The Punchbowl Press

2021 Term 1 Week 5

Important Dates

Monday 1 March - Friday 5 March - Scholastic Book Fair

Monday 1 March - Year 3 - 6 Swimming Carnival

Tueday 9 March - Preschool Photos

Friday 12 March - Preschool Photos

Friday 19 March - P&C Meeting

Friday 26 March - P&C AGM

Wednesday 31 March - P&C Easter Raffle Drawn

Thursday 1 April - Last Day of Term 1 

Relieving Principal's Message

It is hard to believe we are already halfway through the first term of the year.  I can see through my interactions with our community that it has been a very positive start to the new year.  All our students have begun their 2021 journey here at PPS, including our new preschool students.  

The last few weeks have seen many of our leadership programs beginning, including School Leader inductions, House Captains and Peer Support.  I have met with our School Leaders twice this term to mentor and guide the impact they want to have on the school this year.  They are a very enthusiastic group who are committed to being role models for all our students.  I am very excited to see what they have in store for the school.

Congratulations to our Peer Support leaders who have been steering and leading their small groups through the lessons each week.  This is a valuable program for school as it supports our Stage 3 students to develop their leadership skills including the importance of being prepared and communication.  Thank you to the Stage 3 team who prepare the students each week and the all other staff who support the program each week.

We are equally as excited to be have chess each week in the library.  It has been wonderful to see so many students keen to learn strategy and a little patience through the game of chess.  Thanks to Mr Potten for leading this initiative. 

On Thursday, we held our annual PBL Launch Day.  Our school values of Respect, Safety and Learning guide and support all of us as we go about our day.  This week our PBL lesson was focussed on those sportspersons for whom our houses are named: Bradman, Freeman, Thorpe and O’Neill.  Our students focused on what qualities the sportsperson had which led them to reach their potential and make a positive contribution to their sport.

We are working to begin our P and C meetings again this term. The first meeting for the year will be held on Friday 19 March at 3:15pm. We are unable to hold these meetings during school hours due to Covid-19 guidelines. Supervision for students will be available for the duration of the meeting.  More information will be sent to families via Skoolbag.  

If you have any questions or concerns during the year, your child’s class teacher is best placed to support you in the first instance.  Each classroom teacher is supported by an Assistant Principal and Deputy Principal, who can also be contacted if the class teacher is unavailable.  Please contact the school office on 9750 5055 and request an appointment. 

Donna McGeary

Relieving Principal

Fun Kids Punchbowl PS - OSHC

Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) is operating at  Punchbowl Public School in 2021.  Fun Kids OSHC is providing Before School Care, After School Care and Vacation Care within the grounds of Punchbowl Public School.

Fun Kids OSHC prides on providing children with safe, fun, play based learning experiences with a positive attitude. From exciting activities, healthy nutritious food, to warm and caring team members. Copies of the enrolment form can be obtained from the front office or alternatively you can access more information by visiting https://www.funkids.com.au/punchbowl/, phoning 0422968085 or email punchbowl@funkids.com.au

Fun Kids Newsletter - Term 1

Download

P&C Meeting - Friday 19 March at 9:15am (UPDATED TIME)

The first P&C meeting for 2021 will he held on Friday 19 March at 9:15am. All members of the school community are invited and encouraged to attend. At this meeting you will hear about current P&C initiatives and progress, have the opportunity to provide feedback on the School Improvement Plan and find out how you can become involved in the P&C for 2021.

The meeting will begin promptly at 9:15am. Please ensure you scan the QR code when you enter the school grounds and make your way to the hall.

The P&C Annual General Meeting will then be held on Friday 26 March at 9:15am. At this meeting the new 2021 P&C Committee will be elected. We look forward to seeing you there and warmly welcome new families to our school to join and take part in the P&C. 

