Ironbark Ridge PS Cnr. Ironbark Ridge Road and Withers Road, Rouse Hill, 2155 Ph: 8814 5687 Fax: 8814 5698 Email: ironbarkrg-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Webpage: www.ironbarkrg-p.schools.nsw.edu.au

Nurturing personal growth through inspired learning…

Newsletter 2015

Term 2 Week 1 17th July, 2015

Be Safe, Be Responsible, Be Respectful

DATES FOR THE DIARY

JULY 20

th – Footsteps 21

st – Chess Coaching

22nd

– July ICAS English (7.45am), OC Test, Footsteps, Assembly (School Leaders), P & C Meeting 7.00pm 24

th – PSSA 27

th – Footsteps

28th

- Chess Coaching, Book Fair and Open Day 29th

– Footsteps, Assembly – KP 30

th – IRPS Athletics Field Events 11-3 31

st – PSSA

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

Welcome back to school for Term 3. It has been wonderful catching up with so many of our students after their holiday break - they certainly seem excited and happy to be back with their friends at school, ready for another fantastic term of learning and personal growth. Education Week We will be holding our annual ‘Open Day’ on Tuesday 28th July with the Book Fair in the Library, Art Gallery in the Hall (student works for sale to parents), open classrooms from 10am, Morning Tea available from 11am, and a short concert under the ‘Hangar’ from 11.30am. This is the first of several opportunities to visit us at school during Term 3. Athletics Carnival Our annual Athletics Track Carnival will be held at Hills Centenary Oval on Monday 3rd August. As well as conducting competition for students in track events we hope this will be a wonderful community-gathering event. Please join us at the oval on the day and lend a hand with timekeeping or supervision during the K-2 events. Lunch will be eaten together as a whole school before we enjoy the sprint finals in front of the crowd beginning with our Kindy students! Grandparents Day, Book Character Parade On Thursday 3rd September we will be hosting a range of Numeracy and Literacy activities in classrooms to involve parents, grandparents and friends. A Book Character Parade will be a great opportunity to celebrate reading and our favourite characters by dressing up. We hope some of the more senior members of the Ironbark Ridge community will be able to join us and enjoy the fun with their grandchildren - our students! Term 3 Consent Forms and Account payments Late next week you will receive your family Account Statement for Term 3. Included are costs for any special whole-stage learning activities such as excursions, performances and incursions. Attached will also be copies of all information letters and consent forms for each relevant activity. These letters and forms will all be available on the school website in the ‘Notes’ section. Consent forms and full account payments are all due to be returned by Friday 7th August, Week 4. Any amounts outstanding from last term such as PSSA, Music, Dance Groups or Be Skilled/Be Fit lessons will also be listed and are due immediately.

Please be aware that under our new payment and consent form system in our school office we will not be accepting late payments or late return of consent forms as activities will be closed off in our financial system. Teachers will be contacting parents leading up to the cut-off date to try to ensure our students do not miss out on activities and fun learning opportunities. 10th Birthday Fete – Sponsorship opportunities Local businesses and community groups are invited to be a part of our 10th Birthday celebrations on Saturday 24th October. Please mention this to your friends and family – interested people can find out more about stalls, sponsorship and other opportunities by emailing events@irpspc.com School Development Day Teaching staff at Ironbark Ridge spent Monday of this week in professional development and learning activities relating to our three-year school plan 2015-17. We are all excited about the plans we have made for the second half of this year for our students. Lost Property A large amount of uniform items were left in lost property at the end of last term. All items with names and labelling have been sorted and returned to classes. As the remaining items have no names or identifying marks on them they cannot be returned to students and they will be now washed and sold as second-hand uniform items from the uniform store. Please ensure all items of clothing and equipment sent to school with your child(ren) are clearly labelled. We hope to see you all at school for one of the many community activities this term, Nick Thomson Principal

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

Welcome back to term 3. Our staff, teachers and students are looking refreshed and ready for the opportunities the busy term ahead will bring.

