Principal's Report
Dear Gorokan PS families and friends
At Gorokan Public School, we actively demonstrate our commitment towards maximising the outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and engaging their families in school life. We honour the recently renewed AECG and Department of Education Walking Together, Working Together 2020 - 2030 Partnership Agreement.
Muru Bulbi AECG Showcase
Last Thursday approximately 80 of our students who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Peoples, performed at the Muru Bulbi AECG Showcase held at Gorokan High School. The students shared the stage with students from 11 other schools within the Muru Bulbi area. Congratulations to our K-6 Koori Choir, and to our Koori Dance and Didge groups – who stole the show. Many students were also recognised for their efforts in learning as follows:
- Lily-Anna R
- Jaspah T
- Max J
- Lailahni D
- Elliee L
- Isabella L
- Jackson M
- Mundarra F
In addition, our Year 6 students were awarded the Maurice Goolagong Art Award and the school received three very significant and special items:
- A framed print signed by Cindy Berwick - AECG President, Mark Scott - The then Secretary NSW Department of Education, The Hon. Sarah Mitchell MLC - Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning, Lesley Armstrong President Muru Bulbi AECG, Sharon McFarlane Director Educational Leadership, Megan Avery Director Educational Leadership, and the 12 Principals of the schools within the Muru Bulbi area, including myself.
- Walking Together Working Together handprint artwork – Muru Bulbi AECG, DOE, and Principal handprints signifying the commitment of all towards honouring the renewed partnership agreement.
- A framed print of the stunning Muru Bulbi AECG – 2022 artwork by Madeline Matthews Turner, depicting the connection of the schools and landscape of the Muru Bulbi AECG. The large red circle represents the Muru Bulbi AECG. Surrounding the red circle are the 12 Principals of our Muru Bulbi schools – symbolising their commitment to Aboriginal Education and the true partnership our schools have with the Muru Bulbi AECG. The red stream running through the painting has three larger circles representing our three local high schools and the nine smaller circles are our primary schools. All the circles are joined by a yellow stream showing the deep connection each school has with one another. The background is painted in blue water symbols because each school is located near our beaches and lakes.
Remembrance Day
At Gorokan Public School we believe remembrance is the key to appreciation and gratitude for the great sacrifice made by those who served for our great country. This year we commemorated this significant day on Friday 11 November with a one-minute’s silence at 11:00am in memory of the brave servicemen and women who died or suffered in all wars and armed conflicts. Lest We Forget.
Student Reports
Semester Two student reports will be sent home on Friday 16 December. These reports aim to capture student performance over the last two school terms. The reports will include a five-point achievement scale that summarises the standard (or quality) of achievement. Teachers are not limited to set numbers of each grade within their class or school. Let us know what you think about our current reporting practices by completing the short survey by clicking on the following link:
Family Holidays and Travel
Families are encouraged to travel or holiday during school holidays. If this is not possible, an Application for Extended Leave, or eligibility to enrol in Distance Education is required. Once the application is received, the Principal considers that the travel is appropriate and a Certificate of Extended Leave will be issued. Absences relating to travel will then be marked as leave on the roll and contribute to your child's total absences for the year. The Application for Extended Leave can be obtained from the office and must be submitted in advance to the leave commencing otherwise the leave will be deemed unjustified.
P&C
Thank you to those who attended the recent P&C meeting that was held on Monday 7 November. It was a great meeting and a wonderful opportunity for me to express my gratitude for the diligent service provided by this group of dedicated parents to our school. Many important items were discussed during the meeting including:
- The installation of new signage for the Kiss and Drop area. A meeting is pending with Central Coast Council and David Harris MP to discuss potential upgrading of the Kiss and Drop area.
- P&C attendance at the next Student Representative Council (SRC) meeting to gain first-hand insight into student priorities which could become the focus of future P&C fundraising
- 2023 staffing initiatives
- 2022 NAPLAN results
- Inclusive, Engaging and Respectful Schools initiative
- P&C support of students through the distribution of encouragement awards on Presentation Day
The next meeting will be held on Tuesday 13 December at 3:15pm in the school library and I would encourage interested parents and carers to attend. A creche will be organised for the meeting. Come along and join us for a cuppa and be part of all the great things that are happening in our great school.
