The Link

It certainly has been a busy end to the term with many extra curricular events occurring in the last few weeks of school, on top of all the end of year assemblies and celebrations. I would like to thank the Mrs Taylor, Mr Ross, Ms Miller, Ms Yap and Mrs Jaitani for taking our year 5 & 6 students to Narrabeen sport and recreation camp, as they gave up time away from their own families to support the students for 3 days at camp. It was great to see the excitement on the faces of students from the various activities that they participated in. Photos have been posted on our Rydalmere Public School facebook page. Well done to our fabulous K-2 choir who performed at North Rocks Shopping Centre on Monday. The students represented our school with pride and brought many smiles to the parents and public who watched their wonderful performance. Thank you to Mrs Townsend for leading the choir this year. 

At today's Presentation Day, it was fabulous to see our students being awarded for the achievements in sport, academic improvement and excellence, school spirit and citizenship. We were also entertained by our school band, K-2 choir and various dance groups. It was a wonderful celebration of student achievement in 2023. Congratulations to all of our students for their outstanding behavior during the ceremony. A huge thank you to our school captains Hanin and Aliyah for leading Presentation Day today, and to Mrs Taylor and all the staff who worked tirelessly in the background to ensure the success of Presentation Day.

For the remainder of the term we have many wonderful events planned for the end of the year including, the mini fair, Year 6 graduation and farewell, Community Hub end of year celebration, Preschool graduation,  2024 Preschool orientation, whole school party day and we will conclude with the Year 6 clap out. These events are well organised by the teachers and support staff, thank you to our amazing staff. I must mention Mrs Brett and Mrs Kushturian who are our administration team as they always support all members of the RPS community, whether it is helping students with medication needs, helping teachers with various requests or welcoming new families to our school, on top maintaining the day to day operations of the school. They have especially helped me with my transition to this wonderful school community.

Thank you again to all the students, teachers and parents as you all have made me feel part of the RPS community since Week 2 of this term. I am excited to be returning in 2024 for term 1. Have a wonderful break over the school holidays. I hope you all are able to spend time with your family and friends, and come back refreshed. 

Happy holidays to you all and I look forward to seeing you in the new year,

Mr Yee

Construction within the school has already begun on the installation of ramps to various buildings around the school. During the school holidays the entire site will be out of action due to properties work being undertaken. This work requires no-one onsite, as a result Share Our Space on the weekends has been cancelled. There will be other upgrades to the school which includes new roofing and guttering to the admin building, computer room and preschool. Our K-6 classrooms will have upgrades to their guttering. This Thursday I will be meeting with our assets team to finalise the replacement of the shade shelter for the play equipment area. More scaffolding will be appear around different buildings in week 10, in the hope that all this work will be completed before the students return to school next year. 

Best wishes to our Year 6 students as they will be leaving the RPS community, good luck in high school and you are always welcome to come back visit, we will certainly miss you.

We will also be saying farewell and good luck to the following staff members Mr Ross, Mr Liu, Ms Yap, Ms Gallagher who for personal and professional will be leaving at the end of term 4. We thank you for your dedication to our students and wish you the best of luck in your future endeavours. 

Last Thursday in the admin building I heard two students yell out "Where is Mr Yee's office?", immediately I thought oh no someone is hurt. However, to my delight Ben and Noah from Year 2 knocked on the door and invited to me to join the gardening group at lunch time. It was a great brain break for me and I had fun helping the students replant strawberries around the shade house under the guidance of Mrs Kushturian. It was a small but enthusiastic group who take pride at improving the grounds in our school and caring for our environment. Thank you to our gardening group volunteers and Mrs K. Hopefully, when we return from holidays there will be plenty of fruit to pick.

Based on budgetary demands, the school will be unable to cover the participation costs associated with band for families from next year. This decision was not made lightly, and the school understands the impact it may have on students and their families. The school will be prioritising needs that will benefit all the students at Rydalmere Public School.

The school understands the financial implications this change may pose for some families, and the school will support students who want to participate in the school band program with the hiring of instruments in 2024. 

