News

Parking Safely around Mimosa

Thu, 27 Feb 2020 15:26:15 AEDT

It has once again been reported to the school that several parents are parking illegally and dangerously around our school at drop-off and pick-up times. Please adhere to the parking signs to ensure our students remain safe at all times. We know that parking around the school is at a premium and that parents are often forced to park a distance away, but for the sake of a couple of minutes of walking time, I urge everyone to please DO THE RIGHT THING!

An area that is of particular concern at the moment is the bus parking bay outside Davidson HS. This is not an area where parents are permitted to park. There have been cars blocking the entrance to this area and buses have not been able to enter safely.

To find out more about Demerit Points and Offences for illegal parking and driving infringements, please visit https://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roads/safety-rules/demerits-offences/index.html

Lunchtime Band Rehearsals

Thu, 27 Feb 2020 14:57:08 AEDT

Parents are reminded that if your child has a band rehearsal on either Monday lunch (Training band) or Wednesday lunch (Intermediate band), they are unable to have a canteen lunch order on that day. The children start rehearsals at the beginning of lunchtime and do not have time to collect and eat a full lunch order.

Students have been reminded that on band rehearsal days, to eat a larger amount of their food at recess so that they only have a smaller amount to consume at the end of rehearsals. Students can’t eat food prior to the rehearsal as instruments don’t cope very well if food crumbs are blown into them! Parents might want to consider the type of food their children has on a band day and pack items that are easy to eat. An assortment of smaller food items and snacks is always good on these days.

Year 6 Camp

Thu, 27 Feb 2020 15:00:35 AEDT

Our Year 6 students and teachers returned from their camp today, a little exhausted but excited to relay many stories of the fun and adventures they had. The students spent three days and two nights in the beautiful natural bush setting of Sydney Academy of Sport and Recreation at Narrabeen enjoying activities like kayaking, archery, damper making, ropes course and rock climbing. The activities involved taking on a challenge, team building skills, resilience, co-operation, friendly competition and organisation.

Many thanks to our teachers Mr Duff, Mrs Gray, Mrs Mangano and Mr Cleary for accompanying the students on the camp and ensuring everyone had a great time, remained safe and was well looked after. We appreciate these dedicated staff members taking time away from their own families to give our students these wonderful, worthwhile experiences.

School Drop Off & Pick Up

Thu, 20 Feb 2020 11:40:11 AEDT

Our supervised school times are 8:45am -3:15pm each day.

Outside of these times, students do not have direct access to teacher supervision. Students should not arrive at school before the 8:45am play bell. If students are at school for a few minutes prior to this time, they are to sit on the silver seats in the bottom playground. Parents are encouraged to book children into MOOSH in the mornings if they are arriving prior to 8:45am.

In the afternoons, our bell goes at 3:15pm which is the end of the school day. There is no supervision for students past 3:15pm and parents must make childcare arrangements from this time. Students cannot be supervised by staff members after 3:15pm. Again, students need to be booked into MOOSH if you cannot collect your child by the end of the school day. If a staff member brings a child to the office who hasn’t been collected, they will be taken to MOOSH in order that they are safe.

If you are regularly late to pick up children, please don’t assume that students can just play in the playground or wait with the teachers or admin staff until you arrive.

Of course, if there is an emergency or you are unavoidably detained and you are going to be late please call the office to discuss how we can assist with sorting childcare.

Meet the Teacher Evening

Thu, 20 Feb 2020 11:31:57 AEDT

Thank you to all the parents who were able to come to the ‘Meet the Teacher’ sessions on Monday evening. The classrooms were well attended and we hope that you now have a good picture of your child’s class, routines and plans for this year. If you were unable to attend, please see your child’s class teacher for any handouts or information you might have missed.

At these sessions, teachers asked parents to nominate for the Class Parent role for this year. Each class needs a class parent who can be responsible for collating a class directory of emails and primarily disseminate information throughout the year from the class teacher(s) and the P&C. In the past, people in this role have also organised social functions for the class. If your child’s class is still in need of a Class Parent and you would like to volunteer for this role, can you please let the class teacher know or inform the school office?

Lost Property

Thu, 20 Feb 2020 11:57:49 AEDT

There is already an extensive amount of unnamed lost property. A lot of it has been given to us from MOOSH left by students who attended the holiday program. Could you please have a look on the table outside of the office to see if anything belongs to your child. Items include sandshoes, a toy train and soft toys.

PLEASE MAKE SURE ALL OF YOUR CHILD’S BELONGINGS ARE LABELLED.

If they are we will endeavor to return it to them.

Student Absences

Thu, 20 Feb 2020 11:29:57 AEDT

If your child is unwell and won’t be attending school could you please let the office know as soon as possible so that all absences are accounted for. You can do this by phoning or emailing the office, filling out the Absentee Form in the Digital Form section of the Mimosa App or complete a Student Absence Explanation form in the office.

P&C News

Thu, 20 Feb 2020 11:27:25 AEDT

Last night our P&C AGM was held to elect representatives to the Executive and Sub-committee roles. Congratulations to our newly elected members, we are delighted that you have taken on these very important roles. We look forward to working with our parents and carers at upcoming P&C events.

Our 2020 elected P&C representatives are:

President: Shelley Davidson
Vice-President: Simon Hopkins
Vice-President: Jenny Greig
Treasurer: Amy Eaton
Secretary: VACANT
Band Co-ordinator: Karen Horovitz
Canteen Co-ordinator: Kath McQuoid
Uniform Shop Co-ordinator: Helene Van Der Merwe
Social and Fundraising Co-ordinator: VACANT
Environmental & Sustainability Co-ordinator: Marc Cottee

PLEASE HELP!! As you can see from above, we need a SECRETARY for our P&C. It is vital we fill this position in order that our P&C correspondence, minutes and documentation is kept up to date and managed in accordance with P&C guidelines. We have been lucky to have Gretta Eastmead as our Secretary and previously our Social and Fundraising Co-ordinator for three years now. Gretta is happy to work with a new Secretary to ensure there is seamless transition and a full understanding of the responsibilities of the role.

If you think you might be interested or would like to know more, please contact us and we can put you in touch with the right people. We’d love to hear from you!

