Pennant Hills Public School eNewsletter

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Welcome to Term 4

We hope all our families had a wonderful break and were able to spend some quality time together. The termly breaks are an ideal time to rest and recharge for our students and staff so they can come back relaxed, energised, and ready to learn and engage. On my walks around the grounds to see the students, most are settled and happy to be back. Looking forward to a busy and wonderful term ahead!

Bushfire Preparedness

We are now officially in Bushfire Season, and it is imperative that our community is not only prepared as a family but also aware of our Bushfire Response Plan. We are a Category 3 school, which means:

The school is in a bushfire prone area with moderate landscape-to-site bushfire risk. The school may need to proactively temporarily cease school operations when a catastrophic fire danger rating is issued by the Bureau of Meteorology or in line with local arrangements. The school will need to watch and act for all fire danger ratings.

Unfortunately, we have already had an ‘Extreme’ fire danger rating day this season.

Please keep in mind that the alert to proactively cease operations will be sent out via SZapp the EVENING before the day of temporary ceased operation. No staff member will be on site on such a day.

Essential Information:

The school's main form of communication.

Will be used during the evening if the the following day we are required to temporarily cease operations.

Enables you to create a watch zone for your local area and will notify you when there is a hazard in your watch zone.

A video detailing the app can be viewed here.

Mental Health Month – We all have a role to play

Mental Health Month is celebrated each year in the month of October in NSW. This month encourages all of us to think about our mental health and wellbeing, regardless of whether we may have a lived experience of mental illness or not. It also gives us the opportunity to understand the importance of good mental health in our everyday lives and encourages help seeking behaviours when needed. Mental Health Month is centred on World Mental Health Day –Today October 10th.

Whether it’s taking time to care for yourself, caring for someone close to you, supporting your community to be more mental health aware, or being a mental health ally. This mental health month, think about ways you can connect with the people around you. Making a world free from mental health stigma, and more inclusive for people who are going through tough times takes all of us! What roles will you play?

Kind Regards

Kate Wasson

Relieving Principal

Welcome back to term 4, another busy term of learning, fun and excitement.

Intro to Music Night

I am looking forward attending the Introduction to Music evening this Thursday.

Students are welcome to come along on Thursday at 5:50pm in the school hall. On the night we will hear from the senior band followed by students being able to try out the various band and string instruments.

Last term, Year 2 were lucky enough to have a demonstration from Dave Odams (band Coordinator) and some of our senior band students.

Come along and see what our band and string group offers.

Ball Games Carnival 3-6

On Wednesday 11 October we will be holding our annual ball games carnival. All students are encouraged to wear sports uniform and bring a hat on the day. All 3-6 students will participate in Captain Ball, Tunnel Ball and Over and Under activities. Looking forward to an exciting day.

Sharing of Food

Please remind your children that they should not be sharing food at school. Please send you child/ren with enough food that they like for the duration of the school day. We have students at the school that have allergies and/or personal reasons for not eating specific foods, therefore it important that each student has their own fruit break, recess and lunch. Chewing gum and bubble gum are not allowed at school.

Thank you for your support.

Kind Regards

Melissa Griffith

Relieving Deputy Principal

Respect

Responsible

Aspire

KE

Isabel T

Amelia L

Maneli G

Taimoor B

Narvin P

Mira S

KK

Maximus P

James L

KL

Isla B

Olly B

Lucy C

Kimmy L

Phillip L

Royce L

KW

Darcy P

Myla F

Isabella F

Ali Z

Harvey S

Eliana H

1K

Caitlin R

Talia C

Declan D

Vayuna M

1/2C

Zoe W

Ciel Y

Elizaveta V

Evana A

Grace D

Catherine L

2G

Savannah C

Zahara M

Joel D

Wali A

STAGE 2

On the last Friday of Term 3, Stage 2 played Roselea PS.

Softball

Girls: PH defeated R 20-16

Boys: R defeated PH 14-10

Leaguetag

Girls: PH defeated R 14-10

Boys: PH defeated R 12-4

This week, we play West Pennant Hills PS.

Mr Bryant and Mrs Buchberger

Stage 2 Interschool Sport Coordinators

STAGE 3

On the Friday of last term, Stage 3 played against Cherrybrook PS.