If you would like to your child to join the Rydalmere Public School Band in 2024 please visit https://www.schoolbands.com.au/

2024 school travel applications are now open.

Students who need a School Opal card or travel pass for 2024 can apply here. A new application will need to be submitted if they are applying for the first time, or if they are requesting additional travel entitlement because of new shared parental arrangement (e.g. joint custody).

Students who change address, school, or have received an expiry notification from Transport for NSW for their school travel entitlement should renew or update their details before the end of Term 4. This will ensure that schools can endorse applications, and entitlements remain valid for the start of the 2024 school year. School Opal card holders will have the changes applied to their existing card.

If a student’s distance eligibility has changed based on their grade (i.e. grade two to grade three), the system will automatically update their entitlement if they meet the new criteria. If they do not meet the new eligibility criteria, we will send them an expiry notification via email.

Students who have an entitlement approved under a medical condition that is due to expire will receive a notification advising them to re-apply.

Term Bus Pass holders will receive a notification to re-apply.

Students in the Opal network applying for an Opal card (including a Term Bus Pass) for the first time will receive their Student Opal card at their nominated postal address. Cards will be mailed out from January 2024.

As we farewell another school year, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the invaluable support of parents and the achievements of our students. I want to express my deep gratitude to our stage two team, Mrs Arnott and Mr Liu and our stage three team, Mr Ross, Miss Yap and Mrs Jaitani for your commitment, passion and hard work. Thank you!

As we enter the summer break, I encourage our students in Years 3 to 6 to make reading a priority. Books have the power to enrich our lives, and a summer of reading can be both enjoyable and educational. Let's cultivate a love for literature and make reading a delightful part of our holiday activities.

Thank you all for a wonderful year. Wishing everyone a restful and enjoyable summer break!

Mrs Taylor

Well done to our Year 6 students for orchestrating a fabulous Mini-Fair Day! From tempting treats to engaging games, the stalls were a hit with students from Kindergarten to Year 5.

Credit goes to our Year 6 leaders for showcasing their creativity and organisational prowess. The Mini-Fair not only brought joy but also fostered essential life skills like teamwork and leadership.

A big thank you to our Year 6 students, teachers, and staff for making this event memorable. A special thank you to Mrs Townsend, Miss Yap, Mrs Jaitani and Miss May for all your work behind the scenes!

Get ready for a heartwarming event this Friday as we celebrate the Year 6 Graduation Assembly followed by our Year 6 Farewell at FC Social! Join us in bidding farewell to our amazing Year 6 students as they embark on a new chapter. The assembly promises touching moments, inspiring speeches, and a chance to reflect on the wonderful journey these students have had. Let's make it a memorable send-off for our fantastic Year 6 class!

You are invited to join us at 2:45 pm on Friday 15th December for a special event - the Year 6 Clap Out! Celebrate this significant moment with us as we bid farewell to our outstanding Year 6 students. Your presence will make this occasion even more memorable. See you there!

Starting school in 2016, full of hope and cheer,

Moving on in ’23, the King’s coronation year.

What a long journey we’ve had together!

Learning, laughing and growing,

But now it’s all change, a new challenge,

It’s off to high school you’re going!

The past few years with the pandemic have

sometimes been quite tough,

With staying at home, missing friends and all the online stuff.

Despite it all, you’ve been more resilient than we had ever hoped,

You’ve shown that, “You’ve got this!” so we know how well you’ll cope. September will bring changes: new faces, new classrooms, a new start, But have confidence in all you’ve achieved so far – take heart!

Hold on to all the memories; trips and fun lessons we’ve shared, Remember your friends, your teachers and all school staff

who’ve cared.

Recall times table facts, sentence types, what you’ve learned in grammar, Keep in mind your listening skills, you’ve got this in the bag!

But mostly remember how much you are valued – you’re superstars,

can’t you see?

We’ll never forget the fabulous Class of 2023! 

