Parkhill Primary School Newsletter
Issue 5, Thursday February 28 2019
Principal's Message
Dear Parents/Carers,
I really can’t believe we are in week 5 already – the term is zooming by!
The Discovery Dome was absolutely fabulous yesterday. The children from Y4 and Y5/6 experienced the dome as part of their Finding Out in line with their Inquiry learning during the day, and after school we opened the dome to the community.
The show that featured was called Secret of the Cardboard Rocket. Families who joined the show embarked on an amazing adventure. Two children spent a night touring the planets in our solar system alongside their ship’s navigator, a talking astronomy book. It was lovely to receive an email of appreciation this morning from Freya Wong thanking us for the opportunity: ‘The Discovery Dome yesterday afternoon was fantastic. The kids really enjoyed it and it consolidated some of their knowledge of planets while also adding to it.’
Throughout the year we will continue to host incursions and events for families and community members to compliment and support our STEAM initiatives. Full STEAM ahead...
GROWING…
Jump onto Instagram and check out our new Parkhill Community Garden page. Follow us and see the produce, recipes and natural wonder of our garden space. Many of you will be aware that we have been able to grow our garden program this year and now offer garden classes from Foundation through to Y4. Search Parkhill Community Garden and see us pop up!
LEARNING CELEBRATION AND PARENT TEACHER INTERVIEWS:
On Thursday 7th March we will be holding our first learning celebration for 2019. This is an open classroom session – come along and share the children's classrooms and their learning to date. In week 7 we will hold Parent/Teacher Interviews in place of Three-Way Conferences. These interviews will run in the same way as the Three-Way Conferences. This is an opportunity for you to have open discussion with the teacher about your child’s learning progress. Later in the year there will be a Three-Way Conference.
It is important to remember that you are always welcome to meet with your class teacher and I encourage you to make appointments throughout the year to touch base and talk about your child’s learning progress.
The aims of the conferences are to:
Reinforce the home-school partnership;
Build relationships and increase understandings;
Improve student learning and enhance student achievement.
If you are not able to attend the conference, please do not hesitate to get in touch with your class teacher and arrange a meeting at any time during the term.
SCHOOL LEADERS PRESENTATION ASSEMBLY:
Tomorrow afternoon we will present our School Leaders with their badges at assembly. At the assembly we will meet and greet all of our Leaders from across the Y6 group. Please come along to join us from approximately 2:55pm.
HELPING OUT:
There are many way to get involved in our school community. Through our class reps, PFA, working groups, in class reading support, excursions, incursions and many other incidental and highly appreciated acts. School Council and subcommittees is one way that you can be involved with the goings on at Parkhill.
For many parents, working fulltime means that it is tricky for you to come into school during the day. School Council is a group of parents, teachers and community members that meet twice a term, eight times a year to discuss and make decisions regarding the governance of matters at Parkhill. Information about how you can sign up will follow next week.
Some working groups and committees that help us as a school to operate in 2019 include:
Policy Committee (meeting monthly)
Finance Committee (meeting monthly)
Buildings and Grounds Working Groups (meeting 1/2 times per term as needed)
Library reestablishment Working Groups (meeting 1/2 times per term as needed)
Marketing Working Group (meeting 1/2 times per term as needed)
If you would like any information about these groups or committees and are interested in being part of them, then please email me or call the office.
REMINDERS:
Cybersafety
We are hosting a Parent Information Evening on March 25th called Think You Know. The evening begins at 5pm – come along and learn more about how you can ensure your child is safe online! The group will come back on 29th March to work with the children and feed into our online safety learning. Please do ensure you have signed and returned your Safe Use agreement – this should have come home already.
https://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/bullystoppers/Pages/advicecybersafe.aspx
Twilight Sports
Coming in week 8 (Monday 18th March) we look forward to our Twilight Sports event. This year we have Channel 10 visiting us to host their School Weather Segment. Mike Larkin is coming to visit!!