Softball

Boys: C defeated PH 9 - 4

Girls: PH defeated C 11 - 8

League tag

Boys C defeated PH 10 - 5

Girls: C defeated PH 14 - 12

Miss Griggs and Miss Ings
Stage 3 Interschool Sport Coordinators

For more information on zone sport click here or scan the QR code below

Week 4

Tuesday 31 October – Leadership Day with Jamie Davidson

Week 5

Monday 6 November – Leadership Poster due

Week 6

Monday 13 November – Year 5 Leadership Speeches followed by voting
Wednesday 15 November – Top 10 2024 Leaders announced

Week 7

Monday 20 November – House Captains Vote
Tuesday 21 November – House Captains Announced in the morning
Tuesday 21 November – CAPA Captains Vote
Wednesday 22 November – CAPA Captains announced

Mrs McLaren

Stage 3 Relieving Assistant Principal

Gardens and Grounds

Thank you!!

Welcome to term 4! We had another planting day in the Native Nibbles Garden during the holidays. More lovely plants donated by HSC Warada Ngurang nursery were put in to fill some gaps. Among them were Midgem Berries, a native shrub whose fruit tastes a little bit like cinnamon blueberries - yum!

Thanks to all who helped on the day: Sally N, Melina D, Jess B, Nicole V ,Kat I, Linda M & Henri, and all their respective kids. Special mention also to Emma W who was concerned about the amount of rubbish that persistently blows around the school playground and set about cleaning it all up - she was a one woman anti-pollution machine! Thank you Emma! Hopefully we can find a longer term solution to the rubbish situation soon.

Also during the holidays the K-2 sandpit was topped up with tonnes of new sand. Big thanks to Stephanie H, Caroline R and their kids who showed up to help.

On the horizon we are eagerly anticipating the arrival of our new shredder which will be a fantastic help in turning our garden clippings (which previously we had to pay to have removed) into valuable mulch.

Our next working bee will be a mulch moving party at K-2. Please pencil in Saturday 28 October from 2pm and stay tuned for that one!!

Join the Garden Gang Whatsapp group for quickest comms and updates.

Drop us a line at: phpsgardensgrounds@gmail.com for info and details

Cheers from the Gardens and Grounds Team

Summer Uniforms

Summer Uniforms are worn in Term 4 and now available for purchase through Flexischools or at the Uniform Shop. There are only a handful of second-hand summer items left in the store or online, so if you have any preloved uniforms which your child has out-grown, the Uniform Shop would appreciate your donations.

Kindy 2024

You can now order Uniforms for Kindergarten students who are starting in 2024! We have prepared Kindy 2024 Uniform packages – which have been designed to include all the essential items to make purchasing a little bit easier. You will need to create a new Flexischools profile for your child to start pre-ordering uniforms. Please CLICK HERE to read our information brochure which runs through how to set up a new Flexischools profile. Once you have everything set-up you can purchase Kindy 2024 packages, summer uniform items and preloved items (only available through Flexischools). If you prefer to come into the Uniform Shop, please make an appointment under “Kindy Appointment” for sizing and purchases, we would be happy to help!

Kindy Uniform Open Days – an information stall will be set up for sizing and enquiries at the first two Kindy Orientation sessions. Please note purchases will NOT be available at the stall, you will need to purchase online through Flexischools (which will be packed and ready for collection at the last Orientation session) or via appointment at the Uniform Shop.

Session 1 – Tuesday 24 October, 10.30-11.30am (info stall only)
Session 2 – Tuesday 31 October, 10:30-11:30am (info stall only)
Cut-Off date for online Flexischools orders - 5pm Wednesday 1 November
Session 4 – Tuesday 14 November, 10:30-11:30am (COLLECTION OF ORDERS)

Year 6 Graduation - Signature Bears and Balls (Special Order)

Year 6 students will have received a note on how to pre-purchase their Signature Bears and Balls. These are soft items which come with a permanent marker for signatures, as an end of year celebration, and to keep forever. Please note the cut-off date for ordering these are 5pm Sunday 29 October.