Friday 8 December	Year 6 Graduation assembly/ Year 6 Farewell Dinner and Dance
Tuesday - 12 December	Preschool Green Group Graduation
Thursday - 14 December	Preschool Orientation
Friday - 15 December	Preschool Blue Group Graduation/ Year 6 Clap Out/Party day
Thursday 1 February	Students Years 1-6 return Kindergarten Best Start Preschool Blue Group Starting
Friday 2 February	Kindergarten Best Start
Monday 5 February	Kindergarten Students Starting Preschool Green Group Starting
Monday 12 February	P&C Meeting 7pm - School Library

The PBL Focus for Week 8 was Library. The library is an important learning space within our school. It is a hub of research and information as well as a quiet knook where students can enjoy a book of their choosing. With the library also being available during lunch times, students have an opportunity to visit this learning space to enjoy some quiet time. 

The PBL focus for Week 9 is Visiting Teachers. There are times at Rydamere PS where we have visiting teachers. This can range from our usual Scripture teachers, to casual teachers that cover classes in place of regular teachers or teachers that engage in specialised programs such as our band teachers. Students are reminded to treat all visiting teachers with care and respect. 

The PBL focus for Week 10 will be Moving around the school - During this week students will be learning about how to move around the school. Some behaviours include walking quietly around the school particularly when other classes are in their learning spaces,  moving to the side to allow others to pass when the area is busy and being ready in lines promptly after playtimes. Learning these behaviours will encourage safe and pleasant movement around the school for all. 

Thank you to all the P&C members, families and volunteers who attended meetings, volunteered at events and supported our fundraising initiatives this year. We hope we can continue to build the incredible school spirit in 2024.

We are delighted to share the Colour Run event raised $3,500 which will contribute to items on the schools’ wish list to further support children through learning and play.

A huge thank you and farewell to our Vice-President, Lauren, who leaves the school at the end of the year. Lauren’s contribution to the canteen, uniform shop and events has been invaluable and it’s highly likely she’s helped every family in the school in some way over the years. We will greatly miss Lauren’s dedication and support and we wish her and her family all the best. 

Please make sure you follow us on Facebook for all our latest updates: https://www.facebook.com/rpspncevents?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Rydalmere Public School P&C Committee

As we approach the grand finale of the year, we are thrilled to announce our Year-End Celebration at the Hub on December 11th. This special occasion will feature the unveiling of a magnificent artwork, a collaborative piece born from our Grandparents Day activity. 

But wait, there's more! We'll be sparking conversations about the exciting programs set to roll out in the coming year, and we're eager to hear your innovative ideas. This is a fantastic opportunity to commemorate our shared journey this year, familiarize with our partners, and revel in the spirit of community. Please register for this event with Seetha at 0448331588, and don't forget to bring a dish to share with the group! 

Attention to all new kindergarten and preschool parents! We have arranged a special session for you during our playgroup on December 6th. Come along with your little ones at 10 am in the hub room and become a part of our nurturing community. 

Our English conversational class for adults concluded on December 4th. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Ramya, Naomi, and Roya, whose invaluable support and services made this program a success. Don't worry if you missed out - the English classes will be back in action from February 12th! 

By the end of week 10, our playgroup, One Box program, and Dance Fitness with Sophie program will conclude for the year. We owe our laughter-filled year to Petula, our playgroup facilitator, Anna our social worker, Sophie our dance fitness instructor, and all our partners. A big thank you to all! 

For those I haven't yet had the pleasure of meeting, I'm Seetha Srinivasan, Community Liaison Officer at our school's Community Hub. My workdays are Monday to Wednesday and Friday. Our Community Hub is a vibrant space that connects families, the school, and local community services. It's an inviting place for parents to socialize, forge friendships, and engage in a variety of activities that are open to all. 

Feel free to drop by for a chat over a cup of coffee or join in on any of our activities. I'm always here to welcome you with a smile. If you're interested in learning more about the hub and how to get involved, don't hesitate to reach out to me at 0448331588 or seetha.srinivasan@det.nsw.edu.au. See you at the Hub!

Seetha Srinivasan

Community Liaison Officer/Hub Leader