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Half way through another term with report writing well underway. Each term just seems to fly!
Parent interviews to be held in the final week of this term and will be open for online bookings. Detailed information is included in this newsletter.
Unfortunately our term has not started in a particularly positive way with a senior student bringing a knife to school. As you can imagine this requires prompt and serious action. Blackwell prides itself on our strict policies and procedures regarding student wellbeing. Every parent, student and staff member needs to feel safe in our school. The department has issued a letter and fact sheet to all parents in response to recent incidents. Can I assure you that we will continue to work as a school community to ensure that such an occurance does not again happen here. Please assist us by taking the opportunity to read and discuss these matters with your child as you see fit.
On a brighter note, our students have once again excelled in recent sporting events and quite a number of senior students are auditioning or trially for placement in particular high school settings.
Sorry Day, 26th May and Reconciliation Week, commencing 27th May, provides us all with an opportunity to examine our actions and responses to our shared history. How lucky we are to live in Australia but we must remember the past and make sure we continue to act in a way that benefits us all.
Unfortunately we are still without a crossing attendant and may be for some time. Please assist us by reminding students to walk to school safely and use our pedestrian crossing. I would remind parents that children are to walk across the crossing and not ride scooters, bikes or skateboards. Young ones should hold an adult's hand. For those dropping children to school please obey the road rules surrounding the crossing. Please do not park or stop on the crossing.
Our annual STePS Music Festival will once again be held Thursday, 29th July. The event will take place at the Evans Theatre, Penrith Panthers. Tickets will go on sale from the last week of this term.
Please ensure student details are current and medical details are up to date and PLEASE label all items of clothing!!! Cold weather and the piles are growing!
Kind regards,
Kris Hudswell
PRINCIPAL
Our parent interviews will be held from Monday 21st June - Friday 25th June 2021.
The on-line booking system will open from Wednesday 26th May and close at 3pm Friday 18th June 2021. Please find the link below to make your booking. This is a CHROME friendly program.
The bookings are in ten (10) minute timeslots. To ensure the smooth running of these interviews, we ask that you please arrive on time.
NEWS FROM THE DEPUTY PRINCIPAL
This term I have noticed many of our students having a go at something new. Many have succeeded but many have also failed at their first attempt. This is OK!! FAIL is First Attempt In Learning.
We all fail at first when learning new things. Learning is a challenge and all of us don’t get it straight away. In order for us to learn and know well, we need to have the challenge, to have difficulty. It shows we are working hard to achieve our goal, we enter deep into a learning pit. Gradually, with practise, we start to get ourselves out of this pit to eventually achieve. Learning is hard, and it is important that your children realise that this happens. Practise, talking to others, helps. “I can’t do this” is often expressed, but with perseverance and trying again, and again, you eventually succeed.
Think about how you feel and what you do when you are learning – our children are the same. It’s all OK to FAIL!
Upcoming events
Parent Afternoon Sessions “Tuning Into Kids” – each Friday until the end of term.
We have just finished the first week of this group. Parents who attended said they had learnt so much already. It’s great to see.
Virtual Tour filming of the school. Next week.
A note will be sent home soon, inviting some children to participate in this filming. The filming will promote our school and show what happens here at school.
Didgeribone Aboriginal Performance
Last day of Term 2. This will be part of Privilege Day for each Stage. Performances will be presented throughout the day where students participate in making music. This also is being promoted as part of NAIDOC Week.
SIX WAYS TO HELP YOUR CHILD OVERCOME THE FEAR OF FAILURE.
- Change your attitude about failure
Talk about what you have learned and be willing to pick yourself up and try again. Encourage and celebrate your child’s mistakes as learning experiences.
- Emphasise effort, not ability
Emphasise effort (and the process) over ability (and the outcome).
When they struggle, discuss specific strategies that might work next time.
- Demonstrate unconditional love
Make it clear you love your child unconditionally, even when they make mistakes or use poor judgement.
- Conduct the “Worst Case Scenario” exercise.
Brainstorm together with your child. Ask questions like, “If it all goes wrong, what’s the worst thing that could happen?”
- Help Them focus on the Solution
Discuss what actions they took, the consequences of these actions, and how these consequences can be avoided in the future.
Ask questions like, “What went wrong?”, “How can you fix or prevent this next time?”
- Have conversations about Success and Failure
Talk about success using the iceberg analogy. Explain that when you see successful people, you only see the tip of the iceberg. You don’t see what’s under the water – failures, rejection, grit, effort, discipline, persistence etc.
Kind regards,
Judith Wilson
Deputy Principal
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
School Photos
School photos are coming home this week. Please check your childs bag if you have not yet seen them! If you chose to collect them from the front office these are available for collection now.
School Packs 2021
We have an incursion coming up at the end of Term 2. If you have not yet made payment for the school pack please ensure you do so at your earliest convenience so that your child does not miss this incursion.
Year 4 Yarramundi YMCA Camp
Who: Year 4 Students
When: Thursday, 17th June & Friday, 18th June 2021
Cost: $200
Balance due Friday, 28th May 2021.
Year 5 Canberra Camp
Who: Year 5 Students
When: Wednesday, 10th Nov to Friday, 12th Nov 2021
Cost: $350
Balance due by Friday, 15th October 2021.
Year 6 Canberra Camp
Who: Year 6 Students
When: Wednesday, 24th Nov to Friday, 26th Nov 2021
Cost: $350
Balance due by Friday, 15th October 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.
STUDENT ABSENCES
If your child is absent from school you will receive an SMS at approximately 10am requesting a reason for their absence. If you could please respond to the SMS the school is then able to update their records using this system. You are not required to contact the school by phone prior to 10am to advise of your childs absence. Thank you for your continued support.
We are collecting ALL types of bread bags not just WONDER
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
UNIFORM SHOP DAYS & TIMES
Tuesday 2:30pm to 3:30pm
Thursday 8.30am to 9.30am
Unfortunately part of our most recent book club order has been sent to the wrong school. As soon as we have received the COMPLETE order we will be distributing all items ordered.
We apologise for the delay.
Our Friday Fun Runs with Mrs Naglic have re-commenced. Each Friday, weather permitting, any students who wish to participate in a fun run are invited to turn up at 1:30pm, after eating time. The students can run around the outside of the big playground as many times as they wish. At the end, they line up to receive a lucky number. If their number is drawn out, they will receive a BUNNINGS DRINK BOTTLE, which was kindly donated to the school by our friends at the Minchinbury store. Mrs Naglic will also give away a second drink bottle to a keen participant each week.
So if you are interested in getting fit during your lunchtime, wear your comfortable shoes on Fridays and we look forward to seeing you in Area 2 at 1:30pm.
A BIG THANK YOU goes to all of our wonderful Stage 3 volunteers who will be assisting Mrs Naglic each Friday.