MPS Newsletter Term 3, Week 9 - 10 Sept 2021
Principal's Report
I would like to start this newsletter with once again thanking you all and congratulating every student, parent and teacher for their achievements over the past fortnight. We should all be incredibly proud of our efforts! In these times, there is no right way or wrong way of facilitating Learning from Home. Whatever you can get done is something to be proud of.
This week, we tried something a little different and had a Uniform Day which was well supported by students right across the board. We hope it helped remind everyone that we haven’t forgotten about them and that we are all a part of this special place called Mudgee PS. I have loved looking at all the photos sent through! Check some of them out below or click on the link to be taken to the full album.
Wednesday's Wear Your Uniform Gallery
MUFTI Day - Friday 17 September
We acknowledge that this is a tough time for children of Essential Workers as well. In the reversal of Wednesday's Uniform Day, next Friday (the last day of term), we will hold a MUFTI Day for all students either at home or at school. Because our students at home are always wearing "Mufti" clothes, maybe ALL students might like to wear their favourite colour! This might go a small way in replacing "Fun Friday" which would be our usual end of term reward day.
SASS APPRECIATION WEEK
That's right, its time to recognise our fabulous School Administrative Support Staff. From the office, to sick bay, and on the phone. From the classroom, to the computer lab, and making our grounds look grand. Our non-teaching staff play such a pivotal role supporting our staff, students, parents and the community. Often the unsung heroes, but not here! We are grateful, appreciative and recognise we would not be the school we are without them. Check out the video made by the teaching staff at MPS...Can you recognise the singer??? Answer revealed at the end. Happy SASS Week!
Parents Helping Parents
Thanks to everyone who completed the Parent Survey last week. One of the questions was along the lines, "What is some advice you would give to other MPS parents to help support at home learning?" Our wonderful Community Liason Officer, Liz Halbisch has summarised this, drawn out the themes and put together this helpful poster. I love the fact these ideas are from our parents, helping one another. Stronger together, that is for sure!
If you didn't fill that survey in, you are still welcome to do so: https://forms.gle/ShMgRDntB3BWtTjLA
COVID-Safe Level 4 Restrictions continue
Yesterday the Premier announced that stay-at-home orders for some regional NSW areas have been extended. NSW Health and the Department of Education continue to be very clear on the message to families and schools in our community. Parents and carers are strongly encouraged to keep their children at home in order to limit movement within our town and the spread of Covid-19 in our community. Our school will remain under Level 4 restrictions, Learning from Home for at least next week as we head into the school holidays.
Whilst it might not be the information we wanted to hear, there was some good clarity in this for schools, in that we know that if/when we are removed from Stay-at-home orders, we know that students will be able to return to school under Level 3 learning. Fingers crossed our community stays COVID-free and we can welcome our students back through the gate. I will communicate with you all over the holidays period so you are aware of the organisation for Week 1 next term.
Principal Q&A Via Zoom
I will once again hold a Parent and Community Update this Monday 13 September via Zoom. The Zoom will start at 4:30pm and will not go longer than half an hour. If you have any questions or topics you want covered, email them to the school email account mudgee-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au and I will try and squeeze it in, or find the answers out for you.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81720196941?pwd=SGJ1NnBIc3dhbTFYamsyVElEODFmUT09
Maggie Dent
Thank you for joining with the NSWPPA to engage with the wonderful Maggie Dent in her webinar Practical Parenting in a Pandemic. Over 400 schools and their families participated in the event and thousands of families have benefited from Maggie’s very wise and common sense approach.
Participation in this event included free resources, a comprehensive handout and a recording of the webinar. These will be available for a month after the event for schools and their parents to access.
Schooling for Essential Workers
Thanks for everyone's support in keeping children at home during home learning. School remains open for children of Essential Workers only. For planning, please once again fill in this survey if you are an essential worker and need to send your children to school next week. https://forms.gle/Y9Sjb1C2WrTBSbmw9
School Website - Learning from Home resources
Also, don't forget our fabulous website has all the 'Learning from Home' resources you need to support learning from home.
Department of Education - Learning From Home - Education Live
Every day at 10am, the Education Live team kick in with fantastic virtual information sessions for children of all ages. It is well worth adding this to your daily routine as there is definitely some interesting topics as well as some familiar household names appearing. Happy viewing! The website link is below and this also includes many other resources for Parents/Carers who are facilitating home learning.
Important Dates to Remember
- Last Day of Term 3: Friday 17 September
- MUFTI Day at home or school- wear your favourite colour: Friday 17 September
- School Resumes: Tuesday 5 October
Once again, thank you for support! Do your best, be kind and all will be fine.
