PETERSHAM

PUBLIC SCHOOL

Information

Booklet

“Our Efforts Make Us”

Welcome to

PETERSHAM PUBLIC SCHOOL At Petersham we provide

a happy safe caring environment where children have the opportunity achieve their best

and become responsible and independent learners through quality programs.

General Information

Principal Hugh Miller Assistant Principals Beth Morgan Amornsee Tawinwong Nomiki Bairaktaridis Daniela Nobilia - Stage 2 Coordinator Georgie Hubbard—Stage 3 Coordinator School Administration Manager Sue Hodge School Administration Officers Sharon Rowe, Nalurphon Chamnanpradit Teaching Staff for 2016 Charlotte Connor Amornsee Tawinwong David Cull Beth Morgan Geoff Corbett Daniela Nobilia Tim Bellamy Deborah Scheuer Naomi Tisdell Georgina Hubbard Donna Spiteri Jessica Manganaro EAL/D: Franca La Rosa RFF (History/Geography): Nomiki Bairaktaridis RFF (Music): Mary Bromhead Library : David Cull Reading Recovery: Beth Morgan Learning Support: Raymond Hope Instrumental Music Program: Daniel Murphy School Learning Support Officers Vincenza Taylor Callan MacCauley General Assistant Antonio Vallelonga School Hours 9.15am — 3.15pm 11.15am — 12.10pm Lunch 2.10pm — 2.35pm Recess Address Petersham Public School 25 Hunter Street Petersham 2049 Telephone 9560 9665 Fax 9564 2104 Email petersham-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au Website www.petersham-p.schools.nsw.edu.au

Petersham Public School Petersham Public School has classes ranging from Kindergarten to Year 6. We have a total enrolment of approximately 250 students from a diverse range of backgrounds. Petersham Public School is part of the Marrickville Network, within the Ulti-mo Operational Directorate of the NSW Department of Education. Virginia Pacey is the Director of Public Schools for Marrickville Network, based at Arncliffe District Office (9582 2800). The ultimate authority responsible for the operation of Petersham Public School is the Minister for Education, Rob Stokes, who administers all Government Schools through the Department of Education. School Hours Our school hours are 9.15am to 3.15pm. There is a teacher on playground duty from 8.45am to 9.15am. For the safety of children, please do not drop them off before 8:45am. The school office is open from 8.45am to 3.30pm.

Principal’s Message

On behalf of the staff of Petersham Public School, I extend a very warm welcome to new families joining our school community. We are proud of the positive culture, quality learning programs and the caring relationship that exists between students, staff and parents at our school.

Petersham PS is a small, but fast-growing school. We have the strong community spirit, warm and friendly atmosphere and the picturesque grounds of a country school, although we are in the inner western suburbs of Sydney.

Our school is fortunate to have a diverse mix of teachers and support staff, who are a cohesive, collaborative team, dedicated to enabling students to achieve their greatest potential. Our teachers are committed to ongoing professional development in order to deliver innovative literacy and numeracy programs, providing our students with the necessary skills and knowledge to thrive in the rapidly changing world of the 21

st Century. We flexibly integrate technology into

our teaching and learning programs in order to enhance students’ ability to communicate, collaborate, and think critically and creatively. The development of high level literacy and numeracy skills for all students is our core business, and takes highest priority.

At Petersham PS, we focus on the development of the whole child, with programs and initiatives that support and extend creative, social-emotional and sensorimotor, as well as academic, skills and talents. Our teachers, parents and community members work in partnership to develop students who are well-rounded citizens with a positive sense of self, a strong set of contemporary values, and a high level of connectedness to their peers and local community. We see the development of positive values, strong social relationships, independence, confidence and self-esteem as the cornerstones on which successful learning for life is built. We provide many avenues for students to experience success and achievement, and to recognise the range of talents and abilities which our students possess.

Our students and staff are enthusiastically supported by our highly engaged parents and wider community who contribute greatly to the learning and well-being of our students, and to the positive social fabric of our school. Children’s development depends on many factors of which this school is just one. The partnership between home and school is crucial in maximizing your child’s progress.

