaving the school at the end of the year. If you think your child is going to be in band next year, and you're keen to help out with the band program, we'd love to hear from you.

Remember the band program doesn't run without a well-functioning band committee and volunteers. If we can't get enough help there's always the possibility that the band program could disappear.

Pennant Hills Public School Band Committee

phpsband@gmail.com

Website: http://www.phpspandc.org.au/band/