What’s on in the PCS this week?
Week beginning 13/2/2012

Welcome back to all of the families and students of the Peninsula Community of Schools (PCS) and we also extend a warm welcome to Bill Gillespie, Principal Elanora Heights Public School, to our new PCS families and students.
Year 11 and 12 students engaged in the Senior Shared Curriculum have begun their afternoon classes on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The Shared Curriculum provides for a broader subject selection for the senior students. This involves travel to one of our PCS High Schools for the courses to be delivered.
Our Year 6 Young Leaders from the 10 PCS Primary Schools Mr. Adam Hearne, Newport Public School and Mr. John Wigan, Narrabeen Sports High School assisted with the launch of the leadership training. A full day of team building and leadership activities at Gibberagong were conducted last Wednesday. The leadership program will continue each Wednesday afternoon at Narrabeen Sports High until the end of term. Stay tuned for an update on this wonderful program. The students will be presenting to Rob Stokes MP and Councillor Julie Hegarty at the end of this term.
The robots have enjoyed a well deserved rest and are now ready to begin their journey around our schools. The robotics program is being coordinated from four of our PCS schools. The schedules for the Bee Bots, Probots and NXT’s are being finalised and the robots will soon begin their school visits.
The PCS Year 7 Extension Class 2013 will take place at Pittwater High School this year. Further details will be coming to your schools this week. The applications for the test will be available from your primary school.
Almost 3500 people have visited the PCS Blog. Have you? The Message of the Week goes on there as well as other information about the PCS. You will need to type in the following address to reach the blog. http://peninsulacommunityofschools.wordpress.com/
Have a wonderful week!

PCS Coordinator
Sharon Smithies

Congratulations to Year 12 of 2011 who have now completed their HSC. Students will be looking forward to receiving their results early in December.
With the School Certificate finished many of the Year 10 students are out and about participating in fabulous Work Experience placements.
The long awaited First Lego League Tournament “Food Factor” will be held at Narrabeen Sports High this week. Students, their coaches and mentors are travelling from around NSW to participate in the Regional competition. 6 teams will be invited through to the National Tournament being held at Macquarie University in early December. Many thanks to the staff and students of Narrabeen Sports High for accommodating this fabulous event.
The PCS Robots are making their final stop for the year at Narrabeen North and Cromer. Students and staff in our PCS schools have enjoyed the challenge of programming and creative problem solving the robots bring to the classroom.
Year 6 students are enjoying their last weeks of Primary School, as High Schools prepare for Orientation Day and welcoming Year 7, 2012.
The Peninsula Community of Schools has been extremely fortunate to have had Jann Pattinson working closely with staff and students over the last few years as one of the PCS Coordinators. Ms Pattinson has been inspirational with her commitment to ongoing improvement of teaching and learning through a comprehensive professional learning program for PCS staff and also providing many enrichment opportunities to students in the PCS. Ms Pattinson has accepted a new role as Principal of Davidson High School where she is looking forward to the next part of her professional journey. Thank you for your dedication and enrichment of the PCS learning environment. Congratulations and best wishes on your new adventure.

It seems hard to believe we have reached Term 4 already. Where has this year gone? Year 6 students are enjoying their last term in their Primary Schools and the PCS High Schools are preparing for the arrival of Year 6 in 2012. Kindergarten orientations have begun and High School orientations will take place later this term.
Year 12 students begin their HSC this week. Best wishes to all Year 12 students as they put the finishing touches on their 13 years of schooling.
Robotics continues to be another busy area in our schools. Students have been invited to participate in a World Guinness attempt being held at Macquarie University October 25th for the greatest number of robots programmed to move and dance together. Further details of how to join in the challenge have been sent to your school.
The PCS Robots are out and about visiting Newport and Collaroy Plateau. The regional First Lego League Competition is being held 22nd November at Narrabeen Sports High.
The Peninsula Community of Schools has a commitment to ongoing improvement through a comprehensive professional learning program. PCS staffs have been able to participate in specialised workshops each term and are also supported by guest speakers. As part of the professional learning program Peter Blasina will be presenting to staff this week about “New Technology for 2012”.
Students who have participated in The Young Einstein program are preparing for the Invention Convention. We are looking forward to the wonderful creations that will be showcased.

