PARENT TEACHER INTERVIEWS

It was so wonderful to be in the library this week as the teachers were able to connect virtually with the parents and share how children have settled into their new classrooms and started 2022 with such enthusiasm and school spirit. 

Missed appointments - A few parents have emailed the school saying they missed their scheduled appointment or forgot to book. Please understand that the teachers will be back in the classroom teaching. They will try and contact you as they would like to share information about your child, however, it may take some time as they have to use their recess and lunch break times.

INVOICES

Term One invoices were sent home via email this week. If you did not receive yours please contact the office.

DIGITAL PERMISSION NOTES SENT VIA EMAIL

This year we have trialled sending general permission notes, afterschool pick up arrangements and family SRE and Ethics class choices via email. This was to limit the amount of paper we use and also reduce teachers admin time and streamline the data collection process. Please understand to harvest this data, a deadline needs to be set. If you missed these emails they will be resent this week with a deadline of Friday.

Please see a link to our current Digital Device Online Services Procedure.pdf.

A hard copy of the digital device permission and agreement form will be sent home with your child for you and your child to sign and return to your child's class teacher.

UR Strong- Language of Friendship- FREE Parent Webinar

Wednesday 9^th March 6-7pm

SWIMMING CRANIVAL RESULTS

ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEW SCHOOL COVID SMART MEASURES

You may have heard in the media this morning about some changes being made to the current guidelines and COVID smart measures in the coming weeks. Please be assured that we will clearly communicate how and when these changes willl be introduced into our school.

RAPID ANTIGEN TEST (RAT) KIT DISTRIBUTION

The Department of Education will be providing families with a total of 8 x RAT Kits to use as needed for the remainder of Term.

• Regular surveillance testing will continue until Friday 25 February.
• The Department has already provided:
  
  • 2 tests per student and staff in schools
• From Monday 28 February, schools will align with community settings of ‘symptomatic testing’ and the department will provide:
  • 8 tests per student and staff in schools

Students and staff can use this allocation of RATs at their discretion, if they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. Please remember that if your child has any flu like or COVID symptoms they are to stay at home and rest and only return to school when symptom free.

Artarmon public school will split up the distribution of the 8 x RAT kits into sets of 4. 4 x RAT kits will be sent home in students bags this coming Friday. If they are not at school this Friday, they will be able to collect them the following Monday.

The remaining set of 4 x RAT Kits will be sent home in the coming weeks.

I would like to thank our Artarmon community for their ongoing support of the school and for following the Department's guidelines to help minimise the risk of transmission in our school.

School   Band   News

Band parents, please remember to check Newsflash regularly for upcoming events and important updates. We will publish advance dates as soon as we know them to help you plan your year.

Band Convenor - Update

The Band Committee extends a huge ‘Thank You’ to Clare Li for generously volunteering her time to assist with Band Convenor duties during the first few weeks of term.

Clare has done a fantastic job of working with the music committee to get Band up and running for the year. Clare is not available to continue in the Band Convenor role due to family and work commitments.

We are currently in the process of backfilling the Band Convenor role to assist with the Band Program.

Enquiries sent to the Band email will be responded to when the Band Convenor role has been filled and new parent volunteers trained.

In the meantime, we ask parents to remain patient.

Got a question?

Step 1: Have you looked in the 2022 band information pack? A copy is available in the MSM parent portal.

Step 2: Keep up to date with our weekly Band News by checking Newsflash in the Schoolzine app.

Step 3:

For instrument related enquiries please contact our Instrument Coordinators Kirsteen & Oisze at apsbandinstruments@gmail.com.

For tutor related enquires please contact our Tutor Coordinator Jane at tutorband@artarmonpandc.org.au. 

For invoicing related enquiries, please contact our Treasurers Lynn and Lee at treasurerband@artarmonpandc.org.au.

Step 4: for any other enquiries please contact your wonderful Band Coordinators:

Regular band rehearsal times:

Training Band: Fridays 8.00 am – 8.50 am

Junior Band: Mondays 10.55 am – 11:45 am & Thursdays 8.00 am – 8.50am

Concert Band: Mondays 8.00 am - 8.50 am & Thursdays 12.20 pm – 1:10pm

Senior Band: Tuesdays 8.00 am – 8.50 am & Thursdays 2.00 pm – 2.55 pm

Jazz Band: Thursdays 3.00 pm – 4.00 pm

Orchestra: Wednesdays 8.00 am – 8.50 am

* All Band rehearsals are held in the Music Room.

Reminder - Update your child’s class details

Now that classes have been confirmed, please UPDATE your child’s class details in the parent portal. https://portal.msmusic.com.au/artarmonmusic

Registrations for Band close Monday 28^th February:

If your child is new to Artarmon Public School (APS) in 2022 and/or interested in joining Band, you can register online by going to the following link:

https://portal.msmusic.com.au/artarmonmusic

Registrations for students new to APS and/or Band close Monday the 28^th of February.

If you already have an account, choose “Add a child”. Once your child is registered, we will contact you with an allocated try-out date and time.

Once you have registered online, the 2022 Band Information Pack can be downloaded from the Music Parent Portal. Please read this to gain an understanding of the Band Program requirements and expectations.

Important Note - Students must be registered online through the Music Portal to participate in the Band Program.

