Dear Parents, carers and students,

This is our final newsletter for 2024 and I would like to take the time to celebrate the achievements of our students at Prestons Public School, I am filled with immense pride and gratitude for our incredible community. It has been a year of hard work, determination, and growth, and I would like to take a moment to reflect on the remarkable journey we have undertaken together.

First and foremost, I want to acknowledge the hard-working team at Prestons Public School. Each day, our dedicated teachers, School Learning Support Officers, office staff, cleaners, GA and our school counsellors who work tirelessly to deliver outstanding education to our students. Their unwavering commitment is the backbone of our success, and together, we have fostered an environment where every child is known, valued, and cared for. A special thank you goes to our amazing senior executive team who always support me Mrs. Lloyd, Mrs. Beavis, and Mrs. Whittles who are passionate and work tirelessly every day to make a difference in the lives of our students.

We are especially excited to celebrate and congratulate all of our students. Your hard work, perseverance, and dedication have not gone unnoticed, and we are so proud of each and every one of you. Your achievements are a testament to your commitment to excellence, and I encourage you to continue striving for greatness in all that you do.

This year, we have focused on nurturing our learner qualities being problem solvers, curious, determined, resilient, reflective, brave, and collaborative. Our Prestons Pride team has been instrumental in delivering lessons that embody these qualities, and I am thrilled to see our students beginning to demonstrate and live into what it means to be great learners. It is this spirit of enquiry and collaboration that will serve them well not just in school, but throughout their lives.

Another most significant developments this year has been the establishment of our Student Parliament. It has been truly inspiring to witness our students exercising their voice and agency, discussing important issues and making decisions that impact our school community. We have voted on and are currently in the process of delivering exciting initiatives such as new football posts, an art club during lunchtime, shade sails over our skipping area, reversible hats that will be available for sale next year, and so much more. I hope parents had the opportunity to watch the livestream of our Student Parliament sessions it was nothing short of impressive! Our students are feeling more connected to our great school, and their enthusiasm is infectious.

Looking at the growth of our students, I am proud to highlight the value added among our Stage 3 students. Their progress is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our staff and students alike. As we move forward, we are committed to deepening our impact from K-4, ensuring that every child has the necessary tools to excel academically and personally.

Wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do at Prestons Public School. We prioritise creating a nurturing environment where every child feels safe and supported. Our initiatives, such as morning greetings at every gate, Breakfast Club, and the PALS area for our K-2 students, provide a fun and enriching environment for play and learning. Additionally, our library quiet play, skipping, oval games, bush lands, gymnastics, passion projects, dance, choir, and sporting groups all contribute to the holistic development of our students. We look forward to building on these initiatives in 2025 and beyond.

I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported us during our fabulous Spring Fair. It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and showcase our great school to the wider Prestons community.

As we reflect on and celebrate our achievements, we must also look to the future. We are proud to be a part of public education, providing every child with opportunities to grow and succeed. It is our responsibility to nurture the leaders of tomorrow, and I am excited about the bright future that lies ahead for our students.

As our Year 6 students prepare to transition to high school, I wish them all the best in their new adventures. You have grown so much during your time at Prestons, and I am confident you will continue to shine in the next chapter of your educational journey. As you step into the exciting journey of high school, remember: Every ending is a new beginning. Embrace challenges with courage, pursue your passions with determination, and believe in your potential to shine. The future is yours to create make it extraordinary!"

I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the incoming Student Parliament members! Your willingness to take on this important role is a testament to your commitment to making a positive impact in our school community. I am excited to see the fresh ideas and energy you will bring as you represent your peers. At the same time, I want to express our deepest gratitude to the outgoing Prime Ministers, Deputy Prime Ministers, and Ministers for their outstanding work this year. Your leadership, dedication, and passion have set a high standard, and you have made a significant difference in our school. Thank you for your service and for paving the way for the next generation of leaders!

Thank you all for your ongoing support and collaboration as we all work together to make a difference to our students. Congratulation to our students' who received awards at presentation day this year. Your hard work and dedication are what make Prestons Public School a wonderful place to learn and grow. Together, we will continue to inspire, support, and nurture our students as they embark on their journey to becoming lifelong learners.

Lastly, I would like to express my gratitude to the P&C for being an integral part of our great school. Your support and dedication make a significant impact on our community.

Happy and safe holidays to all and looking forward to seeing you all in 2025!

Mrs Van Der Meulen

Principal | Prestons Public School

Learning and caring with pride

At Prestons Public School we are committed to improving the learning and wellbeing of every student, teacher and leader, every day.

Don't forget you can copy the link to our newsletter into Google Translate and read the newsletter in your home language.

Đừng quên bạn có thể sao chép liên kết tới bản tin của chúng tôi vào Google Dịch và đọc bản tin bằng ngôn ngữ ở nhà của bạn.

កុំភ្លេចថាអ្នកអាចចម្លងតំណទៅព្រឹត្តិបត្ររបស់យើងទៅក្នុង Google Translate ហើយអានព្រឹត្តិប័ត្រព័ត៌មានជាភាសាដើមរបស់អ្នក។

Не заборавите да можете копирати везу до нашег билтена у Гоогле преводилац и читати билтен на свом језику.

Aua ne'i galo e mafai ona e kopiina le so'otaga i la matou nusipepa ile Google Translate ma faitau le nusipepa i lau gagana.

