PACIFIC PALMS PUBLIC SCHOOL NEWSLETTER · CARE – about yourself, others, learning and the environment ISSUE 1 | TERM 1 | WEEK 4 ... 11.30 am any day from Tuesday to Thursday it

PACIFIC PALMS PUBLIC SCHOOL NEWSLETTER 21 February 2020

“Respect is the Key” www.pacificpal-p.schools.nsw.gov.au

CARE – about yourself, others, learning and the environment ISSUE 1 | TERM 1 | WEEK 4

RESPECT IS THE KEY WWW.PACIFICPAL-P.SCHOOLS.NSW.EDU.AU 1

Dogs on School Grounds

A reminder that no dogs are allowed on our school grounds. If you see someone with their dog on the grounds could you please remind them of this rule, which has been made to ensure the safety of your children. Some children are scared of dogs, big and small, some children have allergies and as many of our children sit on the ground to eat their lunches, there is a hygiene issue also. Thank you

OUR STUDENTS EXCEL

(Left to Right: Riley, Koby, Adam, Noah, Mrs Merchant, Emma, Eve, Milla and Grace) 2020 Leadership Team We would like to introduce our 2020 Student Leadership Team – Riley, Koby, Adam, Noah, Emma, Eve, Milla and Grace. Congratulations to our Leadership Team who are already doing a fantastic job carrying out their leadership roles. Our first assembly will be on Thursday, 27 February 2020 at 2.00 pm in the hall. We hope you can join us.

WELCOME TO TERM 1 The following events are happening over the coming weeks:

UP AND COMING EVENTS CALENDER Mon, 24 Feb P&C Meeting at 6.30 pm @ “The Recky”. Everyone welcome. Tues, 25 Feb High School Parent Information Evening at 6 pm at Great Lakes College

Forster Campus in the MPH (hall). Thur, 27 Feb School assembly at 2 pm in the hall. All welcome.

**Kindergarten will not attend until Term 2** Tues, 3 March Hunter Regional Swimming Trials at Lambton for qualifying students Fri, 6 March Zone Netball Trials for selected students Wed, 11 March Zone Football (Soccer) Trials for selected students Thur, 12 March Zone Rugby League Trials for selected students





OUR STUDENTS EXCEL 2020 House Captains Congratulations to our 2020 House Captains – James and Reef (Elizabeth), Zack and Beau (Shelley), Abbie and Toby (Blueys) and Jett and Evie (Boomerang) - who led our school sports houses at our recent swimming carnival. We look forward to seeing more of our House Captains throughout the year at our cross country, athletics carnival and helping out each day with the sports shed PE borrowing.

2020 Green Team We are very excited to announce the 2020 Green Team – Isaac, Emily, Bonni, Olivia, Zeb, Tarj, Charlie, Hunter. This leadership group has an environmental and citizenship focus and will work on a number of important tasks around the school.

GREEN TEAM Roles and Responsibilities ‘Adopt a Beach’ – Boomerang Beach ‘Tangaroa Blue

Project’ School Canteen Garden - Supplying our canteen with

fresh produce. Planting, weeding, watering, mulching etc

School waste & recycling improvements – garbage

audit Helping Mr Wood in the school grounds

School Canteen – Fridays Bush Track rejuvenation Breakfast Club Fruit & Veg Month activities Take 3 for the Sea

Back Row: James, Reef, Zack and Beau Front Row: Abbie, Toby, Jett and Evie

Back Row: Isaac, Emily, Bonni, Olivia, Zeb Front Row: Tarj, Charlie, Hunter, Mrs Shoesmith





OUR STUDENTS EXCEL 2020 Swimming Carnival Our annual swimming carnival was held on Tuesday 11 February. Well done to all students who participated by swimming in a race, cheering and supporting their sports house. It was great to see so many students participating, especially from the junior years. Thank you to all the parents and teachers who worked so hard to make the day a great success.





OUR STUDENTS EXCEL Manning PSSA Zone Swimming Carnival

Pacific Palms Public School 2020 Zone Swimming Team

Congratulations to all of our students who represented our school at the Zone Swimming Carnival at Manning Aquatic Centre Taree yesterday. Our talented swimmers were a credit to our school. Thank you to Ms Godfree and Mrs Salt for accompanying the team on the day and to all the mums and dads who provided transport and cheered our team on. A special mention to the following students who qualified for the Hunter Regional Swimming Trials at Lambton on Tuesday, 3 March. We wish you good luck.

