19 March 2025

Template Article - School Motto

Principal’s Message

Week 8 Already!

I can’t believe we are in Week 8 of the term! This term, like most terms, has flown by, as we have so many activities occurring at school every day.

Events coming up this term

NAPLAN

Thanks to our teachers for a very smooth NAPLAN assessment period over the last couple of weeks. Our students have now completed all assessments. NAPLAN is for Years 3 and 5 and can provide valuable information for our teachers to assist in tailoring programs to meet the needs of our students.

Parent Teacher Interviews Open

Parent teacher interviews will be held from Monday 24 March - Friday 28 March and Monday 31 March - Friday 4 April. This is an opportunity for a one on one meeting with your child’s class teacher.

If you have trouble understanding the booking process in School Bytes, please let your class teacher know.

Enrolment has commenced for 2026 - School Open Days

Our first school tour for prospective new kindergarten 2026 or students from any other grade for enrolment in 2025 or 2026 was held last week. We had a strong interest in families from the local community.

A huge thank you to Ms Papallo for conducting the Senior Strings Group as entertainment for our prospective families. The music was magnificent.

Our next tour date is Tuesday 25 March at 9:30 am - meet at the main administration entrance.

There will also be a Presentation evening on Thursday 15 May at 6pm for new families to learn more about our impressive school. Please see the flyer below for more information.

Pre school Playgroups

Our first pre school playgroup was held on Tuesday 18 March and it is a wonderful way of introducing our future students to our school. It also gives parents a chance to meet new parents whose children will be attending our school in 2026. Thank you to Mrs Levin for running our playgroups. Our next playgroup will be on Tuesday 1 April at 9:30 am.

ANZAC Day

Our school will be commemorating ANZAC Day with a short service on Thursday 10 April at 11:30 am. If anyone in our community has served in the Australian or New Zealand armed forces, and is available to attend, please contact Ms Cady through the school email. It would be nice to see some of our community in uniform at our service. Those students who are a part of a Scouts group, including guides, cubs or joey scouts, may attend school in uniform that day. Students who are SRC members should bring a flower or small bunch of flowers to present as part of the service.

Harmony Day

Our school will be celebrating Harmony Day on Wednesday 26 March. We have over 50 nationalities within our school and we value the importance of cultural diversity and inclusivity in our schools and communities.

Thank you to all of the families who have volunteered to share their culture with our students.

On Harmony Day our students can wear orange or their national costume. Harmony Day is an annual celebration of the country's multiculturalism, promoting inclusiveness, respect, and a sense of belonging for all Australians. 

Let’s reaffirm our commitment to inclusivity and recognise the strength that comes from our differences. Together, we can create a harmonious school environment where everyone belongs.

Bike Safety

A young child's skull is soft and easily injured from a collision or fall. When you are selecting a bicycle or wheeled toy such as skateboards, rollerblades etc for your child make sure it is appropriate for their age and capability.

Whenever children are riding wheeled toys or bicycles, it is important that they are wearing a correctly fitted helmet and one that meets the Australian Standard.

Young children who wear helmets from the moment they start riding their first wheeled toy are more likely to continue wearing their helmet as they get older into their teen years.

Tips to keep your child safe when using wheeled toys:

• Always have an adult supervise
• Ensure they wear appropriate clothing and safety gear
• Make sure they are easily visible
• Maintain and check their wheeled toys on a regular basis

Please click on the fact sheet below for more information about helmet wearing and safe play.

Christine Taylor
Principal

Deputy Principal’s Message

Parents and Reading

As parents, you also play a crucial role in your child's reading development. Here are some effective strategies to assist your child in enhancing their reading skills:

• Read together daily: Set aside time each day to read with your child. This can be as simple as reading a picture book or a chapter from a novel.
• Discuss the story, characters, and your child's thoughts about the text to improve comprehension.
• Create a reading-friendly environment: Ensure that your home has a quiet, comfortable space dedicated to reading. Stock it with a variety of books that cater to your child's interests and reading level.
• Encourage choice: Allow your child to pick their own books. When children choose what they read, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated.
• Visit the library together or explore online resources to find appealing titles.
• Model reading behaviour: Show your child that reading is enjoyable by sharing your own reading experiences. Let them see you reading books, magazines, or articles, and talk about what you’re reading to spark their interest.
• Discuss stories: Encourage your child to talk about the stories they read. Ask open-ended questions about the plot, characters, and their feelings toward the story. This helps develop critical thinking and comprehension skills
• Practice phonics and vocabulary: Play word games, use flashcards, or engage in activities that focus on phonics and vocabulary.
• Set realistic goals: Help your child set achievable reading goals, such as finishing a certain number of books each month. Celebrate their accomplishments to keep them motivated.
• Communicate with teachers: Stay in touch with your child’s teachers to understand their reading progress and seek advice on additional resources or strategies to support at home.
• Be patient and supportive: Every child develops at their own pace. Offer encouragement and celebrate their efforts, regardless of their reading level.

