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Welcome to 2021! So far, so good with our students and parents all working together to make the start a happy one for all.
I'm impressed with our students and the manner in which they have taken to new classes, new staff and new routines. Many thanks to our parents for your continued support as we manage 600 students in our school. As I write this our kinder cohort are yet to be on site full time but I am confident they will soon feel safe and comfortable at Blackwell. Their buddies are waiting, anxious to assist. We are hoping to have all students settled by the end of the week. We are still awaiting final enrolment numbers so that our classes are ready to operate for the remainder of the year.
We welcome all our new families and hope your association will be a long and happy one.
Congratulations to all our Yr 6 students, I hope you like your new shirts. We think you look SMART!
Also congratulations to our newly elected House Captains! A Special Leaders Induction will be held on Monday, 8th February, commencing at 2pm in the school hall, a special invitation will be sent home to parents which will allow one parent per child to attend this special occasion.
Our P&C met last Monday night, 1st February for what I hope will be our last Zoom meeting. Our AGM will be held on Monday, 1st March in our school library commencing at 7pm, all parents are welcome to attend. Our AGM is where we elect a new executive team for 2021, $1 allows you to be a financial member which gives you voting rights at all P&C meetings. We hope to see you there.
Kid's Pantry continues to operate our school canteen. Please continue to give Jayne and Damian your feedback as we want this venture to be successful for all.
We realise that due to COVID restrictions, our contact with parents has been severely restricted. We hope to organise a Meet the Teacher event in the very near future. Details will be sent home regarding this.
Our bubblers are back in operation but we would encourage you to keep sending drink bottles to school with students. Please ensure all items brought at school or clothing is clearly labelled.
Our Swimming Carnival will take place at Mt Druitt Pool, notes are being sent home today. Please read carefully before signing and returning to school. At this stage spectators are able to attend outdoor events.
Our Counsellors, Aimee Tang and Melissa Daher are both with us again. Please ring the office to make an appointment. Our Chaplain, Jess O'Brien is also back with us again in 2021.
Just a reminder to all parents to update both home and work details, should they change. Please make sure all medical details are correct. Many of our medication plans need to be renewed annually by a doctor. Please supply a new action plan if required. All medication needs to be handed in to the front office with a signed note.
At Blackwell Public School, all mobile phones are to be handed in to the front office. All students require a note from parents to have a mobile phone.
Again, a warm welcome as our Kindergarten students have stated to the "best school ever" and I have to agree.
Kris Hudswell
Principal
Staff 2021
Principal | Mrs Kris Hudswell |
Deputy Principal | Mrs Judith Wilson |
Counsellors | Ms Aimee Tang (Thursday) |
Ms Melissa Daher (Wed & Fri) | |
Chaplain | Ms Jess O'Brien (Tues/Wed) |
Kindergarten | |
KCorgi | Mrs Fiona Cooke (ES1 Supervisor) |
KBeagle | Mrs Rachel Bulluss |
KDalmation | Mrs Cristy Dabic |
Support Class | |
K20 | Ms Anna O'Brien |
Stage 1 | |
S1W - Yr 2 | Mrs Deanne Witchard (Stage 1 Supervisor) |
S1H - Yr 1 | Miss Lauren Harvey |
S1D - Yr 1 | Mrs Danielle Hemmings |
S1T - Yr 1 | Mrs Jo Turnbull (Support Supervisor) |
S1K - Yr 1 | Mrs Kylie McIntosh |
S1L - Yr 2 | Mrs Kathi Lockley |
S1M - Yr 2 | Mrs Alison Mumford |
Stage 2 | |
S2L - Yr 3 | Miss Heather Lane (Stage 2 Supervisor Mon to Thurs) |
Mrs Adele Loscialpo (Fri) | |
S2K - Yr 3 | Mrs Sharalynne Krensel (Tues to Fri) |
Mrs Lauren Reeves (Mon) | |
S2T - Yr 3 | Mrs Dyan Toledano |
S2A - Yr 4 | Mrs Paula Anderson (Stage 2 Supervisor/Fri) |
S2B - Yr 4 | Mr Chris Brown |
S2W - Yr 4 | Miss Jude Washburn |
Stage 3 | |
S3W - Yr 6 | Mr Rod Woolard (Stage 3 Supervisor) |
S3B - Yr 5 | Ms Kellie Balloch |
S3BC - Yr 5 | Miss Tess Bratusa (Mon/Tues/Wed) |
Mrs Kerri Cummins (Thurs/Fri) | |
S3K - Yr 5 | Mrs Michelle Kenning |
S3R - Yr 5 | Mrs Kim Reed |
S3F - Yr 6 | Mr Hani Farag |
S3V - Yr 6 | Miss Milica Makragic |
Library | Miss Tracy Harris |
Literacy & Numeracy Support | Ms Stephanie Coard (Mon/Tues/Wed) |
Literacy & Numeracy Support/EALD | Mrs Bev Reynolds (Mon/Tues/Wed/Thurs) |
RFF | Mrs Kerri Cummins (Wed) |
RFF | Mrs Merryn Handley (Wed/Thurs) |
RFF | Ms Samantha Judge (Wed/Thurs) |
RFF | Mrs Adele Loscialpo (Wed/Thurs) |
