Blaxland Public School

Term 3

Week 3

Wednesday 3 August

• Year 6 - Blaxland High School Transition Program

Friday 5 August

• Open Day and Book Fair

Week 4

Friday 12 August

• Athletics Carnival

Week 5

Tuesday 16 August

• Police Cyber Safety talk with Parents

For all notes sent home please see either the School Website or SkoolBag.

Welcome back to an exciting term of teaching and learning. This term promises to be a busy term with a variety of opportunities and school activities available to our students.

COVID Safe Practices

As you are aware, all NSW DOE schools are having a four-week blitz to support the well being and safety of all students and staff. At this stage, we strongly encourage all adults entering the School Administration Building to wear a mask and we are limiting the number of adults in the foyer to 2 adults at a time. This week, all students received a multi-pack of 5 RATS inline with the COVID Smart Practices. Students who are close contacts are permitted to attend school, but they must have a negative RAT each morning for 5 consecutive days and the student is strongly encouraged to wear a mask for this period. Please click on the link below for the latest advice for families.

https://education.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/advice-for-families

Staffing News

Despite exhaustive efforts, we were unable to find a replacement for Mrs Everett after she moved to working in a non-school based position with the Department of Education. Due to this, we have collapsed Mrs Johnson and Mrs Wacker’s whole school programs to ensure that the 3/4E class has continuous quality teaching and learning. Mrs Johnson will work on Monday and Friday and Mrs Wacker will work on Tuesday, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. We are finalising a plan for term 4.  I thank the school community for your continued support and understanding during this time of unexpected change.

100 days of Learning

Today, the students in K-2 celebrated 100 days of learning. They participated in a variety of activities and had lots of fun. Thank you, Mrs Ellul, Mrs Cooke, and Mr Hancock, for always providing fun activities for our students. It was a fabulous day for everyone.

Healthy Harold

This week, Healthy Harold returned to Blaxland Public School. There was a buzz of excitement once the Life Education van arrived on Wednesday morning. This year the classes participated in the following programs: KE and K/1C: Harold’s Friendship, 2H: Safety Rules, 3/4E: Mind Your Medicine, 4/5E Relate, Respect and Connect and 5/6PS On the Case. 

Spelling Bee

We held the Blaxland finals for the Premier's Spelling Bee yesterday, 28/7/22.

We had two events: Junior (3&4) and Senior (5&6).

The winner of the junior final was Angus

The winner of the senior final was Riley.

These two students will represent our school in the Regional Spelling Bee (via zoom) during Weeks 7/8 this term.

Book Fair/Book Parade

On Friday 5th August, we will be having the annual Book Character Parade and Book Fair in recognition of Book Week. This year’s theme is “Dreaming with eyes open….” All students are asked to dress up as their favourite character, pre-schoolers and toddlers are most welcome to join us and walk with their sibling if they wish.

The event will be held outside, and the school community is most welcome to join us for the parade, but we ask that you follow the physical distancing rules when onsite. Please do not attend the event if you are unwell or have the slightest of symptoms. If there is wet weather, we will have the parade under the COLA.

The Book Fair will be in the library and will be open from 8.45 till 11.20. The Book Fair will be closed during the parade. Due to COVID restrictions we will need to limit the number of adults in the library to 20 at a time.  We also strongly encourage all adults to wear a mask when in the library. Your patience in this is appreciated.

Parents/ Carers will be able to purchase books online prior to the event to make this process easier.  Online and EFTPOS is preferred over cash payments. When filling in the online payments please remember to fill in the receipt number and the amount paid before you hand it in.

We are looking forward to seeing you next Friday for our Book Week celebrations.

Education Week Open Classrooms

Due to the current NSW Department of Education COVID Safe practices throughout the next four weeks, we have postponed our Open classrooms to a later date. We will plan to invite parents/carers and grandparents into our classrooms when it is a safer time to do so.

Kindergarten enrolments 2023

We have started planning for 2023 and the kindergarten enrolments for 2023 are growing each week. If you have a child who is turning 5 before 31st July 2023 and they are ready for school, please complete an online enrolment application which is found on the Blaxland Public School Website. The Kindergarten Transition program planning has also begun and the dates for the Transition Program are:

• Thursday 15th September
• Thursday 22nd September
• Thursday 13th October
• Thursday 20th October
• Thursday 27th October

The Kindergarten Transition program will start at 9:30 and finish at 11:00am. More information will be sent to Kindergarten parents shortly.

Blue Mountains Dance Festival

This year Blaxland Public School will be participating in the Blue Mountains Dance Festival at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre in Penrith. We have three dance groups in the festival, and we are very excited to offer this opportunity to our students.  The school will cover the costs of the dance costumes and parents will be asked to pay a minimum fee to cover the costs of bus transport for the rehearsal and matinee performances.

Police Cyber Safety Parent Talk

On Tuesday 16th August starting at 9:15-10:15, Senior Constable Hatton Youth Officer from Springwood Police will be presenting a Cyber Safety talk for parents. During this talk, parents will learn about ways to keep their children safe online, setting boundaries for technology use for your children, recent facts about Cyber Safety and ways for adults to keep themselves safe online. This event will be held in the school library and tea and coffee will be available. We hope that you can join us on that day.

Athletics Carnival

This year, 8–13-year-old students will be participating in their Athletics Carnival at School on Friday 12th August 2022. Mr De Mattia will be the coordinator of this event. More information will be sent home in a note next week.  All students in 2H who are turning 8 this year will have the opportunity to participate in this carnival.

The K-2 will be having a K-2 Sports Fun Day on Friday 19th August from 9:10-11:00am. A note will be sent home next week about this event.

As you can see, we have a very busy term ahead. Enjoy the sunshine over the weekend.

We have the most amazing bathroom art you will ever see !!!!

Check out our amazing new bathroom doors. Thank you to the fabulous Naomi and Lucy for sharing your creativity with our school. Thank you to all the Blaxland parents who spent time in the school holidays to make this dream into a reality. There is nothing like exceptional art and positivity to help make our student’s day brighter !!  

Father’s Day stall in September !!!

The gifts have been ordered so we are ready for the father day stall, which will be held the week before Father’s Day.

 P&C Meeting

Our next meeting will be Tuesday the 9th of August (week 4, term 3) via zoom.

Keep an eye out for updates in the school newsletter, on the SkoolBag app, on the school notice board, and via the Blaxland Families Facebook page. 

We have two calendars available to view our School Excursions and Events that are happening through out the year.

SkoolBag

To find the Events Calendar in SkoolBag:

• Click our School Emblem - found under My Schools & Services.
• In the blue bar at the bottom of the screen click Events.

School Website

For upcoming excursions and events on the School Website, they can be found either at the bottom of the Home page or on the Events page. 

Weekly flute lessons available after school from Term 3. 

Book in now for a spot! Group class held 3.15pm Thursdays at Blaxland Public School Individual lessons also available from 3.45pm Fun, interactive, classes held by an experienced flute teacher.

Justine has a Masters degree in Music and more than 25 years of experience as a flute teacher and performer.  She has taught all levels from beginner to university level and has worked with the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, Opera Australia, the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, as well as for musical shows such as “The Sound of Music” and “Phantom of the Opera”.She has taught at schools for more than two decades and is a highly skilled, compassionate and understanding teacher.Lessons cost $22.50 per child for group lesson. $45 for individual lessons. Lessons are also available at Justine’s studio in Hazelbrook. Justine also offers preparation for AMEB exams and holds a Working with Children Clearance Check.

Please contact Justine directly on: 0429 357 197

www.justinebristow.com