Today sees the last day of Term 1 for students and a great time to reflect with your children on the learning they have achieved this term. At the same time you can look forward to the learning opportunities that you will be providing during the school break. We value the partnership that we have with you as parents in your child’s learning.  We also value parents and carers input into how Burnie Primary School runs and what it will look like in the future. It has been great to see the huge number of parents and carers that have made the time to come in and discuss student learning this week. As always, we look forward to continuing the conversation throughout the school year.

Last Thursday 4^th April, we conducted the AGM of our School Association and our Parents and Friends group met after this to set some direction for the year. It was great to see the parental support for these meetings and to fill the roles within these groups. It was also pleasing to see the understanding of both groups and where they sit with our constitution and how both groups can complement the work that they do. The School Association identified that they can help with more of the administrative duties and roles as the P&F is actually considered a sub-committee of the School Association. This allows the P&F to take on the more practical roles within our school community.  For the School Association we have Stuart Rattray as President, Stacey Wilson and Emma Duncan as co-Vice Chairs, Rachel Johnson and Diane Williams as co- Secretaries, and Brendan Hyland as Treasurer. On behalf of our school community we congratulate and thank these parents for contributing to these important roles for this year. Our Parents and Friends meeting provided us with an opportunity to discuss the purpose of the group and to plan for the year ahead, and we were excited to see so many new and long serving faces present. The group looked at ways we can foster parent engagement in their children’s learning. Social events like the student disco next term were discussed as great ways to get parents together as well as students. We are also looking at fundraising for the new play equipment we are looking to purchase before the end of the school year, and engaging e-safety expert Susan Mclean to work with Grade 5 & 6 students, and importantly our parent community to ensure you as parents and carers understand the important role you have to play to ensure your child is safe when online.

Teachers will continue their professional learning at the student free professional learning day tomorrow. Burnie Primary School will be working with all teachers from Ridgley, Havenview, Somerset and Romaine Park Primary Schools to come together to look at student work to help get an understanding and to moderate that student work against the Australian Curriculum. It’s important that students' ratings are checked against other students' work from around Burnie. As it’s an Australian Curriculum, these ratings should be consistent for students at their grade level in Burnie as it should be for students in Broome or Burke, and we certainly look at moderation samples online from around the country to help teachers inform their ratings. It is also a valuable start to developing a network of teachers from other schools to continue the conversation throughout the year about student work at their grade level.

We wish all within our school community a happy and safe term break, and we look forward to seeing you all back in Term 2 on Monday 29^th April.

Andrew Starick

Principal

Congratulations to Imogen Lloyd on being elected as the Junior Youth Mayor of Burnie.

Imogen was elected by the 2019 Youth Councillors to represent the youth of Burnie. 

On Monday, 8 April 2019 our Grade 2 students, at the invitation of the Emu Bay Lions Club, ventured over to Umina Park to share some Easter songs and give Easter Eggs to residents. This was the second year that this collaboration has occurred and our Grade 2s certainly represented Burnie Primary School to a high standard.

Thank you to Miss Tevelein for teaching the Easter songs and playing piano, Mrs Parke and the parents who were able to join us to help supervise the students. It is fantastic to be able to make and foster these connections with our broader Burnie community.

Mrs Matthews, Music

National Anti-Bulling day

On Friday the 15^th of March we had a national Anti-Bullying day. We dressed up in clothes that represent us and our differences.  The SRC went to classes to do an activity that represents the damage bullying leaves, like a permanent scar, everybody got a wrist band to demonstrate that they are a part of the BPS Anti-Bulling team!

Umina Park

The SRC are split into two groups to visit Umina Park in Term 2. One group will go on all the odd weeks and the other group will go on the even weeks. We are doing some activities as well as getting to know the elderly better.

Produce and Soup kitchen 

The sustainability and SRC groups have formed an idea of growing a vegetable and herb garden. The reasoning behind this idea is, we recently had Holly Cock and Nadene Smith come to our meeting and talk to us about the St Vinnie’s soup kitchen van that they are currently helping with of a Thursday afternoon. The sustainability group and SRC are growing the produce to give to the soup kitchen van. We encourage you next term, to bring vegetables and bread as donations towards the soup kitchen van. We hope you can encourage us in this idea.

School social

On Thursday the 16^th of May we are having our school disco. There will be a lot of fun games happening at the event as well as awesome music. The Parents and Friends group are providing some fruit and water.

New playground

The SRC have been brainstorming about a new playground, we have had some amazing ideas. We have been observing what other students use the most and how they use it.   

Anzac Day parade

The SRC have been invited to lay a wreath and march in the parade. We will be participating in this event during the holidays on the 25^th of April.

By Cailin, Ellie and Indi

Malik Radford - 2T

School Photos with Paula Mance Photography.

The Parents and Friends committee has recently accepted my proposal to produce the school photos for Burnie Primary School next term. Photos will be taken on Friday May 3^rd. Kinder Snooks will have photos on Wednesday 8^th May.

I am the owner/operator of an independent Tasmanian school photo business, operating for 20 years, formerly known as Tas Photo Company. Before starting work full-time in Burnie schools in 2015, I lived in the West Tamar and photographed 30 schools across the northern region.

While you will notice a change in the packaging, the school photo product is ultimately the same albeit at a more competitive price. I pride myself in taking a happy and professional photo of each student.

An envelope for ordering class and individual photos will be sent home with each student today. Sibling photo packages are also available for the same price and product as a portrait package - $20.

Please collect a separate order form from the school office.

Payment can be made on-line, or with cash or credit-card. Please return all orders to school by photo day, May 3^rd 2019.

A back-up photo day for any absentees (and Kinder Snooks) will be on Wednesday May 8^th.

If you have any concerns please contact myself by mobile or email and I will return your call after school hours.

Paula Mance

https://www.facebook.com/jjunior.league/

Please follow the link to the Junior Soccer League facebook page to register for the coming season.