Creative Kids Voucher

In 2022 the NSW Government will continue to contribute a $100 Creative Kids rebate for NSW residents. The Artarmon P&C is currently registered as a Creative Kids provider for the band and strings programs.

If you will be taking advantage of this, complete the steps below:

Step 1: Apply for a voucher for your child on the Service NSW website. Go to https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/apply-creative-kids-voucher.

Step 2: Log into the Parent Portal and provide voucher details by completing the form online.

Step 3: If you wish to use the Creative Kids Voucher you must pay $100 less than your invoice total. We will then credit the $100 against your invoice when we have redeemed the voucher from Service NSW. This only applies to school ensemble fees and not tuition fees.

A big welcome and “thank you” to our new members of the 2022 Band Committee:

Siv The – Training Band Coordinator

Priya Chari – Concert Band Coordinator

Christine Cao – Senior Concert Band Coordinator

Manjula Sreekanth – Assistant Band Convenor (student records)

Jun Li – Assistant Instrument Coordinator

Min-Jie Lou – Festival Coordinator

Lakmini Meegahapola – Assistant Treasurer

Thank You.

Dear Strings Parents

Strings parents, please remember to check Newsflash regularly for upcoming events and important updates. We will publish advance dates as soon as we know them to help you plan your year.

Don’t forget to subscribe to SzApp for String Ensemble News. Found under Manage tab, choose the String Ensemble to keep in the loop with any alerts to upcoming events and updated news.

Permission note for mixed cohort ensemble rehearsals

Permission notes for mixing of cohorts have been sent out to Junior Strings, Concert Strings and Senior Strings.

It would be appreciated if these can be ticked and returned as soon as possible or by Friday 25^th Feb. We will require all permission slips back before we are able to commence with the mixed cohort ensemble rehearsals.

Update your child’s class details

Now that classes have been confirmed, please UPDATE your child’s class details on the parent portal. https://portal.msmusic.com.au/artarmonmusic

Tutorials:

By now, parents will have received an email form the Tutor Coordinators (Jane and Rebecca) who have finalised group tutorials for our new training string students as well as individual in-school tutorials.

Parents will have been emailed tutorial details (including tutor name, tutorial time, tutorial day and location). Please look out for this important information in your email. Please check your spam/junk mail.

If you have a question regarding your child’s tutorial, please email your Tutor in the first instance. Alternatively, email tutorband@artarmonpandc.org.au regarding tutorials.

CREATIVE KIDS – claim and volunteer

In 2022 the NSW Government will continue to contribute a $100 Creative Kids rebate for NSW residents. The Artarmon P&C is currently registered as a Creative Kids provider for the band and strings programs.

If you will be taking advantage of this, your first step is to:

Step 1. Apply for a voucher for your child on the Service NSW website:  go to https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/apply-creative-kids-voucher.

Step 2. Please log into the Parent Portal and provide details by completing the form online.

If you wish to use the Creative Kids Voucher you must pay $100 less than your invoice total. We will then credit the $100 against your invoice when we have redeemed the voucher from Service NSW. This only applies to school ensemble fees and not tuition fees.

Step 3. Any creative voucher enquires please email apscreativevoucher@gmail.com

Correspondence

If you are not receiving emails from the Strings Committee, you need to log into your parent portal and update your contact details immediately. A lot of information goes out via email that is not included in Newsflash.

If you have trouble logging into the parent portal, email your group coordinator or the strings convenor. Please update your child’s class details on the parent portal. https://portal.msmusic.com.au/artarmonmusic

Ensembles 

If your child is sick and/or unable to attend a rehearsal, please notify your corresponding Strings Coordinator.

Ensemble rehearsals times:             

Got a question?

Step 1: Have you looked in the 2022 Strings information pack? A copy is available in the MSM parent portal.

Step 2: Keep up to date with our weekly Strings News by checking Newsflash in the Schoolzine app.

Step 3: 

For instrument related enquiries please contact our Instrument Coordinators Aarti at APSstringsinstruments@gmail.com

For tutor related enquires please contact our Tutor Coordinator Jane at tutorband@artarmonpandc.org.au.

For invoicing related enquiries, please contact our Treasurers Namitha and Cat at stringstreasurer@gmail.com

Step 4: for any other enquiries please contact your wonderful Band Coordinators:

Enrolments for Guitar for 2022 are open for Year 3 to Year 6

APS has a long established Guitar Tuition program.

Guitar lessons are available at school during school hours. Lessons are catered to all levels. The program focuses on reading music for guitar, guitar basics & enjoying a wide range of music.

Junior & Senior Guitar Performance Groups play music from a wide range of music genres. Students are able to join groups when they attain an appropriate level of competence on the instrument.

For further information please contact:

Mrs Lan Zhong, 0431 603 305, lanzhongster@gmail.com

• Specializes in Classical Guitar
• Focus on learning music notes, foundational skills and techniques
• AMEB Classical Guitar Grade Exam

Mr Andre Laus, 0422 286 807, dreyrollan@gmail.com

• Specializes in Acoustic and Electrical guitar
• Focus on basic notes reading and techniques
• Different styles of contemporary music (Blues, Country, Rock etc.) 

Regular Guitar Group Rehearsal Times:

Junior Guitar Group: Thursday 7:45am - 8:45am

Senior Guitar Group: (To be confirmed)

*All Guitar lessons and rehearsals are held in the Guitar Room which is above the uniform shop and shares the same entrance with 6JW.