Mr Carters
Principal
Students of the Weeks
Congratulations to these students who have been recognised as "Student of the Week" over the last fortnight. Please join us in ackowledging their efforts and contribution.
WEEK 8
INFANTS KC - Ayla Baker / KL - Layla Murnane / KN - Victoria Temessl / KS - Mason Vella / K/1B - Annabelle Anderson / 1P - Emrie Field / 1R - Tyler Holahan / 1T - Ryan O'Hare / 1/2H - Claudia Williams / 2S - Georgia Chase / 2T - Evie Kearns / 2W - Henry Fowler / JC - Brodie Speechley
PRIMARY 3C - Jamie Boyton / 3G - Claudia Robertson / 3L - Keira Reynolds / 4B - Ella Lapsley / 4D - Lucia Clarkson / 4E - Ayla Coupe / 4T - Daniel Simpson / 5/6J - Max Roberts / 5/6K - Darcy Sunderland / 5/6L - Flynn Purdon / 5/6M - Oscar Pryor / 5/6O - Mal Gail / SM - Hunter Cullen / TT - Layla Clough / LL - Joel Burke / LS - Lilly Hill / MW - Brendan Hogansen Peterson
WEEK 9
INFANTS KC - Madelyn Baskerville / KL - Jade Sharpe / KN - Joey O'Regan / KS - Jake Buckley / K/1B - George Fowler / 1P - Addison McDonnell / 1R - Allira Arndell / 1T - Hannah Pye / 1/2H - Evie King / 2S - Charlie McKenzie / 2T - Lilah Rayner / 2W - Ettric Toombs / JC - Ollie Robertson
PRIMARY 3C - Isabella Turnbull / 3G - Tom Murray / 3L - Zoe Hawkins / 4B - Annabelle Gill / 4D - Myles Manwaring / 4E - Mollie Wallace / 4T - Dominik Kelle Brown / 5/6J - Tyler O'Brien / 5/6K - Cooper McArdle / 5/6L - Hunter McGrath / 5/6M - Jake Walker / 5/6O - Isabel Murnane / SM - Ryan Featherbe/ TT - Alexander Chestnut / LL / LS - Ryan Platt / MW - Malia Gardiner
EXPECTATION OF THE WEEK
BEE RESPECTFUL - Use your manners and speak politely
Week 10 Learning Packs + Paper Pick Up Times
All learning packages for Week 10 can be accessed on the website: https://mudgee-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/2021-learning-from-home.html
Once again, we have a paper pack available, however, please be assured this is exactly the same as the work on the links above. Therefore, if you have bad internet connection/limited devices and need to work in paper form you can use the links and complete work in your own book or on scrap paper, etc.
Never the less, work can be collected on Monday 13 September. Exactly the same time and pick up details as previous weeks. Please refer to the timetable and locations for pick up.
Here are the details which we ask you to follow:
· Refer to the timetable to find your surname. This will be matched to a time and the locations on Perry Street, however, Support Unit families are on Denison Street.
· All work will be on a table outside the fence and pick up will be completely contactless.· You will need to park your car and go to the table to pick up your children/s work
· Only one person at the table at a time. Please line up and social distance whilst doing so. When it is your turn at the table, please sanitise your hands, and then collect the learning pack appropriate for your children.
· Each location will have work for all stages. A staff member will be on the other side of the fence for questions, but they are not allowed to have any contact with you or the learning packs. Once you have your child’s work, please return to your car and do not congregate and chat with other parents.
· Note: All Support Unit Student Work is to be collected from a table near the bus shed/support unit on Denison Street between 10am and 11am.·
If you are unable to attend this pick up please try and use the work off the website as organising staff to supervise pickups is difficult when we have minimal people onsite. Please do your best to make your pick up time – or send us an email to mudgee-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au if we can be of any further assistance.
Library News
Book Fair - Sadly we had to postpone the Book Fair this term, it will hopefully occur in the beginning weeks of Term 4, after we sort out some dates.
PRC - Congratulations to the 82 students who have completed their Premiers Reading Challenge! While numbers were a bit lower this year, it is great to see the students who continue to put effort into participating and finish the challenge. Well done!
Books at home - I know that most students will still have Library books at home, so I ask that you please just safely hang on to them until next term, when hopefully, we will be allowed back to school.
Below you can view some fantastic images from our Book Week Dress up day! I wish everyone a safe holiday and hopefully you are able to visit loved ones. Stay safe and Happy Reading!
Mrs Siobhan Vitnell - Teacher Librarian
Zoom Guide for Parents
As you would be aware, many of our teachers are using Zoom to help keep students connected. See these helpful images below which includes a guide for parents, as well as some dos and dont's. Hopefully this helps make the Zoom experience successful.
Happy Zooming!