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Another term concludes with many school events back on track like the “Good Old Days!”
Sporting events, assemblies, excursions, overnight camps, school incursions and to finish - coin races! It really does feel that the past is behind us and while absenteeism by both staff and students continue to impact our daily operation we have managed.
Many thanks for your continued support. It has been lovely to welcome many of you back on site with assemblies and parent interviews.
We are hoping that early next term to celebrate both the Commonwealth Games and Education Week we are inviting parents, but more importantly, grandparents to come along and join the fun! Set aside Friday, 5th August to come to Blackwell and join us for the day. Our P&C are busy organising a Sausage Sizzle lunch. More details to follow.
Please return items borrowed for our recent gala events. We have a number of football jerseys, rep shirts, sport shorts and football socks still to be returned. We pride ourselves on our image and have spent significant funds to ensure we look good both inside and outside the school. It has been rather disappointing to have some of our items returned unwashed. I am hoping that all outstanding items will make their way back to our office by this Friday, 1st July 22.
Our most recent purchase is the new cafeteria style tables and stools outside the canteen. I hope that you enjoy the splash of colour! All funds raised by the P&C go back into the school!
The Term 3 calendar has been included so please read and keep a copy handy for a quick reference to all the events planned.
Our long term General Assistant, Mr Trevor Gorman, officially retires on Friday. Mr Gorman has been here at Blackwell for almost fifteen years and has been instrumental in keeping our school looking the way it does. We wish him a happy retirement! Thank you Trevor!
Mr Rob Samuels returns next term after serving teachers in his role as federation organiser across NSW. We are glad to welcome him back and look forward to sharing his experiences in regional schools.
The STePS Music Festival is once again to be held at Panthers on Wednesday, 27th July. Tickets are on sale now and selling fast!! Our senior choir and two dance troupes are looking forward to joining with our STePs friends in showcasing our talented students and staff.
The Junior STEPS AECG (Aboriginal Educational Consultative Group) met for the first time this month and have already commenced a term newsletter to highlight what is happening across our learning community as well as promote Aboriginal events and resources within our area. Congratulations to Marley and Bella on their election as our school representatives and to Olivia Dawes whose art work will be used as the banner for our AECG newsletter. Olivia’s work was selected from hundreds of entries across our seven schools.
As NAIDOC week falls in these school holidays Blackwell will be holding stage events in Week 2 next term. Each stage are busy preparing a range of activities that will enable all our students to engage in activities that support our Aboriginal culture and history. Next term we have organised a young Aboriginal artist to support all of our students here. We have also commissioned another totem which will hopefully be installed first week back. This totem represents our fur friend and what better animal than the Possum. Our possum family-mum, dad and joey are now happily using the possum house outside the staff room much to the annoyance of our bird population! Our final totem will be our Kookaburra in Term 4. We are also finalising some additional wall murals to depict our three totem animals.
The Annual School Report 2021 will be published on our school website by this Friday. Hope you are able to take the time to read this report on the happenings and progress of our school last year.
May I wish you all a safe and relaxing break during the coming two weeks and look forward to seeing you all on Tuesday, 19th July for another busy and exciting term.
STRIKE INFORMATION
Just a reminder that our school will be OPEN tomorrow, Thursday, 30th June.
All students attending will be supervised but normal classroom structures will not be possible.
The canteen and uniform shop will NOT be open.
I again apologise for the inconvenience this may cause to families.
Kris Hudswell
PRINCIPAL
Kinder 2023 Enrolments. Please ensure you have collected an enrolment form, complete and return as soon as possible so we have an accurate indication of our kinder numbers for 2023. All enrolments must have proof of address and live within our school boundaries. Enrolment guidelines are to be strictly enforced as we are over our entitlements and as such are capped for Blackwell. Siblings do NOT automatically guarantee an enrolment this year.
If you have a child due to start school who is turning 5 on or before 31st July 2023, 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)
News from the Deputy Principal
I would like to wish the Blackwell community a safe holiday and encourage our students to come back fully charged an ready for Semester 2. After receiving reports, it is a great opportunity to re-think personal and educational goals.
ATTENDANCE
It is great to see Blackwell's attendance rates have improved this term. Please remember that attendance is compulsory and children if well should be coming to school every single day. It is important for student's academic and social growth.
It is vital that if your child is away, a note is sent to the teacher to explain the absence, before seven days has passed.
HOMEWORK
Teachers are always being asked for extra homework. Parents and students have a wonderful program already at their fingertips in LEXIA. Lexia is the number 1 education program available to improve literacy levels in students. Lexia is an adaptive program that is geared at your child's level. It also requires mastery of skills before allowing students to move on. To reach their correct levels students should be completing Lexia at least 3 or 4 times a week. Homework would be great way to achieve these levels.
