Willoughby Public School Newsletter

Dear Parents and Carers

Thank you to the many parents who joined into our meet the teacher meetings across the week. It is unfortunate that the changes to the guidelines were too late for our scheduled meetings.

We hope to have a celebration of learning – open classrooms later in the term to provide an opportunity for our parents and carers to visit classrooms.

Thank you to our teachers for their preparation and presentations.

It was a very successful start the year with the swimming carnival, perfect weather ensured the success of the day. Our WPS students displayed outstanding sportsmanship throughout the day. Congratulations to our students heading to the zone carnival representing Willoughby PS.

A huge thank you to Mr Hutchison for his great organisation and time management – the races kept to time! Thank you to our teachers and support staff that helped out on the day as time keepers, recorders, judges and race marshals.

Thank you to our Greenwillo café for the special event canteen orders and delivery.

The Lane Cove pool has a great viewing deck for the many parents that attended, supporting their children.

Ms Mikhail took some great action shots at the carnival – see the photo gallery attached.

All students will be taking home the final set of Rapid Antigen Test kits today. These kits have been supplied by the Department of Education for your use, there is no obligation to test twice weekly. You can use the test kits at your discretion as required. Please refer to the guidelines attached.

Willoughby PS will be reverting back to our K-6 playground and single timetable from Monday March 7. We will keep the gate system in place for entry and exit, to ease congestion on Oakville Road. Parking away from the school is a great option and walking the short distance to the school helps reduce traffic around the school. Kindergarten dismissal time will move to 3pm from Monday March 7. 

It was a great pleasure to share morning tea with our 2022 student leaders. I’m looking forward to working with the student leadership team led by Olivia and Harry and supported by Sylvie and Jack throughout 2022.

Congratulations to Miss Haefeli on being appointed as a permanent teacher at Willoughby PS. Please find attached a PDF photo of our WPS staff.

Jennifer Simmonds

Principal

The WPS canteen, GreenWillo Café, is now serving all food and drinks in the reusable "Ruzi" containers. The cutlery provided with each order is also reusable. 

After eating or drinking, all of these containers and cutlery MUST be placed into the white RUZI bins around the school. The containers are then taken offsite, washed, sanitised and returned for reuse.

Just like Willoughby Public School staff and students, the canteen operators are passionate about sustainability and are trying to reduce the amount of plastic and rubbish we, as a school, send to landfill.

The RUZI initiative is a big step towards that and we are a pilot school for the use of RUZI in a school setting!

If any RUZI packages accidentally come home, please return to them to the school. 

To help ensure students are eating foods that parents/carers are happy with, the school canteen, Greenwillo Cafe is now offering Recess orders. Parents/Carers can order recess which students can collect at the canteen window during recess. 

Reading, and truly enjoying what you are reading, is one of life’s real joys. We have also found that children who enjoy what they are reading, will usually come back for more! It plays a large part in the work that we do as we try to help them find the right book at any given time. 

Below you will find confirmation of your child’s Library day. Students need to bring a Library Bag with them to be able to borrow. Unfortunately, we had several books last year come back to us waterlogged, damaged or mouldy. These books would have been able to be saved from accident or mishap, had they been in a protective bag. This can be a named WPS Library Bag, available from the Uniform Shop, or another sturdy bag with handles or a plastic bag. Please make sure it has your child’s name and class clearly marked. Lost or forgotten bags can then be promptly returned to your child.  

Mondays:  5S, 5C, 5H, 5T, 4D, 4Y, 4PG 

Tuesdays: KJ, KA, KM, KS, 1K, 1H, 1G, 1V 

Wednesdays: KC, KR, 2B, 1W, 1MT 

Thursdays: 4/3C, 4/3S, 6/5D, 6/5W, 6M, 2-6R, 6L, 6A, 6DS 

Fridays: 3H, 3N, 3G, 3Y, 2L, 2M, 2C, 2T, 2RB 

We look forward to working with you all this year and are so looking forward to that day in the (hopefully not too distant) future, when we will once again be able to welcome parents into our lovely new Library before or after school to visit with their children. 

