Principal's MessageWe have thoroughly enjoyed the last few weeks of swimming carnivals, swimming scheme and “Meet the teacher’ just to name a few exciting school events. Congratulations to Miss Prior who has worked hard to prepare our upgraded library ready for our children to enjoy. Although it was so much hard work, it looks amazing, and it is a productive and exciting learning space. I also appreciate the support and hard work provided by Mrs Martinoski who completed a lot of the administrative work and Mr Thomas and Mr Thomas who moved furniture and everything else in between. The library looks fantastic! Meet the Teacher Information Sessions It was such a delight to be able to welcome our families to school last week to meet their child’s class teacher. This was an opportunity for parents to hear about expectations, homework, excursions, units of work and other activities being offered this year. This year, parent information sessions for Years 1-6 were hosted by individual class teachers in their respective classrooms. A big thank you is extended to the families who came along and to our fabulous teachers for hosting this very valuable meeting time. School Uniform We all take great pride in belonging to Unanderra Public School community. I ask that all students continue to wear the correct school uniform each day. If this request causes any financial difficulties families are reminded to contact the school to arrange to speak with Mrs Rajendra. P&C Our P&C meet at 7pm on the first Monday of the month. The next meeting will be Monday 6 March, and this will include the AGM. The meeting will take place at school in our beautiful new look library. All parents/carers are welcome to come along and join us. It is a great opportunity to meet new people and learn about the great things UPS does. Departure times As with many schools, parking around our school, especially at pick up time, is difficult. Where possible, we encourage families to walk. If this is not a possibility, we ask that parents display patience, understanding and care. It is important to remember that the school drop zone does not allow parking and parking across our neighbour’s driveways is not allowed. The drop zone is for two minutes and the safe flow of traffic during afternoon pick up is critical. We remind drivers to be patient with us as we ensure all students depart from our school safely. Students will not be allowed to enter cars unless it is safe to do so. Our priority is to ensure the safety of our students and their families as they depart and your cooperation in this matter is appreciated. Attendance Regular attendance at school is essential to assist students to maximise their potential and students are required to attend school each day it is open unless they are unwell. Below is the flyer for minutes of learning lost when children are absent or late to school. https://education.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/main-education/student-wellbeing/attendance/Attendance_flyer_Minutes_Lost_-_Primary.pdf Safety, Respect and Responsibility The staff at Unanderra Public School are proud to be a part of this outstanding school community and continually strive for all students to become self-directed, lifelong learners who can create a positive future for themselves and for the wider society. For this to occur, our school needs to be a place where every student can learn and grow with confidence. Students develop best in schools where teaching and learning occurs in a positive, safe and harmonious learning environment whilst working in partnership with parents and carers. The values of Safety, Responsibility and Respect remain constant and a high priority at Unanderra Public School. Our students are reminded that these values should underpin their actions and decisions each day. Everyone has the right to be treated fairly and learn in an environment free from disruption, intimidation, harassment, and discrimination. Parents/carers are respectfully reminded to address any concerns that they may have with their child and/or any school routines etc with the class teacher, by contacting the administration office to arrange a mutually convenient time to have a discussion. The school staff are best placed to manage the matters of concern rather than approaching other students or their families. Thank you. Regardless of any variations to a school day all students are expected to treat one another, their teachers and visitors with respect and carry out their day with consideration to their own learning and that of their peers. Congratulations to all students who have begun this year of learning so positively and successfully! I am also really pleased to see those students who attend school each day in correct full school uniform leaving brightly coloured socks, shoes and accessories for weekends and special school mufti days. Well done UPS! UPS are Allergy Aware Please be aware that there are students in our school with allergies to nuts. We ask that you consider to voluntarily agree to not send nut products, in particular peanuts and peanut butter to school. We thank you for making this choice to support our children. NAPLAN 2023 NAPLAN is a national literacy and numeracy assessment that students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 sit each year. It is the only national assessment all Australian students undertake. Please see the link for further details. https://nap.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/naplan-information-brochure-for-parents-and-carers.pdf Figtree High School Newsletter Link https://sway.office.com/7BGE9d1fRifSLMdK?ref=email Welcome back to the iLib in 2023. In case you didn’t hear at the end of last year, the iLib had a total refresh over the school holidays. We are very excited to show you pictures of the newly refurbished UPS library. It has been freshly painted with a new colour pallet and all the furniture has been replaced. All bookshelves are now along the outer walls and the Circulation desk moved to the centre of the library. Students have been excited to use the new seating in the Storytime area, though we still love our Waterways rug from the Aboriginal company, Emro. Students have given a big thumbs up to the ottomans at our learning desks, replacing the previous plastic chairs and there is more relaxed seating spread throughout the library. It has taken a little while to get all our books back on