Newsletter | Term 2 Week 4

Principal Message

Enrolling now

Can you believe it’s already that time of year again? It's the perfect moment to start planning for your child's future—enrol at Floraville Public School for Kindergarten 2026 today. This marks an exciting milestone, and we can’t wait to embark on this journey with you and your little one.

Don’t forget to spread the word to friends and family so they can also get ready for this important step. Together, let’s ensure a smooth and successful beginning to your child’s educational adventure!

Safety in and around our school

Kiss and Ride

As we’ve all noticed, the recent torrential downpours have turned our beautiful school grounds into a bit of a water wonderland. While we enjoy splashing in the occasional puddle, it’s important to keep safety at the forefront, especially during drop-off and pick-up times at our dedicated Kiss and Ride Zone.

Why Kiss and Ride?

Our Kiss and Ride Zones are designed for your convenience, allowing you to pick up your child quickly and safely. When used properly by all parents and carers, these zones help minimise congestion and risk. Just a friendly reminder: these zones operate under the same conditions as no parking zones, meaning you may stop for a maximum of 2 minutes to drop off or pick up children. Please remain in, or within 3 metres of, your vehicle.

Guidelines for Morning Use:

• Enter the Kiss and Ride zone and move up as far as practicable.
• Preferably remain in your car, or exit briefly to assist your child with backpacks and equipment. Ensure children exit via the safety door—those are the car doors on the kerbside.
• Children should wait on the footpath, not behind or around cars on the road.
• After exiting, children should walk straight to the gate to meet a school staff member.
• Cars should exit the Kiss and Ride zone at the top to allow cars behind to enter or move forward.

Guidelines for Afternoon Use:

• Students wait with a staff member in the Kiss and Ride zone.
• Drive into the zone and move up as far as practicable.
• Please remain in your car, so that you can move up when the cars in front of you move.
• If you cannot remain in your car, please remember to exit briefly to support your child.
• Children should wait on the footpath until you are able to assist them safely.
• Cars should exit at the top, allowing others to enter or move forward.

Proposal to move Kiss and Ride

Department of Education staff from Health and Safety continue to liaise with Lake Macquarie City Council to seek alternative options out the front of the school, regarding 5-minute parking zones and Kiss and Ride.

The current proposal involves moving the Kiss and Ride zone to the southern end of the school, in the area between the 40kmh school zone sign and the set of lights for crossing. The current Kiss and Ride zone at the northern end of the school would be reclassified as parking, with further consideration required for the timing of parking in this zone.

This proposal is going to the Traffic Inspection Committee (TIC) for review in June. If it is accepted by the Committee, it will then proceed to the Traffic Facilities Committee (TFC) in July for endorsement.

We will continue to keep our families updated as information becomes available.

Crossing Floraville Road

Every day, our children observe our actions and learn from them. By crossing the road only at designated traffic lights, we not only protect ourselves but also demonstrate responsible behaviour for our little ones to emulate. Running out between cars can be incredibly dangerous, as visibility is often limited and vehicles may not be able to stop in time.

Here are a few simple reminders to keep our children safe:

1. Use the Traffic Lights: Always cross at the designated crossing in front of our school and wait for the green pedestrian signal. This ensures that you have a clear view of oncoming traffic.

2. Be Visible: Make sure you and your child are visible to drivers. Stand back from the curb until it's safe to cross.

3. Lead by Example: Our children are watching us. By following road rules and demonstrating safe crossing practices, we teach them the importance of safety.

4. Educate Together: Talk to your child about the importance of road safety. Encourage them to always look both ways and to wait for your signal before crossing.

Dogs on school grounds

As part of our commitment to ensuring a safe and welcoming environment for everyone, we would like to remind families of the regulations regarding dogs on school grounds under the Companion Animals Act 1998 (NSW), Section 14. Dogs are generally prohibited on school grounds unless specific permission is granted.

