Term 1 Week 6 4 March 2020 - Oak Hill Academy€¦ · Week 6 Thursday 5 March . Zone Swimming Carnival Year 2 Gruffalo Excursion 3-6 Assembly – Hall 2:00pm . Friday 6 March . Summer

Res p ect , Re s pon s ib i l i t y , R es i l i enc e.

Dear Parents/Carers Alternate Staff Development Day (SDD) 2020: All students come to school on Monday 20 July 2020. Students do not come to school on Monday 17 August 2020. Oakhill Drive Public School focuses on current educational research and best practice to achieve the best possible outcomes for students. Our teachers participate in weekly professional development designed to build their capacity. We understand that everything a teacher does in the classroom makes a difference to student learning, however evidence tells us that some things have a greater effect than others. We want teachers to be using the strategies that maximise learning and make an impact. Our school has prioritised learning and wellbeing in our strategic directions. Our teachers have been learning the pedagogies of Visible Learning and Formative Assessment. They are applying these principles to the curriculum and designing worthwhile differentiated lessons that moves student learning from what they know, to what they don’t know. This year we have invited Douglas Fisher, PH.D, Professor of Educational Leadership at San Diego State University, who has authored several papers and articles on improving student achievement, to visit our teachers. He will present and show our teachers how to apply the strategies that make a difference to student outcomes. In order to fit in with his existing visit to Sydney, we will be moving our SDD. The implications to our community are that we will be having an alternate Staff Development Day, as indicated above. Parents will need to make alternate arrangements for their children on Monday 17 August 2020. I have asked YMCA to be available to provide care and I will confirm this with you in the next few weeks. I trust that 6 months’ notice, will be sufficient for families to consider their options. CoronaVirus (COVID-19) Updated Advice Effective 1 March 2020 the Federal Government has issued a travel ban on foreigners coming to Australia from Iran. Only Australian citizens and permanent residents coming from Iran will be allowed entry to Australia and from 1 March they are required to self-isolate for a period of 14 days after departing Iran, consistent with the restrictions for those entering from China. Additionally, Australians have been advised NOT to travel to Iran. The updated advice from the NSW Government for parents and affected staff is:

• Any student or staff member who has been in, or transited through, mainland China (not just Hubei province) or has been in Iran is excluded from work, school or child care services for 14 days from the date they left mainland China or Iran (as the COVID-19 incubation period can be as long as two weeks).

Term 1 Week 6 4 March 2020

Dates for your Diary Week 6 Thursday 5 March Zone Swimming Carnival Year 2 Gruffalo Excursion 3-6 Assembly – Hall 2:00pm Friday 6 March Summer PSSA, Home Sport and Tennis Scripture and Ethics Week 7 Monday 9 March Kindergarten Gymnastics Tuesday 10 March School Photos Wednesday 11 March Yrs 3-6 SISA Athletics Program Thursday 12 March Selective High School Test Stage 2 Sydney Zoo Excursion K-2 Assembly – Hall 2:00pm Friday 13 March 2/3W, 2K & 2P EnviroMentors Incursion Summer PSSA, Home Sport and Tennis Scripture and Ethics Week 8 Monday 16 March Kindergarten Gymnastics Tuesday 17 March SRC Training Day – Selected students only Wednesday 18 March Yrs 3-6 SISA Athletics Program Thursday 19 March Harmony Day Friday 20 March Summer PSSA, Home Sport and Tennis Scripture and Ethics

OAKHILL DRIVE PUBLIC SCHOOL NEWSLETTER


• Any confirmed case of COVID-19 will be excluded until they are medically cleared to return. • Close contacts of a confirmed case of COVID-19 will be excluded for 14 days since last contact with

the confirmed case. • Students and staff who have returned to Australia from mainland China or Iran more than 14 days

ago and have shown no symptoms are able to return to school.

Our school continues to take the following precautionary measures: • Our classrooms will continue to be sprayed with disinfectant during class breaks. • All students have access to soap and sanitising liquid for students to wash their hands • All bubblers have been turned off. • Students may wear a face mask, if they are comfortable in doing so.

Hygiene All bathrooms and classrooms have access to soap and hand disinfectant. Our teachers teach children the appropriate way to wash their hands. Signage around our school supports this learning. However, we cannot do this alone. We seek your support to help us teach your children to be vigilant about washing their hands, blowing their noses and disposing of the tissue, not using the bubblers. Parents should provide their children with a water bottle and allow them to practice refilling it so they can refill it from the taps in their classrooms.

