Vale Natalie Packham

Our Pennant Hills PS community has been deeply saddened by the tragic passing of Mrs Natalie Packham, a long serving and much loved former staff member at our school. Sadly, Mrs Packham passed away on Sunday.

We extend our collective sympathies to Mrs Packham’s family – husband Steve, their extended family, friends and work colleagues.  We grieve with Steve’s family for his loss and we offer them our thoughts and support at such a difficult time.

Funeral arrangements are not known at present, but will be communicated according to the family’s wishes. A significant number of staff will be attending Mrs Packham’s funeral and we anticipate that there may be a period of time when minimal supervision will be in operation on the day of the funeral. We have not informed our students of Mrs Packham’s passing and seek your support in doing this if you believe that they may have known Mrs Packham. Parents are best placed, knowing their child and other family circumstances to explain to children in a manner that is appropriate to their age. If support is required for your child at this time, school counsellor access can be arranged in the usual manner.

Thank you to the whole Pennant Hills Public School community for your compassion and thoughtfulness.

Food Allergies

Many students at PHPS have allergies. One of the most common allergies is to nuts. At PHPS, we regularly ask parents not to send any nuts or products containing nuts to school to limit the risk of exposure to these students. Anaphylaxis can be deadly and needs to be taken very seriously. I thank you in advance with your support and cooperation with this matter.

Student Accounts

Very shortly, your child’s Statement of Account will be sent home. Parents would know that the government provides a free education for all students. However, most schools, and certainly ours, provide more than a “basic education”. Our school is extremely well resourced largely due to assistance from parents over many years. Students at Pennant Hills Public School have access to exceptional programs, materials and resources in all curricular areas. To keep the high standard of resourcing at its present level requires additional funding. For example: computers and interactive whiteboards in classrooms, energy costs for running air conditioners in classrooms, Literacy and Numeracy materials for all levels, sporting equipment, exercise books, pencils, new books and technology in the library and numerous outstanding co-curricular programs. The decisions regarding priorities for expenditure are decided as a joint partnership with the P&C. We appreciate your prompt response of payment for these activities or programs. We are very conscious of the impact to families. If you need to discuss any financial difficulty in paying these accounts please make an appointment to see me.

Principal’s Awards

K-2 awards: Audrey M, William P

3-6 Awards: Charlotte P, Aimen B, Isaac B

Kind regards

Matt Pinchbeck

School Principal

Maths Talk

Please join Mr Matt Pinchbeck, Mrs Melissa Griffith and myself at our Maths Talk. We will provide some examples and discuss some of the changes we are making at Pennant Hills P.S. to the way we are teaching and the way our students are engaging in mathematics. There will be a short Q&A at the end of the session. This is a great way to keep up to date with what is happening at our school and you are welcome to stay on afterwards for the P&C Annual General Meeting

When: Week 6, Tuesday 3 March

Time: 7pm followed by P&C at 7:30pm

Where: School Hall – Trebor Rd site

Meet the teacher evenings

Thank you to those families who were able to attend our Meet the Teacher evenings last week. It was an amazing turn out and a really great opportunity for parents and carers to be provided with information about the coming year for their children. Parent/Teacher interviews will be conducted at the end of this term where you will be given the opportunity to discuss your child’s academic, social and emotional outcomes.

Maths Resources

As you may be aware, we are changing the way we do maths here at Pennant Hills Public School and one of the ways we are supporting our teachers and students with this change is through purchasing quality resources to support effective and current pedagogy. To begin, each class has received a maths kit with engaging, multi-purpose mathematics resources. We have had a very positive response from teachers and students when engaging in their new resources.

Staff Profile

Each week I will be uploading a 1 page profile on a PHPS staff member so our community gets to know us all a bit better. This week, we have Ms Bridget Dwyer, teacher of KD. Please see her profile below.

Kind regards

Kate Wasson

Deputy Principal

6B - Maya K, Danish M, Sienna N, Zoya K,

6M - Catherine B, Chloe X, Jaz O,

6P - Michaela P, Gabby K, Will A, 

5F - Clementine I, Matthew M,

5N - Maysa G, Tim K, Willow P,

5P - Ronan S, Celine A, Nate A,

4G - Christian P, Lenny F, Sam K,

4M - Enoch P, Lachie O, Katie Z,

4T - Allan Z, Nathan C, Isabella P,

3B - Kayleigh B, Reuben T,

3D - Isaac B, Elsie G, Rory D,

3R - Dana C, Jamie K, Elinore F,

Computers - Angus W 3R, Charlotte PDS 4T, Zoe C 5P, Theodore J 6B,

Library - Munira G 4G, Theodore J 6B, Georgia D 5N, Emily N 5N.

PSSA Stage 3 Scoreboard 

Last Friday's scores of ennant Hills PS v Normanhurst West Public School

Oztag

Girls Pennant Hills def Normanhurst West  7-1

Boys Pennant Hills def Normanhurst West 8-3

Softball

Girls Pennant Hills def Normanhurst West 12-4

Boys Normanhurst West def Pennant Hills 18-2

Congratulations to Archie S (Boys Cricket) and Molly A (Girls Football) on their success at the Beecroft Zone PSSA trials.

Good luck at the Combined Zone trials!

Mr Bryant

PSSA Coordinator

Relieving Assistant Principal (Thurs/Frid)

We’re off to a cracking start with this year’s fete with a great line up of stalls and dedicated parents to coordinate them!

