We are holding an information evening for our January 2020 Missions Trip to Uganda, Africa. If you would like more information, or if you have already put in an application form, you are welcome to attend. Topics for the evening will include information on the trip, culture, fundraising activities, teacher experience in Uganda and other countries, Divine Junior School and planned itinerary.
When: Thursday 9 May 2019
Where: iCentre
Time: 7.00 pm – 8.00 pm
The Penrith Valley Sports Foundation has awarded Isaac Cavanagh the Junior Sportsperson Award for the month of February for his development and skill in Ice Hockey. Isaac, in Year 8, plays for the Flyers Ice Hockey Club in Penrith and has been playing for five years now as a goal tender for his team.
Earlier this year, he travelled with the Australian team as the goal tender for the International Peewee Ice Hockey Tournament in Quebec Canada.
Congratulations on your achievements Isaac.
I have recently started a segment on Instagram called ‘Throwback Thursdays’ where I feature ex-PCS students. The first one was Eden Trevitt who kindly agreed to write her story below. CLICK HERE to follow Senior School Instagram.
‘I got into Macquarie University through the Global Leadership Program, and completed my Bachelor of Science - Psychology degree in 2017.
I then attended Bond University on the Gold Coast where I completed my Honours Year. This was a real challenge as I lived on campus by myself for nine months. I learnt so much about myself, however, and it made me really value my family and loved ones.
We are very proud to announce that Year 11 student, Katie Dal Santo, has been selected as a Trekker for the 2019 RSL & Services Clubs Kokoda Youth Leadership Challenge. Katie is only one of two students selected from our region to walk the Kokoda Track and is the third student from PCS (others being Dayvis Heyne and Callum Meney) to be selected for this trek.
Katie has been an active member of the Orchard Hills Rural Fire Brigade since age 12, has completed her Bronze and Silver level through the Duke of Edinburgh Award and is currently working on her Gold. Katie has also competed in the Fire Fighters Climb in structural gear with air tank weighing up to 20 kg to climb the stairs of the Sydney Tower Eye to raise funds and awareness for Motor Neurone Disease.
Congratulations Katie. We wish you all the best for your trek in October.
I was recently told some exciting news by Mrs Garratt about the incredible rise in the reading ability of one of the Year 4 students. Jack, who I’m told loves reading and spends a good deal of time every day doing so, has starting to reap the life-long benefits of his choice of recreation. Well done Jack!!
The benefits of reading are widely recognised, however, I thought that I would share with you an image that highlights many of the rewards that come from reading for pleasure.
As a librarian, yes it is true that I enjoy reading, but this has not always been the case. It is easy to allow distractions to rob you of the joys of reading. I used to also fall into the trap of thinking that I must finish a book if I start it. Sometimes the book that you choose isn’t that interesting to you. But, it is always worth trying again.
In an earlier communication to our community from our Principal, please be advised that any families wishing to have a Homestay guest must now have a Working with Children Check. (PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR PDF)
We are seeking families to host a Japanese student from Monday 29 July to Monday 5 August 2019. These students are aged 16-17 years old and speak some English.
What you need to provide:
We are about to commence construction of the New Junior School! This is exciting news. The final outcome (refer to the Site Plan) will be amazing, and construction involves significant changes and improvements to traffic flow arrangements, as well as the new building and surrounds.
The Site Plan shows the final arrangement so that you will get a picture of where we are heading. Ultimately, of course, we will have access through a new roundabout from Frogmore Road into the School property (not indicated on the Plan).
IN THE MEANTIME, we are introducing some TEMPORARY arrangements, which will be quite challenging – especially for the afternoon pick-up.
You are invited to a PCS Parent Seminar, 'Power of Parenting: Disarming Bullying', presented by Brett Murray (Make Bullying History). We are delighted to welcome back Brett Murray to present on the topic of Bullying. Brett’s passionate and highly informed presentation is a MUST for all parents and we encourage you to make this seminar a priority to attend.
Tuesday 4 June 2019
7.00 pm
$5 entry
Our Mother’s Day Stalls are an opportunity for PCS to bless our school community and for students to choose a special gift for their mums. If your child would like to purchase a Mother’s Day gift, please send in $5.00 on the day of the Stall with each Preschool to Year 6 child. We ask that students bring a carry bag so they can buy their Mother’s Day present at the Stall and then take their chosen gift home.
KINDERGARTEN TO YEAR 6
Friday 10 May 2019 from 9.00 am
Our traditional Mother’s Day Stall for Kindergarten to Year 6 students
During one of the Bounce Back lessons that I was teaching this term we looked at managing conflict in relationships. This sounds like a pretty grown-up concept to be talking about to young children, yet it’s something that many of them negotiate at some time in the playground with their friends, or during group work in class.
One of the suggestions about what to do was:
Remember that your goal is to remain friends. This thought can put things in a different perspective. It could also alter the way we speak and behave.
