The Winston Whisper Winston Hills Public School

Hillcrest Ave, Winston Hills 2153 T: 9639 8518 F: 9686 3274 Email: winstonhil-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au Website: www.winstonhil-p.schools.nsw.edu.au

Issue 15 – Term 3 – Week 9 Tuesday, 8 September 2015

CONTENTS

Page 2: Deputy’s Report, Assembly Roster, PBL

Page 3: PSSA, Produce for Sale, School Tree Day

Page 4: “Tell Them From Me Student Feedback Survey”

Page 5: School Banking, Uniform Shop, P&C, Band News

Page 6: Class of the Week – Owls & Raccoons

CALENDAR

TERM 3 Week 9 Wednesday 9 September Regional Athletics Carnival Stage 2 Camp – Yarramundi Thursday 10 September Stage 2 Camp – Yarramundi Friday 11 September Summer PSSA Resumes Week 10 Monday 14 September Principal’s Morning Tea Thursday 17 September Year 6 Fundraiser – Footy Fever Mufti Day Friday 18 September Last Day of Term Term 4 Week 1 Monday 5 October Public Holiday Tuesday 6 October STUDENTS RETURN Wednesday 7 October Life Education Starts Thursday 8 October Uniform Shop Open 6-7pm Friday 9 October Term 4 Accounts Due

WHAT’S DUE?

Friday 9 October • K-6 – Life Education – Healthy Harold Note • Kindergarten Party Day – Rouse Hill Cinemas Note • Kindergarten Fagan park Excursion Note • Years 1 & 2 Party Day – Auburn Cinemas Note • Years 1,2,3,4,5&6 Party Day – Aquatic Centre Note • Support Party Day – Blaxland Riverside Wharf Note • Term 4 Account Invoice

ACCOMPANYING NOTES • Life Education Permission Note K-6 • Kindergarten Fagan Park Excursion Note • Support Unit – Party Day Blaxland Riverside Wharf • Kindergarten – Party Day at the Movies Note • Stage 1 – Party Day at the Movies • Stage 2&3–Party Day - Blacktown Leisure Centre Note • Term 4 School Account • Term 4 School Calendar • Kindergarten – Child Safety Handbook • Year 2-5 Band Information Evening • Brochure – Get into Cricket K-2 • Year 6 Photo Request

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Hills Performing Arts Festival Congratulations to all the students and staff who took part in the festival at new venue this year. Once again the performances by students from our school were a stand-out on the night. Congratulations to Miss Claire Calabrese for her fine organisation of the evening. Thank you so much to all our dance and choir teachers for their dedication and hard work. Finally, I would like to thank all the parents who support the students by making costumes and transporting children. Father’s Day – Thank You…

• Fiona West, Donna Plummer, Rhonda Lyn Urkanci, Lisa Hassell , Belinda Schuster and Jennifer Harrison who helped with the purchasing.

• To the teachers and staff who helped to serve all the dads at our Father’s Day Breakfast. Thanks particularly to Mr MacSporran for his wonderful organisation of the event. We hope that all our dads had a great Father’s Day.

NEW ‘Skoolbag’ – Will be Officially Launched on Tuesday 6th October. Winston Hills Primary School now has ‘Skoolbag’. You can now keep up to date with everything happening at school through our App on your iphones, ipads, android phones, android tablets and windows phones. To download our App simply go to the App store on your phone or device and Click on search and then type in ‘Winston Hills Primary School’ and install our App. Be sure to click yes/ok to receive push notifications so you can receive alerts. Once you download our App go to the ‘More’ button on the App and switch on to alerts relevant to your Child ie: year 1 for parents of children in year 1 etc. Term 4 School Accounts & Permission Notes – Due on Friday 9th October The Term 4 school account letter and permission notes are being sent home to parents with our newsletter today. Parents are asked to list the names of all their children (at our school) on the tear of slip and then tick their means of payment for the total amount. Please note: signed permission notes and total payment is due on Friday 9th October. Term 4 School Calendar A copy of the ‘Term 4 Calendar’ is accompanying the newsletter today. Ian Short (Relieving Principal)