Permission may be granted in certain circumstances, including:

• Assistance or Service Dogs: These dogs are accredited and specially trained to assist individuals with disabilities. Assistance dogs have undergone a Public Access Test (PAT) and meet the NSW standards for public access rights. This category includes guide dogs, hearing dogs, and other service dogs specifically trained to perform tasks that aid a person’s quality of life and independence.

• Organised Visits or Programs: Instances where organised groups or educational programs, such as the Responsible Pet Ownership Education Program offered by the Office of Local Government, are scheduled to visit the school.

For families who need to bring dogs to school during pick-up or drop-off times, please remember that dogs must remain outside the school grounds and should be kept away from large groups of students to ensure everyone's safety. While many dogs are friendly and well-behaved, not all dogs react positively in busy school environments. The presence of dogs can pose safety risks to students, particularly young children who may not understand how to approach animals safely.

Further information can be found at COMPANION ANIMALS ACT 1998 - SECT 14

Working together as a community is essential to ensuring the safety of our children; by collaborating and following safety guidelines, we create a secure environment where they can learn and thrive.

Attendance update

We are delighted to share that our attendance data trends show a positive shift, with every day of the week currently exceeding previous year's attendance figures. This is a fantastic achievement and a testament to the commitment of our students and families. Our challenge will be to maintain this upward trend throughout the remained of the year. Consistent attendance plays a crucial role in our students' learning and development, so let’s continue to prioritise school attendance.

It is great to note that we have had a nearly 19% reduction in unexplained absences this year, compared to the same time last year. Thank you for your support in explaining your child's absences. Not sure how to explain your child's absences from school? There are four easy ways:

• Click on the link in the SMS we send out each morning.
• Use your School Bytes Parent app to explain absences or create a planned absence.
• Send us an email or give us a call.
• Following the link in the email we send out each afternoon.
  

Please remember that the NSW Education Act requires that all student absences must be explained within 7 days of the first day of them being away from school. 

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Let's hope there's some sunny weather around the corner for us!

Kirstie Yeo
Principal

Celebrating Success – Marlie – 2N Maths

In 2N, our engaging journey into the world of data collection has led to some remarkable learning moments, and we are excited to celebrate your success Marlie!

Recently, 2N has been exploring tally marks and interpreting data to draw meaningful conclusions. Marlie has taken this learning beyond the classroom and into her everyday life, demonstrating the power of explicit teaching in action.

On a trip to swimming with her nan, Marlie brought along her notepad and decided to put her skills to the test. As they travelled, she collected data on the colours of the cars they passed, using tally marks to keep track. In total, Marlie observed and recorded 54 cars, showcasing her keen observation skills.

After analysing her data, Marlie made an insightful conclusion: "The most popular car colour is white." This hands-on activity not only reinforced her understanding of data collection but also illustrated how learning can extend beyond the classroom walls.

Marlie's initiative and enthusiasm for applying what she learned in class to real-world situations is inspiring. It highlights the importance of explicit teaching in helping students make connections and develop critical thinking skills.

Nick Garner

Early Stage 1

Students in Kindergarten are learning about Persistence.

At Floraville Public School, this means we share the expectation that students will;

• Strive for goals.
• Keep trying.
• Challenge yourself.

Can you think of a time when you demonstrated persistence?

What are we learning in Kindergarten?

Literacy

We know that every sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop. You can notice this in the books, websites or magazines you enjoy at home. Another idea is to turn the closed captions on when watching TV.

We have started our new unit- “Telling Tales”. A tale is another name for a story. We are going to learn how to tell a story out loud. Before people knew how to write stories down on paper and in books, stories were always told out loud. Parents would tell their children stories and then they would tell their children those same stories. This is how many stories were passed on through time. Do you know any tales?

 Over the next two weeks, Kindergarten is reading “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” by Bill Martin, Jr and “It’s My Birthday” by Helen Oxenbury. Make sure you record any books you enjoy at home for the Premier’s Reading Challenge!

Numeracy

Kindergarten is learning to quickly say the number before and after, without dropping back to one.

