Dear Families,

It has been a wonderful term so far and the more time I spend at Punchbowl, the more I appreciate how fortunate our children are to be part of a school that has high expectations, a positive culture and where students are central to everything that we do.

There are many things that I have enjoyed over the last few weeks and I have included details of some of these below.

Grade 5/6 Camp

On Tuesday I had the privilege of attending the Grade 5/6 Camp which is held at Camp Clayton in Ulverstone, and takes place every 2 years. The focus is on being brave and having courage to try new things, working together as a team, and having time to relax and explore the local environment. I was particularly impressed by the way our students supported and encouraged each other on the Giant Swing, the Flying Fox and the Indoor Rock Wall! Our thanks are extended to Mrs Frerk, Mrs Airey, Mrs Spangaro, Mrs Marshall, Miss Walkinshaw, Mrs Jones, Lachie and Luke  for all their hard work over the two days.

Brixibition

Last week I was also delighted to see students and parents arriving at school with a range of amazing entries for our Brixibition Competition. It was such a joyful time to see so many colourful creations being very carefully carried into school! This was followed by much excitement, when on Monday, the votes had been counted and the winners were announced. Our congratulations are extended to everyone who participated in this event. Thank you very much to Mrs Millen for organising this terrific opportunity for our students.

Grades 3-6 Athletics Carnival

This was another very successful event thanks to the work of Mrs Padgett, our new Health and Physical Education teacher. It was an amazing day for everyone and our students should be very proud of their efforts. There were so many examples of bravery, courage and perseverance and I was very proud of the way in which our children encouraged and supported each other.

We look forward to our K-2 Carnival which is being held on Tuesday, April 9. More inf

Easter Raffle

We also had another wonderful day a few weeks ago when our children could wear free-dress and bring Easter eggs to school to donate to our class Easter baskets. There was much excitement and our thanks are extended to everyone who has very kindly supported our school by purchasing raffle tickets. There was a definite buzz of excitement as the winning tickets were drawn today. Together we raised a total of $3,838.70.

Mystery Object

In our Prep-2 and 3-6 Assemblies a few weeks ago I shared with our students a very old and unusual object from the jungles of Borneo. This mystery object created much interest and the challenge for our children was to try and guess, or find out what they thought this object was. It has been delightful having children visit my office for a closer look, and children and parents discussing this in the playground and sharing their ideas.

The object actually is an antique baby carrier and one of the students in Miss Richardson’s class was the first person to solve the mystery.

The baby carrier was made by Dayak people who are known for their intricate tattoos and beautiful bead work. Some Dayak women also have long elongated or stretched  earlobes which are often decorated. In the past the Dayaks were also feared for their ancient tradition of headhunting.

Book Sharing

Finally I would  like to recommend to you a delightful book that you may like to share with your children. It is called ‘Noticing’ written by Kobi Yamada and illustrated by Elise Hurst. It is a story about noticing the little things around us.

 

As Easter is now very close I would like to wish everyone all the best for a very special holiday with family and friends and we look forward to seeing everyone returning to school for the start of Week 9, on Wednesday April 3.

Jane King - Principal

The second Punchbowl Primary School Association meeting for 2024 was held last night, 27th March. This year we have returned to holding two meetings per term, and it is already showing benefits of building a stronger school community.

One of the topics discussed at the meeting was the possibility of running hot food days during Term 2 and 3. In previous years, the hot food days have been a big hit with the kids and a generous fundraiser for the School Association to raise funds for important school projects and activities. However, to make hot food days a reality, we need your help! We are seeking volunteers who can assist with various aspects to organise and run these events. Whether you can spare a few hours on the day or help with planning and coordination beforehand, your contribution would be greatly appreciated. Alternatively, if you have any other ideas of where to source suppliers for food lunches, please reach out to the School Association or contact the school office.

You are invited to attend our School Association meetings. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn about what is happening in our school, without any commitment required. Our meetings are a great way to stay informed about school activities, projects, and initiatives. Whether you are a parent or community member, your presence and input are valuable to us. The next meeting, including the Annual General Meeting (AGM), will be held on Wednesday, 8th May. We encourage you to join us and discover how you can contribute to our vibrant school community.

Thank you for your support and involvement.

Our next meeting will be our AGM followed by a General Meeting on Wednesday, 8th May at 7:00pm . If you have any questions please pop in to the office and ask or call on 6344 1382.

We can't wait to see you there!

Meeting dates for 2024 are as follows and will all be held at 7:00pm:

8th May ( AGM followed by meeting)

19^th June

31^st July

11^th September

23^rd October

4^th December (TBC)

We had the time of our lives! Having fun, playing, talking, laughing, crying and challenging ourselves by pushing out of our comfort zones. - Ruby C - 5/6 Airey

One thing that I have learnt about myself is that I should never give up. Ari - 5/6 Airey

Now that I’ve been to camp, I know how much I love it, but that I should try to get to sleep a bit earlier! Jorja B - 5/6 Airey

Something that I have learnt about myself after going to camp is that I LOVE heights! Kayra Ceviker – 5/6 Spangaro

The most enjoyable pat of camp was talking and laughing together! Tilly Frolin – 5/6 Spangaro

Something I learnt after going to camp is that it’s hard sleeping with more than one person in the same room! Oliver Q-C – 5/6 Spangaro

What would make camp even better in the future? Not sure really, it was kinda perfect. Chloe P – 5/6 Marshall

Now that I’ve ben to camp, I realise it’s very fun, friendly and energetic, but tiring. Remy Dickson – 5/6 Marshall

At camp we did activities like The Big Swing, The Flying Fox, Rock-climbing and a beach session. Marcus – 5/6 Marshall

Over the coming weeks, students will begin Home Reading.

This year, it is a little different, and instead of 100 nights of reading rewards, we are setting students a challenge. We are challenging them to read EVERY NIGHT.

Students can be read to, read independently or read to someone. We want everyone to be excited and engaged with reading and they can read any reading material of choice. Sometimes we will send home specific books with children, carefully selected to support them with the skills they are working on in reading.

Over the year we will develop some different opportunities for children to participate in and we will keep you informed as these progress.

Additional information will be sent home with your children soon.

Congratulations to teh following people & families that have won our Easter Raffle. 

Kinder Leedham - Lenny Husband

Kinder Baker - Billie Joe Denman

Prep Peachey - Karena Brown

Prep-1 Wilson - Sandie Wilson

1-2 Cameron - Thompson family

1-2 Millen - Steven Flett

2 Richardson - Paul Herron

3-4 Walkinshaw - Isle family

3-4 McPhan-Sutton - Natoli family

3-4 Beckett - Goss Family

5-6 Airey - Lisa Baonza

5-6 Spangaro - Curly Haslam-Coates

5-6 Marshall - Ashish

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 29^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