Living and learning together Page 1

Issue 15 – Term 3 – Week 9 Tuesday, 8 September 2015

ASSEMBLY ROSTER Kindergarten Assembly

• Wednesday 16 September 2015 – 2.00 pm • KB – will host the Assembly • KR – will be showing examples of their work • Parents are welcome to attend

Stage 1 Assembly – Years 1 & 2 • Wednesday 9 September 2015 – 2.00 pm • 1/2B – will host the Assembly • Parents are welcome to attend • Band Performance

Stage 2 & 3 Assembly – Years 3,4,5 & 6 • Thursday 17 September 2015 – 2.10 pm • Band Performance • Parents are welcome to attend

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) update New Focus Area – ‘We move around the school quietly’

Our new focus area is about the students moving quietly around the school, in all settings. We will be teaching the importance of this in classrooms this fortnight, and discussing this focus area with the students at morning lines. David MacSporran

FROM THE DEPUTY Stage 2 Camp Only one sleep to go! Tomorrow, Stage 2 will be travelling to Yarramundi for the Stage 2 camp. It will be an experience they will remember forever. Have fun kids! Hills Performing Arts Festival Congratulations to all our performers and item coordinators for once again producing some truly inspirational performances. Our dancers and choir members entertained the crowd at Evan Theatre Penrith last week. The students and teachers should be very proud of their wonderful achievements.

PBL- Focus Area- We are respectful when we move quietly around the school Over the past week our PBL focus has been about how we move around the school. Teachers and students have been focusing on moving quietly around the school as part of our ‘We are Respectful’ school rule. Students have been working hard on moving away from lines in a quiet and respectful manner and ensuring when they transition from different areas during learning time that they are respectful and aware of students learning in rooms near them. Teachers have been handing out many ‘Winnie’ awards to students who are moving quietly around the school and we are looking forward to seeing which house will have the most points to win the end of term treat next week. Girl’s Knock Out Soccer Team Congratulations to our girls’ NSWPSSA state knock out team and super coach Mr Freney for yet another victory in the knock out competition. The girls are now Sydney West champions. We wish them all well in their game against St Helen’s Park Public School at Camden on Thursday.

Sporting Opportunities As the Premiers Sporting Challenge is drawing to a close, a few more sporting opportunities are being offered to our kids. Cricket NSW are starting several new cricket programs in the local area that teach the beginning players the fundamentals of the game. Other programs that bridge these fundamental skill programs and the traditional form of the game are being introduced to our area as well. For more information, please refer to the flyer attached to all K-2 newsletters. AFL are also investigating an after school program in term 4. Some very exciting sporting adventures ahead!

Child Safety Handbook In the last few editions of our Newsletter we have made reference to some road safety issues. To further this process we are issuing a Child Safety Handbook to all Kindergarten students this week to raise awareness of common safety issues. Erin Rafferty Deputy Principal (Relieving)

School Accounts Due Term 3 Accounts

Due on Friday 9th October 2015

Prompt Payment is Appreciated

Living and learning together Page 2

Issue 15 – Term 3 – Week 9 Tuesday, 8 September 2015

ENETRTAINMENT BO OK

XOXOXOX

SCHOOL NEWS SCHOOL TREE DAY – 27th AUGUST Congratulations to all students who helped to make our annual School Tree Day a wonderful success. The gardens around the school court now have over 80 new plants which look fantastic. After planting, many students then added mulch to the gardens to help the plants retain water. A big thank you to Bunnings Warehouse at Seven Hills who donated over $150 of plants and soil to our school. David MacSporran

CONGRATULATIONS: CHPSSA ZONE AGED CHAMPIONS Congratulations, to both Milla Ellaro 5/6F and Lachlan Wood 4BG. As a result of their outstanding achievements at the CHPSSA Zone Carnival they were both overall highest scoring Junior girl and Junior boy competitors. They were the recipients of Junior Age Champion trophy which was presented at the 3-6 assembly last Thursday.

