Dear Parents

This week we are celebrating Reconciliation Week. Reconciliation Australia’s theme for 2023 is, “Be a voice for generations.” For the work of generations past, and the benefit of generations future, it is important that we act now to create a more just, equitable and reconciled country for all. Reconciliation is a journey for all Australians – as individuals, families, communities, organisations, and importantly, as a nation. At the heart of this journey are relationships between the broader Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Thank you to the many families and friends who came in to help us talk about and celebrate Reconciliation Week.

Teachers are currently in the process of writing Semester 1 student reports. Semester 1 reports will go home on Friday 23rd June with children.

We thank Mr Stephen Rogers for the work he has done in the past 6 weeks with our Stage 2 children painting self portraits. The P&C have funded Mr Rogers as a Artist in Residence who has taught each class for 1 hour every afternoon. The Stage 2 children have thoroughly enjoyed being part of this project.

Congratulations to our Girls' and Boys' Touch Football teams and their wins against Eglinton PS last Thursday. It was wonderful to see our entire school watching the games, which were played on the oval at school. Well done to all of the players, Mrs McPhee and Mrs White.

Congratulations to our Girls' and Boys Basketball teams on their terrific wins last Friday against Bathurst West PS. It has been several years since we entered basketball teams in the PSSA Knockout Competition, and it was an exciting day for the players, Mr Datt, Mrs Francis and Mr Summerson last Friday. Well done, everyone.

Next Wednesday 7th May, our Athletics Carnival Track events will be held at MacKillop College. Family and friends are welcome to attend and are asked to park vehicles in the Proctor Park car park. If you have not yet given your child permission to attend the carnival, please go onto the Sentral Parent Portal to give permission. Field event finals will be held at school in the next few weeks.

Good luck to our school Cricket team and Mr Thackray as they play against Bathurst South PS in the NSW PSSA Knockout competition tomorrow. We look forward to hearing the results of the match.

We continue to thank our parent community for the generous donations of goods for the Bathurst Public School Breakfast Club. Our Breakfast Club caters for about 150 children every morning. The school budgets approximately $25 000.00 a year to this and has two staff members rostered on in Breakfast Club every morning. We are always excited to receive donations of margarine, honey, Vegemite, jam, fresh fruit, Up and Go's and/or gift cards so we can purchase products. Again, we thank everyone for continuing to contribute to this extremely important service we provide for all of the children.

Our School Uniform Committee will meet for their first meeting on Tuesday, 6th June at 4:30 - 5:30pm in the interview room at school. The uniform committee will look at our current policy, determine how they will collect information from our school community about our current uniform, then collate the responses and make recommendations about our uniform and policy moving forward. We thank all those who have offered to be part of the committee. They are; Sally Hegvold (P&C Rep), Alisha Muldoon (Parent Volunteer), Mel Klootwijk (Parent Volunteer), Fernanda Puebla (BPS Executive Staff Rep), Sarita Lloyd (Staff rep) and Sharon Cafe (Chairperson).

Our School Concert will take place at the Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre (BMEC) on Wednesday 9th August, 2023. There will be a matinee and evening performance. All children K-6 will be involved in this year's concert. The theme for the Concert is 'Disney 100 years'! We are so excited about the plans we have. Tickets will go on sale through the BMEC box office of online through the BMEC on Wednesday 19th July. Please mark these dates in your calendar.

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

Kate White

Principal