Principal's Report
Dear Parents and Carers,
It has certainly been a wet and cold couple of weeks, which has resulted in a few adjustments to our school routines, including students spending more time indoors during break times and having less access to our outdoor spaces.
The weather has also created some additional challenges at drop-off and pick-up times, as our community tries to stay warm and dry while moving safely around the school precinct. Thank you to everyone for continuing to follow our drop-off and pick-up guidelines and helping us keep our students and families safe.
You may have noticed the new sign in the staff car park reminding everyone that this area is not a student drop-off or pick-up zone. With the increased number of vehicles using the car park, we are seeing more cars crossing footpaths and attempting tight turns. This creates additional risks for students and parents walking to and from school and also increases the likelihood of vehicles being damaged.
We ask that parents and carers please refrain from using the staff car park to drop off or collect their children. Keeping this area clear of additional traffic will help make the school precinct safer and easier for everyone to navigate.
The only exceptions are Lucas LEAP drop-off and pick-up outside of school hours and the use of the designated accessible parking spaces.
Thank you for your understanding, cooperation and continued support in keeping our school community safe.
Curriculum Day
Next week on Friday August 21 we have our Term 3 Curriculum Day which involves all of our staff meeting together to continue their learning around the Berry Street Educational Model. We thank our parent community for organising alternative care arrangements for their child/ren on this day.
Lucas LEAP is open on this day. Booking details can be found on our school website or by contacting the school office on 53385000.
Grandparents/ Special Friends Afternoon
On Friday July 31 we had a fabulous turn out for our Grandparent and Special Friend afternoon. This day was to acknowledge the role grandparents and special friends play in the life of the students. Although some classrooms were very crowded, it was great to see the smiles and excited conversations that occurred during the afternoon.
To say the book fair was overwhelmed with visitors is an understatement. There is something nice about our students perusing the bookshelves with their grandparent, sharing stories and making a purchase together. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this afternoon.
Basketball
Well done to our basketball teams who competed in the Division sports on Monday. Both the girls' and boys' teams represented the school to the highest standards both on and off the court. Congratulations must go to our girls' team who won the A grade competition on the day. Well done everyone!
Playground Update
The rain has delayed some of the work happening in the playground space over the past week or so. We are still a few weeks away from completion, but it is always pleasing to see the plants and trees going in which is a good sign that the end is close.
COTA
The Celebration of the Arts evening is a time that our students can showcase their wonderful creative talents. An absolute standout of the evening is the collaborative Art Pieces which we auction off. Please ensure you have saved the date.
Brick Fundraiser
Our Fundraising Committee have worked to create an opportunity for parents and community members to have their name or design included in the permanent playground features around the school. The Brick Fundraiser gives families an opportunity to design a brick which will be professionally engraved and delivered back to the school later this year.
Students have been creating some designs in class and will bring them home on Thursday August 13.
How to get involved: (This is completely voluntary)
- Decide whether you would like to take part in the fundraiser.
- Have a look at your child’s design and finalise details.
- Copy your child’s design onto the FINAL DESIGN sheet of paper. Please follow instructions carefully.
- Return your family design to school.
- Make payment on Compass. There are three Fundraiser Events:
- The Classic Legend Brick
- The Master Artist Brick
- Both Bricks
- Purchasing closes Thursday August 20 at 5pm.
Please keep an eye out for details that will be sent home.
Active Pathways Program
Over the past few months, our Year 5/6 leaders were involved with the Active Pathways team to create some safe pathways for walking and riding to school. These designs were then taken away and professionally produced. This week we received the poster for the school to display, which looks amazing.
Our Active Pathways Schools launch in conjunction with the City of Ballarat is set for Thursday September 3. On this day we will have supervised walk/ride to school opportunities for everyone to take part in starting at each of the 4 locations identified on the maps. Our Year 5/6 students will also participate in Bike Ed sessions throughout the day. We thank the support of Active Pathways and the City of Ballarat for the opportunity to be involved in this project.