We welcome you into the community of Petersham Public School and look forward to working with you this year and in the years to come.

Hugh Miller - Principal

This booklet is to provide you with information about your school.

You are always welcome to make an appointment to come to the school to discuss any matters.

Contents

Accidents 6

Assemblies 6

Attendance 6

Before and After School Care

6

Communication 6

English as an Additional Language or Dialect

7

Ethics Classes 7

Excursions 8

Footwear 8

Funding the School 8

Health Care Plans 9

Homework 9

Home Reading 9

Key Learning Areas 9

Languages other than English

10

Learning and Support Teacher

10

Learning Support Team 10

Leaving Petersham Public School

10

Leaving the school grounds

10

Letters /Notes 10

Library 11

Lost Property 11

Medication 11

Money / Valuables 11

Music and Performing Arts 11

Newsletter 12

Orientation Program 12

P&C Association 12

Parent Involvement 13

Payments 13

Playground Supervision 13

Reading Recovery 13

Reporting to Parents 13

Safety 13

School Counsellor 13

School Holidays 14

School Speed Zones 14

School Times 14

Sick Students 14

SRE (Scripture) 14

Swimming Instruction 14

Sport & PE 14

Student Welfare 15

Sun Protection Policy 15

Technology 15

Uniforms 15

School Information

Accidents In case of sudden illness or accident at school, parents will be contacted. If this is impossible at the time, the child if necessary, will be taken by ambulance to the nearest hospital. For this reason it is important that changes of address, tel-ephone numbers (employment, home mobile and emergency contacts) be up-dated and forwarded to the school immediately. Assemblies Assemblies are held every Friday morning at 9:30am in the school hall. Parents are invited to attend these as well as special assem-blies arranged during the year e.g. ANZAC Day, Education Week, Book Week and Presentation functions. Details of days and times are advertised in the newsletter. Attendance Students are expected to attend each day the school is open. If stu-dents are sick or leave is required for another reason, parents should notify the school in writing as soon as possible. An email to the school email address is the preferred mode of explanation for absences: petersham-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au. Before and After School Care (PACC) Petersham Activity Centre for Children PACC provides before and after school care for Petersham PS students each day. In addition they provide a vacation care service. Enquiries can be made by ringing PACC on 9560 1030. PACC operates from 7.00am - 9.00am and 2.30pm - 6.00pm. Communication The passing of relevant information between home and school is a very important part of the school’s operation and this is done in the following ways: Home to School Parents are always welcome at the school and are invited to contact the school as the need arises.

Interviews The best way of raising points of concern is by personal interview at school. This avenue is always available to parents and is encouraged above all other methods. It is preferable for all concerned if the interview is pre- arranged unless it is an emergency or otherwise impossible. Parents are reminded that teachers cannot conduct an interview during class time as their first responsibility is to the class.

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Telephone It is suggested you should telephone the office to make appointments for interviews with an indication of the reason. Parents are welcome to convey messages concerning their children by means of emails or letters where appropriate. Notes are required for absences and permission to leave school grounds. School to Home The following means are used to provide information from the school to the home: School Website The school website (petersham-p.schools.nsw.edu.au) contains up to date information about a wide range of school-related matters. Notes and com munications sent home electronically can also be accessed through the website. Interviews The school will arrange interviews with parents when matters of concern arise. The interviews will be arranged by sending a brief email, letter or by telephone. Goal-setting interviews are held twice a year, in Terms 1 and 3, to assist parents to understand their children’s learning focus and enable them to better support their progress at home.. Newsletter A fortnightly newsletter is prepared and forwarded sent out every second Monday. It is conveyed by email and contains a important information about school programs, events and upcom ing dates. This is our main method of with families so please ensure that you receive and read the newsletter.