Kindergarten Orientation
Thank you to the parents, carers and students who have attended our Kindergarten orientation program. The staff and I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the children who are starting school next year and their families. Whilst the formal program was completed today, the transition playgroups organised through the SAC will continue until the end of the year and I would recommend attendance. As mentioned in previous newsletters, parents and carers of students starting school next year are urged to complete the enrolment process as a priority so that important school planning can occur. Enrolment information can be found at NSW Education Primary School Enrolment and enrolment packs are also available from the office. Alternatively, enrol online via the link below.
Schools Spectacular
Finally, I would like to wish the students who will be performing at Schools Spectacular next Friday and Saturday all the very best. I am looking forward to seeing our singers shine brightly on the big stage at Sydney Olympic Park and then watching them again when the show is televised for the world to see!
Together we can make a difference.
Jesmond Zammit
Principal
Dates to Remember
- Wednesday 23 November - Friday 25 November - Vision van eyesight testing
- Wednesday 23 November - Wallarah Zone League Tag Gala Day Stage 2 & 3
- Wednesday 23 November - Thursday 24 November - Schools Spectacular Rehearsal at Sydney Olympic Park
- Friday 25 November - Saturday 26 November - Schools Spectacular Performances at Sydney Olympic Park
- Thursday 1 December - Scripture End of Year show 12:25pm - 12:55pm
- Thursday 1 December - Support Unit Community BBQ - 12:30pm
- Monday 5 December - Friday 16 December - Swimming Scheme
- Monday 5 December - Community Yarn Up and official opening of the Walker's Lane Aboriginal garden
- Thursday 17 November - Gorokan's Got Talent final
- Tuesday 13 December - Year 3 - 6 Presentation Day Assembly 9:30am
- Tuesday 13 December - Year K - 2 Presentation Day Assembly 12:00pm
- Thursday 15 December - Year 6 Farewell at Wyong Leagues Club at 5:00pm
Early Stage 1
Current Learning
In English, we have been learning more about sentence structure and working hard to independently write a narrative (story) that includes a beginning, a problem and an ending. We have been adding ‘wow’ words to our writing to make our stories more interesting. It is great to see the students' wonderful work and acknowledge how far they have come since the beginning of the year.
This fortnight we have also been learning the words to the Australian National Anthem. The students have enjoyed learning this important song and are proudly singing the first verse and chorus.
Reminders
Toys
We are noticing that Kindergarten students are beginning to bring various toys to school to play with at first and second break. Please do not send any valuable toys, as unfortunately these toys often get lost or broken and this can be very upsetting for students.
Gorokan’s Got Talent
A note was sent home last week for Gorokan’s Got Talent. If your child wishes to participate in our Gorokan PS Talent Show, please complete the note and return it to school with the name of the item and any music needed. All Kindergarten items will be performed in front of the Kindergarten grade and then a select few items will be chosen to perform in the finals. Your child can choose to sing, dance, tell jokes, do magic tricks or showcase another special talent.
Homework Folders and Library Books
Thank you for your support with the homework folders this year. As we are nearing the end of the year, we are asking that students return their homework folders along with any outstanding library books to their class teacher.
Please continue to log in to Reading Eggs, Mathseeds and PM Readers over the next few weeks to continue consolidating skills.
Whiteboard Markers
Kindergarten teachers would love any donations of whiteboard markers. We use these every day for maths and reading warm ups and would appreciate any donations to share with the class.
Celebrations of Learning
We would like to congratulate our class award winners for this week:
KB - Theodore M, Jakeb W, Erik W and Sara Y
KD - Kyannah B, Harley H, Isabelle T and Emilia T
KF - Isabella B, Kierah R, Hannah P and Arlo C
KL - Isaac R, Porsha Z, Pipah T and Bianca H
KTA - Joseph C, Jaelee M, Piper C and Peyton G
Mrs Alicia Duke
Assistant Principal Early Stage 1
Stage 1
Current Learning
This term in English, our Year One students are learning about the structure of a narrative with a focus on subheadings such as, ‘Once upon a time, Long, long ago, One day, Unfortunately, Luckily, Finally and So it was’ to support them in their independent writing opportunities. We are focusing on the writing process including planning, composing and clever use of vocabulary to enhance our writing. The students are doing a fabulous job retelling stories including the ‘The Gruffalo’, ‘Rainbow Fish’ and ‘Tiddalick the Frog’ Dreamtime story with fantastic use of the narrative structure.
