Principal's Report
Community Restrictions have eased but school restrictions remain.
The lifting of the restrictions announced on Sunday was a very positive move in the way forward for us all but few changes at the school level have been implemented at this time.
Changes to Transition activities have been implemented.
We are extremely excited to welcome our 2021 Prep students to school over the next two weeks. These students will be arriving in groups of 10 only and will visit the Prep classes for a short orientation visit.
Year 6 Transition
Our Year 6 students have had an online meeting with Mentone Girls Secondary College staff and our Year 6 teachers have had an online meeting with the teachers from Beaumaris Secondary College. Those students attending BSC in 2021 also had virtual meeting with the staff of the college.
Remembrance Day Service.
In preparation for our 2020 Remembrance Day Ceremony the Year 6 students participated in a live ZOOM guided tour of the Shrine.
As our school could not meet as one, it was decided to include every student in this special day by asking all students to make poppies. The staff believed it would be quite fitting and visually spectacular to plant a sea of poppies near our Gallipoli oak tree which is located near the bottom basketball court. All students created their own poppy using the template and simple instructions provided. Each class was invited to add to the Year 6 collection of poppies in the patch of grass near the Senior Learning Centre.
Our 2020 Remembrance Day Ceremony was observed on Wednesday, 11 November at 10:05am.
This year we pre-recorded our Year 6 Remembrance Day Ceremony as we are still not permitted to assemble together. A link to view the ceremony was shared for all classes to enable everyone to be included in this special occurrence in their classrooms. Every student in Year 6 had a part to play in this event as the students missed Anzac Day due to Covid restrictions. I would like to sincerely thank the Year 6 teachers who managed this huge task ensuring that all students were involved.
Students were encouraged to bring flowers to school on Wednesday to lay at the bottom of the flagpole at the front of the school. Representatives from each class placed their flowers before the ceremony ensuring social distancing was observed and to avoid any gathering of children from across year levels.
I would like to thank Faith and Ruby for visiting classroom prior to the ceremony to provide merchandise for the RSL Poppy Appeal around to all classes.
Please click/tap here to see the Year 5 students laying their hand made poppies.
COVID Safe Assurance Program for Schools
Last Friday Grant Rounsley and Kerryn Meredith had an appointment with one of the Department of Education’s Occupational Health and Safety support officers, as part of the delivery of the COVIDSafe Assurance Program for Schools, focussing on minimising the risk of coronavirus (COVID-19) transmission in our school.
This appointment was to ensure correct implementation of health and safety guidance at BNPS. The visit consisted of working through the DET COVID Safe Assurance Checklist, covering all of our health and safety action items, donning and doffing Personal Protective equipment, signage, extra cleaning schedule, staff training, and the health and wellbeing of all staff. A walk through of the school confirmed that all standards and practices are in place.
The completed assessment of our visit reported that we have zero non-compliances in our checklist.
School Council Approval of 2021 Education Contribution
School Council has approved the Education Contribution for 2021. You should have received documentation yesterday which we request you please return by Wednesday 25 November 2020. If your child is not returning to BNPS in 2021 please notify the office as soon as possible.
Parent Opinion Survey
This is a friendly reminder to all schools that are participating in either the 2020 Parent Opinion Survey or the Student Attitudes to School Survey that both surveys are still open for completion and will remain open until Friday November 13.
Sherril Duffy
Principal