Heights Happenings
Winston Heights PS - Term 3 Week 10 2024
We acknowledge the First Nations people of Australia, The Darug people, as the ongoing owners of the land on which we play and learn.
Winston Heights PS Vision Statement
Winston Heights Public School is committed to the pursuit of excellence and the provision of high quality educational opportunities for every child. Through collaborative and collegial practice, we seek to provide a rich learning environment that inspires, challenges and supports students to "Learn, Communicate and Grow" in order to become successful, confident and creative individuals and respectful, responsible citizens. Every student is known, valued, cared and planned for in our inclusive school community. We are committed to working in partnership with all stakeholders to promote continual school improvement and excellence.
⭐ PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE ⭐
As we wind down to the end of Term 3, I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt appreciation for our staff, students and community. To our dedicated staff, thank you for your tireless efforts, passion for teaching, and unwavering commitment to our students. Your hard work and dedication do not go unnoticed, and it is your enthusiasm and care that make our school such a special place. To our amazing students, I am continually inspired by your curiosity, creativity, and resilience. Your eagerness to learn, explore, and challenge yourselves is truly commendable, and I am so proud of the progress you have made this term. To our supportive community members, thank you for your ongoing partnership and involvement in our school. Your contributions, whether big or small, make a significant impact on the experiences and opportunities we are able to provide for our students. Let us finish this term strong and full of gratitude for the wonderful community we have at Winston Heights PS. Thank you for your dedication, hard work, and unwavering support. I am truly grateful to be part of such an incredible school community.
Here's a snapshot of what's been shared on our WHPS Facebook page over the past fortnight:
- Shout out for beginner band 2025 interest
- Zone Final of the Hills Public Speaking competition
- Dancing with K/1T
- Premier's Debating Team update
- Author and illustrator Dr Cameron inspiring our Year 2 boys to read
- Term 3 PBL assembly
- Years 3-6 Principal Awards
- Motiv8 with 6S
🏫 STAFFING UPDATES 🏫
Farewell Ms McCarthy - I would like to take a moment to extend a warm and fond farewell to Ms McCarthy, who has made the difficult decision to step away from teaching students in 3M due to personal reasons. We are truly grateful for Ms McCarthy's dedication and contributions to the students here at Winston Heights PS, and we wish her all the best in her future endeavours.
Welcome Miss O'Keefe - I am delighted to introduce Miss Ashleigh O'Keefe as the new teacher for 3M. Miss O'Keefe brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to our school, and I am confident that she will make a positive impact on our students' learning journey. Parents in 3M will be invited to attend an informal Meet the Teacher afternoon tea on Thursday 17 October (Term 4, Week 1) 3.10pm-3.40pm in the 3M classroom.
Congratulations Miss Nguyen - On another note, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Miss Nguyen, who will be getting married during the upcoming holidays. After the break, she will return to us as Mrs Nguyen. We wish Miss Nguyen and her soon-to-be husband all the happiness in the world as she embarks on this new chapter in her life.
🏫💙❤ CELEBRATING 50 YEARS IN 2025 ❤💙🏫
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS SCHOOL LOGO
Next year Winston Heights PS will celebrate 50 years of education. To mark the occasion, we have re-designed the school logo which will replace our current school logo on all communications and media.
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS - COMMEMORATIVE POLO SHIRT
We are excited to update you on the progress of our Celebrating 50 Years commemorative uniform item. As reported in the last newsletter, following feedback from the parent, student, and staff surveys, it was clear that the preference for a commemorative polo shirt was strong.
The school has sought designs and prices from various uniform suppliers, and this week, students and staff were presented with two polo shirt designs. Staff and students were asked to vote for their favourite design. We are pleased to announce that 79% of students and staff voted for the design below:
The chosen polo shirt will feature the school logo, along with the words 'Celebrating 50 years 1975-2025'. The cost of the shirt is expected to be around $35. Orders for the polo shirts will open early in Term 4, with sizes available for both children and adults. We are aiming for ordered shirts to be delivered by early Term 1, 2025.
Students will have the opportunity to proudly wear their commemorative polo shirts on sports days in 2025 and on sports days in all subsequent years.