Staff Professional Learning On Monday, IRPS staff engaged in a variety of professional learning activities based on the school plan for 2015-2017. We are committed to embracing change and enhancing learning in all classrooms. We had some wonderful learning conversations about best teaching practice, shared progress reports for our school projects and collaboratively planned stage teaching programs. On Tuesday, a significant number of our staff completed their annual CPR training. Welcome back to school! This term, we have welcomed 7 new families. We hope you enjoy being part of our wonderful school community.

Some exciting programs will be undertaken this semester, each aimed at creating opportunities for students to experience something new.

Footsteps Dance Program – this program will operate across the school, from Kindergarten to Year 6. This will culminate with a whole school evening concert at Hillsong Auditorium on Tuesday 20th October. The students will gain much from the experience of practising and performing dance – a critical component of both the PDHPE and Creative and Performing Arts curricula.

Henny Penny Hatching – students in Kindergarten will gain hands-on experience in caring for and observing chicks hatching and growing within classrooms.

RAPS 4 Kids – Students in Stage 1 will learn road safety rules whilst in safety of the playground, with a RAPS (Road Awareness Programs) incursion at the end of the term. This will directly support and reinforce the learning in HSIE and PDHPE.

A detailed Parent Planner is included later in this newsletter. Education Week – ‘Celebrating Local Heroes’ Monday 27th July to Friday 31st July, is Education Week. A week of celebrating public education and all it offers to our students and parents. We will be celebrating Education Week in our own way on Tuesday 28th July with our Open Day. Come along to view the work being completed in classrooms, purchase your child’s artwork from our Art show, buy a book from the Book Fair, or simply come along and celebrate with our wonderful community with morning tea or a picnic lunch. A Book Fair flyer and an overview of activities for Education Week can be found later in this newsletter. Kindergarten 2016 Enrolments are now being accepted for students starting ‘big school’ in 2016. We will be holding an information evening on Monday 24th August at 6.30pm for new and existing IRPS families. Please make a note of this date in your diaries!

Woolworths Earn and Learn Woolworths has opened their Earn and Learn initiative again this year to help support local schools. Next week, students will be given a booklet to collect their stickers. We are encouraging all family and community members to begin collecting stickers, up until Tuesday 8th September. Each booklet of stickers collected is converted into points and swapped for teaching and learning resources for the students and the school. Please ensure the whole booklet is completely full before beginning another. Booklets can be dropped off in the school front office or placed in the IRPS boxes at the Woolworths supermarkets at Rouse Hill Town Centre or at The Ponds Shopping Centre. Additional booklets can be printed out via the Woolworths Earn and Learn website at www.woolworths.com.au. Thank you in advance for your support!

Kerrie Pho Deputy Principal

Thursday 30th

July is the IRPS Athletics Field Events Carnival

Thursday, 30th

July

Time Event Venue Students Involved

11.00 - 3.00 Primary Athletics

Field Events

Carnival

(Shot Put, Long

Jump, High Jump

and Discus)

Hills

Centenary

Oval

All Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 students

Year 2 students who turn eight in 2015 may also

attend.

Monday 3rd

August is the IRPS Athletics Track Carnival

Monday, 3rd

August

Time Event Venue Students Involved

9.00 – 3.00 Primary Track

Carnival

Hills

Centenary

Oval

All Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 students

Year 2 students who turn eight in 2015 may also

attend.

10.00 – 3.00

(approx.)

K-2 Athletics

Carnival

Hills

Centenary

Oval

Students in Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2

students who are not involved in the Primary

carnival.

Looking forward to seeing you in Education Week!

Education Week at Ironbark Ridge PS

Tuesday 28th

July is “Open Day” Tuesday, 28

th July

Time Event Venue Students Involved

8.30 – 4.30 Book Fair Library Come along and purchase a book from our library

book fair. The students have helpfully completed a

wish list for your ease of purchase!

10.00 – 11.00 Open

Classrooms

Your child’s

classroom

All students from Kinder to Yr 6

10.00 – 1.30 Art Show Hall All students will have art on display in the hall. You

may purchase your child’s artwork for $5.

