Respect, Responsibility, Personal Best Branxton Public School Newsletter to Parents

BRANXTON PUBLIC SCHOOL

Find us at: 12 King St, Branxton NSW 2335 Email: branxton-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au Phone: (02) 4938 1214 Fax: (02) 4938 1905 Website: www.branxton-p.schools.nsw.gov.au

Week 2 Term 1 Wednesday 5th February, 2020

Dates to Remember

7.2.2020 Primary Swimming Carnival

12.2.2020 Human Race Visiting Show K-6

17.2.2020 Debate Training

20.2.2020 Zone Swimming Carnival

25.2.2020 RTHS Orientation evening 6pm

9.3.2020 School Photos

20.3.2020 School Cross Country

21.3.2020 P&C Trivia Night

20-21.8.20 Stage 2 Sydney Excursion

26-28.10.20 Stage 3 Bathurst Excursion

It has been clearly evident since the start of the year in both the playground and classrooms how well teachers and support staff have established daily routines so early in the school year. It has been a joy to visit classrooms meeting students and feeling the overall goodwill of the Branxton Public School Community. As Week 2 is underway we have some exciting events coming up, including the Imaginaturalists Program, 2020 Swimming Carnival, the February P&C Meeting, a Whole School Assembly (where our other Student Leaders will receive their badges, including Jnr AECG President, SRC and Library Monitors), a debating workshop and that’s only in the next 2 weeks! These opportunities and events allow our students to experience a wide range of education situations and I thank our wonderful staff who have coordinated, organised and implemented them. Our PBL lessons and award systems have started with clear messages surrounding our expectations and it has been pleasing to see PBL Passports filling up with stickers already. Keep up the great work Branxton Public School students! Of course, we also welcomed some new teaching staff to our school who have all settled in well, we welcome Ms Leanne Martin, Miss Jordan Hill, Mrs Aaren Cox and Mrs Elyse Perry. We also welcome Mrs Sophie Osborne back from Maternity leave. Our team for Term 1 2020 is as follows: Early Stage 1- Assistant Principal: Karen Quilty Kindergarten Emu Karen Quilty + Jennie Doniger (T) Kookaburra Prue Dennis (M,T) + Madeline Vicary (W,Th,F) Magpie Rebecca Nimmo

PRINCIPAL’S NEWS Welcome to the 2020 School year and what a wonderful start to the year it has been, with Respect, Responsibility and Personal Best expectations shining since day 1. Congratulations Branxton Public School students, staff and parents. As you are all aware I am currently the Principal of Branxton Public School and will be for Term 1 with possible extension. This means that if Mrs Maier extends her leave beyond this term I will remain in the Principal chair. I am a substantive Principal and have been since 2003 where my first Principalship was Gillieston Public School, from there I went to Irrawang Public School and then Clarence Town Public School. I want to thank all staff, students and parents for the wonderful warm welcome I have received on starting at Branxton Public School – the school has a wonderful ‘feel’ to it, which is a reflection of the wonderful school community and school culture.

Respect, Responsibility, Personal Best Branxton Public School

Stage 1 – Assistant Principal - tba Year 1/2 Turtle Jordan Hill Platypus Peggy Steele (W,Th,F) + Jack Kelly (M,T) Frog Sophie Osborne (M,T, alt W) + Aaren Cox (alt W,Th,F) Sea Lion Rachael Leverton Year 2/3 Crocodiles Elyse Perry Stage 2 – Assistant Principal: Michelle Ballenden Year 3/4 Barramundi Brittany Ridge Lorikeets Melissa Mungoven Willy Wagtails Kim Magann Stage 3 – Assistant Principal: Tom Foster Year 5/6 Goanna Tom Foster + Melissa Wyper (W) Dingo Joanne Towns Koala Leanne Martin Echidna Tim Tattis Additional Staff Principal Louise Blakemore LaST Linda Wicks Library Leanne Melnik (M,T,W,Th) RFF Madeline Vicary (M,T) + Jack Kelly (W,Th,F) Music Helen Tuyl (F) School Counsellor Anne McGregor (Th) Support Staff Office SAM Kelly Thomas SAO Lysa Thorpe SAO Penny Faustini Library SAO Megan Neville SLSO Kim Goodyer Leisa Standen Kaylene Smailles Caroline Hooker General Assistant Kevin Onslow During term 1 Mrs Maier, Mrs Noble, Mr Johanson and Ms Guilbaud are all taking leave. Mrs Maier welcomed her first grandchild to the world at the weekend and we congratulate her daughter and son-in-law and wish them all the best (a girl!). Mr Johanson welcomed his 2nd grandchild (a girl) to the world yesterday we would also like to congratulate his daughter and