Byron – 8 yrs 50 m freestyle Lilly – 11 yrs freestyle, 11 yrs breast stroke, 11 yrs

butterfly Bella – 8 yrs 50 m freestyle Eden – 8 yrs 50 m freestyle Koby – Senior Medley, 11 yrs butterfly





SCHOOL HAPPENINGS Welcome Kindergarten 2020 We would like to extend a very warm welcome to our 2020 Kindergarten students and their families. We have had a great start to the year and look forward to a very productive and fun year. Mrs Dorfling and Ms Murray are very impressed at how quickly our new students have settled into school routines and how much they are enjoying learning.

Getting to Know You Interviews Thank you to all our parents and carers for your interest in our parent/teacher “Getting to Know You Interviews” which were held last week. If you were unable to make the interview times but would like to meet your child’s teacher please contact the office. The interviews are a wonderful time for you to share with us information about your child.

P & C News P&C Meeting – Monday, 24 February 2020 The first P&C Meeting for the year will be held this Monday 24 February at 6.30 pm at the Recky. This is a great opportunity to hear about what is happening at our school and meet members of our school community. All parents and carers are welcome to attend. The P&C is always looking for new members.





INFORMATION FOR OUR PARENTS

HELP, WE NEED YOU! Could you be a volunteer reading tutor? We all know how important reading is as part of our everyday lives. We would love to welcome some more volunteer reading tutors to our small group. Reading tutors work with students on a 1:1 basis to help them practise their reading skills. If you have a spare two hours from 9.30 – 11.30 am any day from Tuesday to Thursday it would be great to hear from you.

Come along to our morning tea on Wednesday 4 March at 11.15 am in the staffroom to find out what is involved and meet other tutors. Please let Lorna Tavener (Learning and Support Co-ordinator) know if you are interested and come along to the morning tea. It would be great to welcome some new faces!

Lorna Tavener (L & S Co-ordinator) Stage 3 Canberra Overnight Excursion We are very excited about our Year 5 and Year 6 overnight Canberra excursion which will take place in Term 4. Our students will have the opportunity to travel on a four day and three night adventure from Tuesday 20 October to Friday 23 October to Canberra. Students will be visiting Parliament House, Questacon, Australian

Museum, Australian Institute of Sport, War Memorial and the Dinosaur Museum. This excursion is always a favourite with students and we encourage everyone to join in as there will be a huge variety of rich learning experiences available over the four days. A note was sent home to all Year 5 and Year 6 students this week. Please return the Expression of Interest note and (non-refundable) $50 deposit by Monday 16 March. Year 6 T-shirts Year 6 students have the opportunity to purchase a commemorative Year 6 shirt. Please return completed orders and payment of $35 to the office by Friday 13 March 2020. Expressions of Interest for High School – Year 7 2021 NSW Department of Education “Expression of Interest” notes for High School were sent home earlier this term. This form should be completed by parents and carers of all students requesting placement in Year 7 at a NSW Government school next year. After the Expression of Interest has been processed, your child will be offered a place at a government school. The high school will then send you an Application to Enrol to be completed later in the year. Please return all completed Expression of Interest forms to the office by Monday.





BUS INFORMATION FOR OUR PARENTS AND STUDENTS Code of Conduct for School Students on Buses It is every student's responsibility to behave in a manner that ensures the safety and comfort of passengers and drivers. This includes:

Behaviour on buses Use appropriate language not offensive or racist language Fighting, spitting, feet on seats, throwing things in or from the bus is not permitted No eating or drinking (other than water) - unless for medical reasons or the bus

operator gives written permission. Do not push or shove other people Do not bully or harass other passengers or the driver Avoid attracting the attention of the driver except in the case of emergency Do not play music at such volume that it may distract the bus driver or other

passengers.

Safety on and near buses Obey reasonable directions from the driver (e.g. where to sit or to remain in the bus) Remain in your seat - do not move around the bus unnecessarily If standing, remain behind the front passenger seat and keep a secure hand hold at all

times Keep bags and other items clear of the aisle Do not allow any part of your body to protrude out of the bus at any time Wait for the bus in a quiet and orderly manner - including at bus interchanges Stand away from the roadside until the bus comes to a complete stop Allow other passengers to leave the bus before stepping onto the bus in a single line Wait until the bus stops before moving to get off the bus at your designated stop Cross the road where and when it's safe to do so, use crossings/traffic lights where

available.

Legal considerations on buses Wear the seat belt properly adjusted and fastened, if one is available Ensure that buses are not vandalised - report any damage, e.g. graffiti and window

etching, to the driver Do not interfere with bus property, equipment and signage Do not leave rubbish on the bus, or at bus stops or interchanges.