Mufti Day

We have our first Mufti Day next Thursday 5 March where we ask all students to come to school out-of-uniform and to donate a NEW small packaged toy on the day. 

These toys will be used in our Lucky Dip and as prizes on several of our stalls on fete day. Some suggestions include: pencils & erasers, toy cars, bubbles, balls, marbles, mini puzzles, skipping ropes etc.  Your child can simply bring this toy donation to school on Thursday and hand it to their class teacher on the day.

International Food

This year there will be 4 individual International Food tents featuring four  different cuisines. Our community LOVES dumplings, Sri Lankan, Indian, Thai, French, Spanish and anything to tempt the taste buds! Please tell us if you can offer your cooking skills by clicking here. All ingredients will be provided (you won’t be out of pocket) but your time in cooking is appreciated.

Christine Lee will be coordinating the International Food stalls and menus and is happy to chat with you - Call  0411 310 823.

Collections

Please start collecting jam jars, toys, books and white elephant items to drop off on 29 March and 3 May.

Second Hand Clothes - back by popular demand!

We are happy to announce that the Second-hand clothes stall will be operating again at this year’s PHPS Fete.

We would like to ask that PHPS families and community kindly donate children’s clothes for the stall. We will accept children’s clothes in sizes 0 to 12 in good, wearable condition and all washed. Please bring dresses, pants, skirts, shirts and t-shirts. If possible, please donate girls and boys clothes in separate bags. It won’t take much of your time but will help greatly for our ‘sorting team’.

We will not be accepting any shoes and adult clothes this time. We would like to minimize waste at the stall therefore we kindly ask you not to bring clothes with holes, visible spots, broken zips or missing buttons. Underwear, swimwear and socks will not be accepted for hygienic reasons.

There will be parents accepting clothes at the two drop off days.

NEW Handicrafts Stall

This year’s fete will feature a Handicrafts stall. We are seeking parents who enjoy knitting, sewing, quilting, art, craft, macrame, photography and creating any other hand made items to offer items for sale at the stall. Supplies can be provided. Please contact Kate Ashton 0410 686 007 for more information. 

Thanks to those parents who’ve already shown interest, we’ll be in touch soon!

Fete Meeting

The next fete meeting is scheduled for Monday 2 March at 7.30pm in the school hall. Attendance is optional. You will be able to collect your stall containers from the P&C shed during the night.

Chris Kulatunga (0424 744 315) will be in contact with stall coordinators via Whatsapp and email, or contact the fete committee at phpsfete17@gmail.com if you’d like to book a catch up, hand-over or need assistance for your stall.

Important dates for your calendar:

Monday 2 March Fete Meeting (optional),  7.30pm School Hall 

Thursday 5 March Mufti Day 1 - toys

Sunday 29 March Drop Off Day 1-3pm at the K-2 site COLA

Thursday 2 April Mufti Day 2 - lollies

Sunday 3 May Drop Off Day 1-3pm at the K-2 site COLA

Gardens and Grounds Day 1-3pm at the K-2 site

Thursday 7 May Mufti Day 3 - lollies

Monday 4 May Fete Meeting - optional

Sunday 17 May Bunnings BBQ

Monday 18 May Final Fete Meeting - All stall holders need to attend.

Saturday 23 May Fete Set Up Day

Sunday 24 May Fete Day

The stalls and coordinators:

Music Camp 

The Music Camp booking link closes THIS FRIDAY

https://www.trybooking.com/BIMYE

P&C Calendar

• Next P&C Meeting & Annual General Meeting - Tuesday 3 March 7.30pm in the school hall K-2 site. Please join Mr Matt Pinchbeck, Mrs Melissa Griffith and Mrs Kate Wasson at the Maths Talk at 7pm prior to the P&C Meeting.
• Welcome BBQ - Friday 6 March from 5pm under the K-2 HOLA, outside the hall. 

All families and children are welcome!

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

This week’s roster

K - 2

Wednesday 26 February - Carol and Sonia.

Thursday 27 February - Bec D. Need one more please.

Friday 28 February - Please contact me if you can help!

3 - 6

Wednesday 26 February - Julianne from 12pm. Help needed from 9.30am - 12pm.

Thursday 27 February - Lisa S. Help needed at 9.30am for labelling.

Friday 28 February - Narelle, Vicky and Bec S.

Heather Tyler - 0425 274 681

canteenphps@gmail.com

YEAR 6 SHIRTS

The 2020 Year 6 shirts have arrived and were distributed to all students last Thursday who had placed an order last year.

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 Flexischools but prices will include the Flexischools’ surcharge. 

GIRLS’ PETER PAN COLLARED S/S SHIRTS

Please note that the size 6, 8, 10 and 12 girls’ Peter Pan collared short sleeve shirts have sold out and due to the lengthy manufacture time will not be available until next summer. 

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 at the shop or on the below email address. 

DR SHOE

Dr Shoe will be attending the Uniform Shop on Thursday 19 March from 3.00pm– 3.45pm this term. 15% of all sales are donated to the P&C. Alternatively Dr Shoe can be contacted direct on 0414912838 to arrange a home fitting. 

ORDERING UNIFORMS

Uniforms can be ordered by attending 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.

HOURS

Monday and Tuesday 8.45am – 10.45am

Thursday 3.00pm – 4.00pm

Order forms are available on the school website by following the link:

https://pennanthil-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/p/pennanthil-p/about-our-school/New_Design_Order_Form_and_Price_List_Term_1_2020.pdf

Alison Parker

Uniform Shop Manager

phpsuniformshop@gmail.com