SOCIAL MEDIA CONCERNS

At Artarmon Public School we take cyber safety very seriously for both students and staff.

There are plenty of good things about social media — but also many risks and things kids and adults should avoid. They don't always make good choices when they post something to a site, and this can lead to problems.

So it's important to talk with your kids about how to use social media wisely.

Posting an inappropriate photo can damage a reputation and cause problems years later — such as when a potential employer or college admissions officer does a background check. And posting uninformed and mean-spirited comments, even as a joke, can be very hurtful to someone else and even taken as a threat.

Another key issue is the need to teach your child to respect the privacy of others. Your child has the right to privacy, and has the responsibility not to endanger the privacy of others when posting photos or chatting online. The same applies to adults. Tagging others or posting photos of others without their permission is not acceptable practice.

If we want cyber-safety for our families we need to ensure we practise what we preach and remember to demonstrate respect and responsibilty.

MERIT AND LEARNING TO LIVE AWARDS

Each week two students from each class will receive a Merit Award or Learn to Live Award.

The Merit Award is given to students to acknowledge academic success or improvement, commitment to learning and good citizenship.

Artarmon Public School is proud to announce the new arrival of the 'Learn to Live' Award. The 'Learn to Live' Award (named for the school motto on the crest) is awarded for personal development achievement.  As a school community, we want to promote student well-being and recognise students for demonstrating life skills in the classroom or the playground.​ Some examples of 'Learn to Live' skills could be: personal skills (confidence, persistence, growth mindset, organisation, etc.), relationship skills (kindness, empathy, inclusion, etc), citizenship (leadership, environmental work, assisting teachers, etc) and following APS School Rules. The Learn to Live Award will replace the You Can Do It award and will be awarded at assemblies along side the Merit Award. 

STUDENT INVOICES

Invoices have been sent to all families. If you have not received it, please check your junk mail first and if it is not there contact the school through the school email.

NEW STUDENT LEADERS

 CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEW SPORTS HOUSE CAPTAINS AND VICE CAPTAINS

EXPRESSION  OF INTEREST FORMS YEAR 7 2021

Expression of Interest forms for high school, have been sent home to Year 6 students today. Please return these forms by Friday 28th February.

WILLOUGHBY GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL

The P&C Annual General Meeting will be held on Wednesday 26th February at 7pm in the School Hall. Attached are the minutes from last year's AGM, the agenda for the upcoming AGM, a list of P&C positions that we are hoping to fill on the night and the agenda for the general meeting that will follow on from the AGM. 

Please come along and if there are any positions that you are interested in or would like further information about please contact me via email. 

secretary.artarmonpandc@gmail.com

Kindy Newsletter Report

Our 2020 Kindergarten students have settled into school routines very quickly. They have enjoyed getting to know their teachers and their new kindergarten friends.

Some of key focuses for our Kindergarten students are; learning to be independent and cooperating with others, participating in small groups, working independently and following directions.

Many of our kindergarten classes have begun working in rotational learning groups. Small rotational groups give teachers a chance to focus in on small group learning goals.

Here are some photos of our kindy students participating in small group work.

Upcoming UR Strong 'Language of Friendship' Parent & Child Workshop (K-6)

Through interactive parent-child activities, parents will learn strategies to help their child put out Friendship Fires®, how to put a voice to their feelings, and the best ways to support them through unhealthy friendships. We will also highlight the fascinating similarities and differences between boys and girls and their experiences in friendship. This workshop gives kids and parents a new language for talking about friendship, strengthening their connection and opening up those lines of communication. 

SAVE THE DATE : WEDNESDAY 1 APRIL

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

Band Rehearsals

Training Band rehearsals start this Friday (21^st February). Training Band rehearsals are held weekly on Fridays from 8am to 8.50am.

All other band rehearsals have started:  

• Junior Concert Band: Mondays 12.50pm to 1.40pm & Thursdays 8am to 8.50am
• Concert Band: Mondays 8am to 8.50am & Thursdays 12.50pm to 1.40pm
• Senior Concert Band: Tuesdays 8am to 8.50am & Thursdays 2pm to 2.55pm
• Orchestra: Wednesdays from 8am to 8.50am
• Jazz Band: Thursdays from 3pm to 4pm

All band rehearsals are held in the school music room. For rehearsals before school, students should arrive at school promptly at 7.50am so that the rehearsal can start by 8am.

