Newsletter No. 16 4 October 2023
From the Principal
Hi Everyone
I hope you enjoyed the end of term break with your family and friends.
Sadly, there’s no new silverware in Brisbane after the footy finals ☹
We look forward to a big finish to the 2023 school year with you all. Please consult with the important dates in the newsletter throughout the term for key dates. Please note Day For Daniel is Thursday 26 and Budgie Cup is Friday 27 October.
My express thanks to everyone who assisted with the School Review at the end of last term. We look forward to receiving the summary in the coming weeks.
Sunsafe Policy update- passed at the previous P&C meeting- children will have access to sunscreen in their classrooms- it is also good practice for your to have children apply sunscreen before coming to school.
The new policy will be published on our webpage soon.
Next week we are conducting interviews with new preps and parents for 2024 on Wednesday and Thursday.
Please contact administration as soon as possible if you are not going to be with us in 2024 (moving house etc).
Next week, parents of students in year 5, will receive notification regarding our student leadership process for 2024. We look forward to working with nominees throughout the term.
There is a P&C meeting at 6:15pm tonight.
Have a great week.
Kind regards
Simon Vaseo - Principal
From the HOD - Curriculum
Term 4 is a busy term with many events, swimming, Budgie Cup, lots of learning and assessment and reporting. Please remember to encourage your child/ren to bring their hat and wear sunscreen and stay sun smart in these warmer months.
Aussie Bird Count
For the bird watchers amongst us, Birdlife Australia encourage participation in the Aussie Bird Count between the 16th and the 26th of October.
To register, you will need to login to your BirdLife Australia
https://aussiebirdcount.org.au/
Taking part is easy! There are four steps.
- Take 20 minutes
Just spend 20 minutes in your favourite outdoor space and tell us about the birds you see during that period.
- Count the birds
You can submit your results using the app or the web form.
- Bird Finder
There’s a built-in “bird finder” tool to help you identify birds you’re unsure of.
- Submit your count
You can count as many times as you want. Every count helps.
Kind regards
Rosie Scholl
Finance News
UPCOMING EXCURSIONS/INCURSIONS
NAME | EXCURSION/INCURSION DATE | CONSENT FORM DUE | AMOUNT | PAYMENT DUE |
Prep & Prep 1 W Creative Dance | Starts 4 October | Due now | $27.00 | To be invoiced |
| Oktoberfest | 6 October | Due now | $6.15 | 14/09/2023 |
Swimming - Term 4
Swimming will begin in Term 4 for all year levels. Children will need to bring their swimming togs, towel, bathing cap and optional goggles. All items should be named and stored in a waterproof bag.
Please note that swimming is a part of the curriculum and therefore all children must take part. A brief note is required if children are unable to swim due to illness.
Swimming lessons will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday during Physical Education lessons starting in week 3 and most classes will have a second swim with the classroom teacher each week. (Teachers will advise the children of their 2nd swim time and start date).
Julie Wain
Physical Education Teacher
From the Music Room
AUSTRALIAN GIRLS CHOIR VISIT
At the end of last term the Australian Girls Choir sent a representative to work with students from Buranda. Unfortunately a lot of the girls were disappointed with the session (as was I).
I sent feedback to the AGC and they followed up with me, explaining that these sessions usually have around 5-10 participants, but Buranda had a record 40+ students sign up for the workshop. The facilitator simply couldn't run the session as they usually would and it instead was run like an audition session with girls being asked to wait quietly while she listened to students sing in small groups or individually, so she could invite them to join an appropriate ensemble.
They apologised for the experience not being a positive one and encouraged families to check out their free open day coming up next month, which would give girls a more accurate experience of what it's like to be in their choirs. The facilitator commented on the advanced singing skills of the participants and said having that many students attend shows a very positive culture around singing at our school.
MUSIC EVERY DAY
This is a great article published recently about the impacts of daily instrumental music lessons in a primary school in Sydney. The study accompanying this project reported improvement in cognitive and academic ability, improved emotional and behavioural development, increased engagement and motivation at school, and improved physical development. Music is often treated as an unimportant subject in schools by various stakeholders, including students themselves sometimes! I like to think it may be unimportant in the world of report cards, but is incredibly important in the big wide world outside of that.
How a disadvantaged school in Sydney’s west became the ‘happiest place on Earth’ Academics have noted life-changing results from an Australian Chamber Orchestra program at one of the most disadvantaged primary schools in the state. |
Camilla Tafra - Classroom Music Teacher
From the P & C
Welcome back for term 4.
P&C meeting tonight
Our next P&C meeting is tonight (Wednesday), in the school library, 6pm for 6.15pm.
If you can't make the meeting in person, please join us via TEAMS.
We have a special guest joining us, Member for Griffith, Max Chandler-Mather MP. Max will be saying a few words on the agenda about what he is doing for the Griffith Electorate.
Mango Drive Coordinator needed
We’re planning to sell boxes of mangos this term for our annual fundraising Mango Drive but we need help from a coordinator. If you can help, please email us.
Tuckshop
Tuckshop this Friday, 6 October, has for options for first and second break. Chicken or vegetarian burritos are on the menu for first break.
Remember to place your orders on Qkr by 8pm tonight.
The tuckshop only has 1 volunteer so far for this term and none for this week. Without volunteers the tuckshop will not be able to run or will be very limited.
Please sign up to help keep tuckshop running.
You can sign up in 3 easy steps:
1) Click this link to see our SignUp on SignUp: https://signup.com/go/DsjgPso
2) Review the options listed and choose the spot(s) you like.
3) Sign up! It's Easy - you will NOT need to register an account or keep a password on SignUp.
Note: SignUp does not share your email address with anyone. If you prefer not to use your email address, please contact Cass Somers at tuckshop@burandasspandc.org.au
Day for Daniel
Day for Daniel will be recognised at Buranda on Thursday 26 October (actual national date is Fri 27 Oct, but our school has Budgie Cup that day).
School disco
The end of year school disco will be held on Friday 1 Dec 2023 at the school hall from 5pm
Pop in your calendar!!
More details to follow....but we need a committee to organise it all.
This is a super fun activity to be part of!!
Laura Klein Year 6 parent is the coordinator and needs a merry band of helpers in the weeks leading up and then on the night for set up, decorations, food and drink stalls etc.
Catering is via an outsourced food truck and the DJ is also outsourced.
So it's pretty smooth sailing.
If you want to help, message Laura on 0403 818440 and she'll add you to the Disco What's App group.
It's such a fun way to end the year and the kids have a ball.
Warm regards
Chris McGrath
P&C President
E: president@burandasspandc.org.au
M: 0432899097
P&C website: https://www.burandasspandc.org.au/
P&C on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BurandaPandC