FRESH ORGANIC PRODUCE FOR SALE The Green Team has been working overtime throughout the winter and the school vegetable garden is thriving! We now have fresh, organic spinach, lettuce and herbs for sale at the bargain price of $2 per bag. All proceeds will be used to purchase new seeds, soil and fertilizer for the vegetable garden and other gardens around the school. Orders can be placed only via emailing me at david.macsporran@det.nsw.edu.au. All vegetables will be picked by the students and placed in a zip lock bag for your convenience. David MacSporran

Living and learning together Page 3

Issue 15 – Term 3 – Week 9 Tuesday, 8 September 2015

ENETRTAINMENT BO OK

XOXOXOX

SCHOOL NEWS SURVEY

The Tell Them From Me Student Feedback Survey

I am delighted that this semester, our school, like many other public schools in the state, will participate in a Department of Education initiative: the Tell Them From Me student feedback survey. The survey aims to help improve student learning outcomes and measures factors that are known to affect academic achievement and other student outcomes. The focus of the NSW-wide survey is on student wellbeing, engagement and effective teaching practices.

Only students in Years 3-6 will participate in this survey.

More information about the survey is available at: http://surveys.cese.nsw.gov.au/information-for-parents

The survey is a great opportunity for our students to provide us with valuable and quick feedback on what they think about school life, how engaged they are with school and the different ways that teachers interact with them. Schools in Australia and around the world have used the Tell Them From Me survey to help improve how they do things at school.

I want to assure you that the survey is confidential. The survey is conducted online and will typically take less than 30 minutes to complete. It will be administered during school hours between 17 August and 16 October. Participating in the survey is entirely voluntary.

A consent form and FAQs for parents/carers about the survey is being sent home with students. If you do not want your child or children to participate, please return the form to school by Tuesday, 15th September, 2015. Copies of the form and FAQs are available from the website above.

The Partners in Learning parent feedback survey

Our school will also be participating in the Partners in Learning parent survey, another part of the Tell Them From Me suite of surveys (student, teacher and parent surveys) on student engagement. The survey asks parents and carers questions about different factors that are known to impact on student wellbeing and engagement.

Running this survey will help our school understand parents’ and carers’ perspectives on their child’s experience at school. These include: communication between parents/carers and staff, activities and practices at home and parent/carer views on the school's support of learning and behaviour. This valuable feedback will help our school make practical improvements.

The survey is conducted entirely online at home or on public computers. The survey will typically takes 15 minutes or less to complete and is completely confidential. The parent survey will be conducted until16 October. Participating in the survey is entirely voluntary, however, your responses are very much appreciated.

More information about the survey is available at: http://surveys.cese.nsw.gov.au/information-for-parents

ACCOUNT DETAILS Accounts In this edition of the school newsletter, please find the Term 4 Account which shows costs for upcoming activities for each Grade/Stage in Term 4.

Your prompt payment and the return of permission notes for each of the activities is due by Friday, 9th October. We ask that you support the school with this request so that we can finalise our bookings with the venues assisting with our Term 4 activities. If, for any reason, you need to make other arrangements in relation to payment, please do not hesitate to contact the school on 9639 1931 or 9629 8518. Communication from you will help us to include your child's participation in planned school activities.

Below is a brief summary of the Term 4 costs. Please note that individual family accounts are no longer sent home. Payments can be made using the online payment (P.O.P.), Cash or Cheque.

