Newsletter No 18 1 November 2023
From the Principal
Hi Everyone
I’ve received a number of questions regarding gift giving information. Some families choose to kindly offer a gift to their child’s teacher at the end of a school year as a gesture of gratitude. This is acceptable and outlined in the procedure below.
This link provides details in the Department of Education Policy on the gifts and benefits procedure.
https://ppr.qed.qld.gov.au/attachment/gifts-and-benefits-procedure.pdf
I have included some key points here:
Receiving a gift
Step 1. Consideration of gift or benefit
On being offered a gift or benefit, employees must:
- refuse the offer if the gift or benefit:
- is cash or an item readily converted into cash, which breaches a number of public service policies and legislative requirements and could be perceived as an attempt at bribery, OR
- is intended to influence or encourage favourable treatment for the giver, OR
- affects, is likely to affect or could be perceived to affect, the independent and impartial performance of their official duties, or creates a conflict of interest or perception of a conflict of interest, for example if the recipient is in a position to make decisions that affect the person giving the gift or benefit
- consider accepting the offer if the gift or benefit is:
- offered transparently and openly in a public forum, AND is
- a memento or token, for example a mass-produced item which is not offered as a personal gift (including sponsor’s material provided to conference attendees), OR
- a gift of gratitude, for example in appreciation of a task or for exemplary performance of duties, OR
- privately funded to celebrate a life event, for example from a group of colleagues, or offered in appreciation at the end of a relationship, for example from a student or parent to a teacher at the end of the school year, OR
- a product sample, with the understanding that a declaration form must be completed, OR
- a gift or benefit that is of cultural or historic significance, with the understanding that a declaration form must be completed and the gift or benefit will be retained by the department/school
- seek prior approval from a gifts and benefits approver before accepting an offer that includes hospitality.
Step 2. Completing a declaration form
Employees must:
- complete a Declaration of gifts and benefits received (DOCX, 76KB) if a gift or benefit is:
- valued at greater than $150, or if the cumulative value of multiple gifts or benefits from the same person or persons in a similar relationship with the employee is greater than $150 in any financial year
- of cultural or historic significance, regardless of value
- cash or an item readily converted into cash which was unable to be refused, regardless of value
- any other item which is not permitted to be accepted but was unable to be refused, regardless of value
- product samples received at meetings, seminars or conferences or similar events, regardless of value
- received while working in a sensitive position, regardless of value
- seek independent advice on the fair retail value of a gift or benefit if necessary
- note that they do not need to complete a declaration form if the gift or benefit is an item received while attending a meeting, seminar, conference or similar event in the course of official duties, such as stationery (pens/notepads etc), handouts and light refreshments (tea/coffee, snacks, light lunch) where the value or cumulative value in a financial year is $150 or less.
Mr Higgins is participating in Movember this year, please see email from him below:
Hi all,
As some of you may have already noticed, this November I'm embarking on a mission to bid farewell to my beard, making room for a stylish moustache (the particular style as voted on by you). I'm taking part in Movember, a campaign dedicated to raising vital funds and awareness for men's mental health and suicide prevention, a cause close to my heart. In addition to growing out my moustache, I'll be running a total of 90 kilometres over the month as part of this effort.
Last year, thanks to your support, we achieved our goal of raising $1,000. This year, I am setting my sights a bit higher and am aiming to reach $1,150. Your donations will be directed towards Movember's transformative efforts in men's mental health, cutting-edge medical research, and pioneering developments in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate and testicular cancer.
If you wish to make a donation, you can do so through my Movember page provided below. Your support means a lot to me. Any donation big or small will help.
Thanks Vincent
https://movember.com/m/13673054?mc=1
Please let us know if you are moving in 2024 or you have a child commencing prep in 2024 (if you haven’t already told us). Please also remember to update any changes of personal information e.g. address/phone details asap.
This week is Mrs Curry’s final before taking maternity leave. We wish Zoe and Bruno all the best for the upcoming new arrival- it is a very exciting time. Mrs Curry will be replaced by Cam Percy for the next fortnight and by Mrs Blanchfield for the last few weeks of term.
Thank you all for your participation in the Day For Daniel activities last Friday. A special mention to Laura Klein for her enthusiastic organisation of the day, our P & C and the Office of Max Chandler-Mather for providing the student breakfast.
There is a P & C meeting in the library at 6:15pm tonight.
Have a great week.
Kind regards
Simon Vaseo - Principal
From the Music room
As we finish up assessments for the year the music room is keeping busy with preparations for our end of year concert. Make sure you save the date so you can come along for the afternoon to hear just a taste of what we’ve been doing in class. Every student in the school will perform across the afternoon, with year level classes combining for items and the choir performing a couple of songs as well. You’ll hear some reggae on ukulele, bucket drumming, a famous theme song on recorder and glockenspiel, and more!
The music concert will be held on Thursday of Week 10, December 7th, starting promptly at 1.45pm and finishing at 3pm.
Camilla Tafra
Classroom Music Teacher
From the P & C
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.
Tuckshop
Tuckshop this Friday, 3 November, has options for first and second break. Chicken, Bacon and Zucchini Slice or Mixed Veg and Zucchini Slice are on the menu for first break.
Remember to place your orders on Qkr! by 8pm tonight.
Our tuckshop coordinator (Cass) needs more volunteers to help the tuckshop run.
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
What a wonderful success. Nearly 100 students, parents and teachers joined us in Hanlon Park for the Safe Walk. Students and staff wore red and learned important consent and safety messages. We made a coin mural of “safety words” and raised $600.45 for the Morcombe Foundation. Big thanks to Max Chandler-Mather’s team for supplying a delicious breakfast and Rock’N’Roll Deli for supplying free red fruit for morning tea.
If any parent is interested in continuing the D4D legacy next year, please contact outgoing coordinator Laura Klein on 0403 818440.
Disco
Get your dance shoes on, and see you Fri 1 Dec, to celebrate the end of a wonderful school year. This is a great family event. Please note: children must be accompanied by an adult. More details coming soon.
If you’d like to help with preparations, put up decorations beforehand, serve drinks and popcorn on the night, or be part of the pack up crew, please text Laura Klein on 0403 818440. Many hands make light work. It’s a fun night, with a great community vibe.
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