- Ironbark Ridge PS 1 Ironbark Ridge Road, Rouse Hill, 2155. Ph: 8814 5687 Fax: 8814 5698 Email: ironbarkrg-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au Webpage: https://ironbarkrg-p.schools.nsw.gov.au Nurturing personal growth through inspired learning…

Newsletter 2020

Term 1 Week 9 27th March, 2020 Be Safe, Be Responsible, Be Respectful

DATES FOR THE DIARY

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PRINCIPAL’S REPORT Ironbark Ridge separated yet still connected A fortnight since our last newsletter, yet it seems like a year! So much in our school (world?) has changed in just two weeks. Our biggest challenge during this time of isolation will be to remain connected as a school. Who are we if we don’t turn up every morning for the drop-off dribble down Ironbark Ridge Rd and back up? Are we still Ironbark Ridge if we are not all together in morning lines on Monday morning singing the National Anthem? How will students cope without Mr Thomson’s weekly Wednesday afternoon Assembly talk with his red backpack and Ridgy the Frog plush toy?? Although it sounds silly, the importance of remaining connected as a school community cannot be underestimated. This newsletter will continue to keep you updated on all happenings both here at our physical school site, and also around the wider new virtual school located in home studies, kitchens and dining rooms across this part of The Hills. Our other means of communication such as the Facebook page and the sentral Parent Portal will also push information your way. Stay tuned, stay on The Way, and stay connected, Ironbarkers! Successful Learners now being put to the test Our Ironbark Ridge learners have been forced into a situation that will require far greater autonomy and Self-Reliance than ever required here in classroom with their guiding and modelling classroom teachers and supportive peers by their side. Our Assistant Principal, Learning & Support, the remarkable Ms Robson, spoke via video this morning to students (if they could stream/download it) about using their best skills of being a learner in this new Learning From Home environment. Have a watch if you have missed it. Every learner’s backpack of 12 Successful Learner Habits will definitely be useful over these coming weeks in the Learning From Home mode of operation. Harmony and Kindness are… The Ironbark Way! Over the past fortnight we have celebrated two important days in our annual school calendar; both days that remind us of Excellence in behaviour and spirit – our Bullying: No Way! Day, and Harmony Day. Showing kindness and tolerance towards others is human behaviour at its best, and the thoughtful, positive messages of hope and encouragement from our School Leaders posted along the sides of the school pathway raised many spirits on our Bullying: No Way! day. The work of our School Leaders so far in 2020 has been outstanding, highlighting the important role they play in modelling and developing school spirit and a caring culture at Ironbark Ridge. Look out this weekend for a visual treat celebrating Harmony day 2020 at Ironbark Ridge… starring some of our students Learning From Home!

Doing… completing… or Learning? I audibly winced yesterday during yet another Dept. of Education livestream briefing for school leaders as the term ‘Educational Supervision’ reached my ears for the first time. New phrases are coined and the dictionary writers get excited when a new paradigm is forced upon us. Teachers are no longer teaching our learners, but instead we have been reduced to supervising the education of students remotely. I wanted to make this distinction and clarification for you all for two main reasons:

1. We know that you, as the parents and carers of our learners, will be amazing in your efforts to support learners in your homes and guide them through this time.

2. Teaching, especially explicit instruction, is a remarkably complex and difficult skill, honed over time and through professional observations, discussion and personal reflection. The ability to accurately observe and respond insightfully to learner cues during instruction is a highly difficult skill.

Learning is not just doing tasks. Activities designed to keep students busy rely on compliance and a desire to please or ‘complete’ from the participants. This is merely supervision. Much of what we are currently asking students to do falls into this category. Homework has always been in this space. Practising a skill and becoming more proficient is certainly a form of learning, but new skills and knowledge rely on strategic presentation of opportunities for the learner to employ current skills and strategies in situations that are slightly out of their current ability; in that ‘Goldilocks Zone’ we have previously discussed where the challenge is “not too hard, not too easy, but just right.” So how can we deliver this experience for our learners through the currently available online communication platforms? Unfortunately the answer is “With great difficulty!” I can assure you, however, that over the coming weeks our experienced and expert teaching staff will begin to deliver some of this. I have already seen some of what will be presented to your child(ren) next week and continue to be so impressed by the excellence of our teaching team at Ironbark Ridge. Stay Active Fitness (endurance, strength and flexibility) are extremely important to our mental health and wellbeing. Please make sure you and your child(ren) are getting enough physical activity during these coming weeks. Budding dance choreographers can get siblings all in line (and obviously give the starring roles to Mum and Dad) for a daily practice session and then a big performance. Perhaps an obstacle course in the backyard is in order! Our trips to the beach and camping holidays may all be on hold but a brisk walk through the park will allow you all to release some energy and maintain your fitness, while being able to stay the required 2m from other people along the way Teacher Profile – Ms Sayer The very fortunate 6S have, as their fearless leader, the sensational Ms Sayer. To say that Ms Sayer is a