Year 6 2024 Sports Polos (Special Order)

Year 5 students will have received a note on how to pre-purchase their Year 6 sports polo to be worn next year. As these are custom orders and a timely process the cut-off date for ordering these are 5pm Sunday 29 October. Please make sure all orders are placed before this date as there will be no additional orders in the new year. These shirts will be expected to arrive in early Term 1 next year for your child to wear as part of their sports uniform.

Pre-Loved and Second-Hand

The Uniform Shop gratefully accepts donations of second-hand items as all profits go towards supporting the school. We kindly request items are pre-washed and in good resale condition.

Preloved – are items in very good condition and will only be available via online Flexischools.
Second-hand – if you cannot find what you are looking for in Flexischools, you can book an appointment to inspect unsorted/unlisted items at the Uniform Shop.

Appointments (Thursdays)

Please click or scan the QR Code below to make an appointment, you will be redirected to our square booking site.
Pease select the appropriate appointment type for your visit:
- Standard appointment times are in individual 5-minute increments. (Choose this for returns, exchange is sizes and simple purchases).
- Double appointment times are in individual 10-minute increments. (Choose this for larger orders, second-hand purchases, new enrolments).
Appointments are at the uniform shop located on the 3-6 campus.

UNIFORM SHOP APPOINTMENTS

Flexischools Ordering

Currently, all uniform orders will need to be placed by 5pm on Sundays prior to the delivery date.
We will be trialling a new delivery date in Term 4. Your order will be delivered on Tuesdays to your child’s classroom. Please allow 3-5 days from delivery date for your child to receive their order from their teacher.

If you have any queries regarding Uniforms, the school website or Uniform brochure will be the best place to look, and if you can’t find the information you need, please do not hesitate to e-mail the Uniform Shop at phpsuniformshop@gmail.com

Nicola Lee

Uniform Shop Manager

phpsuniformshop@gmail.com

Spring Has Sprung and It’s Term 4 Already!!

We hope you enjoyed the break. There is a lot happening this term at PHPS.

I have made a few changes to the layout and wording on Flexischools that will hopefully simplify ordering for you. They will also make reading the printouts of ordered items easier for us in the canteen.

To summarise;

- I have added a Ham and Cheese Pizza Muffin and removed the “no Pineapple” option from the Hawaiian Pizza Muffin,

- Salad Boxes are now in a category of their own. They were previously found in Snack Packs.

Wraps

There is now the option of a Double Chicken Tender Wrap, which is 2 Tenders with Lettuce and Mayo on a Large Wrap. You can still remove the Lettuce and/or Mayo from either the Regular or Double Wrap if you prefer.
Likewise, the Chicken, Avocado, Lettuce and Mayo (CALM) Wraps also have 2 size options.
Please note that if you are removing options from these wraps you will save $ by ordering in the Build Your Own Lunch section.

The 3-6 Canteen will be open during Recess and Lunch tomorrow for the Ball Games Carnival.

If you need to contact the canteen please either send an email to “canteenphps@gmail.com”, or, call or text myself on: 0425 274 681 or Claire on: 0403 810 391(Wednesdays).

Please note that we usually only check emails at the beginning and end of the day. If you are making contact about an order for that day, please do so on the phone.

We would really like to be able to offer over the counter sales at lunchtime everyday at 3-6, and at least 3 days each week at K-2. We need volunteers to be able to do this. It would only be from 1-1.45pm. Please contact Claire if you would like to help. It’s quite fun!!

Heather Tyler

0425 274 681

canteenphps@gmail.com

This Thursday night we'll be having our annual "Intro to Music" night. All parents and students are invited to come along and hear about the different music programs we run at PHPS as well as try some of the instruments afterwards.

Join Band in 2024!

Is your child interested in joining the band program in 2024? The band program is open to all students who will be in year 3-6 in 2024. No musical experience is necessary!Please fill in our Expression of Interest form. More information will be available at the Intro to Music night mentioned above.