P&C Committee

Easter Raffle - P&C

The P&C need donations of Easter eggs as we prepare to have an Easter Raffle later in the term. Please send donations of chocolate eggs or other Easter items to the school office with your child. There will be a collection box in the foyer. If you are available to volunteer your time to help wrap the prizes please contact the school on 9750 5055 and leave a message for the P&C committee. 

Tickets will be sold for $1 each during recess and lunch and the draw will take place on Wednesday of Week 10. 

We thank you for your ongoing support.

Bright Star Kids

The P&C have registered an online fundraiser with Bright Star Kids. Bright Star Kids is a family-owned business that designs and produces top quality personalised products for kids. For every order you place our school will receive up to 20% in commission. 

All you need to do is visit their webpage, create an account, place an order and select LINK A FUNDRAISING ACCOUNT in the checkout and enter our school name PUNCHBOWL PUBLIC SCHOOL. 

Label it and never lose a thing! Get ready with your labels and personalised products for 2021. 

Happy Shopping. 

If you have any questions please phone the office on 9750 5055 and leave a message and one of the friendly P&C members will contact you. 

Punchbowl Public School P&C Committee 

 

Student Leadership Team - 2021

Congratulations Student Leadership team  for 2021 - Serang, Layalie, Sarah, Jayden, Haydar and Issa. 

Student Voice is important and valued at our school and we are looking forward to some great improvements, community engagement and events to come.

House Captains 2021

Bradman House. Girl captains are Jasmin from 6 Halo and Alaa from 5/6 Nebula. Boy captains are Zaid from 5/6 Nebula and Danny from 6 Halo.

Freeman House. Girl captains Jamila from 5/6 Nebula and Tuka from 5/6 Pandora. Boys captains are Mohamed from 6 Halo and Lu'ay from 5/6 Pandora.

O'Neil House. Girl captains are Medina from 6 Halo and Fatima from 5/6 Nebula. Boy captains are Timote from 5/6 Pandora and Abass from 5/6 Supernova.

Thorpe House. Girl captains are Yasmin from 6 Halo and Nadeen from 5/6 Pandora. Boy captains are Bilal from 5/6 Nebula and Huzifa from 6 Halo.

Stewart House Donation Drive

Our school, along with many other NSW public schools is a proud supporter of Stewart House.

Each year 1,700 public school children in need come to Stewart House from many parts of NSW and the ACT. During their stay, children are provided with optometric, dental and medical treatment as well as emotional support.

Today, you child would have received an envelope from Stewart House. Should you choose to make a donation this will help to ensure that this program is accessible to all children in need from across NSW and ACT public schools and be used to cover direct costs only.

Stewart House is a registered Australian charity. All donations over $2 are tax deductible.

If you would like to donate please return the envelope to the school office by Friday 19 March.

Thank you for your support.

https://www.stewarthouse.org.au/

Schools as Community Centre - SaCC

Our SaCC programs are well underway for Term 1.

Our program this term includes two Play-to-Learn playgroups on Tuesday and Friday. Parents and children enjoy this space of early learning where they interact, socialise and develop skills through play.  

Canterbury City Community Centre offered Mum2Mum English conversation course for our parents to practice speaking English. The mothers practise English together with other parents, socialise and share stories from their original countries.

Floristry and English courses are the two TAFE programs running for our parents this term. These programs have been developed in partnership with TAFE and the Punchbowl Boys High School community.  These training programs provide our parents with the beginner level skills that enable them to understand vocational training options.

Eat, Move, Healthy Eating and Zumba is our latest program supporting parents with planning nutritional meals for the families, exercising and learning healthy tips in food preparation.

If you are interested in any of the programs contact Asenati on 0439487865 or call the school on 97505055

Asenati Mareko

SaCC Facilitator

School as Community Centre - SaCC

Our SaCC (School as Community Centre) is a learning hub for parents and their young children from birth to eight years old. Everyone in the local community is welcome to attend to access the wide range of programs available throughout the year.