11.00 - 11.30 Morning Tea School

grounds

Students and parents will enjoy morning tea in the

sunshine (fingers crossed!)

11.30 – 12.15 Performances

Hangar All students will be performing songs for your

entertainment.

12.30 – 1.30 Picnic Lunch School

grounds

All students may join their parents.

1.30 – 3.00 Normal classes

resume

Ironbark Ridge Public School Parent Planner Term 3 2015

As at 17.7.15

** Note: All dates on this planner are subject to change at the discretion of the school.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

1 13

th July

Staff return

14th

July Students return

15th

July Assembly 5Stellar

Music Program Info Session 6.30pm

16th

July

17th

July PSSA

2 20

th July

Footsteps

21st

July Chess coaching

22nd

July 7.45 ICAS English OC Test

Footsteps Assembly

P&C Meeting 7pm

23rd

July

24th

July PSSA

3 Education

Week

27th

July Footsteps

28th

July Chess coaching

Book Fair and Open Day

29th

July Footsteps Assembly K Pulsars

30th

July

IRPS Athletics Field Events 11-3pm

31st

July PSSA

4 3

rd August

Footsteps

IRPS Athletics Track Carnival

4th

August Chess coaching

5th

August Footsteps HPAF Rehearsal BHNPS Assembly 5/6 P

6th

August Ridges Choir rehearsal no.2

7th

August PSSA

5 10

th August

Footsteps

7.45 ICAS Maths

11th

August Chess coaching

12th

August Footsteps Assembly K Galaxy

13th

August PULSE Performance Stage 1 Workers in the Community Day

14th

August PSSA

6 17

th August

Footsteps

18th

August Chess coaching

19th

August Footsteps

HPAF Rehearsal MFPS Assembly K Borealis

20th

August

21st

August PSSA Danceathon

23rd

August Tournament Of Minds

7 Book Week

24th

August Footsteps

Stage 2 and Stage 3 incursion: Tears in the Jungle ES1 2016 Parent Info Evening 6.30pm

25th

August Chess coaching

Hawkesbury Eisteddfod

26th

August Footsteps

Assembly 3/4 Winter Circle

27th

August Hills Performing Arts Festival – Penrith Panthers

28th

August RIDGES ATHLETICS CARNIVAL

8 SASS Week

Lit & Num Week

31st

August Footsteps

1st

September Chess coaching

2nd

September Footsteps

Fathers’ Day Stall

Assembly 3/4 Galileo

P&C Meeting 7pm

3rd

September Grandparents’ Day Book Character parade

4th

September PSSA

9

7th

September Footsteps

8th

September Chess coaching Stage 2 Excursion

Stage 1 RAPS incursion (4 classes)

9th

September Footsteps

ES1 – Calmsley Hill

Farm Excursion

Assembly 1/2

Fireflies

10th

September Ridges choir rehearsal no.3

11th

September NO PSSA Stage 2 Basketball Clinics

10 14

th September

Footsteps

15th

September Chess coaching

Stage 1 RAPS incursion (4 classes)

16th

September Footsteps Awards Assembly- Whole School Band instrumental Evening 6.30pm

