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Welcome back to Term 3 and already it feels like we have been at school for several weeks!!
Welcome back to Mr Samuels - so lovely to have you back in classes. The students and staff have missed you!
Our General Assistant position will hopefully be filled in the near future, Mr Kitchin - both Mick and David and Mr Adams will keep us going until a permanent GA is appointed. Mrs Nowacki will be on maternity leave from Week 6, 22nd August.
Staff and students have continued to be impacted by Covid and now the Influenza virus is also taking a toll! Please remain vigilant and RAT test where necessary. We still have kits - just ring the admin staff to organise a collection. While masks are not mandatory they are highly recommended. I would ask that if you are on school grounds such as assemblies or even as spectators at sporting events you might consider wearing a mask. This is more about protecting you as most of our students are unvaccinated.
I have received several phone calls re PARKING. Our neighbours are complaining ABOUT PARENTS PARKING ACROSS DRIVE WAYS, ON FOOTPATHS AND EVEN CONTRARY TO PARKING SIGNS! Please do the right thing and set a good example. Rangers and police have been contacted and I believe the fines are quite substantial!
I would like to thank our outgoing SRC members who have been great advocates for both their class and the school. I love seeing their enthusiasm and hearing their ideas. The canteen seating was an idea that has now been finalised! We now welcome our newly elected members for Semester 2 who will be inducted on Monday, 1st August at our Combined Assembly. Then it is off to Longneck Lagoon for some team building adventures. Congratulations and I look forward to seeing you and hearing your plans for Blackwell. I know Jeans for Genes is in the pipeline!! And I also think I heard about Breakfast Club starting up again.
Rhe Lotter, a young local Aboriginal artist, has agreed to work with us this term. Rhe will work with all our students bringing her skills in art and culture. We have also installed a new Custodial Pole representing our furry friend the Possum. Our last pole, presenting our school logo, the Kookaburra- Kukundi, is presently with the design team Danthopia.
Education Week commences next Monday, 1st August and to highlight Public Education Blackwell is once again participating in our annual STEPS Music Festival. Just on eighty students from Blackwell will take the stage at Penrith Panthers this week. I am sure they will delight the 900+ audience with their talents. Many thanks to the staff who work so hard behind the scenes to give students this opportunity. This is the first time in three years we have finally made it to the stage!! “Break a leg!” as they say.
We have also coordinated a special Commonwealth Games Day here on Friday, 5th August. This has allowed us to open our school to parents and grandparents to join us as our spectators. Fingers crossed the weather is fine and we can once again sit in the sun and cheer our teams to victory.
Please bring a folding chair and join us for a picnic lunch. Our P&C have organised a Sausage Sizzle but this will need to be pre ordered. The canteen will also have snacks that can be purchased at recess. Families should have received a detailed note regarding this event with information and forms to complete.
So welcome to term 3!!!
Kris Husdwell
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
Welcome back to a very busy Term 3.
It is great to see everyone back and ready to learn. Parents if you have not joined your child's stage Facebook group then please do so as important information and postings are going up everyday. Up and coming events are also posted and sometimes you can find a permission note as well.
Hopefully students have identified new goals to achieve this semester and are recognising what they have to do, to achieve those goals.
Reminder that if your child is away from school we need to know the reason. Please send in a note the day the student returns from being absence. Teachers can then mark the absence as explained. After seven days the absence becomes unexplained with the Department. Please refer to the attached information sheet for more information.
EYE CHECKS
Over the next 2 weeks we have the Sydney Eyecare Services here running eye checks with our students. This wonderful service will provide the parents with a free report about their child's eyesight.
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.
Year 5 Hill End Camp
Where: | Hill End |
Date: | Wednesday, 16th to Friday, 18th November 2022 |
Cost | $230 |
Transport: | Bus |
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 |
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.
Athletics Carnival - Year 2 Students who are turning 8 years old in 2022 and would like to compete in the 3-6 Carnival, please return seperate Gold note to the front office Cost: $12.00
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.
Longneck Lagoon Leadership Day 2022
Where: | Longneck Lagoon Environmental Education Center, Maraylya |
Date: |
Friday, 12th August 2022 |
Cost: | $20 |
Transport: | Bus |
Permission note and money to the front office by Friday, 5th August 2022.
Year 3 - Penrith Lakes
Where: | Penrith Lakes Environmental Education Centre |
Date: |
Monday, 5th September 2022 |
Cost: | $27.50 |
Transport: | Bus |
Permission note and money to the front office by Friday, 26th August 2022.
Stage 1 - Australiana Village
Where: | Australiana Village Wilberforce |
Date: |
Tuesday, 30th August 2022 |
Cost: | $35 |
Transport: | Bus |
Permission note and money to the front office by Wednesday, 24th August 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.
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
THE UNIFORM SHOP IS OPEN Term 3
TUESDAY 2:15PM - 3:15PM
&
THURSDAYS 8:30AM - 9:30AM