Social and Fundraising Co-ordinator: This position is also VACANT and we are looking for someone who can liaise with the volunteers who co-ordinate our social and fundraising events. We already have people willing to run many events, we just need someone to work with these volunteers and ensure there is clear communication to the P&C about upcoming events and report on developments and plans.

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL)

Thu, 20 Feb 2020 11:21:15 AEDT

Positive Behaviour for Learning is our school-wide system of support the helps define, teach and support appropriate student behaviours, creating a positive school environment. At Mimosa we have four core school values that help students manage behavioural expectations in the classroom and other school settings. It gives our teachers and staff members a consistent language to discuss the values we expect students to display in all areas of the school and how to correct behaviours that are not consistent with expectations.

Our four values are RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, RESILIENCE and EFFORT. These four values are discussed with children right from the start of Kindergarten so that they can build up a clear understanding of how to display the values in all settings.

Each week we have a focus area and teachers talk to their students about this area and how to display appropriate behaviours and how to show our four values when they are at school. Some parents like to use the same values at home so that there is consistency between home and school.

Students who collect 3 Values certificates of the same type, can hand them into the office and at our Monday assembly, students are presented with a badge for that value. When students collect all four badges, they are presented with a Kirrinari medallion on Presentation Day.

Don’t forget that the 3 Values certificates can be from any years, so don’t throw any certificates out that the children receive. Also be aware that when students are in Year 6 they put together a Growth and Integrity portfolio which can include all their awards and certificates over the course of their primary schooling. So please keep all awards, ribbons, certificates, etc in a handy location for your child!

School Enews

Thu, 20 Feb 2020 11:13:05 AEDT

Don’t forget to sign up to our School Enews app if you haven’t already done so. It’s how we communicate to all our families with newsletters, alerts, notes and forms.

Don’t forget you can also use the app to send us a message when your child has been absent from school.

Last year we were able to keep everyone informed via the app with up-to-the-minute information during the big storm in Term 4, which I know reassured parents that their children were safe and being well cared for during this worrying time.

All families who currently have the app will be automatically moved over to their children’s new grades. Parents will need to update the app and ‘tick’ the groups your child belongs to, eg Band, PSSA, etc in case information is sent to these groups only.

Mimosa Swimming Carnival

Thu, 20 Feb 2020 11:15:34 AEDT

Well done to all our competitors at last week’s school swimming carnival. We had a very hot day at Manly but everyone enjoyed getting in the water to race and cool off! We had some excellent displays of swimming skill and talent. Students who placed 1st, 2nd or 3rd were presented with their ribbons at our Monday assembly this week. Thank you to Mr Duff and Mrs Falck for organising the carnival. Special thanks to the parents who volunteered to assist on the day; we couldn’t run such a successful carnival without you.

The children who qualified for entry to the next level will now compete at the Warringah Zone Swimming Carnival at the Warringah Aquatic Centre on Monday 9th March (Week 7). More information about this carnival will be distributed soon.

Welcome Back to a New School Year

Thu, 20 Feb 2020 11:08:53 AEDT

On Monday we warmly welcomed our 74 eager and enthusiastic Kindergarten students and their families to Mimosa. Many of the children enrolled have a sibling at school already and so for a number of our new students they were already somewhat familiar with their surroundings! They are also settling well into school, making new friends and learning all about life at ‘big school’! Come the end of this first busy week, we might have some very tired young students who will be ready for a big rest on the weekend!

Our Year 6 students have been superb in looking after their young buddies during morning tea and lunch. They are playing games, showing their buddies how to navigate the playground and helping to open the lunchboxes and packets of food inside. We look forward to seeing the progress they make as the year unfolds.

Coronavirus - Department of Education statement

Tue, 28 Jan 2020 19:15:14 AEDT

The department is working with the Ministry of Health to monitor and respond to the unfolding international novel coronavirus situation.

Get up-to-date information about the department's response to novel coronavirus.

#Ready2020 – a great year starts here

Tue, 21 Jan 2020 13:48:50 AEDT

Starting school is a big moment in a child’s life. Here’s how to make the most of it.

We can’t wait for you to join us for a great year – the first step towards a lifelong love of learning.

Visit the department’s primary school resources for hints, tips and checklists to make a great start to the new school year, whether your child is starting Kindergarten or Year 6.

You’ll find:

Getting ready for primary school booklet – everything you need to be #Ready2020
Daisy’s First Day – the story of Daisy the koala’s first adventure at Kindergarten
advice from teachers – they’ve been through this before.

Video – #Ready2020: First day of Kindy

Duration – 1:00

Staying healthy into the new school year

Fri, 20 Dec 2019 17:19:23 AEDT

Immunisation is a simple, safe and effective way to protect your family from harmful diseases this holiday season and into 2020. Visit your doctor for general health and vaccination advice.

Immunisation not only protects you and your family but also others in your community, by reducing the spread of preventable diseases.

Children starting school in 2020 must have up-to-date immunisations to enrol.

These vaccinations help protect children from highly infectious and severe diseases including whooping cough and measles.

Travel health

If you’re travelling overseas during the school holidays, you may need vaccinations or medication – both for general health protection and for region-specific diseases.

If you’re travelling to the Northern Hemisphere, you may even need a flu shot.

Find out more about staying healthy while travelling.

NSW schools respond to bushfires

Mon, 11 Nov 2019 17:32:10 AEDT

Many schools are responding to the catastrophic fire rating that is affecting communities across the state this week.

We are continuously updating the School safety page with a list of government and non-government schools, as well as TAFE NSW campuses that are currently non-operational.

While some schools are temporarily non-operational due to localised fires, many others in high-risk areas are non-operational as a precautionary measure.

Schools in some areas are being used as emergency evacuation centres at the direction of the Rural Fire Service.

For schools that are currently operational, school pickups and dropoffs will continue as usual. If your school is currently non-operational, it will likely remain so tomorrow.

Large scale distressing events affect our school communities in many ways. Headspace’s mental health support resource (PDF 100.52KB) is available to help students, teachers and school staff respond to the bushfires.

Visit the School safety page for updates. The department’s Facebook and Twitter accounts will also provide updates during this period.