Have a great weekend,
Elaine Brady
Principal
Calendar of Curriculum Events
Friday 1 March - Y2/3 Circus Crew incursion session 3 & Annual School Payments due
Monday 4 March - Y5/6 Environmental Solutions incursion
Tuesday 5 March - Y5/6 Division Swimming (selected students) & School photo day - see information below
Thursday 7 March - Learning Celebration - 3:00-3:30pm
Monday 11 March - Labour Day Public Holiday
Tuesday 12 March - Wednesday 13 March - Parent/Teacher Interviews - information to be released soon
Friday 15 March - Bullying No Way Day
Monday 18 March - Twilight Sports
Tuesday 19 March - Evening Soiree
Wednesday 20 March - Multicultural Day & Bring it Breaky
Friday 22 March - Y5/6 District Athletics (selected students)
Monday 25 March - Parent Information Evening - Think You Know
Friday 5 April - Term 1 ends at 2:30pm
Student of the Week
F/1C - Patrick C
F/1S - Jake L
F/1T - Keira M
2/3L - Flynn A
2/3M - Jason X
4D - Luke C
4O - Henry Z
5/6A - Lazar A
5/6CS - Angus O
5/6H - Zac C
School Photos
Tuesday 5 March is our School Photo Day for 2019! School photo order envelopes were sent home with students last week. School photos can also be ordered online at the following link: www.advancedlife.com.au. Use the code 957 YWB B8Z to order your child's photos. Online ordering will close on Monday 4 March.
If you would like a family/sibling photo envelope, please contact the office.
STEAM
Here is what 4O has been up to in STEAM:
Julia
For scratch paper, get oil pastels and colour rainbow the whole page then leave to dry for five minutes. Then colour black all over the rainbow, leave to dry. When dry get a toothpick and scratch away!
Ewan
First I chose a corn avatar then I changed the colour to red. After that I changed the colour of the corn and then I changed the background to a plane. Finely I made my corn say “I am an evil corn and I am about to get run over by a plane!"
Nathan
I made the infinity tiles. It was really fun to do. I made it by watching the video and I paused it at the right time to make the design. Then I coloured the design in purple and the other part in orange highlighter.
Christos
First I got a sheet of tinfoil. Then I folded the bottom into a handle, then folded the top into a spoon shape. I tore it and made four tears in the tin foil then folded the tears into four prong bits.
Ashlan
Ashlan has made two large structures. This one is an elevator and the previous one was a bridge.
Garden News
The Y2/3/4 Garden program is in full swing. Our garden is bursting with many vegetables ripe for harvesting by our eager Parkhill gardeners.
The F/Y1 classes have also been wandering down to the garden to meet the chickens and to experience the lovely garden areas.
We have also been busy cooking (and eating!). These recipes reflect the bounty of late Summer: cucumbers, zucchinis and the eggs from our chickens Pumpkin and Pecky.
Anne McGregor
Garden Coordinator
Leek and Zucchini Frittata
Ingredients
20g unsalted butter
1 tablespoon of butter
1 leek (white part only), thinly sliced
500g of zucchini thinly sliced or chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
8 eggs
150 ml thickened cream
½ cup of grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup of torn basil leaves
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C and lightly grease a pan.
2. Melt butter with oil in a large frying pan over a medium – low heat. Add leek and cook for 5 minutes until soft but not browned.
3. Add zucchini and garlic and stir for 5 minutes or until the zucchini is soft.
4. Meanwhile whisk together eggs, cream and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Fill prepared pan with zucchini mixture, sprinkle with basil and pour over egg mixture. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until set. Cool slightly, turn onto a board. Cut into squares to serve.
Cucumber and Yoghurt Dip (Tzatziki)
Ingredients
500g (2 cups) Greek Style Yoghurt
1 large cucumber, peeled, halved, seeded
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon finely chopped marjoram
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt, to taste
Method
1. Place yoghurt in a sieve lined with a chux cloth over a bowl and stand for 5-10 minutes to allow the excess whey to drain away. Place yoghurt in a bowl and discard the whey.
