5 December 2018

Newsletter Articles

From the Principal

From the Principal

Excitement is building as we approach our end-of-year assembly with the students and staff working hard on fine tuning their presentations. I’ve even heard that we have a Stick Man visiting which will be delightful! Our Grade 6 students are also busy preparing for their final few weeks at Bicheno Primary School. It is always a sad but also celebratory time of year when we farewell such a talented group of students, but also welcome our new kindy students into our school.

Last week our Grade 6 students spent 3 days at St Mary’s District School (SMDS) as part of their transition program. From all accounts they enjoyed the experience, met new friends and teachers and were very impressed with the new facility improvements and their new laptops. This was a great opportunity for our students to maximise a smooth transition from our school campus to the SMDS campus.

We were again very privileged to have the SMDS Arts on Tour performance of Hating Alison Ashley at our school. The standard of acting and the quality of the music from the band was outstanding. Our Grade ¾ students wrote performance reviews which highlighted how funny it was (Arielle), the Collingwood supporter who was running around the hospital with the baby (Mikayla), the performance was good because they all put a lot of expression into their phrases (Eva), and I loved the band and the songs were very fitting for the play (Molly). Well done to SMDS students and teachers involved in the play on such a great achievement! If any Grade 6 parents or other school community members are keen to see the play it is being performed for the finale time at the newly constructed Arts theatre at SMDS on Thursday evening 6 December starting at 6.45 pm.

Congratulations to the following students from Bicheno Primary School who represented the ENESSA Miners at the Interschool Swimming Carnival on Friday 30th November at the Riverside Pool, Launceston: Bayli Casboult, Ocean Adams, Byron Ball, Ned Woolfe, Hallie Thompson, Sienna Patmore, Grace Briggs, and Ruby Sparshott. Every swimmer was courageous swimming against other regions where students have access to comprehensive swimming club programs. Just goes to show that our, water safety program, parents taking students to our beautiful surf beaches and the amazing nippers program the Surf life Saving Club volunteers run can still produce good swimmers without access to Olympic size pool venues.

We held our volunteers morning tea today and I would sincerely like to thank every School Association member, parent volunteers, community volunteers, EON parents, parents that come on our school camps, parents that transport students to sporting venues, and the Bicheno Community and Men’s Shed volunteers that help our students with their learning. Your time is highly valued and our students benefit enormously from your advice, coaching and shared experience!

Just a quick reminder that our Surf School is happening for our Grade 2 -6 students next Monday 10 December and Tuesday 11 December in the afternoon 3.30 -5.30 at either Red Bill or Waub’s Bay (dependant on a safety assessment of the surf). Unfortunately, there was so much interest in the Surf School this year that we had to limit it to Grade 2 to Grade 6 students. I’m sure our Grade 1 students will get plenty more opportunities in the future. If any adults can ‘don’ a wetsuit and help out in the water this will really help to keep our students even safer, particularly if there is some swell around.

Have a great fortnight and good luck getting all your Christmas preparations ready!

Rob Presswell

Mr Presswell in the Kinder Beauty Salon

Prep/One – The Faraway Tree

We have recently finished reading our class novel The Enchanted Wood' by Enid Blyton. Throughout the story we enjoyed hearing about the different 'worlds' at the top of the Faraway Tree the children visited. Prep-1 have written their own versions of what they imagine seeing when they arrived at the top of the Faraway Tree'

I climbed the Faraway Tree and arrived in the Land of Birthdays. I saw a big cake. I felt happy. I wondered how many people were there.

Henrey

I climbed the Faraway Tree and arrived in the Land of Little Lost Islands. I saw a boat in the sea. I wondered if there were more people on the Little Lost Island. I felt weird and worried.

Charlie.

I climbed the Faraway Tree and arrived in the Land of the Birthdays. First I saw lots of presents. It was really exciting because I could get anything I wanted with the wishing cake. Nest I saw a humongous building where I saw lots of costumes like a fairy dress with wings that Beth wore at the party. I wish that I was there.

