Respect, Responsibility, Personal Best Branxton Public School Newsletter to Parents

BRANXTON PUBLIC SCHOOL

Find us at: 12 King St, Branxton NSW 2335 Email: branxton-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au Phone: (02) 4938 1214 Fax: (02) 4938 1905 Website: www.branxton-p.schools.nsw.gov.au

Week 6 Term 4 Wednesday 20th November, 2019

Dates to Remember

21.11.19 Year 5 - House Captain Speeches

22.11.19 Kinder Orientation

28.11.19 Carols by Torchlight

29.11-5.12.19

Intensive Swimming

6.12.19 Whole School Performance Assembly

10.12.19 Presentation Day

11.12.19 Sports Court Ground Breaking

11.12.19 Year 6 Dinner

12.12.19 Sports Assembly

13.12.19 Year 6 Fun Day Out

16.12.19 Year 6 Service Assembly

16.12.19 Class Party Day

17.12.19 PBL Assembly

18.12.19 Year 6 Walk Out - 2:45pm

in full swing. Our year 5 students are in the midst of the leadership process for 2020, with students voting on Monday for our leadership positions. Voting will take place on Thursday for House Captains. Either Mrs Wicks or myself will inform parents of the successful candidates so they can attend the respective assemblies (Presentation Day Tuesday 10

th December for school Leaders

or the Sports Assembly – Thursday 12th

December for House Captains). Our new Kindergarten students have been visiting the school over the last few Fridays. Year 5 students have been undertaking some buddy training in preparation for working with their buddies. In the meantime, Year 6 have had some last opportunities to work with their buddies before they depart to high school. Numbers are being taken for the Intensive Swimming Program from the 29

th November to 5

th December. This is

aimed at students in Year 2 and 3. Please stay up to date with events through the newsletter, facebook, seesaw and the school app. Teachers are in the process of organising classes for 2020. If you know you will not be returning to BPS can you please notify the office. Transition programs for some of our students will take place in the coming weeks. If you have concerns or questions about 2020 please come and see me. Mrs Maier has taken leave for the remainder of the year with a possible extension into 2020 for personal reasons. Mr Tony Gadd, Director, Educational Leadership for the Maitland Principal Network has requested that I relieve in the short term until an Expression of Interest process is able to be conducted to transparently determine the longer term replacement should it be required.

Mrs Ballenden

PRINCIPAL’S NEWS Our thoughts are with those family and community members who were impacted by the fires last week. Thank you for your cooperation with us throughout this event. Resources are available to assist families to deal with the emotional impact. Please do not hesitate to contact the office if you would like some assistance. We have rescheduled the opening of the sports court to Wednesday, 11

th December

The pace is certainly picking up with many events

Respect, Responsibility, Personal Best Branxton Public School

STAFF TRAINING

Miss Vicary & Mrs Dennis - Best Start Assessment Training

2019 LEAVERS / 2020 NEW ENROLMENTS We are currently spending time organising classes and teachers for 2020, if you know your child won’t be returning next year or if you know any new families who may be moving to the area please contact us as soon as possible.

STAGE 1 NEWS Carols by Torchlight The classes in Stage 1 are busy preparing for our Carols by Torchlight next week. Please see the P & C news for further details regarding the night as well as their Facebook page. The students in1/2 Platypus and1/2 Frog are asked to wear “Rudolph” antlers. The students in 1/2 Turtle and 1/2 Sea Lion are asked to provide a Santa hat, if they have one available at home.

Choose Maths with Marcus Garrett. Yesterday, Stage 1 teachers spent the day with Marcus Garrett from Choose Maths. We were given the opportunity to observe Marcus deliver a Rich Task to two of our classes as well as an addition and subtraction lesson to another class. The students were very engaged and will continue on with their rich tasks this week. Teachers are planning further Rich Tasks to implement. We thank Marcus for visiting our school and have certainly gained from his expertise.

Mrs Noble

Stage 1 Supervisor

EARLY STAGE 1 (KINDERGARTEN) NEWS We have spent some time on the last two Fridays with our Year 6 Buddies. Friday will be our last chance for a catch up with them before they complete their time at Branxton Public School. Ms Murray and Mr Tattis have been organising fun activities for the buddies to do together. Don’t forget to donate something to the P&C Christmas Hampers. And don’t forget to buy some tickets! There is already a great variety of goodies to win. Kindergarten will be performing together for our Carols by Torchlight. We’d love to see everyone there in their Christmas clothes. This week is our combined assembly starring K-1 Kookaburras, Kinder Magpies and Kinder Emus. Families and friends are welcome.

Mrs Quilty Early Stage 1 Supervisor

Respect, Responsibility, Personal Best Branxton Public School

2020 SCHOOL TRAVEL APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN. Applications for student travel in 2020 opened on Friday, 11 October 2019. Please note there has been a change. Students progressing to year 3 no longer need to re-apply IF they: Are continuing at the same school Are residing at the same address Have not been sent an expiry notification

from Transport for NSW. Students in Year 6 going into Year 7 will need to re-apply as they will be changing schools. Where a student meets the new distance eligibility, the system will automatically update their entitlement. If they do not meet the new eligibility, they will receive an expiry notification via email. Students who have an entitlement approved under a medical condition which is due to expire will receive a notification advising them to re-apply. Term Buss Pass holders will receive a notification to re-apply. If students need to update their information or re-apply, they should go online to https://apps.transport.nsw.gov.au/ssts/updateDetails Applications need to be submitted before 31 December 2019 to ensure student entitlements are updated and their current entitlement/card is not cancelled. If their application is submitted after 31 December 2019, the system will automatically cancel an entitlement/card and a new one will need to be issued.

