For information regarding Chess such as the allocated day for your son, groups and locations please see the Chess section of this Newsletter.

Last year I wrote to parents regarding the use of social media among parents in our School and I thought it might be helpful to remind you of the School’s expectations.

Social media can provide a fast and effective means of communicating and connecting in our community, and as a school that has a very expansive catchment; I am always eager to explore ways of bringing families together. As you know, the use of social media can also have some detrimental effects on all of us if we are not cognisant of its potential harm.

The platform, ‘WhatsApp’ is a popular avenue for parents to stay connected and support each other but there certainly needs to be some guidelines to assist in its appropriate use. We also want to have the highest expectations for all members of our community in terms of how we display respect and kindness to each other and model that behaviour and positive attitude to our children.

Listed below are some guidelines in regards to the use of social media I would like you to consider and support: 

• Comments on social media platforms should never include individuals (boys, parents, teachers) and should always be positive. If you have a school related concern, you should speak directly to the School.

• Comments on social media should not be emotive or hasty. They should always be calm and respectful.

• Always be mindful of what you are sharing and to whom you are sharing it with. You have a responsibility not to share personal details or information about boys, parents or teachers on social media.

• You should address inappropriate content. If there is something online that you consider does not comply with the School’s expectations in regards to the use of social media, refrain from responding, take a screen shot and contact the School.

• It is important not to share any photo or video of any boy on social media. 

• Parents should never discuss sensitive school matters on social media and always be aware that all postings are in the public domain.

• The School’s anti-bullying and harassment policies apply to activities that are both online and at School. We all desire our School to be a safe, respectful and inclusive community for all its members. Each and every interaction we have should build and support each other and model to our children the values and behaviours we want them to develop in their own lives. They will be watching closely how we as adults interact with social media.

• Lastly, it is always helpful for everyone to refer to the School’s communication to parents rather than parents’ interpretation posted on an app. Many parents have been caught relying on someone else’s incorrect information and not looking at what the School has communicated. If the School is unclear about some of the messages it conveys, please let us know and we will always endeavour to be more direct in our communication.

Thank you for your support in this matter.

The Parent's Association Welcome Drinks is being held on Saturday 23 February (next week) on the Basketball Courts at 7.00pm. To book your tickets please follow the link. I look forward to seeing you all there. 

Mr I Stephens

Making Connections/Activating Prior Knowledge:

Let’s start our look at comprehension strategies with one of my personal favourites – connection making. Depending on which set of strategies you’re using, this can sometimes go under the banner of ‘Activating Prior Knowledge’ (other schemes have these as two separate strategies). It’s usually the very first strategy educators talk about when discussing comprehension because without something to connect to, and something to refer back to, most reading would be infinitely harder. 

“Proficient learners build on and activate their background knowledge before reading, writing, speaking, or listening; poor learners begin without thinking.” Irvin et al (1996)

“When children understand how to connect the text they read to their lives, they begin to make connections between what they read and the larger world. This nudges them into thinking about bigger, more expansive issues beyond their universe of home, school and neighbourhood.” Harvey & Goudvis, Strategies that Work (2000)

There are three kinds of connections that students make when they read. Currently in Year 6 (for example) we are explicitly teaching the three types and explaining their importance in building each boy’s depth of understanding:

Text to Self: relating what they are reading to something that has happened to them in their life.

Text to Text: relating the text to another text they have read previously.

Text to World: relating what they have read to the wider world – a movie, documentary, tv show, newspaper article or world issue.

Here’s a shot from this week of some of our Year 6 boys physically connecting themselves to the parts of the text being analysed that they could link to. Our conversation and resulting depth of understanding was fabulous!

Our quote of the week this week comes as a recommendation from James Amoils of 5R. He has been reading the novel ‘Two Wolves’ by Tristan Bancks. He was struck by this quote at the beginning of the book.

“An old man tells his grandson one evening that there is a battle raging inside him, inside all of us. A terrible battle between two wolves.

One wolf is bad – pride, envy, jealousy, greed, guilt, self-pity.

The other wolf is good – kindness, hope, love, service, truth, humility.

The child asks, “Who will win?”

The grandfather answers simply, “The one you feed.”

Thanks James – that’s a cracker of a quote!

This term I’m hoping to keep up the quotes coming from books. Do any other boys have an interesting quote that they’d like to put forward for us all to think about?

Year 1 whisper

Year 2 alert

Year 3 extraordinary

Year 4 preen

Year 5 reluctant

Year 6 exasperated

Mrs C Greenup

Bambini and Pennington Strings

On Tuesday mornings, boys are asked to leave their violins and celli neatly up against the white wall in the foyer of the Assembly Hall.

Combined Orchestra Tour to Singapore

Boys who auditioned for the tour will bring home letters on Monday. 

Labelling of boys’ own instruments

Parents please ensure that your son’s musical instrument is clearly labelled on the outside of the case with his name and current class. It is a good idea to put a contact number inside the case in the event it is left on a bus or elsewhere. 

Storage of instruments

A reminder that no instruments are to be kept in classrooms during the day. When boys arrive in the morning they take their instruments to the appropriate room: strings to the racks in the Ensemble Room (Year 3-6) or P-2 Music Room (Year K-2); brass and woodwind to the Music Storeroom (off Mrs Fane’s Music Room). 

An amazing and spirited Carnival was held last Friday on what was another perfect day for swimming. The buzz and feel on the day was outstanding and it was great to see so many parents support the boys. There were many highlights with records broken and war cries that were amazing. However, the highlight for me was seeing boys persist and show courage to complete their race with the support of their friends, teachers, coaches and parents. 