Band Tour

Thu, 07 Nov 2019 14:07:42 AEDT

Welcome back to our musicians who have just arrived back today from their band tour. They had a great time on their tour and will no doubt have lots of interesting stories to tell.

The band performed at the Wollongong Conservatorium of Music and at several schools in the area. They also enjoyed visiting the Symbio Wildlife Park, taking part in a trivia event and having a disco in the evening.

Many thanks to Mrs Smith, Mrs Tyler and Mr Steinmann for accompanying our band on their tour and looking after them so well.

Grab a ticket to Schools Spectacular 2019

Tue, 22 Oct 2019 17:28:11 AEDT

Will you be joining us at Schools Spectacular 2019? Tickets are on sale now. Experience our live show featuring a cast of thousands of public school students from across metropolitan, rural and remote regions of NSW.

Students from different ages, cultures and backgrounds will share the spotlight as they dance, play and sing for you. Choose from one of our four massive performances at Qudos Bank Arena on Friday 22 November and Saturday 23 November.

This year's events will feature:

more than 380 schools
5,500 performers
a 3000-strong choir
2,300 dancers
an 80-piece symphony orchestra
a world-class stage band.

Group bookings

Need to make a group booking for over 10 people? Complete the Schools Preview Order Form 2019 (PDF 110KB) to attend the discounted 11am Friday matinee. The Friday matinee is discounted for school students and accompanying teachers.

If you’d like to grab a spot at one of the other three remaining shows complete the Group Booking Form 2019 (PDF 110KB).

Tickets for you and your family and friends

Save you and your family a spot online or by phone on 132 849.

Video – Schools Spectacular 2019

Duration: 0:26

End of Term Message from Mrs Smith

Thu, 26 Sep 2019 14:01:25 AEST

It’s hard to believe that we are now in the final week of Term 3. Time certainly does fly by when you’re having fun! It has been an extremely busy term, filled with many meaningful and enjoyable experiences both inside and outside of the classroom. We are looking forward to welcoming our School Principal, Mr Matthew Fuller back to Mimosa in Term 4. I would like to sincerely thank the Mimosa staff, students and parents for their support during the time in which I have been relieving in the Principal’s position. It has been an honour to fulfil this role at Mimosa PS. I wish everyone a restful and enjoyable holiday break and hope that the children return to school feeling refreshed and ready for the final school term of 2019. Term 4 commences on Monday 14th October and students are encouraged to wear their summer uniform back to school.

Year 6 Canberra Excursion

Fri, 20 Sep 2019 10:56:38 AEST

Our Year 6 students and teachers returned from their Canberra trip last week. Despite feeling tired, everyone was enthusiastically and excitedly relaying tales of their time away. It was a great learning experience for the children and helped to consolidate their understandings of how our Federal Parliament operates. As part of the organisation of the excursion, we successfully applied for the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate (PACER). This rebate from the Australian Government went towards reducing the cost of the excursion for our families. Our students had a wonderful time visiting Parliament House, The Australian War Memorial, Old Parliament House, The Royal Australian Mint, Questacon, The National Dinosaur Museum, and the CSIRO. They did all of this in just three days. A big thank you to the Year 6 teaching team, Mrs Ord, Ms Mangano and Mrs Gray, along with Mr Cleary for accompanying and caring for our Year 6 students on this camp.

Stage 2 Excursion

Fri, 20 Sep 2019 11:04:56 AEST

Earlier this week, students and teachers in Stage 2 visited Narrabeen Coastal Environmental Centre to learn more about local flora and fauna as well as lifecycles. Year 3 students enjoyed a pleasant, sunny day at the centre whilst Year 4 students battled the wind and rain. Regardless of the weather, all students reported that they had a great time with the highlight being the opportunity to dissect a squid. Thank you to the Stage 2 teachers for organising this excursion for the students and a special thank you to all of the parents who volunteered their time to accompany the students and teachers.

Have your say on before and after school care

Fri, 13 Sep 2019 13:41:33 AEST

We want to better understand your needs for before and after school care in NSW.

Have your say today on before and after school care.

Fill out the survey by Service NSW to share your specific care needs and to register interest to stay informed of new developments.

Your input will provide insights into where there are gaps in service availability and help us to deliver extra places where they are needed.

You can also contact the team responsible for rolling out the before and after school care commitment at BASCreform@det.nsw.edu.au.

Book yourself in for Reading Hour

Thu, 12 Sep 2019 11:27:48 AEST

This Australian Reading Hour, encourage your child to discover or rekindle their love of a good book. Take the time to learn, escape and relax on Thursday 19 September and read for one hour.

Get involved at home

Join in at home and read your child a bedtime story. Studies show that reading a bedtime story six days a week can give kids almost a year’s head start when they begin school. Reading has also been shown to develop empathy, promote critical thinking and help children find a sense of self.

Join in from the classroom

Bestselling children’s author and illustrator Matt Stanton will broadcast live to primary school children across the country from the Sydney Opera House on Tuesday 17 September. We invite schools to register for the livestream of this free event.

Stanton’s author talk is among more than 140 events happening across the country involving more than 50 authors.

Take the Book Swap Challenge

We all have favourite books that we come back to again and again.

To help celebrate Reading Hour take our Book Swap Challenge. We want students, teachers, staff and parents to try reading something new on the day. To get involved, simply pair up with someone and swap your favourite books.

Take a photo and tag it with #ReadingHour so we can see how you got involved.

Video – #ReadingHour authors talk about their favourite place to read

Duration: 0:38

Looking for a good spot to open a book? We asked authors Benjamin Law, Morris Gleitzman, Jacqueline Harvey and Mick Elliott about their favourite place to read.

DanceSport Challenge

Thu, 12 Sep 2019 12:01:13 AEST

Last week, we held a DanceSport performance event in the school hall. All Year 5 families were invited along to view the culmination of the 15 week dance program. Students entertained their parents with their skill and technique when dancing the jive, tango, salsa and cha cha.

