THE SIGNAL

When, Where, What News

INSPIRING CURIOUS MINDS

IMPORTANT DATES

TERM 3

Mon 04 September: Pupil Free day/ NO students at school - TheirCare open for          bookings

Fri 08 September: Special Assembly - Busking for Change - all welcome

Mon 11 September: 3pm Year 3/4 Curiosity Launch

Tue 12 September: Author Visit - Felice Arena. Preps, Yr1 & Yr2

Wed 13 September: Year 1 Reptile Encounters

                                         9am - 3pm District Athletics, Lakeside Stadium - selected students

                                         Year 3-6 Information session - Camp Weekaway. 3:45pm 5/6 space.

Fri 15 September: Footy Colours Day / Last day of term EARLY DISMISSAL 2.30pm

 

TERM 4

Mon 02 October: Prep - Year 2 Swimming Program - Consent and payment due 09 September

Mon 09 - Wed 11 October: Camp Weekaway Years 3 - 6 - PAYMENTS CLOSED

Thu 09 November: Spook and Sparkle Art Show

 

2023 TERM DATES

Term 1: 30 Jan - 06 Apr 

Term 2: 24 Apr - 23 Jun

Term 3: 10 Jul - 15 Sep

Term 4: 02 Oct - 20 Dec

HEAD LICE

Please check your child's head if you notice them scratching as we have reported cases in the school. Commence head lice treatment before sending your child back to school.

LOST PROPERTY

These items have been handed in to the office over the last two terms. 

Please be responsible for your child's belongings and come and collect, we do not want to put these plastic containers in landfill.

 

If anything is yours please come to collect prior to the end of Term 3, anything not collected by that time will be donated to the local Op Shop.

MAGPIE SEASON

Only a small proportion of magpies swoop on people and these often have a preference for a few individuals that the birds recognise or certain types of ‘targets’ like pedestrians and cyclists.

A magpie will only defend its nest within a ‘defence zone’. For pedestrians, this is usually an area within 110m and for cyclists it is 150m.

Almost all swoops on people are carried out by male magpies defending their eggs and chicks, which are in the nest for about six to eight weeks between July and November.

Magpies often become more aggressive as the chicks become older, but swooping usually stops once the young have left the nest.

A magpie’s defensive behaviour can range from a non-contact swoop with or without beak snapping, through to pecking, dive-bombing and sometimes front-on attacks from the ground.

 

STAYING SAFE

  • Wear a broad-brimmed hat and sunglasses or shelter under an umbrella to protect your face from swooping magpies (painting or sticking large ‘eyes’ on the back of your hat can also deter magpies—but this won’t work for cyclists).
  • If a magpie swoops while you are cycling, it will probably stop swooping if you get off your bike and walk.
  • Avoid ‘defence zones’ by taking alternative routes during the breeding season.
  • If you must enter a ‘defence zone’, magpies will be less likely to swoop if they are watched constantly, or if people walk in a close group.
  • Use signs to warn others of the location of nests and defence zones, particularly in areas used by children and the elderly.
  • Waving sticks or umbrellas in the air or attaching a brightly coloured flag on a long pole to your bicycle can stop magpies from swooping.

BEING MAGPIE FRIENDLY

  • Don’t fight back if a magpie swoops. Throwing sticks and stones or yelling at a magpie are likely to make it more aggressive next time anyone enters the defence zone around their nest.
  • Never approach a young magpie. Fledglings that have just left the nest or have fallen out are likely to be under the watchful eye of a parent. If you pick them up or get too close the parent bird may think you are a possible predator and become defensive in the future. If you believe they are at risk, wait until after dark before you pick them up and place them back in a tree.