Rod Woolard
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.
Incursion - Digeribone Performance
Date: | Friday, 1st July 2022 |
Year 5 Hill End Camp
Where: | Hill End |
Date: | Wednesday, 16th to Friday, 18th November 2022 |
Cost: | $230 |
Transport: | Bus |
Permission Note and $50 deposit is non-refundable by Wednesday, 29th June.
Balance due in Term 4 by Wednesday, 19th October 2022.
Year 6 Hill End Camp
Where: | Hill End |
Date: | Wednesday, 23rd to Friday, 25th November 2022 |
Cost: | $230 |
Transport: | Bus |
Permission Note and $50 deposit is non-refundable by Wednesday 29th June.
Balance due in Term 4 by Wednesday, 19th October 2022.
K-2 and Support Unit Athletics Carnival
The cost covers the bus, venue hire and for "Be Skilled, Be Fit" company who are running the Carnival for K-2 and Support Unit.
Where: | Blair Oval, St Marys |
Date: | Wednesday, 10th August 2022 |
Cost: | $15 |
Transport: | Bus |
Permission note and money to the front office by Friday, 29th July 2022.
Yr 3 - 6 Athletics Carnival
Where: | Blair Oval, St Marys |
Date: | Wednesday, 10th August 2022 |
Cost: | $12 |
Transport: | Bus |
Permission note and money to the front office by Friday, 29th July 2022.
Learn to Swim Program for Year 2 Students
Places are limited to 60 students. If the school does not reach 60 students, unfortunately this program will have to be cancelled.
Where: | Charles Lowles Leisure Centre - Emerton Pool |
Date: |
Monday, 8th August to Friday, 19th August 2022 Except Wednesday, 10th August due to Athletics Carnival |
Cost: | $110 |
Transport: | Bus & pool entry |
Permission note and money to the front office by Monday, 25th July 2022.
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 - SMS Alert
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.
SCHOOL PHOTOS WILL BE GOING HOME TODAY.
If you have organised your photo packages to be picked up from Office, they are now available to collect.
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
Dear Dance Troupe / Choir Parents & Caregivers,
In Term 3, our Dance Troupes & Choir from Blackwell Public School and STePS (St Clair Erskine Park School) Community will be performing at Penrith Panthers on Wedensday, 27th July 2022.
Tickets for this performance can be purchased through Ticketek from Tuesday, 28th June at 10am. Tickets are also available from Penrith Panthers Reception daily as of Tuesday, 28th June from 9am - 9pm (no transaction fee when purchasing direct from the club in person).
Tickets are $20.00 per person
Children 2 years and under enter free of charge, and therefore do not require a ticket. However they will be expected to sit on an adult's lap as they will not be issued with a seat. If you would like your child to have a seat, please purchase a ticket.
UNIFORM SHOP IS CLOSED
TOMORROW, THURSDAY 30TH JUNE
DUE TO THE TEACHERS STRIKE.
THE UNIFORM SHOP IS OPEN Term 3
TUESDAY 2:15PM - 3:15PM
&
THURSDAYS 8:30AM - 9:30AM
It is hard to believe that we are already at the end of Term 2. What a fun, busy and wonderful Semester 1 we have had.
Last week, our Semester 1 reports went home. We are currently in the middle of Parent/Teacher interviews. If you were unavailable to make an appointment during Week 10, please email your child’s teacher to make a mutually suitable time to do so next term. We always look forward to opportunities to touch base with our families.
In our classes, we have been holding rounds to determine who will represent their class in the Premier’s Spelling Bee. Two representatives from each class will participate in our school’s finals on the first Friday of next term. The invitations to family members have been sent. We wish all competitors the best of luck as they prepare for the competition during the holidays.
On the last day of term, Friday 1st July, we will be having a green mufti day called GO GREEN, to promote our ZONES OF REGULATION program. GO GREEN DAY is all about promoting an awareness of the ZONES and encouraging us all to have some strategies up our sleeves for times when we find ourselves in another zone. Our students are also encouraged to be aware of those around them. If they see someone who is not managing very well in the RED ZONE or perhaps feeling down and in the BLUE ZONE, they can show them some empathy and understanding, and that they don’t need to push their buttons or laugh at them. Our students can help to make a difference and get their buddy back to GREEN again.
Also on the last day of term is a Didjeribone performance with a proud descendant of the Djabera Djabera people of the West Australian Kimberlies - Tjupurru - in our school hall. This incursion is for all the students who have paid for the school packs. The Didjeribone show combines humour, storytelling, education and music.
