FROM OUR PRINCIPAL MRS LEANNE SMITH

What a busy first week we have had.  As I have visited classrooms I have watched and listened to such varied learning.  I have chatted about maths and goal setting and mindfulness and friendships along with what they are reading and writing about. 

Along with the buzz of learning in classrooms the new build is a hive of activity.  There is painting, pinboards  cabinetry all happening inside while the outside cladding is being finished and the outside ramps and stairways are underway.  Next week we will see the rest of the pathways being poured and the turf sections going in.  We are still looking at having the handover ready for the first week in March and then we will begin the process of moving classes into their new classrooms with minimal disruption to learning.  

All classes have now had the Seesaw permission forms sent home.  Seesaw is an important communication tool to share learning to pass on messages and to receive notices.  If you have not yet seen the form from your child, please check with them.  The sooner we have all the forms returned the sooner we will be able to open the new classes to all our parents. 

Our first school event for the year will be our school athletics for grade 3 to 6 on March 2^nd.  Please keep an eye out for more information about this.

If you are not yet attached to Schoolzine, Facebook or the mobile Schoolzine app please speak to the ladies in the office and they will happily help you with this.  Much of our communication is shared via these platforms.  We are currently developing our webpage and when that is up and running all the links will be a part of that including communication to the school and absent notes.

Thanks very much to all families who have supported their children in the very smooth transition from last year to this year’s classes. 

The Department of Education will invoice and mail levies directly to parents/carers.  Please keep your eye out for yours in the mail.

Payment of levies can be made by cash or credit card at the School Office during office opening hours on schools days, BPAY, BPOINT or at Service Tasmania.  These details will be on the invoice.

This year we are continuing to use Seesaw to share your child’s learning.

Currently all the photos that we plan to share with you, only identify your child.   We would like to extend the sharing to group and class activities when other students in their class are identifiable in the photos.  Permission slips have been sent home for you to complete to give permission for your child to appear in a photo attached to another student in their class. Seesaw is private; you'll only see posts attached to your child. 

A special barcode and further information about how to access this App and your child’s learning will be sent home as soon as permissions are received. This will also include an at home log in for each student. 

Thank you for supporting your child's learning!

Please come in and see us if you want further information.

Parents please keep an eye out in your children's bag over the next week for further paperwork.  These forms will include Aquatic Consent, Major Consent and Medical Form, Medical Alert Letter, Bus Information, Schoozine Permission and ICT Use and Agreement forms. These form need to be completed and returned to school as soon as possible.

A firefighter from the Tasmania Fire Service (TFS) is visiting our school next week to present a Home Fire Safety Program to our Prep to Grade 6 students.

Kindergarten students, whilst not receiving a structured lesson, can expect a visit from the firefighter who will leave some free fun activities for the students to complete.

The age appropriate program is designed to raise fire awareness in children and includes fun in class activities, videos, activity books, giveaways and a new kid’s website tfskids.com.au.

Parents and other family members are also encouraged to participate by reading the information and assisting your child with the after school activities.

The TFS aims to deliver appropriate fire safety education to every primary school child in Tasmania and is part of the TFS’s ongoing commitment to create a fire safe Tasmania.

Key Fire Safety Messages include,

• Wake up - Install a smoke alarm in every bedroom
• Plan and practice a home fire escape plan with the whole family
• In a fire crawl low and go, go, go to the nearest exit
• In an emergency call triple zero
• Keep flammable material at least two metres from the heater
• If your clothes catch fire, stop, drop, rock and roll
• Keep matches and lighters away from children
• Cooking - Turn it off before you turn away
• Cool a burn under cold water for at least 20 minutes
• Most house fires can be avoided. Make your home fire safe

More information for parents and carers at www.tfseducation.com.au

Exciting new website www.tfskids.com.au

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EARLY CHILDHOOD

TFS receives regular requests from preschools and child care centres asking for firefighters to visit and teach children about home fire safety.

TFS does not deliver structured fire safety programs to children below primary school age. This decision was made based on research carried out by the Mental Health Services of the Royal Children’s Hospital and the Metropolitan Fire Brigade in Melbourne. This research indicated that:

• Children under the age of five had low retention of the information they had learned; and
• In some children, the information had actually stimulated their curiosity about fire and they had begun to play with fire.

TFS believes that parents and caregivers are the best people to make sure that very young children are safe from fire. To help with this, TFS has a fire safety website for parents, carers and teachers.

TFS has also developed free giveaways for young children that introduce them to the friendly firefighter characters that they will meet when they receive the School Fire Education Program including a colouring book, a money box shaped like a fire truck, and stickers with home fire safety messages for the whole family. Click here for free giveaways for your preschool or child care centre.

The Department of Education recently announced expanding the Student Assistance Scheme for 2021.

Parents who have a current concession card as listed below can apply for dependent students for assistance under the STAS:

• Services Australia - Centrelink Health Care Card
• Services Australia - Centrelink Low Income Health Care Card
• Services Australia - Pensoner Concession Card or
• Department of Veteran Affairs - Pensioner Concession Card.

Please note that if you are already receiving student assistance you do not need to complete a form.

A new on-line form has been developed to assist with processing applications for new applicants.

The online form can be completed here: https://stasonlinesubmission.education.tas.gov.au/.

Once a validated form is completed the Department of Education will confirm the outcome of your application in writing, this process takes approximately 14 days.

We understand this online option may not be possible for all families, so if you require a hard copy form please contact the School Office or the Financial Assistance Unit on stas@education.tas.gov.au or 1800 827 077.