‘proficient’ teacher would perhaps rate as the biggest understatement possible! Year 6 students in Ms Sayer’s class enjoy deep discussions, even philosophical inquiries at times, questioning their emotions, their prejudices and growing and maturing into response-able and caring citizens. Ms Sayer gently guides her students to take responsibility for their actions, choices and relationships in the amazingly caring and supportive classroom environment she creates. She is clear and explicit with her instruction, can tailor the difficulty of lessons to meet the needs of all levels of students, and inspires the previously disengaged to reach their potential. Ms Sayer is known among staff for getting the best out of her students in every way imaginable. The amount of paperwork (evidence?) to prove to our NSW Educational Standards Authority (NESA) that Ms Sayer is in fact not ‘Proficient’, but rather is ‘Highly

Accomplished’ would not equal the certainty that Ironbark Ridge students, staff and parents have that she is in fact an expert teacher!

School Executive Profile – Ms Robson Ms Robson manages our many and various Learning and Support programs across the whole school Kindy to Year 6. She is a highly respected teacher who is able to wrangle the most restless students and challenge all in their Goldilocks Zone. Although from a predominantly early childhood training and experience background she is just as comfortable with the oldest learners in our school, the Teachers! Ms Robson is an outstanding Instructional Leader who is on a regular call-out roster into other teachers’ classrooms to demonstrate teaching techniques and analyse learning needs of our students. Never still for longer than a second, she has relieved as Deputy Principal at Ironbark Ridge on numerous occasions and leads by example and deep knowledge of best teaching practice. We are extremely fortunate to have Ms Robson as part of the Ironbark Ridge leadership team.

Ms Robson (Assistant Principal) Office Excellence Our often unsung heroes in the school Administration Office are today saying farewell to a vital member of their team, who is retiring. Jill Budzinski has been working at Ironbark Ridge since 2009, and her skills in both school Office and Library administration (as well as the fortnightly compilation of this Newsletter!!) will be greatly missed. Staff held a brief, 2m-per-person-spaced, outdoor, fun and informal celebration after school today for Jill, and we are postponing the official function until later in the year. She receives a Public Service medal for her contribution to NSW Public Schools. Thanks for the wonderful times working together, Jill! Easter Community celebrations and opportunities to gather and connect are unfortunately on hold at present, so our planned Easter Hats and Crazy Hair Parade has been… re-imagined! We will be holding the event via a new format and will require your support from home to make, parade, photograph and email us your child(ren) in their Hat/Hair. So… start making/planning/teasing up your creations. The theme will obviously still be Easter… or eggs, chocolate and craziness if you don’t celebrate Easter I can’t wait to see how our extremely creative Ironbarkers will respond! Year 6 Shirt Despite the current disruption I’m sure we will emerge the other side much stronger and wiser, and our Year 6 students are no different. This is still their big year of Primary school, and we want it to remain memorable for some of the right reasons as well! We had hoped to have all payments for Year 6 Shirts to the school Admin Office by today, but numbers are low and we understand the sorts of reasoning behind this. We still plan on placing the order after next week and are offering all Year 6 parents one extra week, closing next Friday April 3rd, to contact us and confirm order numbers. This Yr6 shirt is a momento and hugely valued by our students every year as part of their rite of passage into High School. Still walking, with Ridgy, along The Ironbark Way towards strength, respect and excellence! Nick Thomson Principal