By actively participating in your child’s reading journey, you can foster a love for reading that will benefit them throughout their education and beyond. Let’s work together to create confident and capable readers!

Supervision After School

We continue to offer teacher supervision at Waiters' Club for any K-2 students who are waiting for older siblings from 2:40 pm until 3:00 pm each day.  Please note that there is no other teacher supervision on the playground after school. Students may not be left to play by themselves unsupervised on the school grounds after the bell goes. Thank you for your cooperation in helping to ensure our students are safe at school.

School Leaders Workshop

This year the SINPS Leadership Team (Captains, Vice-Captains and Prefects) are invited to attend a one day Leadership Program run by GRIP Leadership on 27 March 2025.

Students will be exploring topics including:

• The Responsibilities of a Student Leader
• Leadership Through Friendship
• New Ideas to Help Others
• Achieving Your Idea Before the End of the Year

Mr Gorrie will be attending with the students. It should be a wonderful day of learning and reflection for our leaders.

Silver Awards

Congratulations to the following students who received their Silver Awards at assembly:

Year 3: Raina J (3LH), Jingyan C (3J), Cayden C (3J), Aaron O (3J),  Erin D (3MW), Bianca L (3MW), Felix R (3MW)
Year 4: Havana N (4B), Adrina S (4M), Sienna B (4P), Emmeline L (4P), Evaan V (4P), Rhyan O (4T), Zoe P (4T), Kei T (4T), Congmin X (4T), Harry B (4Y), Chelsea McN (4Y)

Bronze School Spirit Awards

Congratulations to the following students who received their Bronze School Spirit Awards at assembly:

Year 3: Havana N (4B), Diana K (4T), Zoe P (4T)

Naomi Shacham and Daniel Gorrie
Deputy Principals

K-6 Years News

SRC - Congratulations to our elected Student Representatives

Congratulations to the elected Student Representative Council for Semester 1, 2025. We look forward to seeing you represent the interests of all students within our school community.

K-6 Student News

Visit by Dr Pierre Qian, Cardiologist & Associate Professor

On Tuesday 5 March, we were very lucky to have Dr Pierre Qian visit our school. He gave the Year 5 and 6 students a talk about what it is like working as a Cardiologist.

Dr Qian did a wonderful presentation on the cardiovascular system and how it works to keep our body alive by showing us models of the heart and a pacemaker device. We learnt that some people use pacemakers to help their heart work if it cannot beat independently. Dr Qian showed us the wires that go through the chest and connect the heart to the pacemaker.

Then Dr Qian explained to us that maintaining a healthy diet and staying fit by exercising will help our hearts stay strong. He reminded us that we should try to avoid having too much fatty foods because cholesterol in such foods could clog up the arteries and cause a heart attack to happen. If this does happen, he said you would need to go to the hospital immediately where they can put a special metal stent inside the clogged artery to help the blood carry oxygen to the heart again.

I found this information very useful, because I want to be a doctor when I grow up. My friends and I enjoyed the talk and we learnt a lot about the day to day work of a heart specialist.

Thank you very much Dr Qian for coming to our school and we hope you visit again soon!

Katherine A (5W)

Library News

Borrowing

Thanks to all those students who have been remembering their library bags and borrowing and returning regularly. With so many keen readers we have been very busy in the library with over 3500 books borrowed and returned in the first few weeks of borrowing!

Premier’s Reading Challenge 2025

The 2025 Premiers Reading Challenge is now open for registration and will remain open until August.

We have 44 enthusiastic readers who have already registered for the Challenge and 8 super readers who have already completed it!  A big congratulations to these amazing readers who have been the first in the school to complete the 2025 Premier's Reading Challenge:

Lucas L (2BW), Bella B (3J), Jayden T (3LH), Ryan F (3MW), Diana K (4T), Ethan N (4T), Niki F (5P), Emily L (6T).

The purpose of the Challenge is to encourage a love of reading for both leisure and pleasure and to encourage students to read more widely. Regular reading is known to be important for developing vocabulary, improving writing skills, for developing empathy and helping reduce stress. Participating in the PRC is a great way to start building a regular reading practice and exploring new and varied texts.

Register participation in the challenge at https://online.education.nsw.gov.au/prc/home.html using your DoE login. Your class  teacher will be able to help with your login details if you are unsure.