The SaCC offers a range of services including supported and community playgroups, transition to preschool and kindergarten programs, parenting courses, TAFE course, health promotion projects and adult literacy programs.

Download the Term 1 Program Information Flyer. 

Contact Asenati in the SaCC for more information on 0439487865

Download

Voluntary School Contribution

The school has a Voluntary School Contribution program in line with the Department of Education Voluntary School Contribution policy. 

Like all NSW public schools, we can request contributions to enhance our educational programs. School contributions help provide additional educational resources for the benefit of students. Payment is voluntary. The voluntary contribution for 2021 at Punchbowl Public School is set at $46 per student or $54 per family per year.

If you have any questions regarding the Voluntary School Contribution please phone the office on 9750 5055. 

First five weeks of preschool: fostering a sense of belonging

Experiencing belonging – knowing where and with whom you belong – is integral to human existence. Children belong first to a family, a cultural group, a neighbourhood and a wider community. Belonging acknowledges children’s interdependence with others and the basis of relationships in defining identities. In early childhood, and throughout life, relationships are crucial to a sense of belonging. Belonging is central to being and becoming in that it shapes who children are and who they can become. (EYLF, 2009, p. 7) 

Our first five weeks of preschool and indeed the rest of the first term is all about getting to know one another and become familiar with the routines of our preschool. When a child has a sense of belonging, experiencing warm and responsive relationships, they thrive because they feel safe, nurtured and valued. When a child becomes familiar with the routines, they have predictability, they know what to expect and how to respond, they feel secure in their learning routines.  

Our educators have been thoughtful and intentional and considered the information shared by our families to plan and set up the environment to welcome the children and allow each child to participate. Inviting them to play. I am sure that your preschoolers have gone home each afternoon exhausted, pretty much how our educators have felt these initial first weeks but what fun it has been! 

K-6 Owls and K-6 Kookaburras

Welcome back to another exciting year for the Kookaburras and Owls. We are happy to be back and have been busy setting up our class routines. A lot has been happening over the first five weeks back at school. We have been learning about new exciting topics and revisiting and practising some known important skills. Gardening has also started again this year, with the wonderful Miss Clare teaching us about the importance of healthy soils and different types of plants. On Monday, we helped prepare the soil and plant new plants for the year. We have welcomed our new teacher Mrs Park to the Owls and have been having fun getting to know her.  

Stage 1

 Stage 1 have had an exciting start to the year, attending weekly Gymnastics sessions.   

Gymnastics provides a wonderful opportunity for students to develop basic motor skills and promotes a fun way of engaging in physical activity.  

The program focuses on students developing their muscular endurance, strength, power, flexibility, coordination, agility and balance.  

Check out the amazing skills our Year 1 and Year 2 students have continued to develop during their weekly Gymnastics lessons this year.  

Stage 2

Stage 2 have been appreciating the work of famous artists and developing an understanding of what makes an artwork appear uplifting. Students have been learning about Vincent Van Gogh and looking specifically at his ‘Sunflowers’ artwork. Helen from 3 Wondrous said  “Vincent Van Gogh’s Sunflowers artwork is uplifting because when I see sunflowers, it makes me feel happy”. Students recreated their own version of the ‘Sunflowers’ artwork using specific techniques, such as bright colours, to make it appear uplifting.

Well done Stage 2, they look great! 

Community Language

Welcome parents, carers and students to another year of learning in Punchbowl Public School. In our community language program, we have kicked off the year by learning to be safe, respectful learners. We have so many exciting ideas to implement in our classrooms and enhance the literacy of our students. That is why parents if you have the Arabic knowledge please share it with your children and encourage them to speak, read and write in Arabic. Having a second language is a privilege that we all should cherish. In saying that, Stage 3 are learning about where do they (or their parents) come from? They are exploring the country/countries where their parents came from and learning about famous places, culture, food and traditional clothes. We ask that you would share any information, memories or postcards that you have to enhance the learning and interest of your child. 