shelf but we are almost there and all classes have been supplied with a tub of books for classroom reading and borrowing has begun. Kindergarten will begin borrowing for the first time next week (week 6). Please encourage your children to pack their library bags every week and show some interest in what they are reading. Research has shown that there are many benefits to reading for pleasure, not the least being building kindness and empathy but also supporting children to do better in all other subjects. The library is now open every recess and four lunch times a week and we are as busy as ever. Our P&C has had their first meeting in the iLib and I look forward to our parents, carer’s and school community visiting the library again when we have our next Book Fair in the next term. Hopefully, you all got a chance to purchase a book from our first Book Club of the year. Your support of the iLib is very much appreciated. All the best from Ms Prior Teacher Librarian 2023 Leadership Induction AssemblyDistrict SwimmingOn Tuesday 21st February around 40 competitors, as well as teachers, parents and spectators from the Unanderra Public School community traveled to Dapto Olympic Pool for the Dapto District Swimming Carnival. It was a fantastic day, with everyone from Unanderra P.S trying their best and showing great sportsmanship. A big thank you to the parents who helped with the setting up and packing up of the tents. Also thank you to Mr Scotland for looking after the team on the day. Congratulations to the following students who have qualified to represent our school and the Dapto District at the South Coast Regional Swimming Carnival on Friday 10th March at Dapto Olympic Swimming Pool: Zare Williams - 11yrs girls breaststroke & butterfly Sam fitzgerald - 11 yrs boys breaststroke Emily Palmer - 11 years girls breastroke, freestyle & butterfly Charles Hislops - 11 yrs boys breastroke Isaac Fisher- senior boys breastroke, backstroke and 12 yrs freestyle Leo Damir - 8 yr boys freestyle Freya Swimdells - 9 yr girls freestyle & junior girls relay Aliye Sen - junior girls breaststroke & junior girls relay Alexis Cambrige - 10 years freestyle & junior girls relay Amelia Hislop - junior girls relay Congratulations all on a great day! Renae Scruby Sports Organiser Year 7 2024 informationP&C News
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Principals' MessageDear Parents/Carers, Welcome to the new year! We have been able to form our 2023 classes and the students have settled well with a positive energy to begin their new school year. Following a week of BestStart and small group play dates our kindergarten children have settled well into ‘Big School’. We are so delighted to welcome our new kindergarten students and their families to UPS. A big welcome is also extended to our new students in years one to six and their families who have joined us this year. Congratulations to all the children who participated in the swimming carnival on Tuesday. All students were encouraging of one another by cheering each other on and clapping at the end of each race. We are certainly proud of you all! A big thank you to our volunteers and to all families who assisted the staff and students throughout the day. Finally, thank you so much Miss Scruby and all staff who worked tirelessly throughout the morning and beforehand to ensure that the day ran smoothly! The day was a great success and we are all are very appreciative of the hard work and dedication in preparing for this carnival. Well done everyone! Head Lice As the warmer weather continues, we may have an increase in the incidences of headlice across the school. Head Lice can, not only be uncomfortable but also be quite distressing for the child if, not treated in a timely manner. Please refer to the information provided to avoid and/or treat your child/ren for headlice. https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/environment/headlice/pages/default.aspx Healthy Food Choices As you may be aware all students eat with their class and/or stage groups. Our staff are always happy to see and hear the children chatting happily to one another making healthy food choices. Ice-packs inside insulated lunch boxes are encouraged during the warmer weather to keep food fresh and safe to eat. We also encourage children to bring healthy food choices such as fruit, vegetables, fresh sandwiches, rice or pasta etc to school and remember to leave sweet treats and chips as a sometimes food. Drinks bottles (filled with cold water) are essential as the days are warmer so, please ensure that these are also clearly labelled and can close securely after use. Staying Sun Safe Please ensure that your child/ren wear the correct full school uniform including a school hat and that all items are clearly labelled. It is also a good idea for all children to apply sunscreen in the mornings before school as part of their morning routine when possible. On very warm days we ensure that the children eat in shaded areas and that everyone wears a hat while playing outside. Applying For Extended Leave Any family wishing to take five or more school days of extended leave (for travel purposes) should contact our school and complete the relevant paperwork. A certificate will be completed by the school and provided to the family, prior to their trip. This certificate can be used, whilst on your trip, should you ever be requested by authorities. Please note that this is an expectation from the NSW Department of Education. It is important to also note that requests should be made, where possible, well in advance of the leave occurring, to ensure that all paperwork can be completed. UPS are Allergy Aware Please be aware that there are students in our school with allergies to nuts. We ask that you consider to voluntarily agree to not send nut products, in particular peanuts and peanut butter to school. Drop off and Pick up Procedures. A big thank you to our parents/carers for their patience and flexibility during the start of the year and the earlier pick-up times for kindergarten students this week. All students K-6 will finish at 3pm starting next week. Parents/carers are reminded not to park in our neighbours’ driveways or stop on or too close to the pedestrian crossing. It is important that our students’ safety enter and exit our school grounds each day. Thank you for supporting the staff during these times of the school day. Swimming Scheme- Year 2 