Spotlight on Instruments

We continue our "Spotlight on Instruments" section to help parents when thinking about selecting an instrument for their child. In previous newsletters we covered the Trombone, Trumpet, Saxophone, Clarinet, and the Flute. This week we continue

Euphonium (& Tuba)

The euphonium is a low brass instrument like the trombone. It’s commonly used in concert bands, and for classical music ensembles, but is less common in Jazz bands. It plays in the same register as the trombone. But unlike the trombone it uses valves, like a trumpet, to change its pitch. A euphonium weighs about 4kg and is held rested on the lap vertically. Most students in year 3 should not have an issue with the size of the euphonium when playing it, although in its case it is fairly large. Parents of euphonium students will often collect the instrument after rehearsals as it can be difficult to transport to the 3-6 site.Along with the trombone, the euphonium is one of the unsung heros of the school band and provides that low end sound.

A euphonium does need valve oil. This is used to lubricate the valves so they move smoothly. If you’re hiring an instrument from school it will come with valve oil. It will also require you to supply a water towel (small hand/tea towel size).

The band program has euphoniums available for hire, or hire-to-buy, but a new reputable brand student model trumpet to purchase will cost upwards of $2400.The Tuba is the bigger brother to the euphonium, and goes lower again. The band program only have a couple of these as they’re generally too large for students to play. However we do have a current 2023 training band student playing one, which is awesome!You can hear about it here: https://youtu.be/zO9LtcGmfQI?si=4znqekz2H6WkbLXcThese are upwards of $4000 to buy new.

Parent Rosters for Term 4

WE URGENTLY NEED TO FILL PLACES IN THE ROSTER FOR THIS TERM.

Link to the rosters is here: http://www.phpspandc.org.au/band/band-roster/

What To Be Practising - Award Worksheets!

TB & ICB - Work on your Red books and get the Term 2 & 3 worksheets finished.

SCB - work on getting your GOLD worksheet signed off, especially if you're in year 6.

This is the first week of Term 4, so Training and Intermediate bands really should have turned in their Term 1, 2 & 3 worksheets. If your tutor has not been signing off on their exercises please work with them to ensure they do so. If you're working on AMEB examinations instead please let us know so we can make note of it.

Year 6 students should be working toward having their GOLD worksheet signed off and handed in.

Once complete these are to be submitted through the Worksheet Submission Web Form.

If anyone needs a particular worksheet you can print them from the Band web pages here.

Events

Term 4
SCB	Thursday 12 October, 5:30pm	*Intro to Music Night
TB, ICB	Sunday 15 October (New TBC)	Brooklyn Spring Fair
All Bands	Sunday 29 October	Hornsby North Band Festival
SCB, JB	Sunday 12 November (TBC)	St Josephs Hunters Hill Fair
SCB, JB	Monday 11 December	*CoL@PHHS
All Bands	Thursday 7 December	Carols/End of Year Concert

Parent Helpers

A full list of parent helper duties is available here.

When walking the students, especially Training Band, back to the 3-6 site try to have them line up in pairs on the path to the side, count them twice, check with Rose head count. Tell the students to walk nicely and stick together on the walk & you should stop at the driveway, Weemala corner, school crossing at the 1st driveway at the big site to be recounted. If possible, have a parent front and end and discourage wandering. Once all accounted for you are free and thank you for helping.

PHPS Band Committee

phpsband@gmail.com

www.phpspandc.org.au/band/

MAIN ENSEMBLE REHEARSAL FOR TERM 3: K-2 Hall IS THIS AFTERNOON 3:30pm-4:30pm

SENIOR ENSEMBLE REHEARSAL FOR TERM 3: K-2 Hall IS THIS AFTERNOON 4:40pm-5:20pm

Main Ensemble Parent Helper’s today is Claire Smith
Senior Ensemble Parent Helper today is TBC

PARENT ROSTERS FOR TERM 4 - Please get these filled in ASAP. - Main Ensemble: and Senior Roster rosters. If you require any further information, clarification regarding the ROSTER / PARENT HELPER please feel free to contact us.

Upcoming Strings Events for Term 4, 2023 (to-date)

Week 1

Main Ensemble rehearsal is back – Tuesday, 10 October from 3:30pm - School Hall
Intro to Music Night - Thursday, 12 October from 5:50pm - School Hall

Invitation to PHPS Intro to Music Night

This Thursday night we'll be having our annual "Intro to Music" night at 5:50pm in the school hall. All parents and students are invited to come along and hear about the different music programs we run at PHPS as well as try some of the instruments afterwards. Should you have any questions in the interim, please feel free to contact us.