Pigeon Post

Just a reminder that if you need to collect or drop off your child to the school, or drop off an item for them, please come to the Office window on Eaton Street; you will see the bell outside the window and a sign. We will be able to assist you.

Thank you

Over the years, Balmain Public School has been so fortunate to have a super-supportive P&C, who have worked diligently to not only support our students' learning in the classrooms with additional resources, but also to improve the outdoor environment for both learning and play. For this, we are so truly grateful! THANK YOU!!!!!

When I first arrived in 2014, the mod wood benching along the main building had recently been installed, as well as the green area and some seating near the Eaton St entrance to the school. One of our parents, Van, who has 3 children at our school, and has been actively involved in our school, including running the canteen over the years until The School Canteen started to supply Friday lunches, created a Master Playground plan and presented it at one of my early P&C meetings.

Initially, the approximate costing for the upgrade would have been circa $120K. At the time, the Department of Education (DoE) was offering a joint funding program, for either playgrounds or office spaces, where the school commits to half the amount and the DoE would pay for the other half.

It was obvious that we should apply for the funding, which would mean we would have to supply $60K only; the application was submitted in March of 2015. Shortly afterwards, the funding program was suspended for whatever reason. The P&C decided that we would proceed with the upgrade, but it would be done in affordable stages.

The P&C were unable to pay for the upgrade in its entirety in one go, so the project became staged. Each stage was a more affordable cost of just under $30K. Eaton St Centre also contributed to the cost of completing a stage. Van was also proactive and applied for a community grant to assist. It was successful and certainly assisted with another stage of the upgrade.

The spaces worked on began with the area in front of the library, the 'Green' (where we have had morning lines), the space where Kindergarten meet and have lunch (which was an old steel covered area), with the final stage being the middle space outside the toilets.

Last year, our P&C had put some funds aside to further renovate/upgrade the space outside the library and 1/2M, as it had become a little tired (and a big dust bowl!). Funds had also been put aside for some seating in the middle section near the toilets.

Mid last year, I received an email to say that we we successful for the joint funding program and would be given $60K if the school could commit to another $60K. As the school had all the necessary documentation of payment for the ongoing upgrade over the years, we did not have to 'add' any additional funds. We were given the $60K, on the proviso that it would be spent on the playground. This great news was communicated at the next P&C meeting, which then allowed the funds that had been kept aside, to be released and was added to funding the updating of fans in every classroom project.

As the pictures show, the school has commenced spending the additional funds, with the 2 new spaces. Our playground has been quite a passive space for a while, but the addition of the sensory panels has provided some additional ideas/games for our students.

Student voice has always been supported by Balmain Public School; our students will be involved in further choices for our playground, using the remaining funds (approximately $25,000). We are absolutely aware of the high demand for handball courts, so this will obviously be part of the consideration, with other ideas to also be considered...watch this playground space!

In ProjectNEST I am really excited to see what all the material we have been collecting is going to be used for. “What is carbon footprints?” I infer think that the material has something to do with our ProjectNEST question. I found this question was good to research as I really had to think about and collaborate with others to work out an answer.

Above is an image of some of our ideas we shared as a class.

This term in 3/4M we are starting ProjectNEST, although we don’t know what our project is, it’s a surprise!

This week our teacher posed a question to us, 'what is carbon footprints?'

We researched on IPads, computers and looked up the meaning in a dictionary. I found out that transport produces carbon footprints and the carbon footprint is a bit lower right now because there are less airplanes flying in the sky due to Covid-19.

We were asked to bring in some fabric for our project. I think our project has something to do with recycling because we may use the fabric for one thing and recycle it to use it for another. I wonder what our ProjectNEST project will be!

In maths our WALT (We are learning to) was I can add three or more single digit numbers, so we got in pairs and played a game where we had 1 deck of playing cards. We practised adding 3 and more single digit numbers, for extension you had to add 3 and more 2 digit numbers than 3 digit numbers! It was fun and quick. I personally felt confident and understood, but I still need more practise on getting faster.

During maths, we learned to add single digit numbers together. In pairs, we played a card game with playing cards to use mental compensation. The person that gets the answer first takes the cards, the one with all the deck wins! We also used dice to role single digit numbers, up to 3 digits and more.

The card game was quick and easy to answer. When I rolled the dice, I could also immediately answer. I found both games fun and interactive as I competed with a friend.

I love art with Mrs Bowman  because it is the only thing that makes me feel strong and powerful.

Art makes me feel strong and powerful because whenever I do art, I feel invincible.  Art is meditation for my mind.