Some games you can play at home include;

• Celebrity Heads with a number.
• Counting forwards or backwards.
• Make your own number line from 0-10 or 0-30 and talk about how you know which number is next.
• Make your own number line and take turns covering a number. How do you know which number is covered?

We are learning to combine groups to find the total. There are a few strategies we know, like counting from one or counting on. Can you combine groups at home? How many books do you have? On your next walk, collect some items to sort, group and count at home. Is it always best to count from one?

In Kindergarten we use informal units like cubes or books to measure and compare lengths. What can you measure at home? Make sure you align the ends!

When we measure how tall a person is, do we call it length?

PDHPE

Wow! We are so excited to enjoy gymnastics lessons at school for the next four weeks. Check out the photos below of us jumping, balancing and hanging.

Thank you for sending in photos of your children as babies, it has been the source of lots of rich discussion about how we grow and change.

Nhunda khumba khumba
(Thank you and goodbye)

Miss Katen
Early Stage 1 Assistant Principal

Stage 1

In all Stage 1 classrooms,  we can see student engagement and progress in learning. Through active participation in class discussions and collaborative activities, students are developing critical thinking skills and deepening their understanding of key concepts. Teachers are observing increased confidence in students as they tackle challenges and share their insights. It is great to see students making strides toward achieving their learning goals in a positive and dynamic learning environment.

English focus 

Mathematics 

In Year 1, students will develop a greater understanding of the attributes of length as well as the concept of partial measures. Students are provided opportunities to:

• explore units that can be used to measure our world
• reason why the number of units changes depending on the size of the unit used
• describe the lengths of objects that include partial measures
• explore the relationships between parts and a whole when describing fractions.

In Year 2, students will be developing knowledge, understanding, and skills of measurement, choosing the correct unit to measure. Students are provided opportunities to:

• explore spatial concepts of transformation
• explore attributes of measurement through meaningful experiences
• create a fair measurement
• use uniform units to count and measure.

Stage 1 Excursion

Students in Stage 1 will be heading to Hunter Valley Wildlife Park in Week 7, Term 3.

Year 1 will visit the park on Thursday, 4 September, and Year 2 on Friday, 5 September. Please see all details in the School Bytes app.

Physical Education

In Stage 1 we do not let the weather stop us from moving! We have been enjoying some yoga, physical education lessons on the basketball court and dancing in the hall.

Mrs Martinez
Stage 1 Assistant Principal

Stage 2

It has been a pleasure to visit each classroom in Stage 2 over the past fortnight. In 2/3K, Riley and Stella were keen to show off their graphing skills. They could tell me about the data they collected about people’s favourite games. Evie, Lenni and Hudson had sensational handwriting that displayed correct letter formation and spacing.

Isla and Grace from 3A spent some time informing me about dingoes. They have been learning about them while they read the book Wandi, which is about a dingo cub that is snatched from its family by an eagle and dropped into a suburban backyard.  The girls had plenty of facts to share.

In 4/5D, Jacob, Sophie, Estelle and Louie have been very interested in learning about their book ‘Wild Weather’. Maybe it could explain some of the conditions we’ve experienced this week. The students explained that the book has very interesting facts about extreme weather events, their impact on people and animals, and how science is evolving to understand natural disasters.

It was an absolute party when I visited 4L while they were dancing with Mrs Blake. Students are learning various dances from past decades. The sound of the song ‘YMCA’ had the class excited and moving to the beat. Dancing helps children improve coordination, balance, flexibility, and strength. It is fun and can be a great outlet for releasing energy and emotions.

Class 3/4O are enthusiastically learning about the flora and fauna in many different climates and environments found across the globe. They have been researching ecosystems from icy polar regions to tropical rainforests, exploring how weather patterns, landscapes, and living things vary in each unique setting. As part of the learning, students have also been developing their scientific vocabulary, using accurate terms to describe climatic zones and environmental features.

Information about the Year 3 Excursion to The Reptile Park is available via School Bytes.