son-in-law. Mr Johanson is also awaiting the birth of his 3rd grandchild in the coming months. What a delightful sight it was on Monday as we welcomed our 2020 Kindergarten students. These students will complete their Higher School Certificate in 2032! Exciting times ahead with Mrs Quilty, Mrs Nimmo, Mrs Dennis and Miss Vicary having the pleasure of teaching these 3 delightful classes. Our Year 6/Kinder Buddies Program is already reaping the benefits with the Year 6 students showing their wonderful leadership skills as they support the transition to school of our new Kindergarten students. They have ensured that their buddies feel safe and secure while settling into their new phase of school life. Well done to Kindergarten parents and carers as well who have been wonderful in supporting the start to school of these students. This amazing team work reflects again the wonderful school culture at Branxton Public School. Similarly our Stage 1 students have also settled into the school year well. They are looking and being so grown up, responsible and mature. Over the last week as I have visited their classrooms I have seen them already producing some great writing, undertaking tricky maths problems and engaging effectively in their learning. I have been very impressed with the support the existing teachers have given to our new teachers, this collaboration and professionalism is a joy for a Principal to observe. Once again thank you to parents and carers for preparing the students for the new school year – they looked wonderful in their uniforms and new shoes! Stage 2 are settled, working hard and showing what effective learners they are – they are really shining this year. Many of them are excited about joining the recorder and choir groups while they have also embraced Mr Tattis’ playground sport activities. Their cooperation in the playground and friendship building has been delightful to witness. Our Stage 3 students are also shining as they currently apply for leadership roles across the school. I once again have been impressed with their maturity and approach to school. They are being very responsible and respectful role models, of which we can be very proud. The

Respect, Responsibility, Personal Best Branxton Public School

LIBRARY MATTERS We’re up and running in the Library already. Children can borrow books from this week when their class visits the library if they have a library bag. Quality library bags can be purchased from the uniform shop for $12. However, any style of library bag is suitable.

Please help your child to care for his/her library books at home by keeping them in a safe place away from food, drink, pets and little ones and return them regularly so that other children can enjoy them too.

Loan rates: Kindergarten = 1 book Stage 1 = 2 books Stage 2 = 3 books Stage 3 = 4 books HAPPY READING!

Student Leaders did a brilliant job hosting the Monday Morning Assemblies and have shown initiative, proactivity and exceptional leadership skills – well done. At this point in time we are maintaining our 15

class structure and are still a few students away

from reaching the threshold for 16 classes. I will

keep you up to date with any changes to this

structure. I have been meeting with parents, NDIS

outside agency and DoE Support staff this week,

to establish procedures around what this support

looks like at Branxton Public School. We are

aiming to reduce the number of interruptions to

learning in classrooms and ensure that we have a

targeted 3 way approach to communication and

goals for students. The parents and staff I have

met so far have been wonderful and I have been

very cooperative, this will ensure these students

reach their personal best.

We are expecting extreme heat again as February

continues and as such the students outside

activity may be limited on these days. I also ask

you to pack extra water during this time so we can

ensure everyone stays hydrated and cool.

Packing 2 x water bottles is always good during

these times with a cold one for the mornings and

a frozen one for the afternoon. Hats and

sunscreen are also required.

I had a great meeting with P&C representatives

last week and have endorsed the first fund raiser

for 2020, which will be a Trivia Night on Saturday

21 March at the local Golf Club. The P&C will

advertise further regarding this and we are aiming

to raise enough funds to purchase a water cooler

to be installed outside the Canteen.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact the school for an appointment to discuss the matters or pop me an email louise.blakemore@det.nsw.edu.au if the matter is less urgent. I look forward to continuing to meet parents as the term progresses. Louise Blakemore Principal (R)

FINANCE NEWS Statement of Account This week we will be sending home a financial statement of account to each family. The statement of account includes payments for the 2020 Voluntary Family School Contribution, incursion fees for the Imaginaturalist Program (selected students only) and Deposits for Stage 2 and Stage 3 Major Excursions (notes for these excursions will be sent home later this term). The Family School Contribution refers to the voluntary contribution scheme that all public schools operate. This is a very low $48.00 per family per year. This money goes to providing the everyday resources needed in classrooms - pencils, paper, books, teaching aids, counters, craft supplies, reading books, etc, available to every child. Payment of as little as $2.00 per week is possible if you prefer. If you have any queries regarding the above information please feel free to speak to our School Admin Manager, Kelly Thomas for further clarification.