17th

September Year 6 Fun Day

18th

September NO PSSA Stage 3 Basketball Clinics

KINDY CAPERS

Welcome back to all our Kindergarten families. We hope that you all had a great holiday and look forward to the exciting term ahead. In Term 3 Kindergarten students will continue to receive weekly homework starting in Week 2. Please ensure that your child has an A4 lined homework book that doesn’t have a spiral spine. Kindly cover and clearly label homework books including first name, surname and class. In all Kindergarten classes homework will continue to be sent home on Friday and returned on Thursday of the following week. Keep sending library bags along on Tuesday. Sport clothes will need to be worn on Tuesday and Wednesday this term as Kindergarten will participate in the Footsteps Dance Program on Wednesday. Chinese programs will remain on Tuesday. During Term 3 Kindergarten students will be learning about living things. On Monday 27th July Henny Penny Hatchlings will arrive in Kindergarten classes so that students may observe chickens hatching and growing over 10 days. Kindergarten will also be visiting Calmsley Hill City Farm on Wednesday 9th September. You will need to tick both boxes on farm permission notes to allow your child to go on the tractor ride and be sure to provide class teachers with any allergy information as students interact with animals at the farm and will be outdoors for the majority of the day. On Monday 3rd August Kindergarten will be participating in the Ironbark Ridge Athletics Track Carnival. They will depart school at 10am and be back at school by 3pm. During the carnival they will take part in novelty events and have the opportunity to run in a 70 metre age race. Please ensure that notes for all these events are returned by their designated due dates to enable your child to participate in these programs and events. During Term 3 Kindergarten students will start to host Wednesday afternoon assemblies - Kindy Pulsars in Week 3 (29th July), Kindy Galaxy in Week 5 (12th August) and Kindy Borealis in Week 6 (19th August). Be sure to mark these dates in your diary so you can come and watch. If you haven’t been before, assemblies commence at 2pm and usually run for about 40 minutes. We look forward to seeing all Kindergarten families and grandparents at our Education Week Open Day and Book Fair on Tuesday 28th July. Have a great weekend and enjoy the opportunities provided by our cool winter days. Remember to keep visiting our wonderful Rouse Hill Library.

The Early Stage 1 Team

STAGE 1 SNIPPETS

Welcome back to what promises to be a busy but exciting term. Students have hopefully replenished their school supplies over the holidays and are ready and refreshed to start their learning. Our theme this term is an integrated unit called ‘Helping Hands’, which explores community workers, transport and the forces of push and pull. These concepts will be explored across all Key Learning Areas. English: Our English unit this term will focus on imaginative texts, with students developing an understanding of the structure and language features of contemporary and more traditional texts. Students will be exploring the concept of ‘point of view’ or perspective and analysing the figurative language techniques used by different authors to engage the reader.

Maths: Maths number groups will continue this term, with adjustments being made each fortnight in order to cater for the students’ individual learning needs. These lessons will focus on addition and subtraction strategies, multiplication and division concepts, fractions and number patterns. These lessons will continue to supplement regular class differentiated maths lessons.

HSIE and Science: Integrated lessons will focus on exploring the jobs of different workers in our community and the role of transport. Students will also be engaged in a number of very ‘hands on’ investigations and experiments relating to forces and motion. PDHPE: Stage sport will continue on Wednesdays during Term 3, with lessons focussed on targeting and developing a new set of fundamental movement skills. Students will also be participating in the Footsteps dance program, where they will be learning to move and groove in preparation for their Term 4 ‘Night with the Stars’ performance. These lessons will take place on Mondays for all stage 1 classes. Please send your child in sports uniform on these days. Homework: Homework will commence in week 2 and will continue to be set on a weekly basis, going home on Monday and being returned for marking on Friday. Homework will consist of spelling and maths activities as well as home reading. Students will also be asked to prepare a speech, with further details following later in the term. The Stage 1 teachers are very excited about the learning opportunities that they have planned for the students this term and are looking forward to seeing the students grow and learn. As always, if you have any concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact the front office so that a meeting can be arranged with your child’s teacher. Thank you for your ongoing support,

Stage 1 Teachers

ADMINISTRATION NEWS:

If you have a child who will be starting in kindergarten in 2016, we are now taking enrolment forms. If you are out of area, with a student currently at the school and have a sibling who will be starting kindergarten next year, please submit the Non-Local enrolment form. Please refer to the Enrolment Policy on the school’s website which lists the new departmental guidelines, especially relating to citizenship of the child and both parents, if not born in Australia, as well as showing what other forms of identification/proof of address documents (x 4), are required and what is acceptable.

