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Gorokan Public School Newsletter - Week 2 Term 2, 2021

Principal's Report

Dear Parents and Carers

Welcome back to what I trust will be another term of engaging learning opportunities for our students. Your children have returned motivated to strive towards their best for the term ahead. A warm welcome is extended to the new families who have recently joined our school community.

Both our Infants and Primary covered areas have been renovated over the April holidays.

Term 2 Procedures

Thank you for the way you have prepared your children for their return to school. Our drop off and pick up routines are operating smoothly with our parents and carers using the ‘Kiss and Drop’ or waiting in the designated areas and moving off quickly in the morning and afternoon. We encourage all adults to ‘check-in’ using Services NSW when entering school premises. You will also need to ‘sign in’ at the front office if you are attending a meeting at school during school hours.

With the gradual easing of COVID restrictions we look forward to inviting you to more and more school events. Please see the ‘Important Dates’ section following the Principal’s report. We encourage parents and carers to phone the office on 4392 4200 if they need to make appointments to meet with teachers and this will be arranged for a mutually convenient time. To ensure we have a safe school for our children and staff there is limited access to playgrounds, classroom and buildings without an appointment or approved reason. Thank you for your continued support keeping Gorokan a safe school.

2020 Annual Report

The school has recently reflected on the 2020 school year and has provided an Annual Report to the community as an account of the school’s operations and achievements throughout the year. The report outlines a detailed account of the progress the school has made to provide high quality educational opportunities for all students, as set out in the 2017-2020 school plan. It outlines the findings from self-assessment that reflect the impact of key school strategies for improved learning and the benefit to all students from expenditure of resources and funding. The 2020 Annual Report is available for you on the school website.

ANZAC Day Commemorations

A commemorative ANZAC Day Assembly was held at school last Thursday. Guest speakers from the RSL spoke to the children about the meaning of ANZAC Day. Thanks to Mrs Ranse, Mrs Behringer and Mrs Morrow for their coordination of this assembly. Our students in attendance at the assembly and who represented the school in the ANZAC Day Service in Toukley on ANZAC Day displayed respectful and dignified behaviour.

Check In and NAPLAN Online

This term students in Years 3 and 5 will sit the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) test and students in Year 4 and 6 the Check-In Assessment. There is no need for students to be anxious about these assessments, as the teachers have familiarised them well with how to complete the tasks, which are online for our school. These assessments aim to measure competency of basic literacy and numeracy skills that have been accumulated since starting school in Kindergarten. Trying their best is all that is required and this will ensure students receive accurate reports of their basic literacy and numeracy skills as demonstrated on the day. I wish our Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 students every success.

Australian Early Development Census

This term our Kindergarten teachers will be participating in the AEDC Australian Government initiative. The AEDC is conducted every 3 years and is a national progress measure of early child development. It involves our Kindergarten teachers completing questions about each child and allows for the collection of data relating to five key areas of early childhood development. This data helps teachers identify the needs of individual children and assists in identifying gaps in supports and services for families with young children. If you do not want the early development information for your child included in the census please contact the office and we will arrange for the opt-out documents to be completed.

School Improvement

Gorokan has continued to see a number of improvements to playgrounds and learning spaces. This year our students have benefited from the painting of our courts and murals under our newly renovated covered areas.

Primary mural designed by one of our students.

The primary outdoor gym has been improved, a shade sail placed over the liberty swing and the synthetic grass on the tennis court has been completely replaced following damage at the end of 2020. Our STEM room has also been refurbished. I would like to acknowledge the P&C and the Local Schools Community Fund grants for contributing funds to our court upgrade.

Courts upgrade
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Room upgrade

I look forward to meeting with our parents and carers at our P&C Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 28th April and inducting our Term 2 Class Captains this Thursday. Congratulations to all our students who have returned to school demonstrating their safe, respectful behaviour.

