Liz O'Donahue - Principal

5/6 Sutton - Hartley

One time in Grade 2 Max took a big sip out of his milk but while the milk was in his mouth he needed to sneeze and for some reason aimed at Gus, and sneezed milk all over Gus! - Riley

When Mrs Marshall needed to pick students to do a job for her, everyone would yell out to choose them. Mrs Marshall would slowly reach for her name sticks to help her decide and everyone would yell as the same time, “NOT THE STICKS!!!” - Jaidyn

The amount of times people would pronounce my name incorrectly, and it was almost always at important events! - Ollie G

I have many funny memories from my time at Punchbowl. But a memory I will never forgot is the way Taleah would greet us every morning with a big smile on her face. - Lennox

Every time my friends and I are in the schoolyard and a ball comes flying in our direction, everyone always yells out, ‘Heads!’ and we all duck for cover. My friends and I have now turned it into a chance to sing ’Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes!’ - Phoebie

I will never forget the time Phoebie, Amy and I were trying to help Lucia do a front handspring, but we ended up dropping her on her back! It was really funny at the time! - Jayda

When Mr Sutton called Phoebie and I a ‘traitor’ for always visiting Mrs Marshall every morning and afternoon. Mrs Marshall always makes our day better. - Ryan

I love playing footy with my mates. One day Austen and I were both taggers, but instead of doing what we were told to do, we were mucking around together. Austen’s tooth ended up going into the side of my head! - harry

I remember how exciting it was to win the State Grade 3/4 Basketball Championships with all my mates. - Austen

I remember playing Footy against Glen Dhu this year in the Winter time. We were sliding all around in the mud and ended up covered from head to toe. - Travis

During camp at night, Phoebie, Jayda, Ryan and I were out of our beds on the other side of the room when Esther knocked on the door and pretended to be a teacher. Ryan and I had to run back to our beds in our sleeping bags. - Chloe S

In Grade 3, all my mates got in the same class. We all celebrated as though we had just won the World Cup. - Gus K

When we were in Kindergarten, Theo and I were drawing another masterpiece. Theo was very proud of his drawing. Our teacher, Miss Campbell, said to Theo “That’s a nice cow!” and Theo responded, “Miss Tampbell, it’s not a towel, it a dontey.” - Lewis

When I came to punchbowl I just loved all the students and the teachers. I want all my teachers and friends to keep following their dreams and keep making Punchbowl the great school it is. - Aiden G

5/6 Airey

2017: Hagley Farm - Prep

I had to dress up as a school-girl and write with my right hand which was strange.  We rode a long tractor and played in a tiny maze. - Jemima

2022: Camp Clayton – Grade 5

We were in our cabin and someone placed Harry Potter Jelly Beans in our hands. They tasted like dirt, grass, chillis, earthworms and sour lemon. - Brienne

I had fun playing footy and getting the ball in Friday Sport. - Franky

I loved being a Daily PE Leader this year. - Eli W

I remember dressing up as a wombat for book week in Kindergarten. - Annabelle

In Prep, I remember feeling too scared to go to the toilets, because I was scared of the older kids! - Flynn

In Grade 1, I brought my rabbit Tinkerbell in and everyone sat in a circle waiting. I was excited and nervous. Mum brought her in and put her in the circle, which was tight enough for her not to get out. Everyone was calling her and picking her up. This was when she was a NICE rabbit, now she’s feisty. She tried hopping out but mum kept stopping her. She scratched a few people when she was picked up. - Kate

I loved coming 4^th in the cross country this year. - Natahlia

In grade 5, Natahlia and I organised a flash mob and made a big deal out of it, but almost nobody cared. They just kept on playing. - Lucy

My memory is when I first met Brienne in Prep outside of which is now the green room. She was in a moonboot because she broke her foot in gymnastics. I was a doctor so I poked her foot with a stick to see if she could feel it. - Chloe P

My grade six memory is when I got the name constipated Connor in drama and it stuck for quite a while. - Connor

5/6C Spangaro

I remember in Grade 3, all my friends had a Lego city, and the club was called turkey club. We used to all come together in the mornings and add to it and sometimes if it was a wet lunch they would be able to come to our class and add to it. We made the best city that Punchbowl has ever made. - Theo

