We are at the end of week 7 which leaves us 2 weeks before the end of term.  It feels like the term has flown by already.  It was a highlight to see that our Launching into Learning (LiL) families were able to meet for the first time at the Punchbowl Reserve. We are excited to welcome more families into the LIL group next Wednesday with a session outside in the Kindergarten grounds. I would like to introduce Mrs Angela Williams our new Kindergarten LiL teacher.

Angela is looking forward to meeting new families to our school and welcoming pre kinder aged children to our LIL sessions.  We have started up a LIL Facebook page. Please click on this link (1) Punchbowl Primary Kickstart (Launching into Learning) | Facebook. If you have a child of pre-kinder age wanting to come to Punchbowl in the future please register to be part of the LIL group.

Principal

Those I haven’t met yet, my name is Elizabeth (Liz) O’Donahue.  I have been Principal at Punchbowl for the last 12 years and think it is the best Primary School in Launceston. We achieve great results as a school and have high expectations for all our students.  We take great pride in the caring and supportive school environment we have developed.  Please don’t hesitate to contact me or make an appointment via the office.

Acting Assistant Principal 

I would like to take the time to congratulate Mrs Frerk on taking up her new role of Acting Assistant Principal for the remainder of Term 1 and Term 2.  Mrs Frerk will still teach on the Grade 5/6 on a Thursday, please feel free to contact Mrs Frerk or myself with any concerns or support.

AST- Senior Teacher

Mrs Jones is taking up additional time to be a support teacher for our teachers of students with additional needs. Mrs Jones also teaches on the Grade 2/3 class on a Wednesday. 

Communication of Learning to families

We will be sending out our first reporting communication to families next week.  This will be for students in Prep to Year 6.  It will be in the form of a tick-box style of report. This early communication with families will focus on application to learning. For students on learning plans parents can expect to a have a conversation with teachers about their child’s goals.

Kindergarten families have been emailed a letter with a link to book an appointment with their child’s teacher to share how they have started the year. These meetings begin next Thursday 31^st March and continue the following week. If you are having difficulty accessing the booking system, please contact the office for assistance.

Sick Children

As we are coming to terms with living with COVID in Tasmania, we have seen a escalation in cases across the state. It is incredibly important that children who are unwell stay at home. If your child has any cold or flu like symptoms or are having headaches or fevers, please complete a RAT test.  We have supplies available at school, if you require more, please see the office. Thank you for your help with this.

Esk Band

The first Esk Band tutoring began last Friday.  Once again, our corridors were filled by the sound of musical instruments.  Please remember if you have put your child’s name forward for tutoring it is important that you pay the tutoring fees as soon as possible to secure the place in the group. Unfortunately, at the end of the term, if there are fees outstanding, we will have no other option but to finish tutoring for your child as this is an out of school provider.

School Photos– Thursday 31^st March

This year we have been able to secure an earlier time slot for school photos.  These will be held on Thursday 31^st March.  We ask that students wear full sports uniform on the day.  Photo forms must be returned to school by this date regardless of whether you are ordering photos or not.

Family photos

Due to COVID restrictions it is important that we limit the number of students that are in the Multi-Purpose room from varying classes at any one time.  This means for family photos we will need to line up outside on the oval. We will have the glass sliding door open and families are requested to line up along the designated markers and onto the oval. Any adults who enters the Multi-Purpose room with children will need to wear a mask. We thank you for your support with this.

Grade 5/6 Camp

We are still looking for volunteers to help with the Bunnings BBQ fundraiser for the 5/6 Camp.  We are asking parents of students in Grade 5/6 who are intending to send their child to camp to please make some time to help on this stall, as they funds raised go to help your child attend the overnight camp. Thank you to those parent's who have offered their assistance.

Mother’s Day Stall

Our School Association is looking for volunteers to help organise and help with the Mother’s Day stall.  If you would like to donate any items such as craft goods, pot plants etc. these items would be welcomed.  Please leave at the school office.  Any support is greatly appreciated.

Wear Purple Day

On Tuesday 29^th March the SLB are holding a ‘Wear Purple Day’.  The aim of this day is to raise awareness of Epilepsy.  We are asking that students wear something purple to school and bring a gold coin donation.   Some ideas for purple items could be a hat, ribbon, socks, t-shirt, wig etc.  This is not a free dress day

 

Liz O'Donahue - Principal

Thank you to our entire school community for your cooperation this term by practising COVID-safe behaviours.

As you know, an important COVID-safe behaviour is to stay at home if you’re unwell and get tested for COVID-19 using a rapid antigen test.

Public Health tells us that the number of cases of COVID-19 in children is low, and they’re likely to have milder symptoms.

It’s a good reminder to be mindful of the symptoms of COVID-19 in children. The most common symptoms of COVID-19 in children are cough, fever, runny nose and gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.

For more information, please visit the Tasmanian Government Coronavirus website or contact the Tasmanian Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738, or Department of Education COVID-19 Support Hotline at COVID19support@education.tas.gov.au or on 1800 816 057.

