It’s been a joy to catch up with everyone and welcome you all to the 2021 school year. This time of year brings great excitement and anticipation and it’s been a pleasure to share this with students and families. All students look fantastic in their school uniforms and we have had students settled into their new classes and focussed on their learning. I would like to welcome our significant number of new families to our school community, and I am looking forward to working with you as partners in your children’s learning, and in enacting our vision of a collaborative, creative and innovative learning community.

We welcome to our Burnie Primary School learning community, Miss Alanna Smith (A/AST & Grade 5) Miss Jana Kalweit (Grade 4) and Miss Yazmin Williams (Grade 6) and Miss Christina Cohen who is completing her Internship with Grade 1 this year. Mr Woodard is taking some long service leave this Term and Mr Stephen Dome has stepped into the Acting AP position, Miss Cyndra Williams will be taking PE for Term 1 and Mrs Amanda Hyland steps up to our Acting AST role this Term.

Next week sees the start of another important aspect of your child’s learning with the Swimming and Water Safety program. Although compulsory for all Grade 3 & 4 and some Grade 5 students, Burnie Primary school provides the opportunity to learn to swim and be safe in the water for all students Kinder – Grade 6, and is one of only a few schools Statewide who offer such a comprehensive whole school approach to  swimming and water safety. The life benefits of being able to enjoy and recreate in and around the vast fresh and salt water environments here in Tasmania are great and the learning could one day potentially save lives. Information for Grade 3 – 6 students was sent home yesterday and the forms must be completed and sent back to school by next Monday morning at the very latest.

Thank you to all in our school community for your support in the operational matters that were sent out on the App Tuesday and have been included again in today’s newsletter. Having Parents/Carers pick up and drop off students from outside their classrooms means we do not have to ‘police’ the number of adults in our school at any one time to ensure we are complying with our COVID safe Plan. We really value our relationship with you as parents and carers and the partnership we have in your child's learning. To reflect this, we intend to provide an opportunity for an earlier Parent / Teacher meeting in week 3 (15 - 19 February), to meet teachers and to discuss your child's learning.  Keep an eye on the App as to when bookings open to secure your timeslot.

As part of our ICT agreement and Department of Education guidelines, all mobile phones brought to school by students must be presented and signed into the front office to be collected at the end of the school day. This also applies to devices such as ‘Smart Watches’ that have the same capabilities as mobile phones.

In some further staffing news, during December last year, I expressed an interest in a new position within the Education Department called ‘Principal Wellbeing Leader’, which is a State-wide position driving a new Principal Wellbeing initiative. Monday night I received a phone call to say that I had been successful, which was a bit of a shock! After much deliberation, I have decided to accept the promotion. It is only for a year and I get to keep my substantive status as the Principal – Burnie Primary School. I also said that I wouldn’t be able to take on this new role until the Principal position here had been filled. As a result, the Acting Principal position will be advertised today and it will be until the end of the school year. I expect that the new Principal would start around halfway through this term to allow for a ‘handover’. It’s a great opportunity for me professionally and a great opportunity for a new set of eyes to look over our School Community and to enjoy our fabulous school!

Principal

While some COVID restrictions have been lifted, the following operational matters are important for you to note:

1. Student Drop-Off and Collection routines, instigated last year, will remain in place to ensure that we comply with the COVID Safety Plan. Communication through the SeeSaw App is always encouraged, and appointments can be made with teachers if there are important things to discuss. Due to the staggered start for Kinder students this week only, Kinder parents will be able to enter the classroom with their children, provided they remain for a maximum of 15 minutes.
2. The Education Department is continuing its advice that no food is prepared in homes and then bought to school for sharing with class members e.g. birthday cakes / cupcakes etc.
3. School Assemblies will continue to run without parents present for Term 1 due to the need for physical distancing and the number of adults our Hall can accommodate. Hopefully, this will change later in the year.
4. The school Athletic Carnival will be held on Thursday March 4th. We are currently determining the possibility of parents being present with strict social distancing in place. There will be more information on this in coming weeks.
5. Grade 3-6 Swimming program starts next week, however does not allow parents to be present.
6. And a final reminder, if your children are showing any signs of sickness please keep them at home until they have fully recovered.

Thank you for your support in these matters.

Andrew Starick

Principal

We will be participating in the annual required Swimming & Water Safety Program. The Grade 3, 4, 5 & 6 programme will commence on Monday 8 February through to Friday 19 February. The program will take place at the Burnie Aquatic Centre.

In acknowledgement of the importance that water safety and swimming capabilities play throughout our lives, the Department of Education mandates that all students learn to be safe and competent in water environments, as a component of the primary curriculum. 

The Education Department require a medical certificate/note to be provided for non-participation or any absence from the program.

The Swimming and Water Safety Program runs for two weeks for each grade group. This will mean that your child will need to bring along the following items every day throughout their program.

• Swimming gear – including bathers and swimming cap.
• Towel and plastic bag to put wet clothes in.
• Any medication (e.g. asthma medication) that may be needed at the poolside.

Swimming times are as follows.

We are excited to be partnering with Burnie Primary School. Subway Lunches will be available every Friday of Term 1, beginning Friday, 12 February 2021.

In three easy steps you can order your child’s lunch:

1. Sign Up at www.subsforyou.com
2. Register your child
3. Order lunch by 4pm every Thursday

Your student’s lunch will be delivered to the school at lunchtime.

Below are further instructions on how to order your child/s lunch. 

If you have any questions or queries regarding your account or placing an order please email contact@subsforyou.com or call Subway Burnie on  03 6431 2342.