For those interested, there is also an official PRC podcast, Between the Bookshelves, which has weekly episodes that include chats with authors and educators about children's books, book recommendations and strategies to spark a love of reading. The podcast is available through Spotify or a link can be found on the PRC website.

Good News

Clean Up Australia Day

Well done to Grace Y (3R) who volunteered in Clean Up Australia Day around St Ives Village Green on Sunday 2 March. Grace collected a bucket of various rubbish items including plastic packages, shopping receipts, cigarette butts and nappies which was a total weight of about 1 kg. Great work Grace!

Sport News

NSW Junior Swimming Championships

Arnik S (6GC), Arana’s Captain, had a fantastic NSW Junior State Championships at Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush on 15 and 16 March where he qualified for 11 races. Arnik won a gold medal, 2 silver medals, 3 bronze medals, and had an additional 5 top ten finishes, recording 7 PBs in the process.

These are outstanding results and we are all very proud of Arnik.

P&C News

Garden Club

Garden Club is in full swing, with around 15–20 children joining each week. They recently installed two native bee hotels to allow the small bees to fly through the net that protects the garden from the wallabies and cockatoos. The children have been growing sweet potatoes, pineapples, cucumbers, rosemary and mint. They also grow flowers which help to encourage pollination. Much of the organic produce goes back into our canteen for school lunches which is awesome! A big thank you to Marian V and Kevin F for their help in running Garden Club. What an awesome opportunity for our students to get to be part of a great community and connect with nature. If you would like to get involved or join the group, they meet on Thursday mornings.

Roshell Boulton
SINPS P&C President

Music Update

School Tour Performance

Our talented musicians in the String Orchestra kicked off their 2025 performances with an impressive showcase at the School Tour on 11 March. The audience was amazed by their quality and skill. A big thank you to the volunteer parents and school management for making this opportunity possible!

Music Committee

A heartfelt thank you to the following volunteers who joined the Music Committee! Your contributions make a huge difference. As we prepare for Music Camp, we’ll soon need more volunteers. If you’re interested in helping, please reach out!

Notes for Music Parents

1. Music Uniform: Please ensure your musician's uniform is ready as performances and concerts are about to begin. You can order the attire from Pickles and purchase suitable black pants from a store of your choice.
2. Practice and Tuition: Regular practise and private lessons are essential. Please make sure your musician(s) are practising consistently and that their private tutor’s details are up to date in our portal.
3. Communication and Fees: Ensure you are receiving our emails and checking the Music WhatsApp community regularly. The annual Music Program fees are already due, so please confirm payment or make arrangements with us if needed.
4. Upcoming Performances:

• • Junior Concert Band – Monday 7 April (NSSWE Autumn Concert)
  • Senior Concert Band – Tuesday 8 April (NSSWE Autumn Concert)

       5. Music Camp: Our Music Camp is scheduled for 14-15 June. Enrolments and preparations will begin soon!

Regards,

Ali Shahnazi
SINPS P&C Music President

https://www.sinpspnc.org.au/music

Community Noticeboard

Newtown High School of the Performing Arts

Newtown High School of the Performing Arts is a specialist high school that accepts enrolments through audition and from their local drawing area.

Please click on the flyer below for more information about their audition process for entry into Year 7 2026. 

Kids and Traffic Key Road Safety Messages

Please click on the flyer below for some important reminders about how to keep your children safe around traffic and busy roads.

Robotics and Coding After School Program at SINPS

Please click on the below flyers for more information about the TalentMind Robotics and Coding after-school programs. Robotics with LEGO WeDo2.0 is  for Year 1 students on Wednesday afternoons. Scratch Coding and Video Game Design is for Years 3-6 students on Friday afternoons.

SISA Bounce Holiday Program

Please see the flyer below and scan the QR code for information about SISA’s holiday program at St Ives North Public School.

Useful Links

Extended Leave Application Form 

For travel of four days or more, please complete the online form through the link below or in the School Bytes parent portal in the Forms section: 

Volunteer Declaration Form for parents/carers wanting to volunteer at our school

The Department of Education has digitised their screening process and you now only need to complete a digital declaration. Parents and carers who would like to volunteer at our school for any reason (e.g. canteen, class helpers, reading groups, athletics carnivals, special events, etc.) are required to complete a Digital Volunteer Declaration. 

Prior to commencing volunteer work, please contact the office to provide your full name, email address and mobile number. The Department of Education will then send an invitation via email to you to complete an online Digital Declaration. Next time you attend the school, you will need to present a photo ID to finalise the screening process.  

We understand you may have already been through the screening process, but we are asking you to redo your declaration form through this new process.

Change of Student Details Form

Parents can now update student contact and address details by completing the online form through the link below or in the School Bytes parent portal in the Forms section: