The Link

My name is Tim Simpson, and I will be in the Relieving Principal role until the end of Term 3.  I wanted to send a heartfelt thanks to the students, staff and community for making me feel instantly welcomed. A special shoutout to the students in 1/2V who took the time to write me letters on my first day.  My substantive school is West Pymble PS, where I’ve been for the last 10 years.  I’m excited to lead Rydalmere PS and look forward to meeting many more of you in the next 2 weeks.

Just a reminder that Term 4 begins on Monday 9 October.  All students are expected to be at school on this day as there is no Staff Development Day.

A positive attendance culture and regular attendance at school, every day, helps every child to be fully engaged with their learning. We want to do all we can to be sure your child achieves their potential and enjoys being in school. We know that school is the best place to learn. By attending school every day your child will get the most out of their learning and improve their career and life options. When your child is absent it is important you let the school know, including the reason why, on the day or the day before. This helps make sure we know where our students are and offer support for you and your family if needed. If you are having trouble getting your child to school every day or on time, please talk to our school staff so we can work together, because every day counts. We understand that students and families regularly take holidays during the school term, but being at school every day boosts student learning and confidence and helps them build and maintain friendships. A reminder that planned travel should only be taken during school holidays and students should be at school every day during school term, right from beginning to end. Missing a day here or there may not seem like much, but absences add up and can negatively impact your child’s learning and wellbeing. When your child misses one day a week that’s 40 days of school and 8 weeks of learning in one year. Over an entire school journey this adds up to 2.5 years of lost learning.

Last week was School Support Recognition Week, an opportunity for us to celebrate our wonderful school administrative and support staff (SASS) and the essential role they play in public education.

We all know how important SASS and other non-teaching staff are to a school. We see it every time we walk into the school. They welcome parents and carers, help our students learn, maintain our facilities and support our teachers so they can focus on teaching. Their daily work is pivotal to the effective functioning of our school. I'd like to say a huge thank you to all of the SASS staff and hoped you enjoyed the festivities of the week.

During the last 2 weeks of Term 3 and the first 3 weeks of Term 4, all students in Years 3-6 will participate in the Check-in assessment. The Check-in assessment is a NSW Department of Education online literacy and numeracy assessment available to support schools to assess and monitor student learning. The assessment can supplement existing school practices to identify how students are performing in literacy and numeracy and to help teachers tailor their teaching more specifically to student needs. Students with disability may receive the same level of support during the assessment as they would normally receive in the classroom.

The assessment will be scheduled for our Year 6 students during Weeks 9-10 of Term 3 and in Weeks 1-3 of Term 4 for our Year 3, 4 and 5 students. All students complete a reading assessment and a numeracy assessment. Year 6 students will also complete a writing assessment.

Our school is taking part in the Tell Them From Me Parent Survey. The survey will provide us with valuable feedback on our parent’s/carer’s perceptions of their child’s experiences at home and at school.

Schools in Australia and around the world have used the Tell Them From Me survey to help them improve. The survey is completed on-line and is run by an independent research company, The Learning Bar, which specialises in school-based surveys. Staff in schools will not be able to identify individual parents/carers from their responses.

This survey is a complete evaluation system for measuring student engagement, wellbeing, classroom climate and other factors known to affect learning. Information is captured from students, parents and teachers to inform school policy and practice.

The survey opens from 4 September. Follow the link below to begin the survey.

http://nsw.tellthemfromme.com/pc4ty 

We appreciate your time and feedback.

Kindergarten Daisy has been learning about different materials in science lessons. They worked in teams to use a range of different materials to design and make a house. First, they discussed and drew a plan for their house. Then they worked together to build a house that would be strong enough to withstand wind. Finally, each teams' house was tested under a fan. Amazingly, each house stayed standing!

Wednesday, September 13 - Zone Athletics Carnival - Track

Friday, September 22 - Last Day of Term 3

Monday, October 9 - First day of Term 4

Saturday, October 14 - P&C BBQ - Referendum Election

During Term 4 we will be running our Kindergarten Orientation program. This will include three sessions for students to get to know the school environment, their peers and activities they will complete in Kindergarten. We will also be hosting three parent sessions which will allow families the opportunity to meet key staff and community members, an understanding of the NSW Curriculum and a chance to meet other Kindergarten parents.

If you haven't enrolled your child for Kindergarten 2024 please speak to the office about doing so.

We look forward to meeting all our new families.

Our PBL Focus area for Week 8 was Visiting Teachers. 

Rydalmere PS frequently hosts visiting teachers for weekly Zing sessions and Scripture sessions as well as occasional causal teachers when regular teachers are absent. Additionally, during week 7 Rydalmere PS had a visit from the educational team Healthy Harold.

Throughout all of these experiences, students have the opportunity to practise open and receptive attitude, active participation and attentive listening to enhance their learning experiences.

When students have the privilege of welcoming visiting teachers to our school, it is essential that they uphold the PBL values of respect and cooperation. This can be achieved through active listening, engagement and showing appreciation for the visiting teacher’s knowledge and expertise. Respect and cooperation is key to creating positive learning environments for all. By demonstrating these PBL values, students not only make the teacher’s visit enjoyable but it also fosters a welcoming atmosphere and productive learning opportunities. 

Our PBL focus for Week 9 was Oval. 

Our PBL focus for Week 10 will be Moving around the school. 

Last night, we held our Annual General Meeting, and we are pleased to announce the following parents who have been elected as P&C representatives:

President: Maryanne Thompson

Vice Presidents: Lauren Duffy & Jack Davey

Treasure: Melissa McMurtry

Secretary: Phoebe Cunningham

Parent Representatives: Kathryn Reilly-Casali & Kara Yeomans

Congratulations and thank you for volunteering your time to support Rydalmere Public School.

We are excited to announce that Hub has partnered with Parramatta community college to offer a certified First Aid course. On September 8th, 15 participants successfully completed the course. We would like to express our gratitude to Ms. Naomi Woolley for her childminding services and for taking care of Juniper, William, and Isabella.

Throughout the year, Hub has been running various programs. We would appreciate your valuable feedback by filling out a short survey using Google Form. Your input and ideas for additional programs or information sessions are highly valued. Please click on the link to share your suggestions or ideas.

https://forms.gle/v1EY5SMWJ27GyE5b9

Please mark your calendars for the observance of R U Ok Day on September 14th. We sincerely ask each one of you, "R U OK?" We understand that life can be challenging at times, and we want to remind you that Hub is a safe space where you can freely share your worries. Feel free to visit the hub, grab a cup of coffee, and talk to us. We are here to listen and support you. This is also a great opportunity to check in with your neighbors, friends, and family.

Our English class is going on a DIY project trip to Bunnings Rydalmere on September 18th. If you would like to join, please contact Seetha to register and receive more information.

Lastly, please take note that Hub will be closed during the school holidays from September 23rd to October 8th. Hub programs will resume on October 9th.

Save the date of October 20th for the Grandparents Day celebration. More information will be provided soon.

For those whom I have not yet met, I am Seetha Srinivasan, the community liaison officer at our school's Community Hub. You can find me at the hub on Mondays to Wednesdays and Fridays. Our Community Hub aims to connect families with each other, the school, and local community services. It is a welcoming and inclusive place where parents can gather, make friends, and participate in weekly or one-off activities that are open to everyone.

Come by for a coffee or join one of our activities – I would be delighted to welcome you. If you are interested in learning more about the hub and how to get involved, please do not hesitate to contact me at 0448331588 or seetha.srinivasan@det.nsw.edu.au.

Feel free to reach out to me if you have any queries.

Warm regards

Seetha Srinivasan