On Monday evening, thirty of our Year 5 students attended the DanceSport Gala event at Homebush. The teachers and parents who attended were extremely proud to watch our students as they took centre stage at such an amazing venue. The Mimosa finalists performed admirably in each dance style. The following students were selected to perform in the final 8:

1st place Cha Cha Byron & Keira

6th place Tango Sam & Natalie

7th place Jive Logan & Edie

Book Week Parade

Thu, 12 Sep 2019 12:00:57 AEST

Last week students and teachers celebrated Book Week by dressing up as some of their favourite book characters. Thank you to everyone for taking the time and effort to dress up for this special school event. Miss Coolentianos and Miss Bellingham hosted the event and announced each class as they had their turn parading in front of the crowd. Kindergarten had great fun walking on the stage with their buddies by their side. Throughout the day classes buddied up and shared some time reading together. This was a great success with many students requesting to read with their buddy class again. Thank you to all the parents and family members who came along to watch the parade.

News From the Uniform Shop - Girls Shorts Option This Summer!

Sat, 07 Sep 2019 17:50:49 AEST

We are very excited to introduce the option for gils to wear shorts this summer. Girls can continue wearing the Mimosa summer dress or alternatively the bottle green shorts with the white short sleeved peter pan blouse. Both of these items are now available through the school uniform shop.

Please note that the sizes of the shorts are slightly smaller than other brands. We highly recommend for you to visit the Uniform shop on Friday between 8.45am and 9.30am to try on the shorts. If ordering on Flexischools, please take note of the measurements. If for example you are usually a size 6, we recommend you order a size 8.

To view the pricing for these new items, please go to the Uniform Shop page on the website.

Young Commuicator's Competition

Sat, 07 Sep 2019 17:58:46 AEST

The Young Communicator's Competition finals event was held last Monday. The standard of the oral presentations made by the students was outstanding and the guest adjudicators had a very tough time determining the winners for 2019. This year there was a wide range of topics addressed. The purpose of some speeches was to inform the audience about a topic or current issue whilst the purpose of other speeches was to clearly entertain. I was proud to see competitors encouraging each other and patting each other on the back after a job well done.

Congratulations to this year's winners:

Beginners Section: Ivy - "Why My Daddy is a Real-Life Superhero!"

Junior Section: Isabella - "Mother Nature"

Intermediate Section: Josie - "How to Blame the Dog"

Senior Section: Katie - "Weird Things Parents Say"

How to be smart and safe on social media

Thu, 05 Sep 2019 11:49:56 AEST

Use our new Digital Citizenship toolkit to empower your child to understand how their online behaviour affects themselves and others.

You and your child can find information on:

how to ‘be positive’ by understanding online behaviour and its effect
'be smart’ by thinking critically and being digitally aware
'be safe’ by protecting your security, privacy and wellbeing.

A toolkit to empower you and your child

You can find articles and videos to equip and empower your child to minimise the risks and maximise the opportunities in our digital future.

We’ve partnered with leading researchers to produce a curated toolkit – aligned to the curriculum – which teachers and you can share with the young people in your lives.

Guide your child through important concepts such as:

managing privacy settings in social media
collaborating online
avoiding scams and hoaxes
understanding the law when it comes to online speech
Internet banking, shopping online and much more.

Keep your child safe and happy online

Visit and bookmark the Digital Citizenship website. We’ll continue to add articles and resources to ensure the best possible tools are available to help you guide your child to be positive, smart and safe online.

School Administration and Support Staff (SASS) Appreciation Week

Mon, 02 Sep 2019 10:07:20 AEST

This week NSW public schools will acknowledged the dedicated workers who assist in the day-to-day running of our schools. School Administrative and Support Staff Recognition Week is an annual event to say thank you to SASS staff who include general assistants, school administrative managers, school administrative officers and school learning support officers.

Department of Education Secretary Mark Scott thanked the staff who support more than 810,000 public school students. “Our SAS staff are often the first people parents and students see when they come to a school and that first welcoming impression is incredibly important,” Mr Scott said.

At Mimosa our SASS team are vital to the day-to-day running of our school and are of tremendous support to all stakeholders. I would like to acknowledge the work that they do each and every day. Together in partnership we support and guide our students to feel valued, cared for and to achieve their best. Our SASS team go above and beyond in their daily role to ensure that teachers, parents and students are well supported. So to the following people we say a huge THANK YOU, you are all truly valued and appreciated.

Mimosa School Concert

Sat, 07 Sep 2019 17:43:58 AEST

This year's concert "A Night at the Movies" is fast approaching. After very positive feedback in 2017, our concert will once again be held at the C3 Church on the corner of Wakehurst Parkway and Dreadnought Road Oxford Falls.

Concert tickets will be available to purchase through the online booking system 'Try Booking'. The theatre is a reasonable size which means we are able to offer each family the opportubnity to purchase up to 3 tickets each. Concert Tickets go on sale Wednesday 28th August at 6:00am

We respectfully request the families do not exceed purchasing 3 tickets as we would like to ensure that every family has an opportunity to join us at this special event. In the event a family does purchas more than the allocated numbver of tickets (via different email address) the school is able to void the ticket sales and a refund will be provided. Once every family has had the opportunity to purchase tickets, any leftover tickets will then be released for sale.

Ticket Cost: $15.00 per person. Toddlers 2 years of under may sit on your lap.

Link to ticket sales: https://www.trybooking.com/BDZHA

When booking tickets, please do not leave gaps (spare seats) as we would like to minimise single seats being left for sale.

K - 2 Athletics Carnival

Tue, 27 Aug 2019 12:30:02 AEST

Yesterday we held our annual athletics carnival for students in Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2. There was a lot of excitement as students had the opportunity to enter their age race sprint. There was a lovely atmosphere with plenty of cheering and encouragement from the students and parents. Students displayed the school values and we saw many examples of students showing resilience when things didn’t go quite as they originally planned. A couple of students lost a shoe and continued to run, and some students who had a little fall, were able to pick themselves back up and finish the race.

Our Year 6 sport captains did an admirable job leading the cheering and helping the younger students in their house throughout the morning. Thank you to all the parents and grandparents who were able to come along to help support the children at this fun school event. I am very grateful to Miss Loy and the K-2 teachers who all put in an enormous effort to make this event a success.

P&C Survey Results

Mon, 12 Aug 2019 14:37:49 AEST

The Mimosa P&C would like to thank all those who took part in our fundraising survey that was sent out late 2018 and again at the beginning of the year.

Please see the below attachment for details of the survey results.

