Newsletter No 1 25 January 2023
From the Principal
Hi everyone
Welcome back to school for 2023. It was wonderful to see our students return to school on Monday and everyone is settling in well. A special welcome to all new families - particularly our prep families. I hope the start to your week has been a happy one.
Tomorrow is the Australia Day Public Holiday 26/1/23. School returns on Friday 27/1/23.
Parent information night will be Tuesday 7th February. Sessions with your child/children’s teacher. Prep -3 6:00pm - 6:30pm and years 3/4-6: 6:30pm - 7:00pm. Sessions are in your child/children’s classrooms. Please refer to the 2023 Parent handbook under Forms and Documents for all the information you need.
Classroom music will commence this week and instrumental music will start next week.
Swimming has started too (years 1-6). Please ensure students have the appropriate swimming gear (tog bottoms, sun-shirt, bathing cap, towel, googles(optional) - clearly labelled in a durable bag. Preps will begin swimming in Term 4.
Before parents are able to volunteer in classrooms they must complete the Mandatory training - Key Messages guide that will been emailed by the class teachers, please complete the declaration on page 17 and show office staff who will verify and stamp this, training is valid for 12 months. Please sign in/sign out at the office each time you volunteer.
We have received a letter from Brisbane City Council regarding illegal parking around school zones, over the next term Council officers will be conducting patrols around our school to ensure safe parking. Parking fees may be issued in cases where illegal parking is observed.
2024 Prep enrolments are now open, please register your interest with the office.
Have a great week.
Simon Vaseo - Principal
Drop off/Pick up Zone
Please familarise yourself with our drop off/pick up and parking procedures.
The drop off/pick up zone is open from 3.00pm - 3.20pm, any students not collected will be bought to the office and parents contacted.
- Drop off and pick up is Martin Street, please follow the directions of the staff member on duty
- Gladys Street is the best place for parking if you wish to come into the school to drop off or collect your child
- No parking in the staff car park or Metro South office building (next door on Cowley St)
- Please ensure your child is aware of where they are to be collected.
Newsletter
There are times when we may need to contact parents and carers. Do we have your most up to date contact details? If not, please contact the school on admin@burandass.eq.edu.au so we can update our records. These details include parent/carer’s name, address, phone number, email address and emergency contact details. Please remember to contact the school if any of these details change. The newsletter is emailed to all parents fortnightly on Wednesday's. Printed copies are displayed around the school on noticeboards. We also upload them to our school website.
Student late/absence notification
Please advise the school if a student is late or absent by the following methods:
· Text 0428 679 117, before 9am, with date of absence, name, class and reason for absence eg. Sick or late due to appointment
· Phone the office on 3435 1222 before 9.00am
· Email to admin@burandass.eq.edu.au as well as class teacher/s
Medication
If your child has a medical condition that requires staff to administer medication, parents must complete a form from the office. These forms are updated every year.
Please note, school staff will only administer medication that:
- has been prescribed by a qualified health practitioner - e.g. doctor, dentist
- is in its original container
- has an attached pharmacy label
We are unable to adminster medication that you can buy over the counter such as paracetamol, eye drops, cough syrup unless it has been prescribed by your childs qualified health practitioner.
Please ensure your child’s medication has not expired before handing it in to the office. Parents are responsible for ensuring all medical information is up to date.
Schools back
School zone safety – advice for motorists
With school back, it's a timely reminder to drivers to slow down in school zones and pay attention at children’s crossings.
Coming back after holidays it can be easy to forget what to look out for. School zone signs are displayed as you approach the school and shows both the speed limit and the times you need to reduce your speed around the school. Childrens crossing are identified by children crossing flags, which are displayed near crossings before and after school hours.
When the crossing is supervised, you as a motorist must:
- wait until all pedestrians, bicycle or personal mobility device riders have crossed the road and the crossing supervisor has returned to the footpath
- abide by the direction given by the School Crossing Supervisor.
