Welcome to our Website. We have developed this as another way to provide our community with information about our school: - its activities, procedures and accomplishments.

LIBRARY LINK
Our Accessit library program used at school has been developed into a website that parents and children can access from home. Cards with your child's name and bar-code have been distributed to all children.. They need to enter their 6 digit number to access the site.

Here is a link to the site: Library Link It does take a while to load.

TERM DATES FOR 2010
Term 3: Mon 19 July - Fri 24 Sept
Term 4: Mon 11 Oct - Thurs 16 Dec - Noon close
End of Year Assembly - 15 December

TERM DATES FOR 2011
Term 1: Wed 2 Feb - Fri 15 April
Term 2: Mon 2 May - Fri 15 July
Term 3: Mon 1 Aug - Fri 7 Oct
Term 4: Tues 25 Oct - Thurs 15 Dec

Revised School Charter
Over the last year, our school Board of Trustees, and Staff in consultation with our Parent Community have reviewed our Charter and Strategic Plan. These new documents are in line with the changes to the Education Act Legislation. The documents outlining our school mission, goals, targets and plans can be viewed from this website:

Click here to view the School Charter
Please note that these are in PDF format and require Acrobat Reader for viewing.

If you don't have a copy of the free version of Acrobat Reader, you can download it - Free - from the following official Acrobat site.

ERO REPORT :

We have received our report for 2010 see it on the link below.

We think that we do a good job, and it is always nice to hear from others that they agree! Especially independent sources.

As always, there are things that we need to work on. The Government has a new focus for schools on developing procedures for more comprehensive board and school operational review and further enhancing curriculum management systems.

To view our April 2010 ERO report, please click on the following link to open a Acrobat PDF file. If you are on a dial-up connection, it may take a minute.
Click here to view ERO Report

G.A.T.E.

Gifted and Talented Enrichment Program
"Gifted and Talented students at PMPS are those with exceptional potential or talent to perform above their peers in one or more areas"

Students who display special abilities are provided for within the classroom program through differentiated learning. This is achieved by focusing on individual needs and different ways of learning and creating a variety of opportunities for students to self direct and self manage their own learning.

Thinking Skills Program:
All students are able to think, but knowing how to select and use specific thinking strategies to problem solve, make decisions and foster creativity requires a deliberate and structured thinking skills program. Thinking is a key competency which underpins everything we do and teaches students to be reflective, life long learners.
At PMPS, we have a thinking skills program which teaches students a variety of thinking tools and strategies.

External Academic competitions:
In Years 4-6, students can take part in the ICAS exams. These are run by the University of New South Wales. Students from New Zealand, Australia and Asia compete in external exams in writing, spelling, mathematics, science and computer skills. Students may participate in one or several of the exams.

P.E. Specialisation:
Students have the opportunity to be taught by our PE specialist. The PE specialist takes whole classes for weekly 45 minute sessions and takes gifted and talented sports groups as well. We have many sports teams which participate in the local interschool competitions and field days.

Mandarin Lessons:
Students in years 1-6 who wish to learn Mandarin can opt for lessons after school on a weekly basis. These lessons are run by one of our Pigeon Mountain parents.

Speeches:
Each year, students from Years 4-6 participate in school speech competitions. Year 4 does a 1 minute hobby talk and Year 5 and 6 do a 3 minute speech on their chosen topic. The Year 6 students also compete to represent the school at the interschool speech competition.

Performing Arts:
Students are encouraged to join our choir and dance groups. Our Year 5 & 6 students are auditioned for the choir and participate in the local school choir festival. We have 2 dance groups, Year 2 and Year 6. They represent the school in the local dance festival.

KBB Music Lessons and Guitar lessons:
Students have the opportunity to be taught by a music specialist who comes into the school on a weekly basis. There are small group lessons for instrumental teaching and a small band where the students practice together to improve their ensemble playing.

Education for Sustainability:
Learning about and understanding the importance of living in an environmentally sustainable way is part of Pigeon Mountain School daily life. Education for Sustainability is threaded through the curriculum, connections are made in context to the biophysical, economic, political and social aspects. Students have many opportunities to be involved in environmental education.
Each class selects a year long focus for taking action in the environment. Outside of the classroom we have gardening groups, worm farms, an organic orchard, vegetable gardens and composting. An active student group meet on a regular basis to discuss and implement new environmental initiatives. Student voice and leadership is evident in the projects and learning that is focused on within Education for Sustainability

ICT:
At PMPS, we have a major emphasis on the use of technologies to enrich and enhance our teaching and learning program. Some classes have interactive whiteboards. We have a class set of digital cameras and computers in every classroom. Teachers promote the use of ICT in their classrooms and seek opportunities to integrate wherever possible.

TV News:
The Year 6 students are responsible for the school TV news every morning. This is where the daily notices are broadcast throughout the school. There are news presenters, camera operators and sound technicians.

Updated: 1 September 2010