The students in Year 2 will have received a note to participate in a swimming program that will begin on Monday 20 February and continue for nine days to Thursday 2 March 2023. Each swimming lesson will go for one hour and buses have been booked to transport students to and from the pools. We encourage all eligible students to participate with the total cost being $30. Contact the office for further information. Induction Assembly Each year, students are elected by their peers into leadership positions at Unanderra Public School. This privilege is highly valued by our students, community, and staff. The development of children is a partnership between home and school and the leadership responsibility is considered as a recognition of how successful that process has been. To celebrate this achievement, we are hosting a School Leaders’ Induction Assembly, on Friday 17 February 2023. The assembly will be held in our school hall at 11:30am and we request that all children wear full and correct school uniform for this important occasion. A note has been sent home to the families with children who will be receiving awards during this assembly. Meet the Teacher Our ‘Meet the Teacher’ parent/carer information sessions in Week 5 has been arranged. This is an opportunity for parents/carers to hear from their child’s class teacher about expectations, homework, excursions, units of work and other activities being offered this year. This year, parent/carer information sessions for Kindergarten to Year 6 will be hosted by individual class teachers in their respective classrooms on Monday 20 February & Tuesday 21 February in separate afternoon sessions. Please see the note for more details. Please be mindful that this is not a parent/teacher interview about your child’s progress as this requires privacy and allocated time. If you would like to arrange a meeting regarding your child, please contact the office or speak to your child’s class teacher. Welcome to UPS Fete The P & C will be hosting a Welcome to UPS fete on Saturday 18 March 2023. It will be held at school starting at 11am and concluding at 3pm. Further exciting details will be shared soon. Wellbeing for all Each year on returning to school several students and their families often request information around building a positive mindset, developing resilience and promoting wellbeing. At Unanderra Public school we embrace and celebrate the uniqueness of each child and we are certainly proud of all students and their individual achievements in all areas of learning academically, emotionally, and socially. Unanderra Public School is committed to providing safe and supportive learning environments that respect and value diversity that are also free from violence, discrimination, harassment, and vilification. We know that the research shows the supportive environment schools provide can have a lasting impact on both the educational and lifelong outcomes for students. Below are some additional resource links from a variety of support services that may be useful. For general health · Health direct is a provider of trusted, free health information and advice and is supported by the government. For calming the mind · Smiling Mind - A web and app-based meditation program developed by psychologists and educators to help bring mindfulness into your life. · Headspace - A web and app-based mindfulness app. · Stop Breathe & Think - An app that allows you to check in with your emotions, and recommends short guided meditations, yoga and acupressure videos, tuned to how you feel. · Calm - An app for mindfulness and meditation to bring more clarity, joy and peace to your daily life. · Colorfy - Colouring therapy for adults on your mobile. · Pacifica - Daily tools for stress, anxiety, and depression alongside a supportive community. Music to help you unwind · ‘Unwind’ playlist on Spotify - A great playlist for relaxing and unwinding. · Relax Melodies - Relaxing sounds and sleep meditations that you can custom mix and fall blissfully asleep to. Some good TED Talks · Why we all need to practice emotional first aid - Guy Winch. · There's no shame in taking care of your mental health - Sangu Delle. · The power of vulnerability - Brene Brown. If you feel comfortable to reach out to talk with someone, below are some additional supports that may also be useful. 7 Cups of Tea - Find someone to talk to: 7 Cups of Tea provides online therapy and free counselling. The Better Access initiative provides better access to mental health practitioners through Medicare. If you’re eligible, you’ll receive Medicare benefits for up to 10 individual consultations with a mental health professional in a calendar year. For more details head to Beyond Blue or the Better access to mental health care factsheet. We understand that exploring professional help in person might not be the best option for you, so below we’ve listed some alternatives: · Have a conversation with friends or family members · Call Lifeline if you require crisis support - 13 11 14 · If you’re under 25 you can use eheadspace for online and telephone supports - 1800 650 890 · Call the Beyondblue support service - 1300 22 4636 · Visit Head to Health to explore a range of digital mental health resources Please contact the school via email [email protected] or telephone 4272 8730 if you require any further information or clarification. My continued thanks to the Unanderra Public School community for their ongoing support and generosity. I look forward to sharing an exciting year of teaching and learning with you all in 2023. Have a great fortnight ahead! Kind Regards, Anissa Rajendra Staff Development DayDuring the Staff Development Day, UPS staff spent time reflecting on the School’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). The RAP is a document that details the school’s commitment to promoting reconciliation between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the wider Australian community. After reviewing our school’s progress from 2022, the staff shared thoughts in a Yarning Circle, respectfully listening to other’s ideas to promote reconciliation at Unanderra Public School. It was an extremely productive session! We were all motivated and committed to continuing our work to incorporate Aboriginal culture into learning, both in and outside of the classroom. School CanteenScripture |
Unanderra Public School
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