Welcome back everyone! We love having holiday snaps shared with us. See Seb below they found a cafe called 'Mrs May' up in NSW. Thanks Seb and Liz (Mum).

This year all students are working towards “Self-responsibility for all in 2024”. Listen out for our learning slogan.

A special well done to our Prep 2024 students and families for such a smooth start – including attendance at our first school assembly on Monday. Thank you to our amazing Prep team for facilitating such a smooth start.

As students move through the school we provide opportunities for students to build agency over their learning and have a greater role within our school community.

“Don’t do anything for a child that they can do themselves”. Joan Dalton

Some of our grade 6 leaders have already been busy building their understanding of the roles and responsibilities that come with their captaincy positions:

Oscar and Henry, ICT Captains: “We are learning to be more organised, there are a lot of things to think about for the running of assemblies. Next time we will get there earlier and make sure we have communicated with the school captains so that we have everything we need”.

Jack and Rhys, Community Captains: “As a leader we are seeing things for the first time that we didn’t know before, for example the gates ‘just happened’ behind the scenes and now we know which ones we need to open. We forgot a couple. We’ve now set an alarm to remind us to be on time”.

Gigi, School Captain: “You have to prepare ahead of time for assembly, and make sure all the right people know what’s happening. Some times you have to be able to improvise and think on your feet. After our first assembly I think it would be helpful if we double check the agenda and seek feedback from teachers”.

This year, all parents are welcome to attend our assembly on Mondays at 2:45pm (usually in the Hall) – just check Compass Calendar for which Mondays assembly takes place as they are not every week.

Our school newsletter is shared each fortnight, and contains important information about all things BBPS. It is our main formal platform for sharing information with our community.

On a non-newsletter week, a Friday Comms from us both will be shared via Compass, containing key reminders.

See our Communication Policy for further understanding of how we streamline information sharing. Thanks in advance for keeping track of the ins and outs at BBPS.

Staffing

A special welcome to our new staff members, Alex Stock (Grade 2 class teacher) and El Martin (Education Support Staff). And a warm welcome back to Kim Ancrum (Assistant Principal) who returns from family leave.

A big congratulations to Megan Craig, who welcomed Parker, a baby boy, last week. Both mum and bub doing well.

And exciting news was shared upon our return to school, Naomi Beales is expecting her second child, a sibling for Max, later this year.

Upstanders

The Year 5 2023 Upstanders should be very proud of their efforts last year with creating anti-bullying decals that will be proudly displayed around Bayside. The 2023 Upstanders Launch event is on Thursday 15th February at 6pm. Please see the link below for RSVP and more information. https://baysidearts.cmail20.com/t/d-e-elyltc-dyhjurdtjh-h/

For your diary (see important dates section for a full list of term 1 dates)

Friday 9th Feb (tomorrow): PA AGM (see PA section of newsletter) at 9am in the Library

Mon 19th Feb: Photo Day and Grade 6 Leadership Assembly 2:45pm

(SRC badges will be presented later in the term)

Wednesday, 21st Feb: Meet your teacher information night

3:50-5:00 P-2 in classrooms

5:00-6:10 3-6 in classrooms

Grade Teaching teams will provide you with key information for 2024 and build your understanding of our purposeful pedagogy within each year level.

Supervision will be provided on Windermere playground.

Grade 3-6 students are encouraged to attend their specific information sessions along with their parents.

Curriculum Booklets will be shared with families next week, ahead of the information session.

All families are welcome to make a time for a 1:1 meet and greet with your class teacher at a later date, should you feel it necessary. Please liaise directly with your teacher to arrange this.

Student Support Group meetings for students with Individual Education Plans will be arranged by the class teacher in the coming weeks.

Tues 27 Feb – Thurs 7th March Nakamura Gakuen Japanese Student Teacher Tour

Fri 15 March Welcome BBQ 4-7pm

All families are welcome to bring along a picnic and join us on Windermere Oval to reconnect and welcome new families.

Annual privacy reminder for our school community

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

Our Photographing, Filming and Recording Students Policy describes how we collect and use photographs, video and recordings of students. The policy also explains when parent consent is required and how it can be provided and withdrawn. We ask parents to also review the guidance we provide on how we use [Microsoft 365/Google Workspace for Education] safely at the school and what parents can do to further protect their child’s information. If after reviewing the guidance, you have any questions or concerns regarding your child using [Microsoft 365/Google Workspace for Education], please contact the school. For more information about privacy, refer to: Schools’ Privacy Policy — information for parents. This information is also available in ten community languages:

* Amharic

* Arabic

* Dari

* Gujarati

* Mandarin

* Somali

* Sudanese

* Turkish

* Urdu

* Vietnamese

It is so good to be back and catching up with all our families. We are looking forward to a great 2024 partnership. All the time learning.

Bev and Kim

School Policy Section