BPS Newsletter 2025 Term 1 Week 9
Principal's Report
Student Leaders attend NBLA Leadership Day
Our student leaders Kean, Clio, Thomas, Isla, Josh and Jasmine participated in the Northern Beaches Learning Alliance Leadership Training Day at Narrabeen Academy of Sport this week. Leaders participated in range of activities including learning sign language, assisting each other to build paper planes, raft building, leadership quality identification and working through leadership scenarios.
I am happy to report that our school leaders were incredible role models and took a lot of tips from the day on how to be a successful leader. Next week it will be my pleasure to accompany our fine Captains and Vice Captains on a tour Parliament House at Macquarie St followed by a morning tea with our local member The Honourable Michael Regan.
Harmony Day
This year's Harmony Day was a true celebration of diversity, bringing together a wide range of cultural performances and highlighting the rich tapestry of our school community. The event was a beautiful reminder of the importance of inclusivity and respect for all cultures. Each performance offered a unique glimpse into the different cultures that make up our school.
Students, teachers and parents were treated to two fine performances celebrating Maori culture, a Chinese calligraphy demonstration, a rendition of New Zealand national anthem and multiple poems written and read. Thank you to Nylah, Mikayla, Isabelle, Sammy, Sylvie, Sophia, Emilija, Rosie, Riley, Francesca, Issabella and Raffaella for their performances. Thank you to Jia, Abel, Lily, Farinah, Zaira, Alessandro, Kydean, Nylah, Anne, Anastasia and Datak for their beautiful words about the values of Harmony Day.
A big thank you to the P&C, Rachita and everyone else who helped and participated to made this day a memorable celebration of harmony!
Buddy Meet Up
Harmony Day was followed by our first Buddy Meet Up of the year. It was great for Kindergarten students to meet their Year 2 buddies and for our students to get reacquainted with their older buddies. This year, Year 1 is buddied up with Year 4, Year 2 to Year 5 and Kindergarten have both a Year 3 and a Year 6 buddy. Our Year 6 students are teaching our Year 3 students how to be amazing big buddies, as they support our youngest students to familiarise themselves with school life.
Student Voice through the SRC
The Student Representative Council hosted 3H, 5k and 6L at this week's meeting. For the first time, all three class suggestions were carried. The SRC will now add looking into a 'TImTams and Jim Jams' fundraiser, new options for canteen food and an Easter Egg Hunt fundraiser. The SRC is going to be very busy in Term 2!
For those new to how our SRC runs, Terms 1 and 3 are suggestion terms when each class takes ideas to the SRC. Terms 2 and 4 are the terms where the SRC work to actualise the suggestions.
Thanks to Mr Gadd and our SRC for their continued great work listening to acting on student voice at Brooky.
Got it! Childhood Worry and Anxiety Workshop
Around 40 parents attended the Workshop on Tuesday night. A huge thank you to Emma and Viv for putting the workshop together for our community. The following handout was provided to parents with some interesting tips for parents and students.
Council Road Safety Review
The council recently conducted a review of safety around our school. The council has kindly asked parents and community members to mind and respect street signs and road markings when picking up or dropping off on Alfred St at the Brookvale Oval end of the school. Council have provided an explanation of street signs in school zones to assist parents.
As part of the review the Council has identified a number of priority areas. Please see the following documents for areas that the council now plans to work on.
P&C Annual General Meeting - Tuesday 1 April, 6.30pm in 2J
A reminder that the P&C AGM takes place this Tuesday evening from 6.30-7.30pm at school in the 2J classroom. All parents and community members are welcome to attend. There are vacant positions that the P&C would love to fill. Please see the P&C section below for details.
Ramadan and Eid - Wednesday 2 April 9.00am
In library, students have been learning about the diverse cultures, rituals, and practices that make Australia a multicultural and vibrant place to live. Students have studied the cultural and religious festivals of Lunar New Year, Lent, Pancake Tuesday, Harmony Day, Ramadan and Easter, exploring their similarities and differences, fostering respect through understanding.
We have a number of students at Brookvale who are currently observing Ramadan.
This Wednesday, April 2, during morning lines, Katharina Said, will give a child-friendly talk about Ramadan and Eid to help explain and clarify these observances. Parents are welcome to attend. The following Wednesday, April 9, the school will host its own Eid celebration in the afternoon, featuring fun craft activities like lantern making. As part of our Eid celebration, each child will receive a small gift, in line with Eid tradition from the P&C in support of our Cultural Reference Group.
Thank you to Mrs Murphy-Haste and our Cultural Reference Group (CRT) for organising these cultural learning opportunities. The CRT is open to all parents and carers at Brookvale School, and we are seeking new members! Please email the school if you would like to be involved.
Easter Hat Parade and Grandparents Day - Friday 11 April, 9.15am
Parents, grandparents and friends are cordially invited to the Brookvale Public School Easter Hat Parade and Grandparents' Day event on the last day of this term, Friday 11 April. The day will begin with a parade featuring our Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 students at 9.15am, followed by classroom visits. There will also be an opportunity to visit our Book Fair in the library and donate a book to the school.
