Heights Happenings Winston Heights Newsletter

W E E K 8 T E R M 2

Dear Parents and Carers,

Farewell Mr Picot

It is with mixed emotions that I announce to our Winston Heights community that Mr Picot will be leaving our

school. Mr Picot has been at the school since the start of 2016. He has been appointed to Comleroy Rd Public

School as a classroom teacher through the merit selection process and we wish him all the very best for his new

position. Mr Picot’s last day will be Friday 3rd July 2020, the last day of this term. His new school is very close to

his home so he will enjoy the extra hours, which he saves with not travelling, with his young family.

Semester One Reports

Our teachers are working on completing your child’s Semester One report. This will be a simplified version of the

report you would normally receive due to COVID-19. A-E grades for achievement will not be recorded for

Semester One. English and Mathematics will be reported on according to indicators in each of the sub-strands

and if your child is “Working Towards”, “Working At”, or “Working Beyond” grade level. There will be a comment

box for both English and Mathematics that will address future directions for your child’s learning. Attendance will

also be recorded and a general comment. Students have also completed a Self-Reflection report on how they

viewed “Learning Online”.

Interviews will not be held as normal during this semester. Teachers have been in contact with parents by phone

or through comments on Google Classrooms during the online learning period. Once reports are sent home and

have been viewed by parents you may wish to call the school office, email or request an appointment with the

class teacher through the School App. We will then organise a mutually convenient time by phone to further

discuss your child’s progress.

External Visitors on School Grounds

Any adult visiting our school will need to complete an External Visitors form at the front office. This is for any

adult who will be in our school for a specific purpose for more than 15 minutes. This is to ensure we keep track of

all visitors. If you visit the Uniform Shop you will be asked to complete one of these forms. This is not a one off

time, it will be every time you are in the school. Music tutors, speech therapists, canteen helpers (once we

reopen next term) and any contract worker in the school, will need to complete these forms. I have included a

copy of this form in the school newsletter so you are aware of it should you need to come on site. This form will

not need to be completed if you are briefly visiting the office.

Parking Around the School

A friendly reminder to make sure you are parking correctly around the school, at both morning drop-off and

afternoon pick-up. DO NOT park in the fitness car park next door to the school on Buckleys Rd. This is for patrons

of the gym only. Remind your children to look both ways before crossing driveways along the way to school and

when crossing at the pedestrian gates. Please be careful of turning your vehicle around in the street and driving

into driveways. I have noticed police frequently patrolling our area in the past few weeks and some parents have

been warned about parking across driveways to let their children out of their car. The safety of our children is

extremely important. It would be best to drive a little way up the road, park correctly and then walk on the footpath

to the gates. Safety is by far more important than saving a few minutes.

Kindergarten Enrolments and Out of Area (Non-local) Applications

Kindergarten enrolments for 2021 are currently being accepted. Our school holds interviews for our new

Kindergarten families during late Term 3 and early Term 4 prior to our Kindergarten Orientation Program in

November of this year. If your child turns 5 years of age before 31st July 2021 they are entitled to attend school. If

you have any questions with regards to your child starting school please contact our school office so we can answer

your questions. Enrolment applications can now be completed online for those who are in our school area. Please

visit our school website https://winstonhts-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/about-our-school/enrolment.html

The Enrolment Panel will meet next, on Monday 29th June 2020, to discuss any “Out of Area” enrolment

applications. This panel meets once a month and “Out of Area” applications will be considered according to the

enrolment policy guidelines set out by the Department of Education. The panel is made up of a classroom teacher,

an executive staff member, a school administrative officer and a parent. Determinations will be made at each

monthly meeting of which out of area applications will be accepted and/or declined for enrolment and they will be

notified by phone, and in writing, within the week of the meeting.

Music Programs

All music tutorials have recommenced this week. It was great to hear the music being played by our students

coming from classrooms. Next week we will restart our large band group rehearsals. Please be reminded that this is

for students only and parents should drop their children off at the school gates. Students will walk to the hall to

meet Mr Williams and the coordinating teacher for their band, just like they do for tutorials. Students should arrive

between 8:05am and 8:10am, set up their instrument and be ready to play by 8:15am on their band morning. There

will be one other adult at the rehearsal and that will be the parent coordinator for that particular group. The music

committee will send out further details by email.

Monday – Concert Band with Mr Williams and Miss Neilson

Tuesday – Beginner Band with Mr Williams and Miss Allen

Wednesday – Performance Band with Mr Williams, Mr Picot and Mrs Booth

Music tutors and the band parent coordinator will need to sign in at the office prior to going to classrooms and the

hall.

PSSA Sport

We have heard from the Castle Hill PSSA and are now able to share with you future directions with regards to sport

for the Castle Hill Zone PSSA, Sydney West Region PSSA and NSW State PSSA. Cross Country and Athletics carnivals

will not be held this year. Winter PSSA will not be held in 2020. Our Summer PSSA competition is to be brought

forward to start earlier in Term 3, however, this is dependent on ground availability by the councils. PSSA could

start as early as Week 5, Term 3 (Friday 21st August 2020). Parents will not be able to attend games, however, this

may also change depending on further easing to restrictions and Department of Education guidelines.