We are looking forward to celebrating this milestone with the entire school community, and we thank you for your ongoing support.
Year 6 2025 parents - the commemorative polo shirt will not replace the Year 6 polo shirt - this option will still be provided to families and students. Information about ordering Year 6 polo shirts for 2025 will be shared with parents in Term 4.
👩🦰☎👨🦱 REMINDER - PROCEDURES FOR SPEAKING WITH TEACHERS 👩🦰☎👨🦱
As we strive to maintain effective communication and collaboration between home and school, I wanted to take a moment to remind you of the correct protocols for respectfully speaking with your child's class teacher. We value the importance of open dialogue and understand that parents often wish to seek information from a teacher or share important details regarding their child.
In order to ensure that our teachers are able to give you their undivided attention and provide the best support possible, we kindly ask that parents refrain from approaching teachers without an appointment before and after school when they are in their classroom. Our teachers have commitments including meetings, lesson preparations, and other responsibilities that require their focus during these times.
If you would like to speak with your child's teacher, we encourage you to make an appointment through the school office. You can request either a face-to-face meeting or a phone call, depending on your preference. This will allow the teacher to allocate dedicated time to address your concerns or provide you with the information you need in a focused and meaningful way.
Should you have a pressing concern that requires immediate attention, please feel free to contact the school office, and your message will be passed on to the teacher, or escalated to the appropriate staff member, such as the stage supervisor, another member of the executive team, or myself as the principal.
We greatly appreciate your cooperation and understanding in respecting these procedures. By working together and following these guidelines, we can ensure that our communication channels remain effective and supportive for the benefit of all our students.
Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership in your child's education journey. Together, we can continue to create a positive and nurturing learning environment for our students.
SCHOOL ORGANISATION FOR 2025 - CLASS REQUESTS
As we start to prepare for the upcoming school year, next term our dedicated staff will begin to work on the intricate process of organising school and class structures for 2025.
We understand the importance of ensuring that every student's needs are met to create a supportive and enriching learning environment. Therefore, we encourage parents and carers to share any information they believe should be taken into consideration during the class formation process for the upcoming year. This may include details about medical conditions, student wellbeing, requests for specific student separations, or any other factors that you feel could impact your child's learning experience. If you have forwarded class request considerations in previous years, you are requested to forward them to me again this year to ensure these are taken into consideration.
Please be aware that while we value your input, requests for placement with specific teachers or students cannot be guaranteed due to the complexity of class formation and school organisation.
To ensure that your input is considered, we kindly ask parents to submit their requests in writing or via email to me by Friday 1 November. This will allow our teachers and executive team sufficient time to consider your requests as they work on forming classes.
While we strive to accommodate requests wherever possible, the complexity of class formation means that we may not always be able to fulfil every request. Therefore, we advise that any requests received after the deadline of Friday 1 November may face challenges in being accommodated.
Your partnership and collaboration are truly valued as we work together to create a positive and supportive learning environment for all our students.
🚫ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILD NOT TO SHARE FOOD🚫
Recently, we have observed some students sharing food with their peers during lunch and recess, as well as instances where students have been asking others for their food. While we appreciate the kind intentions behind sharing, and the curiosity behind asking, we also want to highlight the importance of food safety and the wellbeing of all students.
Sharing food can pose risks, especially for those with life threatening allergies or dietary restrictions. Similarly, asking others for their food may inadvertently put pressure on students and create uncomfortable situations. To ensure the safety and wellbeing of all students, we kindly ask for your support in discouraging your children from sharing food and from asking others for their food at school.
Here are a few ways you can help reinforce these messages with your child:
Communicate openly: Talk to your child about the importance of not sharing food with their classmates or asking others for their food. Explain to them the potential risks and social implications involved, and encourage them to be mindful of others' needs and boundaries.
Pack appropriate snacks: When preparing your child's lunchbox, consider including a variety of snacks that cater to their tastes and dietary requirements. This can reduce the temptation to share food with others or ask for their food.
