BALCATTA PRIMARY SCHOOL Telephone: 9253 4900

NEWSLETTER

Number: 1 13 February 2020

Some of our Kindy students enjoying the start of their Primary Education

PRINCIPAL’S PATTER

Hi Everyone,

A warm welcome back to all our students and staff and I hope everyone had a

relaxing and safe holiday.

Thank you to all our school community for a wonderfully smooth start to the

year. It’s nice to see so many smiling faces (mums and dads too) and

enthusiastic students looking forward to the school year ahead. It’s also great

to see so many students wearing the school uniform (polo shirts & our broad

brimmed hats etc.) – fantastic!!

I would like to take this opportunity to especially welcome all our new students

and families to our school this year and hope you have a very enjoyable stay

with us. I would encourage everyone to become actively involved in the

school community, as this benefits your children, you and the school as a

whole.

The students are currently attending our annual swimming lessons at the Terry

Tyzack Leisure Centre, which will conclude tomorrow Friday 14 February. Many

thanks to all our parents for making sure that their child/ren were well prepared

for their lessons. It is pleasing to note that the swimming instructors have

commented that our students have been very well behaved and display

excellent manners.

A big warm welcome to five new staff members this year – Leanne Cameron &

Lisa Merendino (Pre-Primary), Susan Heywood (Yr 1), Madeline McFee (Yr 6) and

Cristina Franchina (LOTE).

Finally, it gives me great pleasure to announce the appointment of Robert

Croft as the substantive Deputy Principal of Balcatta Primary School -

Congratulations from us all.

Enjoy your weekend everyone,

Peter Gates

Principal

VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS

Many thanks to those parents who have been prompt in paying the voluntary

contribution this year. As approved by the School Council, the voluntary

contribution amount is $40.00 per student from Kindergarten to Year 6. Parents

are encouraged to pay this as soon as possible, as the funds raised are used by

the school to support student programs. The P&C also has a voluntary

contribution levy of $10.00 per family. Please note: Payment can now be made on-line. Please see the office for details

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SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

A reminder to all our parents that the school newsletter is sent home with the

oldest child (K- 6) each fortnight, on a Thursday. It is also sent via FlexiBuzz

and available on line. If you do not receive your newsletter, please contact

the office on 9253 4900.

PARENT INFORMATION MEETINGS

These will be organised to take place over the next three weeks of this Term.

Your child’s classroom teacher will notify you (note home) when this meeting

will be held. The meetings give the teacher/s an opportunity to outline their

programs etc. for the year and to discuss various classroom matters and for

parents to become more informed about their child’s education. I

encourage all parents to attend. If for some reason you cannot make it, an

alternative time can be organised through the teacher/s.

MOBILE PHONES

Students must have a written note from parents if it is essential to bring

mobile phones to school. The phones must be turned off and handed

in to the office on arrival at school.

WIDE-BRIMMED HATS - (No Hat No Play Policy)

The wearing of the school uniform wide-brimmed hats in the school

grounds is school policy for the whole school year. Children must

wear school wide-brimmed hats at all times when playing in the

grounds. If a child repeatedly chooses not to wear a hat whilst playing in the

playground they will receive a reflection sheet for not following our ‘No hat

no play’ policy. Uniform navy blue wide-brimmed hats are available from

the uniform shop.

SCHOOL CROSSING

Our school crossing is monitored by our two wardens (Barry and

Laurel) from 8.00 am to 9.00 am and 2.40 pm to 3.40 pm each

school day.

It is MOST IMPORTANT that when the crossing is operating,

everyone must wait until the warden blows the whistle twice before

crossing. Bicycles and scooters etc. must also be ‘walked’ across.

Thank you for your co-operation in this most important matter.

VISITING THE SCHOOL

Our school policy requires all parents and other visitors to the school, during

school hours, to first “sign in” at the school office before visiting the

classroom. This is a safety issue and allows us to keep track of and screen

persons entering the school. Parents and visitors are also requested to “sign

out” at the school office when leaving the school.

It is also requested that when visiting classrooms during class times, parents

and visitors do not enter the classroom unless collecting a child. We would

encourage courtesy by first knocking on the door and waiting for a response

from the teacher.

COMMUNICATION APP (FlexiBuzz)

At Balcatta Primary School we

use FlexiBuzz to communicate

news, messages events etc. to

our families.

The app is free & can be

added to your iPhone, iPad,

iPod, Android tablet and any

other type of device or

computer via a website

version. The app has some

great features. You’ll be

reminded about important

upcoming calendar dates,

and everything we post can

be translated into over 100

languages!

UPDATE - Please remember

to update FlexiBuzz in 2020 to

correspond to your child's

year level.

IF YOU ARE NEW to the school,

you need to register for the

correct ‘boxes’ for your

child/ren.

IF your child has left our school, please unsubscribe from our newsfeed by

removing yourself from ALL

communication groups.

IF you wish to be completely

removed from Flexi Buzz, &

your account deleted from

the system, you will need to

email support@flexibuzz.com.

If you have any queries,

please contact the office.

Julie Walker

Manager Corporate Services

Please register for FlexiBuzz on your phone, tablet or PC to receive communications.

Balcattaps6021 (password)

FROM THE

Welcome to another year of great reading opportunities for the students at Balcatta Primary School.

