Principal's Report

Welcome to 2024!

Welcome to 2024!

I would like to extend a very warm welcome to all BRPS families, established and new, as we commence the 2024 school year. 

There is a strong sense of optimism for an amazing year ahead, filled with learning, friendship and fun.  

 

We have started the year with 479 enrolments across 21 classes. The year has started very smoothly and I thank the teachers and school staff for their dedication to come in over the holidays to set up rooms and prepare for the year ahead. 

New Students and Families

A special welcome is extended to the Foundation students who joined our school community for the first time. The smooth and confident start they have had is a testament to their resilience and the hard work and support provided by our Foundation teaching and support team, as well as each child's parents efforts in preparing their children for school. 

A  personal highlight was checking in on the Foundation classes on day one and hearing about a fantastic new specialist class called 'Paint Duty'. Thank you to the Foundation student who provided us with a laugh and very creatively re-named our Visual Arts classes at the same time!

We also  extend a warm welcome to new students and families across all other levels of the school and trust that their time at BRPS will be happy and successful.  

Assembly

Whole-school assemblies are held at 9am on Monday mornings. Our first assembly will be this Monday 5th February. 

All parents are welcome to attend on the asphalt (or Stadium in the event of inclement weather). 

Student of the Week Awards are awarded to one child per class on a weekly basis by classroom teachers, and are then presented at assembly. Parents are notified in advance via email and invited to attend the assembly for their child's award.

Year Six Student Leaders Presentation 

Our Year Six  student group will be officially introduced to the school community at the first assembly on Monday.  Year Six parents are invited to a morning tea in the front garden at the conclusion of the assembly. 

Staffing News 

A warm welcome is extended to all staff who returned to Black Rock Primary School. There is a very positive and welcoming environment evident across the school  staff have been most enthusiastic in preparing classrooms to be a positive and engaging environment for the students' return.

We welcome  back the following teachers who have returned to the classroom after periods of parental and other leave:

Year 1: Marie Nicoll

Year 2: Allison Capron and Krystal Frazer

Year 4: Beth Tyrell

Year 5: Christina De Maio

Art: Hayley Rings 

 

We also welcome new Education Learning Support staff Myra Doyle, Belinda Kay and Nivedita Jha who have started seamlessly. 

 

Congratulations  - Baby News!

 

Sophie Moir

Congratulations to Sophie and husband Hamish who over the holidays welcomed their first born into the world. Louis John Oliver Hill arrived on the 3rd of January and everyone is healthy and well. 

 

Cal Byrnes

Congratulations also to Cal and wife Grace who also welcomed their first child into the world recently.  On December 20 ~ at 42 weeks exactly, Stella  was born.  Cal is adjusting to the new (lack of) sleep patterns and his little family is doing well. 

 

Health Update - Steve Muller

I'm pleased to report that Steve finished his initial treatment of chemo and radiotherapy before Christmas and received the wonderful news that the treatment had worked incredibly well and he is now cancer free! 

Steve will undergo surgery later this month and potentially some more chemotherapy,  however he is feeling very positive about it all and can’t wait to get back to teaching at BRPS as soon as possible. 

Parent/Teacher Communication

By the end of Week Three, parents and guardians will receive a Year Level Term Newsletter introducing the team, outlining the Term One curriculum focus areas and also year level homework, routines and expectations. Specialist and extra-curricular timetables will be shared, along with key dates for events and activities throughout the year.  

Each year level will also share a fortnightly year level update via Compass throughout the year. 

The first Parent Teacher Conferences will take place in Week Four of Term One, detailed information will be sent separately through Compass.

Welcome Picnic & Running Colour 

The Welcome Picnic and Running Colour is our first community event of the year. The parent Community Events and Engagement team have set the date for Friday 22nd March on the school oval. 

The event is a great opportunity to catch up with old friends and also make new connections. 

More information to come! 

CEET (Community Events and Engagement Team)

The first CEET meeting of 2024 will be held on Tuesday 27th February at 7:00pm in the staffroom (main building). 

All interested parents/carers are invited to attend. 

We will be planning events for the year and welcome your input and ideas. 

 

Compass Insights

Thanks to the parents and carers who have completed the 'Insights' survey on Compass. It would be of great assistance if all surveys could be completed by Monday 5th February, prior to any extra-curricular activies commencing.   

 

Any questions should be directed to Assistant Principal Emily Harvey. 

Every Day Counts!

In the Victorian education system, it is compulsory for all students to attend school each day of the school year. At times an absence may be unavoidable, however, every effort must be made to ensure students attend school on time each day. 

Evidence tells us that students who regularly miss days of school are at risk of missing out on learning the basic building blocks in subjects, and may experience long term difficulties with their learning. School attendance helps children develop social skills, such as friendship building, teamwork, communications skills and develops healthy self-esteem. 

We want to maximise attendance at school and have a strong focus on continuity of learning in 2024.

Please try to ensure that any appointments and holidays are made outside of school hours. To maximise learning opportunities we need all students here all day. If this presents a problem for you and your child please make time to talk to the school. 

REMINDER When your child is absent, please indicate this on Compass by 9.00am so your child’s teacher is informed. 

Cyber Safety Project 

The Cyber Safety Project engenders a whole-school/whole of community approach to support young people to successfully live, play, learn and work online. We are excited to announce that in 2024 we will again be partnering with the "Cyber Safety Project" team. 