Adam O’Shannessy
Stage 2 Assistant Principal

Stage 3

Over the past two weeks, I have seen our Stage 3 students show great flexibility with the wild weather! They have stepped up as leaders in the playground and worked well with classmates during PE and literacy lessons. It has been wonderful to see them diving into their new texts and making the most of every opportunity. Keep up the great work, Stage 3!

Students in 6N and 6C have been enjoying team teaching lessons in literacy, which have been both fun and engaging! They are diving into writing from different perspectives. By taking on the first-person narrative voice of Sasha, a young boy from the text "Rabbit, Angel, Soldier, Thief," students have skillfully expressed his thoughts and emotions in their writing pieces. Additionally, they have been exploring the history of World War II and making connections between this history and the text they are reading. It’s been a fantastic learning journey for everyone!

5/6F have been studying the novel, ‘Leila and the Blue Fox’. They have been immersed in the story of a girl with a traumatic past looking for her mother, juxtaposed with the true story of a fox that migrated thousands of miles. Students are learning about literary features such and perspective and context, and grammatical features including nominalisation and appositives.

Here is a writing sample composed by Alba B, from the perspective of a fox.

Frozen, frigid, still –
No remorse, no regret, no turning back.
The snow’s deep here though.
Every step I take, the snow washes over my paws
and sends a shiver down my spine.
Winter is harsh.
No remorse, no regret, no turning back.
Cold, lost, alone.

In 5A, students have been reading Small Island, they have been linking various literacy skills, including comprehension, spelling and text analysis and creative writing to the text. Students have been discussing the main ideas, writing their own creative stories about special places, and sharing their thoughts in group discussions. This unit will help them improve their reading and writing skills while learning why it's important to protect our natural world.

I have truly enjoyed witnessing Stage 3 come together in the hall each Wednesday during our PE lessons! It has been a fantastic opportunity for students to learn from all of our Stage 3 staff while having fun participating in physical activities with their friends from other classes. I've seen how excited the students are to explore new dance skills, work collaboratively in small groups, and perform in front of the entire Stage. The energy and teamwork I've observed have made these sessions incredibly fun for everyone involved!

Mr Cox
Stage 3 Assistant Principal 

Interest Groups Program

Each Friday, students in Years 3 to 6 who are not involved in representative sport participate in our Interest Groups program. This initiative offers a diverse range of engaging activities aimed at enhancing skills, fostering teamwork, and promoting personal growth beyond their immediate peer groups.

One of the groups is currently focused on board and card games, where students explore a variety of classic and modern games. These sessions provide an excellent platform for students to develop crucial skills such as strategic thinking, organisation, and resilience. Through friendly competition and collaborative gameplay, students learn to plan ahead, manage setbacks, and support their teammates.

By engaging in these activities, students not only sharpen their decision-making and problem-solving abilities but also strengthen their social skills as they interact with a broader range of students across the school. Each game serves as a valuable learning experience, encouraging students to work together and think critically and creatively.

School News

Jeans for Genes

When a child is diagnosed with a genetic condition, many parents hope for treatment options and a cure. However, for some families, the rarity of their child's condition leaves them navigating uncharted territory.

Our own Amelia is one of the 2025 Jeans for Genes kids! As a school community, we are excited to rally behind Amelia and support her in this important cause. We will be participating in Jeans for Genes Day on Thursday, 7 August, and we look forward to welcoming the team from Jeans for Genes to our school in the lead-up to this day.

Through this initiative, Amelia and her family will share their journey, helping to raise awareness of rare genetic disorders. We are honoured to share Amelia's story with our school community in this newsletter and in upcoming editions, and we hope to inspire understanding and compassion.

Learn more about Amelia and her journey by clicking on the link below:

Mobile Phones and Wearable Technology

Floraville Public School understands that students may need to bring a personal mobile phone or some form of wearable technology to school, particularly if they are travelling independently to and from school.

At Floraville Public School, students who choose to bring mobile phones or wearable technology to school must have them switched to a ‘school mode’ setting (or similar) and refrain from using during school hours (8:30 am - 3:00 pm). This includes lunchtime and recess, unless an exception has been granted.

