The Bay Breeze

Many of our existing COVID-smart measures continue into Term 2, including:

• rapid antigen testing for symptomatic students and staff
• vaccinations – including booster shots (from 3 months after your child’s primary COVID-19 dose) are encouraged for all eligible students and their families.
• ventilation
• good hygiene practices
• enhanced cleaning.
• Change to close contact isolation requirements - The NSW Premier has announced changes to requirements for close contacts which means that from Week 1 of Term 2, students and staff who are identified as close contacts will be able to attend school with certain risk mitigations in place.
• Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) – which the department will continue to supply to students and staff in Term 2 to support symptomatic testing and testing of close contacts returning to school.
• Masks – particularly a new recommendation from NSW Health for people who have recently recovered from COVID-19 to wear a mask for an additional 3 days following their 7-day isolation period (from days 8 to 10).
• Responding to local COVID-19 conditions – outlining the temporary reintroduction of some additional COVID-smart settings if local conditions require it
• Ventilation – how we’re maximising natural ventilation in classrooms and learning spaces while balancing thermal comfort during the cooler months.
• Reducing the risk of illness this winter – general advice from NSW Health to protect our school community as we head into winter.

On Tuesday 26 April staff enjoyed a full day of professional learning regarding phonics planning, social competence with our Learning Support Mentor, NAPLAN preparation and student data analysis. We are fortunate to have outstanding leaders in literacy and numeracy at Bateau Bay PS to support quality teaching and learning. 

NAPLAN tests the some of the skills that are essential for every child to progress through school and life, such as reading, writing, spelling, grammar and numeracy. It is important to remember that NAPLAN is not about passing or failing, but about assessing learning progress. Students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 participate in NAPLAN tests for reading, writing, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy.

Between 10-17 May our school will participate in NAPLAN Online. A draft timetable is attached for your reference.  If you have any questions about NAPLAN Online, please contact your child’s teacher.

An information evening for all families of students entering Kindergarten in 2023 has been organised for Monday 23 May from 6-7pm in the Library. I encourage all families (new and current) to attend as information will be presented regarding the Newbees program and transition for your child. Refreshments will be provided. I look forward to seeing as many parents and carers as possible on Monday 23 May.

As principal I had the honour of marching with Bateau Bay PS students in the ANZAC March organised by The Entrance RSL. Students represented our school with pride and honoured all servicemen and women. Thank you to all students who attended and represented our school as well as parents who supported.  

Our Dare to Lead team have been working tirelessly over the last few years with both students and the Kuriwa AECG to implement our yarning circle. This forms part of our ongoing commitment to embedding Aboriginal culture. As part of the Partnership Agreement our school is Working Together, Walking together to show respect, acknowledge and celebrate Aboriginal culture. 

Students and the community will be involved in finalising the yarning circle with plants before we will invite families to join us in the yarning circle. 

The uniform shop will now be open on Friday mornings between 8:30 and 9am

We are still in desperate need of volunteers for the Canteen for Term 2. If you have a current Working With Children Check and can spare as little as 20 minutes during the week please contact Tracey through the front office or email bbpspc@outlook.com 

Unfortunately, due to our suppliers increasing costs over the last few months we will be having a price increase in both our Canteen and Uniform shop which will come into effect this term.