WELCOME BACK TO TERM THREE

I hope everyone had a relaxing school holiday and spent quality time with family and friends. It was great to be on the gate yesterday morning and greet hundreds of smiling children coming back to school to start the Term. On Monday, the teaching staff had a full day of professional learning at Taronga Zoo where we utilised the zoo educational specialists around incorporating animals and the environment into meaningful, real life, teaching and learning experiences and engaged in the new Aboriginal Education Policy. The teachers' design and make skills were challenged after monitoring behavioural traits of the pygmy marmosets to create an innovative and stimulating feeding device. The winning designs were then chosen to use in the enclosure of these incredibly cute monkeys.

STAFFING CHANGES

There have been a few staff movements and changes for the remainder of the term.

• Mrs Sobraty has returned from maternity leave and will be replacing Mrs Stokes on 1ES, Thursdays and Fridays. 
• Mrs Stokes (Mon/Thu & Fri) will be in an off-class Assistant Principal role working closely with teachers and students in Kindergarten, Year 1 & Year 2 with the new NSW Curriculum Reform and syllabus changes.
• Mr Johnson will be taking 4ZV for the remainder of the year, replacing Ms Veenstra who has taken up a position within the Department's corporate Wellbeing space.
• Mrs Rie Matsui will be working with Stage Two (Year 3/4) classes and as a part of our Release from Face to Face (RFF) program.

BUILDING UPDATE

Scaffolding on H Block (Kindy Building) - This has been held up by a few weeks due to wet weather. The painting job on the outside is almost complete and the scaffolding should come down in the next few weeks. This will be dismantled over the weekend to ensure safety for all students.

Office / Staffroom Refurbishment - This project is coming along very well and we are looking forward to welcoming you into our new space mid way through the term

Noah's Ark Toilet Block - The contractors have been engaged and we are just developing the work schedule and start date. More information will be communicated in the coming weeks.

McMillan COLA - This community funded project is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.

TERM 3 INVOICES

Term 3 Invoices will be emailed home at the end of this week. 

TERM THREE KEY DATES

If you have not already checked out our Key Dates poster for Term Three.

Download it here!

Please make sure you save the date for our Education Week Open day on Wednesday 3rd August. There will be an assembly and perfromances in the morning as well as open classrooms. More information on particulars to come.

COVID SMART MEASURES UPDATE

As we continue to prioritise student and staff learning and wellbeing while at school, our layered COVID-smart measures will continue for Term 3. These ‘baseline measures’ are aligned to the NSW Government’s general community settings and include:

• staying home and getting tested if unwell, and only attending school when symptom free

• strongly encouraging mask-wearing for all staff and students, particularly in the first 4 weeks of term

• rapid antigen testing for symptomatic students and staff, and close contacts attending school to learn and work

• strongly encouraging COVID-19 vaccinations for students, staff and their families, including a booster shot (when eligible)

• strongly encouraging students, staff and their families to get a flu vaccination

• strict requirements for close contacts attending school

• good hygiene practices

• maximising natural ventilation

• boosted cleaning during the day, with particular attention given to high touch surface areas

• responding to local COVID-19 conditions when necessary, by working with the department’s Health, Safety and Staff Wellbeing team.

Continuing these baseline COVID-smart measures allows us to prioritise student and staff wellbeing while giving our learners a consistent and productive learning environment this term.

CLOSE CONTACTS

Students and staff who are identified as close contacts and have no symptoms can attend school if they follow certain guidelines:

• They must notify the school (including their outside of school hours care provider) if they are intending to return under this provision. Please use the 'Contact Us' tile on the SZapp.

• They should conduct a daily RAT and return a negative result each morning before attending school for 5 school days.

• No student or staff member identified as a close contact will be permitted to participate in overnight excursions, including school camps.

ADVICE FOR FAMILIES:

For more detailed information including translated resources from the Department of Education, please click on the following link: https://education.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/advice-for-families#Specific10

DIGITAL LEARNING PACKS:

If your child needs to follow isolation requirements and is well enough to complete some learning whilst at home, please access the Departments Digital Learning Packs. All this informaton can be found here:

https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/learning-from-home/learning-at-home

BAND NEWS  

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome back to school. We hope you and your families had an enjoyable break over the school holidays and are settling back into the Term 3 routine.