English as an additional language or dialect (E.A.L/D) Additional support is available for children whose first language is not English, or who come from families with additional language backgrounds, from our special-ist EAL/D teacher, Mrs Franca La Rosa. The EAL/D teacher will either withdraw children for small group les-sons or work in the classroom with the class teacher to assist with the children’s English development. Ethics Classes Ethics classes are available as an option for children who do not attend Scripture (SRE), subject to available places in selected year levels. Enrolment in SRE groups will carry over from year to year unless a change is requested in writing.

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Excursions Excursions are organised to support the curriculum covered in class and to provide immersive, experiential learning experiences not available at school. Excursions are organized and supervised by teachers. Costs are kept as low as possible. Unless otherwise stated, uniforms must be worn. Advance notice is provided by notes to parents, and consent and payment is required by the due date stated on the note. To enable thorough planning and organization, payments and consent forms cannot be returned on the day of the excursion. Footwear Black shoes should be worn with all uniforms and are strongly recommended for safety and health. Joggers and sneakers are only worn on designated sport days and are not appropri-ate for day to day wear. Thongs and sandals are not permitted under any cir-cumstances. Covered footwear should be worn on mufti-days. Funding the School Each year the Department of Education allocates funds to the school on the basis of the total number of enrolments, and range of other measures includ-ing students from Aboriginal backgrounds and language backgrounds other than English, students with diagnosed disabilities and the socio-economic av-erage of the community. Other funds are also provided for special programs. The grounds, facilities, and teaching staff are all provided for by government finance. Voluntary School Contributions Parents and guardians are asked to make a voluntary contribution each year. These funds are used to purchase a range of learning materials, including li-brary books, stationery and classroom supplies, adding greatly to the variety of educational resources available at the school. We also request that parents pay a voluntary Technology Levy, to support the ongoing updating of IT equipment and infrastruc-ture, and the training and development of teaching staff in its implementation. Activities Statements Each term, an Activities Statement is issued to each child with a summary of fees payable by parents, including textbooks, excursions, incursions and online subscriptions. Activities Statements can be paid off in instalments by negotiation with the school office. Student assistance is available to support families in financial need.

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Health Care Plans We have a number of students who have serious allergies or medical conditions. Health plans are developed by parents and the school in association with medical personnel to cater for the special needs of these students. Homework All teachers from Petersham Public School set weekly homework tasks relevant

to the needs of their students and class programs.

Homework will: Build on knowledge, skills and understanding developed in class Be relevant to students needs Have its requirements made specific Be manageable so that teachers can ensure quality, and can

provide feedback to students on completion. Be ability appropriate Consider students’ outside of school hour commitments, such as sport, cul-

tural activities, tuition and home responsibilities. Take into account students’ access to resources and technology beyond

school Be clearly communicated to students Provide some flexibility and options to allow for different student circum-

stances

Students or families who are experiencing difficulty with the amount or level of homework provided are encouraged to discuss these issues with their class teacher. Home Reading Petersham Public School has an established home reading program from K-6. Levelled books are available in each classroom. Books borrowed from the library at an appropriate level may also be used for completing home reading. Home reading should be completed for 10-15 minutes each night and recorded for teachers to check. The program may vary between classes. Key Learning Areas The curriculum is divided into seven key learning areas (KLA’s)

English Mathematics Science and Technology History Geography Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE) Creative Arts

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The curriculum documents issued in these Key Learning Areas by the Department of Education form the basis for the teaching and learning programs implemented at Petersham PS. Digital copies of all syllabus documents can be viewed on the NSW Education Standards Authority website: www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au.