Year Two students are focusing on the persuasive writing structure and its key features this term. The students are planning and composing their writing with a focus on components including a rhetorical question and point of view to orientate the reader, followed by argument topics, explanations and examples. A statement to summarise their argument concludes their exposition. Topics this term have included ‘Healthy Eating’ and ‘Too much Technology?’ The students are producing fantastic pieces of text with specifically chosen vocabulary to persuade their readers!
Reminders
Stage 1 Weekly Overview
- Monday - Gymnastics Sports in Schools Program - 1C
- Tuesday - 2S Sport Day
- Wednesday - Year 1 Sport Day, 2B and 2R Sport Day, 1C and 1Y Library
- Thursday - 1/2E, 2B and 2R Library
- Friday - 1J and 2S Library
Gorokan’s Got Talent
We are excited to announce that our Annual 'Gorokan’s Got Talent' show will be held in Week 9. Students are invited to share their wonderful skills and talents with staff and students during this fabulous event held every year. Students can sing, dance, perform, act or even put on a comedy, magic or circus show. They will have the opportunity to present their talent item within their grade group during Week 8, with those items that score the highest points going through to the 'Gorokan’s Got Talent' show finals in Week 9. Look out for notes regarding this fantastic event. Fill out the entry form for your child to participate and have them return it to their class teacher. Please pay for the participation fee online. DO NOT SEND CASH WITH YOUR CHILD.
Hats and Water Bottles
With the warmer weather here we would like to remind our Stage 1 families to send your child to school with their school hat for outdoor play and with a drink bottle filled with water. It is part of our Sun Safe policy that students wear hats when playing outside and we encourage the children to sip water throughout the day to stay hydrated. We also have cool, filtered water stations located throughout our playground areas so that the students can refill their drink bottles when needed. Please label your child’s hat and drink bottle with their name and class so that they can be returned to them if misplaced.
Sports in Schools
During Weeks 6 to 9 each Monday, students of 1C will now have the opportunity to participate in the highly engaging ‘Sports in Schools’ program with a focus on gymnastics skills. For students of 1C, we encourage your child to wear their sports uniform (yellow polo shirt), school hat and bring their drink bottle filled with water to their class session each Monday. Earlier this term, our Stage 1 students from 1J, 1Y, 1/2E, 2S, 2B and 2R classes thoroughly enjoyed attending their gymnastics sessions with the specialised ‘Sports in Schools’ instructors.
Celebrations of Learning
Term 4 continues to nurture great learning, celebrations of learning and fun-filled days that celebrate school life at Gorokan public School!
Stage One students had a fabulous trip to the theatre to see the stage production of ‘Edward the Emu’ at the Art House Theatre, Wyong this week.
Mrs Tammy Coote
Assistant Principal - Year One (Relieving)
Mr Mitchell Gibbs
Assistant Principal Aboriginal Education - Year Two
Stage 2
Current Learning
Students are currently working on their writing and planning imaginative text. We looked at what students needed and formed a criteria to support them with building sentences, using punctuation and improving their choice of vocabulary. Over the year all of these things have improved, and the students are getting more and more confident that they are working to the best of their ability. It is amazing to see them producing work they are proud of and how they use the criteria in their planning and then sharing their work.
Reminders
Please check students' bags every day. We are beginning to send things home regarding the end of year celebrations and events. We also ask that you keep up the great work in labelling your child’s items and sending them with a hat and water bottle each day. The summer has shown us itself a few times and we are working inline with the Department's Sun Safe policy.
Thank you everyone for keeping us so well informed about why your children miss days from school. This visual was shared by the Department and shown to all staff in a recent meeting. Every day matters, and even one day away, or regular late arrivals, do impact students learning. If they are sick it is important to keep them home, however please keep up the great work of sending them every day that they are healthy enough to attend. If you would like more information about attendance, it is available on the Department’s webpage - Home (nsw.gov.au)
School Spectacular is Fast Approaching
Mrs Morrow has done an outstanding job getting the Gorokan team ready to join in and make some life long memories. Don’t forget to watch!!