At the end of the year, we hold a special graduation ceremony for our Year 6 students and their families. During this assembly, we share 3 photos of the students’ journeys from baby/preschool age to Year 6 on the big screen. We would really appreciate if you could start to collate these photos to help us prepare for the slideshow. If you have any photos of any school events like sports carnivals, Book Weeks, concerts, Mad Hair Days, excursions etc. that you are willing to share with us– that would wonderful too. Photos can be emailed to Mrs Kenning to her email address Michelle.shackleton@det.nsw.edu.au or you can put the photos onto a USB which will be returned to you once the photos have been downloaded.
Our recent Let’s Talk task was a roaring success. It was so wonderful to watch our students share their love of reading to their little buddies or push themselves out of their comfort zones. Both the Kinder and Year 1 teaching team, thoroughly loved the experience too and we are looking to create more opportunities for our children to come together in the future. Congratulations to all – we are so proud of them.
We would also like to keep encouraging our students to complete their weekly homework. The Lexia® Core5® Reading program can also be completed as part of their homework too. The activities in Lexia support and build on classroom curriculum and focus on developing reading skills in six areas: phonological awareness, phonics, structural analysis, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. We recommend at least one or two twenty-minute sessions a week at home.
Congratulations also goes out to our Stage 3 students who have been involved in different activities out on the sporting field over the last few weeks.
We have had Ruby M, Shelby G and Jessica G selected and/or played for the St Marys/St Clair District Soccer team and Maddison L selected into the combined St Marys/Mt Druitt Softball team.
One of Year 6 students, Liam W, travelled to a chilly Parkes as part of the Sydney West Rugby League team. Over the carnival, his team won 5 games and lost 2. They also made the Grand Final.
Our Stage 3 Rugby League Panther Trophy teams headed to their gala day on the 20th June. All of our teams came together on the day, showing grit and skill. Their coaches were extremely proud of our Girls, Senior As and Senior Bs teams and appreciated the support from family and friends on the day.
We had several students who represented our school at the recent Sydney West Cross Country. Beau A, Jaxon A, Siena V and Alexa B certainly gave their all and had a great day. We would also like to acknowledge all of the competitors who participated at the District Cross Country back on Wednesday, 8th June at the Sydney International Regatta Centre, Penrith. They represented Blackwell with pride and tried their best. Congratulations and well done.
A big congratulations to our Stage 3 Dance Troupe on their successful inclusion into both the STePs Showcase at Penrith Panthers on Wednesday, 27th July 2022 and the Blue Mountains Nepean Dance Festival later this year! The STePs tickets are $20 per person and are now available from either Ticketek or Penrith Panthers Reception.
Several of our students participated in NAIDOC Cup events last week. Our younger friends participated in cultural tabloids and our primary students played either Oztag or Netball. Our Oztag team made the semi-finals and our Netball team won 1 game and lost one. Two of our students, Chelsea N and Alexis J, were nominated as being the Best and Fairest players by the organisers. Congratulations to all involved – it was a deadly day.
During Reconciliation Week, all Blackwell students entered a design a banner art competition for our new STePs Junior Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (AECG) newsletter. This competition was open to all STePs schools and one of Blackwell’s entries won. Congratulations to Olivia D – your banner design will feature as part of the inaugural edition of the Jnr AECG newsletter.
Also at our first Junior AECG meeting, Bella B was voted by her peers to be the Vice-President of the group. I know Mrs Hudswell couldn’t wipe the smile of her face when all elected to positions of office had connections to Blackwell PS. Congratulations Bella.
Blackwell’s famous coin race was held yesterday. All classes headed eagerly to the hall to see who had collected the most coins by creating the longest line. Congratulations to S3K who won the Pizza Party. Impressive effort.
Today is the last day to pay the deposit for the Stage 3 camp. If you are in need of some financial assistance, please speak to our principal Mrs Hudswell. Please note: more information will be sent home closer to the camp.
Please encourage your child to wear Blackwell’s full school uniform which includes a navy-blue jumper or tracksuit pants. We ask students to limit their earrings to either sleepers or studs and to avoid wearing coloured nail polish to school.
Attendance matters. If your child is away, please either respond to the SMS sent out by the school or send in a note with your child on their return.
Lastly, our schoolbook packs are still available to be purchased through the office. These packs include all classroom stationery, art supplies, computer software, incursions and more. Equipment will be issued by classroom teachers once payment has been received.
Until next time …. Take care. Enjoy the break and stay safe.
Kellie Balloch on behalf of the Stage 3 team.