2015 MAPS Newsletter Term 1 Week 6

Term 1, Week 6 – 6th March 2015
R/Principal: Mrs Dawn Dallas
R/Deputy Principal: Mrs Suzanne Bowyer
Student Leaders Visit Parliament
For your diary:
Sunday 8th March
-
Working Bee
Wednesday 18th March
- Bookclub orders
close
Thursday 19th March
-
P&C Meeting
Yesterday, at the invitation of Mr Chris Patterson MP, our student leaders
had the opportunity to attend Parliament House. The students joined with
leaders from other schools in the Camden area to participate in a
comprehensive tour of Parliament House and were involved in role plays in
the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council. The students were
fortunate enough to meet NSW Treasurer, Hon. Andrew Constance MP and
the Minister for Family and Community Services, Hon. Gabrielle Upton. The
students were able to ask questions and gain an insight into the daily life of
a Parliamentarian. It was an amazing opportunity and our students
represented themselves and our school extremely well leaving with an
increased vision for their time as leaders.
Reminders:
Working bee this Sunday
starting at 7.30am
Please call School Security 1300 880 021 or Narellan Police 4632 4499 should you see or
hear anything suspicious at school outside of school hours.
Mount Annan Public School
1
Stenhouse Drive, Mount Annan 2567
Ph:46472380
www.mountannanps.com.au
Inspired learning, enriching opportunities, caring community
From the Principal…
The last few weeks have been very exciting for our students. Last week we had Rugby League clinics on
Monday and a visit from Taronga Zoo’s ‘Zoomobile’ for Stage 1 students, on Tuesday. Thank you to Mrs
Davidson, Mrs Walgers and Mr Hutt for organising these engaging activities.
Today our Kindergarten students had their Teddy Bear’s Picnic. What a great way to consolidate learning
about the letter ‘t’! It was lovely seeing how confident the students have become with each other and in
their new role as school students after such a short time at school.
Congratulations to all the students who participated in the Razorback Zone Swimming Carnival last
Thursday and Friday at Picton. All the students swam exceptionally well on the day facing some very strong
competition. Congratulations to Bailey Brown who will go on to compete in the Regional carnival in Week 8.
A great effort by everyone.
Thank you to all our teachers for all their time and effort in preparing and holding the Parent Teacher
Interviews last week. Thank you to all of the parents who attended parent teacher interviews and shared
valuable insights with teachers about students to support teaching and learning programs. If you did not
make an interview and would like to speak to your child’s class teacher please do not hesitate in contacting
them to arrange a suitable time to meet.
Currently our school library is undergoing some major changes to make it a more dynamic space to meet
the changing needs of learners. I would like to thank Mrs Beynon and Miss Bradshaw for the hard work
they are putting into this exciting project and look forward to revealing the finished product in the upcoming
weeks.
A huge congratulations to Mrs Karen Dunn. Through the merit selection process, Mrs Dunn has been
appointed as a permanent teacher at Mount Annan Public School, pending a 10 day appeal period.
Over the coming weeks, a number of our students will be trying out for selection in Razorback Zone PSSA
teams in a variety of sports. Good luck everyone. Congratulations to Ryleigh Wilson and Bayley Suters who
have been chosen to represent in Razorback Soccer teams. Bayley and Ryleigh did very well to be
selected from a very competitive group of students.
The 2015 NAPLAN (National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy) will be held on:
- Tuesday 12th May - Language Conventions & Writing.
- Wednesday 13th May - Reading
- Thursday 14th May - Numeracy
Please don’t hesitate in contacting your child’s teacher, stage supervisor or myself should you have any
concerns or questions. Further information will be sent home shortly or you could visit the following website.
http://www.naplanforparentsnsw.com.au
Mrs Dawn Dallas – Relieving Principal
Mount Annan Public School
Stenhouse Drive, Mount Annan 2567
Ph:46472380
www.mountannanps.com.au
Inspired learning, enriching opportunities, caring community
2
From the Deputy Principal…
School Attendance
Regular attendance at school for every student is essential if students are to achieve their potential, and
increase their career and life options. Mount Annan Public School, in partnership with parents is
responsible for promoting the regular attendance of students. While parents are legally responsible for the
regular attendance of their children, school staff, as part of their duty of care, record and monitor part and
whole day absences. By regularly encouraging school attendance, the staff of Mount Annan Public School,
provide a caring teaching and learning environment that foster students’ sense of wellbeing and belonging
to the school community.
We appreciate your support in providing notes on the next school day after an absence. The media has
recently focussed attention on the changed procedures for recording of absences for family holidays.
Previously, as mentioned by Mrs Dallas in the week 2 newsletter, families were able to seek an exemption
for extended holidays. This rule no longer applies. Families can seek “An Application for Extended Leave”
that requires approval from the principal. This absence will be marked in the class roll as leave if approved
and unexplained if no approval is sought or given. These absences will now count towards reports and
school attendance census data.