Mrs Debbie de Silva 

Teacher Librarian 

At Willoughby Public School we have a number of students with a

LIFE THREATENING NUT / PEANUT ALLERGY.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

Even a small trace of nut, peanut or nut/peanut product may trigger a severe allergic reaction called Anaphylaxis, which attacks the immune system leading potentially to death within minutes.

This reaction can happen by taste, touch and sometimes can be airborne. All of these students have access to an adrenaline injection in the form of an Epipen, which can save lives. Photo posters are displayed in the classrooms, canteen, staffroom, playground bags and sick bay for easy identification of these children.

Willoughby PS works with parents/carers to support students in developing an awareness of their allergies and what foods to avoid. Students are encouraged not to share food and to always check with a parent/adult/teacher if unsure at any time. 

HOW CAN YOU HELP TO KEEP WPS STUDENTS SAFE? 

Please help us by not including peanut or any nut products in your child’s lunchbox. This includes peanut butter and Nutella. 

Please avoid products with any nuts/peanuts listed as an ingredient. 

Explain about nut/peanut allergy to your child and encourage the ‘no food sharing’ rule. 

Please consider what you are sending for birthday treats to share with the class, checking there are no nut products included. 

The school canteen does not serve products containing nuts. 

It is only with the continued support of all parents and staff that we can effectively maintain a safe school environment for these children.  

Thank you for your understanding. We know you will want to support the school and these children.

Play NETSETGO

To form our final Yr 2 NETSET GO team we’re urgently looking for a few more children interested in fun and fitness, while learning new skills fundamental to the game of netball.

If this sounds like your child, please get in touch with us via wpsnetballclub@gmail.com. We must form our teams by this Sunday, so please don’t delay!

Join us on Monday 28 Feb, 7pm for our Term 1 Meeting

You’re invited to attend the WPS Netball Committee (WPSNC) Term 1 Meeting this coming Monday, 28 February, at 7pm via Zoom. Details to join the meeting are included below.

The WPSNC holds one meeting a term, generally on the Monday in week 3. The Club strongly encourages the parents of registered players and others who are interested to take an active interest in the Club by attending meetings. At a minimum, it’s the Club’s expectation that at least one parent for each team attend meetings.

At the Term 1 meeting, the Club will be discussing:

·         2022 Registrations, grading and team formations

·         Manager nominations & coach allocations

·         Kit preparation & collection arrangements

·         The 2022 training and match schedule, including key upcoming dates

·         Expectations of the Club community

JOIN ZOOM MEETINGhttps://us02web.zoom.us/j/82576822909?pwd=V1duUjVmeithdFBFN29nVjdxTzdIZz09

Meeting ID: 825 7682 2909Passcode: 194581

We hope to see you on screen, Monday night!

The WPS Chess Club are delighted to announce that chess club has returned to on site lessons.

 Classes are held on the following days during term times:

·  Years K-3 - Beginner/Rookie: Tuesdays from 7:45am to 8:45am, starting on 2 February 2021

·  Years 4-6 - Intermediate/Advanced: Wednesdays from 7:45am to 8:45am, starting on 3 February 2021

Kindy kids are encouraged to join starting in Term 3.

Playing chess improves concentration and memory, enhances reading and math skills, fosters logic & creativity, and encourages and rewards hard work. Classes are run by professional teachers from the Sydney Academy of Chess in an engaging environment.

To register, please go to the Sydney Academy of Chess website online payment page (https://sydneyacademyofchess.com.au/payment) and enter one of the following codes:

·  Years K-3: Tuesdays: VDRCUXEVP5

·  Years 4-6: Wednesdays: KPMN9ERN3F

Chess Club will be adhering to WPS and Department of Education and Department sanitising health requirements. Parents & carers will be requested to sign a declaration form after registering that can be previewed here: http://www.wpspandc.com.au/wp-content/gallery//2022/02/Willoughby-Public-School-Permission-Slip-2022.pdf

If you have any questions head to the P&C site here: https://www.wpspandc.com.au/chess/ or feel free to get in touch - contact details on site. 

We look forward to welcoming you to chess classes in 2022,

Chess Club Exec