Library News - Book Fair 2021

We have the much anticipated Scholastic Book Fair starting Monday 1 March to Friday 5 March. There are plenty of book titles available ranging in price starting at $5. A small number of novelty items will also be on sale. Our students are excited to be able to view and purchase the available books. We encourage you to foster a love of reading and learning by considering a book purchase. Click on the link to view some of the available titles. https://www.scholastic.com.au/media/5874/book_fairs_space_primary-invite.pdf

 

MyOn online reading program

We are delighted to continue the MyOn online reading experience with our students. MyOn is a fantastic reading and learning tool that our students are engaging with. This term students are using it for research topics, using the online journal feature which allows them to reflect on what they have learnt, what is puzzling them and what they would like to know more about. All students were issued with their login details. Providing your child with the opportunity to use MyOn for 20 minutes a day would improve their overall learning outcomes. Click on the link to visit the site. https://www.myon.com/login/index.html

Premier’s Reading Challenge

The Premier’s Reading Challenge (PRC) aims to encourage a lifelong love of reading for pleasure. The chosen titles allow students to experience quality literature. It is open to all students in NSW from kindergarten to Year 9.

In 2020 and 2019 all our students completed the challenge and were award a certificate from the NSW Premier’s office acknowledging their efforts. We hope to continue providing our students with opportunities to build their reading skills across a range of great books. Join us in our efforts to build strong readers and learners.

eBooks

eBooks

Our library also has access to ebooks through the eWheelers platform. To access popular titles follow the step by step guide provided. If you have any questions please call Mrs Faiza Matthews between 3-3:30pm every day except Wednesdays. The school number is 9750 5055.

 

1.       Click on the web link https://librarypunchbowlpublicschool.wheelers.co/

2.       Click on the sign in button which is on the top right hand side of the screen.

3.       You will be asked to sign in again. The sign in button will be on the lower left of the screen.

4.       You’ll be prompted to provide a user name and ID. This is the same user name and ID that your child uses to log on to computers at school.

Alternatively you may wish to download the app.

To download the app:

1.       Go to your app store.

2.       Search for the ePlatform app.

3.       Find your library by typing in Punchbowl Public School.

4.       Sign in by using the student user ID and password.

5.       Enjoy a different reading experience!

Gardening group

Hooray the gardening group has started this term! Follow this link to watch a short clip on YouTube. 

Students from stage 2 and 3 learnt about improving the quality of the soil prior to planting. Sustainability by collecting seeds for the next season was an activity enjoyed by students. Students pulled out dry plants and sorted rubbish and plants for compost. Good quality soil was donated from Canterbury Bankstown Council wheelie bin compost. Stage 2 and 3 Students are super excited about gardening with Miss Clare from Panania Free Rangers Inc for the duration of 2021. 

PBL

Welcome back to 2021 from the PBL team at Punchbowl Public School. It has been a pleasure seeing all of the students in their new classes learning their new class structures and routines. It is important that children learn these as it benefits their learning and maximises their learning time.

Our focus of the term has been on learning these class routines, being respectful and learning about our school sport’s houses.

Regarding being Respectful (one of our school values), the students have been learning that it is important to be respectful everywhere in the school, particularly in the playground at recess and lunchtime. The students are looking at what being respectful looks like and making sure they are trying their best. In week five, we celebrated with a PBL Launch day with a focus on our school sport’s houses and what they mean and whom they have named after. Follow the link to watch the highlights of this day on YouTube.

Overall, we have been impressed with the magnificent start to the year and look forward to an exciting year ahead.

The PBL Team

Sun Safety - Hats

Sun safety remains an important health and safety issue at our school. Our expectation is 'No hat, play in the shade'. Students will be directed to shade if they are not wearing a hat. Please ensure that all students start 2021 with a school hat. These can be purchased from the office or through Saouma's School Uniform shop. 

