Engagement and Wellbeing
Grandparents and Special Friends’ Morning
A reminder that this Thursday we have our Grandparents and Special Friends’ Morning where we invite all of our students’ special guests in to experience the classrooms of their children and to take part in a morning tea (provided by our lovely PLP group and the school). As always, this is a great opportunity to take part in the learning journey with your children and we encourage as many families to come along. The date coincides with the Ballarat Show Day public holiday, so families with relatives from afar can enjoy the whole weekend with their loved ones.
When: Thursday the 7th of November, 2019
Time: 9am - 11am with a Morning Tea from 10:45am to 11:30am.
Where: Your child’s classroom (We will have special helpers on the morning guiding
guests to the appropriate rooms). Morning tea will be held in the Grade 6 end of the BER Building.
Act of kindness Awards
PLP Meeting Discussions
Last Thursday we held our 1st PLP meeting of the term. As always, there was lots of great discussion, which we have tried to provide a summary of below. Thanks again to all who attended.
PLP Meeting Minutes
Date: 31/10/2019
Parent Opinion Survey results (Scott)
Really pleasing results again this year. Scott talked through the results of the Buninyong Campus and sought feedback on some items that parents were either unsure of or negative in their responses. Those being:
Teacher communication
o Feedback expressed included the difference in use of Dojo between classes. Some use it really well, others not at all and this creates inconsistency.
o If your child is going well, you don’t necessarily have much contact with the teacher and whilst parents can come in and speak about their kids, perhaps we need to decrease the time between reports and feedback.
o End of year reports are too late to hear feedback on how children are going. Need to hear it in week 3/4 of Term 4.
Due to time constraints, Scott asked if anyone had thoughts on any of the Parent Opinion Survey data, to email them to him or Bernie:
mcglynn.scott.s@edumail.vic.gov.au or Conlan.Bernie.BP@edumail.vic.gov.au
Uniform Update from the Sub-Committee
Bernie provided an update on the recent uniform survey to the group and sought feedback on recommendations to school council in November. These were:
Leggings – Survey results were mixed, with the majority wanting leggings to be an option and not just as an undergarment. Consideration given to how we discourage leggings that are tight fitting and sometimes very thin.
Coats – The survey showed considerable support for school coats not being compulsory. Lots of discussion around whether there ought to be a stipulation of school coat or black coat. Clear agreement that we ought to enforce coats not being worn inside. Suggested that be included in the guidelines.
Shoes – The survey results were very one sided in favour of shoes/runners being black.
The Uniform Sub-Committee will meet again next week to finalise recommendations for School Council based on the feedback from the survey and discussions with PLPs. Once School Council has made decisions, these will be communicated and the uniform policy and guidelines will be updated.
Buildings and Grounds Audit
Bernie explained how the sub-committee from school council had been taking a close look at maintenance works that were needed at both campuses.
Scotsburn is in excellent condition, with very little needed in terms of maintenance.
The list of maintenance jobs needing attention at Buninyong is vast.
The sub-committee will now meet to work out priorities for both sites.
ROCCH Award Winners
Congratulations to the following children for being identified by their teachers for doing great things! You’re all superstars!
Thunderstorm Asthma - Information
What is thunderstorm asthma?
Thunderstorm asthma refers to episodes of asthma symptoms which occur when high pollen levels are combined with a
thunderstorm.
It appears that thunderstorm asthma requires very specific weather conditions to occur as only rarely do thunderstorms that occur in times of high pollen levels have a health impact.
if the conditions necessary for thunderstorm asthma occur near a highly populated area it is possible for many people to be affected by thunderstorm asthma suddenly and simultaneously.
Thunderstorm asthma events have occurred in some areas of NSW such as the region surrounding Wagga Wagga. The Sydney Metropolitan Region has not been impacted by a significant thunderstorm asthma event.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms associated with thunderstorm asthma include wheeze, chest tightness, difficulty breathing and cough. The symptoms can escalate very quickly and may become life threatening.
What causes thunderstorm asthma?
The cause of thunderstorm asthma is not fully understood.
Exposure to high concentrations of very small fragments of pollen appears to be an important part of the cause of thunderstorm asthma.
It is thought that moisture in the air during a thunderstorm swells pollen grains which burst, generating tiny fragments of pollen. Airflows in some thunderstorms concentrate these fragments in high numbers at ground level where they may be breathed in and affect people at risk of asthma symptoms.
In NSW, high levels of rye grass pollen appear to be associated with thunderstorm asthma in some areas.
Who is at risk?
People with asthma, people with undiagnosed asthma, people with hay fever (allergic rhinitis), and especially people who ‘wheeze and sneeze’ during spring.
When are people most at risk?
In NSW the period from October to November is a time of higher risk of thunderstorm asthma.
Being outside when pollen levels are high and thunderstorms are in the area is likely to increase the risk of an exposure that could lead to thunderstorm asthma.
How might you decrease your risk of having a thunderstorm asthma episode?
Since the environmental conditions associated with thunderstorm asthma are unpredictable, an important way of reducing your risk of having a severe thunderstorm asthma episode is by managing your asthma or hay fever throughout the year, especially during spring.
If you have asthma, use your preventer medication regularly as directed by your doctor, carry your asthma reliever (puffer) with you, and ensure that you have a current, personal Asthma Action Plan.
If you have not been diagnosed with asthma but wheeze and sneeze during spring, see your doctor to determine if you may have asthma and develop an action plan.
If you have hay fever you should see your doctor about medications you could use to manage your symptoms and discuss any possible symptoms of asthma you may have.
Stay alert to the symptoms of wheeze, chest tightness, difficulty breathing and cough.
Recognise the signs of an asthma attack or rapid escalation in symptoms such as:
difficulty breathing, laboured breathing making it difficult to speak in full sentences, or lips turning blue
asthma reliever medication providing little relief.
If an ambulance is called in an emergency that could be related to thunderstorm asthma, stay indoors with the person having the thunderstorm asthma episode while waiting for the ambulance.
Further information
Asthma and thunderstorms - Asthma Australia
Thunderstorm asthma - Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy
Asthma emergency - Asthma Australia
Protect yourself from thunderstorm asthma poster
Four steps of asthma first aid poster
Sydney pollen count and forecast – recorded at Campbelltown during the months of September to December each year.
Wagga Wagga and surrounds is an area of NSW prone to thunderstorm asthma. Charles Sturt University and the Wagga Asthma and COPD Collaborative of Health Professionals have established an automated notification system where you can register to be notified by SMS and/or email of high thunderstorm asthma risk conditions in the Wagga Wagga area.
Weather forecasts are available from radio and television news updates and the website of the Bureau of Meteorology.
Source:https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/environment/factsheets/Pages/thunderstorm-asthma.aspx
School Bus Travel for 2020
Families who are eligible and wish to use one of the three country bus services next year are required to complete and return a new application form for their child/children and return it to the office by the end of Term 4.
Likewise, if your child/children attend our Scotsburn campus and would like to use our between campus service, a new application form is also required.
If your child/children are already bus travellers, we will be sending a form home with the eldest child in the family in the next few weeks. For new travellers, please call into the office to see Mel for an application form and further details.
Please note: All current bus rolls will be cleared at the end of Term 4 and only children for which we have new application forms for will be permitted to travel.
Thank you for your understanding.