For more information please refer to the following document.
http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/media/downloads/schoolsweb/studentsupport/programs/attendance/attend_
parents.pdf
Band News
Mrs Rideout, Ms Gosling and I are very excited
about the band program for this year. We are lucky
to have some very talented students at Mount
Annan continuing with their instrumental tuition and
welcome our newer band members to the Mount
Annan Public School Band. We look forward to an
exciting year making music. We ask that parents of
students in the band finalise fees and book
payments as soon as possible. We also ask that
you support your children with learning their new
instruments by allowing and encouraging them to
practice regularly – 15 minutes per day. We would
also appreciate your support in allowing them to
attend rehearsals regularly and to maintain their
involvement in the band for the entire year. We are very lucky to have many talented teachers who
provided enriching extra curricula experiences for the students at Mount Annan Public School and we
appreciate the support of parents to encourage participation and commitment to these activities.
Mrs Suzanne Bowyer – Relieving Deputy Principal
A Focus on MAPS
Clean Up Schools Day
Congratulations to all the students at Mount Annan Public School who
participated in our Clean Up Schools Day. It was fantastic to see so many
students participating and enjoying the day. The school grounds look great
and it is a credit to all the students and teachers involved. Keep up the
good work Mount Annan!
Mrs Karen Gwynne
Mount Annan Public School
Stenhouse Drive, Mount Annan 2567
Ph:46472380
www.mountannanps.com.au
Inspired learning, enriching opportunities, caring community
3
Razorback Zone
Congratulations to the students who participated in the Razorback Zone Swimming Carnival last week. The
students were well behaved and the two
days were very enjoyable. There have
been some fantastic achievements from
the two days including Bailey Brown who
came 3rd in the 11yrs 50m Freestyle
events and Jade Vander Saag who came
4th in 10yrs 50m Breaststroke. We wish
Bailey all the best when he competes at
the SSW Region Swimming Carnival in
week 8.
Clare Wagus: on behalf of the PD Health PE committee
Stage News
Kindergarten...
How quickly the weeks are passing! The students in Kindergarten have settled beautifully into class
routines and are all working hard. KM has had lots of fun learning about the letter ‘t’ this week. We have
made turtles, painted teapots, played counting games with teddies, made ‘tall towers’ and even had a tea
party.
Home Reading has now commenced and I would like to thank you for your support and encouragement
with this valuable program.
Mrs Anne McDonald: on behalf of the Kindergarten teachers
Stage 1…
Mount Annan Public School was lucky
enough to have been chosen to have
Taronga Zoo’s ‘Zoomobile’ attend our
school. Stage 1 students were given a
unique hands-on learning experience
where they met native animals including
lizards, turtles, frogs, a possum an
echidna and even a python. This visit
supported the Science units that are being
taught across Stage 1 this term.
Teachers are very interested in hearing from parents with students in any grade that are able to offer their
assistance in the classrooms for a short 10- 30 minute session, 5 days a week. Please see Mrs Cara
Davidson if you are interested in being trained in a specific program that will help students with their
individual learning needs.
Miss Kelly Parker: on behalf of the Stage1 teachers
Mount Annan Public School
Stenhouse Drive, Mount Annan 2567
Ph:46472380
www.mountannanps.com.au
Inspired learning, enriching opportunities, caring community
4
Stage 2 …
Stage 2 have reached the halfway point of Term 1 and have been enjoying
learning lots of new and exciting things.
On Friday the 27th of February the students in Stage 2 participated in Clean Up
Schools Day. Both the students and teachers worked hard to clean Mount
Annan Public School and look after the environment. Students found many
unusual things whilst cleaning up the school including a bird wing, a sock, a
handkerchief and sunglasses. It was very pleasing to see the effort that both
students and staff displayed on this important day.
On behalf of Stage 2 congratulations to the students
who participated at the Razorback swimming carnival.
You all did a wonderful job at representing Mount
Annan Public School.
There are many students who still have not paid for their book packs. These are
an important component of learning programs for the students of Stage 2 so
please pay for these as soon as possible if you haven’t already done so.
Miss Jana Todorovic: on behalf of the Stage 2 teachers
Stage 3 …
Many thanks, to the huge response from parents, in attending the Stage 3 interviews. Teachers were able
to gain valuable insight into your child’s background that assist in preparation for the year ahead.
Students are now engaged in learning and developing knowledge of class routines. Support programs are
also in place with Mathematics groups beginning in some classes.
Stage 3 have been delighted to learn of a wonderful effort by one of our students. In the coming weeks,
Cameron McDonald and his family will be taking part in the World’s Greatest Shave event to promote
awareness of leukaemia in our society and to raise funds for research into this devastating disease. After
speaking to our students at our stage assembly, we are encouraging Stage 3 students to voluntarily
donate a gold coin for this worthy charity on Friday 20th March. This is a wonderful opportunity for our
students to support others in need.