Congratulations to the PCS students who took up the challenge of the mountain at the recent Interschools Ski and Snowboard competition held at Perisher. Primary students from Avalon, Bilgola Plateau, Newport and Mona Vale raced down the mountain, high school students from Pittwater and Barrenjoey also participated in the regional event and achieved fantastic results. Many of our students have been invited back to compete in the State titles later in August.
Students were offered another opportunity last week as we celebrated Engineering Week with a robotics challenge held at Narrabeen Sports High School. Luan Heimlich from Macquarie University assisted with the challenge as the teams prepared for their missions. The morning competition saw 6 high school teams attempt the missions. The winning team, Pittwater High achieved an incredible 120 points. In the afternoon session 4 primary teams attempted the missions resulting in a tie for first place between Avalon and Narrabeen North. Congratulations to all teams and their mentor teachers on a wonderful display of “gracious professionalism”. Great team work and skills were displayed by all of the students. Thank you to James T from Barrenjoey who assisted with the judging during the day.
Music Festival preparations are under way with the auditions now complete and the students rehearsing for the event later in August. Thank you to the dedicated teachers in our schools who are assisting the students for their performances.
Staff from the PCS will be treated to an afternoon of professional learning this week with many of our staff sharing their expertise with their colleagues.
Have you looked at the International Year of the Forest competition being run by the PCS this term? There are four different categories you can enter. Entries close Friday 19th August.

Term 3, the beginning of Semester two and half way through the academic year! This term promises to be another busy and exciting term in our PCS schools with an action packed calendar ahead of us.
It is with great pleasure and after much anticipation the winners for the PCS NAIDOC Week art competition were announced at the end of last week. To all students who participated in the competition congratulations on your efforts and to the teachers who encouraged and assisted the students, thank you.

Artwork and Poster Winners
Bilgola Plateau Public School: Max McMurray for the Poster and Amara Eddie for the art
Collaroy Plateau Public School: Riley Harrington-Hopkins, Nanki Soin, Tess Slarke, Ayla Thomas- Smith, Avalon Grygorewiez for their art
Cromer Public School: Alice Vigovska for her art
Wheeler Heights Public School: Josh Bartels for his art

Clothesline Project
Avalon Public School: Winner Most Artistic
Pittwater High School: Winner Most Inspiring Messages
Collaroy Plateau Winner: Overall Winner
Finalists of the Clothesline Project
Cromer Public School
Elanora Heights Whole School
Newport: Classes of Mrs Green, Mrs Nicol and Mr White
Narrabeen North Whole School and Indigenous Plant Garden
Narrabeen Lakes Whole School
Wheeler Heights Whole School

Hall of Fame Winners
Bilgola Plateau: 2 year 5 classes
Newport Public School: Mrs A’s Yr 6 Class

Writing Winners
Narrabeen Lakes Public School:
Danielle Todd and Joshua Hawkins

Students who have an interest in Robotics have many opportunities available to them in the next few weeks.
Sunday 31st July Macquarie University is hosting a day of fun and learning with robotics – see the attached flyer for more details. On Wednesday 3rd August a PCS robotics competition is being held at Narrabeen Sports High – schools need to enter teams this week

As part of Australian Engineering Week, Macquarie University is hosting an afternoon of robotics fun and learning. Activities include lectures and displays, the opportunity to drive and program robots built by students competing at the international level, or win a prize for the best Lego robot built by a school student. So bring yours along and enter! Robot enthusiasts of all ages are welcome to join in the fun.

When: Sunday 31st July, 2011
Time: 2.00 pm – 4.00 pm
Where: Building E7B Courtyard, Macquarie University, Balaclava Road, North Ryde, NSW
Cost: Free
Parking: Free parking is available in F7 and F3A car parks.
Map: Go to P27 on map for F7 car park, and S26 on map for F3A car park
Enquiries: For more information about the Robotics Fun Day contact Luan Heimlich
Tel: (02) 9850 7413 Email: luan.heimlich@mq.edu.au
To find out more about FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics go to: www.engineering.mq.edu.au/community/first

The Robotics fun continues at the Peninsula Community of Schools. The PCS is hosting a “Sport of the Minds” challenge.
When: Wednesday 3rd August
Time: High School Teams 9am to 12 Noon
Primary School Teams 12.30pm to 3.30pm
Where: Narrabeen Sports High.
Cost: Free
Parking: NBISC, 1 Namona Street Narrabeen entry via Jacksons Road
This competition is open to all students attending PCS schools. For further details contact your Robotics Coordinator at school or Sharon Smithies sharon.smithies@det.nsw.edu.au
PCS High School teams will compete in the morning session and the afternoon session will see the PCS Primary School teams rising to the challenge.
Further challenges will take place later in the year leading up to the FLL competition so stay tuned for further details.