All boys’ efforts were acknowledged at today’s Year 3-6 Assembly. Swim team members and reserves have been notified and I wish them the best of luck for the Knox Invitational Carnival on 1 March and the IPSHA Carnival in Week 6.

Congratulations to all the boys on their efforts and best of luck to the boys representing our School.

Summer Sport fixtures continue this weekend with Round 2 matches. An up-to-date Fixture List is on the Sports Fixtures website and can be viewed by clicking here. Teams Sheets are accessed using the website and can be viewed using the password Sport2019.

A printable version of the Fixtures can be found by clicking here. Please note the printable version will not automatically update if there are changes during the season. Any changes will be notified by the Sports Fixtures website.

Please ensure your son has his swimming gear (swimmers, towel, goggles) at School for his PE lessons, which continue in the pool during Weeks 4 and 5.

With a growing amount of lost property in the change room, we ask that parents please ensure that all swimming items are labelled clearly with boys' names. Thank you.

Congratulations to Jonty Snyman and Kai Sloane on their selection in the IPSHA Tennis Team. Both boys played extremely well in the Round- Robin style competition to win most of their matches and will now represent IPSHA at the CIS Trials on Monday 25 February at Kings.

Mr B Townley-Jones

On Friday 8 March, all P-2 boys will be participating in their Grade's Cross Country race. Each race is at a distance suited to their age and is a great way for boys to show House spirit and support for their peers. Parents are welcome and encouraged to come and cheer their sons from the hill outside the School Hall. 

Programme of Events (Times are approximate)

• Welcome 9:10am
• Preschool race 9:20am
• Year 1 Tug-o-War 9:20am
• Kindergarten race 9:30am
• Year 2 Tug-o-War 9:35am
• Year 1 race 9:40am
• Preschool & Kindergarten Tug-o-War 9:50am
• Year 2 race 9.50am
• Conclusion 10:10am

This week in ‘Lunchtime in the Library’, Mr Cranna invited artist Mrs Sally Ryan to talk about her work. Sally is an accomplished portrait painter, having had her paintings exhibited in The Archibald, as well as other portraiture competitions. I was honoured to have Sally paint my portrait in the Headmaster Series that Mr Stephens and Mr Cranna have launched.

Next week, Mrs Scott and Mr Germaine will talk about fascinating aspects of Science.

The Premier’s Reading Challenge will be conducted again this year and is optional for boys in Years 3-6.  It commences officially on 4 March.  However, boys can count anything read from now on as part of their reading.

Here is a link to the PRC website, which has been tricky to find through general web searches in past years: https://online.det.nsw.edu.au/prc/home.html

Reading log forms are available to print out, as well as electronic book lists. These can both also be found in the Library. Any boy who has newly joined the School and wants to complete the PRC this year needs to update and link his records, so they remain eligible for future certificates. Please see Mr Anderson in the Library for assistance.

Boys may remember that earlier in the year I mentioned my search for a pirate ship to display in the Library. Amongst our other models and treasures, I wanted a pirate ship to represent fantasy and adventure, to stir our imaginations and inspire reading and writing.

After a world-wide search I have found and ordered a pirate ship from the USA. It should arrive next week.

Congratulations to staff and boys for showing unbounded reading enthusiasm. Each time I ask ‘What are you reading?” I hear of interesting fiction and nonfiction books. 

This week Year 6 boys began their work as Library Monitors. Mr Anderson and I are impressed with their diligence and grateful for their assistance. The monitors make an invaluable contribution to the Library.

Happy reading!

Mrs R Lee

Chess coaching for Year 1 and 2 boys will commence on Wednesday 20 February.

Coaching will take place in the following rooms;

Wednesday – KF classroom

Thursday – Mrs Flak’s room

Friday – KF classroom

Please ensure you arrive at the allocated time so the chess coach can commence the lesson.

Please download the allocated days for Years 1 and 2 Chess for Semester 1.

All enquires for these lessons should be directed to Mrs Flaherty via email.

Please follow the link to access the day and location for your son’s chess coaching this term (for boys in Years 3-6). On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings, coaching will be held in the Year 4 Activity Room and either 4P or 4BE. On Friday morning, coaching will be held in the Science Room. Please arrive by 7.30am so that we can make the most of the time available.

An effort has been made to keep numbers even between groups but please contact Mr Palethorpe if there are any concerns.

Mr J Palethorpe

The parent run, Concord / Hunters Hill to St Ives school bus is holding a FREE trial period for new users during Week 5 (25 February to 1 March). Existing bus families will be on hand at each stop to meet & greet, and ensure your son has a great trip! To register your interest for a free trial pass, please email the Bus Committee. Details on the bus route and timetable can be accessed here.  

Monday  

Pokemon Craft

Tuesday 

Science Experiment - Glitter jars 

Wednesday 

Watercolour Painting

Thursday 

Cooking Activity

Friday 

Musical Instruments - percussion and keyboard

The Extend Superstar is… 

Lachlan Hu for initiating and encouraging proper packing up.

Eason Xiao for washing up extra cups and bowls without being asked.

What’s Been Happening?  

We've been delighted to welcome newcomers to our Extend team, and thrilled to have so many Preschool boys! We've been delving into bug catching, watercolour painting, trains and city building and musical instruments!

Enrol and book now 

Extend.com.au