DEPUTY PRINCIPALS’ REPORT Learning from Home What a difference a fortnight makes. It has certainly been a learning curve for our students and staff in adjusting to remote learning from home. We thank all those who have sent messages of support and beautiful treats for our staff. During these uncertain times, this support has been warmly and gratefully received. Virtual Teaching and Learning We have been thrust into the world of online teaching and learning, and as Deputy Principals, we couldn’t ask for more than the work our teachers have put together in such a short period of time. All students should have received their ‘Learning From Home’ matrix on Tuesday through your email account. Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 students have been working through these activities using materials found at home. Stage 2 students have completed their activities on Microsoft Teams, and Stage 3 students have been using Google Classrooms. From next week, Kindergarten to Year 2 students will be accessing their learning using Seesaw. Students who normally receive support in small groups (Learning Support, Numeracy Groups, EAL/D) will have separate work sent home from next week. This has been a mammoth task and one our teachers have excelled in; continuing their classroom programs using remote learning technologies, and upskilling themselves within what was effectively a 24 hour turnaround is nothing short of extraordinary. We ask you for your patience as we continue to learn the intricacies of each platform. We have been having fun using the available technologies as a staff group as well. Some teachers have been busy filming short videos for students, making interactive teaching materials, and using Zoom, Teams or Google Hangouts for our staff meetings. We have witnessed the silver lining of this whole experience – and that is the furthering of our learning as ‘lead learners’. Parents – Partners in Learning As well as the learning for teaching staff, we know that this week has been a huge learning curve for parents. We send our most heartfelt thanks and gratitude for the support shown from our parent community towards the learning programs and work done by our staff. We also want to assure parents; you are not meant to be teachers, and we do not expect you to be us! If your child doesn’t get through all the work, then that is perfectly fine. During these uncertain times, allowing your child some time away from devices and relaxation / Smiling Minds can be just as beneficial as academic learning.

Farewell Mrs Budzinski! Mrs Jill Budzinski retires today from her service in the Ironbark Ridge PS front office. She has nurtured our students, greatly assisted (and fed!) our staff and answered queries from parents for 11 wonderful years. Jill, your smiling face and calm, caring demeanour will be greatly missed by everyone in the IRPS community. We are sorry we couldn’t give you at least a ‘normal’ week for your last week here, (or even a retirement dinner, sadly) but now at least is the time you can relax, put your feet up and enjoy your gorgeous granddaughters. I know the community will join us in sending you our very best wishes for a happy retirement.

Communication and Seeking Assistance If you are looking for assistance with the technology, please do not hesitate to send an email to the school email address ironbarkrg-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au or your class contact, and they will forward your question to the most appropriate person. You may also call the school, but be aware that your child’s class teacher may not necessarily be working on-site that day, so your query may be answered by another staff member.

Virtual Easter Hat / Crazy Hair Parade Our team has been looking for new and innovative ways to keep our current school events running so our school community can gather in the virtual space. One idea has been to hold our Easter Hat (K-2) and Crazy Hair (3-6) Parade virtually. We are encouraging families to take a photo of their child in their Easter Hat or with their Crazy hair and send it to the school email address. We will develop a slideshow of all of your creations and post it online, celebrating the end of term in a true Ironbark community fashion. (Please do not send in a photo if you are not willing to share your child’s photo online.) Kerry De Jager and Kerrie Pho Deputy Principals

KINDY CAPERS We are nearly at the end of Term 1 of Kindergarten and we have been delighted with how all the students have settled in and are really making progress in their learning. As teachers, there is nothing better that watching children grasp new concepts and have those light bulb moments. Before this craziness all began, the students have been highly engaged in learning in the classroom. In maths, they have been busy learning about 3D objects - cubes, cylinders, spheres, pyramids and cones and how to make equal groups. In Science, we have been talking about how the weather affects us. Students had to work in groups to build a shelter for a “pet” that would provide protection from the sun, rain and wind. They tested their constructions and talked about ways that they could be improved. The

discussions were impressive!

