Dear Parents

The 2023 school year is coming to an end. What an amazingly successful year we have had! Our planning for 2024 is well underway and we are anticipating an enrolment of around 460 children.

On Tuesday night we had our Year 6 Farewell. It was a wonderful night of celebration to mark the end of Primary School for our Year 6 children. Congratulations to our Year 6 children on the way they represented our school and their families. They were a delightful group on Tuesday night and a pleasure to celebrate with. A special thank you to Mr Datt for his coordination of the evening and our wonderful DJ music. Thank you also to the parents who decorated the venue for us, led by Amy Prudham and supported by Mel O'Brien, Archana Buttsworth, Vic Atelj and Emma Hair. Thank you all for making the night such a success.

We also had our Term 4 Green Award Morning Tea on Wednesday. Congratulations to all the children who attended as their class green award winners. You have had an outstanding term. It was a pleasure having morning tea with you yesterday. The Term 4 Green Award winners are;

KB - Abraar Imitiaz and Bilal Ikram

KP - Zaylie O'Connor and Izhaan Muhammad

KG - Sarah Wally and Aavya Timalisina

K-2N - Sebastian Smith and Elliot Gregory

1G - Lewis Pearson and Isabella Wootton

1CW - Debonika Datta and Ruby Solomon

1/2M - Daisy Dowsett, Ebony Clancey and Swae McKellar

2Mc - Nate Sommerville, Charlie Moore and Henry Callan

2I - Henry Fox and Evie Hunter

3/4C - Shaza Ahmed and Lilian Klootwijk

3/4S - Mia Walker and Charlotte Creasey

3/4F - Lilly Guihot and Alex Bateman

3/4M - Ruby Thackray and Simba Mukandi

3/4L - Amelia Wells and Alli Theobald

3-4B - Patrick Taylor and Will Ellul-Harrison

3-6R - Thomas Callan and Liam Roberts

3-6J - Jakob Hunt-McIntosh and Trey Forrest

3-6H - Jaxson Thurlow

5/6A - Phoebe Hunt and Mackenzie West

5/6T - Koeban Webster and Aurora Davis

5/6W - Charlotte Falconer and Soraya Kandegedara

5/6D - Keeon Freeman, Ryley Clinghan and Alexis Hickey

Our Year 6 Assembly, held earlier today, was a wonderful opportunity for all of our Year 6 children to be presented with their Year 6 graduation certificate and graduation bear. Congratulations, Year 6. Take a bow! You have been a super group to work with throughout 2023.

Some end-of-year reminders;

*Friday, 15th December is the last day of the 2023 school year. This will be a FREE DRESS day.

*The Year 6 tunnel will be held at 2.30 pm on Friday, 15th December.

*Our School Office is open from 8.30 am-3.15 pm on Monday, 18th December and Tuesday, 19th December.

Our school has now transitioned to Sentral Finance. Moving into the 2024 school year, this will be a wonderful asset to our school and how we support families. Parents can now give permission for events on the Parent Portal and pay for events on the same system. It will absolutely streamline permission, and payments parents are asked to make to the school. This system is now operational and can facilitate parents making payments for any school event.

The Sentral Parent Portal will be in maintenance mode from Tuesday, 19th December until Thursday, 1st February for work and updates to occur.

Attached to this Newsletter is a guide for parents as to what children will require in terms of equipment to start the 2024 school year successfully. This list does not contain books, as children will be given all books, pencils, rulers and pens they are required to use at school, from the school.

As this will be the last newsletter for 2023, I would like to thank all parents, friends, and children for the wonderful and successful year. It has been an absolute pleasure being the Principal of Bathurst Public School this year. Thank you for your ongoing support of our wonderful school and of Public Education.

I would like to thank most sincerely the volunteers that have assisted the school to provide support to our children during 2023. We have volunteers in the canteen, teaching scripture/Ethics, operating the clothing pool and working with the P&C to create fantastic opportunities for our children. Without the support of all of our wonderful volunteers, many of our programs, activities and services would not operate. Thank you to all our precious volunteers and we look forward to welcoming them back in 2024.

To the staff, I thank you for making our workplace such a positive environment and a joy to work within. I am amazed at the work and commitment you all show every single day. Your organisation and care of each and every child is always paramount. Your support of one another not only as colleagues but as friends makes our workplace special. Thank you all for your ongoing dedication to Bathurst Public School.

I would like to take this opportunity to say goodbye and good luck to all of our Year 6 children. I will look forward to watching all your endeavours in the future. It is also timely to say farewell and thank you to many families who will also leave us this year as they no longer have children at primary school. Thank you for all your work, support and commitment to Bathurst Public School and Public Education. Good luck to you all.

It would also be remiss of me not to say thank you and farewell to Miss Alice Nathan who is taking 12 months leave and Mrs Kate Whieldon who has replaced Mrs Sarah White this semester. They will both be dearly missed by the students and staff at Bathurst Public School. Goodbye to you both, and we wish you well in 2024.

Some important dates for the commencement of the 2024 school year below. A reminder that:

Tuesday 30th January – School Development Day and School Office reopens from 8.30am
Wednesday 31st January - School Development Day
Thursday 1st February - Children in Years 1-6 commence school for the 2024 school year at 9am
Thursday 1st February - Children in Kinder commence school for the 2024 school year at 9.30am
Tuesday 6th February – 2024 Leadership Team Induction Ceremony at 9.30am in the McMullen Hall
Thursday 8th February – School Swimming Carnival
Thursday 15th February - School Photos
Wednesday 21st February - K-2 Assembly 12.40pm in the McMullen Hall
Wednesday 21st February - 3-6 Assembly 2.00pm in the McMullen Hal
Friday 23rd February - District Swimming Carnival
Wednesday 28th February - Stage 3 Excursion Deposit due
Thursday 29th February – Support Class Parent/Teacher Meetings
Wednesday 13th March-Monday 25th March - NAPLAN for all Year 3 and Year 5 children
Monday 4th March – Friday 8th March – K-6 Parent Teacher Interviews
Wednesday 20th March - K-2 Assembly 12.40pm in the McMullen Hall
Wednesday 20th March - 3-6 Assembly 2.00pm in the McMullen Hall
Friday 28th March – Easter Hat Parade
Wednesday 10th April - K-2 Assembly 12.40pm in the McMullen Hall
Wednesday 10th April - 3-6 Assembly 2.00pm in the McMullen Hall
Friday 12th April – Last Day Term 1

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a safe and prosperous new year. I look forward to working with you all again in 2024.

If any parent has concerns regarding any aspect of school life, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Kate White

Principal