Welcome to our school newsletter - "your local school....our local community" 

Dear Parent and Caregivers,

I felt very proud as Principal last week when I visited the Sugar Gliders class to talk about our school's rubbish problem. Our Stage 1 students understand that rubbish in waterways can hurt wildlife and cause serious environmental damage. They wrote thoughtful and persuasive letters to me, suggesting ways to reduce rubbish in our playground. 

Athletics Carnival

 Our Athletics Carnival last Tuesday was a fantastic day filled with fun, teamwork, and great sportsmanship. Students participated enthusiastically in a variety of events, showcasing their skills and determination. It was wonderful to see so many students giving their best and supporting their teammates. Congratulations to all participants for their efforts, and a big thank you to the staff and volunteers who helped make the day a success. Congratulations to the students who will represent our school at the Ryde Zone Athletics Carnival on Monday 17th August. 

Mobile Phone Reminder

I would like to remind families that all student mobile phones must be collected by the class teacher each morning and securely stored until the end of the school day. Phones must be returned to students’ bags at dismissal. This procedure helps minimise distractions during learning time and ensures a focused classroom environment. Thank you for your support in helping us maintain a positive and productive school day.

The Importance of Attendance

Regular attendance is essential for student success. When students attend school consistently, they have more opportunities to learn, participate, and build strong relationships with their teachers and peers. Missing school can lead to gaps in knowledge and make it harder to keep up with lessons. We encourage all families to prioritise attendance, as every day counts in helping students reach their full potential. Together, we can support our students to develop good attendance habits that will benefit them now and in the future.

External Validation

External validation is a process where schools' self-assessment findings are reviewed by external peers to ensure accuracy, consistency, and credibility.

The Executive team has been collecting and preparing our school’s evidence and assessed our practices against the School Excellence Framework (SEF). Our school is due to submit our evaluation and supporting evidence in Week 9.

 The external panel will review our submission in Week 11. This will be a collaborative session where the panel and school leadership will discuss and clarify the evidence and judgements.

The panel may confirm our school’s self-assessment, offer feedback, or suggest further improvement areas to help develop our next School Excellence Plan.

Band Together Festival

I'm excited to see our Concert Band take the stage at the School Bands Australia Band Together Festival on 17 June. Performing at the Riverside Theatre in Parramatta will be a fantastic opportunity and memorable experience for our students.

Resilience Project- Teacher Wellbeing Week

This week, our teachers participated in a Teacher Wellbeing workshop facilitated by The Resilience Project. This valuable session focused on the importance of looking after each other, both within the school community and beyond. The Resilience Project emphasises that strong relationships are a key protective factor in reducing teacher stress and preventing burnout. By nurturing connections and supporting one another, our staff are better equipped to maintain their wellbeing and provide the best possible learning environment for our students. 

Our staff were grateful for the coffees provided by the P&C for Wellbeing Wednesday yesterday—it was a thoughtful gesture that contributed to a positive and supportive atmosphere. 

ICAS Assessments-Years 3-6

A note was sent today via School Bytes to parents of students in Years 3–6 regarding the ICAS Assessments available next term. ICAS is an online academic competition that offers students the chance to develop and challenge their higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills in English, Mathematics, Writing, and Spelling.

The ICAS results provide detailed and meaningful feedback, comparing student performance against competitors across the state and nation. This data highlights strengths and areas for improvement, helping you to better support your child’s academic progress.

Final dates, times, and organisation details will be shared with participants through School Bytes closer to the assessment dates.

Maternity Leave- Mrs Corinne Ell

Mrs Corinne Ell will commence her maternity leave earlier than anticipated, starting Monday, 15th June.
During Weeks 9 to 11, Ms Kate Hyde will be taking over as Coolabah class teacher. I'd like to welcome Ms Hyde to the school community and know she is excited to be taking on such a wonderful class of engaged learners.

An Expression of Interest for the Relieving Assistant Principal/class teacher for Coolabah in Semester 2 has been opened to Department of Education staff, with the selection process due to conclude before the end of term.

