Newsletter 21 - 13 July 2022
From the Principal
Hi Parents and Carers,
Welcome back to term 3. We've had a number of teachers and parents involved in parent/teacher interviews this week.
This term we welcome Miss Kelly White (1/2K) and Mr Vincent Higgins (4/5H) to our school.
Congratulations to student Flyn J who came 2nd in the Junior Road Cycling championships (24km course) over the holidays. Amazing effort!
There have been some changes to COVID-19 operations over the holidays. There is no longer a requirement for workers attending an education setting, including parents, carers, workers and volunteers, to be vaccinated for COVID-19. State schools do not need to verify the vaccination status of visitors, including workers or volunteers, and the Check In Qld app is not required to be used in schools.
As before, if a child becomes ill whilst at school or their early childhood service, parents will be contacted to collect their child. School students will be given a rapid antigen test to be administered at home. In line with Queensland Health directions, children and staff are required to stay home if unwell, isolate and get tested if they have COVID-19 symptoms. More information is available on the COVID case management page.
Please follow the link to FAQs for further.
Frequently asked questions (qed.qld.gov.au)
Finally, I'm sad to report that our Business Manager, Maree Healy, has had major surgery unexpectedly recently. Maree is currently recovering in hospital. On behalf of the entire school community, I wish Maree all the best in her recovery. Our thoughts are with her and her family.
All the best for a productive term 3.
Simon Vaseo - Principal
HOC
Hello Parents and Carers,
Welcome back to school for term 3, it’s wonderful to see our Buranda families return and welcome some new students and teachers to this great school.
At our first assembly we discussed how beautiful the school is looking with our students ensuring they pick up three pieces of rubbish every day so it doesn’t end up in our waterways #take3forthesea .
Unfortunately, though our ‘Lost Property,’ collection has grown immensely and 22 named items were returned to owners with another 21 unnamed items still remaining in lost property. Our students were encouraged on assembly to make sure their uniforms are named and cared for so they don’t end up as land fill. Sadly 6,000 tonnes of material waste end up in landfill every 10mins which is the equivalent of three Toyota Corollas.
Please see photos of some of the lost property in this newsletter. Items are hung up or placed in size piles just below the 3/4 classroom.
Learning continues with new units starting throughout the school and I look forward to engaging with you to support our student’s growth.
Lauren Grayson - Head of Department -Curriculum
School Opinion Survey
The School Opinion Survey is open until Friday, 12 August 2022.
To have your say, check your email for an invitation from the Department of Education titled School Opinion Survey for parents and caregivers, 2022.
Can’t find your invitation? If your family has more than one parent/caregiver, check that they haven’t received the invitation and/or check your junk email folder.
Sports Day Results
Our annual Sport Day was held on the last day of school last term and was a great success. The children competed with enthusiasm showing exceptional sportsmanship. After two days of field and track events, Plato won by a small margin over Socrates and Aristotle who were both only a few points behind. Thank you to all who helped to make the day possible.
Julie Wain - PE teacher
Diversity
This week during assembly the children were introduced to Mrs. Austin’s Garden. Although quite dormant due to the colder winter weather, they got the see a wide variety of plants, each one with its own position and needs. The children learned that no plant in the garden is considered more superior than another plant. There is no attempt to make small Cascade Palms more like taller Foxtail Palms because they are considered a better sort of plant. Mrs. Austin’s plants are not expected to be the same but are celebrated and accepted for their natural variations. They are celebrated for their biodiversity - the enormous variety of life on Earth.
Not only are there differences in plants, but there are differences in fish, birds, rocks and of course people. Human Diversity is about what makes each of us unique and includes our backgrounds, personality, life experiences and beliefs, all the things that make us who we are.
During term 3 the children will be introduced to one aspect of human diversity, neurological diversity, or neurodiversity (a term introduced by Judy Singer in the 1990s) – the diverse ways in which we think, learn, and relate to others.
The goal being – for neurodiversity to become an expected and accepted part of Buranda’s community and culture.
Katherine Austin - Inclusion
P&C Update
Thanks to everyone who helped with the sausage sizzle and homebake for the school sports day at the end of last term.
Seeing so many parents enjoying the sunshine and kids running around on sports day felt like a return to normal after two years of covid restrictions.
Thanks to Zoe Gill
After many years of helping the P&C in executive roles, Zoe Gill felt the success of sports day was a good high point to hand over her current role as P&C Secretary and become a normal worker bee in the P&C.
Zoe has been a powerhouse and contributed hugely to the P&C over many years. Thank you!
Anyone who wishes to volunteer for the P&C Secretary’s role is welcome to nominate at the next monthly meeting on 3 August 2022. New parents are very welcome to nominate – the secretary’s role is a great way to meet other parents and feel part of the school community.
Tuckshop
This Friday (15 July) will be another Sushi Friday and you can order sushi on Qkr! until Wednesday 13 July by 8pm.
We’ll continue Sushi Fridays each week this term unless we run short of volunteers or are able to engage a tuckshop convenor.
We need a few parents each week to help Sushi Fridays, which normally only takes 1-2 hours (as the sushi is delivered pre-made and parents simply help distribute it). Please help us by signing up to volunteer in a week that suits you at this link.
Parent volunteers are a must to keep Sushi Fridays going. It is a nice way to meet other parents and be involved in the school.
Uniform shop
Our lovely uniform shop convenor, Ludivine is opening the uniform shop each week during the term on Wednesday from 8-9am and Thursday from 2.30-4pm.
Parents are welcome to come and have their children try on uniforms, pay and collect on the day (on Qkr!) during those times.
Orders on the Qkr! App can be delivered to the classroom every Wednesday - cut off Tuesday morning.
If you have any enquiries please email: uniforms@burandasspandc.org.au
Ice blocks/Home bake
Students can purchase ice block cards via the Qkr! app. Ice block day is every Wednesday. New cards can be collected by students from the tuckshop on Wednesday. Preps and year 1 students will have their cards delivered to their classrooms for distribution. Please ensure you have included your child's class when registering on Qkr! app. There is also a home bake alternative during the cold months. Students can use their iceblock cards to purchase a baked good.
Please do not throw away your iceblock cards at the end of the year - they can be carried over to the following year.
Buranda Fest (school fete)
The main P&C event this term is the school fete, which we call “Buranda Fest”, on Sunday 11 September 2022 from 11am-4pm. Please put it in your diaries now.
We’re working on making this year’s fete great fun.
We have engaged a ride operator at this point to provide a jumping castle, giant slide, super sizzler and obstacle course.
Chris McGrath - P&C President
E: president@burandasspandc.org.au
P&C website: https://www.burandasspandc.org.au/
P&C on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BurandaPandC