Niamh

I climbed the Faraway Tree and arrived in the Land of Rocking. I saw a tiny drum kit, a very shiny blue guitar floating in the air and a loud trumpet. I wondered how many more instruments there were. I felt tremendously happy.

Jay.J

I climbed the Faraway Tree and arrived in the Land of Birthdays. I saw epic presents. First I saw a lot of enormous presents. Then I saw a shop with clothes. I wondered how old Beth turned. I felt excited and marvellous.

Noah

I climbed the Faraway Tree and arrived in the Land of Ice. First I saw an enormous rainbow home. Then I went into it. I saw a peculiar door. It was beautiful. Then I went up the steps and the door slammed. I saw Joe then we saw a dark small door and we went in. It was dark. It was scary and spooky. Nest we saw a robot. That was tremendously funny. Then we went home but the gate was shut. We saw Silky and she opened the gate. Finally we were home.

Sam

I climbed the Faraway Tree and arrived in the Land of Birthdays. I saw Mister What’s-His-Name and Saucepan Man. I wondered who else’s birthday it was. I felt amazing and excited.

Jamie

I climbed the Faraway Tree and arrived in the Land of Birthdays. I saw a humongous cake. It was extremely delicious. I wondered how they could get up the rope to Moon Face’s house. I felt mysterious.

Lilla

I climbed the Faraway Tree and arrived in the Land of Take-What-You-Want. First I saw a snow goat and a shetland pony. I also saw a bunny and a guinea pig and it was tremendously funny. Next I saw a really marvellous cat. I felt happy. There was a big monster with a big tail with spikes and a man with a snail with a crash shell. I wondered if there was a shop with a man with a beard and he had a rabbit with a beard too. If you touch it, it might bite you back with a grunt.

Ruby

I climbed the Faraway Tree and arrived in the Land of Birthdays. I saw a cat and her baby cats. I wondered if it was big. I felt excited and happy.

Isobella

I climbed the Faraway Tree and arrived in the Land of Birthdays. When I opened my eyes I saw many presents. I had to climb over presents. At last behind heaps of presents I saw a stunt bike and a mountain bike. I felt excited and happy too. I got some wishing cake. I wished that I could have mountain bike stuff like boots and gloves.

Bayliss

I climbed the Faraway Tree and arrived in the Land of Birthdays. I saw a shop with a tremendous amount of presents. One of the presents had a desk inside it and I love it so much and it was a white desk with a black chair. I saw a humongous rainbow cake and it was a delicious cake.

Sophie

I climbed the Faraway Tree and arrived in the Land of Birthdays. I saw a strange shop. I went in the shop then I saw costumes in the shop. I wondered if there was anything else in the Land of Birthdays. I felt happy.

Sofia

I climbed the Faraway Tree and arrived in the Land of Take-What-You-Want. First I saw a very tall pink house with lots of sparkling paper flowers on the windows. Next I went to eat some wishing cake. It was a chocolate cake with pink strawberry icing. I wished we were swimming in a pool that was stupendously warm. We had snorkels on. We also had bikinis on when we got out of the pool. We were back at the Land of Take-What-You-Want. I wondered if I was staying too long or not. I felt tremendously happy. Finally I saw Moon Face wondering what was going on. I came over to Moon Face. He told me what was going on. He was wondering where his friends were but they were just up the Faraway Tree in Silky’s house.

Leyla

What’s happening in our classrooms?

Prep/One

English

• Revising how to write sentences and how to edit our writing
• In reading we are revising strategies we have learnt to help us decode words

Maths

• Choosing what strategies we will use to add and subtract numbers and explaining our thinking.

Social and emotional focus

• Reviewing and applying our problem solving solutions when working with our class mates
• Practicing our mindfulness meditations where we take deep breaths to calm and centre our minds ready for learning.

Grade 1/2

We read Wind in the Willows as a class in Grade 1/2. We have been making connections between the story and the play by travelling to Hobart to see the Big Monkey Production of the “Wind in the Willows” in the Botanical Gardens.

Grade 3/4

In English we have been learning about emotive language, how it can be used in poetry and to persuade an audience, such as advertisements. We have also been studying how music can be used to evoke an emotional response and how it can ‘hook’ an audience.