We send Mrs Ell our warmest wishes as she prepares for this exciting and rewarding chapter of becoming a mum. Staff and students are excited to hear what Corinne and John will name their son and wish them a safe and joyful arrival.

Disco 

Our students are eagerly looking forward to the P and C Disco tomorrow night. Year 6 students will be enthusiastically fundraising ahead of the event by selling hairspray, tattoos, and glow sticks to add extra fun to the night. I sincerely thank the P and C for organising the event and the parent volunteers for their support during the evening. 

I’m looking forward to another busy fortnight with a number of extra curricular activities and our K-2 Athletics carnival next week on the 18th June. 

Michelle Brooks

Principal

English

The Sugar Gliders spent two weeks learning about persuasive writing. We were tasked with deciding if our school needed a clean-up. After going on a hunt for evidence in the playground, we unanimously decided that it was definitely needed! Using our knowledge of modal verbs and words of certainty, we wrote letters and made posters to persuade Mrs Brooks to organise a school clean-up. After reading our letters, she visited our classroom and agreed that it was certainly something we need to do. Putney Power School Clean-Up TBA! 

2026 - Athletics Carnival

On 9 June, students aged 8 to 12 participated in our annual Athletics Carnival at Dunbar Oval in Marsfield. We were fortunate to enjoy beautiful sunny weather, which helped create a wonderful atmosphere throughout the day.

Students enthusiastically took part in a range of track and field events, demonstrating determination, teamwork and outstanding sportsmanship. It was fantastic to see so many happy faces as students encouraged one another and celebrated each other's achievements.

A sincere thank you goes to our parent volunteers who generously gave their time to assist throughout the day. Your support helped ensure the carnival ran smoothly and successfully.

Congratulations to Blaxland House for winning the Junior Relay and Oxley House for winning the Senior Relay. Well done to all students for their participation, effort and positive attitude.

Overall House Champion, Place Ribbons and Age Champion trophies will be presented as soon as possible. We look forward to sharing those results and achievements with you shortly. 

Thank you,
Mrs Hedge and the Stage 2 & 3 Team. 

Hi everyone,

Hope everyone has got their tickets to the Disco tomorrow night! Haven't had a chance yet? 

Buy Disco Tickets: CLICK HERE

And don't forget to get some cash out for the Yr 6 Fundraising Glamour & Glow Station (which will be held in the 30 minutes prior to each disco session).

Also be sure to pop the Sporties Meat Raffle (all funds raised go to PPS P&C) on Friday 17 July and the P&C Parent's Trivia Night Out on 

Saturday 25 July in the diary too! More details coming soon!

Link to P&C Events Volunteer Sign-up: CLICK HERE 

If you have any questions, please always feel free to email: info@putneypc.org.au 

Hope everyone has a great rest of the week! 

Jess Clough

Canteen News

Check Out this Term's new Daily Delights items & specials!

As always, any questions or feedback concerning the canteen can be emailed to canteen@putneypc.org.au.

• Parenting a Screenager: Learn practical strategies to manage screen time, set healthy boundaries, and understand the digital world your teenager lives in.

  • Online: Thursday 16 July, 12.30pm -2pm

  • Online: Wednesday 22 July, 6.30pm -8pm

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• The Power of Connection: More Than Words: Discover how to strengthen your relationship with your teen and keep the lines of communication open, even when they seem to pull away.

  • Online: Friday 17 July, 12.30pm -2pm

  • Online: Thursday 23 July, 6.30pm -8pm

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• Emotional Regulation – Feelings Without the Fireworks: Equip yourself with tools to understand adolescent brain development and de-escalate high-tension emotional moments at home.

  • Online: Wednesday 8 July, 12.30pm – 2pm

  • Online: Tuesday 21 July, 6.30pm -8pm

  • Register here: https://form-aus.keela.co/emotional-regulation-feelings-without-the-fireworks