Mr Jason Clenton

Relieving Principal

Tennis court repaired and ready for action

Dates to Remember

  • Wednesday 28th April - P&C Annual General Meeting 3.15pm in Library
  • Thursday 29th April - 2021 Term 2 Class Captain Assembly 10.00am in hall
  • Friday 30th April - 2021 Mother's Day Stall
  • Monday 3rd May - Sydney Writer's Festival Excursion Year 4, 5 and 6
  • Wednesday 5th May - Student Banking resumes
  • Tuesday 20th April - Friday 7th May - Check-in Assessments Year 4 and 6
  • Monday 10th - Friday 21st May - NAPLAN Year 3 and 5
  • Friday 7th May - Mums, Aunties and Nanna's breakfast
  • Friday 11th June - Pyjama Day Mufti
  • Monday 14th June - Queen's Birthday Long Weekend
  • Monday 21st - Friday 25th June - NAIDOC Week
  • Friday 25th June - Athletics Carnival (Mingara)

Early Stage One

Celebration of Learning

We hope all families have had a relaxing holiday and were able to spend quality time with loved ones over the Easter break.

It was exciting to see how quickly the children settled into school in Term 1 and we look forward to seeing significant leaps in your child's learning this term.

Please sign into PM e-collection and Reading Eggs app to obtain free access to these brilliant reading programs. Home readers should be returned to school regularly for your teacher to record your child’s progress. Please record your child’s reading nightly in the Term 2 reading log.

Camp Australia have begun before and after school care in the school hall. Please notify your child's teacher if you would like your child to access this service.

We congratulate our class award winners for Weeks 10 of term 1 and Week 1 of Term 2 for being safe, respectful learners.

KDT - Evie, Eva, Lucas, Levi and Samara; KF -Sophie, Kate, Ayla, Ellie and Levi; KJ - Indeanna and Lani; KL - Lia, Joachim, Koa and Lila.

Term 2 Class Captains

A huge congratulations to all of our Early Stage 1 Class Captains for this term. They are:

KF - Charlie K and Ellie G; KL - William S and Indianna F; KJ - Archey D and Ayla M; KTD - Levi H and Samara H.

We look forward to our class captain assembly this Thursday and can’t wait to see all the wonderful things you do this term.

Reminders

School for all Kindergarten students is 9.00am - 3.00pm.

Please collect your child in the afternoons from the basketball court inside the main gate in Dudley Street. Kiss and Drop, Muckabout/Camp Australia and back gate students will be escorted to the appropriate areas with a teacher. Please let your child’s teacher know if there are any changes to afternoon collection routines.

Option 1: Kiss and Drop - main gate in Dudley Street

Option 2: Parent Pick Up - basketball court inside the main gate in Dudley Street

Option 3: Back gate - in Suncrest Parade

Option 4: Bus - inside the main gate on the silver seats

Option 5: Muckabout after school care - SaC centre gate in Dudley Street

Option 6: Camp Australia before and after school care - in Gorokan Public school hall

Please support your child to be ready for school each day by arriving on time, packing a healthy lunch and snack with limited packaged items, supplying a drink bottle, and having them dressed in their school uniform with a school hat. We ask that you be punctual in collecting your child each afternoon. If someone other than yourself is collecting your child, please let your child’s teacher know.

Please label all belongings including shoes and socks.

Equipment

We thank you and appreciate the contributions you have donated to your child’s class such as tissues, white board markers and glue sticks. Students are not required to supply any stationery items for individual consumption.

If you have any questions, please phone the school office on 4392 4200. We look forward to working closely to support your child's learning in Term 2 at Gorokan Public School.

Mrs D Jeanpierre - ES1 Assistant Principal

Stage One

Celebration of Learning

A warm welcome to our Stage One students, parents and carers to Term 2. We hope you all enjoyed a happy holiday break. Our Stage One teachers and students have a wonderful and very busy term ahead filled with great learning. It was a delight to see our students have such a fabulous time participating in their 2021 “Fancy Hat Parade” and “Fun Run” during Week 10 of last term.