Creative Kids Voucher – Reminder

If you wish to use your Creative Kids voucher for Band, 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. You must do this before you pay your band invoice.

Parent Portal – Update Class Details

Classes for 2020 have been confirmed.

If your child is enrolled in Band, please log into the Parent Portal and update your child’s class details. This is important information we need for scheduling & communication purposes.

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

Helping with Band

A BIG THANK YOU to all those parents who have volunteered to help with the running of Band in 2020!

The smooth running of band relies on a large team of parent volunteers who, in return, have the chance to connect with the school community & gain a better understanding of the music & band program.

We still have the following roles to fill:

• Play-a-thon Coordinator (s)
• Music Camp Coordinator (s)
• Assistant Convenor

If you are interested in volunteering for one of these roles or would like more information, please email band@artarmonpandc.org.au

THANK YOU!

Please welcome our new strings convenors, Ellen Hird and Arzoo Patel. Thank you to both of you for taking over this exciting job.

It’s been wonderful meeting all of the families and hearing the kids’ progress over the years. I’ll still be around, but please now direct all questions to Ellen and Arzoo.

Update your child’s class details

It is very important that we know which class your child is in. Please log into your parent portal and update the class name, and any other contact details that may have changed.

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

FAQs

Why was my child given the cello and not the violin?

A string ensemble needs the right balance between violins, violas, cellos and double basses. An orchestra also needs the right balance. If our ensembles are made up of 25 violins and one cello, that is not a proper ensemble and we would not be competitive in competitions.

At the end of last year, or the beginning of this year, when your child was assessed, she or he was given the cello because we determined that they had the extra height or strength needed to play this beautiful instrument. Stick with it, even if it is for just one year. Give it a go – I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. 

And if it ends up not being right, you can always get violin lessons outside of school!

Does my child need to have an instrument lesson every week?

Yes.

Every child in the strings program (and band program) has an instrument lesson every week. This is a requirement of the program.

Year 3 and all Training Strings – these children have small group lessons, usually 3 or 4 students in the same room with the same teacher at the same time every week. Here they will learn scales, technique, note-reading, and small pieces.

Year 4 or higher ensembles – these students attend one-on-one, or private, lessons with one teacher. They will continue scales and exercises, and maybe plan for AMEB exams.

 Ensembles – in addition to the lessons above, all students attend their regular larger groups that we call ensembles once a week. These times are listed below. These have about 30 children in them and they all learn the same piece, often in preparation for a performance throughout the year. Attendance at ensembles is compulsory. Mr Mansukhani is the conductor for all ensembles.

Does the instrument lesson need to be at Artarmon Public School?

No. You are welcome to go to instrument lessons with a tutor outside of the school, and some people prefer this if they want lessons after school. But your tutor will need to write a report twice a year.

Ensemble rehearsals:

        Training Strings:               Tuesdays lunchtime STARTS TERM 2

        Junior Strings:                  7:45-8:45am Tuesdays, school hall

        Concert Strings:               7:45-8:45 Thursdays, school hall

        Senior Strings:                 3-4pm Tuesdays, music room

        Orchestra:                       7:50-8:50am Wednesdays, music room

Volunteer roles

We are still looking to fill some roles for the committee. See the following list for vacancies. Seriously consider joining – it’s a fun group and a great way to be involved in your child’s musical development. 

Thank you to all those parents who have stepped up to fill in some roles.

We will be having a committee meeting in a few weeks, so watch this space.

Committee Positions

Training Strings Coordinator – Jenny Wang

Junior Strings Coordinator – Karen P’ng

Concert Strings Coordinator – Vandana Vasudevan

Senior Strings Coordinator – Ada Pan

Orchestra Coordinator – VACANT

Instruments Coordinator – Joanne Wang

Assistant Instrument Coordinators – Ji Deng

Creative Kids Voucher assistant – Angie Wong

Secretary – VACANT

Strings Treasurer – stringstreasurer@gmail.com

Strings Convenor – strings.artarmonpandc@gmail.com

Ellen Hird and Arzoo Patel