Encourage empathy: Teach your child to consider how their actions may impact others. Encourage empathy and kindness towards their peers, while also emphasising the importance of respecting personal boundaries and making mindful choices.
By working together, we can create a safe and inclusive environment for all students at our school. Thank you for your continued support in reinforcing these important messages with your children.
⭐⭐⭐🤩 CHECK OUT THIS WOW WORK - K/1T 🤩⭐⭐⭐
The creative writers of K/1T have been enjoying narrative writing this term. They crafted an imaginative story about the adventures of a girl and her dragon that depict the kind and caring nature of friendships K/1T already share.
As we approach the spring school holiday period, I wanted to take a moment to wish each and every one of you a wonderful, relaxing and safe break.
I hope that the school holidays provide you with the opportunity to recharge, spend quality time with loved ones, and enjoy some well-deserved rest. Whether you have exciting travel plans, relaxing staycations, or fun activities lined up, I hope you make the most of the holidays.
I am already looking forward to welcoming everyone back for Term 4. I can't wait to hear about the adventures you've had, the memories you've made, and the experiences you've enjoyed during the break.
A reminder that students return to school on Monday 14 October for the start of Term 4.
Wishing you all a safe, happy, and rejuvenating school holiday period. Take care, have fun, and see you soon!
Warm regards,
Mrs Terri Bullock
Principal
🐛🍎📚 LIBRARY NEWS 📚🍎🐛
📘 Premier's Reading Class Challenge 📘
😄 Winners Are Grinners! 😀
Congratulations to our Premier Reading Class Challenge winners 3M, who enjoyed their pizza celebration in the library this week. A well deserved treat for the class who had the most students complete their individual reading log this year. Remember, you can start recording your reading log now ready for the 2025 Premier Reading Challenge. A great time to get reading in the Spring Holidays!
Term 3 Class Dojo Winners!
Every term, when the students come to the library, they have the opportunity to earn 'Dojos' for their class. There are many ways they can do this. This includes:
- being responsible when borrowing and returning books
- helping a classmate find a book to borrow
- putting books back where they belong
- listening respectfully to both the teacher and their peers
- participating during class discussions.
Congratulations to the K-2 winner 2G and the 3-6 winner 4N for their outstanding behaviour this term. These two classes were rewarded by having a choice of activities for their last lesson in Week 10.
The Library at Lunchtime is the Place to Be!
It's lovely to see so many students choosing to come to the library at lunchtime. Whether they are keen to draw, play a game with friends, read or chat quietly or even help out in the library, there is always a happy 'buzz' in the room. I look forward to seeing you all next term. Remember, the library is open on Monday for reading at recess and Tuesday and Thursday for all activities at lunchtime.
Library Days
Please see below for your child's library day in Term 4:
Monday: K/1T, 3M, 5B and 6P
Tuesday: 1/2M, 5G and 6S
Wednesday: 2G, 4N and 4T
Thursday: KE, 1H and 3B
Please make sure your child brings their library bag to school.
To help protect our books, students MUST have a library bag to borrow. Thank you for your support and understanding.
I would like to wish you all a super holiday. Remember that reading is afterall a super power so don't forget to charge your batteries with some good books during the break.
Kerrie Pennell
Teacher Librarian
🎤👧👦 HILLS PUBLIC SPEAKING COMPETITION 👧👦🎤
Mr Girvan had a fantastic day when he recently attended the Hills Public Speaking Finals. The students did us proud as they represented Winston Heights Public School. It was a great pleasure to see the effort and dedication they put into their speeches.
In the Stage One competition, Maliza presented a well-structured speech with the topic of, ‘When I grow up’. She connected the audience with her personal experiences. Abigail spoke about Christmas, during her topic of ‘My favourite holiday’. She gave excellent examples and added a touch of humour.
In the Stage Two competition, Lara made the audience laugh when she informed them that she would wish for chocolate covered strawberries in her speech, ‘If I had three wishes’. It was well organised, with good articulation in her voice. Jazz captured the audience with the use of her voice and hand gestures during her informative speech on, ‘How can I make a difference?’.