Upcoming Band Key Date/Event:

Attendance to the above events is compulsory and all Band students are expected to attend as part of the Music Program (except for the New England Orchestra Tour).

Ryde Eisteddfod

In week three, APS Junior Band, Concert Band, Senior Band and Orchestra will perform at the Ryde-Eastwood Leagues Club. The cost of this excursion has already been included in the semester band fees. The student also must be in Music Uniform:

- White point - collar long sleeved shirt (NOT the winter blouse for girls)

- Black formal pants

- Black sock

- Black school shoes

- Music Tie (purchase from school uniform shop $20)

The children will be travelling to and from the venue by bus. The school has given permission for the students to wear their performance uniform all day so there is no need to get changed.

Our event coordinator Min-Jie Luo, will be sending out communication email by the end of week one to all participating band’s parents. Please log on to the MySchoolMusic portal to complete the permission slip. Please fill in your details at sign up zone https://signup.zone/viDGvAgbkTRzEeSeR  if you are able to offer assistance with transporting the large instruments.

If you have any questions please contact the event coordinator, Min-Jie Lou mjlemail@yahoo.com.au

Collaroy Music Camp

Our Music Camp Coordinator, Nadia Gajic has sent out communication email on Tuesday, 21^st June 2022 to all band students’ family (except Training Band and Training String). Registration and payment for the camp is now closed.

However, there are around 40 students whose parents have not registered and responded to the event coordinator. Please note that Music Camp is compulsory and Band Directors expect full attendance of the relevant band students.

Please contact Music Camp Coordinator at nadiagajic@gmail.com if you would like to register your child, penalties will apply for late payment by the Collaroy Center.

Regular Band Rehearsal Times:

For rehearsals before school, students should arrive at school promptly at 7.50 am so that the rehearsal can start by 8:00 am.

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.

Step 3:

For instrument related enquiries please contact our Instrument Coordinator Kirsteen Daly, Oisze Altonaga & Jun Li at apsbandinstruments@gmail.com.

For tutor related enquires please email your Tutor in the first instance. Alternatively, email Jane Absolum/Rebecca at tutorband@artarmonpandc.org.au.

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

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

THANK YOU!

Ellis Foong & Christine Cao – 2022 Band Co-Convenors

Email: band@artarmonpandc.org.au

Dear String Parents,

We hope everyone had a nice Term 2 break and our Strings students are ready for another term of exciting lessons, ensembles and events.

In addition to email communications, we encourage you to check Newsflash regularly for upcoming events and important string updates.

Dates for the diary

Attendance to the above events is compulsory and String students are expected to attend as part of the Music Program.

Collaroy Music Camp

The Artarmon Public School Music Camp will be going ahead this year over the weekend of the 6^th - 7^th August at The Collaroy Centre, Collaroy for all BAND and STRING members from Year 4 to Year 6. The music camp provides our children with a great opportunity to not only bond with their fellow musicians, but also to help consolidate their skills ahead of The Concourse concert.

Please be advised that registration and payment for the camp is now required and must be completed no later than the 7^th July.

An email was sent out with camp details on 21^st of June from Nadia Gajic, our Music Camp Coordinator. Please check your Junk Mail folder or contact Nadia at nadiagajic@gmail.com if you have not received your email.

Strings Orchestra Coordinator Wanted!

We are recruiting for a volunteer Orchestra Coordinator for our Strings team. If you are interested in joining our wonderful group of Strings parent volunteers and assisting our students in their Strings music program, please reach out to our Strings Convener, Ellen Hird at strings.artarmonpandc@gmail.com.

Ensembles

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

Ensemble rehearsals

Got a question?

Step 1: Have you looked in the 2022 Strings information pack? A copy is available in the MSM parent portal: https://portal.msmusic.com.au/artarmonmusic

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 String Coordinators.

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

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.

As a general courtesy, please ensure your tutors are also informed in advance if your child is unable to attend their lessons due to illness, doctor’s appointment, Selective School test, Covid isolation etc.