120-126 Hezlett Road, North Kellyville NSW 2155

https://northkellyville-p.schools.nsw.gov.au

Northkellyville-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au 8801 1911

Hezlett Happenings ~ 29 May 2020

Drop off and Pick up Thank you to all parents and carers who have been supportive of our new drop off and pick procedures. Each day this week we have seen both procedures becoming faster and more streamlined. The large majority of students are walking through the gate each morning with an enormous smile; many are even skipping through the gate! These procedures will continue indefinitely until health advice changes and schools are able to have visitors return. We recognise that it can be hard to keep a distance at times, but it is critically important to the health and wellbeing of our staff, students and community that we remain health conscious. Procedures are summarised as follows: In the morning… From 8:30am, students may enter the courtyard through either the coloured gate near the administration office or from the rear of the school near the courts. Executive staff members will welcome students through “student access only” checkpoints. Once inside the courtyard and under the supervision of teachers, students will play until the 8:57am bell, at which time they will be directed to walk straight to their classrooms. Teachers will provide supervision and support of students at each staircase. There will be no morning lines, assembly or other form of congregation. In the afternoon… Dismissal will be carefully managed. There will be two in-school collection points where students will meet their parents. Students will rely heavily on parents to communicate their collection location each day. We recommend that parents of Kindergarten students write ‘Court’ or ‘Hezlett’ on the back of their child’s bag tag with permanent marker to help them remember where to meet.

• Option 1: Basketball Court • Option 2: Hezlett Road Concourse

Parents are asked to observe signage, wait to be invited to collect child/ren and to maintain social distance from one another. Parents collecting students at the Hezlett Road entry will see signage directing them to Gate C near the bike racks. We kindly request all parents collecting from this point to enter through Gate C, wait to be called upon, and then walk past the waiting students who will be able to see their parents. Parents and students will then exit through Gate B which is the main pedestrian gate. There will be one flow / direction of pedestrian traffic. Parents collecting students at the Hipwell Road entry may wait on the ramp or grass area near the flagpoles. Students who walk home or meet a parent outside the grounds will be dismissed as usual at 3:00pm, while those who catch the bus or utilise Kiss and Drop will continue to be supervised and supported as normal.

PRINCIPAL’S NEWS

120-126 Hezlett Road, North Kellyville NSW 2155

https://northkellyville-p.schools.nsw.gov.au

Northkellyville-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au 8801 1911

Parents Please Keep a Distance Parents and carers are reminded to keep a safe distance from one another at drop off and pick up times. We also kindly request that as soon as parents or carers have picked up students, that they leave the site immediately and do not linger having conversations. Teachers are unable to conduct interviews, however brief, on site in accordance with guidance from the NSW Department of Education.

No Birthday Cakes Students who celebrate birthdays and would like to bring treats for classmates are asked not to bring cakes. In cases where cakes are brought to school, they will not be distributed to children. This is again a common sense approach to minimising risk of infection. An individually wrapped and commercially produced alternative, such as fun sized confectionary bars are permissible. Dogs Prohibited Under the Companion Animals Act 1998, dogs are prohibited from some public places including school grounds. Dogs are NOT permitted on the school grounds at North Kellyville Public School. A brief rationale includes the health and safety of students, staff and parents and acknowledging that a small but significant group of students and staff have legitimate phobias of dogs. Visitors bringing dogs on site will be asked to leave the grounds immediately. The exception is that at times the school might invite a guide dog or therapy dog for educational purposes, and in so doing would complete a comprehensive risk assessment.

New Details? Let us Know! Thank you to the many families who have returned amended contact information from notices which were sent home recently. It is critically important that the information we hold on our databases about family contact details is accurate. If not already done, parents are kindly asked to review the information, amend any errors that might appear, and return the sheet to school as soon as possible. Sheets can be returned over the counter by students or by email to northkellyville-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au. Parents and Citizens (P&C) Association Meeting Our hardworking P&C Association has been eagerly awaiting the green light to resume operations. With the slow lifting of restrictions across New South Wales, we are now able to advertise that the P&C’s Annual General Meeting will take place on Wednesday 17 June at 7:30pm in the school hall. This meeting will adhere to all distancing and non-contact requirements. The key purposes of the Annual General Meeting are to elect a new executive committee, reflect on success and challenging of the previous year, and consider the Association’s financial position. I warmly welcome any parents / carers who are considering attending the P&C forum for the first time, and especially encourage those who might be contemplating nominating for president, vice president, secretary, treasurer or general member of the executive to do so. A strong and active P&C often makes the difference between a good school and a great school. For more information about the roles of P&C executive members, see our website here. Kiss and Drop This week I was heartened to see many parents and carers starting to get the ‘gist’ of how kiss and drops work. However, it is important to again remind all road users of the rules surrounding kiss and drops in school zones. There are two choices for motorists: Choice 1