In the Stage Three competition, Evie used lots of excellent examples, including personal experiences during her speech on, ‘Things I can’t live without’. Harley presented a well-organised speech giving many interesting examples of how celebrities can affect us all in her speech, ‘Do celebrities make good roles models?’.
Despite their tremendous efforts, there won’t be any Winston Heights students moving onto the grand final. However, I know we will see many wonderful performances in the years to come.
Well done to these PBL award winners who have been Safe, Respectful & Responsible Learners:
💖💖💖🧸 RED PBL BADGE 🧸 💖💖💖
Stage 1:
- Hunter (K/1T)
- Evan (K/1T)
- Alex (1H)
- Neel (1H)
- Aaron (1H)
- NFP (1H)
- Aria (1H)
- Sophiya (1H)
- Mason (1H)
- Lawson (1/2M)
- Charlotte (1/2M)
Stage 2:
- Aaron (3B)
- Mariella (3M)
- Waleed (4N)
- Kenneth (4N)
- Jeremy (4N)
Stage 3:
- Dimitri (5G)
- Kenan (5G)
- Eddie (5G)
- Liam (5G)
- Jack (5G)
- Adeline (5G)
- Olivia (5G)
- Oliver (6P)
- Eli (6S)
💙💙💙🧸 BLUE PBL BADGE 🧸💙💙💙
Stage 1:
- Tyler (1/2M)
- Ari (2G)
Stage 2:
- Kai (3M)
- Madeline (4N)
- Jacob (4N)
Stage 3:
- Tabitha (5G)
- Victoria (5G)
- Aaliyah (5G)
- Hannah (6P)
- Zarah (6P)
- Mitchell (6P)
- Winnie (6S)
- James (6S)
- Harley (6S)
💚💚💚🧸 GREEN PBL BADGE 🧸 💚 💚 💚
Stage 2:
- Anvi (3B)
- Addison (3M)
- Bryant (4N)
- Sienna (4T)
Stage 3:
- Abby (5G)
- Aashna (6S)
- Chloe (6S)
🧡🧡🧡🧸BRONZE PBL BADGE 🧸 🧡🧡🧡
Stage 2:
- Jazz (4T)
💛 💗 💙 PBL Fortnight Focus for Term 3 💙 💗 💛
Weeks 9-10
- I am safe and respectful when participating in sporting activities by accepting decisions made by referees, umpires and teachers.
🎯 FROM THE OFFICE 🎯
📑💰 PERMISSION NOTES & PAYMENTS NOW DUE 💰📑
- Motiv8sport dance (whole school) - permission due 27 September
- Stage 2 Zoo Snooz Camp - installment due
Payments can be made online or via cash or EFT at the Office.
Wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday. We'll see you all for Term 4.
(First day back for students is Monday 14 October 2024.)
Mrs Leverton, Mrs Calvar, Miss Griffin & Ms Lowe
📆 DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 📆
*** Dates advertised below for school events and activities are subject to change ***
⭐ Term 3 2024 ⭐
September 2024
Fri 27 - Sydney West Athletics Carnival
Fri 27 -Last day of Term 3 for students
⭐ Term 4 2024 ⭐
October 2024
Mon 14 - First day of Term 4 for students
Thu 17 - 3-6 Assembly
Fri 18 - World Teachers Day
Fri 18 - Summer PSSA round 7
Thu 24 - K-2 Assembly
Fri 25 - Summer PSSA round 8
Mon 28 - Grandparents and Friends day
Mon 28 - Tryout Night for Beginner Band 2025 (Year 2 +)
Mon 28 - P&C Meeting
Wed 30 - Kindy 2025 Orientation
Thu 31 - 3-6 Assembly
Thu 31 - P&C Crazy Sock and Hair Day - gold coin donation
November 2024
Fri 1 - Summer PSSA round 9
Wed 6 - Kindy 2025 Orientation
Mon 11 - Remembrance Day
Wed 13 - Kindy 2025 Orientation
Tue 19 - Wed 20 - Stage 2 Zoo Snooz Camp
Thu 28 - PBL Assembly
December 2024
Mon 2 - Band Presentation Evening
Tue 3 - Public School High School Transition Day
Tue 3 - Keyboard Presentation Night
Fri 6 - Class Party & Mufti Day
Mon 9 - Presentation Day K-2 & 3-6
Tue 10 - Christmas Carols Evening
Wed 11 - Year 6 Graduation Assembly and Farewell
Tue 17 - Talent Quest
Wed 18 - Last Day of Term 4
📆 2024 TERM DATES 📆
Term 4 – Monday 14 October to Friday 20 December
***Please note: School development days for staff are included in these term dates and parents and carers should not send their children to school on these days.