WEEK 1

PRINCIPAL 6H – Creative maths problem solving

K GALAXY Cleo, Teegan, Gwyneth

K PULSERS Isabella, Lexi, Thomas

1/2 AURORA Ibrahim, Prateek, Eden,

1/2 FIREFLIES Jonathan, Sophia, Chloe, Kiarna

1/2 NORTHERN LIGHTS Marvin, Hannah, Shelby

1/2 SPARKLES Zara, Binodh, Shaan, Amber

3/4 KALEIDOSCOPE Shalin, Charlotte, Maddy, Zara, Sarah

3/4 WINTER CIRCLE Matthew, Abby Mackenzie, Alex, Hayden

3/4/5 COSMOS Lachlan, Yusuf, Layne, Alyssa, Lily

5/6 STELLAR Derek, Ethan

5/6 WHITE DIAMONDS Emma, Etana, Molly, Shaydn, Riley

6 HELIOS Teri, Lawrence, Devansh, Fardin, Sky

LIBRARY Kindy Supernovals

CHINESE 3/4/5 Cosmos

PSSA

STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN PSSA TEAMS (EXCEPT

NETBALL) ARE REQUIRED TO BE AT SCHOOL ON FRIDAY

MORNINGS BY 8.45AM FOR AN 8.50AM SHARP DEPARTURE.

IF STUDENTS DO NOT ARRIVE ON TIME THE BUS WILL NOT

WAIT AND YOUR CHILD WILL NOT BE PARTICIPATING IN

PSSA ON THAT FRIDAY.

Ridges PSSA has a link to the draws, venues etc. Click on the link and this should help you with location of

the various PSSA sports. http://web1.kellyridge-p.schools.nsw.edu.au/wordpress/

TERM 3 WEEK 1 – 17th

July

CANCELLED DUE TO WET WEATHER

TERM 3 WEEK 2 – 24th

July

NEWCOMBE BALL: Ironbark Ridge Public School

BOYS SOCCER: Connor Greasby Park, Perfection Drive, Kellyville Ridge

NETBALL: Baulkham Hills Netball Courts, Court 6, Commercial Rd., Kellyville

GIRLS SOCCER: Hills Centenary Oval, Commercial Rd, Kellyville

RUGBY: Wrights Reserve, Quakers Hill

P & C NEWS

New Term 3 Canteen Roster

Volunteer 2 to 3 times per term to make for smooth operations.

REMINDER: P&C Meeting next Wednesday 22nd July, 7pm in the school library. All new faces welcome.

LAST DAYS TO ORDER YOUR 2015 IRONBARK

WALK OF FAME PAVER!!! Our very popular Walk of Fame Pavers are back for 2015. All orders close at 5pm Monday 20th July. Have your child’s name and class engraved on a Paver - that will be laid in our school grounds and something that they can see every day at school for years to come! $30.00 for a single Paver and $60.00 for a double/family paver These prices are the same as the past 3 years, however next year will be increasing due to manufacturing costs… So now is your chance to purchase ones that you may have forgotten in years previous. You can also commemorate Kindy children, Year 6 children, SRC, School Leaders and even sporting achievements! This year, payment can be made only via Flexischools. Please log onto Flexischools via the App or internet, and once paid, fill in the order form, and enclose in an envelope marked: P&C PAVERS and hand into the front office BEFORE: Monday 20th July If you do not have access to Flexischools, PLEASE email me ASAP on: events@irpspc.com for an alternate option. Flexischools assists me in processing the orders quicker, and due to the lengthy ordering process, cuts my workload down a little bit. Thank you, Monica Calderwood Pavers Event Coordinator

Single paver Double paver

Are you a Business owner wanting to promote your business on

Ironbark’s 10th

Birthday Celebration day/Fete?

Ironbark P&C in conjunction with the school will be having a big celebration afternoon, filled with fun Fete style activities as well as the school showcasing some of the school group’s performances, to Celebrate Ironbark’s 10th Birthday on Saturday 24th October 2015! This will be an event that the whole Community is invited to, as well as our very own school Community, past and present. We will be asking past Principals, Teachers and students to come along also, so this event really will be a walk through Ironbark’s History where EVERYONE is involved.

We are looking for Businesses that want to promote their business on the day, by way of a stall or by donating towards the event, and having your business advertised throughout the day on banners, or on rides and prior to that in newsletters.