If you need support translating or interpreting this information, please contact the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450.

Vaccination is the best protection

Our school has many COVID-19 safety measures in place, but vaccination is the best way to protect your child from COVID-19.

As per Public Health advice, vaccination is safe and helps to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Your child will need two doses (eight weeks apart) to be fully vaccinated.

If you haven’t already, please book your child aged 5+ years in for their initial vaccination or second dose vaccination. It’s easy to book your appointment online. Alternatively, call the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738.

Please know that all children, regardless of whether they’ve been vaccinated or not, are welcome to attend school.

For more information, please visit the Tasmanian Government Coronavirus website or contact the Tasmanian Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738, or Department of Education COVID-19 Support Hotline at COVID19support@education.tas.gov.au or on 1800 816 057.

If you need support translating or interpreting this information, please contact the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450.

IT IS AGAINST THE LAW FOR A PERSON TO WORK OR VOLUNTEER AT PUNCHBOWL UNLESS REGISTERED!

If you currently hold Volunteer Working with Vulnerable People Registration,  please bring your card to the school office so we can record your registration.  Teachers will also ask to see your registration prior to initially doing Parent Help, as it is a requirement to carry your card with you at all times. 

If you nominated another organisation in which you volunteer when you registered, unfortunately at present we are unable to check you are registered. Please update your registration status via the below link to update and advise all organisations in which you volunteer.

If you wish to register, please complete the online application via the below link:

http://www.justice.tas.gov.au/working_with_children/application

• Mobile Phones are to be handed into the office at the beginning of each school day.
• Please name your childs clothing as a lot of our lost property is not named.   
• Please remember to bring your water bottle to school each day.                                        
• If your residential address has changed or have a new telephone number, please contact the office to request a change of details form.

• Please notify the office if your child test positive to COVID-19 or is a close contact to someone that has tested positive.

Next term, our school will again be particiapting in the Premier's Reading Challenge. More information regarding this will be sent home in the near future.

Students  have the opportunity to purchase books via Scholastic Bookclub. Catalogues are sent home throughout the year.

Orders can be placed either via the school office or via the Scholastic website.  If you wish to place an order via the office, please enclose named order and money in an envelope and hand to either the class teacher or to the office.   

Closing dates for Bookclub orders will be stated in the newsletter. 

If you wish to purchase any uniform items for your child, to limit the number of adults we have on site and congestion in the main corridor, we would greatly appreciate orders and payment via telephone.  Clothing purchased and a copy of receipt will be sent home with your child.  Office staff are happy to assist your child try on clothing if you are uncertain as to what size is required.

Are you ready to get out and about to enjoy the best things in life? Buy an Entertainment Membership to support our fundraising and your next adventure could be around the corner. Buy a Membership and Punchbowl Primary receives 20% of the purchase.

To order: https://www.entertainment.com.au/orderbooks/2406h04

The Australian Government will start its program in Tasmania to vaccinate residential aged care and disability care staff and residents at the same time as the Tasmania Government’s roll-out program commences.

I recognise that you may have questions about the vaccination program. I encourage you to visit www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au/vaccine for the latest information on the vaccination roll-out. Additionally, you can visit the Australian Government Health website for further information at www.health.gov.au.

Keeping yourself and others safe

We must all continue to play our part in being COVID safe. While the vaccine is an important measure in our response to COVID-19, it is part of a suite of things we need to do – including maintaining our COVID-safe behaviours:

• Stay at least 1.5 metres away from others;
• Wash your hands often with soap and warm water;
• Stay at home if you are unwell;
• Get tested for COVID-19 if you have any cold or flu-like symptoms; and
• Be aware of, and follow, current gathering, business and travel restrictions.
• Practise good hygiene, such as covering coughs and sneezes and washing hands
• If you or your child do get sick, stay at home until symptoms have passed, even if a COVID test is negative

Remember, symptoms include fever, tiredness, cough, headache, sore throat, sniffling and sneezing.

To keep our school safe, we are still:

• continuing with increased cleaning
• making sure there is plenty of soap, sanitiser and tissues available
• applying restrictions to large gatherings of adults and encouraging physical distancing

For the latest updates on the COVID-19 restrictions in Tasmania and across Australia, visit  http://www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au.

The Student Assistance Scheme (STAS) is now open for 2022.  Applications for 2021 are now closed. Families who were approved for STAS last year will receive written notification regarding their eligibilty (approved or not approved) for 2022. Application forms for 2022 are available from the school office.

Term Dates

• Term 1: Wednesday, 9^th February to Wednesday, 13^th April  

     (Tuesday, 8^th February & Thursday, 14^th April) – Student Free Days

• Easter: Friday, 15^th April to Tuesday, 19^th April

• Term 2: Monday, 2^nd May to Friday, 8^th July

• Term 3: Tuesday, 26^th July to Friday, 30^th September

                       (Monday, 25^th July - Student Free Day)

• Term 4: Monday, 17^th October to Wednesday, 21^st December

                      (Friday, 4^th November – Student Free Day)

School photo day is Thursday, 31st March.  Photo envelopes have been sent home with students.  Sibling photo envelopes will be availabe from the school office.

