Albion Park Rail Public School Box 1, Albion Park NSW 2527 Gow Avenue, Albion Park Rail

phone: 42 561 287 fax: 42 571 912 email: albionpkr-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au

www.albionpkr-p.schools.nsw.edu.au

Messages From Your Principal

Helping Children To Learn Well Term 3 Week 4 2018

Dear Families and Friends of Albion Park Rail Public School

Education Week Thank you to the parents, carers and family members who joined us last Friday to

celebrate Education week. It was great to see so many actively involved in some

future-focused learning! Education Week is all about celebrating the great things

public education provides our students and families. I would like to take this

opportunity to thank our fabulous staff who work so hard and go the extra mile to

provide these opportunities for our students. It was also terrific to see our parents,

carers, grandparents and friends enjoying a sausage sizzle together.

District Athletics Carnival

Congratulations to our District Athletics Team who participated in the district carnival last week. I was

able to spend some time at the carnival and was very impressed and proud of the way our students

represented our school. Many thanks to Mitch Brook, Paul North and Mat Walford for accompanying

and managing our team and to the parents and carers who assisted with transport. A big thank you to

Sophie Lyon, who is the President of the PSSA, for organising the carnival.

Parent Workshop

During Education Week our parents were invited to participate in a Mathematics Workshop. Brianna

Canby and Karen Vincenzini organised and ran the workshop providing participants with a range of

ideas to support their child at home with their homework. Parents can access some resources on our

school website. http://www.albionpkr-p.schools.nsw.edu.au/curriculum-activities/downloadable-

resources

Kindergarten Orientation and Enrolment

Please encourage any family or friends that

you know live in our area to come and enrol

their child for Kindy 2019 if they are due to

start school. We have Kindy packs available

at the office. I am also very happy to take any

new families on a guided tour of the school

and answer any questions parents may have.

Please note the first Kindy Orientation is

on Tuesday 28th August from 1pm to

2.30pm. There will be a very important

information session on that day and a chance

to meet some of the very important personnel

at our school.

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Important Messages

Book Week

Official Book Week is next week but Albion Park Rail Public School will be holding our own Book Week in

Week 7 of this term. As well as a Book Character Parade and activities, we will also be having a Book Fair in

the Hall where families will be able to purchase a book or buy a book to donate to our Library. More details about

specific dates and activities during the week will be provided soon.

2019 Planning

It has come to that time where we need to start planning for our staffing in 2019. Staffing allocation is directly

linked to student numbers. Therefore, if your family is moving out of the area or your child will not be

attending Albion Park Rail Public school in 2019, can I ask that you please inform our school office at your

earliest convenience. Also, if you know of a family who will be moving into our area to start at our school next

year, please ask them to contact us.

NAPLAN

This term from Week 5 schools across NSW will be participating in the NAPLAN Online school readiness test.

The school readiness test is a ‘practice run’ designed to help schools assess their technical and administrative

readiness for the transition to NAPLAN Online. students in years 3 and 5 will be participating in the readiness

test between Monday 20th August and Friday 7th September 2018.

The readiness test will involve students in year 3 and 5 sitting two, 40-minute assessments, a writing test and a

combined numeracy/literacy test. (Year 3 students will not participate in the writing test). Student participation in

the readiness test is an opportunity for them to become familiar with the NAPLAN Online test format.

It is NOT an assessment of student ability and there will be no reporting of student results. It is important to note

that participation in the school readiness test has no effect on students’ NAPLAN results from the tests students

sat in May. More information about NAPLAN Online is available on the department’s NAPLAN Online website:

https://education.nsw.gov.au/ teaching-and-learning/student-assessment/naplan-online

Erin Sinnott

Principal

Bring Your Own Device Program (BYOD)

As you may be aware, for the last few years, Albion Park Rail Public School students have been utilising iPad

devices and laptops into their lessons to increase their engagement and motivation to learn. It has also allowed our

students to have more personalised learning programs.

In order to extend student learning we will be introducing an optional Bring Your Own Device Program (BYOD)

in mainstream Year 5 and 6. Students in Stage 3, will be given the opportunity to bring their own technology

device (Apple device eg iPad or iPad Mini) for use at school as part of the BYOD Program. We are looking at

trialling the program in mainstream Year 5 and 6 classes at the start of Term 4, 2018.

We do not wish any family to feel financial pressure to supply their own device.