2. Meanwhile, coarsely grate the cucumber and squeeze out excess moisture with your hands. Combine yoghurt, cucumber, garlic, herbs, olive oil and lemon juice in a bowl and mix well. Season with salt. Serve with the flat bread with fresh herbs of your choice sprinkled over the top.
Choir Connections
Tomorrow at 8:10am in the Performing Arts room (Learning Centre 1) we will launch our first morning choir rehearsal. We have been so excited with the fabulous response from the community and the number of students excited about joining the Parkhill Choir.
Parents, if your child/ren would like to join the choir but you haven’t yet handed in a permission form we will have spare forms available in the morning for you to complete.
So, as we are busy preparing for our first choir session tomorrow we thought we might take a moment to have a chat to Kirsten Majidi who is working with Marinda:
What are your ties to Parkhill PS?
I have three children at Parkhill: Hayden in 4D, Justin in 2/3L and Olivia in F/1S.
Did you sing in a choir when you were at school?
No, I never had the opportunity but I have a feeling I would have loved it.
Did you learn a musical instrument?
Yes, I learnt piano and flute throughout my schooling. I also had a brief interlude learning the trumpet in Grade 7 but it wasn’t the instrument for me or my family!
What inspired you to volunteer to start the 2019 Choir?
I have always been passionate about the importance of music and the positive impact it can have on children from a learning and wellbeing perspective throughout their life. After watching the fabulous ABC documentary last year Don’t Stop the Music I was inspired to ensure that the wonderful work of Rosie continued at Parkhill. I then may have headed straight to a fabulous music teacher I knew from my kindergarten days to gauge how we could make this happen as I have no experience in leading a choir!!
If you are interested in watching the documentary, you can go to the following link – I highly recommend it!
What aspect of choir are you most looking forward to?
Everything! I am excited about working with Marinda and our student choir and seeing the joy on their faces as the songs come alive and their confidence grows.
What do you hope the choir will achieve this year?
I hope the students build great connections with each other as they learn and perform together. I also hope we can bring the joy of singing to the community as a whole.
Who is your favourite singer?
I honestly don’t have a favourite singer. I love so many different types of music I often just play the song that fits my mood at the time and sing along as I drive!
If you have any questions please email kirsten@careermastery.net.au
PFA News
Committee Members:
President: Vanessa Cowley
Vice President: Katrina Battle
Treasurer: Sumi Sundram
Secretary: Kylie Touloupis
Communications: Eva Conley
General Members: Fiona Crellin, Jason Van Lint, Elle Delmee, Mark Havas, Lisa Jacobson, Anny Murray, Wendy Douglas, Janneke Storteboom, Leanne Knight.
Someone’s missing? Oh yeah – you! C’mon, join us at the AGM and see what we’re all about!
PFA AGM
The PFA AGM will be held on Wednesday 6 March at 7:45pm in Parkhill Primary School’s staffroom. All the executive committee positions are open - if you are interested in stepping up for a role, now is the time to put up your hand! There is also the opportunity to join the PFA as part of the general committee. We will be reviewing the year that was, so please come along and hear about all the great work we accomplish as a community.
DO YOU KNOW A BUSINESS THAT’S WILLING TO DONATE?
As our school community grows and welcomes new families, we’re giving a shout out to anyone that may have contacts in a business that is willing to donate goods. We hold raffles and stalls throughout the year and the school would benefit greatly from this generosity. Please take a moment and consider if this could be you. Email Kylie at parents.friends.secretary@gmail.com with any ideas. Thank you!
Parkhill Primary School
Email: parkhill.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au
Website: www.parkhillps.vic.edu.au
Location: 4A Parkhill Drive, Ashwood VIC, Australia
Phone: 03 9807 2239