RFF | Mrs Lauren Reeves (Tues/Wed) |
RFF | Ms Brooke Vincent (Wed/Thurs/Fri) |
Sport & RFF | Mr Rob Samuels |
LaST | Mrs Peta Del Carmen |
Social Skills | Mrs Jenny Naglic (Wed & Fri) |
Mrs Jo Wrigley (Fri) | |
Admin Manager | Mrs Ann-Marie Takami |
Admin Officer | Mrs Grace Farnham |
Admin Officer | Mrs Cheryl Wolstencroft |
Admin Officer | Mrs Rachael Ghobrial |
Admin Officer | Mrs Georgina Dunn |
SLSO | Mrs Hazel Henderson |
SLSO | Ms Meredith Cooper |
SLSO | Mrs Renee Saia |
SLSO | Mrs Jacky Gavin |
SLSO - Support Class | Ms Angela Fleming |
GA | Mr Trevor Gorman |
Mr Mick Kitchin | |
Mr Wayne Lucas | |
Cleaners | Mrs Pat Crowe |
Ms Maria Membreno | |
Ms Gulsen Alkan |
School Leaders 2021
Teliah A - CAPTAIN | Tyler B - CAPTAIN |
Emily S | Micah C |
Tahlie W | Noah B |
Ariano O | Noah B |
House Captains 2021
Congratulations to our newly elected House Captains for 2021:
ADINA | |
Kayla J | Lucas B |
Savannah G | Rhys M |
BIRRIWELL | |
Ayva S | Koby A |
Phoebe G | Mikey S |
KIA KIA | |
Lyla D | Zackariya M |
Shaye B | Jack D |
YALLUL | |
Angela L | Matari T |
Leah B | Dylan A |
Well done to everyone involved and thank you to al students who stood for election.
A note from the Deputy Principal
Welcome back to school for 2021. Our students in Year 1 – 6 have had a very settled start. There haven’t been many tears at all. Classes will be putting into place the class expectations and rules over the next first weeks.
Have you considered what a good learner is and what they do? We are asking our students this question so it will be interesting to see what they think. A good learner is not someone who puts up their hand when a teacher asks a question.
This year we will be working with our students in developing a growth mindset and traits or strategies that will help them become good learners.
Attendance
Every day counts
“ Every day counts and there is no ‘safe’ threshold for absences”
– Hancock et al., 2013
The impacts of absenteeism are cumulative
“ The effects of non-attendance on achievement are cumulative and can impact both academic
achievement and attendance in future years of schooling”
– Hancock et al., 2013; Zubrick, 2014
Attendance is of utmost importance when learning and so it is crucial that a routine is developed each morning to arrive at school on time and to attend school daily. This has an impact on a child’s learning. Every day, every minute counts.
The department has put out some guidelines and expectations. Please find the link below:
Having a day away from school because it is your birthday, because you got up late, because you are limping are not reasonable excuses for an absence. Holidays are expected in the school holiday time.
We want your child to have the best educational opportunity so let’s work together to ensure that the best is done for your child. If a student misses as little as 8 days in a school term, by the end of primary school they’ll have missed over a year of school.
Dates:
8th February 2021 | Leaders and House Captains Induction Assembly |
24th February 2021 | School Swimming Carnival |
26th February 2021 | District Swimming Carnival |
26th February 2021 | Long Neck Lagoon Leadership Day |
18th March 2021 | School Photos - class and individual |
Judith Wilson
Deputy Principal
It is hard to imagine that we are in the second month of the year. Although this is the beginning of the school year we have already had our first P&C meeting via Zoom on Monday evening.
The P&C contribution to the Blackwell community was significantly different last year, with little to nothing to report, we have returned in a more active capacity in 2021.
The March meeting will be our first face to face meeting in a year and we have the added benefit of refreshing the executive committee at the AGM (Annual General Meeting).
The AGM will be held in the library at 7pm on Monday 1st March, to be COVID safe with all executive roles being declared vacant. The monthly meeting will follow at 7:30pm, with the new committee in place.
Will you hold one of the roles? Come along and see how your voice can influence the future of Blackwell.
Regards
Cherie Pollard
P&C Secretary on behalf of the P&C Executive
Parents are able to make online payments to the school for amounts owing for students, via a secure payment page hosted by Westpac. Payments can be made using either a Visa or MasterCard credit or debit card, and can be made via computer. The payment page is accessed from the front page of the schools website by selecting $ Make a payment Button below.
Items that can be paid include the school pack, excursions, creative and practical arts activities (these include choir, drama and dance). There is also a category called ‘Other’ to cover items not covered in the previous headings. Other can be used to make a complete payment of a school invoice.