We are approaching the school community first, as it is “First in best dressed” – so before going to our wider community for Sponsorship, we are asking our Parents first! There are various types of Sponsorship available, from small to big. We can cater for any means that you are interested in.

Please drop us an email ASAP, with your Business type, and we will forward you the various packages available. If you are a smaller or “home run” business, you may be interested in a stall on the day to promote your product? If you are a bigger business, you may want to sponsor a ride or provide a monetary donation?

Please email: events@irpspc.com for more information.

Also, we are still on the lookout for a cake maker/s to help make a big 10th Birthday cake! What is a birthday without a cake? Can you help?

Thank you in advance.

Monica Calderwood & Emma Andrews

2015 “P&C Events” coordinators

Student Banking Welcome to Term 3! This term is sure to bring a lot of excitement to our School Banking community. Not only are students still in the running to win a family trip to California’s Disneyland with School Banking, but CBA are launching the Term 3 competition. This competition boasts our biggest prize pool in the history of School Banking and I’m hoping it will encourage students to save more regularly. See our Student Banking Team on Friday mornings for more information about this competition. A Prize Portal from another dimension has appeared on Planet Savings, giving students who demonstrate good savings behaviour the chance to win one of hundreds of astronomical prizes. More prizes and chances to win To activate the Prize Portal, students must simply make three or more School Banking deposits during Term 3. They will then automatically be entered into the competition for a chance to win one of these prizes:

* 75 x iPad minis Wi-Fi 16GB * 125 x Beats by Dr. Dre Solo2™ Headphones * 200 x $30 Booktopia Gift Certificates

Students can also complete a Money Mission at commbank.com.au/prizeportal to double their chance of winning a prize. Students can complete the Money Mission at any time during Term 3, but are required to make three deposits by the end of Term 3 to double their chance of winning. For those of you who have been thinking about joining the Student Banking Program, you can sign up between 8:30am and 9:30am every Friday during the term. If you make 3 deposits or more in Term 3 you will also go into the draw for this competition. Now is a better time than any to sign up!

Students eligible to claim a banking reward If your name is listed below please have your banking book ready and come and see us Friday morning before school to claim your reward:

New Rewards in Term 3 The reward items touching down to earth in Term 3 are:

Glow-in-the-Dark Solar System Cosmic Light Beam Torch

Encouraging children to save their money is important but so is helping them understand that saving up for

Student ID Account Name Student ID Account Name Student ID Account Name

175 Aadhya K 64 Joshua C 146 Miguel A

104 Abi S 119 Kate B 180 Morgan R

170 Alexander T 219 Keyan K 215 Nathan D

184 Amelie DJ 246 Keyon O 74 Nicola C

111 Chais D 97 Khematep S 255 Nikki C

82 Chantal C 93 Kye T 16 Noah C

239 Charlize W 193 Lachlan F 149 River W

285 Chelsea C 181 Lachlan R 312 Rohan P

328 Daniel B 140 Lilly D 117 Ryan J

122 Darcy S 329 Lucas B 183 Scarlett R

112 Emily M 49 Luke A 217 Taylor W

281 Gwyneth P 160 Maddison J 124 William S

103 Hannah A 283 Madelyn A 270 Xavier F

226 Harry K 174 Marvin S

63 Jemma C 192 Matthew R

something can take time. I would encourage you to share this practical activity sheet called Saving Up List with you child. It's a simple, helpful exercise for children that explains how saving takes time. We hope to see you all on Friday mornings from 8.30am to 9.30am. New accounts can also be opened on Wednesday between 8.30am and 9.30am.

COMMUNITY NOTICES

: International Oval, Seven Hills TIME: 10A M-1PMOST: $40 (incl. NRL holiday bag, ball, kicking tee, pump & drink bottle. Morning tea &

DISCLAIMER:

Ironbark Ridge Public School newsletter contains paid advertisements which assist with the cost of publication. The publication of such advertisements does not imply endorsement of any product or service by the NSW Department of Education and Communities or Ironbark Ridge Public School.