Disobeying these rules may lead to the withdrawal of bus travel passes, banning students from travelling on buses and/or police prosecution and court action.

https://apps.transport.nsw.gov.au/ssts/#/studentCodesOfConduct





INFORMATION FOR OUR PARENTS Parking - School Zone Fines A reminder about parking at the front of the school. Last year the ranger consistently visited our school between 8 am to 9.30 am and 2.30 pm to 4.00pm. The Ranger can be in the Palms area at random, warning drivers about the parking rules. See below for infringements. Parking Fines Bus zone - $337 fine and 2 demerit points No Stopping - $337 fine and 2 demerit points No Parking - $187 fine and 2 demerit points

Speeding Fines Exceed speed 10km/h and under in a school zone

- $472 and 2 demerit points Exceed speed over 10km/h in a school zone - $588

and 4 demerit points Exceed speed 20km/h in a school zone - $707 and

5 demerit points

Working with Children Check There are specified exemptions from the Working with Children Check. People covered by these exemptions are not required to

have a Working with Children Check. The exemptions are: Volunteering by a parent or close relative of a child in activities for the child’s school, early education service or other educational institution; or by a parent or close relative, with a team, program or other activity in which the child usually participates in or is a team member. If you are a parent and you are volunteering in your child’s class please remember to come via the office to sign the visitors' book, receive a safety briefing and collect a visitor’s badge.





A MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL

The summer holiday has quickly become a distant memory as we launch ourselves into the business of Term 1. Already we have ‘ticked off’; 1. A wonderful swimming carnival 2. Kinder transition to big school 3. Parent teacher interviews and 4. Zone swimming. Staff communication meetings and professional learning sessions have allowed us to determine our school priorities for the year and to set goals against the School Excellence Framework. While our core programs are already underway, we are busy establishing the extra-curricular offerings including lunch clubs, kindergym, excursion planning, sport team preparation and much more to come. I’m always a little in awe of the teachers who take on these additional tasks and give up so much of their time to provide special experiences and opportunities for our lucky students. It’s going to be a GREAT year! Worimi Cultural Cruise for Staff As our school stands proudly on Worimi land we are always learning about Aboriginal history and culture. Yesterday our staff attended a cultural cruise on Wallis Lake lead by Stephen Brereton. This informative cruise educated our staff on the importance of the Worimi culture in our area. We learnt traditional about Gathang language, local important sites and stories of how Aboriginals used the land before colonisation. This information will now be shared with our students. We also invited other schools in the Great Lakes Learning Community and it was great to learn alongside our colleagues from both primary and secondary contexts.

Supervision at School The supervision and safety of students is an important component of schools. Staff have a ‘Duty of Care’ during school hours. We ask all parents to support the following to ensure appropriate safety and supervision of our students at all times:

Morning assemblies 8:55 am – families are welcome to attend while we give morning messages, while supporting students to be focused on the speaker and displaying good manners.

Afternoon pickup – students who are being picked up in the afternoon must only be collected from the COLA, all students catching buses should be in bus lines with their supervising teachers. At no time are students allowed to leave the school grounds, wait outside school gates or cross any road without direct parent supervision.





A MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Before School 8:30 am - A reminder to parents that there is no supervision for students at school before 8:30 am and after 3:00 pm. Students should not be left in the school grounds unattended at these times. We ask families to move away from the COLA for OoSH to use this space safely. Pacific Palms Oosh is available onsite for supervision before and after school.

Weekends – no students or families should be in the school grounds on the weekends,

especially unsupervised.

“Entry without lawful excuse onto inclosed lands without the consent of the owner, occupier or person apparently in charge of the land. The maximum penalty in relation to school premises is $1,100 and for other premises is $550. If dealt with by way of an “on-the-spot” fine, the penalty is $550” Inclosed Lands Protection Act 1901

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for your continued commitment to Pacific Palms Public School. Our students are so engaged with their learning and showing CARE for each other. We are very proud of them. Yours in learning Melissa Merchant Principal

“Children want the same things we want. To laugh, to be challenged, to be entertained and delighted.” Dr Suess





REMINDER: Parents please be mindful it can be upsetting for students when canteen orders are not processed correctly/timely on the QKR app resulting in students not having a lunch order.

























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PACIFIC PALMS PUBLIC SCHOOL NEWSLETTER · CARE – about yourself, others, learning and the environment ISSUE 1 | TERM 1 | WEEK 4 ... 11.30 am any day from Tuesday to Thursday it