Languages other than English Extra-curricular tuition in Italian and Portuguese is available after school. Specialist teachers provide classes to students from Years K-6. Fees are payable for enrol-ment in extra-curricular languages classes. Learning And Support Teacher (LAST) Our Learning and Support Teacher, Mr Raymond Hope, collaborates with class teachers to support the needs of students who are experiencing difficulty achieving learning outcomes. Mr Hope works closely with the Learning Support Team. Learning Support Team (LST) The Learning Support Team is comprised of the school executive (Principal, Assis-tant Principals and Stage Coordinators), the Learning and Support Teacher, the English as an Additional Language teacher, the Reading Recovery teacher and the School Counsellor. The LST meets every week to identify and monitor students who require additional support, in both academic and social/emotional domains. Teachers may refer stu-dents to the LST for assessment and possible additional support from support teachers, School Learning Support Officers or the School Counsellor. The LST Co-ordinator is Mrs Beth Morgan. Leaving Petersham Public School Parents of children intending to move house, or transfer to another school, are re-quested to notify the school in writing as soon as possible. Students are required re-turn all library books, home readers and school equipment before leaving. Leaving School Grounds Children are not permitted to leave school once they have arrived without a parent/carer or nominated person. Parents should go to the office when bringing children late to school and before collecting students from classrooms for early dismissal. Letters/Notes At times letters and notes are sent to parents concerning specific programs. There is often a reply slip at the bottom for parents to return so that receipt of the infor-mation is acknowledged and consent is given by parents. Please return promptly to class teacher or to the letter box in the office.

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Library The school library is the school’s educational heart and supports all educational endeavors and richly celebrates Book Week each year. All children are instructed in Library use each week and borrow books. A library bag to protect books is re-quired before being allowed to borrow. Library bags are available from the Uniform Shop. Parents may assist by:

Ensuring all books are returned weekly; Volunteering in the library to assist with covering new

books; The donation of books, a gesture that is always greatly ap-

preciated; Enrolling children in their local library.

Lost Property Lost property is located in F Block (the large brick building), at the top of the first staircase, outside the Music Office. Please ensure that all articles of clothing, hats, drink bottles and lunch boxes are clearly labelled with children’s names. Medication Please notify the school if your child is take medication at school. Medications are to be handed in at the office and a request to administer medication form must be completed (a copy of this is available on our website). If the medical condition is ongoing a health care plan may need to be implemented in consultation with your child’s doctor. Teachers are not able to provide students with medication, including headache tablets. Money/Valuables Large amounts of money or valuable material should not be brought to school, however, on unavoidable occasions pupils should leave money or valuables at the office on arrival at school. All money brought to the school must be placed in a sealed envelope, clearly marked with the student’s name, class, amount and rea-son for payment. Money is never left in the school overnight as it is always banked before school closes. Music and Performing Arts To supplement the classroom lessons in music, students have the opportunity to be members of a variety of specialist music groups. RFF Music Program: All classes participate in a 40-minute music lesson

each week, taught by a specialist music teacher, Mrs Mary Bromhead.

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Choirs: Mrs Bromhead also leads 3 choirs, who rehearse once a week:

K-2 Choir Stage 2 Choir (Years 3 & 4) Stage 3 Choir (Years 5 & 6) * Instrumental Music Program:

This includes Bands (Training Band and Concert Band), Re-corders (Junior and Senior Recorders), String Ensembles (Stringlets, Junior Strings and Senior Strings) and the Sym-phony Orchestra. All ensembles are led by Mr Daniel Mur-phy. For more information, visit the IMP website: www.petershammusic.com.

* Dance: Dance groups for students in Years K-3 and Years 3-6 are taught and choreographed by Ms Mel Coady. Auditions are held for Ms Coady’s dance groups. Additional opportunities in dance are also made available to all students.

Newsletter A newsletter containing information about school events, pro-grams and other news is sent out every fortnight. Newsletters are emailed out through the School eNews service. Subscrip-tions can be made on our website. The newsletter is our main form of communication between home and school. We stress the importance of registering to re-ceive the newsletter by email by visiting the school’s website and following the prompts. If you do not have internet access, please advise the school office and a paper copy can be provided to your child weekly. This will ensure you are aware of upcoming events. A P&C Newsletter is also sent out on alternate weeks, with news and infor-mation about P&C events, initiatives and meetings. Orientation programs New Kindergarten students participate in an Orientation and Transition pro-gram in Term 4 each year prior to commencing. A Parent Information Evening is held in Term 2 for families considering enrolment at Petersham PS. P&C Association The Parents’ and Citizens’ Association meets on the 3

rd Tuesday of each

month at 7:00pm in the staffroom. Meetings are advertised through the school and P&C Newsletters, and all parents and community members are welcome to attend. The P&C is the vehicle for partnership between school and parents, with consultation and discussion about a wide range of school programs and initiatives. The P&C also plays an important role in organizing events to raise funds and build community connections.

