Dear Parents and Guardians,

Liz O'Donahue - Principal

All parents are welcome to attend School Association meetings. These meetings are held at the school and commence at 7pm

Please see below for the last meeting for this year:

13^th December

Assemblies will be held on the below dates during Term 4 and will commence at 2pm. Parents are most welcome to attend.

Throughout 2023 the Esk Band Program has had a wonderful year working with students as they further develop their instrumental and ensemble skills.  The focused technique tutorials and band rehearsals have scaffolded an environment where students have been able to extend their musical experience.

We would like to invite you to come and celebrate these achievements in a celebration performance at the band rotunda in Launceston’s City Park on Thursday the 30^th of November starting at 12:00 noon.

The estimated performance times are as follows:

12:00    Western Band (Glen Dhu, Perth, Summerdale, West Launceston)

12:20    Northern Band (Exeter, Riverside, South George Town, Trevallyn)

12:40    Newstead College Combined Primary Schools Representative Band

13:00    Eastern Band (East Launceston, Norwood, Punchbowl)

All children in Tasmania have a right to be known, safe, well and learning. We are highly committed to the safety of all students at our school.

Earlier this month, DECYP launched the Tell Someone initiative, to raise awareness in the community about child sexual abuse and grooming.

The Tell Someone website gives children and young people clear advice on what to do in situations where they feel worried, unsafe or unsure. It also gives adults advice and support on how to respond if they suspect or know a child is being groomed or sexually abused or is at risk of harm.

Please visit the website, read the information, and try to find a suitable time to talk with your children about this issue and the resources available.  It’s important that you both understand the possible signs of sexual abuse or grooming behaviour, and how to stay safe online and offline.

If reading this information has caused you distress, please visit DECYP’s website for a list of support services.

Please contact the school if you have any questions about this information.

ICYPOLES AND FROSTY FRUITS

Icypoles and Frosty Fruits will be available for students to purchase each Thursday throughout the year.

Lemonade Icypoles $1.20

Frosty Fruits $1.50

SUBWAY DAYS

Subway will be available for students to order via Canteen Hub in Term 4 on the following dates;

28th November

5th December

12th December - Grade 6's please do not order on this day

19th December

It would be greatly appreciated if Grade 6 students do not order Subway on Tuesday, 12 December as they will need to provide their own lunch on this day as they will be at Newstead College for a Celebration Evening rehearsal.

Please update your child's class when you place their order.

Uniforms can be purchased via the school office between 8:30am and 3:00pm each school day.

If you are unable to visit the office and wish to purchase uniform, orders can be placed and payment made via the telephone.  Office staff are happy to assist your child try on clothing if you are uncertain as to what size is required.

Clothing purchased and a copy of receipt will be sent home with your child. 

Long sleeve polo shirts are also available to purchase from the office for $35 each. 

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. 

Issue 8 is due to the office by Monday, 4th December. 

The Student Assistance Scheme (STAS) provides assistance to low income families towards the cost of levies for students enrolled in a school from Kindergarten through to year 12.

STAS is provided through school and college resourcing rather than payments direct to families.

Applications for 2024 will be open mid November

Eligibility

Parents who have a current concession card as listed below can apply for dependent students for assistance under the STAS:

• Services Australia – Centrelink Health Care Card
• Services Australia – Centrelink Low Income Health Care Card
• Services Australia – Pensioner Concession Card or
• Department of Veteran Affairs – Pensioner Concession Card.

Families who were approved for STAS last year should have received written notification regarding their eligibilty (approved or not approved) for 2023.

Application forms for 2024 will be available from the school from mid November. 

To apply for STAS please complete the Student Assistance application form.

For further information please view the Frequently Asked Questions.

Financial assistance

• Families on low incomes who meet the eligibility conditions of the Student Assistance Scheme (STAS) will not be required to pay school levies. Grandparents raising grandchildren may also be eligible for STAS.
• Families who are not eligible for STAS, but who may experience financial hardship should talk to the school about payment arrangements and other financial assistance which may help.
• School staff understand that financial matters are highly sensitive, so your questions will remain completely confidential.
• These matters will also be dealt with directly with you and not through your child.
• Your child’s participation in learning will not be affected.

Where can I get more information?

• Talk to the school business manager or principal at your child’s school.
• Contact the Department for Education, Children and Young People, Finance and Budget Services on 1800 827 055 or email stas@decyp.tas.gov.au
• For information on Centrelink assistance programs, contact Centrelink’s Youth and Student Services on 13 24 90 or visit the Services Australia website.

Alternatively, parents/guardians who have not applied for STAS previously (and do not have an existing STAS file) can apply online for STAS 2024 at Student Assistance Scheme (STAS) or simply Google STAS to be taken to the link.

Letters advising of STAS approval (or otherwise) will be posted to all families with existing files in the STAS database in mid-November.

If a parent/guardian has received STAS in 2023 and wishes to add a new/additional student to their STAS record they simply need to email their name, the student’s full name, date of birth, school, and grade in 2024 and we will add them to the existing STAS file.

For queries please contact stas@decyp.tas.gov.au

2024 Term Dates

• Term 1: Thursday 8^th February to Friday 12^th April  

Monday 5^th February to Wednesday, 7^th February

Student Free Days

• Easter: Friday 19^th March to Tuesday 2^nd April

• Term 2: Monday 29^th April to Friday 5^th July

Friday 7^th June – Student Free Day

• Term 3: Monday 22^nd July to Friday 27^th September

• Term 4: Monday 14^th October to Thursday 19^th December

Friday 1^st November – Student Free Day

• 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.

Turning up matters

Welcome back to Term 4! We hope you enjoyed school holidays, and are ready for another exciting term.

We all want the best for our children – for their futures to be as bright as possible. Showing up every day to school really matters. It gives your child every chance to learn, grow and find their interests.

This last stretch of the school year can sometimes be tricky. Keep it up, because each day is another chance to:

• be around friends
• learn new things
• find interests
• create dream futures (whatever that may be!).

If you’re looking for tips on how to create better attendance habits, visit the Anything can happen website.

Please always talk to us if you’re having trouble getting your child to school. We’re here to help.

There are still families who are not benefitting from the NBN in Northern Tasmania.

The Australian Goverment has committed to the School Student Broadband Initiative and has asked NBN to implement the Government's initiative to provide internet access, via participating internet service providers delivered over nbn's wholesale broadband network.

The School Student Boroadband Initiative aims to boost education opportunities by providing up to 30,000 Australian eligible familes with school aged children (K-12) with free nbn-powered broadband internet at home for 12 months. 

To be eligible for the School Student Broadband Initiate, familes must:

• Have a child living at home that is enrolled in an Australian school in 2023.
• Not have an active nbn network internet service at hoem. Having a mobile internet service does not affect eligibilty.
• Be referred by a nominating organisation.
• Live in a premises that can access the nbn network.

Should you wish to apply, please contact the school office and they will forward on your details. 

Football Tasmania hold their "Football in Schools" progam each Friday afternoon after school on our school oval.  Each child who registers will receive a soccer ball to the value of $39.95

Cost: $100

Time: 3:10pm to 4:10pm

Start Date: 20th October 2023

Finish Date: 15th December 2023

If you require any RAT tests please contact the school and we can send some home with your child, alternatively they are available for collection from the school office.

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
• requiring visitors to check-in on our sites

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

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

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://subscribe.entertainment.com.au/fundraiser/2406h04