What made these events even more special for our students was the opportunity for their parents and carers to attend. It is a joy that our parents and carers are now increasingly able to attend school events this year as restrictions continue to gradually ease. Thank you for your support as we work in partnership with your child’s learning and we look forward to a fantastic term ahead.

1C with their puppets from Mrs Shoesmith's science class

Sports in Schools

This term our Year Two students will participate in our Sports in Schools program. During Weeks 2 to 5 each Monday, 2R (Mr Richards) and 2F (Mrs Frew) will participate in a sport program focusing on athletics skills. During Weeks 6 to 10 each Monday, 2B and 1/2E will have the opportunity to enjoy the Sports in Schools program also. The children will participate in coached activities including high jump, long jump, shotput, discus, sprints and relays. Our Year One students look forward to participating in the Sports in Schools program later this year.

Term 2 Class Captains

A huge congratulations to all of our Stage 1 Class Captains for this term. They are:

1C - Blake C and Sophie C; 1B - Braith B and Marley D; 1J - Lincoln K and Annabelle B; 1/2E - Harry H and Millie W; 2R - Riley M and Molly J; 2F - Zane B and Sophie B; 2B - Jye B and Azalea N.

We look forward to our class captain assembly this Thursday and can’t wait to see all the wonderful things you do this term.

Reminders

Class Supplies

During this time of year, we appreciate any items you may wish to donate to your child’s classroom. Contributions such as handwash, paper towel, tissues and glue sticks are always graciously appreciated. Thank you in advance to those families that have already sent in supplies.

Labelling Items

As the weather continues to get cooler, please continue to ensure that jumpers, jackets and hats are clearly labelled. Belongings that are clearly labelled with your child’s name and class should ensure that they are promptly returned to your child if they are lost or misplaced.

Mrs Tammy Coote - Relieving S1 Assistant Principal

Stage Two

Celebration of Learning

We would like to welcome everyone back for another exciting term of learning. In History, we will be continuing on with our topic of 'Community and Remembrance'. Students will be learning about the various commemorations and celebrations that are held annually throughout Australia as well as investigating significant emblems such as the Coat of Arms and the state and national floral emblems and flags. Students are also fortunate enough to have time scheduled this term with Jonathan Wight, Director of Dhinewan Mentoring. Jonathon will be leading students through a variety of Aboriginal cultural activities.

We will continue to explore a wide variety of texts in our English lessons as well as cover the 3 mathematical strands in number and algebra, measurement and geometry and statistics and probability. Students will also continue to participate in the hugely popular Sports in Schools program, which provides them with high quality physical education instruction from qualified professional staff.

Year Three students will be busy preparing for their NAPLAN tests which will be held in Week 4. Year Four students will be completing similar assessments called 'Check in' assessments. As they did not complete NAPLAN last year due to COVID-19, these assessments will provide teachers with additional valuable data as to how students are performing in literacy and numeracy.

Term 2 Class Captains

A huge congratulations to all of our Stage 2 Class Captains for this term. They are:

3R - Levi S and Chloe C; 3M - Chase B and Juliet M; 3W - Joel P and Kafa T; 4MO - Cooper B and Olivia S; 4F - Elijah W and Chelsea C.

We look forward to our class captain assembly this Thursday and can’t wait to see all the wonderful things you do this term.

Reminders

A reminder to please go through the office if you need to contact your child's teacher throughout the term. We look forward to working with all of our wonderful Gorokan families for yet another productive term of learning.

Mrs R Ranse - Acting S2 Assistant Principal

Stage Three

Celebration of Learning

Welcome back! Students have settled back into their classes after the holidays extremely well and we are all pleased with their efforts so far.