Is winning an argument with a friend over a relatively minor thing worth losing a friendship? Our students are going to be together as a Year group for a significant part of their young lives.
PCS is pleased to announce the introduction of a Caddens and Jordan Springs morning private pick up bus service for our school families, commencing Tuesday 30 April 2019.
CLICK HERE to download the new bus application that includes both the AM and PM services - this form will be emailed to all families early next week. It is also available for download via our website.
Any students wishing to use the AM bus service must fill in the updated application form, giving consent for PCS to transport them to school and return to Sharon Tuft by Friday 12 April 2019 (as she’ll be on long service leave from April 26 until June 4 2019).
Only about 5% of NSW children eat enough vegetables. And the statistics are similar for adults. To help our community do better, our school is participating in Vegetable Week & The Big Vegie Crunch.
To encourage our school families to eat more vegetables we will be sending home hints and tips.
Up the veg at your place by…being a vegie role model!
A couple of weeks ago, PCS's F1 in Schools team, VECTORY (Junior Professional) placed third in the Australian National F1 in Schools Final behind Team Evolve (Trinity Grammar School – Kew) and Team Pentessellate (Mount View High School) - both Senior Professional teams.
This was an amazing result, as Team VECTORY finished in front of seven Senior and eight Junior Professional teams from across Australia. This result elevates the team to being the Number One Junior Professional team in Australia.
We are now VERY pleased to announce that Team VECTORY will now move on to the World Finals to be held in Abu Dhabi later in 2019!
PCS sent 25 students along to the CSSA Secondary State Swimming Carnival which was held at the Sydney International Aquatic Centre in Homebush. Our students all had a great crack in their races and many students swam some personal best times. They interacted well with each other and with students from other schools within Nepean Zone. Many students jumped into relay teams to fill spaces left by students who were not there, which was awesome.
Matthew Galea (Year 12) performed exceptionally well, winning all his races – 50m Freestyle, 50m Butterfly, 50m Breaststroke, 50m Backstroke, 100m Freestyle, 200m Freestyle and 200m Individual Medley and was named 18 Year Boys Age Champion.
Matthew also broke two Records – well done Matt!
The Bebras Challenge is an initiative run by CSIRO with the goal of promoting computational thinking within students. During Week 6, with an impressive cohort of over 50 students from Years 3-6, our students attempted a series of questions which required them to be able to break problems down into smaller parts, recognise patterns, identify the key elements within a data set, simulate processes and evaluate solutions which were then applied to a new situation. In other words, it was quite a challenge.
Shuchi Grover from EdSurge (https://www.edsurge.com/news/2018-02-25-the-5th-c-of-21st-century-skills-try-computational-thinking-not-coding) in regard to computational thinking states:
There is growing recognition in the education systems around the globe that being able to problem-solve computationally—that is, to think logically and algorithmically, and use computational tools for creating artefacts including models and data visualisations—is rapidly becoming a prerequisite competency for all fields.
This our third year of partnering with Divine Junior School, Uganda Africa. Through Junior Missions we have exchanged letters with their students, fundraised through Coins for Missions and now we have an exciting opportunity to go and visit.
This would be a unique Missions trip at PCS in that it is for a parent and child to attend. This opportunity is open to Middle School students and to Year 4 students (who will be in Middle School in 2020).
PURPOSE:
On Thursday 4 April at 10 am our school will be joining hundreds of schools across NSW to break the record for the most students crunching vegetables simultaneously.
But we need your help to make it a success!
On Thursday 4 April, please pack your child a container of vegetables (not fruit this time) for them to crunch on.
Year 9 Science and Year 11 Biology students attended the Body Worlds Vital Anatomical Exhibition featuring real human bodies on Friday 15 March 2019.
The specimens show a unique look at what lies beneath our skin in a way that is engaging, confronting and inspiring. The specimens have been preserved and sculptured using plastination technology for the benefit of learning in the science of anatomy and physiology.
Students explored the exhibition for more than an hour which included displays, interactive activities and human health statistics. It was an eye opening experience for our students after which they all started considering their own health and wellbeing.
We saw lots of colourful socks around the school on Thursday 21 March for our national fundraising event. This fundraiser is to help teach people about Down syndrome but also to raise funds to provide support for families and their children who have Down syndrome.
Many thanks to Early Childhood and Junior School families and students for supporting 'Lots of Socks' National Fundraiser for Down Syndrome NSW.
We raised $451.35 for Down Syndrome NSW.
On Thursday 14 March, Year 3 enjoyed creating Grassheads with family and friends in continuation of our learning about living and non-living things. We have been discovering and testing criteria that scientifically makes an object classified as living.
Here is what some students had to say:
Anton: All the parents came and it was very good because they were helping us and making our time more enjoyable.
Scarlett: It was outside and we got to spend time with our parents and have fun!