This program will be OPTIONAL and those who may not have their own technology device will have the

opportunity to access a shared school device. It is a choice for each family to make individually. However,

sustainability of the program relies on a majority of families being able to provide their own device.

We will be holding a parent information session regarding the BYOD Program at our school on Wednesday 22nd

August at 2pm and 5pm. At this information session we will discuss the rationale behind the program, student

responsibilities and use of devices at school.

Phil Maitland

Technology Coordinator

Upcoming Events - Term 3, 2018 correct as of 17/08/18

Please check our Newsletter calendar each fortnight

for new events and amended dates

Term 3 Week 5

20th Aug Poetry Reading for K-2 11.30am @ Hall

21st Aug P&C Student Banking with Commonwealth Bank

22nd Aug P&C Uniform Shop open 2.30pm to 3pm

BYOD Parent Info Session 2pm to 5pm

P&C Meeting 6pm

23rd Aug P&C Uniform Shop open 8.45am to 9.15am

24th Aug LEAP FROGS School Starters 2019 FREE

Play Group @ Tongarra Rd Cottage

9am Drop off to 11am Pick up

Term 3 Week 6 Literacy & Numeracy Week

27th Aug

28th Aug P&C Student Banking with Commonwealth Bank

2019 Kindy Orientation Session 1 - 1pm

29th Aug P&C Uniform Shop open 2.30pm to 3pm

Stage 2 T20 Cricket

30th Aug Fathers Day Stall - $5 gifts

P&C Uniform Shop open 8.45am to 9.15am

31st Aug LEAP FROGS School Starters 2019 FREE

Play Group @ Tongarra Rd Cottage

9am Drop off to 11am Pick up

Term 3 Week 7 BOOK WEEK

3rd Sep Author Visit $2 9am - 1.15pm

4th Sep P&C Student Banking with Commonwealth Bank

5th Sep Book Fair

Book Character Parade

Final instalment of Bathurst Camp

P&C Uniform Shop open 2.30pm to 3pm

6th Sep P&C Uniform Shop open 8.45am to 9.15am

7th Sep LEAP FROGS School Starters 2019 FREE

Play Group @ Tongarra Rd Cottage

9am Drop off to 11am Pick up

Term 3 Week 8 BATHURST CAMP WEEK

10th Sep

11th Sep P&C Student Banking with Commonwealth Bank

Year 1 & 2 Killalea Excursion

12th Sep P&C Uniform Shop open 2.30pm to 3pm

Year 3 & 4 Botanical Gardens Excursion

Bathurst Camp Day 1 13th Sep P&C Uniform Shop open 8.45am to 9.15am

Bathurst Camp Day 2 14th Sep Bathurst Camp Day 3

LEAP FROGS School Starters 2019 FREE

Play Group @ Tongarra Rd Cottage

9am Drop off to 11am Pick up

Term 3 Week 9 LIFE EDUACTION

17th Sep Life Education Van Day 1

18th Sep P&C Student Banking with Commonwealth Bank

Life Education Van Day 2

19th Sep Life Education Van Day 3

School Photo Day

2019 Kindy Orientation Session 2 - 11.45am

P&C Uniform Shop open 2.30pm to 3pm

20th Sep P&C Uniform Shop open 8.45am to 9.15am

Life Education Van Day 4

21st Sep LEAP FROGS School Starters 2019 FREE

Play Group @ Tongarra Rd Cottage

9am Drop off to 11am Pick up

Term 3 Week 10

24th Sep Life Education Van Day 5

Poetry Reading for K-2 11.30am @ Hall

25th Sep Life Education Van Day 6

P&C Student Banking with Commonwealth Bank

26th Sep P&C Uniform Shop open 2.30pm to 3pm

P&C Meeting 6pm

27th Sep P&C Uniform Shop open 8.45am to 9.15am

28th Sep LAST DAY OF TERM 3

LEAP FROGS School Starters 2019 FREE

Play Group @ Tongarra Rd Cottage

9am Drop off to 11am Pick up

Term 4 Week 1 2019 KINDY INTERVIEW WEEK

15th Oct STUDENTS & STAFF RETURN 9am

16th Oct P&C Student Banking with Commonwealth Bank

17th Oct P&C Uniform Shop open 2.30pm to 3pm

18th Oct P&C Uniform Shop open 8.45am to 9.15am

19th Oct LEAP FROGS School Starters 2019 FREE

Play Group @ Tongarra Rd Cottage

9am Drop off to 11am Pick up

Term 4 Week 2

22nd Oct

23rd Oct P&C Student Banking with Commonwealth Bank

FREE Musica Viva Concert

24th Oct P&C Uniform Shop open 2.30pm to 3pm

25th Oct P&C Uniform Shop open 8.45am to 9.15am

Choir All Day Rehearsal

Choir Performance Night 7pm

26th Oct LEAP FROGS School Starters 2019 FREE

Play Group @ Tongarra Rd Cottage

9am Drop off to 11am Pick up

Thank you to all our families that returned the last round of notes for

Student Absences up to Monday 6th August.