P&C Survey Results

For more information on what the P&C do, please head over the the P&C Page

Open Day

Mon, 12 Aug 2019 11:38:34 AEST

We were so excited to see that so many parents, grandparents and special friends were able to attend and share our open day activities. Our classrooms, library and playground were filled with visitors and it was fantastic to see the students conversing with their visitors about their school work. All students had the opportunity to perform with their grade and our creative arts groups entertained the audiences with dance routines, singing and musical performances they have been working hard on all year.

The ‘Book Fair’ in the library was a wonderful success. Thank you for your generosity in donating good quality books to our school library. Thank you to Amy Eaton and her team of helpers who prepared delicious morning tea treats and tea and coffee for our visitors. I would also like to express my thanks to all the K-2 families who supplied a plate of fruit or vegetables so that our students could enjoy a healthy morning tea.

Education Week at Mimosa

Mon, 12 Aug 2019 11:32:16 AEST

Today we celebrated Education Week by holding our annual ‘Open Day’. This year’s Education Week theme for NSW public schools is: “Every student, every voice.” At the assemblies Fiona Smith spoke about how student voice is recognised and amplified within our school community.

One aspect of her address focused on our focus on current educational research and the implementation of teaching strategies which will maximise, and have the greatest impact on student learning. She outlined how the implementation of visible learning strategies in our school has created a community of students who can:

Articulate what they are learning
Explain the next steps in their learning
Set learning goals and talk about what steps they need to take to achieve their goal
See errors as opportunities for further learning
Know what to do when they are stuck
Actively seek feedback about their learning

Today was a celebration of student empowerment and how the NSW public education system gives students the knowledge and skills they need in order to have and express a voice during their own educational journey. At Mimosa we strive to prepare and empower our students to develop the knowledge, skills and capabilities they require to thrive as active citizens, not only during their primary schooling but also for their future lives beyond the school gates.

Australian School Band and Orchestra Festival

Mon, 12 Aug 2019 11:53:06 AEST

Last weekend the training, intermediate and senior bands performed at the Australian School Band and Orchestra Festival (ASBOF). This event provided our students with the opportunity to perform at an outstanding venue and added to their performance experience. A professional music educator commented on each band’s performance, and each band received an award recognising their level of achievement.

Congratulations to all students who represented Mimosa at this event. I felt very proud of your behaviour, attitude and musical performances. Thank you to all the parents who took time out of your busy weekends to allow your child/children to participate in this event.

Results:

Training Band – Gold Award
Intermediate Band – Silver Award
Senior Band – Silver Award

Education Week – Every student, every voice

Thu, 01 Aug 2019 14:16:09 AEST

We are celebrating our students and their powerful voices this Education Week Monday 5 August to Friday 9 August. Every year Education Week celebrates the achievements of public schools, our students and the value of public education.

This year, the theme is Every student, every voice.

Join us for #EdWeek19 as we celebrate our students and their power to shape the world.

Video – #EdWeek19 – Every student, every voice

Duration: 0:34

Creative and Active Kids vouchers now available

Fri, 14 Jun 2019 11:44:32 AEST

Creative kids can now put a $100 voucher towards extra-curricular creative activities outside of school.

Together with Active Kids, this program aims to encourage more NSW children to participate in a range of extra-curricular activities such as coding, languages, circus, performing arts and visual arts.

Parents can apply for one $100 voucher for each child enrolled in school on the Creative Kids website and use it towards the cost of registration, participation or tuition. You just redeem the voucher with a registered provider in your area when making your payment.

This is a great opportunity for your child to become involved in a range of activities that will build on their education, growth and development.

Service NSW is working with industry bodies to deliver the program.

For more information, contact Service NSW on 137 788 or creativekids@service.nsw.gov.au.

Recycling at School

Tue, 11 Jun 2019 14:13:41 AEST

Each week, Year 6 students Quinn, Zoe and Emma talk to the students about recycling practices in the school. These students initiated these recycling practices in 2017 and continue to encourage Mimosa students to be actively involved in recycling at school. It would be helpful if parents and family members are able to reiterate these messages at home.

Lunch order bags can be placed back in the basket and will be recycled.
Berri fruit cups, milo lids and slushie containers can be placed in the tub outside the canteen.
The new paper straws can also be added to the tub for recycling.

The Game Changer Challenge is back

Fri, 31 May 2019 12:28:44 AEST

It’s not too late to become a Game Changer with applications for the Education Week challenge due by 7 June.

The Game Changer Challenge brings 16 teams from public schools across NSW – eight from primary and eight from secondary – to Sydney during Education Week in August for a three-day, intensive design-thinking workshop.

The Game Changer workshops, which start on Tuesday 6 August, includes teacher training in the use of design thinking as a teaching methodology and its application for school planning.

It also includes a team competition where schools will work under the guidance of experts from industry and academia to develop a solution to this year’s critical question: How might we humanise technology?

Department of Education Secretary Mark Scott has encouraged students and teachers to get behind the event as it highlights the critical thinking students will need to develop to succeed in the future.

“The Game Changer Challenge is an exciting initiative that helps educate and inform our students and teachers on how to integrate the problem-solving methodology of design thinking into the classroom,” Mr Scott says.

“It embraces the 21^st century skills our students will need to thrive in a globalised world such as collaboration, creative thinking and communication.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for our students at all levels to be involved in discussing and addressing a real-world issue that will affect their future lives. I encourage every school to get involved.”

The challenge is designed to make strong learning and teaching connections to the NSW syllabus specifically in the area of developing general capabilities such as critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, communication and problem-solving.

The challenge also provides teachers with an opportunity to gain exposure to the design thinking process and includes teacher resources to introduce this creative problem-solving methodology into the classroom.

Finalists will be selected based on a 60-second video that showcases your team’s vision around the question of humanising technology.

For more information email edweek@det.nsw.edu.au or visit the Game Changer Challenge page.

Warringah Zone Cross Country 2019 Results

Thu, 30 May 2019 11:51:05 AEST

Last Friday 48 students from Year 2-6 attended the Zone Cross Country at Aquatic Reserve. In what were great conditions, our students performed admirably and achieved some excellent results. Overall Mimosa finished in 5th place and all students should be very proud of their contributions to the team.