During school hours and when emergencies occur, parents, carers or any other known contact must only contact a child via the school office.

SRC Message

NAIDOC Week Ceremony

Premier's Spelling Bee - Get ready! Save the date!

P&C News

🌳 Enrichment Tree 2025: Join Us in Supporting Our Students!

The Enrichment Tree is in full swing, and there are still lots of items available across all year groups! 🌟 This is a fantastic opportunity for you to contribute directly to items that will benefit your child’s classroom this year.

We encourage everyone to share the link for your child's year group with family and friends to rally our whole community behind supporting our students! Every contribution, big or small, makes a difference! 💖

A huge thank you to those families who have already made wonderful contributions! Your support is invaluable. 🙏

We would like to start making the purchases at the end of the month so that we can get these items into the classrooms as soon as possible. Let’s keep the momentum going!

For more information and to make your contribution, visit:  Enrichment Tree 2025 | Floraville P S P&C Association.

Thank you for your continued support!

🍽️ Canteen News: A Busy Term 2!

We’ve had a busy start to Term 2 in the canteen, and we need your help! If you have any availability to assist in the canteen for a few hours in the morning, please reach out to us via our P&C main Facebook page or email floravillecanteen@yahoo.com. Everyone is welcome, and we will provide you with orientation and a fresh lunch too! 🥪 Without our amazing volunteers, we can’t keep the canteen open Tuesday through Friday each week. Thank you for your support! 🙏

🥖 New Menu Item

Exciting news! The canteen now has 2 delicious flavours of scrolls available as a standing menu item! There’s nothing better than a warm Pizza Scroll or Cheesy Vegemite Scroll for lunch. These tasty treats are just $3 and available to order now! 😋

🌟 Volunteer of the Month: Celebrating Our Heroes!

This week is National Volunteer Week! It’s well established that volunteering creates lasting relationships that enrich lives and strengthen communities. We celebrate our dedicated volunteers at school every day, and this year the P&C would like to acknowledge them even more.

Every month, we will be celebrating a Volunteer of the Month! With thanks from Zarraffa’s Coffee and Cake Cake Baby, our Volunteer of the Month will receive a coffee voucher and some delicious cupcakes! ☕🧁

If you have a nomination for the month of May, for someone’s volunteering efforts, big or small, please send us a message on our Facebook page or email fpsfundraising1@gmail.com. Let’s continue to shine a light on our extraordinary volunteers who make a difference every day! 🌈

👕 2nd Hand Uniform Shop Update!

Unfortunately, the 2nd Hand Uniform Shop was unable to open this week as planned due to the poor weather. 🌧️ But good news! We will be opening on Monday, 26 May instead, just in time to stock up on next season's uniforms!

We’re still welcoming donations, so please drop off any items in the tub located in the front office. Your contributions help other families and support our school community! 🙏

🗓️ Upcoming Opening Dates

The 2nd Hand Uniform Shop will be open from 2:45-3:15pm on the following Mondays:

• 26 May
• 2 June
• 16 June
• 30 June

🗓️ Important P&C Dates for Your Calendar!

Don't forget to mark these important P&C events coming up this year:

📅 Term 2 P&C Meeting: 10 June
🪩 P&C Disco: 3 July
📅 Term 3 P&C Meetings: 12 August and 9 September
👨‍👧 Father’s Day Stall: Friday, 29 August
🏃‍♀️ Colour Run: Thursday, 25 September
📅 Term 4 P&C Meetings: 14 October and 11 November

P&C Communication

Stay up to date with the latest P&C information and events.

📨Email us: fpspresident@gmail.com
🌍Visit our website: https://floravillepublicschoolpc.square.site/
📘 Join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/p.c.floraville

Amanda Bailey  
P&C President on behalf of the P&C Committee

Community Newsletter

Please see Community Newsletter - Term 2 for upcoming holiday and vacation care information, and other community news and events.