Great start to Term 4!
It has been a fantastic start to Term 4, with students returning to school ready for learning.  I love the way that from day one students are demonstrating courage by challenging themselves to try new things and approaching their learning in an aspirational manner.  The growth this promotes in every student has been impressive throughout 2021, and with teachers determined to keep this momentum continuing, we are looking forward to finishing the school year strongly.

We are fortunate to have Miss Teegan Townsend and Miss Madeline Clarke-Harding completing their teacher placements currently in our Grade 3-4 classrooms.  A key responsibility for staff is to support the next generation of teachers to be prepared for teaching into the future.  We look forward to Miss Turner returning next week from Long Service Leave, after enjoying some planned R&R!

As always, please make contact with me or your child’s teacher to discuss your child’s growth and learning.  You can contact me on 6445 1187 or by email peter.w.brown@education.tas.gov.au

Swimming
Our swimming and water safety programs will be held this term.  Kinder, Prep and 1-2W students begin on 8th November, 2021.  1-2H, 1-2LM & 1-2ME students will swim for two weeks starting 22nd November, 2021. Our Grade 3-5 students begin their program on 15th November, 2021.  Given the environment that we live in, surrounded by creeks, rivers, dams and coastline, it is essential that our kids learn water safety and become strong swimmers to keep themselves safe if they were ever to find themselves in a dangerous situation in and around water.

Assembly
Our next assemblies will be held on Thursday, 4th November.  The K-2 assembly will begin at 11:00am, followed by the Primary assembly at 11:50am. This is an opportunity for students to share some of their learning and to celebrate different achievements.  We hope to see you there!

Hats
All students are required to wear their hats at school during Term 4, please make sure your child has their school hat at school.

Student Free Day
Next Friday, 29th October is a Student Free Day.  Teachers will be collaborating to moderate student work, complete planning for the future and reflecting on 2021.  Please don't forget that the following Monday, 1st November is a public holiday.

Peter Brown 
Principal

In Grade 5-6, students have been participating in STEM challenges. These challenges help to build teamwork skills, cooperation and resilience. For this challenge students were required to build the tallest possible tower, using 20 pieces of newspaper and 2 metres of sticky tape. Students worked in small groups to develop their ideas, review their designs and build their towers.

The NWPSSA Grade 3-4 Sports Expo in Wynyard was scheduled to go ahead tomorrow, Friday, 22nd October, but the weather forecast is not looking promising so the event has been cancelled. Unfortunately it will not be possible to re-schedule the event this year.

Thank you to all the families who have returned swimming forms for the program commencing in November.  Invoices have now been raised and will be posted out to families in coming days. 

Payment may be made online through Bpay, or at Service Tasmania.  Alternatively, Qkr! has been updated to include payments for this program.  Go to School Payments and select Swimming tab along the top and choose the appropriate program for your child.

A letter will be sent home in the next couple of weeks with all students who will be participating in the program to advise the time they will be swimming.

The Department of Education Swimming and Water Safety Program for students in Grades 3-5 commences on Monday, 15th November and runs till Friday, 26th November at the Burnie Aquatic Centre. There is no additional charge for this program.  As this is a compulsory program, swimming fees were included in levies at the start of the year.

Further information, including Major Excursion Consent and Medical Information Form and Consent Form for Aquatic Activity, will be sent home next week.  Swimming caps will be available for purchase from the school office in early November for $2.00 each.  STAS students will be allocated a swimming cap, which will be distributed prior to the commencement of the program.

We have purchased a new brand of sunscreen for students to use at school - Ego Sun Sense Sport, SPF 50+.

Please see below for product details/ingredients.  If your child is allergic to this sunscreen, please let the school know.

Student Assistance Scheme (STAS) 2022 application forms are now available from the office.

Families who received STAS in 2021 have been sent correspondence directly from the Department regarding STAS 2022 and do not need to complete another STAS application.

Parents who have not been approved for STAS in 2021 and who believe they now meet the eligibility criteria can apply for assistance for dependent students if they hold a current concession card as per list below:

• Centrelink Health Care Card
• Pensioner Concession Card
• Department of Veterans' Affairs Concession Card

Applications can be completed online on the Department's web page.  Alternatively, please collect an application form from the school office. The Department of Education will confirm the outcome of your application in writing.

If you wish to add a new enrolling student to your STAS file (i.e., a Kinder student), please email stas@education.tas.gov.au with your name, the student's full name, date of birth, grade and school they will be attending in 2022.

Please contact the school office if you have any queries.

Chris Graham from Trailer Mate has kindly donated a trailer for our Christmas raffle. Thank you for your generosity! 

Our parent fundraising group will be organising our Christmas raffle over the coming weeks, and is seeking more donations for prizes.  If you know of any organisations that may be approached about donations, please contact the office on 6445 1187. Any donations can be left at the school office.

Raffle books will be coming home with students in late November.  The raffle will be drawn at the End of Year Presentation assembly on Friday, 10th December, 2021.

Week 3   27/10/2021 - 28/10/2021

Wednesday
  Regular canteen menu (see canteen menu below)

Thursday  Halloween Menu Specials
  Recess
  Canteen Menu
  Lunch
  Snack items off the canteen menu available
  "Mouldy Mac" $4.00
   Macaroni cheese with green and red pasta
   "Spider-web Pizza" $2.50
   Individual margharita pizza with cheese web topping
  "Ghostly Toasties"  $3.00
   Cheese, Cheese & Ham, Cheese & Tomato, Chicken, Cheese & Mayo with a ghostly twist
  Dessert 
   "Worms in Dirt"  $1.50
   Chocolate mousse topped with milo and jelly worms 

  Muffin of the Week
  Blueberry Muffin $1.00

Week 4   3/11/21 - 5/11/21

 Wednesday - Friday
 Regular Canteen Menu

 Muffin of the Week
 Double Choc Muffin $1.00

The Boat Harbour Surf Lifesaving Club has some as new, unused swimwear that is surplus to need to be given away.  Various styles and sizes are available - all are red with blue/white stripe and have Boat Harbour motif on them.   

Swimwear is available for collection from the school office - if you are interested, please come and have a look at what is on offer when you are next at the school.

The Tasmanian Government is working hard to provide the COVID-19 vaccination to all Tasmanians aged 12 and above.

As you may be aware there have been a number of clinics run in colleges to vaccinate students in years 11 and 12. There will also be a small number of regional high schools that will host a vaccine clinic but this is not something that will be occurring at high schools in larger population centres at this point in time.

However, there are a number of different options available for parents to arrange for students aged 12 and above to be vaccinated, these include:

1. At one of the community clinics across the state. Appointments can be made by visiting coronavirus.tas.gov.au/booking or calling the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738.
2. At participating GPs - contact your local GP directly to make a booking.
3. At selected pharmacies  - find one near you at com.au

Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself, your family and the wider community from COVID-19. Don’t wait. Vaccinate.

Young people under the age of 16 are encouraged to attend their vaccination appointment with a parent or guardian.

There are a number of places where you are able to find more information in relation to the COVID-19 vaccine. You may like to look at this information with your child to support them in understanding more about the vaccination:

• Information from the Australian Government about COVID-19 vaccines
• Information from the Tasmanian Government about COVID-19 vaccines
• Information from the Western Australia Government through a video presented by Dr Karl Kruszelnicki which answers common questions and dispel myths about COVID-19 vaccines.