Congratulations to the following students who finished inside the top 6 and have now qualified to respresent Warringah Zone at the Sydney North Carnival.

8 - 9 Yrs: Jasmine, Katie & Anthony

10 Yrs: Lara & Jed

12 Yrs: Alyssa & Matthew

Biggest Morning Tea - Thank You!

Thu, 30 May 2019 11:12:49 AEST

Kerry Hawke (Beau’s mum) would like to pass on a huge thank you to all the staff and students at Mimosa Public School for their support of the Oncology and Infusion Centre at the NBH. They recently held their first Cancer Council Biggest Morning tea and Mimosa students were invited to submit artworks to bring their cake stall to life. Kerry reported that the children’s illustrations were beautiful and admired by all. There were numerous comments on how wonderful the artwork was and even a few tears of joy that they brought. Kerry and her team were able to raise $1720 for the Cancer Council. What a great effort, I am so proud that we were able to be involved.

Three prizes have been awarded by Kerry and her team at the Northern Beaches Hospital for our student’s wonderful efforts and beautiful artwork.

1st prize - Annaliese

2nd prize - Ruby

3rd prize - Sophie

Kindness Week

Tue, 28 May 2019 14:52:34 AEST

Each day during Kindness Week, students will be taking on the challenge to be kind to each other through participating in various activities and lessons. You and your family can participate by attempting to complete this checklist at home!

Do a chore without being asked. o Read a book to your sibling, cousin, grandparent, friend or pet..
Make a new friend or welcome a new neighbour.
Take your pet for a walk/give them a bath/clean their cage.
Hold the door open for someone.
Embrace your family with a big hug.
Write a loving note to someone.
Watch the sunrise or sunset together.
Be kind to yourself by eating a healthy snack.
Call your grandparents to say ‘hi’.
Say ‘good morning’ to five people. o Take a family walk.
Sincerely compliment five people.

Food Allergy Week

Thu, 23 May 2019 12:05:32 AEST

Anaphylaxis is the most severe form of allergic reaction and is potentially life threatening. A severe allergic reaction or anaphylaxis usually occurs within 20 minutes to 2 hours of exposure to the trigger and can rapidly become life threatening.

At Mimosa, we have a number of students in most grades who have food allergies or who are anaphylactic. It can be hard to believe that foods most of us enjoy every day can be harmful to others.

It is very important that students do not share or swap food with each other as this can be very dangerous for children with food allergies. As many allergies are related to peanuts and tree nuts we respectfully request that nut products are not packed in school lunch boxes.

Next week is ‘Food Allergy Week’! Food Allergy Week aims to raise awareness of food allergy including potentially fatal food allergies.

To find out more and how we can help people living with anaphylaxis visit www.foodallergyaware.com.au for more information and www.allergy.org.au/patients/anaphylaxis-e-training-first-aid-community to access free training.

Your NAPLAN questions answered

Thu, 09 May 2019 15:27:19 AEST

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is a point in time assessment for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. The tests assess the foundational skills in reading, writing, spelling and numeracy that are essential for every child to progress through school and life.

This year NAPLAN takes place between 14 and 16 May for paper tests and between 14 and 24 May for schools participating in NAPLAN Online.

NAPLAN data is used to help monitor student progress over time against a national measure and to identify areas of strength and improvement. It is used in combination with other school assessments to guide and support student learning.

Watch students ask an expert the tough questions about NAPLAN.

Video – Kids ask the hard questions

Duration – 3:45

Just One Thing

Thu, 09 May 2019 12:58:49 AEST

Mimosa Public School values its community and parents are welcome and encouraged to participate in all aspects of school life. We would especially urge families who are new to the school and our area to get involved as volunteering at the school is a great way to meet people and make friends. No experience is necessary - we welcome all new faces and new ideas.

You’re invited to be part of our "Just One Thing" campaign for 2019. We have over 300 families attending Mimosa Public School and we would be grateful if every parent/caregiver would nominate to do "just one thing" throughout this year.

There is a variety of ways you can contribute: at school or at home, through events and projects, we are also looking for volunteers to work in collaboration with the school on plans for the 50th Anniversary of Mimosa in 2020.

For further details on how to get involved, please see the attached document.

Book Club Ordering

Thu, 09 May 2019 13:01:43 AEST

Just a reminder that all Book Club orders must be done lonline, via the Book Club LOOP App or via the LOOP website www.scholastic.com.au/LOOP

We are unable to accept payemnts via the school office.

Mimosa Kitchen Garden

Fri, 10 May 2019 13:02:12 AEST

The Mimosa Kitchen Garden will provide children with fresh fruit and vegetables and an interactive hands on food education and discovery garden.

Mimosa mumsm, Louise Eadie and Jess Marsh, are tackling the UTA50 to raise money for The Mimosa Kitchen Garden. The UTA50 is a challenging 50km trail run in the stunning Blue Mountains.

By giving a donation, you will be supporting The Mimosa Kitchen Garden project and all of our little green thumbs.

Donate now

Library News

Tue, 30 Apr 2019 10:45:51 AEST

Thank you to all the Mimosa families who ordered from Book Club this March.

It was a bumper order of $2700 in books and other exciting items and this allowed the school library to receive $560 to spend for new library books. A massive thank you to Tanya, (Eden and Lewis) for getting all those books out to our 20 classes and also to Heather (Andy and Lexie) for assisting in the library on Fridays (serving children and covering books) and helping with the last box of orders. Thank you also to Nicole (Zara and Charlotte) for helping serve and scan in the library during her daughters’ library time. This volunteer help is greatly appreciated!

Thank you to all the families who have visited the school library after school on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. It has been a pleasure to get to know you and learn about your children’s reading interests.

We are open for half an hour straight after school (3:45pm-3:45pm) to assist you in selecting books for Home Reading. Why not drop in after school in Term 2?

Apply now for My Community Project funding

Mon, 29 Apr 2019 15:15:51 AEST

Do you have a great idea to improve your area?

My Community Project is a new NSW Government funding program that is all about local ideas, local projects and local decisions.

You can apply now for grants from $20,000 - $200,000 for projects that will make a difference to your community. Projects could include new playground equipment, sports facilities, paths or ramps to improve access, public art or a community service.