Teaching and learning at IRPS has changed dramatically due to the current situation. Most Kindergarten students have been working from home using the grid provided. From next Monday, Kindergarten students will be provided with daily online learning through Seesaw. If your child was absent from school when individual learning codes were sent home, please check your email, as you should have received an email from the school office that includes the instructions and code to set up your Seesaw from home. Smiling Mind Next week as part of our Home Learning Program, we will be asking you to access an

app/website called Smiling Mind. Smiling Mind is a mindfulness app that can be downloaded to your phone or accessed on any device. Kindergarten students have been using Smiling Mind in their classrooms to relax and to just take a break from their busy day. We would like the children to still access this whilst at home. To sign up, download the app or access the website via: https://app.smilingmind.com.au/account/signup/ Once you have logged in, it will take you through steps and provide age appropriate sessions. It’s a great way to take some time to relax and reset the mind. We understand that these are stressful times and we do not expect you to be the teacher. Do the best you can do. We are here to support our students and you as their parents. Please don’t be concerned if your child can not get through all the work provided. Just do what is manageable for them and your family! We certainly do miss seeing the children’s smiling faces each morning. Take care.

Early Stage 1 Teachers STAGE 1 SNIPPETS What an interesting couple of weeks we are all having at the moment. In the midst of the COVID -19 pandemic, both Stage1 students and teachers are still highly involved with teaching and learning. We hope all is going well at home. All Stage 1 Teachers are missing their students. At this stage we are uncertain of when our excursion will go ahead, we thank you for your patience with this information. Stage 1 teachers are demonstrating their flexibility during this difficult time. Below are some pics of 2R enjoying a Mathematics lesson outdoors!

Pick up time in the afternoon is a particularly busy time for teachers, students, parents and carers. We are asking that during the afternoon pickup for Year 2 students, could you please not to stand under the COLA at the end of E block or block the pathway near this COLA. Teachers need to bring their classes to under the COLA whilst they are waiting for the bell to go. With all parents and carers standing under the COLA, transitioning students to their waiting lines is becoming very difficult for the teachers and students themselves. We all thank you for your cooperation with this. Stay safe and well. Stage 1 Teachers STAGE 2 SNIPPETS

It has been an interesting week for us all but we have been very impressed with the resilience and maturity with which our students have responded to the changes of routines and learning environments. They are a credit to you all. Our teachers have been working diligently to ensure the well-being of all our students and to provide rich learning opportunities, whether students are here at school with us or working from home. We have been delighted to see how well students have adapted to technology, the work samples they have shared online and the respectful way they have communicated with teachers and peers online. It has been lovely to see students collaborating and helping each other to solve problems navigating our new online learning platform. Students produced some very creative bedroom designs in one of their mathematics lessons this week but many had very expensive tastes! Teachers are happy to provide assistance to students or families that are finding it difficult to access their child’s online classroom in Microsoft Teams. If your child’s teacher has not specified their preferred method of communication, please send all enquiries to the school email address which will be quickly directed to the relevant teacher. This week would have seen Year 4 students attending camp at Broken Bay. If there is an opportunity to rebook the camp later in the year, we’ll let you know. Stay well and stay safe!

Stage 2 Teachers

STAGE 3 SNIPPETS We are so glad that we are fortunate enough to have technology to bring us together during these uncertain times. Teachers are proud of how students are working and displaying an incredible sense of maturity whilst navigating their way through this new learning curve. Thank you to those students who sent us pictures for Harmony day. You all looked lovely in your traditional and orange clothing.

We are looking forward to another awesome week of online learning. Remember to stay safe, keep exercising in creative ways, get fresh air and DON’T STRESS. A big thank you to parents and caregivers for adapting and supporting us and their children during these unprecedented times. Stage 3 teachers

CREATIVE ARTS

Art News Just a quick note to let you all know that if your children are feeling a little anxious or overwhelmed right now, or just need a break from online learning, they can access the Visual Arts activities online with their other subjects. Art and craft have a fabulous way of making the world disappear for a while; just colouring in can help us relax and refresh. We will be putting up new activities every week, with limited resources in mind, so please encourage them to have a go at all the different tasks. We look forward to seeing some pictures of their creativity uploaded soon. Please remember to keep artworks in a safe place to bring back to school when we return. Take care and be kind to each other. Mrs Katopau and Mrs Przyrembel Visual Arts Teachers

COMMUNITY NOTICES

Chess coaching will be ceasing until the end of the term, due to the increased risk of COVID-19. For the last 3 weeks of term, the classes will be delivered online. Sydney Academy of Chess will email details to all parents in the class. Please contact Sydney Academy of Chess on (02) 9745 1170 or email enrol@sydneyacademyofchess.com.au if you are interested in more details.