To protect skin and eyes from ultraviolet (UV) damage all staff and students are advised to wear a hat that protects the face, back of the neck, eyes and ears. Broad-brimmed, bucket or legionnaire hats offer the best protection from UV radiation. Baseball or peaked caps and sun visors are not recommended, as these styles do not protect the ears, cheeks or neck.

For best protection during the day we recommend that you:

  • Slop on SPF30 (or higher) broadspectrum, water-resistant sunscreen
  • Slap on a hat
  • Seek shade
  • Slide on sunglasses.


School Canteen - 2021

The school canteen is operated by Kathy and is open Monday to Friday from 8:30am.

The canteen follows the guidelines in place under the NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy. 

The canteen serves breakfast from 8:30-8:55am, recess from 11:00-11:30 and lunch from 1:15-2:00pm. 

All lunch orders must be made by 8:55am.

Parents are asked to complete the order forms at home and send to school with the correct money in an paper bag or envelope. 

A copy of the 2021 Price List and Menu can be downloaded below.

 Please phone the office 9750 5055 and leave a message for Kathy, Canteen Manager if you have any questions or concerns.

Download

P&C - Second Hand Uniform Sales are on every Thursday

Our second hand school uniform store will be open every Thursday morning from 9:00-9:45am during Term 1 in 2021. 

If you have any good quality uniform items that you would like to donate to the school please bring collect them over the school holidays and  bring them to the office in Term 1. 

P&C Uniform Committee

Road Safety

Parents, for the sake of our students, please display good behaviour especially around the school. Children and young people will copy the example you set. Obey the school zone speed limit of 40 km/h during school terms.

The Police and rangers will be patrolling our school regularly throughout the year. This includes Rossmore Ave and Viola St entries. 

For further information please contact the Road Safety Officer City of Canterbury Bankstown 9707 9000 or visit rms.nsw.gov.au

Road safety around schools is everyone's responsibility. 

Saoma's School Wear - Uniforms

Saouma's School Uniforms are the stockists of the Punchbowl Public School uniform.  Please find attached an updated price list for 2020/2021. Saouma's are offering 15% off from 30 November to 12 December. 

Contact Saouma's for more information. 

2/200 The Boulevarde, Punchbowl NSW 2196

​T: (02) 9750 3276

https://www.saoumaschoolwear.com.au/punchbowl-public-school

Have you subscribed to PPS YouTube Channel? Click to Subscribe

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFuF8yxtdYNOJ8e2PEozC2w

Healthy Lunch Box Ideas

Healthy Lunch Box website A one-stop-shop for everything you need to know about packing a healthy lunch box.

Check out the online presentation that will show you how easy it can be to pack a healthy lunch box that your kids will love to eat!

Download

Updated Information from the NSW Department of Education

The NSW Department of Education are working closely with the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC), NSW Health and other agencies to ensure our schools continue to operate in the safest ways possible during the COVID environment. Please read the updated information available at https://education.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/advice-for-families

Saver Plus Program - Receive up to $500 for education costs for you or your children

https://www.bsl.org.au/services/saving-and-managing-money/saver-plus/

Join Australia’s award winning free financial education and matched savings program and receive up to $500 for you or your children’s education.

All questions from families from Punchbowl Public School can be directed to Domenic 0435 280 316

Skoolbag

Skoolbag is our main form of parent communication at Punchbowl Public School. This app can be downloaded free from your app store by following the instructions below. Stay up to date with school and community events, access the newsletter and send absentee and permission notes online.

Click here to 'Like' us on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/punchbowlps/

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au

Conservatorium High School - 2022 Auditions

The Conservatorium High School is the secondary arm of the Conservatorium of Music in Sydney, and the State’s only specialist music high school. Applications to audition for students entering high school in 2022 are now open. Closing date for registration is June 25th. Follow the link to register your interest. 

https://conhigh.nsw.edu.au/2022-entry-application/

Dance It - Performing Arts Studio