On Monday a new round of notes will be generated with ALL

unexplained whole day absences up to Monday 20th August and sent

home to families to be completed and returned to the Office.

As you are aware it is a requirement of the Department of Education for any school aged child to attend school

each day. It is also a requirement that parents/carers notify the school if their child is absent. This is preferably by

note, however we will accept verbal phone calls. If you are going on holidays it is also a requirement that you ap-

ply for extended leave through the front office. If approved, you will be given a certificate to take on your holiday

with you.

Due to the migration to a new system we have set up new protocols for accepting notification of absences. Our

system will generate a letter that is send home if an absence has not been explained within 7 days. This note can

simply be filled out and returned to the FRONT OFFICE.

Whilst we are migrating to this new way of recording absences, you may receive a letter asking you to explain

a previous absence that you think you have already explained. If this is the case please write a simple

message on the letter and return to the front office.

We apologise in advance if this does happen and errors occur from time to time. Once the system is rolled

out this should become much less of a problem. We will only be sending these letters home for whole days

absent, not partial. Please also remember that if your child is late for whatever reason they MUST go directly to

the front office with the parent/carer for a late pass. Your diligence in this is appreciated.

On occasion your child may need to be absent from school. Justified reasons for student absences may include:

Being sick, or having an infectious disease

Having an unavoidable medical appointment

Unfortunately changes to the way absences are recorded mean that some explanations are no longer

justified. Unjustified absences can include:

Always try to make appointments for students like dentists or doctors before or after school or in the holidays if

possible. We do reward our students with 100% Attendance Certificates each term. This means that the student

has had no absent periods from school all term - including NO LATE or EARLY passes.

Exceptional family circumstance

Being required to attend a religious holiday

Birthdays

Sleeping in

Traffic

Haircuts

Minding other siblings/children

Helping around the house

Shopping

Swimming lessons

1 or 2 days a week doesn’t seem much, but….

If your child misses: That equals: Which is: And over 13 years of

schooling that is:

1 day per fortnight 20 days per year 4 weeks per year Nearly 1.5 years

1 day per week 40 days per year 8 weeks per year Over 2.5 years

2 days per week 80 days per year 16 weeks per year Over 5 years

3 days per week 120 days per year 24 weeks per year Nearly 8 years

Attendance Matters - Student Absences up to today

Important Messages - Sick Bay, Lost Property & Uniforms

Flu Season

It seems that the “flu season” is in full swing. It is a good time to remind your children of the ways to help

prevent flu, these include:

· keeping surfaces clean

· washing your hands regularly

· avoiding sharing cups and cutlery

· covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing

Sick Bay

We have had an increase in the number of students coming to school feeling unwell and

turning up quite distressed to Sick Bay before 9.30 am. We are NOT healthcare

professionals, and offer basic first aid only. We would ask that parents ensure their

children have completely recovered from their ailments before returning to school.

Sending a child back too soon can be very distressing for the child and may well cause

a spread of the bug to other students in their class.

Also, for those times when you think your child may be just suffering from Mondayitis,

please do not encourage them to school by indicating if they are sick you will come and

collect them. Unfortunately, 9 times out of 10 they will play on this to go home.

Obviously, if your child is genuinely sick, their class teacher will send them to Sick

Bay to be sent home. Thank you for your cooperation on this issue.

Winter is Here…

We have NO spare jumpers/jackets so PLEASE ensure your child leaves home warmly

dressed. Any donations of old uniform jumpers will be gratefully accepted.

If your child is cold during the day, you WILL be called to provide more clothing.

NEW FROM OUR UNIFORM SHOP … Black fleecy jacket with zip and school

logo >> ONLY $28

The Uniform Shop is open every Wednesday afternoon (2.30pm to 3pm) and Thursday morning (8.45am to

9.15am) for cash sales. Order forms can also be returned to the Office to be filled.

