Principal's Report
Welcome to 2020!
I do hope that everyone has had a wonderful holiday period. Our students have arrived back refreshed and ready for a new school year, as have our staff. I would like to extend a very warm welcome to the many new families joining our school community and of course our new and returning staff members.
Although the school year only commenced on Wednesday for our students, a lot of work has been going on behind the scenes to facilitate a smooth start to the year. On behalf of everyone, a big thank you to the wonderful Office team who have worked for more than a week leading up to the school's official start date. I would also like to sincerely thank the teaching teams and staff who have spent countless hours preparing their teaching spaces and planning their programs.
Thank you also to Lee, our Cleaner, who has done a wonderful job cleaning our school.
Our thoughts are with those who were affected by the devastating bushfires and I would like to acknowledge the many students and families who rallied together over the holidays to support those in need. We are fortunate to be a part of a very special community.
Our 2020 Preps
The first day of the new school year is always an exciting one, particularly for our Prep students.
Our Prep parents received a very special welcome with a lovely 'care pack' from the BNPS Parents & Friends thanks to Kristy Hamshare (Chairperson), Ilana Blampied and Shae Langford-Jones.
Building/Ground Works
Over the school holidays the following works were completed:
- The 1C and 1D classrooms in the main building were painted.
- Further external painting around the main building.
- A section of the main building was re-stumped.
- Tree removal and maintenance in accordance with the Arborist Report.
- Asbestos removal in and around the Wood Street staff carpark.
2020 BNPS Community Events
2020 is shaping up to be an exciting year for our families. In addition to our major community event, the BNPS Fete (Saturday 14 March, 9am - 3pm), we have some great events on the social calendar. Of course, these events can only go ahead if there are enough volunteers to organise them.
Term 2 or 3
- Student Disco
- Bogan Bingo (parent event)
Term 4
- Colour Run
- Ladies Spring Racing Luncheon
Please CLICK/TAP HERE to register your interest in helping out and keep a look out on Compass for further information.
Class/year level coffee catch-ups and dinners will also be held throughout the year and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the parents who have expressed interest in taking on a Class Rep role in 2020. Thank you also to Claire Nicholls for stepping up once again to co-ordinate our Class Representatives Program.
Personal Mobile Devices
All Victorian government schools are required to implement a local Mobile Phone Policy from the first day of Term 1, 2020. Please find attached our Personal Mobile Devices policy which can be accessed at all times on the Policies page of our website.
Camps, Sports & Excursion Fund (CSEF)
The CSEF provides payments for eligible students to attend camps, sports and excursions. Please see attached information and application form which needs to be returned to the Office as soon as possible.
The CSEF program for 2020 closes on 26 June, 2020.
Important Information & Reminders
Although many of you will be familiar with the policies and procedures outlined on the following pages of this newsletter, it is necessary for us to communicate this important information, as a reminder, at the beginning of each year. We also have many new Prep families and new families with children commencing in other year levels who will find this information particularly useful.
Please take the time to scroll through the items on the following pages and contact the Office should you have any queries. In particular, I would like to draw attention to the following points:
- It is very important to check the Compass News Feed daily.
- Absences MUST be reported via Compass on the day of absence (early in the morning or ahead of time where possible).
- Online consent/payment for incursions and excursions must be received by the due date via the appropriate Compass online consent form (NOT Qkr, unless otherwise instructed) in order for your child to participate/attend. If you opted not to pay the 2020 Key Experiences Charge, you will be prompted to pay for each incursion/excursion when providing consent via Compass. If you have since changed your mind and would like to pay for your child's 2020 incursions and excursions up front, please contact the Office on 9589 5449 to arrange.
- Students must NOT be left alone in the school grounds before 8.45am or after 3.45pm.
- The 'Kiss N Go' zones on Wood Street are for dropping/collecting your child within a two-minute time frame.
- School speed limits apply in the vicinity of our school to increase the safety of children and other road users – please make sure you slow down to 40km/h in these zones. We also ask that you give special attention to where you park (particularly near the roundabout) and how children alight from cars and come to meet you – please don’t let them run between cars.
- Parents and students are NOT permitted to walk through staff car parks OR use them for parking.
- Riding of scooters, bikes, skateboards etc., is NOT permitted in the school grounds at drop-off or pick-up (school and non-school children).
- Dogs are NOT permitted on the school oval at all between the hours of 7.30am and 6.00pm.
In Closing...
We are very happy and proud of how smoothly the students have settled into the new school year.
I encourage you to get involved where you can by volunteering in the Canteen or Uniform Shop, assisting with classroom activities, attending our events and of course being an active Parents & Friends and/or Fathers' Activity Club participant. Not only is it very rewarding, it's a great help to the school and strengthens our community.
Educating our students is a joint endeavour. We look forward to partnering with you in 2020 to bring about the best possible outcome for your child/children.
Sherril Duffy
Principal