Term 2 Class Captains

A huge congratulations to all of our Stage 3 Class Captains for this term. They are:

4-6P – Chloe L and Noah M; 5H - Katara S and Zac L; 5L - Lilly-Rose H and Taylor B; 6D - Mabel R and Toby O; 6F - Kirsty S and Brooklyn S; 2-6C - Loki D.

We look forward to our class captain assembly this Thursday and can’t wait to see all the wonderful things you do this term.

Week 1 Merit Award Recipients

4-6P – Alira S and Thayer B; 5H – Katiarah L-B and Troy M; 5L – Layla D and Lilly-Rose H; 6D - Amber W and Toby O; 6F - Taylor L and Declan R.

Reminders

Please ensure your child brings a drink bottle and their own writing instruments (pens, pencils, glue sticks etc) to school every day. All students are required to supply their own set of headphones/earphones this year (these can be purchased from Kmart, Reject Shop etc from approx. $6).

Gorokan High School Showcase Evening

Parents and families of students in Year Six are invited to GHS’s annual Showcase Evening on Wednesday 19th May, 2021 from 5.00pm - 7.00pm. On display will be a variety of activities and faculty presentations. Flyers were sent home with students last week.

Where: Gorokan High School Multi-Purpose Hall (adjacent to the COLA)

RSVP: Please SVP on 43937000 by 12th May, 2021.

Sydney Writer’s Festival

Monday 3rd May, 2021 is School’s Day at the Sydney Writer’s Festival. Permission notes and information have gone out for students in Years 4-6. There are only 60 places available and the first students to return their note and payment of $20 will be able to attend. Buses depart at 7.00am and will return to school at approximately 5.00pm.

Stage 3 Multicultural Public Speaking Competition Finals will be held in our school hall on Monday 10th May, 2021 at 9.15am. Parents and carers of our stage finalists will be invited to attend.

Stage 3 Premier’s Spelling Bee Finals will be held in our School Hall on Monday 24th May, 2021 at 9.15am. Parents and carers of our stage finalists will be invited to attend.

If you have any questions or concerns please phone your child’s class teacher. Thank you for your ongoing support.

Have a wonderful fortnight.

Mrs K Day - S3 Assistant Principal

Special Education

Celebration of Learning

We have enjoyed a happy and settled start to Term 2. We are very lucky to have opportunities to come together as a support unit group to enjoy a range of learning experiences. Last week the students in the support unit enjoyed creating ANZAC Day art works which are on display in the corridor, baking ANZAC biscuits in our outdoor kitchen and playing with the parachute in the sunshine.

Congratulations to the following award winners from this fortnight: Cooper, Zach, Jordin, Isaac, Harmony, Mallee, Johnny and Nicole.

Term 2 Class Captains

A huge congratulations to all of our Special Ed Class Captains for this term. They are:

K-6J - Leo C; K-6L - Jordin T; K-6S - Jackson D; KG - Ben Y.

We look forward to our class captain assembly this Thursday and can’t wait to see all the wonderful things you do this term.

Reminders

Please label your child’s belongings, particularly jumpers as we move into the colder weather.

We encourage all students to bring a drink bottle to school each day. This enables students to have easy access to water throughout the day.

The Mother’s Day Stall will be held on Friday 30th April, please send money in an envelope labelled with the amount of money and how many presents you would like your child to purchase. This will assist teachers to help our students who may not be able to verbalise what they need

Playing with the parachute at sport

Lauren Greentree - Relieving Assistant Principal Special Education

School News

ANZAC Day

On Thursday 22nd April we held our ANZAC Day service in our school hall, attended by four members of the Toukley RSL Sub Branch. Students learnt about the history and significance of the red poppy and why we wear rosemary on ANZAC Day. They also learnt about Private John Simpson, who was often known as 'the man with the donkey'. He and his donkey 'Duffy' were credited for saving many wounded soldiers on the Gallipoli battlefields.

