1

From our Princial

Monday 8th March 2021

PH: 4733 0388

Dear Parents, Carers, Families and Community Members,

Thank you for your patience whilst swimming was on – it really did make the car park a busy, busy place! This is our fifth year as a school, and we have gone from 41 children in seven classes to 119 across 18 classes – much larger community coming in and more staff needing to be here! Thank you for remembering to keep to the speed limits at all times. We are trying to have a staff member in the car park to assist you when it is really busy – they will show you where it is safe to double park so that you can safely collect your child.

Changes to your child’s routine

Please inform the office if you are changing the way your child is to go home in the afternoon. It is not the responsibility of the taxi drivers to tell us, and we would hate to keep your child here at school because a taxi staff member has been confused and said that is what you wanted. Phone the office to confirm any changes please.

Similarly, if a different person is coming to pick up a child in the afternoon, please ask them to come to the office to check in before taking the child. Again, we don’t want to give the children to someone without knowing that you as the parent or carer have arranged this.

Thank you for helping us make the transition home safe and correct for all.

PLP meetings for the next two Tuesdays

On 9th and 16th March, teachers have been arranging PLP meetings with you. This year, due to lots of

disruptions last year, we have decided to do all PLP meetings over a two week period, with meetings held after school on Tuesdays. Teachers will then have a concentrated time to write up the goals and get them back to you in a timely manner! We are just looking at a communication goal this year, as we are introducing a new way to measure success – goal attainment scales (GAS goals). This will allow us to closely monitor student communication and our skills in integrating more opportunities to communicate across the day. Toileting, social skills and other goals will still be important, but we really do want to embed talking and listening, through AAC or voice, for each and every student, and to monitor and improve the skills of all to give each student a voice. Looking forward to seeing you!

As I write, you will still need to bring your phone to check in via the Service NSW app, and sign an attendance sheet with your child’s teacher.

Easter Raffle

Our P&C are busy organising our annual Easter Raffle – contributions can be sent in with your child. Raffle tickets have been sent home, and everything should be returned by Monday, Week 10. P&C are using the funds to buy more equipment for all our students to enjoy whilst on the playground – the sandpit is a great place with new toys being appreciated by the whole school.

Kind regards,

Warm wishes,

Julie

Well our Office days have started very busy this year with new students, families & staff– it’s lovely. It’s been wonderful meeting new families and chatting with our office regulars-you really do make our days when you visit.

NOTES: Many notes have been sent home for various reasons and we thank those of you who have returned them already.

A gentle reminder for Change of Contact Details form. If your details have varied in any way, can you please complete the Change of Details form on Page 11 and return to school asap.

FEE PAYMENTS– a MASSIVE big shout out to those who have paid their child’s fees for 2021 already. For the first year ever we have received many fee payments already. It has not gone unrecognised and is VERY much appreciated. Your child benefits from all the monies.

EASTER—It has come around fast. We are again looking for donations for our Easter Raffle. If you are happy to donate please send your donations to school by Friday 26/3 and we thank you in advance for this. Raffle Tickets have gone home and are due back Mon 29/3. If you need extras– see the ladies in office for more. Raffle Drawn 31/3

Kisane, Elisha, Chris & April

From our Office

2

Welcome to Yellow Block News

HOMEBASE YELLOW

Welcome back to Yellow Block, we have been having a lot of fun getting to

know all our new friends and teachers. A very big thank you to all our families

who were able to make it to Meet the Teacher Night.

The last two weeks were spent in Swim Scheme, we had so much fun swimming

everyday and all did so well with the new routine of going straight to the Block

and changing to be ready for our turn in the pool. We showered before and after

each lesson and did really well working with different teachers. We all worked

on water familiarisation as well as kicking to the side of the pool and using our

paddling arms.

Now we are back to normal class routines and are all looking forward to the rest

of our first term. Students across Yellow Block continue to learn to do things like

unpack their own bags, take care of their own things, eat with their group, follow

school bell times, wear their hats and navigate the school playgrounds. Just a

reminder to please label all of your child’s belongings, as this helps them to more

independently look after their own things and avoids items going missing.

Yellow Block staff,

Krista, Donna, Kirsty, Shania, Rebecca L, Kelly S, Julie B, Jess, Julie E, Sophia, Natasha and Laura

3

HOMEBASE BLUE

In Blue block we have had a wonderful few of weeks enjoying swim school! We enjoyed seeing the students in the pool everyday building their competency and confidence in the water. We are looking forward to continuing this throughout the term with class swimming.

Thank you to all the families who were able to make it to Meet The Teacher night, we enjoyed seeing you here. We are looking forward to seeing everyone again for our PLP meetings in the coming weeks.

In the classroom, the students have been enjoying being back to our classroom routine. Our classes have been continuing to explore books by Dr Seuss. Our focus has been on digital literacy, meaning that we explore our focus texts on the interactive whiteboard or through an app on the iPad. The students have been enjoying exploring the texts through the different medium.

Lots of our Blue Block classes have started growing plants to place in our garden. We hope to grow ingredients that we will be able to cook with. The students have enjoyed going out to water their plants each day.

We are looking forward to finishing off the second half of Term One learning with our friends.