2024 school development days
These dates are determined by the department and are scheduled to occur on the first 2 days of Term 1, the first day of Terms 2 and 3, and the last day of the school year.
- Friday 20 December
📅 2025 Term Dates 📆
Term 1 - Friday 31 January to Friday 11 April
Note: Students return Tues 4 February
Term 2 - Mon 28 April to Friday 4 July
Note: Students return Wed 30 April
Term 3 - Monday 21 July to Friday 26 September
Note: Students return Tuesday 22 July
Term 4 - Monday 13 October to Friday 19 December
Note: No Staff Development Day - Term 4 ends of 19 December for staff and students
***Please note: School development days for staff are included in these term dates and parents and carers should not send their children to school on these days.
2025 school development days
These dates are determined by the department and are scheduled to occur on the first 2 days of Term 1, the first day of Terms 2 and 3, and the last day of the school year.
⚽ 🏀 🏐 PSSA Summer Fixtures ⚽ 🏀 🏐
Basketball
Softball/Tball
- Friday 18 October walk to Gooden Reserve, Baulkham Hills
- Friday 25 October walk to Gooden Reserve, Baulkham Hills
- Friday 1 November bus to Torry Burn Reserve, Baulkham Hills
- Friday 8 November walk to Gooden Reserve, Baulkham Hills
Touch Football
Students will catch a bus to Ted Horwood Reserve, Baulkham Hills
- Friday 18 October
- Friday 25 October
- Friday 1 November
- Friday 8 November
The P&C is excited to announce our upcoming activities for Term 4 and we are seeking enthusiastic volunteers to help make these events a success!
Upcoming Events:
- P&C Class Party Day: 6th August during the day
- Christmas Carols BBQ: Tuesday, 10th December, prior to the Winston's Beary Christmas Carols performed by our children.
Please mark these dates in your calendar. We will be sending out sign-up sheets early next term, so keep an eye out if you're interested in lending a hand!
With Christmas just around the corner, we are reaching out to seek your help with donations to create hampers for our upcoming Christmas Raffle.
We have a variety of hamper themes in mind, including but not limited to:
- Christmas Food Hampers
- Family Fun Hampers
- Summer Hampers
- Games Hampers
- Arts and Craft Hampers
- Pamper Hampers
- Party Food Hampers
We kindly ask that you keep these ideas in mind throughout the holidays, as we will be calling for donations early in Term 4.
If you know of any local businesses or if you have a small business that would like to support this initiative, please contact us at events@winstonheightspandc.com.
Thank you in advance for your generosity and support.
Wishing you a wonderful holiday break, and we look forward to seeing you in Term 4!
Reminder: Winston Heights Public School P&C Association is on Facebook! Follow us here
Our aim is to provide WHPS parents/carers with information about P&C news, events, meetings etc.
UNIFORM SHOP
REMINDER: Term 4 students will wear their Summer uniform.
Uniform shop is open on Wednesdays 8.30am - 10am. Orders can be placed using Flexischools by Monday 4pm for delivery to the student on Wednesdays. Cash or EFT payments can be made at the uniform shop however we do request you bring close to correct amount for orders as we carry limited change.
Upcoming Events
Term 4
Monday 28 October – P&C Meeting at 7pm
Thursday 31 October – Crazy Hair & Sock Day
Monday 25 November – P&C Meeting at 7pm
Friday 6 December – P&C Class Party and Mufti Day
Tuesday 10 December – P&C Christmas Carols BBQ
🚨 COMMUNITY NOTICES 🚨
Founded in 2020 by Greg Page, the original Yellow Wiggle, their story began with a terrifying experience that redefined Greg's purpose and, eventually, the lives of countless Australians.