Swim School
Swim School is fast approaching and we ask everyone to get their notes back ASAP. What a great way to end the year but to swim every day for the last 2 weeks.
The final day for students for Term 4 and 2022 has been amended to Friday 16 December. Please pop this into your diary, although I am sure the students will not let you forget!
Celebrations of Learning
Dhinewan
Students have been enjoying their time with the Aboriginal Education team and were so lucky to spend time with Auntie Lou. They love the hands on approach to learning and have learnt about being safe and respecting ourselves this week. It was so lovely to watch the students recreate stories and learn dances that shared such important messages.
Mrs Jo Lee
Assistant Principal Stage 2
Stage 3
Current Learning
We are officially halfway through Term 4. The weeks are flying by and we are making the most of every learning opportunity available for our Stage 3 students while we get a brief break in our busy schedules.
Stage 3 students have continued to develop their knowledge of poetry and the various language devices available to them that enhance their individual work samples. Stage 3 were challenged in the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden recently as they faced a banana bread baking task in which, for the most part, they worked independently or with limited support to put all their kitchen skills into practice. Teachers during this lesson were highly impressed with their problem solving skills and the end products were delicious! Well done Stage 3.
Reminders
Application Website Opens for entry to Selective High Schools in Year 7, 2024 - Tuesday 18 October
Intention to apply for Year 7 placement in a selective high school in 2024.
All Year 5 students have now received a letter regarding Intention to apply for Year 7 placement in a selective high school in 2024. If you are intending to apply for your child please return the slip on the letter to Year 5 class teachers as soon as possible.
Selective high schools cater for academically gifted students with high potential who may otherwise be without sufficient classmates at their own academic standard. Selective high schools help these students to learn by grouping them with students of similar ability, and by using specialised teaching methods.
Applications for selective high school placement are considered mainly on the basis of the Selective High School Placement Test results and school assessment scores.
If you would like to have your child considered for Year 7 selective high school entry in 2024, you need to apply on the internet. Please see letter sent home this week.
Parents register at the link below between the 18 October - 16 November for Selective High Schools in Year 7, 2024.
Year 5 Student Leadership Speeches - Monday 28 November
Year 5 students have now received a nomination form regarding school leadership in 2023. These nominated students will now be asked to prepare and present a speech on why they would make a great school leader. Speeches will take place in the hall on Monday 28 November.
Year 6 High School Orientation Day - Tuesday 29 November
Further information TBA in the weeks ahead.
Year 6 Farewell - Thursday 15 December
Year 6 celebrates the end of their Primary School journey. Please see student invitation for more details.
Celebrations of Learning
I would like to say a big thank you for all the support I have received over the weeks in my role as Stage 3 Relieving Assistant Principal. As of Thursday 17 November I will be back on 5/6P as Mrs Day steps back into the role.
Miss Sarah Ponchard
Assistant Principal (Relieving)
Support Unit
Current Learning
Cooking offers so many opportunities for learning, as well as being fun and tasty. Every Friday the Support Unit cooks up a storm. We are learning to follow directions from recipes, measure ingredients and learn how to make some delicious meals and treats. Cooking offers for some great discussion about where food comes from and how we can prepare it as well as the importance of good hygiene and cleaning up after ourselves.
Our students had a ball at Gorokan High School at the Aboriginal Showcase on Thursday evening. They have been working hard to learn their routine to take part in the fabulous performance.
Reminders
Swimming Scheme Years 2, 3 & 4
Notes for the swimming scheme for students in Years 2, 3 and 4, were sent home in Week 1. There are limited numbers available in this program so if you would like your child to participate please return the note as spots are limited. The swim scheme will take place everyday for two weeks from Monday 5 December until Friday 16 December.
Hats and Drink Bottles
As we are moving into warmer weather, we request all students to bring a school hat and drink bottle to school with them every day. Please ensure that both the hat and drink bottle have the student’s name written on them.