Support Unit - $25.00 Early Stage 1 – Kindergarten - $44.00 Stage 1 - Years 1 & 2 - $30.00 Stage 2 & 3 - Years 3, 4 5 & 6 - $32.00 Year 6 Farewell - $25.00

Living and learning together Page 4

Issue 15 – Term 3 – Week 9 Tuesday, 8 September 2015

ENETRTAINMENT BO OK

XOXOXOX

P & C NEWS P&C FUNDRAISING

Bus Shopping Trip: Only 4 more days until our great day of shopping. For those attending bus shopping trip you will be contacted and final details confirmed. Father’s Day Stall: Thank you for supporting our Father’s Day stall, hoping all the fathers and grandfathers enjoyed their gifts. Also thank you to volunteers who helped out running of Father’s Day stall. School Disco: Thank you for supporting our school disco hoping the children enjoyed dancing the afternoon away. Also thank you to parent volunteers who helped out. BAND NEWS Meeting A huge thanks to the parents who attended our band meeting last week. There are many exciting things coming up and it's great to have parents input! Volunteers With so much on the band calendar at the moment, a timely reminder that the band committee is run by a small group of parent volunteers. We are often looking for a spare hand to help out- even if it's just a spare hour, we would love to hear from you! Bunnings BBQ On the 26th September we will be hosting a sausage sizzle and cake stall at Bunnings Seven Hills. This is an amazing fundraising opportunity for our band that has been booked in for over a year. An email will be going out to band families with regards to donations of time, cakes and support on the day. We invite all members of the WHPS community to come and support us on this day! Oktoberfest The Lions club has once again invited us to perform at the local Oktoberfest celebrations. This year it will be held on 11 October, there will be more information being sent home shortly. Hills Community Band A reminder that on 16 September we will have a visit from the Hills Community Band. Our bands will perform on the day, followed by the community band. All children will be expected at the hall after school finishes. Children will be provided a light afternoon tea before their performance. There will be no tutorials on this day accordingly. Practice cards With the end of term fast approaching, a timely reminder for the students to fill out their practice cards and even get a few more practice sessions in! The more practice, the more chances cards & ultimately the more chances of winning the prize!

SCHOOL BANKING School Banking Dates: Today is the last day for banking in Term 3. School Banking will resume Term 4 week 2, Tuesday 13th October. Good luck to all students who will be entered into the Term 3 banking competition! Kindergarten Orientation / Account Openings We will have a representative from the Commonwealth Bank speaking about the School Banking program from 9am-11am at the Kindergarten Orientation day on the 30th October. Afterwards they will be opening new savings accounts for students and siblings. If you would like to open an account for your child on the day please bring:

- ID, (drivers licence or passport) and - your child’s birth certificate

A reminder that siblings of students are also able to bank at WHPS. Just pop their deposit wallet in with their sibling at the school for banking each week. Please don’t hesitate to contact us via the WHPS School Banking email below if you have any questions or for more information about the School Banking Program visit the School Banking Website: www.commbank.com.au/personal/youth-students/school-banking-program.html Micaela and Lynelle WHPS School Banking Co-ordinators schoolbankingWHPS@gmail.com UNIFORM SHOP Uniforms:

• Winter scarves are now on sale $5.00. • Girls white sock sale 5 for $10.

Roster: • 10th September

Belinda Schuster, Melissa Zoller, Sam Hinchelwood. • 17th September

Fiona West, Donelle Tamin Don’t forget next term summer uniform. Alterations For all alterations to school uniforms, please drop your clothes off at Uniform Shop on Thursdays. Finished alterations will be available for pick up the following Thursday. Thanks to Bernice Harker for this service who is also donating 10% of sales back to the school. Uniform Shop Contact Details Please email Kellie Bramble at kellie_irish@live.com to place an order or for any enquiries. Email orders can be delivered to your child’s class on Thursdays only.

Opening Hours • Open during School term every Thursday morning’s

8.40-9:30. • 1st Thursday of the month 6pm-7pm.

Living and learning together Page 5

Issue 15 – Term 3 – Week 9 Tuesday, 8 September 2015

ENETRTAINMENT BO OK

XOXOXOX

Living and learning together Page 6