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Parent Involvement Many teachers welcome parents to assist in the classroom with reading groups and other activities. This can be arranged with the class teacher. Parents are also invited to attend weekly Friday assemblies, as well as special events including Grandparents’ Day, Open Day in Education Week, Swimming and Athletics Carnivals, Easter Hat Parade, Book Week Parade, and Recogni-tion and Presentation Days. Payments Parents are able to make payments to the school in three ways:- Online via our website (preferred) Cheque or money order (payable to Petersham Public School) or Cash (in envelope, with name/class of student and activity/program clearly

marked) Playground supervision Teachers are rostered for duty at all times when the children are not in classes, including before school. Students should not arrive at the school before 8:45am (Mon-Fri). Parents are responsible for their child’s safety in the playground out of school hours. Please be aware there is no teacher supervision after 3:15pm. Reading Recovery Reading Recovery is available in Year 1 for children who are experiencing some difficulties in their reading after one year at school. It is an individualised pro-gram that provides daily one on one instruction. It aims to move children to a level of proficiency equal to the class average in the shortest possible time. Reporting to Parents Twice a year in June and December each student receives a report based on regarding their level of achievement and effort across the curriculum throughout the semester. Goal-setting interviews involving teachers, parents and students are held in Terms 1 and 3. Additional feedback can be sought from teachers via phone or in person by requesting a meeting through the office. Safety Continued emphasis is placed by the school during each day on all aspects of safety as part of our Health and Personal Development Programs. Parents can assist by also stressing safety rules on our busy streets. School Counsellor The School Counsellor is available for consultation upon parent and/or teacher’s request. The School Counsellor works with teachers, parents and students to support the wellbeing and engagement of all students in the school. School Holidays

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Efforts should be made to ensure that family holidays coincide with school va-cations. Only in extraordinary circumstances should holidays be arranged dur-ing school terms. Please consult the Principal if a student is to be absent for an extended period. School Speed Zones Roads with direct school access points have a 40km/h school zone. 40km/h school speed zones operate across New South Wales at all school sites on gazetted school days (including school development days). School Times All classes assemble at 9:15am and are dismissed at 3:15pm each day, Mon-day – Friday. It is important for students to arrive at school in time for morning lines at 9.15am. If parents are not able to collect children at dismissal times they should inform the school as soon as possible. Parents need to let the class teacher and the student know if somebody else is collecting them. Sick Students Children who are sick should not be sent to school. Sending a sick child en-dangers the health of other students and staff, and impairs the child’s ability to learn effectively. If a student is too unwell to engage in learning activities, par-ents will be asked to come and collect them from school. Special Religious Education (Scripture) SRE is held for 40 minutes each Friday. Non-denominational Christian SRE classes are provided by the Baptist Church, and a Ba’Hai SRE class is also provided. Non-SRE classes are provided for students who opt out of SRE, where students engage in reading, homework and private study. Swimming Instruction In keeping with Australian traditions and encouraged by the Department of Ed-ucation, Petersham PS aims for every child to learn to swim. Annual intensive swimming classes are conducted for Years K-6 in Term 4. Sport & PE All students are placed in a sports house at enrolment. Our houses are

Banksia (green) Kurrajong (blue) Waratah (red) Wattle (yellow)

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Various sports carnivals are held during the year and successful students (aged 8 and above) may progress to District, Regional and State representa-tion. Carnivals are -

Swimming (for students 8 years and older) Cross Country (for all students) Athletics Carnival (for students 8 years and older) K-2 Sports Day (for students 7 years and younger

