Welcome back to what promises to be a Term packed with quality learning opportunities!

Next Wednesday Grade 5&6 students are being offered one such valuable  opportunity when Susan McLean, one of Australia’s leading experts in cyber-safety, will make a presentation to their classes.  

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND that ALL PARENTS and CARERS attend the parent session next Wednesday 30^th October 6:30pm in the Makers Space. As parents and carers today, it is important to be informed about the risks for children while online, especially considering the high number of Burnie Primary students we know are accessing social media sites outside of school. This will be an adults only session due to the content discussed.   Thanks to the Parents & Friends who have organised this event for our school community, and who have covered the costs for this through accessing a grant, so there will be no cost to the school.

Transition to 2020 classes is a focus for us this term. We know that this helps start learning on a positive pathway. Our Pre-Kinder sessions start on Friday 8^th November, and provide parents and children starting kinder next year, with a taste of what to expect in their kindergarten year. Our Grade 6 students start their transition to Burnie High School throughout November in the lead up to their Orientation Day in December. We are planning for transitioning students here at BPS as well into next year’s classes. To help us with this planning process, one consideration we make as we undertake this complex process of constructing classes, is parent requests. If you have any information that may help us in this process, please put it down in writing or email burnie.primary@education.tas.gov.au, addressed to the Principal, by November 8, so that we can consider your requests when constructing 2020 classes. Teaching staff will not be finalised until later in the year so information about preferred teachers cannot be accepted, however we are aware that due to the learning needs of some students, consistency is important and we will take measures to ensure these needs are met. 

Obviously our car parking area is a busy place, especially at the beginning and end of the school day where students are being picked up and dropped off. A reminder to parents, grandparents and carers that this is a drop off and pick up area only, and if students are not in line then we ask you to either park or drive around to keep the flow of traffic moving. We are always looking at student safety when in and around vehicles and one way we have identified that may assist in this is by reverse parking in all school car parks.  Another way is to ensure we always use the zebra crossing. Please keep this in mind when accessing our school car parks for the safety of all. 

A reminder that next Friday,  November 1st, is a student free professional learning day. We will be continuing our learning and understanding of Inquiry based learning, and will also be reviewing our 2019 Operational Plan and planning for a successful 2020 school year, the last year of our School Improvement Plan 2017 – 20, and building on our vision as a collaborative, creative and innovative learning community.