Issue #9 26 April, 2021

Term 2 30 April - District Cross Country –

Gunning

3 May—Dental Van

7 May—School Assembly

Principal’s Report

Welcome back to term 2 for 2021. We are excited by the further relaxing

of COVID restrictions. We can start singing in groups and singing our

National Anthem in assembly. We are gearing up to put our audition clip

for school spectacular that hopefully will occur later this year. We are

inviting parent helpers back into our classrooms and assemblies. Please

remember to QR code in whenever you visit the school and we are still

trying to use our hand sanitiser which will also help ward off the dreaded

flu this winter as well.

Mrs Barber is presenting the 1,2,3 Magic, a parent workshop later in the

term. It is a great course that will be on Friday afternoons for a few hours,

running for 3 weeks. We encourage anyone that is struggling with their

child’s behaviour or finds themselves raising their voice, this course has

some practical ideas and answers that could save your sanity. The course

only costs $10. and there is restricted number so be early to book your

place through the front office.

We are looking forward to an exciting term there is a lot of events in the

planning process. We have the school athletic carnival, athletic rotations

happening in sport time. District cross country and regional cross country

in the next few weeks. We have intensive COVID support happening in

5/6 B, 3/4P, 1/2P and 1/ 2H this term. And lots more. Stay tuned.

A big thank you to Ms Bird for her organisation in both our school service

and representing our school at the Yass town service. Thanks to Xander

and Jess for representing our school and laying the wreath for our school.

The school service was very moving and I was so proud of the respectful

way all our students behaved during the service.

Kind regards,

Michelle Fahey

CONTACT DETAILS

Mrs Michelle Fahey, Principal

Yass Public School

Laidlaw St, YASS NSW 2582

Ph: 6226 1017

E: yass-

p.school@det.nsw.edu.au

W: yass-p.school.nsw.edu.au

NAPLAN

NAPLAN assessment is occurring nation wide in week 4 of this term starting 10th May. Year 3 and Year 5

students will participate in NAPLAN. This assessment will be online. Parents of year 3 and 5 students

have been informed if they would like to withdraw their child, they have also been informed if our

learning support team has discussed the testing procedures with the family. The documentation around

NAPLAN should have been returned last Friday. Please contact the asap if you didn’t get that

documentation back to school last week.

Maintenance Work Around the School

A new floor was laid in our weather shed during the holidays. This looks beautiful and hopefully will fix

the nails working up and becoming a WH&S risk. Mick has also started to work on our Aboriginal garden

down at the river playground. The new screen is up and the totem poles the Indigenous group have

been working on will be the next step of the garden. We also had the hall floor polished. We have had

several painting companies come to quote for the internal painting of the library, that may happen

before June this year.

P & C Update

WE are trying to attract new members for our P & C. We have had our AGM so there is no risk of getting

a new job so please come along and hear about what we are doing at school. It is like a behind the

scenes tour of the school. We have decided to hold the next meeting straight after school on Friday 28th

May at 3. 30. We are hoping to encourage parents to stay on for the meeting after school pick up and

also not make families come out in the evening when it is getting cold.

Canteen

New canteen menu started last week. The changes seem very popular. Make sure you have seen the

new menu. The lasagne is very good.

Please contact Danielle Ryan or Belinda Banfield if you are keen to help out in our canteen on a

Wednesday or Friday.

Parent Helpers

We would like to start welcoming back parent and community helpers into our classrooms this term.

If you have time and would like to be a part of your child’s classroom please contact your class

teacher. We really apricate extra help in our classrooms. Please be aware that we need you stay home

if you are unwell and remember to QR code in when coming into the school for any reason.

School Assembly

Our first whole school assembly for this term will be on Friday 7th May. The assembly starts at 10.45, due

to COVID restriction easing parents are welcome to attend if their child is receiving an award or leading

the assembly. Parents will still need to QR code in on arrival.

Check-In Assessment

Last year the NSW Department of Education developed and trialled a number of short assessments that

schools could use to help identify areas of need across literacy and numeracy. One of the assessments

was so useful YPS engaged in it again this year. Last week all students in Years 4 and 6 sat two short

online “Check-In” assessments to provide teachers with additional information about their learning

needs. The assessments were multiple choice, with the numeracy questions being read to students.

Feedback from these quizzes is almost immediate, which allows for timely use at both an individual

and whole group level.

Parent teacher Interviews

Thanks to over 100 families that turned up at staggered times to meet with their children’s teachers to

hear about their child’s progress this year. It was great to welcome parents back into our school and

parents were very understanding about waiting outside the hall for their meeting time. This term

teachers are working on writing half yearly reports for their students. These reports will be sent home

in the last week of this term.

Mother’s Day Stall Run by P & C

P & C have organised for a Mother’s Day stall at school on Thursday 6th May. This is the Thursday

before mother’s day. All classes will be able to visit the stall and a note will come home with some

prices and more details in the next week.

NAPLAN

Students in Years 3 and 5 will be sitting The National Assessment Program – Literacy

and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests between Tuesday 11th May and Friday 14th May 2021

(week 4).

These tests provide parents and schools with an understanding of how individual students are performing at the time of the tests. They also provide schools, states and territories with information about how education programs are working and which areas need to be prioritised for improvement.

The majority of the tests are digital, with the exception of the Year 3 writing test,

which is still in paper format. Most students have already experienced what the

digital tests looked like as they undertook the NAPLAN Practice Test a few weeks ago.

