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NEWS FROM THE DEPUTY PRINCIPAL
Welcome back to again, another unusual and varied term. I am excited to see all our students back on site as from 25th October. This term planned activities that we usually have, will not go ahead. Having said that, Year 6 will have special days and there is a Farewell to be planned.
Let’s cross our fingers that school will proceed as close to normal as possible.
Non Local Enrolments for Kindergarten 2022
Any family who are out of area need to place an application in writing to the school by Wednesday next week, 20th October. To be considered for enrolment at the school, it is important statements provide clear reasons and an explanation. Health, before/after school care, transport is considered. A panel consisting of Deputy Principal, teacher rep and parent rep will meet at the end of Week 3 to consider these applications. The decisions made are then reviewed by the Director of Education leaders, Jason Miezis. The panel will convey the outcome of this meeting to the applicants involved.
Assessments
The wellbeing of each child is the focus for Term 4. Assessments will still be underway as directed by the Department. Blackwell will carry out the following assessments:
Check-In Assessments for Years 3-9 will be carried out. Each child will get a password to complete an online assessment similar to gauge their progress.
Phonics Screener Year 1 – All students in Year 1 are to participate in this assessment. Screening will begin a week after students return to school.
These are mandatory assessments each Department school is to conduct. Blackwell uses these assessments to monitor and plan progress for students.
End of Year reports will be modified due to COVID and under the guidance of Department guidelines.
Attendance
The school and Department place a high priority on Attendance. It is expected that all students will return to school on the expected return date. Only special circumstances with medical certification will be exempt. If your child is absent from school, written justification and reason for absence must be sent to school within 3 days. Teachers are required to obtain justification if you have not notified the school. If a child does not return or is absent for a long period of time, the Home School Liaison Officer works in liaison with the school in identifying students of concern and then works with parents to help support the student in returning to school.
Here’s to a great start to Term 4.
Worries about returning, having friends and other similar issues are normal for your child to have at this time. Various materials have been sent out over the last term to prepare your child.
Many thanks to Peter and Kim who have volunteered as the parent representatives on recent panels for the school. We appreciate the time and consideration you have devoted to the school.
Our next P&C meeting will be Monday 1st November 2021. This is a great opportunity to find out what is happening in and around our school.
Our administration team would like to remind all parents and carers that as of Monday 18th October, copies of home learning will be available for pick up from the school for Years 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 only. With Kinder and Year 1 returning to face to face learning.
From Monday 25th October there will be no more home learning packs provided with all students returning to school.
Please continue to provide the office with your refund forms, these can be emailed to us, dropped into the letterbox or sent in with your child when they return.
If you have a child due to start school in 2022 and have not yet completed an enrolment we ask that you do so as soon as possible. Likewise, if you know someone who has a child due to start school and has not yet enrolled please ask that they contact the school.
For parents and carers that have enrolled their children to commence kindergarten in 2022 you will be receiving an email from the school shortly. Please keep an eye out for this as this will contain all information pertaining to orientation and transition sessions. Our Orientation evening will be 28th October 2021. We thank you for your paitence as we navigate this process in line with current Covid restrictions and Departmental guidelines that are currently under review.
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.
WEBSITE
https://blackwell-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/
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Latest newsletter
THE UNIFORM SHOP WILL CONTINUE WITH ON-LINE ORDERS ONLY, UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
We have been advised that banking is unable to resume on-site at this time.
However, students can continue with on-line banking.
Our school has been selected to receive an LED lighting upgrade.
The LED Lighting Upgrade Program commits $157.8 million to replace inefficient lights with new LED lights, in up to 1,000 public schools across NSW over a two-year period. This is expected to reduce operating costs for schools as well as deliver over 1,200 jobs in NSW.
The benefits of LED lighting include:
- Improved learning outcomes in the classroom as a result of improved lighting.
- Energy saving - reduced electricity usage and lower bills over the long term by replacing inefficient fluorescent lights with efficient LED's.
- Lower maintenance and repair costs when compared with fluorescent lights.
The LED Lighting Upgrade Program will be planned to minimise interruption to school classes and learning. The installation will be planned outside school hours where possible and all contractors are required to adhere to COVID safe working practices. We'll let you know as soon as it is completed.