When you access the $ Make a payment you must enter:
- the students name and class, date of birth
- contact details-full name, phone number and email address
- payment item-other, then description
These details are entered each time you make a payment as student information is not held within the payment system.
This is a secure payment system hosted by Westpac to ensure that your credit/debit card details are captured in a secure manner, these details are not passed back to the school.
You have the ability to check and change any details of the payment before the payment is processed
Details of the payments are passed daily to the school where they will be receipted against your child’s account. For any enquiries regarding the Online Payment process please contact the School Administration Office.
**PLEASE NOTE** Please do not pay any online payments which should be paid to a third party provider. For Example, School Photographers; P&C Fund-Raising etc. If unsure please call the school to check. CASH Only when paying at the Front Office.
Upcoming Events
Book Packs - 2021
Swimming Carnival (Mt Druitt Pool)
Who: All Students in Years 3 -6 and & Year 2 students (who are 8 years old born 2013) and can confidently swim 50m.
When: Wednesday, 24th February 2021
Cost: $12
Permission Note and money to the front office by Thursday, 17th February 2021.
Yarramundi YMCA Camp
Who: Year 4 Students
When: Thursday, 17th June & Friday, 18th June 2021
Cost: $200
Permission Note and $50.00 non refundable deposit to the front office by Friday, 26th February 2021. Balance due Friday, 21st May 2021.
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.
If prescribed medication is to be given to students at school, a blister pack either supplied from the chemist or in its original packaging is now required. Medication that needs to be cut will need to be done so by a pharmacist and delivered to the school in a blister pack.
Contact Information
Please ensure your contact details are updated at the front office so we can to contact you.
WEBSITE
https://blackwell-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/
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
Parents and Caregivers,
Please note that uniform sizing at the Uniform shop
will only be available between
9:30am to 2:30pm Monday to Friday
UNIFORM SHOP DAYS & TIMES
Tuesday 2:30pm to 3:30pm
Welcome to Stage 2 2021….
Welcome back to Blackwell. We hope you had a relaxing time over the Christmas season. We also welcome our new students into our Blackwell family.
After such a difficult time last year, we are looking forward to a more settled year working with you and your child, providing a year full of wonderful learning experiences.
We will be opening our classrooms for a ‘Meet and Greet’. Teachers will talk briefly about Stage 2 happenings and class specific information. There will be a more detailed handout with St 2 information. It will give you a chance to meet your child’s teacher and familiarise yourself with the classroom. If you wish to speak to the teacher regarding an aspect of your child’s behaviour or learning, you will need to make an appointment for an interview at a different time. More information regarding dates and time will be set home soon.
School packs are now being distributed to students who have paid. Please remember that this payment also covers whole school incursions through-out the year, all school books, plastic folders, stationery etc… The cost for the pack is $80.
Pick up & drop off procedures
Parents are kindly asked to drop their child off of a morning at the school gates. They will then make their way to their stage areas. Of an afternoon, parents may wait at the sails or basketball court to meet their child/ren. Please ensure your child knows exactly where they need to go. This alleviates any unnecessary anxiety. Please inform the class teacher in writing if your child attend afterschool care - Gumbirra, OOSH, Coowarra and the days they attend.
Please join our 2021 Stage2 Facebook page to be kept up to date with what is happening on St 2 throughout the year.
The teachers are really looking forward to a terrific year. Our classrooms are taking shape, incorporating the ‘Up, Up and Away’ theme. In 2021 we will allow the wind to fill our wings and take us on an exciting journey.
Kind Regards
Heather Lane
Assistant Principal – Stage 2 Supervisor
Welcome to 2021
Year 5 teachers
- S3B Mrs Kellie Balloch
- S3BC Mrs Tess Bratusa (Mon/Tues/Wed) & Mrs Kerri Cummins (Wed/Thurs/Fri)
- S3K Mrs Michelle Kenning
- S3R Mrs Kim Reed
Year 6 Teachers
- S3F Mr Hani Farag
- S3V Mrs Milica Vlahovic
- S3W Mr Rod Woolard (Stage 3 Supervisor)
We look forward to hopefully meeting you in a few weeks at our Meet the Parents night (COVID restrictions pending). However one way to stay up to date with information is to join our 2021 Stage 3 Facebook Page. This is where we will keep you updated with information, permission notes and events that will be happening in Stage 3.
Parents are encouraged to purchase the School Packs available for $80.00. This gives your child all the stationary they need including exercise books, pens and pencils. The school packs also give students access to 3 incursions and licences to use LEXIA at school and at home.
Uniform needs to be worn everyday unless we have a Mufti Day. No jewellery is to be worn as it could be lost, broken or stolen. All Year 6 shirts were given out on Friday and students can wear these at any time.
Mobile phones need to be handed in to the front office before school and collected at the end of the day.
Homework will be given out on Mondays and due back in on Fridays. Students are expected to complete their homework independently. Students will also be required to complete LEXIA at home to make up the time required for each week. They will do LEXIA in the classroom but some students will be required to complete more time.