Rozelle Public School Newsletter

Rozelle is a place where Aboriginal children learned, played and celebrated their culture for thousands of years on this beautiful, natural land. As we learn, play and celebrate together on this land, we honour the Wangal people of the Eora nation and pay our respects to elders both past, present and emerging. 

Today’s newsletter is the final for the 2021 school year - what a year it has been! At the beginning of the school year who would have anticipated the year that unfolded. While there have been many challenges, there have been wonderful highlights with much to celebrate. 

Our primary students were extremely fortunate to be able to attend excursions to Canberra or The Great Aussie Bush Camp. The Canberra excursion saw 170 students and 10 staff travel down to the nation's capital visiting Parliament House, the War Memorial and other significant venues. Our Year 3 & 4 students had a fabulous time at the Great Aussie Bush Camp enjoying an outdoor education program.  With classmates, they were able to create fabulous memories and take on new challenges. What a highlight for students. If these two events were scheduled later in the year, they would have been cancelled. 

While many representative sporting events were cancelled, we were fortunate to run our swimming and cross country carnivals. Both carnivals had a wonderful atmosphere and were well supported by parents. There were some outstanding individual performances too. While PSSA in Term 3 was impacted, our Year’s 5 & 6 students had the opportunity to enjoy a term of this inter school sports program. 

One of the biggest casualties of COVID has been the performing arts - both in the community and in schools. Through the dedication of Helen, Emma and the team of tutors, students have been able to continue with lessons and remain connected to the program and their instrument. This virtual orchestra video created by Emma Greenhill, our string coordinator, showcases students at their very best. It is certainly a highlight and something to celebrate! I look forward to music, drama, dance and performance returning in 2022. 

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ecgzcwcknd1kn6q/AABz81APqnKzaAHvEbf5gjGqa?dl=0

The Term Three lockdown and learning from home period was challenging for so many students and families. While we don't wish to return to learning from home, there were many positives which came from that period. I was exceptionally proud of the RPS team who quickly pivoted to remote teaching and produced such high quality units of work. Our staff understood the importance of maintaining strong connections with their students via Zoom, Google Classroom and Seesaw platforms. The resilience, perseverance and commitment from the entire community is definitely worth celebrating!  And…. let’s not forget if we didn't have a lockdown there wouldn't be the RPS Recipe Book - stay at home edition, a fantastic initiative from our supportive P&C. 

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all our staff, students and families a wonderful Christmas and summer vacation. Our staff have worked tirelessly throughout the year and it is now time to switch off, enjoy the sunshine and time with family and friends. We look forward to welcoming students back to school on Tuesday 1 February 2022.

Contacting the School

Over the summer, you may need to contact the school. Please use the school’s email address rozelle-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au Although the email account will not be checked daily, it will be scanned for important communication on a weekly basis. Staff will return to school on Friday 28 January with the office operating from 8.30am-3pm on both Staff Development (pupil free) Days.

Today was Miss Dunn’s final day at Rozelle for 2021 as she is taking leave in the last week of term to get married. In a last minute move, Miss Dunn has secured a year’s teaching position at Harbord Public School. Miss Dunn lives over in Dee Why and has been keen to secure employment closer to home. While Rozelle will remain her substantive position, I expect Miss Dunn to secure a permanent position in the Northern Beaches sometime in the near future. The school will miss her kindness, empathy and outstanding teaching practice. Congratulations Emma on the new job and all the best for your Hunter Valley wedding. 

We also will say goodbye to Miss Jessop, our talented music teacher who has enjoyed teaching the children for the last four years. Her lessons are filled with such joy, creativity and rich learning. Miss Jessop is moving back to the Far South Coast of NSW where she will take up a teaching position at Narooma High School. Narooma High is a Connected Communities school and works closely with local Aboriginal communities, supporting students and imbedding indigenous cultures across the school. Miss Jessop is proud to be living and working in Yuin Country and reconnecting with her home. 

A sad see ya later from Miss Jessop but it's time to go home (for a while ?)

I would like to say a sad 'see ya later' to the whole Rozelle school community, which I feel has become my extended family for the last 4 years. It has been an absolute joy to teach your children music, as it is my life-long passion and dedication! To witness, guide and nurture each child's musical growth from pre-school through to Year 6. To see them develop musical skills and knowledge, compose their own music, be excited, disciplined, courageous, and skilled in their entertaining performances, to see them express their own joy of musical learning. To see them show their deep appreciation and depth in listening to many genres of music, has been one of the highlights of my teaching career and my life actually! It has also been a privilege to work in a school with so many high quality, extra-curricular activities and Creative Arts teachers as I know this is not always the case in public schools. But it's time to get back to my roots on Yuin country on the Far South Coast of NSW and take a break from the city and spend some time with family. Thank you to all the parents support over the years, it has been wonderful to meet you all and I really really hope to see you all again one day!! With love and appreciation, I'll see you all down the road, Love Miss Jessop