The local community can vote for their favourite projects in July and successful projects will be announced in September.

Project applications close 15 May 2019.

Apply for My Community Project funding

Bring back memories, not measles

Thu, 11 Apr 2019 15:30:49 AEST

With school holidays just around the corner, it’s time to visit your doctor to check that you and your family are fully protected against measles, before you travel overseas.

Measles is a serious, highly contagious, viral illness that is easily spread through the air when an infectious person coughs, sneezes or breathes. If you and your family are not fully vaccinated, or have never been vaccinated, you are at risk of contracting measles.

Not sure if you’re fully protected?

In Australia, the measles vaccine (MMR) consists of 2 doses. If you’re not sure whether you’ve had 2 doses of the measles vaccine, visit your doctor. It’s safe to receive another dose.

Children born in Australia

If your children were born in Australia, they may have received the measles vaccine at 12 months old and the second dose at 18 months, in accordance with the National Immunisation Program.
If you have a baby under 12 months old, consult your doctor about getting their measles vaccination.

Adults born in Australia

Born before 1966 – you were most likely exposed to measles as a child and are generally considered to be immune. If in doubt, ask your GP.
Born between 1966 and 1994 – you may not have received 2 doses. Talk to your doctor about the free vaccine if you’re unsure.
Born after 1994 – the National Immunisation Program offers 2 doses, and you can check your vaccination status using the Australian Immunisation Register.

For more information about the measles vaccination, visit NSW Health or consult your local doctor.

Cultural Day

Mon, 08 Apr 2019 10:53:01 AEST

Today we held our Aboriginal Education Cultural Day with the Koomurri Indigenous Group. The children thoroughly enjoyed the day and were engaged in many cultural activities including Aboriginal song and dance, looking at artefacts and Aboriginal history, artwork, face painting and storytelling.

The learning that took place helped to reinforce and support learning that occurs in the classrooms during history, science and literacy lessons throughout the year.

Harmony Day

Mon, 08 Apr 2019 10:52:04 AEST

Today our students and staff celebrated Harmony Day by wearing orange or traditional costume of their cultural background. Students also completed artwork that will go towards the production of a whole school piece of art.

Following on from the week before where we took part in the ‘Bullying – No Way’ campaign, Harmony Day is a time to celebrate Australian multiculturalism, and the successful integration of migrants into our community. Australia is one of the most successful multicultural countries in the world and we should celebrate this and work to maintain it. Harmony Day is about inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, united by a set of core Australian values.

There are some fascinating statistics about Australia’s diversity that can be good conversation-starters:

nearly half (49 per cent) of Australians were born overseas or have at least one parent who was
we identify with over 300 ancestries
since 1945, more than 7.5 million people have migrated to Australia
85 per cent of Australians agree multiculturalism has been good for Australia
apart from English, the most common languages spoken in Australia are Mandarin, Arabic, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Italian, Greek, Tagalog/Filipino, Hindi, Spanish and Punjabi
more than 70 Indigenous languages are spoken in Australia.

5 road safety tips for parents and carers

Mon, 25 Feb 2019 13:48:28 AEDT

Now that students are back to school after a break it’s a good time to chat with your child about safe behaviours when you walk or commute to school.

Here are our top tips to help our students make a safe trip:

1. Be alert and aware

Take note of the dangers you come across on your walk and bring them to your child’s attention. Point out dangers, such as vehicles coming out of driveways. Talk to your child about being alert in a road environment.

2. Hold hands

When on the footpath, at a crossing or in a car park always hold your child's hand. It is advised to do this up to the age of at least 8 years old and closely supervise until at least the age of 10.

3. Choose a safe crossing

Lead by example and choose a safe place to cross the road. Explain why it is the safest place to cross.

4. Set a good example

Your child watches everything you do, so if you cross at the crossing they will too. It is also important to share these messages with other carers who may walk with your child to school.

5. Stop, Look, Listen, Think every time you cross the road

Discuss this important road safety message. STOP! one step back from the kerb. LOOK! continuously both ways. LISTEN! for the sounds of approaching traffic. THINK! whether it is safe to cross.

Practise makes perfect

The more supervised practice your child can get the better, so why not make Term 1 the start of a new routine to walk with your child to school more often.

Older children may be ready to make the journey to school independently. Before they take this step, observe if they are road safe and reinforce the road safety messages.

For more information, check out the department’s pedestrian safety advice for students, parents and carers.

Back to school

Fri, 25 Jan 2019 15:08:55 AEDT

The first day of Kindergarten and the return to school in the new year are busy times for your child – and for the entire family. To help you make the most of this time and enjoy the experience, we’ve compiled some useful tips and checklists. We want every student to be known, valued and cared for in our schools.

Our film #FirstDay2019 captures the excitement – and the nerves – of the rite of passage that is the first day of Kindergarten.

Video – Back to School 2019: First Day at Kindy

Duration – 1:00

SRC conduct waste audit in conjunction with National Recycling Week

Thu, 15 Nov 2018 13:37:43 AEDT

Waste audit

2019 school budget allocations

Mon, 12 Nov 2018 16:29:03 AEDT

Like all NSW public schools, this week we will receive a School Budget Allocation Report with our funding for 2019. The report will help us manage our total budget delivered through the Resource Allocation Model (RAM).

The RAM supports schools through needs-based funding to ensure a fair, efficient and transparent allocation of funds. Our school has the flexibility to make local decisions based on the specific needs of our students.

We will use our 2019 funding to support students and improve educational outcomes. The school executive will continue to work with the school community as we implement the school plan using this needs-based funding.

Learn more about the 2019 RAM funding.

Mimosa students participate at Northern Beaches Primary Schools One-Day Tournament

Thu, 15 Nov 2018 13:44:24 AEDT

7th November 2018

Visit our 360 virtual school tour

Thu, 01 Nov 2018 13:39:38 AEDT

You can have a virtual tour of our school by visiting our 360 virtual school tours page.

School Leaders Visit to Parliament House

Thu, 15 Nov 2018 13:51:58 AEDT

Visit to Parliment House

Invictus Games Sydney 2018 Education Project to teach 6,000 NSW school students resilience

Thu, 01 Nov 2018 12:58:30 AEDT

Thousands of students will learn about resilience, inclusion and the importance of service this week when they participate in the NSW Department of Education’s Invictus Games Sydney 2018 Education Project.