All students participate in fitness lessons and structured sport lessons as part of their class programs throughout the year. Specialist providers are engaged to teach specific programs such as Gymnastics, Dance and Social Skills. Students in Stages 2 and 3 can elect to participate in Winter PSSA competi-tions against other schools from the Balmain Primary School Sports Associa-tion. Sports offered include soccer, netball, AFL and touch football. Some teams will require selection trials to determine participants. There may not be capacity to enable all students in Year 3 and 4 (Stage 2) to participate in PSSA. Student Welfare The Student Welfare Policy ensures the rights of all children to learn and play in safety. The Student Welfare Policy, along with other school policies, can be found on our website. A comprehensive curriculum in personal development is taught at the school developing self-discipline, self-esteem, social awareness and respect for others. The Bounce Back program is our framework for teaching social and emotional skills and ensuring positive student wellbeing. The Petersham PS School Rules are Be Safe Be Respectful Cooperate Do your Best Sun Protection Policy The school policy to reinforce sun safety is ‘No hat, No play.’ This is enforced by teachers on playground duty. Students without their hat will be asked to sit in the shade. Students are advised to wear sunscreen to school on high UV days. Sun-screen is available from classrooms for students to reapply during the day. Technology Technology is integrated in all classrooms to support quality teaching. Stu-dents and teachers have access to a range of portable and desktop devices, which are connected to the internet through wifi. Teachers select and use

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high quality apps, software and learning management systems to extend and en-hance not only students’ skills and knowledge of technology, but their achieve-ment of outcomes across the curriculum. Uniforms “ The wearing of a school uniform can encourage pride in the school, assist in the maintenance of tone and good conduct, and reduce to a minimum the undesira-ble distinctions between children in the same school because of clothing. The wearing of a school uniform may provide greater security for children travelling to and from school.” NSW Department of. Education.

Parents are requested to ensure that children wear the appropriate uniform at all times. Students are not permitted to leave the school grounds as a representa-tive (e.g. sport, excursions, etc) if not in complete school uniform. This includes a school hat. Petersham PS uniforms are only available from the Uniform Shop, which is open 9:00 - 9:20 on Mondays and Wednesdays, in F Block (the large brick building) at the top of the first staircase, next to the Music Office. Alternatively you may com-plete a uniform order form (available from the office or website) and attach pay-ment details. The items can then be collected from the office. PPS Uniform items can be viewed on our website. The Uniform consists of:

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Boys’ Uniform Summer Navy Blue knit shorts Gold school polo shirt Gold school t-shirt Black school shoes White socks School hat Winter Navy tracksuit pants Navy school tracksuit top Navy polar fleece jacket Gold long sleeve polo Black school shoes White socks School hat

Girls’ Uniform Summer Summer checked tunic Navy Blue knit shorts Navy Blue netball skirt Gold school polo shirt Gold school t-shirt Black school shoes White socks School hat Winter Navy bootleg pants Navy tracksuit pants Navy school tracksuit top Navy polar fleece jacket Gold long sleeve polo Black school shoes White socks/navy tights School hat

PETERSHAM SCHOOL SONG

Our efforts make us so, Our motto tells us so, At Petersham we do our very best.

In school and daily life, We try with all our might, And if we don’t succeed we try again.

We’ve come from nations far, And we found that we are,

As equal and as free as all the rest. We learn honesty and trust, tolerance and love,

To us our school will always be the best.

NATIONAL ANTHEM

Australians all let us rejoice, For we are young and free. We’ve golden soil and wealth for toil; Our home is girt by sea; Our land abounds in nature’s gifts, Of beauty rich and rare;

In history’s page let every stage Advance Australia Fair. In joyful strains then let us sing, Advance Australia Fair!

Beneath our radiant Southern Cross We’ll toil with hearts and

hands; To make this Commonwealth of ours Renowned of all the

lands; For those who’ve come across the seas We’ve boundless

plains to share, With courage let us all combine To Advance Australia Fair.

In joyful strains then let us sing, Advance Australia Fair!