• Stay in the car • Wait for 2 minutes then move on • Collect children only from the front of the

queue • Prioritise safety

Choice 2

• Pay a $191 fine • Lose 2 demerit points • Potentially cause an accident • Prioritise convenience

120-126 Hezlett Road, North Kellyville NSW 2155

https://northkellyville-p.schools.nsw.gov.au

Northkellyville-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au 8801 1911

National Tree Day – 2 August While at home, why not jump online to the Planet Ark website and explore the National Tree Day initiative which is coming up? There are many ways to get involved, summarised at the back of this newsletter. Attendance Meter Attendance at school in New South Wales is mandatory, though when sick, students should stay at home. We have identified student attendance as an area of concern and seek the support of parents and carers to arrest negative data, encourage positive attendance and attitudes to school. Non attendance leads to compromised learning outcomes for students. Each fortnight I will publish our attendance rates, and hope to see them steadily improve. We will be following Department of Education policy in following up non-attendance without good reason which includes referring cases of concern to the Home School Liaison Program.

MEASURE OF ATTENDANCE T2W5

Overall Attendance Percentage (higher is better) 94.4 Percentage of Students Attending All Week (higher is better) 84.6

Percentage of Absences which have been Adequately Explained and are Justified (higher is better)

29.9

Number of Late Arrivals or Early Leavers (lower is better) 71

Rating: Poor | Satisfactory | Good | Outstanding

Tom Moth Principal

Dream Big Award Recipients The large majority of students have returned to school with enthusiasm and are working hard to achieve their personal bests. Our Dream Big awards celebrate student endeavour. Congratulations this week to:

Mansimrat K K-6A Fateh S K-6C Haniya N KC Aarav S KC Uday C KD Krish S KD Sophie H KKC Lihini D KKC Lauk S KO Riana G KO Jamal A KP Dakshesh P KP Abhira K KPV Lucas P KPV Aarav B KR Briseis R KR Viraaj G KV Aidan S KV Taeyla F 2/1A Hymaan P 2/1A Isaac L 2/1AK Sulaksha G 2/1AK Siddharth A 2/1B Millie M 2/1B Cynthia L 2/1H Brody J 2/1H Xavier H 2/1I Kenzey M 2/1I Melody M 2/1J Samuel J 2/1J Kora J 2/1K Ishanvi S 2/1K Nulara 2/1M Arad 2/1M Aoife C 2/1P Mienke B 2/1P Will R 4/3B Wynn T 4/3B Sri B 4/3C Zechary V 4/3C Leah C 4/3C Darren D 4/3C Triman 4/3S Saatvik S 4/3S Laurence X 4/3S Kiara 4/3T Elise L 4/3T Ella C 4/3T Jessica 6/5H Pete 6/5H Mateen M 6/5S Iwan B 6/5S

0 20 40 60 80 100

T2W5

Overall Attendance Percentage (higher is better)

DEPUTY’S DESK

120-126 Hezlett Road, North Kellyville NSW 2155

https://northkellyville-p.schools.nsw.gov.au

Northkellyville-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au 8801 1911

Getting to Know our Students I have really enjoyed getting to know the students this week as we all return back to fulltime schooling. It is pleasing to see how settled they have been in their classes and I have been welcomed into the classrooms by teachers and students who are eager to share what they have been learning. Thank you to the parents and community members that have greeted me with a smile and introduced themselves at the school gates in the morning and afternoon, it is most certainly a different way to meet a school community. I look forward to getting to know all of you over the coming weeks and months so we can build positive relationships to best support our students. Uniform Reminder One of the great things about North Kellyville PS is our uniform. It is a real highlight that stands out amongst the wider community. This is a friendly reminder that students must remember to always wear the correct uniform, this includes hats and jackets. We ask parents & carers to support us in ensuring students are in correct uniform each day. Our lost property has grown to quite a significant collection. Whilst parents & carers are not currently permitted on site to sift through it, it is crucial that students uniforms are clearly labelled. Teachers are regularly going through it and returning any item that is clearly labelled. P&C Shade Shelter Our fantastic P&C has managed to secure another grant, this time for an additional small shade shelter. I'm excited to be working alongside the P&C to deliver this new addition to the school which will benefit our students and community for years to come. We are looking at installing it over the mulch area at the North-Eastern end of the school which will allow us to make better use of this part of the school. Stay tuned for more updates in the coming weeks. Luke Hogan Deputy Principal

National Simultaneous Storytime What a hoot we had joining in with this year’s National Simultaneous Storytime event! “Whitney and Britney Chicken Divas” by Lucinda Gifford was this year’s chosen book.

Mr Moth, Mr Hogan and Mr Bondfield very generously helped bring the story to life with their acting and dancing skills, proving that reading can be a chicken-coop full of fun!