After the classroom visits and bookfair, grandparents and friend are invited to join our students for a picnic recess on the oval. Our Year 6 students will be raising money for their end of year activities by running a cake stall under the hall COLA. We can't wait to see as many of our grandparents and grandfriends as possible on the day.
Kindergarten students will make their Easter bonnets at school next week with their big buddies. We kindly ask that parent of students in Year 1 and Year 2 assist their child to make a bonnet at home next week in preparation for the parade.
Cake donations are greatly appreciated!
Please bring your cake donations for the Year 6 Cake Stall to the staff room on Friday morning, 11 April. Thank you!
Our School Joins Project Penguin 2025!
We're excited to announce that our Stage 2 students are proudly participating in Project Penguin 2025, an innovative conservation education program led by Taronga Zoo. This collaborative project empowers students to learn about sustainability, conservation and the vital role they can play in protecting our environment. Throughout Term 2, the students will work alongside mentors from Northern Beaches Secondary College - Cromer Campus to explore real-world challenges through a series of Zoo visits, school-based workshops, and hands-on project days. The program will culminate in a student-led Expo at Taronga Zoo, where selected projects will be showcased to the wider school community. We can’t wait to see our students become changemakers for the planet!
What's been happening in our classrooms?
In mathematics, Kindergarten have been looking deeply into breaking up the numbers 5, 6 and 7 into smaller chunks. In literacy, students have been working on recognising and writing the phoneme 'k' and how it appears in words a 'c', 'k', 'r' and the 'ck' grapheme.
Practising writing simple sentence with noun groups, verb groups and adverbial phrases has been the order of the week in Stage 1. Students had lots of fun learning about the different part of the sentence. In mathematics, students have continued their investigations into area by making various areas using 12 and 20 blocks and used rekenreks to explore the concept of smaller numbers hiding inside bigger numbers.
Stage 2 started a new model of literacy groups this week. Students now participate in small group targeted activities focused on sentence level grammar, reading fluency and comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, handwriting and word processing four to five times a week. Stage 2 teachers have been working hard to collaboratively create a variety of activities that deepen students' knowledge and are really engaging.
This week, students in 5K completed in the Ultimate Storytelling Challenge. 5K students were challenged to write a 200 word story, then condense the story to 50 words, and then even further to just six words. On top of that, students needed to include anaphora, epistrophe and anadiplosis (forms of repetition) in their writing. Some of their pieces are featured below.
In Stage 3, students have taken the robots they created based on the text The Wild Robot and utilised green screen technology to transport them to various locations. Using the green screen allowed students to transport their robots to a range of settings, enhancing their digital storytelling.
Workers of the Week
Well done to Billie M in 4D who won a council art competition earlier this term. Her work is now featured on the council vacation care flyers. What an artist! A very worth Worker of the Week.
Great work from Sage R, in 5K, using his learning of anaphora, epistrophe and anadiplosis to write a free verse poem about his notable person - Ken Yeang. Well done Sage! You might have to teach Mr Richmond about each form of repetition!
Other School News
Got any spare Lego lying around? Donate to our new Lego Club!
We are looking for donations of Lego for our new Lego club that will get underway in Term 2. If you are able to help, please drop off donations to the school office. Thank you!
5K Night of The Notables
This term, 5K have taken part in the 'Night of the Notables' program. This program has been our first research based individual project undertaken by the students in the OC class. Each student chooses someone from history that can be considered ‘notable’ - someone who has had a positive influence on society and the progress of humanity. They first begin by researching their person, identifying why they believe this person to be a notable human, someone who should be remembered for their talent, gifts, abilities or nature.
Throughout the term, each student delves into their notable’s life; his or her motivations, hopes, fears, challenges and triumphs. What begins as a research task develops into multiple written products utilising analysis, scaffolded thinking, creative application and even poetry. Design and creative aesthetics is also brought into the process as each piece of writing must be presented with links to the notable or their field. On the evening all this and more is set up as a display.
Students consider how best to show their work still linking to the overarching themes for their person. This utilisation of the dynamism of space, colour and 3D placement can absolutely set the polish on the overall project. Students will come dressed as their notable, they will speak as if they were their notable. They will be ready to answer your questions, tell you about their lives and most importantly- share why they are to be identifies as someone who changed our world.
5K have worked tremendously hard on their projects and they would love to showcase their efforts. We look forward to opening our presentations for one night only! All are welcome.
Miss Kovacs
Brooky Pride Merit Awards
Congratulations to the following students who have received Brooky pride Merit Awards. These student's achievement will be acknowledged in the next school assembly.
| Kindergarten | Evelyn L, Ava JHB, Jack W, Jax W, Noah A, Milan I |
| Stage 1 | Leila W, Bowie B, Reggie A, Matias CC, Kuro T, Jacob W, Ashton F, Conor M, Axel I, tara K, Will G, Harrison H, Stefan R, Thomas L, Yeshvika K, Thomas L. Stefan R |
| Stage 2 | Evie K, Claudia W, Stella P, Nathaniel K, Zoe M, Samuel K, Anika J, Jai L, Billie M |
| Stage 3 | Julia PN, Maya P, Kyedan S, harvey BR, Thomas OH, leanna G, Austin B, Taj SG, Isla H, Archie Y, Stella C, Ayla CE |
Respect, Responsibility, Personal Best, Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards
Office News
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Thank you to everyone who has already paid their Term 1 account fees. Your contributions are greatly appreciated. We kindly ask that, where possible, account fees be settled at the end of each term.