Thanks and best wishes,

Danielle, Kimberley, Kate, Janeetha, Nathan, Belynda, Kerry, Rianna, Tyrone, Kayla & Tania

Welcome to Blue Block News

4

HOMEBASE ORANGE

Welcome to Orange Block News

What a wonderful couple of weeks we have had with Swim Scheme! It was lovely to see all students making progress towards being safe in the water. We were all tired by the end of the week but it was certainly worthwhile.

In the classroom, Orange Block has been exploring books by Dr Seuss. Our focus has been on digital literacy, meaning that we explore our focus texts on the interactive whiteboard or through an app on the iPad. This week our focus text has been Cat in the Hat and the students have been enjoying learning through this method.

In maths, we have continued to learn about money, number patterns and algebra and 2D shapes. Our students have been making pleasing progress recognising coins and notes as well as recognising 2D shapes.

With the cooler weather on its way, please be sure to label all jumpers and jackets so they make their way home each day. As you can appreciate, it is sometimes tricky to figure out who belongs to jackets or jumpers that occur at the end of playtimes.

Jenny , Rachael , Lorette , Charisse , Shannon, Linda C, Ben , Naomi & Ash

5

HOMEBASE GREEN & RED

Who can believe that we are halfway through Term 1. We have all settled into our classes and are working hard with all lessons, tasks and activities. Learning about Ancient Egypt seems to be a

favourite high school topic and our Year 6 class (Green 16) are busy with Dr Suess books and learning about words that rhyme. On the social side we have all made new friends and caught up with old ones. We have celebrated a number of birthdays within our classes and participated in

Food Technology in the kitchen. Have a look at some of our ‘fruit pyramids’ – tasted so yummy. Dancing and music are becoming very popular in the playground so if there are appropriate songs that your child/young adult enjoys please let us know and we can add it to the playlist.

Green 16 thoroughly enjoyed their time at Swim Scheme and now it is finished class swimming programs will begin. Keep on the look out for notes and if you can volunteer for swimming sessions (in/out of the pool) please let your class teacher know. A small group of selected students are attending a swimming carnival to represent Fernhill School next week – we will wait to hear of their success.

Green and Red Block students are also enjoying the library. We return and select books to borrow then enjoy reading individually, in groups or altogether.

Our garden is starting to take shape and thanks to everyone that has sent in the Woolworths seeds for us to cultivate.

We thank everyone that attended the Meet the Teacher evening and look forward to collaborating with you to complete our Personalised Learning Plans (PLPs).

Take care,

From the Green & Red Block Teams

Leanne, Jodie C, Natasha, Cheryl, Ben, Courtney, Amanda, Daniel, Rebecca C Olivia,

Meredith, Jodie P, Ashana, Kylie, Nadine, Deb, Vicki, Liz and Jess M

Welcome to Green and Red Block News

6

FERNHILL SPEECH PATHOLOGIST NEWS

See me, see my AAC

Wherever we go, wherever we are, we can use our voices to communicate with other people. We use it to ask for what we want, share about our experiences, tell a joke or vent about a negative experience. Our students should be given the opportunity to do the same. They should be able to use their voice to communicate wherever they go. For students who do not have effective verbal speech, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) is often prescribed to support communication. See me, see my AAC.

Recently, notes were sent home regarding BYOD (Bring your own device/system). At Fernhill School, we value what your child has to say. We make it our aim to enable your child to be able to communicate more independently and to engage more actively in their learning. We want to know what they want, think, feel and like. If your child has a communication system (low tech or high tech) that they use at home, please send it to school so that they can use their voice when they have something to say. With your permission, and as much as possible, the systems will be made available to your child so they can use it and we can model it. We are eager and excited to partner with each and every one of our families on their AAC journeys.

Betty Campbell (Speech Pathologist, CPSP)

A note from Betty Campbell

7

FERNHILL COMMUNITY NOTICES

8

FERNHILL COMMUNITY NOTICES

9

FERNHILL COMMUNITY NOTICES

10

Kylie’s Kitchen Budget Tips

To check out the blog for more information visit:

https://healthylunchbox.com.au/subscribe

11

FERNHILL SCHOOL l 12-40 Ridgetop Drive, GLENMORE PARK NSW 2745 l PRINCIPAL: Julie Raciborska l

PH: 02 4733 0388 l FAX: 02 4733 0644 l E: fernhill-s.school@det.nsw.edu.au l www.fernhill-s.schools.nsw.edu.au

CONTACT US

FERNHILL COMMUNITY NOTICES

FERNHILL School - Term 1 2021

Term

ONE

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

7

8th Mar

9th Mar

PLP MEETINGS 3.30 to

5.30pm

10th Mar 11th Mar

12th Mar

CABARITA SWIMMING

CARNIVAL

8

15th Mar

16th Mar

PLP MEETINGS 3.30 to

5.30pm

17th Mar 18th Mar 19th Mar

9

22nd Mar

23rd Mar 24th Mar 25th Mar

26th Mar

EASTER RAFFLE

DONATIONS DUE

10

29th Mar

30th Mar

31st Mar

EASTER RAFFLE DRAWN

1st Apr

2nd Apr

GOOD FRIDAY

Hols

Hols

Hols

Hols

Hols