Principal's Report - Mr Pitt

Dear Parents/ Carers,

Welcome to Term 2. A special welcome to new families who have joined our beautiful school. This term is 10 weeks. We have planned for lots of fun and interesting activities this term, concluding with semester one reports, parent/teacher interviews and K-2 and 3-6 end of semester celebration assemblies.

STAFF NEWS

We welcome Mrs Jessica Ratcliffe to Fairvale PS replacing Mr Geoff on Mondays. Mr Rob will be working on Tuesdays and Thursdays. A smooth transition has occurred, and Miss Fletcher will be working closely with our school counsellors as the school Learning Support Coordinator.

BEING COVID-SMART – TERM 2

Our COVID-smart measures continue to be in place to help reduce the risk of transmission for students and staff members and are vital in allowing us to keep our schools operational while prioritising student and staff wellbeing. These measures include:

Staying home if unwell and test for COVID-19 if showing any symptoms
Boosted day cleaning of high-touch areas in our schools
Strongly encouraging masks to be worn by all students, staff and visitors, particularly when indoors, and if exposed to COVID-19
Strongly encouraging up-to-date vaccinations for our staff and students, including COVID-19 booster shots for anyone eligible
Maintaining natural ventilation with windows and doors open whenever possible, including when cooling/heating systems are in use
Continuing to provide RATs and other hygiene products to schools free of charge.

BIKE VISITS WITH MR PITT

This week I visited K/1 Nelson Lakes and 3/4 Zion. It was great to be back on my bike and visiting classrooms after the two-week vacation period.

K/1 Nelson Lakes – On Wednesday afternoon I visited K/1N during a spelling activity. Kindergarten students were using their knowledge of syllables to cut/paste different pictures. Year 1 were using their knowledge of phonemes to spell words on their mini whiteboard. After this, children went back to their tables to further demonstrate their understanding by putting the words into sentences. Whilst Year 1 did this, Kindergarten worked with Miss Nak on the floor. Fantastic work K/1N!
3/4 Zion – On Tuesday afternoon I visited 3/4Z during a numeracy lesson. Students were building on their knowledge of place value. I was super impressed everyone’s confidence during the lesson. Everyone was able to complete standard and non-standard place value; with some children demonstrating outstanding knowledge and understanding. I certainly left the class with a sweaty brain! Well done 3/4Z!

Check out some of the photos in this edition of the newsletter.

ANZAC DAY ASSEMBLY

On the first day of Term 2 we held our annual ANZAC DAY Commemorative Assembly at Fairvale PS. We listened to our school leaders tell us about the meaning of ANZAC DAY. Then we remembered all of those who have served in war, conflict and peacekeeping operations. Each class laid a wreath that had been made with poppies. After the assembly, our school captains, Aiden and Maria along with Miss Ida and Mrs Sloggett delivered a special wreath to Fairfield RSL. This wreath was laid in the special ANZAC DAY Garden area on behalf of the Fairvale PS community. Lest we Forget.

MOTHER’S DAY STALL

Our annual Mother’s Day Stall is back for another year, operating next Thursday 11 May. Miss Michelle and Miss Samira, along with parents, will operate the stall. All children will have the opportunity to purchase gifts ranging from $2 to $10 today. Any unsold items will be sold on Friday morning. I would like to wish all our mums a wonderful Mother’s Day for next Sunday - 14 May 2023. I hope it’s a lovely day!

EMERGENCY AND LOCKDOWN DRILLS

Each year schools in NSW take part in mandatory emergency evacuation and lockdown drills. During this time all members on site must adhere to school policies and procedures. At the end of last term, our school participated in an emergency drill practice. We now have the Work Health and Safety Project Team, under the leadership of Mrs Sheppard, School Business Manager, evaluating the effectiveness of the emergency procedures at our school.

HEALTHY FAMILY BULLETIN

Check out the May edition of the Healthy Family Bulletin. Here you will find information on healthy eating, physical activity, screen time, general health and relevant resources/ events. Miss Fletcher tells me the healthy Bird Seed Crackers recipe is delicious - check it out! >> https://bit.ly/3nk106O

ROAD SAFETY

As we begin a new term, we all must remember the importance of safe road safety practices. I understand that people are busy and need to be places but I suggest families need to plan their trip to and from school each day. This will ensure the journey and drop off is a safe one for everyone. Please consider using Wolseley Street (although very busy) as it has a designated ’Kiss and Drop’ zone every day. Ensure that you follow the road rules; fines are expensive and almost always occur due to one wrong decision. Just yesterday a police officer was at the school monitoring the morning traffic. Unfortunately, some of our families were booked and the police officer has asked that I remind drivers that you cannot drive into someone’s driveway and reverse out again – this is a $481 fine and 4 points off your licence.

REPEATED: STAY HOME IF YOU ARE SICK

All adults on site will be healthy and ready to work and we expect the same from our children and their families. If children are unwell at school, you or your nominated emergency contact will need to collect them immediately. Please make sure your contact details are up to date. Check out the link below.

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/infectious/influenza/Pages/default.aspx

Have a great fortnight,

Anthony Pitt

Principal

I respect and acknowledge First Nations people as the traditional owners of the land on which I work, live and visit.

Learning Hub > Parents and carers (nsw.gov.au)

Testing positive to COVID-19 and managing COVID-19 safely at home | NSW Government

Advice for families (nsw.gov.au)

Translated documents are here >>>>>>>> COVID smart measures for schools (nsw.gov.au)

https://education.nsw.gov.au/about-us/rights-and-accountability/complaints-compliments-and-suggestions/guide-for-parents-carers-and-students

>>>> Selective high school and opportunity class placement (nsw.gov.au)

>>>> Information for applicants (nsw.gov.au)

Premier’s Back to School NSW program to get your kids ready for back to school

Dear Parents and Carers,

As we prepare for another year of learning in 2023, you can now apply for the Premier’s Back to School NSW program, offering $150 worth of vouchers (3 x $50 vouchers) to help pay for school supplies like school uniforms, shoes, bags, textbooks and stationery.

Every primary and secondary school student in NSW is eligible for the vouchers.

You can apply for and access your vouchers in your MyServiceNSW account, in the Service NSW app, by calling Service NSW on 137788 or by visiting your local Service Centre External Link.

To be eligible, your child needs to be a NSW resident and enrolled in a NSW primary or secondary school in 2023.

For more information, visit the Service NSW Website External Link.

Kind regards,

Anthony Pitt

Principal