Please note that the following fees are compulsory and must be paid each term:
Band Fees
Instrument Hire
PSSA
Should you need any assistance or have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Thank you once again for your support!
P&C News
Join us for our P&C Annual General Meeting (AGM)
New Date: Tuesday 01 April (previously scheduled on 25 March)
Time: 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
We would LOVE to see you at the P&C Annual General Meeting (AGM)! This is a great opportunity to show your support for our school, meet other parents, and learn more about how the P&C makes a difference.
During the AGM, all P&C positions will be declared vacant, and we welcome everyone to get involved - whether as a member, volunteer, executive team member, or sub-committee participant. If you’re interested (and even if you can't attend the AGM), simply fill out this online form.
We believe in the saying “many hands make light work”, so don’t worry if you’re unsure about taking on a formal role, there are plenty of ways to help, big or small! Many roles can also be shared with others, making it easier and more fun to be involved. We’ve outlined different roles here so you can see how you might like to get involved.
Did you know?
- The P&C raises $25,000–$30,000 each year to support our school.
- Our 2025 fundraising goal is to fund a sheltered area in the car park, House flags for sports carnivals, and a new sick bay bed.
- Our P&C is made up of a small group of parent volunteers who want to make a difference for our children. We would love to get more people involved—even in a small way!
How to Get Involved
- Become a P&C Member – Register via this link (membership is just $2 per year).
- Stay Connected – Follow us on Facebook for updates
- Learn More – Read our P&C Handbook or email us with any questions
The P&C is your voice in our school community. By joining in, you help create a stronger, more connected school for our children. We can’t wait to see you at the AGM and please spread the word!
Join us for a Working Bee Day on Saturday 5 April
We're excited to announce our Working Bee Day on Saturday 5th April, and we invite you to join us for this meaningful event.
This day is a fantastic opportunity for our community to unite and enhance our school grounds. We'll focus on gardening tasks like weeding and landscaping, creating a vibrant space for our students. Plus, we'll cook up a delicious sausage sizzle to thank our hardworking volunteers.
Event Details:
- Date: Saturday 5th April 2025
- Time: 12 pm to 3 pm
- Location: Brookvale Public School
Tasks for the day include:
- Gardening: Weeding and tending to flower beds.
- Landscaping: Enhancing outdoor areas, planting new greenery, etc.
- Cooking: Preparing a delicious sausage sizzle for all volunteers.
No prior experience needed; instructions provided on-site. All ages and skill levels welcome. Your participation is invaluable!
Please confirm attendance by signing up via this link.
Spread the word to friends, family, and neighbours! The more hands, the merrier, leaving a lasting impact on our school community.
Thank you for your participation. We can't wait to see you at Brookvale Public School on Saturday 5th April.
Football Parking Volunteering
We are fortunate to be in close proximity to Brookvale Oval. During the Manly Sea Eagles home games, the P&C utilises the school car park for fundraising by charging the general public for parking spots. This stands as a significant fundraising initiative for the school and is an easily accessible volunteering opportunity.
Each parking event requires 3 to 4 parent volunteers for 1h30 hours max (the car park is usually full within 45 minutes!). Tasks include collecting entry fees and directing cars to how and where to park. All instructions will be sent by text message prior to your shift (it’s all very easy!).
It is a valuable way for all parents to help the school and meet fellow parents at the same time.
To thank you for your time, you will get a free entry (general admission) to a Manly Sea Eagles home game of your choice.
Please visit our website to sign up to your preferred date.
>>> The next date we need volunteers for is Sunday 06 April from 2.30pm to 4pm <<<
Uniform Shop Information
There will be no more openings of the uniform shop in Term 1. If you need uniform items, please email us with what you are after (size, quantity, etc.) and if available, we will leave your order at the school office for you to pick up and we will send you a link to pay online.
Donations to the uniform shop are also greatly appreciated. We encourage parents who have good quality uniforms their children have outgrown to drop off their items anytime at the school office or directly at the shop during opening hours.
Trivia Night on Saturday 22 March
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us last Saturday, brought their A-game, and made the night so special. The energy was high, the competition was fierce, and the costumes… absolutely brilliant! We loved seeing teams dress up to match their team names — the creativity was next level!
Big congratulations to our winning team, The Trivia Samurais! You lived up to your name with some seriously impressive knowledge — and a great outfit to match!
Special thanks to our amazing Tibetan families, who spent the afternoon cooking up a storm and served the most delicious dumplings. They were a massive hit — we’re still dreaming about them!
Check out the photos and videos on our Facebook page.
Thank you again for making this such a memorable evening. Until next time - thank you all!!
Birthday Shout Out!
Wishing a happy birthday to all our students celebrating next week!