Swimming Carnival A great day was had at Ryde Aquatic Centre last Thursday. It was great to see so many children choosing to compete. I would like to express my sincere thanks to the organising teachers who ensured we had a great day and that we managed to finish all events on the agenda by 2:00pm. I also wish to thank our sport captains, who motivated, encouraged and led their teams through cheer after cheer. The leadership they showed their teams was observed and praised by many. Congratulations!! Whilst Ryde proved to be a great location to hold the carnival, one obvious drawback is the time taken to get there and back in the traffic. Another concern for us as a school to overcome is the accuracy of parent information about their child’s ability to swim. Parents were asked to confirm that their child can swim 50m. Some parents overstated their child’s abilities and as a result, these students had to be rescued from the pool. This has improved over time, however still remains a problem. Buddy Program All classes are assigned a buddy class. This is an opportunity for older students to mentor younger ones. Kindergarten for example are assigned a Year 6 buddy. Buddy classes meet frequently during the year for various activities. This may include PE, music, craft or reading. Our students highly value the buddy system. The purpose of the buddy program is to ensure students know an older child in the school who may be able to support them in the school. We have seen long term family relationships grow from the program and even lifelong friendships. Learning Support Throughout 2020 learning support in K-6 will continue to be overseen by the Learning Support Team (LST). This team is the key to ensuring that all students’ learning needs are addressed. The Learning Support



Team is chaired by the Deputy Principals, and consists of the Principal, the School Counsellor, support teachers and class teachers who are referring. At the weekly Learning Support Team meeting, students’ learning needs are discussed as per class teachers’ referrals. Referrals are prioritised, and if support is deemed appropriate, it may be provided in a variety of ways. The options available at Oakhill Drive Public School are as follows:

• consultation between parents and teachers to make adjustments and accommodations to programs • Counsellor assessment • support staff and classroom teachers team-teaching in Literacy and Numeracy • withdrawal by support staff for the implementation of intensive Literacy and Numeracy programs • visits to/meeting with outside agencies involved with our students • implementation of transition programs from Preschool to Kindergarten and from Year 6 to high

school • regular reviews of students’ progress • regular reviews of students’ behaviour

If your child is allocated support, you will receive a letter informing you of the type of support offered. Our RFF Programs: Release From Face To Face (RFF) Every full-time and temporary teacher is entitled to two hours release from face to face teaching commitments each week. This time is allowed for teachers to engage in lesson preparation, conducting parent interviews, assessment of individual students, training and development, stage and grade team meetings and other activities connected with the fulfillment of their duties. When the classroom teacher has their RFF time, students are taught by a dedicated RFF teacher/s and occasionally the Teacher/Librarian, whose duty it is to provide this support. RFF programs are Science & Technology and Creative Arts. Betty Ploeg Principal Scripture and Ethics We extend a warm welcome to all Scripture and Ethics teachers whose lessons commenced last Friday. Students were placed into classes based on parental permission from 2019. Any changes to classes should be made in writing and sent to the school office. Learning at Oakhill Drive Public School When I visited 5F yesterday, students were learning to entertain an audience using adjectives, humour, varied sentences and a variety of punctuation. They knew that this was important as when we write to engage a reader, they are more likely to want to continue reading. When reading Christian’s and Ella’s introductory paragraphs which detailed the setting of their narratives, I can see that they were successful in this learning as I want to read what happens next! Do you? BOOM BOOM. BOOM BOOM. The girl’s heart was pounding as she entered the creepy brown and dirty house. The door creaked behind her. Bang – the door shut as she walked up the broken, creaky staircase…. Errrr BANG! The step in front of the girl broke… by Christian D. The beautiful golden sunrise clashed against the calm gentle, sea-green waves that erupted from the clear blue ocean. Seafoam was thrashed around in the sweep of the waves. The sand slowly shifted shape as the water drifted over it. Beach balls were thrown by the gentle breeze. The deserted beach seemed to stretch across miles along the coast. Small crabs scuttled along the gritty sand in organised rows. Coral and kelp were washed up in the soggy coastline. In the settled waves, along with plants, was a huge, grey, wickedly curved fin… by Ella S.