There are four areas being assessed; writing, reading, language conventions

(spelling, punctuation and grammar) and numeracy. If your child is absent during the

assessment week, catch up days will be conducted.

If you or your child has any questions or concerns about NAPLAN, please encourage

them to speak to their classroom teacher. Alternatively, you can contact the school

and speak with Mrs Sharp who is the NAPLAN Co-Ordinator.

PSSA Trials Update

Trials are nearly at a close. This term we have seen a few more trials take place for PSSA team

sports. This week we have Mrs Doyle and a district team of Netball players in Queanbeyan for trials

as well as touch trials to be held at Walker Park on Wednesday morning. I would like to wish all

students the best of luck at these events.

We have also had a few students make it through to the next stage of representation. These

students have made the Zone team to play at a regional level.

Gabby Glover - Cricket

Sunny Bramley, Oliver Hodge and Cooper Wykes – Soccer

Tray Souter – Rugby Union

I will update these with the results coming through.

Good luck to those trailing today and later this week.

SRC Report

Last term representatives from our SRC, together with two indigenous students, wrote letters of request seeking support for the purchase of new flags. They wrote to Kristy McBain, Member for Eden Monaro, requesting flags for our flag poles, and to the Yass Soldiers Club seeking sponsorship for flags that we can use at assemblies. We are very pleased to announce that Ms McBain accepted our request and we have received new Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Australian flags. We are hoping to organise a visit from Mrs McBain so that she can see our flags in use. The Soldiers Club is still considering our request. Our Return and Earn total so far this year is $301.00. A HUGE thank you to the Banfield, Sharp and Curtis families who all donated vouchers recently.

District Cross Country

On Friday 30th April 2021, 63 students will travel to Gunning to compete at the District Cross Country.

Students have already returned their notes and indicated transport needs. If children are travelling

with the bus – please come to school as normal. The bus will leave at 9:30am and return in time for the

buses in the afternoon. If students are travelling by car, please be in Gunning by 10am for a walk of the

course. The course has changed from 2 years ago and is no longer at the Golf Course, but is now in

the town itself.

I look forward to seeing you all there.

School ANZAC Service

On Friday the 23rd April 2021, all of the students and staff gathered under the flag poles to pay

respect to our ANZAC heroes. Our year 6 leaders did a fabulous job leading the ceremony.

This year we paid particular attention to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who

fought and died for our country and many of who, had to hide their identity and culture. Our

classes made wreaths and laid them at the foot of the flags to display their respect for all those

who have fought for the country we have today.

I was so proud of each and every student for acknowledging the occasion and listening intently to

the stories of the day.

Thank you to all those parents, carers and grandparents who joined us for the service.

Lest we Forget.

School ANZAC Service

School Cross Country Carnival

On the last day of school term 1, Thursday 1st April 2021, students competed at our school annual

Cross country Carnival. I was excited to invite parents and community helpers back to school to

support the running of this event. Students were fantastic in cheering each other on and support

those who were anxious about the event.

I would like to congratulate the students who pushed themselves and received personal best

times, or results.

Our Age Champions for 2021 are:

Junior Champions: Ethan Doherty and Savanna Bywater

Junior Runner Ups: Flynn Hogan and Elizabeth Scarlett

Senior Champions: Oliver Hodge and Amelia Doherty

Senior Runner Ups: Ryan Witham and Jess Condon

Champion House: Mackellar

Multi Cultural Day

Students enjoyed dressing in Orange for Harmony Day, promoting the idea that here in Australia

Everyone Belongs.

PBL in Stage 1

A huge congratulations to all the Stage 1 students who received a PBL award last week. We are proud

of your respect, responsibility and participation. Keep up the great work!

Library News

Book Club No 3 2021

The closing date for issue number 3 of Book Club is Monday, 10th May, 2021.

To ease the ordering workload for the school, this term we are only offering online payments for

Scholastic Book Club. Please do not send cash payments for Book Club to the school. Credit card

payments can be made online using the Book Club LOOP link below. The process is easy and

straight forward.

Should you have any problems with the process, please do not hesitate to contact the librarians,

Ashleigh Hopley or Kirsty Smith.

YPS Reading Tree

This term Yass Public School unveiled the school’s reading tree within the library. The reading tree acts

as a visual aide to inspire, engage and generate an interest in reading for our YPS students. When a

student finishes reading a book, they can complete a leaf by writing their name, class and what they

enjoyed most about the book. The hope is to have the tree covered in leaves by the end of the term -

a task we’re confident YPS students can achieve.

Reading Prize

Alongside the YPS reading tree, students are encouraged to continue their home reading, completing

their reading journals as evidence of their home reading. To encourage and motivate this, a prize has

been offered.

One student from each year group (K-6) will be selected by the class teachers to receive a $10

Scholastic Book Club voucher that will be available for use in the next issue after the winners are

announced. To win, students must consistently show they are reading by completing entries in their

home reading journals, be reading a wide variety of texts and display an enjoyment of reading.

Happy Reading YPS!

Mrs Smith and Mrs Hopley

This Year School Banking day will be on Wednesdays. Please make sure your child

brings their book to school on this day. It will then be returned to your child on

Friday.

Please note that during COVID-19, the Dollarmites Tokens will not be issued.

However, the Tokens are being kept up to date in the Banking system so when a re-

ward is due you will be notified.

Happy banking everyone in 2021!