The school library will be open on Wednesday and Thursday each week for all classes to visit for borrowing.

A reminder that all students require a waterproof library bag to protect the books travelling to and from school. Waterproof bags are available from the library for $5.50.

Scholastic Book Club Issue 1 is currently open and the brochures were issued to Pre Primary - Year 6 students last week. Scholastic Book Club provides families with a fun and convenient way of bringing children’s literature into the home to create home libraries and promote the love of reading. If you wish to make a purchase from the brochure, please consider placing your order online through the Scholastic LOOP system. Visit scholastic.com.au/LOOP for instructions. This avoids the need for students to be carrying cash to school.

OR tear off completed order form from the back of brochure and put it & the correct cash into an envelope. Please deposit the envelope into the red post box on the table in the front office. Orders will then be sent to the school and will be distributed to the students in their classrooms to be taken home.

The closing date for Issue 1 is Wednesday 19th February. No late orders will be processed after this date. If you have any queries, please see me in the library on Wednesday or Thursday. Thank you Mrs Keen School Library Officer.

P & C NEWS

PARENTS & CITIZENS MEETING –

Our first P & C Meeting (Parents and Citizens) meeting of the year, will be

held on Friday 21st February at 9am in the Playgroup Room. Everyone is

welcome. Let your toddlers and babies play while you join in on the meeting

(or simply just listen in). We will be discussing any issues or concerns, as well

as upcoming events etc.

Help us boost the fun and opportunities for our children!

UNIFORM SHOP - NEW OPERATING HOURS

The uniform shop is now only open each Friday morning from

8.40am – 9.00am, during the school term. Our order of new uniforms

is expected to arrive 28 Feb. Should it arrive earlier, a notice will be posted

on our Facebook page.

Colour Coordinated School hair accessories are available for purchase at

the uniform shop with the order of at least 1 item from the school collection,

the P&C receiving proceeds from your order. Alternatively, you can head to:

www.ponytailsandfairytales.com.au/collections/balcatta-primary-school.

EFTPOS available with small charge of up to 2.2%.

SCHOOL BANKING

School banking is

held every Tuesday

morning before

school in the

undercover area. Students are

able to deposit their pocket

money into their own bank

account, whilst watching their

money grow, they also get

rewarded for their efforts. All

student that join school banking, automatically earn the school $10 each.

E’CO BIN

Our E’co Bin (World of Eco “Tri-aid not Aid” fundraising) is located at

the front of the school (on Main Street), at the end of the Alford Street

carpark. Please pop any unwanted clothing, linen, shoes and bags

etc. inside.

E’co bin supports our P&C, so the more you give them, the more they

support our school.

LIDS 4 KIDS Plastic bottle caps, essentially a non-recyclable waste product,

has the ability to be turned into plastic hands, arms and mobility aids. So we

are collecting clean plastic bottle lids with recycle codes 2 & 4 only, which

are found on milk bottles, soft drinks & water bottles. We have a collection

box on top of the P&C box, located outside the office. We are also

collecting bread tags, so, please help us, help others by bringing them in!!

COFFEE VAN TUESDAYS is back. Feras from Koffee2Go will be down at the

courts serving us hot drinks, each Tuesday morning before school. So grab a

hot one, whilst your little ones are fuelling up at Breakfast Club.

FREEZE FRIDAYS will recommence once swimming lesson have

concluded. Every Friday, 12.30pm to 12.50pm, all students (K – 6)

can enjoy an icy pole during lunch time (once they have finished eating

their lunch).

Note: Kindy & Pre-Primary classrooms are stocked with icy poles, so money

can be given directly to the teacher.

Year 1-6 to be purchased by students at the canteen during lunch time.

$1 for a whole icy pole, or 50c for half.

Like and Follow us on Facebook, to keep up to date with all the latest.

Going forward, if you see something we are trying to promote, please help

us out by pressing the share button. This is a great way to support your

amazing P & C.

Go to www.facebook.com/BalcattaPandC or if using your mobile app.

simply tap the search button and look up Balcatta Primary School P&C.

To all the new parents and students, we look forward to meeting you all at

some stage. We know it’s going to be a great and exciting year.

CHAPLAINS CORNER

Welcome back for 2020! It has been great to see everyone &

to welcome some new families into our school community. We

look forward to another great year at Balcatta Primary School.

This year my hours will again be: Tuesdays 8:00am - 3:30pm &

Thursdays 8:30am - 4:00pm.

On Tuesday mornings (8:15 - 8:50am) I can be found in the canteen running

Breakfast Club with some great helpers (we would always love to have

more), & at the School Community Playgroup (find us on the Playgroups WA

website) helping & having fun with all our families that attend on Thursday

mornings.

At other times I can be found in the Student Activity Centre or in classes

around the school. Please contact me through the school office if you need

to see or speak to me.

I am looking forward to a wonderful year.

Until the next newsletter,

Larissa McCarthy

Chaplain

PLAYGROUP

Where: Playgroup room

When: Each Thursday during the school terms Time: 9am – 10.20am Age: 0 – 4yrs (if not attending Kindy Thursday mornings)

TERM DATES 2020 (for students)

Term 1

Monday 3 February – Thursday 9 April

Term 2

Wednesday 29 April – Friday 3 July

Term 3 Tuesday 21 July – Friday 25 September

Term 4

Tuesday 13 October – Thursday 17 December