Lost Property

Our playground - full of happy, laughing students - looks so good with all the black and gold

running around on our beautiful grounds.

To avoid the need for Lost Property Boxes please ensure all items of clothing, lunch boxes

and drink bottles are clearly labelled with your child’s name and class.

Uniforms from other students, especially jackets are being taken home accidently in the rush to collect

their own items. Please check labels in uniforms bought home to ensure your child has their own clothing.

Please return ASAP if item does not belong to your child.

Please note all unmarked items are placed in Lost Property boxes located in the Office. At the end of each week

all unclaimed items are either recycled as preloved uniforms to be sold at the Uniform Shop or sent to the Smith

Family.

Any valuable items such as jewellery, watches, wallets, keys etc. are sent to the office to be claimed by their

owners.

P&C Messages

P&C Commonwealth Bank Lucky Student Banker

Banking is every Tuesday. If you wish your child to begin banking at school

please see the office for an information pack. This fortnight’s Lucky Student

Bankers, receiving a voucher for the Canteen, are: Taylah T in K1Orange and

Noah F in 34Lime. Congratulations!

P&C Uniform Shop - OPENING TIMES

The Uniform Shop is open every Wednesday afternoon at 2.30pm to 3pm AND Thursday Morning 8.45am

to 9.15am.

Please remember you can always order through the Office. Orders are usually filled within 2-3 days. Purchases

can be made with cash ONLY. We do NOT have EFTPOS facilities. We apologise for any inconvenience.

Canteen Call For HELP!

Our Canteen is desperately in need of more volunteers. We offer free lunch and bottomless tea and coffee. Please

call our school Office on 42 56 12 87 if you are available.

As you can see by the days marked in blue we are in desperate need of assistance on a number of days coming up.

If you can help out even for a couple of hours we would REALLY appreciate it. Mornings are also a challenge. If

you drop your child off at 8.30am and can spare half an hour to help in the morning rush, that would help

immensely!! Just pop in and see the ladies in the Canteen in the morning.

Thank you to the local businesses who supply

fresh food and packaging to our School Canteen

Term 3 Week 5

Monday

20th August

Tuesday

21th August

Wednesday

22th August

Thursday

23rd August

Friday

24th August

Jacinta King

Tiffany Holohan Zoe Mullan

Lisa Davie

Adrienne Murray

Rose Nightingale

Rachel Nightingale

Karen Green

Amie Buck

Term 3 Week 6

Monday

27th August

Tuesday

28h August

Wednesday

29th August

Thursday

30th August

Friday

31st August

Rose Nightingale

Rachel Nightingale Raeoni Overend

Yvette Brown

Lisa Ward Tiffany Holohan

Abie Hart

Karen Green

Albion Park Rail Public School is committed to involving

our families and our amazing community in many school

activities. To ensure everyone receives all the information

about activities, we have several different methods of

communication:

Notes in school bags

Fortnightly Newsletter emailed to families and up-

loaded to the school website at:

http://www.albionpkr-p.schools.nsw.edu.au/

On line Calendar - which is updated regularly at:

https://teamup.com/ks8bbfe028c21ac146

All notes and Newsletters are uploaded to our school

app - SCHOOL STREAM - available free at Google

Play and iTunes - last minute alerts are also sent

through the app.. Cancelled events or reminders,

etc.

Photos of events are posted to our official Facebook

Page at:

https://www.facebook.com/ AlbionParkRail-

PublicSchool/

P&C events and discussion are posted on the official

P&C Facebook Page at: https://www.facebook.com/

groups/198914390231638/

Keep Up To Date with School Events

FREE Activities @ Dapto Library

FREE Activities @ Dapto Library

New dance studio opening at

Albion Park Rail Public School Hall

Specializing in Jazz and Hip Hop

Thursday Nights opening 23/08/2018

Session times

Juniors (3 -7yrs) 3:45pm – 4:30pm

Beginners (6 – 12yrs) 4:45pm – 5:30pm

Advanced Juniors (12yrs+) 5:45pm – 6:45pm

Advanced Seniors 7:00pm – 8:00pm

Senior Fitness (all ages and fitness levels) 8:00pm-9:00pm

Please contact Deb on 0423 222 764

or email rstars@outlook.com.au

for further information

and to book your position

Community Notices