The Cyber Safety Project provides a comprehensive F-6 whole school curriculum and learning program underpinned by the four key values of Responsibility, Integrity, Strength and Empathy.

 

Parent Payments and Voluntary Contributions

The Compass Portal is live now for families to log in and complete all school payments.

The BRPS School Council, staff and school community have high expectations of all     curriculum programs, resources and facilities that the school provides. Much of the operational costs including the provision of computers (including laptops), high-quality school resources, extra sports equipment, library/ICT support and equipment, quality art and science supplies and maintenance, along with the provision of new curriculum initiatives are supported solely from local fundraising, including parent payments. Parent voluntary contributions are a vital aspect of maintaining these high standards and we thank our parent community for their generous support in this area to benefit all students across the school.

Important Information and Reminders

Please review the "Student and School Administration   Reminders" page of this newsletter for information and updates about the 

Although many of you will be familiar with the policies and procedures outlined on the "Student and School Administration   Reminders" page 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 Foundation families and new families with children commencing in other year levels who will find this information particularly useful. 

 

COMPASS School Manager

Compass School Manager, through private and secure family portals, is our primary platform for communicating with families. We strongly recommend that parents install the native app on their mobile device (Apple iOs or Android) and set it up to receive notifications. This will allow instant and convenient access to all relevant school communications.

With many optional education events such as excursions, incursions and sporting events across all year levels beginning next week, I encourage all parents to log on to Compass at your earliest convenience and ensure that all details and payments are up-to-date. Parents are also encouraged to check the Compass Calendar and News Feed often. 

The "Student Administration Reminders" page in this newsletter is an essential reference to support parents to navigate and manage important school processes. 

 

Please take the time to read through the items on the following pages and contact the office should you have any queries. However, I would particularly like to draw your attention to the following points:

  • It is very important to check the Compass News Feed and Calendar daily to stay informed of the latest news and upcoming events.
  • Absences MUST be reported via Compass on the day of absence (early in the morning or ahead of time where possible).
  • Online consent (always) & payment (when required) for incursions and excursions must be received by the due date in order for your child to participate/attend.
  • Students must NOT be left alone in the school grounds before 8.45am or after 3.45pm.
  • The 'Kiss N Go' zone on Arkaringa Crescent is for dropping/collecting your child within a two-minute time frame.
  • 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).
  • Please be aware of our dog policy which is outlined on signs at all entrance points to the school.

ARE YOU BEING SUNSMART?? 

As in line with the school's policy, Term 1 is a SunSmart term. This requires all students to have the appropriate wide-brimmed school hat. These SunSmart hats are to be worn during all outside activities. Students without a hat will be asked to sit in designated shaded areas for the duration of all breaks on that day.

 

PERSONAL PROPERTY AT SCHOOL 

Personal property is often brought to school by students, staff and visitors. This can include mobile phones, calculators, toys, sporting equipment and cars parked on school premises. Please note that the Department of Education and Training does not hold insurance for personal property brought to schools and it has no capacity to pay for any loss or damage to such property. Please note that the Department has a statewide policy on mobile phone use in Victorian schools, details of which have been previously communicated. Phones must be handed into the office for safekeeping in secure, lockable storage and then collected at the end of the day. 

 

UNIFORM/BELONGINGS

Please be vigilant in clearly naming all uniform items and personal belongings (lunch boxes, sports equipment etc.) This allows us to return any found items to the rightful owner.

 

UPDATING CONTACT DETAILS/MEDICAL 

We ask all families to please ensure that you have up to date contact details on Compass. This includes current address, phone numbers, emergency contact details etc. Also, any students who have a medical condition must have a current medical records at the office. Of most importance is to ensure Asthma, Diabetes, and Anaphylaxis management plans are up to date. These need to be signed off by your local doctor and are required to be updated annually.

 

ASTHMA

As part of our commitment to meeting our legislative requirements and the Schools Policy Advisory Guide, we require you to provide us with an updated Asthma Action Plan for your child. Asthma Action Plans should be reviewed annually. Please follow the link below to the new Asthma Action Plan for Victorians Schools, which has been specifically designed for schools to identify asthma signs and symptoms, and respond accordingly using the asthma medication device your child currently has at school. Once completed please return it to us as soon as possible with the appropriate medication and other device aids i.e. spacer device. Please make sure the medication is in date and any items are labelled with your child’s name. https://www.asthmaaustralia.org.au/vic/about-asthma/resources/victorian-action-plans

If your medical practitioner has informed you that your child has grown out of their asthma, they will need to provide a letter, on the practice letterhead to the school stating such.

Privacy Information for Parents and Carers

Our school collects, uses, discloses and stores student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the Schools’ Privacy Policy.

Please take time to remind yourself of the school’s collection statement, found on our website: BRPS Collection Statement 

For more information about privacy, refer to: Schools’ Privacy Policy — information for parents.

Black Rock Primary School Council

Black Rock Primary School is governed by our School Council. The Council is made of volunteers from our parent community and also from our teaching staff, including myself. We will be running nominations and elections for the 2024 School Council over the next few weeks. You may be interested in joining our Council and contributing to our school’s development over the next two years. Further information about the nomination and election process is available at any time. If you are interested or have any questions please contact the school office. 

 

Have a wonderful fortnight.

 

Sam Tyndall

PRINCIPAL