Students at the ANZAC Day service

Thank you to our School Captains, Prefects, Year Six flagbearers, staff and students for the respectful manner in which they conducted themselves.

P&C News

Our P&C Annual General Meeting will be held this afternoon (Wednesday 28th April at 3.15pm in the Library). The roles to be voted on include: President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary. Please come along and enjoy some afternoon tea. An optional creche will be available.

The P&C Mother's Day Stall will be held this Friday 30th April. Gifts will range in price from $1.00 to $8.00. Please send money to school with your child on the day of the stall. There will be a stall on Thursday for the students attending choir.

School Banking is back and will begin in Week 3 on Wednesday 5th May.

If any students have lost their bank books they are still able to bank. Please put their contribution in an envelope with their name and class. If you know your childs bank account number add this information to the envelope but it is not required. The banking ladies will be more than happy to organise a new bank book to go home.

If you would like more information on school banking please email Jasmine at jasmine.daunt3@det.nsw.edu.au

I would like to extend an invite to our mother's and female carers to our Mother's Day barbeque on Friday 7th May 7:30am - 9.00am. Please RSVP via the note sent home this week or email Jasmine at jasmine.daunt3@det.nsw.edu.au. Hope to see you there.

Jasmine Daunt - Community Liaison Officer (Thur/Fri)

Parenting Ideas

Sharing your interests with your children

The family was a little shocked when dad Chris, bought his six and four-year-old daughters a motorbike. “You got them a what?” was the standard reply.

It turns out that getting his daughters a motorbike was a stroke of pure fathering genius, although Chris didn’t know it at the time.

Chris bought the motorbike for his daughters because he had fond memories of riding on his family’s farm when he was young. He wanted his kids to enjoy the same experience.

Close family members questioned Chris about introducing a motorbike to kids at such a young age, but he let it pass. He even received a comment or two about the suitability of such a pursuit for girls. “You and your brothers loved motorbikes, but that doesn’t mean that your daughters will,” was the attitude of some people.

Undeterred, Chris spent many weekends riding in a nearby property teaching his girls the finer points of motorbike riding. He began by riding with each daughter using trainer wheels, slowly progressing to two wheeled riding as they grew more confident.

The parenting genius in three parts

Helping them to face their fears

Firstly, after acknowledging his daughters’ fears, Chris encouraged them to face them, but in their own time. The girls set the developmental pace, so they felt they had full control over their experiences. He showed himself to be astute listener ready to work with his daughters. This is respectful relationships in action.

Lessons of self-worth

Secondly, through the experience Chris showed his daughters that what they do with their bodies is far more important than how they look. His daughters are young, and their attitudes may change when they become tweens or teens, but the lessons of self-worth they absorb during this stage of childhood are lasting. The fact that these messages come while sharing activities organised by their father adds to their potency.

Communicating and forming strong bonds

Thirdly, he’s using activity to communicate with and form strong bonds with his girls. Fathers generally express themselves best with their children when they are fully absorbed in an activity. Parenting author Steve Biddulph says ‘activity is the language of fathering’. Men are usually at their parenting best when they’re involved in games, having fun or being active with their kids. It is through activity that many dads teach kids lessons such as fairness, playing by the rules, trying their best and, of course, sharing stories from their own childhood.

Another side to this parenting genius is that Chris shared something of himself with his daughters when he bought that motorbike. Each time he rides with them he is sharing a part of who he is with his daughters – not the work persona, the parent persona or the friend persona – but something that is close to the essence of who is, which was forged during the joyous times of childhood.

Michael Grosse

Michael Grose, founder of Parenting Ideas, is one of Australia’s leading parenting educators. He’s an award-winning speaker and the author of 12 books for parents including Spoonfed Generation, and the bestselling Why First Borns Rule the World and Last Borns Want to Change It. Michael is a former teacher with 15 years experience, and has 30 years experience in parenting education. He also holds a Master of Educational Studies from Monash University specialising in parenting education.