When Elsie accidently pushed me into the mud puddle, my shoe came off and I stepped into the mud and I had to hop around the oval with 1 shoe; my sock got really muddy. - Jess

I remember in kindergarten the toilets were so small that now when I go back there in grade six, I think, Wow! My butt was that little once! - Mylo

When I fell over on a door stopper and cut open my knees in Grade 3 and I saw my kneecap, it was extremely weird and gross! When I got to the hospital it took three hours to get stitches. - Eli P

One of my fondest memories at Punchbowl was in kinder when me and my friends had races on the little bikes. They all made squeaky noises, as my little legs would spin as fast as I could. Up and down the ramp. Older kids from the other side of the fence would come for a visit and get told off by the duty teachers, ‘Let the Kinders make their own friends they would say. I could not imagine how the next year I would be out in the big school with all the other kids. - Emily

I remember when in grade 4 we were constantly playing cops and robbers all over the school and I was really good at running and hiding, as well as when I ran into a brick wall and still have the bumps on my head to prove it! Also when I came into the class and everyone pulled out of their tubs fluffies which were felt and fluffy, as well as you weren’t meant to hide them in your tub. - Oliver H

On my first day of school, a few hours before, my brother had an asthma attack and couldn’t come to school. I came to school by myself on the first day and it felt amazing to have an oval and kids who liked cricket and football unlike Singapore. I was so excited to play football on my first day, so much that I still remember getting the ball on the wing and kicking over my head straight to my teammate. Everyone was surprised but that didn’t last long as everyone realised that it was a fluke! - Gus S

I remember in 5/6 sport netball, I fell over around twenty times in one game and everyone laughed so hard! - Indy C

Last year we went to camp and I remember having so much fun and I remember waking up on the second day of camp and going to the basketball court and playing basketball just before breakfast. I think about those time as great and I think WOW what a great time at Punchbowl. Thank you to Ms O’Donahue for making this time at Punchbowl perfect.  - Indy P

When I first came to the school in grade 5, Nicole and her friends came up to me and compared my height to Poppy’s. - Elsie

My memory is about how I met one of my good mates Flynn. One day back in Kinder I was running around a corner when I ran headfirst into a boy. We both fell on our butts, got up and ran away. Later at lunch, I was playing in the sand pit when I saw the same boy. I went over to him and guess what I did? I pushed him over and stole the toy John Deer tractor he was playing with and he ran away! The next day we started talking to each other and now we are still good mates. - Thomas

I remember vividly the day I fell through the purple monkey bars around the last day of Kinder and broke my collar bone. As soon as they rang mum, she knew by my cry it was broken. Once I got to the hospital I was hiding behind the chair because I had broken my arm before and knew what it was like and I didn’t want the sling on. Dad got me a frozen raspberry and I watched the iPad using my toe. - Esther

5/6 Marshall

I still remember the day I started Kinder and became friends with Max. - Cooper B

I remember in Prep, I was running down to the swings and I fell over and broke my arm and in Kinder, Maxwell fell down a ladder and him and I laughed. - Max H

I remember the day I arrived at Punchbowl in Grade 3 and met Eden. - Alexis

In Grade 5, I remember what fun I had during Secret Santa when we were opening all the presents, having a party and being given a memory calendar with a photo of our class. - Naida

I remember when we were making pillows in Kinder and I was gluing the outline of an Iguanadon. The glue had a weird but good smell. - Charles

One time in Grade 4, I was playing with a stressball on the mat and it exploded all over Annabelle! Miss Bodell took a photo and everyone was laughing! The stressball had flour inside and it made a huge mess! - Lucia

My memory was when Lucia popped a flour filled balloon all over Annabelle in class! Miss Bodell told her to stay still so she could take a photo and we all started laughing! - Ivy

I will never forget the first time I played gaga Ball with Charles and Gifford! I remember how terrified he was! - Maxwell L

This year I was surprised with a new bike and I was so excited! It felt like Christmas had come early! - Jackson

When I have been going through hard times, Mrs Marshall and Mrs Frerk have always been there for me. I really appreciate how they’re around when I need them most. - Zienna

During this year’s Colour Run, I was going to make a deal with Mrs Batt to stop making fun of her height in return for her not shooting me with a water gun. But she didn’t listen and drenched me instead! - Eden

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

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