Lost Property Our lost property shelves fill up each week with jumpers, hats, drink bottles and library bags. We encourage children to look for missing belongings on a regular basis. With time, names are washed off belongings and we remind parents to check that school items are clearly marked so that they can be identified and returned to students. Julie Torney Deputy Principal Selective High School Placement Test The Selective High School Placement Test will be held on Thursday 12 March 2020 from 9.00am to 1.30pm. Unless parents have made special arrangements with the High Performing Students Team to attend an individually allocated test centre, candidates from this school have been sent to: Castle Hill High School Castle Street, CASTLE HILL NSW 2154 Go to https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/selective-high-schools-and-opportunity-classes/year-7 to find:

• Test centre allocations by public school. • A map of test centre addresses under the heading 'The test'. • The bulletin, Test information for parents and students. The bulletin contains very important

information about the test and should be read carefully.

Stage 3 Narrabeen Sport and Recreation Camp A reminder that medical forms are due to be completed by Thursday 12 March. Both forms can be accessed using the class appropriate QR code. A copy of the note can be found on the school’s website under the ‘School Notes’ tab. Forms must be completed for your child to attend the camp. 2020 School Leaders On Tuesday last week, Mrs Ploeg officially welcomed our 2020 School Leaders and House Captains to their positions by hosting an Induction Morning Tea. During our morning tea, we discussed the leaders' Code of Conduct and we listened to their plans to help make our school an even better place to be. I hope you had the chance to read last week's school newsletter wherein our School Captains and Vice Captains introduced themselves to our school community and explained their excitement and hopes regarding their leadership opportunity this year. This week, it is my pleasure to introduce to you our School Prefects. Laura Feeney Relieving Assistant Principal Alvina My name is Alvina and I am one of your prefects for 2020. I love dance, art, horse riding and public speaking. Something interesting about me is that I started dancing when I was only three years old. I am honoured to be your 2020 prefect. I look forward to spending the rest of the year with you.

https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/selective-high-schools-and-opportunity-classes/year-7



Emma Hi, I am Emma. I am one of the prefects for 2020. I have represented the school for PSSA a lot, such as for netball, basketball and touch football. One of my hobbies is sport and I do it all the time. I get along with all of the people in the leadership team and I’m really looking forward to a good year together.

Isabelle Hi! My name is Isabelle, but I go by Izzy for short. I’m 11 years old and I am one of the school prefects! I have always wanted to be a school leader, for as long as I can remember. This is because they try their best and are great role models for both our school and community.

Aydin My name is Aydin and I am a school prefect. I have 1 brother, 1 sister and my parents. The reason I wanted to be a school leader is because I wanted to put my ideas into this school. Another reason is to help and strive with our fellow peers.

George Hey, my name is George and I am your new prefect! I am very creative, energetic, humorous and I am excited for the year ahead. I enjoy playing the piano and I have grown to be pretty good at it. I have 6 members of my family living in one house. They include my Year 2 brother, my Dad, my Mum, Grandma, Grandpa and me. I wanted to become a leader because I thought it would be an opportunity to improve myself and others.

Oscar I am Oscar, a prefect for Oakhill Drive Public School. I am twelve years old and I live in a family of four which includes my mum, dad, sister and me. I am very good at some sport for example softball, soccer, Newcombe ball, and I’m also good at Maths. I wanted to become a leader because I think I can make a difference to our school and bring joy and fun to our learning.

School Photos The 2020 school photos will take place on Tuesday 10 March. Please note that this date is different to the one on the term calendar and was changed so as not to interfere with Sport in Schools Australia program. On this day, class photos, individual student photos and sibling photos will be taken. The whole grade Year 6 photo will be taken on an alternative date, to be advised. Photo envelopes have been sent home. If your child did not receive one please contact the office. All students will be required to wear their full summer school uniform for these photos, including the correct coloured socks and black leather/ette school shoes. All girls’ hair accessories must be in school colours. On photo day, sibling photos will begin at approximately 8:30am for students with last names beginning with letters A through to K. Students will be called over the loud speaker when the photographers are ready to begin. Should we get through these photos quickly, more students will be called. Parents, please do not enter the hall during these photo times. The remaining sibling photos (L-Z last names) will take place at 1:05pm (eating and lunch time). Any remaining photos will be taken at the end of the school day, if needed.