Book Club Issue 4 catalogues have now been distributed to classes. If yours hasn’t arrived home, please check with your child’s home class teacher. Ordering will close Friday 12th June. A reminder that all orders must be placed using Scholastic’s LOOP system – this can be done online or via the app. NO cash orders can be accepted. Thank you for your cooperation. Premier’s Reading Challenge Due to the current variations to our lives, the Premier’s Reading Challenge has adapted its rules to ensure no student is disadvantaged and can still complete the Challenge this year. Students are able to include more personal choice books to their record and include books read collaboratively. Please go to the website for more information.

LIBRARY BIZ

120-126 Hezlett Road, North Kellyville NSW 2155

https://northkellyville-p.schools.nsw.gov.au

Northkellyville-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au 8801 1911

It is now critical for ALL K-2 parents to keep track of their child’s reading records. I can no longer guarantee that I can add enough books to their reading records, due to the fact that we have lost such a significant period of time where we could be sharing and reading books in the library and in classrooms. I have included a video tutorial that guides you through the process of adding books to your child’s reading record. Library @lunch Unfortunately, we are no longer able to open the library at lunch. Borrowing Due to the strict hygiene controls that the Department of Education has in place for school libraries, our students are currently unable to browse or borrow books from our library at the moment. Please keep returning any books that are still at home though. Hopefully soon enough we will be able to get back into regular library operations. ePlatform & Storybox Library A reminder for parents and students that the school funds an annual subscription to Storybox Library and Wheelers ePlatform. What does this mean? Well, students can access these incredible resources, free of charge, from any web-enabled device. AND you can add what you read here to your Premier’s Reading Challenge record. See further on in the newsletter for more details about how to access these fabulous products. Until next time…happy reading!

Ms Katie Whelan Teacher Librarian

Notice of Annual General Meeting The P&C Association’s Annual General Meeting will take place on Wednesday 17 June at 7:30pm in the hall. A new executive committee will be elected. For all enquiries please contact us via nkps.pca@gmail.com.

Alison Nicolson P&C President nkps.pca@gmail.com

FOLLOW @NKPSlibrary

P&C NEWS

120-126 Hezlett Road, North Kellyville NSW 2155

https://northkellyville-p.schools.nsw.gov.au

Northkellyville-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au 8801 1911

Out Of School Hours Care – Wesley Mission has been appointed as the provider of out of school hours care. The centre will run out of the school hall both before and after school. Morning care will commence from 6:30am, while care in the afternoon will be provided until 6:30pm. Contact OOSH on 96266620 or email oosh@wesleymission.org.au.

Facebook Page – ‘Like’ our Facebook page and encourage all of your friends, families and neighbours to do likewise!

Mailing List – To be added to the Hezlett Happenings mailing list, click here.

Parent Handbook – Edition 1 of the North Kellyville Public School Parent Handbook if available here. Please read this document to become acquainted with many school programs and procedures.

School Stream App – A lot of news, forms and notices are pushed out to mobile devices through our School Stream App. If you haven’t yet downloaded the app, do so now!

Parent Volunteers – must supply 100 points of ID to be brought to the office where it will be photocopied and kept on file for audit purposes and Appendix 5 which is a summary of the 100 points and a signed declaration about character and previous offences.

Follow our staff on Twitter: @moth_t @KaseyLeaMcGill @NewthSamantha @SoniaKadian1 @Miss_M_Cannon @Caitlin65032239 @NKPSLibrary @Lauren33421276 @muqadasa_ghaf @cheahmilly

Dollarmites School Banking – The P&C led school banking initiative occurs each Tuesday morning. Students can bring their bank books to the special programs rooms between 8:30 and 9:00am. More information here.

QUICK INFORMATION

Hezlett Road, North Kellyville NSW 2155

https://northkellyville-p.schools.nsw.gov.au

Northkellyville-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au 8801 1911

National Tree Day

Dear Parents, National Schools Tree Day is on July 31st.

It started in 1996 and has grown into Australia’s largest community tree-planting and nature care event. Each year over 3,000 preschools, kindergartens, primary and high schools across Australia participate in Schools Tree Day to plant seedlings and restore thousands of hectares of unique Australian landscape. Over 25 million trees have been planted by more than 4 million people, and this number continues to grow with the help of dedicated volunteers around the country. Unfortunately, this is not possible at present.

So as we spend more time indoors and many of us have been thinking about how we can use this time and keep our children entertained, the Tree Day team from the Planet Ark organisation have been thinking the same.

They have organised activity sheets in the toolkit for young students A competition for the under 18’s And ideas on how to connect with nature from your own backyard or balcony. If you have any ideas you would like to share please get in touch at treeday@planetark.org so they can share with the community.

If you are interested please share your photos with @nationaltreeday on

Facebook and Instagram.

Are you growing something in your garden? On your balcony? Show them your house plants! Whatever it is they want to see how you connect with nature. Use the hashtag #connectwithnature and they will reshare with the Tree Day community. If your child would like to enter, please encourage your child and follow the links.

For more information: https://treeday.planetark.org/