Support Unit BBQ
We have had another wonderful year in the Support Unit, and to celebrate and come together we are planning to have a BBQ on Thursday 1 December at 12:30pm. We would like to invite all students and parents to attend. Notes will be going out shortly providing further details about this event.
Celebrations of Learning
Congratulations to the award winners who have shown hard work and improvements over the past two weeks - Harmony, Leo, Messi, Thomas, Indi, Robert, Mathew, Max, Koby, Justin and Ryland.
Mr Richard Linnane
Assistant Principal (Relieving) Support Unit
Parenting Ideas
Mind your language. How what you say creates your child’s mindset.
One of the big ideas in education over the past 10 years has been Professor Carol Dweck’s work on Growth Mindset. However, despite (or perhaps because of) the hype, much of Dweck’s work has been misunderstood, or misapplied. Too often we’ve tried to teach about growth mindset, instead of teaching for a growth mindset. Importantly, the role parents play in helping develop a growth mindset in their child has been largely overlooked.
In this article I share a simple way you can help your child develop a more growth-oriented mindset.
About Mindsets
Your child’s mindset is how they view their most basic abilities, like their talents and intelligence, and it has a profound impact on their learning.
A child with a fixed mindset believes they are fundamentally limited. Who they are today, is pretty much who’ll they be in the future. For them, school and learning is a way to discover those abilities. They’ll ask if they are musical, or how smart they are. For these children, school becomes one long test to discover the answers to these questions.
A child with a growth mindset understands they have the capacity to develop their abilities. For them learning becomes a vehicle for creating and developing those abilities. You’ll hear this child say things like “I want to become really good at maths, so I’m going to work hard to make that happen.”
Why parents matter
Contrary to what social media might say, you can’t just tell your child to have a growth mindset. Their mindset is rooted in a lifetime of experiences.
As parents we play an important role in creating the experiences that develop our child’s mindset. What we repeatedly say, value, and reward all shape our child’s mindset. And I should know because I got it wrong.
What I did wrong
When my daughter was young, I encouraged her to try lots of different activities. She tried music, art, gymnastics, singing, the Maths Olympics. You name it, we tried it. And that’s fundamentally a good thing.
The problem wasn’t what I was doing. It was the messages I attached to it. Sometimes when she wasn’t keen to try a new activity, I’d say something like “Come on sweetheart, give it a go. You never know, you might be good at it!”
Can you hear the fixed message in there? “You might (already) be good at it.”
I turned trying something new into a test to find out if she was good at it. I promised her the possibility of instant success. To make things worse, if she didn’t have instant success, I’d often console her with something like “Well, don’t worry. You can’t be good at everything.”
In other words, she’d failed that test. Now it was on to the next test to see if she was good at that instead. The unintended lesson: If you’re not immediately good, give up.
Why did I do that?
If you just had an “ouch” moment, you’re not alone. Parents say these types of things all the time. We say them out of love, and with the best of intentions.
When we see our child upset or struggling, our natural reaction is to want to protect them from that discomfort. But what I did was to provide my daughter with an excuse for struggle by saying “you’re not that type of person.”
Perhaps you’ve provided your child with a similar excuse by saying something similar like “I was never good at that either.” The underlying message being “we aren’t the right type of person to be good at that—we don’t have those abilities.”
A nudge in the right direction
To help us be better parents and nurture a more growth-oriented mindset in our children, we need a little nudge. A reminder that helps us counter any unconscious bias and ensure we create more growth-oriented messages for our children.
I’ve created lots of these nudges, for all types of situations. The one relevant to this situation is to remember that “Learning is about creating, not discovering.”
Learning is about creating, not discovering
In the context of trying new things, this nudge reminds us that we’re not trying to find out if my daughter has those abilities. We’re trying to decide if she wants to develop those abilities. So, now I might say:
“Darling, getting good at something takes time and the right type of effort. You need to decide if this is something you’re prepared to invest the time and effort into getting good at.”
The nudge helps us repeat this message over and over, slowly creating a more growth-oriented mindset. They become more empowered and see life as being in their control. They recognise they can become whoever they want, or need, to become.
It’s like George Bernard Shaw said, “Life is not about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.”