Notes Due Dance Troupes – Costume Measurements & Code of Conduct Monday 9 March Stage 3 Narrabeen Camp – Medical and Code of Conduct Thursday 12 March Premier’s Reading Challenge Friday 27 March



Students will be solely responsible for making their way to the hall at their allocated time for their sibling photo. These cannot be made up at another time, so it is important that students listen for announcements. To order sibling photos, you will need to collect a sibling envelope from the front office. Payments must be made prior to photo day for these particular photos. It is preferred that these sibling envelopes are sent in earlier for safe keeping and organisational purposes. Only students attending Oakhill Drive Public School can be in the sibling photographs. Please remember to make payments and ensure students have all necessary parts of their full summer school uniform in preparation for photo day. All students must bring their individual envelopes with them on photo day. Emily Koller School Photo Organising Teacher PSSA SPORT

PSSA Sport – 6 March Sport Venue

Touch Football (Boys and Girls) Bernie Mullane Cricket Bella Vista Oval Basketball (Boys and Girls) Fred Caterson T-Ball & Softball Castle Glen

Janelle Lord PSSA Sport Coordinator Canteen News Thank you to our volunteers. Next week’s roster:

Mon 9/3 Grace, Mia Tues 10/3 Belinda Wed 11/3 Jane, Mina Thurs 12/3 Jina Fri 13/3 Belinda, Fiona, Grace, Mia

The canteen will have special ‘orange’ food on sale for Harmony Day: orange jelly or orange fruit cups 60c, sweet potato wedges or peach smoothies $1. Helen, Liz and Jenny Canteen Managers

PSSA Results – Friday 28 February SPORT OPPOSITION RESULT SCORE

Junior Girls’ T-Ball Beaumont Hills Win 10 – 9 Junior Boys’ T-Ball Beaumont Hills Loss 1 – 8

Senior Girls’ Softball Beaumont Hills Loss 2 – 4 Senior Boys’ Softball Beaumont Hills Draw 1 – 1

Senior Girls’ Basketball Samuel Gilbert Win 10 – 5 Senior Boys’ Basketball Samuel Gilbert Loss 13 – 25

Junior Cricket Crestwood Loss 55 – 118 Senior Cricket Crestwood Loss 25 – 48

Junior Girls’ Touch Football BYE Senior Girls’ Touch Football BYE Junior Boys’ Touch Football BYE Senior Boys’ Touch Football BYE



Uniform Shop TERM 1 – 2020 – SHOP HOURS Thursday 5 March – 8:30am to 9:30am Thursday 12 March - Flexischools Orders (Shop Closed) Thursday 19 March – 8:30am to 9:30am Stocktake 25 March (Winter Uniform) Thursday 26 March – Flexischools Orders (Shop Closed – winter uniform orders) Thursday 2 April – 8:30am to 9:30am (winter uniform sales) Thursday 9 April – 8:30am to 9:30am (winter uniform sales)

FLEXISCHOOLS ORDERS CAN BE MADE AT ANYTIME AND WILL BE DELIVERED TO YOUR CHILD’S CLASSROOM ON THURSDAY. Georgina Brown Uniform Shop Coordinator Community News DISCLAIMER We sincerely thank our advertisers for their support of our school. While Oakhill Drive Public School is selective in the advertisements it runs, parents are advised to use their own discretion in supporting these services.



1-5 Oakhill Drive, Castle Hill 2154

T: 9634 1033 E: [email protected]

W: www.oakhilldr-p.schools.nsw.edu.au

SCHOOL SECURITY If you see trespassers in the school out of hours please call school security.

1300 880 021 (24 hours)

Supervision of Students Our teachers supervise children at the following times in the playground: 8:40am-9:00am - Before school 10:55am-11:20am - Recess 1:10pm-2:00pm - Lunch 3:00pm-3:30pm - Bus children only No child should be at school before 8:30am No child should remain playing on site without parent supervision in the afternoon.

All parents and volunteers please remember to sign in and out at the Front Office each time you visit the school to work with students. Also please ensure you have completed an Appendix 5 form available at the office. This only needs to be done once and covers all the years you help at the school provided it is continuous service.

mailto:[email protected]

Documents

Term 1 Week 6 4 March 2020 - Oak Hill Academy€¦ · Week 6 Thursday 5 March . Zone Swimming Carnival Year 2 Gruffalo Excursion 3-6 Assembly – Hall 2:00pm . Friday 6 March . Summer