Nearly every adult in Australia knows or has been moved in some way from someone with heart issues. But would you know what to do if someone’s heart suddenly stopped? Would you be frozen with fear, or spring into action? Transform that anxiety into confidence with the World Resus Rally.
On Wednesday 16 October at 7pm, adults are invited to attend a free online session to ‘make a difference’. Greg Page will lead you through a live, interactive session on CPR, AED use, and the Chain of Survival. This isn’t just a demonstration—it’s your chance to find out how you could save a life. More information and registration can be found at:
We want to work with businesses within our school communities
Work is available maintaining our schools
School Infrastructure NSW manages a large maintenance program for more than 2,000 schools across all parts of NSW. To do this work, we are looking to engage local businesses, including Aboriginal owned businesses and people.
We want to go local
We are moving towards direct management of facilities maintenance, bringing in new facilities maintenance contractors and tradespeople to work directly under contract with us.
Why go local? We want to:
- be more responsive to maintenance issues reported by schools.
- ensure we are working with local trades and spending our money in our local communities.
- provide better working conditions for local tradespeople, including faster payment terms.
Opportunities for Aboriginal businesses
In addition to increasing our engagement of local contractors, we are also seeking to grow the number of local Aboriginal businesses we work with and increase employment opportunities for Aboriginal employees, apprentices and trainees.
We have Aboriginal Senior Program Officers who are able to help Aboriginal businesses, and local contractors who already employ or are looking to employ Aboriginal employees, apprentices, and trainees.
The trades and services we are looking for include:
- Multi Tradespeople
- Plumber (including roof and gas)
- Electrician
- Lift Technician
- Refrigeration mechanic
- Glazier
- Hazmat
- Arborist AQ3 / AQ5
- Locksmith
- Cleaner
- Pest control
- Carpet / vinyl
- Data technician
- Security technician
- Painter
- Plasterer / renderer
- Tiler
- Landscaper
- Brick layer
- Fire management
- Sheet metal
- Concreter
- Removalist
- Playground specialist
- Pool technicians and cleaner
- Carpenters
- Gasfitters
- Test and tag
- Lighting
- Construction
- Gutter cleaning
- Equipment construction and maintenance
- Engineering
- Fencing services building and repair
- Roofing
How can I participate?
We’re looking for a wide variety of maintenance services and trades to start with us from 1 July 2023 including electricians, plumbers, painters, and many others. It’s easy to work with us!
Reach out to our team to find out more and access the documents to apply to work with us.
On approval you’ll be setup in our systems and onboarded, with induction covering how to work with us and use our systems. Then start getting work orders allocated within 48 hours!
Contacts - To register your interest send an email to:
Southern NSW Regional Office – snsw.fmct@det.nsw.edu.au
Hunter Central Coast Regional Office — hcc.fmct@det.nsw.edu.au
North Coast Regional Office — nc.fmct@det.nsw.edu.au
Northern Sydney Regional Office —ns.fmct@det.nsw.edu.au
Sydney Regional Office — syd.fmct@det.nsw.edu.au
Western Sydney Regional Office — ws.fmct@det.nsw.edu.au
South Western Sydney Regional Office — sws.fmct@detnsw.edu.au
North Western NSW/New England Regional Office — nwnsw.fmct@det.nsw.edu.au
SNAP SEND SOLVE
Being a community legend has never been easier!
Spotted an issue in your community like graffiti, illegal parking, dumped rubbish, trip hazards or abandoned trolleys? Time to get Snapping!
Snap Send Solve is the free app that simplifies the reporting of community issues across Australia and New Zealand.
We’ve made reporting quick and easy which means when you see an issue while you’re out, you can let the responsible authority know with only a few taps. Become a community legend and download Snap Send Solve today.
Snap Send Solve works on both iOS and Android devices and is available to download for free on both the App Store and Google Play.
Note that some older versions of iOS and Android are not supported.
You can also submit reports via the Snap Send Solve reporting website, report from your desktop below.