यह मत भूलिए कि आप हमारे न्यूज़लेटर के लिंक को गूगल अनुवाद में कॉपी कर सकते हैं और न्यूज़लेटर को अपनी स्थानीय भाषा में पढ़ सकते हैं।

لا تنس أنه يمكنك نسخ الرابط إلى نشرتنا الإخبارية في ترجمة Google وقراءة النشرة الإخبارية بلغتك الأم.

Wednesday 18th December - Last day of Term 4

Thursday 19th December - Staff Development Day

Friday 20th December - Staff Development Day

Thursday 6th February - Kindy to Year 6 return for Term 1, 2025

Zander - 2 Collaborative

Kyle - K Problem Solvers

Yunus - K Problem Solvers

Gerrard - K Curious

Jacob - K Curious

Ensaf - 1 Determined

Lexi - 2 Brave

Mia - 2 Brave

Zachary - 2 Brave

Shyla - 2 Reflective

Savera - ¾ Reflective

Nour - 5 Brave

It's not too late to enrol for Kindergarten 2025. Enrolments are still being processed, if you need to enrol your child please submit your enrolment through our school website.

Enrolment - Prestons Public School

Please contact our friendly office staff should you have any questions or need assistance with the enrolment process.

To help us plan and organise our class structure and staffing for the upcoming year, it would be appreciated if you could inform us if your child will not be returning to Prestons Public School in 2025 or if your child will be taking an extended holiday and not returning on the first day of Term 1, 2025

If your child is missing any items please check lost property rack as soon as possible. All unclaimed items will be cleared out next week.

Parents with students commencing Year 5 in 2025, are reminded that the uniform for our senior students changes from the maroon polo to the white school emblemed polo shirt.

Uniforms can be purchased from the Liverpool or Moorebank Uniforms & Embroidery stores or online.

Information, pricing and store opening hours can be found by visiting their website:

Moorebank Uniforms & Embroidery – Schoolwear and Workwear

We are excited to announce the launch of our new online shop platform called Made For School!

This upgrade to the MUE online shop is designed to enhance convenience for parents/students while ensuring a seamless shopping experience. The MUE website address is still the same - www.moorebankuniformsandembroidery.com.au/shop, however, once customers click on the Prestons Public School logo they will be redirected to the new Made For School online platform which you can see here

Please see attached for further details.

What a great night we all had.

We had so much fun today at the K-2 movie reward day

Applications will be open each year from November to February (the following year) for both selective high school and opportunity class placement. Parents and carers will still apply online using the Selective high school and opportunity class placement application website.

Applications for selective high school and opportunity class entry in 2026 will be open from 7 November 2024 to 21 February 2025.

For selective high school placement, parents and carers will continue to apply when their child is in Year 5 and can now apply when their child is in year 6 until the end of Week 4, Term 1.

Please go to shsoc.education.nsw.gov.au/

See booklet below for further information:

Parents and carers will now need to apply for opportunity class placement when their child is in Year 3 (or by the end of Week 4, Term 1 when their child is in Year 4). This change applies to students currently in Year 3.

Opportunity classes - Parents apply when their child is near the end of Year 3 in 2024 or at the beginning of Year 4 in 2025.

Please go to shsoc.education.nsw.gov.au/

See booklet below for further information:

Students in the Opal network applying for an Opal card (including a Term Bus Pass) for the first time will receive their School Opal card at their nominated postal address from mid-January 2025.

Students progressing from year 2 to year 3 and from year 6 to year 7 do not need to re-apply if they:

• are continuing at the same school, and
• are residing at the same address, and
• have not been sent an expiry notification from Transport for NSW.

Where a student meets the new distance eligibility, the system will automatically update their entitlement. If they do not meet the new eligibility, they will receive an expiry notification.

Students who change address, school, campus location, have repeated a year or received an expiry notification for their school travel entitlement need to renew or update their details before the end of term 4. This will ensure that schools can endorse applications, so their travel entitlement can remain valid for the start of the 2025 school year.

Students who have an entitlement approved under a medical condition that is due to expire will receive a notification advising them to re-apply.

Our school Newsletter, Prestons Post, is updated each week. This contains important information about upcoming events and activities at Prestons PS. Information and past newsletters can be found on our school website – www.prestons-p.schools.nsw.edu.au.

You can also access our school facebook page for important updates, photographs and information about upcoming or past events at our school - https://www.facebook.com/PrestonsPublicSchoolDecPages/. Various other notes are given out during the school term detailing specific activities happening at school. Please check your child’s bag every day as young children often forget messages.

Sentral

Our school is using the Sentral App to communicate with parents about everything that is happening at school. Sentral allows families to update their details, view academic reports, explain past absences, request future absences, view calendar events, book parent/teacher interviews, receive sick bay notifications, view school newsletters, as well as receive real time notifications and messages from the school.

The canteen operates five days a week to provide lunches to the children at reasonable prices. Lunch orders are to be written on a lunch bag at home, with the child’s full name and class.

If you wish to order your child’s lunch, their lunch order is to be given to the canteen before school starts in the morning.

Lunch Orders can also be made using the online ordering system www.myschoolconnect.com.au. All orders must be made before 8am.

Class baskets are collected from the canteen at lunchtime, and your child will then receive their lunch order at the appropriate time during the school day.

Updated Menu is included below