Canteen – Can you help?

Our school canteen will hopefully reopen at the commencement of Term 3. This will be dependent on enough

volunteers to fill the roster. We are looking for a parent who could temporarily take over the coordinating of the

roster as our lovely Roseanne will be due to have her baby early next term. If you are able to assist please contact –

Roseanne on: 0411 263 546 and she will be able to give you more details.

The Canteen are having a special Burger & Curry Day on Thursday 25th June 2020. The flyer is in the newsletter.

Ordering is by Flexi Schools only for this special day. There will be no over the counter sales and no cash accepted at

the canteen this term. This special deal will go live on Flexi Schools soon. When it is released, the school will send

an App message and Flexibuzz will send a notification.

Opportunity Class Placement Process for 2020 Year 4 Students

The 2021 Year 5 Opportunity Class placement process was put on hold in April 2020 due to the COVID-19 situation.

All Year 4 families were emailed detailed information about the process. Parents were asked to return the note of

Intention to Apply for Opportunity Class 2021 by Friday 12th June to the school office. Please understand that

returning this note does not mean you have applied for a place for your child. This is just an intention to apply.

Parents must apply between 9 June 2020 and 26 June 2020.

Late applications will not be accepted.

A new test date has been set - Wednesday 16 September 2020.

To ensure fair and consistent assessment of students across New South Wales, students will be offered places

based only on their test results this year – there will be no school assessment scores.

There will also be no opportunity for appeals given the tight timeframes due to COVID-19.

For further detailed information I encourage you to visit (https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/selective-

high-schools-and-opportunity-classes/year-5

Kind regards,

Margaret Creagh

Principal

Term 1 2021

Wednesday 27th January 2021—Pupil Free Day

Years 1-6 Students start Thurs 28th Jan to Thurs 1st April

Kindergarten start Tuesday 2nd February 2021

Planning for 2021

Messages from The Office In the office we keep a few second hand uniforms to loan to the students when needed.

However, our supply of larger sizes of shorts, tracksuits and jackets has now diminished. If your

child has borrowed spare clothing from the office can you please return it. The office would also

appreciate any donations of larger size uniforms.

We are receiving emails and calls from parents about lost clothing and lunchboxes.

Items that are labelled and found are returned to the owner via the class teacher, however, we

have a lot of items that come to lost property that are not labelled. A reminder to label

everything.

We are now accepting Kindergarten 2021 enrolments. If you are in our catchment area you can

now apply online via our school website https://winstonhts-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/

Click on the ‘Enrolment’ tab then ‘Apply for Enrolment Online’. We will then contact you to bring

in the supporting documents for your child’s enrolment. The flyer with information for

supporting documents is in this newsletter.

Thank you to all those families who have paid the Annual Fee. Reminders were sent out via

email. Please click on the link to pay online. The final date for payment has been

extended to Friday 31st July 2020.

Notes and Money due:

Wellbeing Permission note (Kindergarten) - by 22nd June

Annual Fees (whole School) - Extended to 31st July

Office Hours 8.30am - 3.15pm

Mrs Lee Wood, Mrs Rachael Calvar & Mrs Carolyn Leverton

Merit Certificates Congratulations!

Well done to these PBL Award winners who have been Safe,

Respectful & Responsible Learners

Lauren, Jessica, NFP & Sophie

Annabelle, Xander, NFP & Haya

AWARDED TO

WEEK 7

KB : Ava & Divij

KH : Ruby & Jackson

KL : Orin & Parmin

1C : Jayden & Xander

1H : Liam & Cormac

1LW : Arya & Nolan

2E : Evangeline & Harley

2P : Zoe & Evie

2V : Journii & James

S2F : Aoife & Aarvin

S2G : Cooper & Madelyn

S2J : Ritvik & Eli

S2N : Xavier & Dena

S3A : Kyaten & Corey

S3B : Charli & Shinae

S3G : Patrick & Sienna

S3L : Efsane & Jorja

S3P : Sky & Cohen

Library: 2P & S3B

Super Award: Ethan, Ben, Daniel & Parsa

RFF/The Studio: 1LW & S2J

AWARDED TO

WEEK 8

KB : Emily & Ella

KH : Annie & Ella

KL : Adam & Ella

1C : Sofia & Hallie

1H : Troy & Olivia

1LW : Victoria & Jake

2E : Willow & Joshua

2P : Chloe & Oliver

2V : Nate & Jenny

S2F : Ben & Violet

S2G : Eva & Owen

S2J : Lachlan & Ryan

S2N : Sabeen & Declan

S3A : Adam & Ava

S3B : Jorja & NFP

S3G : Zoe & Hasan

S3L : Zerrin & Thomas

S3P : Thomas & Cheryl

Library: 1C & S2N

Super Award: Harry, Hayley, Ethan & Tiffany

RFF/The Studio: KH & S2N