Filter Content
When public opinion has turned on teachers and the press has managed to convey conflicting messages, we at Blackwell have felt incredibly supported by our families!
The end of Term 1 saw our whole Education system shift from the familiar day to day teaching and learning that all of us took for granted, to something foreign and challenging in so many ways. How to deliver lessons to 600+ students and 30 staff that were no longer on site? How to organise packages; what technology could we access and maintain; what were the various needs for students to be met; how to just manage simple communication between us all?
I quickly learnt new terms - "Team meeting", "Zoom", "Google Classroom", "Hubs", "Hangouts", "Gif' and "Tik Tok". None of these terms had any use to me in my previous experiences but soon became essential! I sat through my first department "Team meeting" with no camera or sound, waiting for my Director to dial up and wondering why my phone did not ring!! My staff, unbeknowns to me, were capturing my comments and hand signals to my peers, who I could see and hear but could not communicate with. I quickly learnt that I needed headphones and a camera so I could participate next time and not look the complete fool!! I have even managed to lift and tilt my computer so I cannot see my triple chins and hopefully neither can my Principal colleagues!
My lessons were nothing compared to the work both teachers and parents had to learn and learn quickly.
You have all done the most amazing job and I cannot express how grateful I am to you all! We spent our holiday break unsure what lay ahead and the start to Term 2 has not been easy. Staff have been furiously working to prepare lessons both on line and off. Admin staff have spent hours printing and answering the continuous phone calls and maintaining school procedures and you, our wonderful parents, have done the hardest job of all - keeping your families going and supporting students with their learning.
Thank you so much for supporting us and keeping students engaged, or at least trying with their learning. We appreciate that many of you have kept them home in these strange times. Hopefully you have received our plans for WEEK BEGINNING MONDAY, 11th May when we start to bring 25% of our students back each day. We organised our Phase 1 return to give our students the best opportunity to have their peers and teachers together on that one day. We know it will be strange to be back under these conditions but we are hoping this will maximise teaching and learning over the week for our classes. We are excited to see the beginning of the end! Just how long we will be in this phase is beyond us at present but we will let you know as soon as we do! Perhaps you will know before us as the media tends to be privy to State information before staff!!
So welcome back to a BRAVE NEW WORLD and again my sincerest thanks to you all! Your messages and kind gestures are deeply appreciated. Take care, stay safe and we will see you all soon!
Kris Hudswell
Principal
KEEP IN TOUCH WITH WHATS HAPPENING AT BLACKWELL
WEBSITE
https://blackwellps.schoolzineplus.com/
SZAPP ALERTS
CLICK HERE FOR HOW TO GUIDE:
https://www.schoolzine.com/szapp-installation
https://www.facebook.com/blackwellps/
If you have any problems, please see the front office.
The SZapp APP gives your access to:
Latest newsletter
School Calendar
Absentee
Other forms & documents
and links to Facebook and Website.
A Note from the Deputy Principal
Delay in opportunity class placement process for 2021
The placement process for opportunity class entry in 2021, including the Opportunity Class Placement Test, will be delayed until later in the year. As a result, applications will not open on 28 April 2020, as previously advised and published. This delay is in response to the social distancing measures that are currently in place to help slow the spread of COVID-19 throughout the community.
As part of the application process, eligible students are required to sit a test in a supervised environment. Social distancing guidelines currently in place make it difficult to implement a large-scale assessment at this time. The opportunity class placement will still go ahead in 2020; however, the process for that, including the timeline, will look a little different this year. The department intends to ensure Year 5 students are placed in opportunity classes in 2021 with minimal disruption to schools and families.
Revised dates for applications, tests and process changes (including any changes to school assessment scores) will be announced as soon as they are confirmed. The department web pages will be updated shortly to reflect this message.
https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/selective-high-schools-and-opportunity-classes/year-5 to remain up to date with information relating to opportunity classes.
Wellbeing
At Blackwell Public School wellbeing is paramount and we work hard to ensure that students are individually known, valued and cared for. The department has suggested the following ways to help promote strong mental health and healthy wellbeing at this time of uncertainty and disruption.
Peaceful Kids Mindfulness and Wellbeing
Over the past few years at Blackwell we have run the ‘Peaceful Kids’ program to small groups of students.
The ‘Peaceful Kids’ program is Mindfulness and a Positive Psychology based program to lessen anxiety and stress and increase resilience in children from Kinder through to Year 12. This program helps children to build their emotional resilience so they are better equipped to deal with the day to day stresses that life brings.
The strongest predictor of life success for children is being able to regulate emotions. This means that when they are feeling anxious or avoidant they can bring themselves back to being resilient. We can teach children these skills.
It is at these times, that everyone needs resilience and what better time to support your child. Many students are showing anxiety, feel stressed, concerned, worried, over vigilant. I would like to give our parents the opportunity to support your child in their emotional and social learning. Over the next 10 weeks a variety of activities can be accessed by you.
Each week there will be a new Meditation for children to listen to, and some cool wellbeing activities for kids that will help them feel calm and happy as well as building their emotional intelligence. Pack contains:
- Mindfulness Meditations
- Recording & getting to know your feelings
- Gratitude practice
- Cool Coping strategies
- Helpful Positive thoughts
- Mindful Colouring
- Fun mindfulness activities
- Mindful Movements
- Mindful Activities
Enjoy using this Pack at home.
101 WAYS TO BE A SCHOOL LEADER IN ISOLATION
Our school leaders picture themselves making a difference to our school community. It has been difficult to carry out duties and show leadership qualities during this isolation time.
Things are different, but student leaders can lead from home. Other children can show care, understanding to others as well. The attachment ‘101’ Ways to be a School Leader’ provides many ideas to lead from home. They do not always involve the internet.
Have a look at this and you may want to try some of these caring ideas. Don’t forget that parents need to give permission for your child to carry out an idea.
Happy adventures in leading.
When we slow down,
we are more aware of our surroundings and notice the small joys.
When we slow down,
it will be easier to keep our safe distance from others and see the vast spaces available to us.
When we slow down,
we will be helping our central nervous system and in turn improve our bodies’ capacity to cope.
When we slow down,
we will be better support to those who need us.
- Leonie Abbott, Assistant Director Education at Berry Street
Judith Wilson
Deputy Principal
Medication at School
Please ensure that the front office has ALL of your updated medical information and any medication required.
All Anaphylaxis & Asthma Plans need to be updated annually.
PLEASE NOTE THAT MEDICATION SUPPLIED IN SANDWICH BAGS or PILL CONTAINERS CAN NO LONGER BE ACCEPTED.
Contact Information
Please ensure your contact details are updated at the front office so we can to contact you.
Parents and Caregivers,
Please note that the Uniform shop is currently
CLOSED at school
Orders are available on line ONLY