STAGE 2 NEWS Wow! Term 4 Week 6 already. This year has flown by so quickly.

This week in Stage 2 we had our first week of golf. We hope to have Kieran from Aqua Golf at Hunter Valley Gardens come out again next week. Congratulations to those students who won a voucher this week.

In science students are busily constructing their arcade games. Please keep your eyes out for our ads. Some groups may require additional recyclable resources. If you have any of these materials we would appreciate you donating anything second hand. As we are learning about recycling we ask that nothing is bought especially.

Students have been busily singing with Mrs Tuyl on a Friday. We have also been practising our carols songs and are very excited for carols next Thursday 28th.

Students have been working with Mrs Dennis on our computer skills. We thank her for providing such unique and engaging learning opportunities.

Mr Foster

Respect, Responsibility, Personal Best Branxton Public School

STAGE 3 NEWS

Not long to go until the end of the year for all of Stage 3 but for Year 6 the end of an era. Please endeavour to read all information that comes home as it is a very busy time and things can be missed.

In Science Stage 3 are looking at energy and how we use it. It is very interesting to hear the students ideas about energy supply in the future and how we can move on from coal and other fossil fuels.

Stay up to date stay cool and remember save water.

November 21st Nov Sport House Meetings – Voting Captains 22nd Nov Kinder Orientation December 3rd Dec RTHS Orientation Day 6th Dec Whole School Performance Assembly 10th Dec Presentation Day – 2020 Leaders Announced. 11th Dec Sports Court Ground Break & Yr 6 Dinner 12th Dec Sport Assembly – House Captains Announced. 13th Dec Year 6 Water Fun Day Out 16th Dec Year 6 Services Assembly 9.20 Class Party Day 17th Dec PBL Assembly / PBL Reward Day 18th Dec Year 6 Walk Out 2.45

PBL Congratulations to all of our PBL award recipients last Friday. It is good to see so many students proudly wearing their badge. Our final PBL Assembly will be TUESDAY 17

th December.

Ticket Draw Winners

ES1 - Ebony (Responsibility) & Halle (Respect)

Stage 1 - Mason (Respect) & Emanuel (Respect)

Stage 2 - Ella M (Responsibility) & Jaxon - (Personal Best)

Stage 3 - Ciara (Personal Best) & Riley (Personal Best)

Respect, Responsibility, Personal Best Branxton Public School

P&C NEWS

Carols by Torchlight is just over a week away now

(Thursday 28th November). Please make sure you

return your raffle tickets (folded and with names

on them) and hamper donations by Tuesday 26th

November to the front office. There will be a

hamper wrapping bee on Wednesday 27th

November at 9am (location at school to be

announced). If anyone is able to help on the night

please let us know. We have lots of different stalls

selling hot food, lollies, drinks and glow product.

Please use Flexischools to pre-order your hot

food to ensure you don’t miss out (last year we

ran out of sausages on the night!). The

Flexischools ordering option will cut off at 9am on

Tuesday 26th November so that we can prepare

all of the food in time. Gates open at 6:00pm and

Santa will come for a visit at 6:30pm. Stalls will

close in time for the class performances to start at

7:00pm. Prepare to be entertained by each of the

classes with their renditions of all of your favourite

carols! Also if anyone has any lucky door prize

donations please let us know.

Unfortunately due to the bushfires last week the school was closed for the sports court and score board unveiling day in honour of Mr Brecard. It has now been rescheduled for Wednesday, 11th December. The P&C will still provide a free sausage sizzle to all students and staff and we will be asking for volunteers to assist with the BBQ closer to the date. Watch this space!

Thank you to all of the current and future families who attended our Kindergarten Orientation morning tea last Friday. It was wonderful to see so many new faces and provide them with assistance in setting up the school Apps and answering all of the questions people had. We look forward to seeing lots of new faces at our P&C meetings and events in 2020.

We apologise but we have had to change the

date again of our final P&C meeting for the year.

It is now on Wednesday 4th December and we will

be meeting at the Royal Federal Hotel at 6:00pm

for a brief meeting, followed by dinner at 6:30pm.

Anyone who has helped with the P&C or canteen

throughout the year is welcome to attend but

please let us know so that we can book a table.

Key dates coming up: Carols by Torchlight – Thursday 28

th

November (Week 7) at 6:00pm on the school grounds.

Next P&C Meeting – Wednesday 4th

December (Week 8) 6:00pm at the Royal Federal Hotel.

To get in touch or keep up to date with the P&C like our Facebook page, read the school newsletter, talk to P&C members, email the address below, help at an event or come along to the next meeting. Thank you for your support Branxton Public School families.

Melissa, P&C Secretary branxtonpublicschool@pandcaffiliate.org.au www.facebook.com/BranxtonPublicPandC

Respect, Responsibility, Personal Best Branxton Public School