Blaxland Public School

Term 4

Week 9

Tuesday 30 November 

• Captains Speeches
• Kindy Academy 

Friday 3 December

• Whole School Mufti Day/Crazy Hair Day for Year 6 fundraiser.
• Zooper Dooper Day

Week 10

 Thursday 9 December

• Presentation Day Assembly- Students only

Friday 10 December

• P&C Coin Snake
• Zooper Dooper Day
• Student Reports sent home

Week 11

Wednesday 15 December

• Year 6 Farewell

Thursday 16th December

• Term 4 ends for students.

For all notes sent home please see either the School Website or SkoolBag.

School Targets

As 2021 ends I would like to share the exciting news that Blaxland Public School has had a successful year and we have achieved success in meeting our targets set by the Department of Education in Literacy and Numeracy for 2021. The Year 3 and Year 5 NAPLAN results were above state average in both literacy and numeracy, we achieved the set target of percentage of students achieving in the top two bands and our growth in Year 5 Numeracy exceeded our targets.

NAPLAN Top 2 Bands

NAPLAN Growth Year 5

School Leadership Positions

This week, the Year 5 candidates for a School Leadership position have displayed a poster outlining their leadership capabilities for all students to see in preparation for the speeches on Tuesday 30th November starting at 11:30am. This year, the school leaders speeches will be done virtually and the K-6 Assembly will be held at the end of the School leadership speeches.

Presentation Day

Mrs Ellwood is busy preparing and organising the 2021 Presentation Day Assembly. This year it will be held in  groups in line with the strict cohorting regulations to ensure everyone is COVID safe.  Each class will be physically distanced outdoors and unfortunately parents will not be permitted to attend. We will record the Presentation Assembly and post it later for parents to watch.

Kindy Academy

We have had three Kindy Academy visits with our last visit being held on Tuesday 30th November. It has been a delight getting to know the students and we look forward to an exciting start in 2022. All Kindergarten students will start school on Friday 4th February 2022.

 2022 Enrolments

We are busy making plans for the start of 2022. To assist us with this planning process, please notify the school office if you know that you will not be returning to Blaxland PS in 2022.

Parking

Safe parking continues to be of concern particularly in Baden Place in the mornings and afternoons.

I have contacted Blue Mountains Council to seek clarification on the signage outside the school. I will keep you informed once I receive any information from Blue Mountains Council. Please ensure that you always follow the parking rules to ensure the safety of all school community members.

Online Ordering is available only.

To order Online please email the school with your child's full name, class, and what you would like to purchase. Payments are is to be made online through the school Website and the uniform purchase will go home with your child.

For any Uniform Shop inquiries please email the school.

The coin snake is on!

Two more weeks left to bring in your coins and slither your way to victory! Keep bringing in your coins for the coin snake until Thursday December 9th. Coin snakes will be built on Friday December 10th and the winning class will enjoy a cool ice-cream treat for lunch. All funds raised will be used to support our school.

Volunteers needed to welcome our new kindy parents

On 4 February 2022 the P&C will be holding a morning tea to welcome our new kindy parents on the lawn outside the school office. We are seeking volunteers to help prepare the gift bags and run the morning tea. Please email blaxlandpandc@gmail.com or contact us via the Blaxland Public School Families Facebook group if you can help.

Join us for a Christmas celebration

At 7pm on 14 December 2021 the P&C will be having Christmas dinner and drinks at the Lapstone Pub. Please join us and celebrate surviving this crazy year! All members of the school community are welcome!

Parking and pedestrian safety

The P&C has written to Trish Doyle MP, State Member for Blue Mountains, about road and pedestrian safety near our school, including the lack of parking and pedestrian safety in Baden Place and pedestrian safety along the highway and the Wilson Road rail bridge

We would like to invite you onto the parent-based management committee that oversees the operation of the OOSH.  Anyone over the age of 18 can apply to be on the committee, Parents, Guardians, Grandparents, Uncles and Aunts and Community members. A parent-based Management Committee consists of a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and general committee positions, they are people who volunteer their time to oversee the smooth running of the OOSH. Committee meetings are held on a regular basis throughout the year (usually every second month) and parent participation is encouraged. Notices of meetings will be advertised in the school newsletter and on the noticeboard in the school. Without a fully operational committee we are open to having our SCOOSH placed out for tender to a private enterprise to operate.

Joining a Parent Committee can be a rewarding way to be involved in your child's learning experience. We will welcome the commitment, knowledge, participation and voluntary contribution each committee member brings to SCOOSH. Community involvement is the most successful way to deliver truly inclusive and responsive services, and we hope that your participation connects, empowers and enriches your experience with your child’s education. Without a fully operational committee we are open to having our OOSH placed out for tender to a private enterprise to operate.

If you are interested, please send an email to blaxlandpandc@gmail.com and we will advise you of our next meeting (it will be in 2022).

The Blaxland Public School P&C is looking for a Co-Manager for the SCOOSH.

This is a volunteer position that has become available to replace one of the current Co-Managers who will be stepping down this year. The SCOOSH is a well-established, financially sustainable Out Of School Hours care service provider for the students and families of Blaxland Public School, run by the P&C.

The Co-Managers make decisions on budgeting for the service, where to spend funding and other matters concerning the upkeep, staffing and equipping of the OOSH. They also formulate and provides input into the policies of the OOSH and ensure that the service is meeting all statutory and regulatory requirements. SCOOSH has a well-established supervisor who takes care of the day to day running of the OOSH and the co-manager who is continuing with the service takes care of the financial administration of the service. The management team report back to the P&C each month as part of the P&C meeting.

As a Non-Profit community organization any parent or interested community person may apply for the position if they are over 18 years of age and not currently managing or supervising in a OOSH or Child Care Service. Any profit that the OOSH generates is returned to the P&C to spend on improving the school and its equipment to the benefit all students. To become a service manager, you are required to complete a short training course and all costs will be covered by the P&C.

If this position interests you please email blaxlandpandc@gmail.com and we will supply you with a more detailed job description. If you have any questions before you declare your interest, please feel free to email blaxlandpandc@gmail.com.