Principal's Patch

Happy Retirement Mrs Faulkner 

This week saw the retirement of Mrs Faulkner from our school. Although only at Palm Beach SS for a short amount of time, Mrs Faulkner has been a valuable asset to our school community. After a period of leave, Mrs Faulkner will move into her post work life of surfing and spending time with her family. 

With her retirement, Mrs Faulkner brings to a close a 39-year career teaching at many state schools and in that time being able to touch the lives of many students and families. 

Thank you Dimity and we wish you al the very best for your retirement. 

Athletics Carnivals 

This week we had two very successful Athletics Carnivals, filled with spirited competition and incredible talent. Students from all grades showcased their sporting prowess and teamwork, accompanied by enthusiastic cheering squads for each house. 

Thanks to the hard work of our staff and volunteers, the day ran smoothly, and the sun and fantastic weather added to the excitement.  

A special thank-you to Mr Locke and Mr Martin for their organisation of the days and Mr Pete for marking out the oval for all of the events. Congratulations to all participants for their sportsmanship, exemplifying the values of our school community. 

Well-done, everyone!

Amphitheatre 

We are thrilled to announce the exciting addition to our school grounds, a brand-new amphitheatre, thanks to the unwavering support and dedication of our P&C. The vision of having a space where students can gather for performances, presentations, and community events has become a reality, all thanks to the incredible fundraising efforts and commitment of our P&C members.

School Opinion Survey 

The annual suite of School Opinion Surveys will be conducted in Term 3 and will close on 18 August 2023. All families, school staff and students in target year levels (5, 6, 8 and 11) will be invited to participate. We encourage you to take this opportunity to have your say about what our school does well, and how we can improve.

An invitation to complete the Parent/Caregiver Survey will be emailed to one parent/caregiver per family in the week beginning 17 July.  The invitation will be sent from the Department of Education, not the school, and it will have the subject line School Opinion Survey for parents and caregivers, 2023.  Check your junk email folders if you can’t find it.  The survey can be completed as soon as the invitation is received and will take approximately 5 minutes using a computer, tablet or smart phone. 

Parents/caregivers who do not have access to the internet at home are welcome to complete their survey online at the school. School computers/tablets will be available. 

School Uniform 

At Palm Beach State School, we take great pride in our school. The wearing of school uniform promotes this pride and sets the high standards expected of all students. 

The below is from Dress Code and Appearance Policy. 

All students are required to wear fully enclosed black shoes, preferably black jogger style shoes with black laces and white socks. Due to Workplace Health and Safety, thongs or sandals are not permitted.

• ALL students are required to wear the uniform correctly, are encouraged to take pride in their appearance and to keep their uniform clean, neat and tidy

• Underwear, sport underwear e.g skins, t shirts (long sleeve and short) are not permitted to be worn if observable and showing from under the uniform

• Hair must be clean, neat and tidy. Styles and colour should be appropriate for school.

- Mohawks, spiked multi-coloured/coloured hair, rats tails, tracks, razor cuts are not permitted.

- Students with long hair are required to have it tied back.

- Ribbons, clips, scrunchies and headbands etc are to be in school uniform colours blue, white, black or natural hair colours.

• JEWELLERY is not appropriate at school and is not permitted. Students may wear a watch.

Students with pierced ears may wear gold or silver studs or sleepers. No other facial piercings are permitted. During sport, for safety, only studs may be worn and watches need to be removed.

• MAKE-UP and coloured finger nail polish are not appropriate at school and are not permitted.

Traffic 

Our first priority is the safety of our students. Please remember there is no right turn when exiting our Kiss n Go on 19th Avenue. We have recently had an accident and there have been several near misses due to cars turning right from this exit. Please only turn left to ensure the safety of all road users around our school. 

Parent Teacher Interviews

Parent/Teacher/Student interviews have been scheduled for Tuesday 25 July from 3:00pm – 7:00pm in the PAC (Townson Avenue). We will be using the School Online Booking System (SOBS) to make appointments. 

You can only book one 10-minute slot with your child’s class teacher. If your child’s teacher booking availability is full for this night, please contact them directly for an alternative time. 

We encourage your child to accompany you to the interview if possible as this often assists with the discussion and clarification of outcomes. We look forward to seeing you at the interviews. 

2024 Prep Interviews

If you or someone you know is intending to send their child to PBSS for Prep in 2024, now is the time to collect enrolment forms and book a mandatory interview. Interview times are filling fast and will be finalised by September. Interview days are Tues-Thurs from 8.30-10.45am, we look forward to welcoming our new Prep families!

Meerkat Productions

On Thursday 24th August, as part of Book Week 2023, PBSS students will have the opportunity to watch live theatre performances by Meerkat Productions. The cost of the incursion is $10.00, the letter and invoice were emailed home last week. Please contact the admin office on 5520 8333 if you did not received one.

The creative producers showcase some of the best talent available in the Australian theatre scene, adapting books into musicals, using original songs, puppets, sets and costumes. P-2 students will watch Frank’s Red Hat by Sean E Avery. 

These performances will be at 9am and 10:30am. 3-6 students will watch The Way of Dog by Zana Fraillon at 12pm. 

Frank's Red Hatby Sean E AveryA story about never giving up on your talents, because even though what you do may not be appreciated right now, it may be in time. Possibly by someone you’d least expect.Frank is a penguin with ideas. Mostly terrible ones. 

That’s why his fellow penguins are nervous when he shows them his strange new creation. Something they’d never seen or expected to see in their cold and colourless Antarctic world — a red hat.

PRAISE FOR THE BOOK ‘This is a charming book which, while not being at all didactic, has messages about accepting change (or rejecting it), fear of the new and the negative reception that innovators sometimes get from one group while being accepted – and indeed welcomed – by another.     ’ Reading Time‘One word. HILARIOUS!   The humour in this book is right up my alley.    Frank’s Red Hat finds the perfect balance of humour while teaching a valuable lesson about perseverance and bravery.’ Good Reads

The Way of Dog by Zana FraillonBe strong. Be fierce. Life is more than a concrete floor.Scruffity is born into the harsh, grey world of a puppy farm.  Taken from his mamma and locked in a concrete cage, what he yearns for most is Family.  To belong is The Way of Dog. But no one wants him.Just as his chances of adoption grow dangerously thin, Scruffity is set free by a boy as unwanted and lonely as he is.  

Outside, Scruffity learns all about The Way of Dog – it is to run, to dig, to howl and, biggest of all, to love. But when tragedy strikes, Scruffity is suddenly all alone.How does a dog find his way home when he never had one to begin with?PRAISE FOR THE BOOK‘Wow! 

What an absolutely gorgeous, heartbreaking, beautiful, wonderful story. Told in verse in the viewpoint of pup Scruffity, the reader sees the world through a dog’s eyes… The verse was so lyrical to read, with rhyme, alliteration and poetry effortlessly flowing within each stanza, capturing the true heart of this young dog.’ Good Reads

BOOK WEEK PARADE

As part of Book Week 2023, on Friday the 25th of August we will host our annual Book Week Parade. Students (and teachers!) are asked to dress up as their favourite book characters. Prizes will be awarded for best dressed, so start thinking about those costumes! 

More information to come closer to the date.