Respect, Responsibility, Personal Best Branxton Public School

Update advice for Parents – 2 Feb 2020 Current advice from the Australian Government Department of Health for parents in regards to the Novel Coronavirus is: Any student and staff arriving in Australia

from 1 February 2020 who has been in mainland China or transited through mainland China (not just Hubei province) is excluded from school and child care services for a period of 14 days from the date they left mainland China as the Novel Coronavirus’ incubation period can be as long as two weeks.

Any confirmed case of Novel Coronavirus will be excluded until they are medically cleared to return

Close contact of a confirmed case of Novel Coronavirus will be excluded for 14 days since last contact with the confirmed case.

Any student and staff arriving before 1 February our previous advice remains that students and staff who were in Hubei province are excluded from school or child care services for 14 days, and those who were in the rest of China are requested not to not attend school or child care services for a period of 14 days after leaving China.

More information can be found at NSW Health.

Students who returned to Australia from mainland China more than 14 days ago and have shown no symptoms are able to return to school. The Ministry of Health has processes in place to identify any close contacts of cases confirmed in Australia. Advice about not attending school would be provided to these close contacts by the Ministry of Health. There has been a small number of confirmed cases of novel coronavirus in NSW. Consistent with current guidelines, staff and students who are unwell with respiratory illness should remain at home until symptoms resolve. In accordance with our current practice if any child becomes unwell we will implement our infection control guidelines and follow the advice provided by the Ministry of Health as appropriate. The Department of Education will continue to work with the Ministry of Health to monitor and respond to the unfolding international novel coronavirus situation.

P&C NEWS Welcome back to a new school year! How quickly did those school holidays go? A big welcome to all of our new Kindergarten families and we hope your little ones have enjoyed their first few days of big school without too many tears. We also welcome any other new families to the school. If anyone would like to join the P&C or find out more about what we do, everyone is welcome to for our first meeting of the year next Monday 10

th

February in the school library at 6:00pm. You don’t have to join but you may want to help out with a variety of fundraising and special events throughout the year. Our P&C is very proactive and each year we reach most of our goals (unlike poor Frida in the picture below J).

Our first big event for the year is our second ever Trivia Night to be held on Saturday 21

st March at

the Branxton Golf Club. This was a major success last year and we hope to have even more fun this year and continue to raise money for the school. If you would like to book a table please message us via our BPS P&C Association Facebook page. Tickets are $10 each with a maximum of 10 people per table. More details to come soon!

Our canteen continues to offer a Monday-Friday

service and in order to keep this operating

throughout the year, we rely on a number of

parent and family volunteers to assist Sharyn (our

wonderful Canteen Manager). If you are able to

help at all, please contact Sharyn via (02) 4938

1214.

Key dates coming up: Next P&C Meeting – Monday 10

th February

6:00pm in the school library. P&C AGM – Monday 16

th March 6:00pm in

the school library. BPS P&C Trivia Night – Saturday 21

st March

at the Branxton Golf Club. To get in touch or keep up to date with the P&C like our Facebook page, read the school newsletter, talk to P&C members, email the address below, help at an event or come along to the next meeting. Thank you for your support Branxton Public School families! Melissa, P&C Secretary branxtonpublicschool@pandcaffiliate.org.au

Respect, Responsibility, Personal Best Branxton Public School

PBL Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) is an educational process that brings together the whole-school community to contribute to developing a positive, safe and supportive learning culture. The PBL framework assists schools to improve social, emotional, behavioural and academic outcomes for children and young people. PBL is a process, not a program. https://pbl.schools.nsw.gov.au/about-pbl.html One aspect of this process is clear expectations for students and staff. This is particularly important when we are starting the school year and establishing our class and school procedures. This week we have been learning about: our PBL system – this is comprised of the

passports and certificates the consistency guide that determines the

consequences for behaviors, and class line up areas. It is important to remember that classrooms are out of bounds in the morning, so the teachers are developing routines for the placement of bags on arrival at school. Please support your child with the establishment of these routines. A parent meeting to explain more about PBL will soon be held. Please look out for information in regard to this.

Respect, Responsibility, Personal Best Branxton Public School

Respect, Responsibility, Personal Best Branxton Public School

Respect, Responsibility, Personal Best Branxton Public School