From the Head of Junior School

The Power of Service

During the first two weeks of the term, our Junior School students have raised awareness for, and generously donated to, different important charities founded to support others in the community who are in need. During Week One, our students supported the ‘Pyjama Foundation’ which seeks to assist children living in foster care reach their potential. Last week, the Junior School was also a sea of denim as students celebrated ‘Jeans for Genes Day’, a cause founded to assist the Children’s Medical Research Institute in helping children who have a genetic condition. 

The value of students engaging with community service initiatives such as these cannot be understated. By recognising the difference that can be made in helping others who are less fortunate, our students will hopefully appreciate the position they are in to drive positive change on a broader level outside the confines of TPHS. Research shows that community service assists students in fostering a sense of civic responsibility, enhances their social skills, and funnily enough, it can contribute to their overall wellbeing as well. By engaging in community service, students can also gain experiences and skills that will serve them throughout the rest of their lives.

Our next initiative that the Junior School will support is ‘Jersey Day’. Held on Friday 30th August, students are encouraged to wear their favourite sporting jersey to School as we raise awareness for organ and tissue donation, a cause that saves lives every day.

Recently, two of our Junior School students, William (P1) and Andrew (P4), have been working with a charity organisation, Smiles2U, which aims to bring care and comfort to the many children who visit our local hospitals each day for different reasons. Beginning as a simple passion project, William and Andrew have both been inspired to make as much of a difference as they can to other children who may not be as fortunate. After initially selling golf balls to raise money to fund the purchase of items that can be used to create ‘smile’ bags, William and Andrew have spent a considerable amount of time visiting local hospitals such as Northern Beaches, Royal North Shore and Royal Prince Alfred. They have then sought to distribute these bags in order to bring a smile to the faces of young boys and girls. At the time of writing this article, William and Andrew have both created and delivered more than 160 bags to other children!

Hearing stories like this certainly remind me of how proud I am to be a member of the Pittwater House community as students such as William and Andrew clearly understand the importance of putting others first and have demonstrated this in action through their selfless service. Congratulations on being such good role models in this way to your peers, William and Andrew! 

HEROIC Headways

As we begin a new term of our HEROIC Headways model across Years 4 to 6, it is important to note that there may be changes made to our grouping structures and student lists. These changes are based on recent assessment data, which has provided our staff with valuable insights into the learning needs and progress of students.

In implementing this model, our priority is to ensure that every student receives the support or extension they need to achieve their full potential. To this end, we have conducted a thorough analysis of the latest student assessment results and have identified areas where we can better align our teaching strategies with the individual needs of our students.

This term, some students will be placed in new groups that better match their demonstrated abilities, ensuring that each child is working at an appropriate level of engagement which is tailored to their current understanding and skill development.

We will continue to monitor student progress closely over the course of the semester and make further adjustments as necessary. Relevant assessments will also help us to ensure that each student remains in the most appropriate group for their learning needs. All parents can be assured that any changes made to the groupings will be clearly communicated so that students know exactly what the next steps are on their own learning journey.

We are confident these changes will benefit our students by providing them with a more personalised and effective educational experience in class. If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s placement in English or Mathematics, please do not hesitate to contact their specific teacher.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership in your child's education.

HEROIC Literacy and Numeracy Festival

The recent ‘HEROIC Literacy and Numeracy Festival’ was an exciting event in the Junior School calendar for Term 3. In Year 6, students enjoyed the story of ‘Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes’ before considering how origami relates to the concepts of Mathematics. They drew connections to geometry, fractions, spatial reasoning, measurement, sequencing and problem solving. Who would have thought that so much Mathematics was involved in simply making a paper crane? Students didn’t quite construct 1000 of them, but they did enjoy the challenge of creating as many as they could! The finished products certainly look wonderful as a symbol of hope for the term ahead.

Aspire – Outside School Hours Care

A reminder that Aspire has been handpicked as the Junior School’s new provider for student care outside of regular school hours. 

Aspire will offer before school (7.00am – 8.30am), after school (3.00pm – 6.00pm), and holiday care (7.00am – 6.00pm) services for all students across Pre-Kindergarten – Year 6.

Please refer to the documentation linked below for further information about the student supervision offerings being provided by Aspire.

To learn more about Aspire's services, fees, and registration process, please visit their website at: https://www.aspire-oshc.com.au/pittwater-house or contact our Area Manager, Hannah Hornery, on: 0484 386 830. 

If you have any queries or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me via email: glenn.stephenson@tphs.nsw.edu.au or phone: 9981 4400 and I will endeavour to assist you in any way that I can.