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Siblings who are out of area do NOT automatically guarantee an enrolment next year. Out of area siblings need to complete an out of area form with their enrolment by Week 10. A panel will review these enrolments.
If you have a child due to start school who is turning 5 on or before 31st July 2021, or know of someone with a school aged child living in the area, please let them know that they can come and collect an enrolment form from our front office and when completed it can be returned to our office with:
- Original Birth certificate
- Current Immunisation certificate
- Proof of Address - 100 points ID (eg Utility Bill, Rental Agreement or Council Rates)
Our wonderful SASS staff are being recognised this week for their contributions to Public Education. We are so blessed to have our team here and so lucky that they are so willing to support us all. COVID restrictions have placed additional burdens on their already full day. I am sure you would agree that our team is superior to many. Thank you for the wonderful work you all do each and every day!!
I would also like to take this opportunity to say farewell to Mel Brown and her Canteen team. Mel has provided many years of service to our school as our Canteen operator. I am sure many parents will be sad to say "farewell" at the end of the term. We have been very fortunate to have had Mel and her team running the canteen for over 12 years. The students and many staff have been well fed by the team and we wish you all the very best as you take on new ventures.
The canteen will close for the final week of this term.
COVID-19 Clarification for schools from the Department - identifying and responding to unwell students.
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, loss of taste, and loss of smell), even mild symptoms, should not be at school.
- If, after testing negative, the person has ongoing symptoms which persist beyond 10 days, the person (staff or students) should arrange to see their doctor. The medical assessment should consider whether the symptoms are typical for that person (for example seasonal, allergic rhinitis), and provide documentation for the school if this is the case. If there are new symptoms at any time, the person should be tested again.
- Isolated incidents of sneezing or coughing may not indicate that a student is suffering from an illness. Staff should talk with students about how they are feeling to determine if a cough/sneeze is an isolated incident or whether the student is unwell. Where a student is unwell arrangements should be made to send them home.
- Schools should encourage staff and parents to arrange for the person who is unwell to be tested so they can return to school as soon possible once their symptoms have resolved to minimise the absence from school. For people who are unwell with respiratory symptoms, a negative COVID-19 test result must be received and sighted by the school.
- COVID-19 testing for students with complex health or disability may be challenging. In these situations, schools are to ask the parent/carer to have their child assessed by their medical practitioner. Where a medical practitioner determines that a COVID-19 test is not indicated, a medical certificate must be provided to the school to confirm that the student does not have symptoms that warrant a COVID-19 test. The certificate must also indicate that the student is able to return to the school environment.
- Schools have reported concerns with obtaining COVID test results from some families. In these situations where a parent/carer is unwilling to allow their child to undertake a COVID test or provide the school with a negative COVID-19 test result, the student is to be excluded from school for a 10 day period. Additionally, the student must have been symptom free for at least 3 days before returning to school.
COVID restrictions continue to be updated so please read our Facebook and webpages to keep informed. "Thank you" for your assistance with drop offs and dismissal routines. Our students have manged these changes with great responsibility. So proud to watch them enter each day with a smile, a wave and hardly a backward glance!
Kristine Hudswell
Principal
A NOTE FROM THE DEPUTY PRINCIPAL
The last few weeks have seen our students settle into the new routines. Despite all the disruptions with COVID, they have all maintained a happy and joyful presence at school.
Just a reminder that parents wait for your child on the basketball court or under the COLA area near the Office. Waiting outside on the footpaths is also welcome. Please ensure that if someone new is picking up your child, that both parties know where to meet.
Please ensure that the Parking and No Parking signs are observed. Be aware that buses come in the afternoon and park in the zone outside the top front gate. Cars should not be entering into this area, even if it is a kiss and drop off, or pick up. Parents also be aware of where you can park in Coowarra. It is not a waiting zone for your child.
Thank you for the fun costumes and effort that was put into our Book Character Day last Friday. It was great to see everyone get into the spirit of it all. I did not recognise many of our students.
Upcoming events:
Photo Day: Please ensure that your child wears full correct school uniform. No jewellery is allowed, white socks to be worn and black shoes with black laces is part of our uniform code.
It will be a busy day. Photographers have COVID guidelines to follow. Class, individual, and Family photos will be taken. Some groups and representative photos will also be done. Group photos can be reviewed before purchasing.
Orders are online and family photo orders are taken up until midnight of day before. A list of families is sent to the school and is used to call family groups to have their photos taken. Group photos will be: School Leaders; SRC reps; Library monitors; House Captains; Swimming Reps for District and State; plus the Year 6 Graduation photo. No other groups will go ahead this year.
Dental Visit: Due to come to our school from 7th – 11th September. All consent forms need to be returned to school signed by 9am tomorrow, Thursday 27th August 2020. These consent forms are sent to the Clinic and are used for their records. Based on the number of students who have permission to see the dentist, the Dental Van can be here for 1 – 5 days.
Circus of Life: Incursion happening at school on Thursday and Friday, 10th and 11th September. This is part of the School Pack so all students will attend these sessions. 2 sessions per day will be run, so each Stage will have enough physical distancing in the Hall to see the performance. This performance looks at resilience, how things happen in life, and how we can cope with it all. I must have known what was going to happen when I booked this show at the end of last year. Again COVID practices will be operating.
Itty Bitty Beats: Early Stage 1 students will have a performance for this in following Week 9, 17th September. Music, beat, rhythm will be the action for this incursion.
Still lots to do before the end of term.
Have a few great weeks until next time.
Judith Wilson
Deputy Principal
Parent Information
Many of you parents might have your child’s class teacher say that it is advisable to have a speech therapy assessment as it seems your child has a language delay. Language delays impact on a child’s reading and learning. Have a look at the information below. There’s a few tips that may help. These are just easy everyday things you can do with your all of your children.