Our Science units from the NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum
are now in full swing with students learning about a range of topics on
plants and how they live and adapt to different environments. As part
of our studies, the students will visit the Australian Botanical Gardens
at Mount Annan. Here experts in botany will guide the students through
a variety of activities to further promote their learning.
The cost of this excursion is included in the book pack of $15.
Permission has already been granted through the general permission
note that went home earlier this term. If you have NOT paid for the
book pack yet please pay prior to the excursion date.
Excursion details are as follows;
11th March
5T, 5/6R and 5/6W leaving school at 9.00am and returning by
11.30am.
4/5S leaving school at 11.30am and returning by 2.00pm.
23rd March
6B leaving school at 9.00am and returning by 11.30am.
6S leaving school at 11.30am and returning by 2.00pm.
Mr Scott Williamson: on behalf of the Stage 3 teachers.
Mount Annan Public School
Stenhouse Drive, Mount Annan 2567
Ph:46472380
www.mountannanps.com.au
Inspired learning, enriching opportunities, caring community
5
Library…
Premier’s Reading Challenge
The staff at Mount Annan Public School are encouraging all students to participate in this year’s Premier’s
Reading Challenge. As most of the reading will be done at home we really need your help. Students in
Years 1 and 2 only need to listen to 30 books read to them. Twenty five of these must be off the challenge
list. The other five can be free choice books. Students in Years 3-6 need to read twenty books, fifteen off
the list. Kindergarten students will have the books read to them in class and I will record the information online later in the year.
The Premier’s Reading Challenge went on line this week and most students accessed their reading log
during their library lesson and recorded at least one book. Books that students have read since September
are able to be recorded on their log. Generally students will enter one or more of these books. This log is
accessed through the DET Portal. Students may record the books on-line that they have read at home, in
their classrooms or in the library during opening hours.
I will outline the procedure here but if you are unable to get on please pop in to the library and I will try to
solve your problems.
1. Log on to the internet, any browser will do.
2. In Google type DET Portal. Go to ‘my portal login page’
3. Type in user name. Usually first name – full stop – last name. E.g. Vicki.beynon Some students may
have a number at the end but generally they know. User names are not case sensitive so it doesn’t
matter if you do or do not use capitals.
4. Type in password – maps (lower case) for Years1-4, students in 5-6 may have their own.
5. Go to Learning (+), then more, then Go to Premier’s Reading Challenge.
6. Click on log on, then ‘Student Reading Records’. Students can record the books they read.
I am also here most days after school for help.
The Premier’s Reading Challenge app is now being upgraded and is temporarily available offline only.
Book Club
Brochures for Issue 2 of Book Club were distributed this week. Orders for this issue will close on 18th
March.
Mrs Dunn and Mrs McDonald process their own class orders. If your child is one of these classes, orders
need to go directly to the teacher. All other completed orders with payment need to be placed in the
mailbox in the office foyer.
If you did not receive the brochures or need extras, I have plenty in the Library.
Vicki Beynon: Teacher Librarian
Sport News…..
Soccer Stars Shine
Congratulations to Ryleigh Wilson and Bayley Suters who were successful in gaining selection to the
Razorback Representative teams. These students will now play in the Southwest Carnival and are eligible
for further honours. We wish them all the best for their carnival.
PSSA Trials Term 2
Pre organisation has commenced for selection of our Term 2 Gala Day teams. The students have the
opportunity to trial for teams in soccer, rugby league, hockey and netball. Teachers have begun to take
names of interested students to encourage students to take part. We anticipate sending away 16 teams to
represent our school. Teachers will attempt to give students more than one trial before selection will take
place.
Scott Williamson
Mount Annan Public School
Stenhouse Drive, Mount Annan 2567
Ph:46472380
www.mountannanps.com.au
Inspired learning, enriching opportunities, caring community
6
Term Planner
Term 1, 2015
2
3
4
5
School Leaders
Parliament Visit
6
11
12
13
5T, 56R,56W
Gardens Visit
18
19
P&C Meeting
20
Resource Pack
payments due
School Photos
March
6
9
10
7
16
17
SSW Swimming
Carnival
8
23
9
April
25
26
27
31
Kindergarten
Performance
1
2
Last Day Term 1
3
Good Friday
6B, 6S
Gardens Visit
30
10
24
SUN 8/3
Working
Bee
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Mount Annan Public School
Stenhouse Drive, Mount Annan 2567
Ph:46472380
www.mountannanps.com.au
Inspired learning, enriching opportunities, caring community
7
Mount Annan Public School
Stenhouse Drive, Mount Annan 2567
Ph:46472380
www.mountannanps.com.au
Inspired learning, enriching opportunities, caring community
8