Horsley Herald Term 3 Week 10 2021

Thank You to our School Community 

As the term draws to a close, I would like to thank our parent community for the outstanding efforts in supporting your children after ten weeks of learning from home. Thank you also to our teachers who have provided excellent online learning, hard copy packs and wellbeing programs to support students to achieve their best during this time.

Return to school roadmap for Term 4

The end of Term 3 has been a busy one for our school and others throughout the state. We’re happy to say that together we made it through what has been a constantly-changing and sometimes difficult Term. We could not have done it without the commitment from all of our families who supported learning from home, and from our fantastic teaching and school staff. I want to thank you all for your efforts to continue to keep our school community safe – I know everyone has faced different challenges at different times through the Term.

I hope everyone enjoys a break over the holidays and is looking forward to the COVID-safe return to school sites that we are planning for in Term 4. Please read through the following updates before the start of the school holidays and don’t hesitate to reach out for support or with any questions.

In Term 4, where stay-at-home rules are still in place but high community vaccination and low transmission conditions are met, students will return to school in a staggered approach for prioritised cohorts, with no mingling or on-site activities.

Order of return under staggered approach where we remain under stay-at-home rules

Students will return to face-to-face learning with NSW Health-approved COVID-safe Level 3 plus settings on school sites in the following order:

From 25 October 2021: Kindergarten and Year 1

From 1 November 2021: Years 2, 6 and 11

From 8 November 2021: Years 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10.

The return to school roadmap is subject to change depending on new information expected through the Public Health Order and additional advice from NSW Health. You can stay up to date with the most recent advice on our Advice for families page.

If we return to face-to-face learning as planned, there will be changes to the usual organisation regarding staggered pick up and drop offs which I will work closely with the community in Term 4 and communicate this with to ensure a smooth transition back to school. 

Vaccinations for students aged 12 years and over

Young people aged 12 years and over are now also eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. You can book in your children for Pfizer now, or Moderna from Monday 20 September.

Vaccination appointments are available at more than 3,000 locations across NSW, including GPs and pharmacies. More appointments will become available as supply increases, so keep checking for new appointments in coming weeks.

NAPLAN Student Reports  (Years 3 & 5)

NAPLAN Individual student NAPLAN reports have just arrived to school. We will be posting these to parents early in Term 4.

Enrolments for Kindergarten 2022 are now being accepted.

Children born between 1st August 2016 and 31st July 2017 are eligible to enrol.

Parents / carers who would like to enrol a child for Kindergarten next year please visit our website and complete the online enrolment form https://horsleypk-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/about-our-school/enrolment.html

Wait to be contacted by the school.

Once staff have processed the application form you will be contacted to make an appointment to come and visit the school to provide supporting documentation and have a readiness conversation.

Please bring with you:

• Child’s birth certificate for proof of age

• Passports and visas for families born overseas

• 100 point Proof of residence (e.g. Council rate notice, gas, rental agreement, electricity account or bank account).

• Please visit https://horsleypk-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/

• Immunisation Certificate, Health Plans if required (allergy, asthma etc.)

Breaking the Silence Art and Poetry Exhibition

Please have a read of some of the beautiful poems which have been submitted by our students at Horsley Park Public School and have been entered in the Department of Education  - White Ribbon - Breaking the Silence Poetry & Art Exhibition which will be held in galleries across New South Wales in November to coincide with White Ribbon Day and the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence. With the guidance of our teachers, students were invited to express their understanding of the importance of building respectful relationships in our classrooms, in the playground and in the wider community through their poetry. 

"Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love" - Lao Tzu

Anica Tanevski

Principal