If the crossing is unsupervised, you as a motorist must:
- give way to pedestrians, bicycle or personal mobility device riders on or entering a children’s, pedestrian or marked foot crossings
- give way to pedestrians, bicycle or personal mobility device riders on or entering a road you’re turning into
- give way to pedestrians, bicycle or personal mobility device riders on a slip lane
- give way to pedestrians in a share zone
- travel at a speed allowing you to stop safely at a crossing if needed
As a driver, it's important to make sure you give way to all pedestrians, bicycle or personal mobility device riders such as skateboards, e-scooters. You must also give way to pedestrians using a motorised mobility device such as a motorised wheelchair or a mobility scooter.
Some of our most vulnerable road users are children getting to and from school, so it’s important to slow down and abide by the crossing rules, as it won’t make much difference to the trip time, but it could very well save lives.
Visit the Street Smarts website to find more information about what to do at pedestrian and children crossings.
P&C Update
Welcome
On behalf of the Parents and Citizens (P&C) Association, welcome to the new school year and a special welcome to all families joining the school for the first time.
P&C meeting
The P&C meets on the first Wednesday of the month at 6pm for 6.15pm start during the school term in the school library. New members are welcome to attend meetings and children are welcome.
Our first meeting for the new year will be held on Wednesday, 1 February2023, at 6pm for 6.15pm start in the school library.
For those who can't attend in person, you are welcome to join us online at this Microsoft Teams link
First Friday Club
The “First Friday Club” is a social gathering of school families in Hanlon Park after school on the first Friday of each month during school term.
The first gathering is on Friday 3 February. All parents and children are welcome (see Flyer below). Children must be supervised by a parent.
Tuckshop
We aim to provide tuckshop each Friday during the term, starting in week 2 on Friday, 3 February 2023.
We are finalising the menu for the coming term and will post it on Qkr! next week.
Our new tuckshop convenor, Naree, will need a few parent volunteers each week. We will post a volunteer sign-up sheet soon and let everyone know.
Class What’s App Groups
Each year, parents create a chat group for their class, via What’s App. Participation is optional but highly encouraged. It’s a great way to build community, get to know other parents and children, and ask quick questions (eg Does our class have swimming today?)
Each class requires a parent coordinator to create the group in What’s App and send group messages throughout the year. It’s a very easy job, and a great way to be involved in the school.
Here are the coordinators so far. Please text Year 6 parent Laura Klein on 0403 818440 if you can fill a position.
If your class already has a coordinator, please text your name and child’s name to be added to the group.
Prep B – position vacant
Prep 1 W – position vacant
1/2 S – position vacant
1/2 B – position vacant
2/3Z Anna 0449 641 632 (Lucas’ Mum)
2/3C – position vacant
3/4 O Ludivine Mahoney 0432 257 248 (Jules’ Mum)
4 W – position vacant
5H Nadine 0412 003 316 (Mikey’s Mum)
5C Deanne Wooden 0422 060 199 (Daisy’s Mum)
6BA Laura Klein 0403 818440 (Harry’s Mum)
P&C work over the holidays
Finally, thanks to Andrew Bryant for looking after the school garden and chooks over the Christmas holidays.
The school oval is such an important space for our kids, so over the holidays we engaged a company to core aerate the compacted grass near the school buildings. We also spread fertilizer and gypsum in that area to help the grass.
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
From Helping Hands
Hello,
Welcome back! Get ready for an amazing school year in 2023 with our action packed program filled with amazing activities and opportunites for spontaneous play and creative freedom.
If you are unsure whether you may need to use our services this year it is a great opportunity to enrol now and book later! If you enrol now you only have to create a booking at a later date and this ensures your place within the service. We would love to help out however we can so if you have any troubles with this please do not hesitate to let us know.
We cannot wait to see where this year takes us and look forward to the journey.
Helping Hands Team 🙂