Hi Everyone
The year is definitely moving fast even though we are living a much more slower paced life right now. Hard to believe September is almost upon us already.
Our next meeting is scheduled for 7th September – another Zoom meeting. More details to come closer to the date. Again, it is easy to grab a cuppa and join in for 45 minutes to hear about the latest activities going on around the school.
We have also made the decision to cancel the Father’s Day stall this year. Given the increased operating restrictions recently placed on the school due to COVID-19 for our students and staff, it just does not make sense to try and hold a stall at present. We are currently looking at options to do something for Christmas for the kids at the end of the year, however this is also subject to what can and cannot be done relating to COVID-19.
We still have a vacancy on the executive for Treasurer. A quiet post this year given our inability to fundraise as we normally do but still an important role for the P&C.
On behalf of the P&C executives, we hope you and your families are keeping safe during these times and hopefully it won’t be too long before life gets back to some kind of new normal again.
Kind regards
Frank Zlendich
2020 P&C President
On behalf of the P&C Executive
WEBSITE
https://blackwellps.schoolzineplus.com/
SZAPP ALERTS
CLICK HERE FOR HOW TO GUIDE:
https://www.schoolzine.com/szapp-installation
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If you have any problems, please see the front office.
The SZapp APP gives your access to:
Latest newsletter
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.
Canteen will be closed the last week of this term from
Monday, 21st September to Friday, 25th September 2020.
Please note in Term 3 the Uniform Shop will be open on Tuesday from 2:30pm - 3:30pm. Online ordering is available.
The theme for this year is ‘Planet Fruit N Veg!’ The health of little (and big!) humans is closely tied to the health of our planet. So, for this year's Fruit & Veg Month, we'll be exploring the world of fruits and vegetables through the lens of sustainability. This means activities around seasonality, growing your own, managing food waste, as well as the environmental and health impacts of eating fruit and vegetables in comparison to other foods like packaged foods!
Planet Fruit and Veg will run for the last 4 weeks of Term 3, Monday 31st August to Friday 25th September.
As part of Planet Fruit & Veg Month, we will be running a colouring competition for Kinder and Stage 1 and a poster competition for Stages 2 and 3.
Kinder and Stage 1 students are to:
- Colour the picture with the theme of sustainability and fruit and veg as neatly as they can using pencils or textas. When finished give it to their class teacher.
Stage 2 and 3 students are to:
- Use the stimulus pictures in their own poster for Planet Fruit and Veg Month. When finished give it to either their class teacher, Mrs Krensel, Miss Washburn or send it to Mr Brown at blackwellpsfruitandvegmonth@gmail.com
A prize bag including a canteen lunch voucher, Bunnings gift card and certificate will be awarded to the most creative entries from each stage.
If you require more information on what activities our school is doing for Fruit & Veg Month, please contact the school or your child’s teacher.
Mrs Krensel, Miss Washburn and Mr Brown
Fruit & Veg Month School Coordinators
STAGE 2 and STAGE 3 ‘PLANET FRUIT AND VEG’ POSTER TASK 2020
For your chance to win a canteen lunch voucher complete a drawing for Fruit and Veg Month 2020 using the pictures below as a guide.
Success Criteria
- You or your teacher will read the background information about Planet Fruit and Veg.
- You will then draw your own picture of the planet Earth for a poster.
- Make sure you include the logo and/or a message about sustainability. Be persuasive!
- Include drawings or pictures cut out of food catalogues of fruit and veg that you love to eat.
WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?Did you know that eating a diet high in plant foods such as fruit and vegetables is good for us – and good for the planet? Eating plenty of vegetables and eating fruit each day, may help to reduce the risk of obesity and some chronic diseases, such as heart disease and some cancers. Growing fruit and vegetables also results in less greenhouse gas emissions and requires less water and land than many other foods.
Recent statistics tell us that Australians aren’t eating enough fruit and vegetables. Only around 5-6% of Australian adults and children are eating the recommended serves of fruit and vegetables each day. That’s not good for us or the planet! In addition, we are often eating fruit and vegetables out of season, so the produce has travelled long distances to get to our plates. This means poorer nutritional quality and taste at a higher cost! The air freighting of fruit and vegetables contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. Food waste is also a huge problem with one-third of food going to waste globally, while more than 820 million people do not have enough to eat. Closer to home, a recent tracking survey of NSW households estimated that one-third of fresh food (e.g. fruit and vegetables) is wasted. Not only does wasting food waste all the resources that go into producing it, rotting food in landfill produces greenhouse gases too.
So, let’s take better care of ourselves and the planet by:
- Eating more fruit and vegetables
- Choosing local and in-season fruit and vegetables
- Reducing fruit and vegetable waste
Jacob | S2S |
Cooper | KH |
Ilijana | KK |
Mason | S2T |
PUBLIC SPEAKING
Our Stage 3 Public Speaking competition will continue to go ahead this term. Students are expected to present a speech to their class and if selected will participate in Public Speaking Finals on Monday, 21st September 2020.
We expect all Stage 3 students to plan, rehearse and present a speech to their class. Stage 3 teachers will be assessing this for the end of year report. The speech should go for at least 3 minutes. Students have been encouraged to write their speech on something they know and to remember who their audience is going to be.
SPELLING BEE
YEAR 6 CAMP - CANCELLED
Our planned Stage 3 Year 6 Camp to Hill End in Term 4 has unfortunately been cancelled. We have had no other choice as the Departments decisions on Term 4 activities are still 6 weeks away and we need to be organised and ready to go Week 1 Term 4. We hope that some planned activities for Term 4 will at least provide some excitement in this very challenging year.