STUDENT INDIVIDUAL PACK

SIBLING PHOTO PACK

Public Health has reviewed their advice about hay fever in the current COVID-19 environment.

Hay fever symptoms are similar to COVID-19 symptoms, so it’s important families know what they need to do if their child experiences hay fever symptoms.

If your child has hay fever symptoms, please keep them at home and test for COVID-19 using a rapid antigen test (RAT).

If your child tests negative on a RAT and symptoms continue, Public Health advises that you must do a second RAT 24 hours later, or seek a PCR test. 

If the second RAT or PCR remains negative, this is sufficient evidence for your child to return to school if they feel well.

If symptoms change or increase in severity, please see your treating medical practitioner for review.

Please know that Public Health advice can change at short notice and we appreciate your patience as we respond to these changes as quickly as possible.

If you have any questions, please contact the school office. For more information, please visit the Tasmanian Government Coronavirus website or contact the Tasmanian Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738, or Department of Education COVID Support Hotline at COVID19support@education.tas.gov.au or on 1800 816 057.

From 12.01am Saturday, 26 February 2022, people with COVID-19 are only required to quarantine for a single 7 day period – the 7 days will not be extended if subsequent people in the household test positive (as long as they are symptom free and return the required negative test result).

This advice applies to all COVID-19 cases i.e. anyone currently in quarantine and anyone who needs to quarantine from this point onwards. If a person is already part way through their quarantine period, then they will complete their 7 days from the time of the first positive diagnosis of COVID-19 in their household.

As long as the person completed the correct testing requirements, has returned negative results and does not have any symptoms they are free to leave quarantine at the same time as the primary case.

As an example: If a child is home because their parent/carer was positive, then their sibling tests positive after 5 days, does the quarantine still end after 7 days, not reset?

The quarantine period will still end 7 days after the diagnosis of the parent/carer – as long as the child is symptom free and returns a negative test on Day 6. Quarantine length does not reset due to the sibling’s positive test. If someone in a household has already tested positive and is isolating in the household, and subsequent household members test positive, close contacts in the household do not need to restart their quarantine period. Close contacts only need to complete 7 days from the date the first case in the household tests positive.

For more information, visit the Tasmanian Government Coronavirus website and refer to Public Health’s factsheet.

Everyone is welcome to attend our School Association meetings as it's a good way to learn about what is going on in the school. Our next meeting will be on Wednesday, 4th May. This will be our AGM followed by our general meeting.

We are hoping to hold a Mother's Day stall on Thursday, May 5th and are looking for donations of small plants (succulents or house plants), handmade items such as soaps and earrings etc that we can sell for $2-3. Items can be passed on to us at the office. We would love some assistance in selling these items if you can spare the time.  

Grade 5/6 Camp is making a return this year. To assist with the cost we are looking for volunteers to assist with a Bunnings BBQ on Sunday, April 10th. If you can not be there on the day but would still like to help we'd also be grateful for donations to assist with the cost of purchasing sausages and soft drinks. 

Hot food lunches will be on offer in Term 2 and 3 but to do this we need volunteers. A letter was sent home this week. If you can help with this or any of the other events please let the office know and they will pass on the details. 

The Department of State Growth will carry out the replacement of existing Electronic School Speed Signs commencing Tuesday, 15th March, 2022.  They will be working between 7:00am and 5:00pm Monday to Friday, however will stop during peak drop off and pick up times (8:30am to 9:30am and 2:30pm to 3:30pm).

Unfortunately, there may be some temporary traffic changes to ensure the safety of workers and road users.  Lane closures and a reduced speed limit may be in place during work hours and may affect travel time.  Please keep to speed limits and follow the directions of traffic controllers and signs. 

This year, you will notice some changes to reporting in Tasmanian Government Schools.

Firstly, you won’t see A-E reporting any more for Prep to Year 10 students.

Most families in Tasmanian Government Schools have told us that A-E reporting isn’t meaningful enough for them. The Department is introducing a new 9-point visual scale.

Along with the visual scale a worded description will be included to help you understand how your child is going against the expected standard for their year level. The 9-point scale will show more specifically where your child is at with their learning. This change won’t apply to students in Years 11 and 12.

The second main change you’ll see is that teachers will be communicating with you more regularly throughout the year instead of providing written comments on reports.

This more regular communication might be through online communication, telephone calls, or face-to-face conversations.

By having more regular information about your child’s learning progress you’ll get a better understanding of how your child is going across the entire school year (not just twice a year).

What you should expect across the school year:

Families will be supported to understand the new reporting requirements and the changes to mid and end of year report as they are implemented.

Watch the video introducing the changes: Changes to reporting in 2022

If you’d like to know more about why these changes are occurring, visit Review into Reporting to Families - The Department of Education Tasmania