Appin Public SchoolStrive to Improve

2nd June, 2020 (Term 2, Week 6)Appin Public School97 Appin RoadAppin N.S.W 2560

Phone: (02) 4631 1220Fax: (02) 4631 1486

Email: appin-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Dates to Remember:2020 Uniform Shop open 8:30am - 9:30am every Monday. Orders can also be left at the Office.5th June Walkathon payments to be finalised. Winners will be announced after this date.9th June 2021 Year 5 Opportunity Class Placement Process Opens18th June Online LOOP Book Orders due for Issue 4 Book Club31st Aug -2nd Sept Stage 3 Camp - Great Aussie Bush Camp (At this stage)22nd - 23rd Oct Stage 2 Camp - Jenolan Caves Camp (At this stage)

From the Principal Welcome to Week 6 where we celebrate the success of a sensational first week back to school for full time learning. We could not have done this without the overwhelming support from our parent community. Well done everyone!Walkathon Last week we recommenced daily draws from our surprise box for students who have returned their sponsorship money. Thank you to those families who have already returned their Walkathon money. Parents are asked to return these funds via our ‘Parent Online Payment’ Portal or by using Eftpos tap and go at the school office as soon as they can. (POP Portal can be accessed via the Appin Public School website). All payments should be finalised by this Friday, 5th June 2020. Prize winners will be announced after this date. Two iPads are up for grabs for the highest fundraisers (one in Primary and one in Infants), two $50 gift cards for the next highest fundraisers in Infants and Primary and a Movie Day for the class who raises the most in each stage group. Great incentives to get your money in now!Before School SupervisionWe realise students are keen to return to school and parents to their workplaces, but please remember that teacher supervision of students does not commence until 8:30am each morning. We have an alarming number of students coming to school well before this time. On these cold mornings, it is not pleasant sitting on the cold seats in our shady COLA area for 15-30 minutes before a teacher comes on duty. OOSH has now recommenced in our school hall, which may assist some parents.Safety At Our Back GateThank you to parents who are waiting in their cars at a safe distance at our back gate. May we suggest that when you see your child exiting this gate, you get out of your car to meet them rather than risk them run between cars or across thecul-de-sac to get to you? Reports of some near misses have been made to our Office last week.CanteenOur Canteen has reopened which is very exciting for all. Students are confidently taking their lunch order to the Canteen as soon as they have put their bag outside their classroom. Thank you for sending cash for the canteen and remembering that parents cannot visit to order for their child. Until further notice, birthday cake orders will not be taken.OOSHWe are thrilled to welcome OOSH, our Before and After School Care provided by Bright Sparks, back to our school hall from yesterday, 1st June 2020. Uniform ShopIt has been great to see so many parents, at safe social distances, making use of our P&C coordinated Uniform Shop these past two Mondays. Please, please, please put your child’s name clearly inside jackets so they can be quickly returned when lost. Please ask your child to put their jacket INSIDE their school bag rather than throwing it on top. They easily slip off or are easily grabbed by another child, and not many check to see that the jacket they have grabbed is actually their own.If you have “hand-me-down” jackets, please update your child’s name inside. We have a number of jackets in lost property belonging to students who have left but we have no idea who now owns them.National School Chaplaincy ProgramThe purpose of the National School Chaplaincy Program is to support the wellbeing of our school students through the provision of pastoral care services and strategies which can also support the wellbeing of our broader school community. These may include volunteering activities, chatting with students, excursions, lunchtime activities and parent/carer workshops. We have been so fortunate to be part of this great program and will have this service for the next three years. We would like to warmly welcome Mrs Leonie Crossley as our new school chaplain.

Student AchievementsCongratulations to Claudia from Warren class who has made an amazing effort during online and at school learning in Mathletics and is our first student to achieve a Gold Mathletics Award. What an awesome achievement!Mason and Jackson from Tajiri class have been working incredibly hard on their reading and writing with Miss Lewis and their efforts are obvious. Congratulations to all and keep up the commendable work habits.Stamp Chart SuperstarsCongratulations to the following students who have filled their stamp chart or accumulated dojo points by demonstrating and following our classroom rules:Bell: Elijah, Jett, Koby, HarperTajiri: Emmett, NixonDuncan: Lily, Charlotte, BlakeCongratulations to all and keep up the fine efforts.

At Last Friday’s Assembly our Bronze, Silver & Gold Certificate Awards were presented as well as our Walkathon Draw for Students who have

returned Walkathon money.

Our Easter Raffle winnersAlex & Demi

Student of the Week - T2 W4Bell - HudsonDisney - KalebDa Vinci - IvyEdison - NateTajiri - ElianaHargrave - JaydenGrant - TabithaWright - Quinn Duncan - WillowButson - FinlayKnight - KaydenEinstein - ElyseWarren - KaiGalilei - Sophia

Teachers Now Targeting

Be Safe

Use the new playground equipment safely!!!!!

TERM 2 WEEK 6 & 8

Opening of our new Playground - 26th May, 2020

NSW Department of Education

Changes to the opportunity class placement process for Year 5 entry in 2021 Information for parents/carers and students

The department is committed to the continued education of all students across NSW, including advanced learning programs for high potential and gifted students.

The 2021 Year 5 opportunity class placement process was put on hold in April 2020 due to the COVID-19 situation.

We have now rescheduled and streamlined the application process. Please note the details of the changes below and assist parents and carers to understand these changes.

Why have changes been made to the 2020 opportunity class placement process? Due to the shorter time frame available for the OC placement process, changes have been made to the process for this year. The department is committed to supporting the continuity of learning and transitions for each child, and the revised application and placement process will ensure students are placed in 2021 Year 5 opportunity classes as soon as possible.

What changes have been made? The 2020 opportunity class placement process has been revised to accommodate the shorter timeline due to the postponement of the test.

To ensure the fair and consistent assessment of students across all schools and regions of NSW, this year students will be placed on test results only. Taking this approach reduces the effect of the disrupted start to the school year, which could compromise school assessment scores, and ensures that all students are placed using the same test performed under the same conditions. The test is created by an independent educational assessment provider and measures academic ability, not achievement, giving a reliable method for identifying highly gifted applicants which is not subject to the variable classroom conditions experienced this year.

education.nsw.gov.au

Action Date

Applications open 9 June 2020

Applications close 26 June 2020

Opportunity Class Placement Test date

16 September 2020

Parents and schools advised of placement outcome information

From 1 December 2020

Parents accept or decline first round placement

By 15 December 2020

Principals arrange orientation day for successful candidates

December 2020

Reserve places offered From mid-December 2020

Authority to attend an opportunity class letter sent to parents

Late January 2021

Successful candidates enrol in Year 5 at a school with an opportunity class

Late January 2021

Contact For further information or assistance contact: High Performing Students Team ssu@det.nsw.edu.au 1300 880 367

Follow us on Facebook for updates on the current and opportunity class placement process.

Opportunity class placement

What are the key dates I should be aware of? The revised dates are listed below. Parents are advised to review the new dates carefully and ensure an application is submitted by the closing date for their child to be eligible to sit the placement test as, owing to the shorter timeline, late applications will not be accepted.

A visual timeline showing the key dates is printed on the next page.

education.nsw.gov.au

Further information Visit the department’s website Opportunity classes – Year 5 updates available on the website at https://education.nsw.gov. au/ public-schools/selective-high-schools-and- opportunity-classes/updates

Opportunity classes – key dates on the website at https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/ selective-high-schools-and-opportunity-classes/ general-information

Parents are encouraged to speak to the principal of their child’s primary school for further information about the changes made to the opportunity class placement process this year.