Mark Scott, Secretary of the NSW Department of Education, said students will be inspired by the spirt of the Invictus Games while receiving valuable life lessons around acceptance and endurance.

“The Invictus Games Sydney 2018 Education Project gives NSW students the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to observe Invictus Games competitors from around the world achieving and overcoming adversity,” he said.

“This experience – coupled with the Invictus Games Sydney 2018 Education Project curriculum resources developed by the Department in conjunction with the Invictus Games Sydney 2018 – plays an important role in promoting active citizenship.”

As part of the Project, more than 6,000 students from 185 primary schools, central schools, secondary schools and schools for specific purposes across NSW will have the opportunity to visit this week’s Invictus Games Sydney 2018.

The Invictus Games Sydney 2018 Education Project will include workshops by Wheelchair Sports NSW, University of NSW, Assistance Dogs Australia and the Department’s STEMShare Communities team.

Newtown High School of Performing Arts students will host YouTube broadcasts daily at 2:00pm, providing students who cannot attend the Games with remote access to virtual excursions. The virtual excursions have been developed for the Invictus Games Sydney 2018 Education Project and will be made available on the Department of Education’s Learning Systems YouTube channel.

“Online learning resources that include curriculum modules have also been developed by a group of classroom teachers as part of the Project,” Mr Scott said. “These learning resources provide teachers with sophisticated, integrated materials to teach students about situations that happen in real life and are based on central themes of the Invictus Games such as inclusion, resilience and service.”

The Invictus Games is an international sporting event for wounded, injured and ill service men and women, both active duty and veteran. The Games use the healing power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and celebrate the crucial role played by family and friends.

The fourth Invictus Games will be held in Sydney from 20-27 October 2018.

NSW students in record attempt to highlight mental fitness

Thu, 01 Nov 2018 12:55:00 AEDT

Students from public schools across NSW are aiming to set a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS® title for the Largest Mental Health Awareness Lesson.

The NSW Department of Education attempt is expected to see more than 2,000 Year 9 and 10 students from 50 schools across the state participate in an interactive 40-minute lesson designed to develop resilience in young people.

The record attempt will be held on Friday, 9 November. The current title was set in the United Kingdom in June this year with 857 people in attendance.

Mark Scott, Secretary of the NSW Department of Education, said the world record attempt aimed to promote the importance of positive mental health education and showcase the department’s commitment to this important issue.

“This mental health lesson has been designed to give students the resilience and skills they need to cope with stressful situations while letting them know it’s OK to ask for help,” Mr Scott said.

“Mental fitness is appropriate to people of all ages and is just as important as our physical health, because it helps improve mindfulness, enhance resilience and build optimism.

“Being mentally fit doesn’t mean things won’t go wrong, but the more mentally fit we are, the better we are at coping with life’s challenges and enjoying life.”

The Largest Mental Health Awareness Lesson has been developed in partnership with teachers and leading mental health and youth organisations, in line with the new K-10 PDHPE syllabus.

The lesson – which will also be livestreamed to more than 7,200 students from 80 schools across NSW – aims to increase student confidence in seeking help and helping others, improve their ability to talk about mental wellbeing, and enhance awareness of how to maintain mental fitness.

The Largest Mental Health lesson will be taught by staff from headspace and the NSW Department of Education. It will include entertainment from student and celebrity performers, such as singer Jai Waetford and TV presenter and health coach, Olivia Phyland.

Visit the World's Largest Mental Health Awareness Lessonwebpage for more details.

Research packs positive message for lunchbox health

Thu, 09 May 2019 12:46:52 AEST

Parents in the Hunter region have been given a helping hand to ensure their children's school lunches are healthy.

New Lambton Heights Infants School in Newcastle has played host to the launch of SWAP-It, a University of Newcastle research project helping Hunter parents and carers create healthier lunchboxes.

Funded through a $500,000 grant from nib foundation, researchers have developed Swap What’s Packed in the lunchbox: SWAP-It, a parent support program delivered through an app.

Lead researcher, Associate Professor Luke Wolfenden, said SWAP-It aimed to address the nutritional intake of children to align it with dietary guidelines and prevent unhealthy weight gain in childhood.

“Good nutrition is one of the most important determinants of children’s health and wellbeing,” Associate Professor Wolfenden said.

“Within the Hunter New England region, more than 135,000 lunchboxes are packed for primary-aged school children every day. These lunchboxes provide the fuel for young growing minds, containing a third of their daily intake.

“However, packed within these lunchboxes are more than 270,000 items of junk food, cleverly packaged and presented to children to be consumed each day.

“The consumption of these foods is contributing to excessive energy intake, unhealthy weight gain, diabetes and other health issues that impact on children’s physical and mental health and can lead to chronic health conditions in adulthood.”

To address the limitations of previous tactics to improve lunchbox content, the research team established a partnership with leading national provider of a school-parent communication app Skoolbag to develop and integrate the lunchbox program within the app.

The program includes three components: SWAP-It nutrition guidelines; weekly support messages via push notifications; and resources such as hyperlinks to useful information, lunchbox planners, drink bottles, ice bricks and shopping lists as visual prompts to pack healthy lunchbox foods at home.

SWAP-It will be delivered to 150 primary schools across the Hunter New England region, directly benefitting approximately 75,000 students and 60,000 families over the three year period.

nib foundation director Michelle McPherson said with obesity posing a health and social burden estimated to cost $58 billion per year, and 27 per cent of Australian children now classified as obese or overweight, there was an imperative to improve the food habits of the next generation.

“Implementing a widely accessible program that prevents unhealthy weight gain from occurring in the first place is recommended as one of the most cost-effective approaches to improving community health and wellbeing,” Mrs McPherson said.

The department’s Healthy School Canteen Strategy is aiming to make the healthy choice the easy choice by increasing the availability of healthy food and drink options in school canteens.

With NSW Health, the department is supporting canteens and their managers in meeting food and drink criteria which incorporate healthy menu options, serving sizes and how food is presented, helping students learn to make healthy choices that will last their whole lives.