PCS staff have been enjoying the varied professional learning opportunities delivered by their colleagues. High school teachers attended an afternoon workshop held at Barrenjoey High School where colleagues from the same faculty shared their expertise. Primary Assistant Principals met at Narrabeen North sharing experiences and our Office Staff attended a Physiocise session at Pittwater High School.

Students with a passion for NXT’s and completing missions should be preparing for an exciting competition that will be held in Engineering Week early next term. Details about the competition will be sent to schools next week.
The Robots will be on the move again finding their way to Elanora Heights and Narrabeen North schools for the rest of the term. I have heard that Year 4 students from Mona Vale School have taken up the robotics challenge with the Probots and have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity.
The Year 12 students are in the final stages preparing for their upcoming trial exams being held in the last two weeks of this term. We wish all Year 12 students success in these exams.
The Year 6 Leadership teams were provided with a wonderful experience during their recent visit to Daruganora at Macquarie University. Students participated in a research adventure around the campus and visited the Indigenous art exhibition.
The students were asked to answer a research question “What does Aboriginal art tell us about Aboriginal peoples? The responses from the students impressed the staff and student helpers from the University.
We are looking forward to seeing the poster entries from schools for NAIDOC Week. Elanora Heights School will launch NAIDOC in the last week of term with a BBQ and Indigenous games to finish off the afternoon.

The PCS provides many opportunities to students and staff. Last week the teaching staff and the school administration and support staff participated in professional learning sessions where teachers from our 13 schools shared their knowledge and expertise with colleagues. This professional learning takes place week 4 of each term.

The Robots have moved to Mona Vale Public School where students will be challenged by the programming and problem solving activities of the robotics program over the next four weeks. The competition set of robots at Pittwater High School have been joined by more NXT’s where the Science Faculty will be providing the challenges for students.
The Year 6 Leadership teams are preparing for a visit to Daruganora at Macquarie University. Students will participate in a research adventure around the campus and visit the Indigenous art exhibition.

The 11th Guringai Festival will be launched later this week – a celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture in the Northern Sydney region. The festival involves 11 Councils and numerous reconciliation and community groups. Events include workshops, art exhibitions, performances, films and talks. Each school has information about the festival and the activities being held over the next few weeks.
Students from the PCS will be preparing for NAIDOC Week celebrations in their schools. Stay tuned for more details about the NAIDOC Week competitions happening in your schools.

Term 2 is off and running! The term began with Melinda Tankard – Reist speaking to the PCS staff at Pittwater High School. Melinda followed up with a presention to PCS parents that night.
The senior female students from the PCS also heard Melinda’s presentation. The presentation raised many questions and was thought provoking for many of the participants who were challenged to consider the way girls and women are portrayed in society today. For further information look at Melinda’s website. http://melindatankardreist.com/about/ or http://collectiveshout.org/
The Senior PCS boys met at Pittwater High School where Brett Murray presented a session “”Man-up for the C21 – being a man in modern society”
Again this presentation was thought provoking for the Year 11 and 12 boys.

The Robotics program is currently challenging students from Newport and Wheeler Heights and also at Barrenjoey and Pittwater High Schools. Students working with the NXT’s are beginning to prepare for competitions beginning next term.
The Year 6 Young Leaders impressed the audience of PCS Principals, parents, Rob Stokes MP and Councillor Julie Hegarty at the end of last term with the quality of their presentations and interpretation of the leadership theme “Own It”. We look forward to continuing our work with the extended Leadership teams this term.

Macquarie University hosted high school students from across the PCS at the Women in Science last week. It was a girls only day –the day highlighted the impact women have had on science, and will have, on the future of science. The students had the opportunity to meet and hear from some of Macquarie University’s prominent female scientists, researchers and teachers and learn about their amazing contributions to this field.
The Year 6 leadership team in each Primary School is being offered an opportunity to participate in a Leadership Forum. This innovative leadership program will be launched next week and will continue each term for 2011.
• Monday 28th March at Collaroy Plateau Public School with students from Wheeler Heights PS, Collaroy Plateau PS and Cromer PS participating on this day.
• Wednesday 30th March at Narrabeen Lakes with students from Narrabeen Lakes PS, Narrabeen North PS , Elanora Heights PS and Mona Vale PS participating.
• Thursday 31st March at Bilgola Surf Club with students from Avalon PS, Bilgola Plateau PS and Newport PS participating.
The PCS robots have settled in to Bilgola Plateau and Collaroy Plateau Schools with students and staff enjoying enrichment activities.
The first 2011 PCS Newsletter has been delivered to schools and can also be viewed on the blog .