In Maths we have been investigating angles, learning the names of each different angle and estimating how many degrees they have.

In Hass we have been learning about how local government contribute to community life, what the difference between rules and laws are and why are they important and how our identity been shaped by the groups to which we belong.

Our social focus has been to use our Christmas letterboxes to leave positive, gratitude notes to make the receiver feel good about themselves…without them know who it’s from

Grade 5/6

Last week Grade 6 took part in the Grade 6 to Grade 7 Transition Program. In Maths Grade 5/6 have been learning the order of operations (BODMAS) when solving multi-stepped equations. Grade 5 have been learning to work within a budget when planning for a bedroom refurbishment and have revised their understanding of angles.

In English we have been working to bring our writing projects to a completion.

In HASS we are bringing together our research on a major European, North American (Grade 5) or Asian (Grade 6), country.

Indonesian

The kinder class will continue the use of the ELLA program.

Prep/1 and 1/2 will be learning a Christmas song in Bahasa Indonesia and revising numbers.

Grades 3/4 and 5/6 will be revising some of the communicative language covered over the year and participating in conversations that are personally relevant.

Senang bertemu / Happy to meet you.

Playgroup Party

Grade 6 Fundraising

On Tuesday 11th, Grade 6 will be running a fundraiser to raise money to purchase a gift for the school.

On the day there will be:

• Free dress (Xmas theme) for a gold coin donation
• Cake stall run at the end of the day

There will also be a “Guess the Number of Lollies in the Jar” competition (starting Wednesday until Beach Day) 50 cents a guess or 5 for two dollars.

School Association Update

Christmas Raffle

Coming soon! We welcome any donations that you or your business may be able to provide. Keep an eye out for raffle tickets coming home with your child soon.

Beach Day BBQ volunteers

In order to provide the BBQ at Beach Day we require assistance from families. Please help us by volunteering on Wednesday 19th Dec, 11.30-1pm at the Surf Club Waubs Bay. Speak to a member of the School Association if you can help.

Flowers for End of Year celebrations

We require flowers to decorate the celebration spaces. If you can spare flowers from your garden please bring them to the school gym on Monday 17th Dec, 8.30am – 2.30pm in a bucket of water.

Reusable cups and mugs

The School Association supports the passionate KEON community and we want to build our stock levels of reusable cups and mugs for future fundraising and canteen activities. Please leave any donations at the school office in the marked collection box.

Little Blue Sports

There is 1 session left for 2018: Sat 8th Dec, 10am.

The kids have been having a great time at the Little Blue Sports sessions, so let’s close the season with a great turn out!

Thank you to everyone, young and old, who supported the Little Blue Sports sessions throughout the year. The coaches are proud of the positive attitude from all involved and the willingness from everyone to give it a go. Thank you to the coaches for your motivation and support of the children.

We will provide an update on the 2019 season early next year.

Grants

We have been successful in obtaining a grant from Australia Post for sports equipment.

If you become aware of any grants available to community groups you can email any info you have to megan_coelho@hotmail.com and we will do the rest.

School Association dates for your diary:

Next committee meeting: December 6th, 4.30pm @ BPS staffroom

Guitar Give away

4 X Nylon string guitars (needing minor repairs).

Please see Mrs Spykers if you are interested.

Information for parents

A friendly reminder that the school has a duty of care for student from 8:15am, extending to 3:15pm. Students on the school grounds outside of these operating hours must be under parental supervision. The school toilets and classrooms are closed at 2:45pm. There are public toilets located next to Little Penguins Child Centre.

Rob Presswell

School Information

Phone: 63751222
Email: bicheno.primary@education.tas.gov.au
Principal: Robert Presswell
School Business Manager: Sandra Silberberg

Teachers

Kinder and LiL: Eliza Spykers
Prep/One: Emily McCormack and Jen Sliskovic
Grade 1/2: Bron Pierce and Ali Jones
Grade 3/4: Matt Woolley
Grade 5/6: Jill Bosua
Support Teacher: Robert Presswell

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