• Australia Day Public Holiday - Wednesday 26 January 

• Staff Development Day One (pupil free) - Friday 28 January 

• Staff Development Day Two (pupil free) - Monday 31 January

• Students (Y1-6) Return - Tuesday 1 February

• Kindergarten & Preschool Transition Days - 1, 2, 3, 4 February

• Kindergarten and Preschool commence - Monday 7 February

• Swimming Carnival - Wednesday 16 February 

• P&C Welcome BBQ - Friday 25 February 

After such a disrupted year, it is wonderful that we are able to have the Year Six Farewell on site. A fun evening is being planned by an enthusiastic team of parents. The farewell will be held on Wednesday 15 December kicking off at 6.30pm.

The Great Book Pop Up Shop fundraiser for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF) is happening during school hours on Monday 13th and Tuesday 14th December. Students are asked to bring in a gold coin or $5 note, to purchase a book and raise money for the ILF. Classes will come to the pop-up shop in the gallery space during class time on Monday or Tuesday of week 11 and students will have the opportunity to purchase a book to take home and read over the holidays.

The Australian Government has launched ReMade in Australia – a national campaign urging Australians to recycle more and show how they can help create jobs and protect our environment. Harry (5 Parks) and Archie (3 Robinson) met with the PM to discuss how their product, sunglasses made from recycled plastic bottles, can help create jobs and protect our environment. 

During Remote Learning our Year 1 students sent a care package to show their support to the students in Wilcannia having a tough time during lockdown. Here is a letter of thanks the school received. 

As the year is coming to an end, we wanted to reflect on the year that was and thank the many who contributed to our school community. 

To those parents who helped in the classroom when we could, baked or helped at one of the cake stalls (the 3 we were able to hold this year), volunteered at the uniform shop, donated to or supported our on-line auction, shared recipes and purchased our first recipe book, and a special thank you to those who attended our meetings especially to the executive and committees - thank you for your contribution to making RPS a great school!

• We are so close!  You can still contribute….
• Buy our RPS recipe book -  $35 each or $30 for 2 or more copies https://rozelle-school-pc.square.site
• Donations welcome - Donation link: https://www.trybooking.com/au/donate/rozellepublicpandc
• Bring your cans and bottles to our Return and Earn station.
• Thank you to Christine Morrison for designing our achievement graphic! See more of Christine’s great work at www.therobotklan.com.au and contact her to see how she can help with your own design needs.

Welcome to Maitaine who will be co-ordinating the Uniform Shop in 2022!

2nd Hand Uniform Sale

The 2nd hand uniform sale held on November 26 was a huge success. Lots of families were able to grab uniform pieces at affordable prices, clothes and bags have been reused and over $420 was raised for the P&C. Thank you to all that supported our sale, especially our volunteers on the day, Robyn, Carolyn, Jen, Carly and Sally.

2nd hand items in larger sizes are always in demand - we welcome donations of good quality used uniforms, school bags and hats (no rips or holes, excessive stains or non-RPS items such as leggings, shoes and underwear, please). These can be left at the front office anytime.

Farewell and THANK YOU to Kelly Webster

Kelly and her family have been valued members of the RPS community since Amelie started preschool in 2012. Since then Kelly has been active in classroom activities, fundraising and volunteering in the uniform shop since 2017. In recent years she has been our uniform shop co-ordinator, doing all of the hard work behind the scenes to ensure our students are dressed for success every day. Kelly has warmly welcomed countless families to Rozelle through many years of Kindy orientation programs. Thank you Kelly for all of the work you have put into the Uniform Shop and the RPS community - we will miss you and wish you, Paul, Amelie and Theo all the best!

Maitane and Claire 

Below is the air quality data for November. There were no alerts recorded during the month.

You can view air quality data from our unit in real time here:

URL: https://airmet.livesense.com.au/login

Login: rozellepublicschool@pandcaffiliate.org.au

Password: rpsaqm

If you are interested in learning more about air quality monitoring at the school, then please get in contact via the P&C at:

rozellepublicschool@pandcaffiliate.org.au

Don’t forget to bring in your bottles and cans with the 10c Return & Earn logo.

NO Crushed cans please – deposit these at the shed near the front playground. Let’s recycle and earn funds for the school!

Thank you to our 2021 / 2022 sponsor - The McGrath Balmain Team. Thank you to Cindy Kennedy and Team for supporting our school and P&C.

Gold Sponsor of the 2021 Recipe Book. For weekly family box meal orders, email Lou on lou@madebylou.com.au  or follow Lou on FaceBook for the weekly box details https://www.facebook.com/madebylousydney/

Rozelle Public School is currently taking enrolments for Kindergarten 2022 from families living within our school catchment area. Detailed information about enrolment procedures and a map of the school catchment area can be found on the school website at https://rozelle-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/ or by phoning the school office on (02) 9810 2347.