13 February 2025

Principals Report

Welcome to 2025 school year

We have had a lovely few days back at school. The students have been very settled, and it had been wonderful to see so many smiling faces in my wanderings around the school.

A big thank you to the School Association for organising the coffee van to provide free coffees on Friday to welcome families back to school and provide an opportunity for people to chat and meet up.

Duty of Care

Students are supervised from 8:30am until 3:15pm

It is important that parents do not bring their children to school before school hours because there is no supervision at this time. Similarly, it is important parents/carers either collect their children at the end of the school day or arrange for them to be collected, catch a bus or walk home so that students are not left unsupervised at the end of the school day.

Unsupervised students may engage in dangerous play or put themselves in dangerous locations.

Parents are responsible for their child outside school hours unless they have accessed school-based childcare during these times.

Remember that Lady Gowrie run before and after school care and that they have run of the northern yard after 3:15.

If you wish to stay and supervise your children after 3:15, you may go to the southern yard.

New Staff – this year we welcome three staff to our school.

 Anita Button - Hi, I am Anita Button. 

I have a husband and two children; a daughter who is 9 and a son who is 6. 

We have two German Shepherds who are rescues.  

I enjoy going away camping in our caravan, footy season (GO THE PIES), reading books, and cooking in my Thermomix. My values are inclusion, learning and kindness, and I am so thankful to be working in a school that shares these values

 Sarah Wilson - My name is Sarah Wilson, and I am delighted to be one of the Year 3/4 teachers at Albuera St this year.

I have worked in schools in the Huon Valley since 2019 when I moved to Tasmania.  Previously I lived and taught in Victoria for many years.

I have two wonderful daughters, who have both finished school and are now embarking on the next stage of their lives, and a menagerie of cats, chickens and one incredibly adorable dog! I love music, travelling and history.

I’m looking forward to getting to know you all over the term.

Ruby Edwards - I’m Ruby Edwards and will be joining Albuera Street Primary School teaching on class 3/4BE in 2025. I’m excited for the year ahead, where we can learn and grow together! A little about me, I’m born and raised in Hobart, Tasmania and have a background in Fine Arts prior to my teaching career.

In my spare time I enjoy hiking, birdwatching, making art, reading, gardening and cooking. I’m really looking forward to getting to know you all and being part of the school community!

Staff Learning and preparation –

In the days leading up to the students returning our staff have been busy preparing the classrooms and planning the learning. We have also been upskilling ourselves by taking a CPR course and revising our understanding of the Zones of Regulation, which we use to support students to understand and manage their feelings which in turn helps them to ready to learn.

We also have spent time learning more about evidence-based ways to improve our teaching of Literacy, in particular reading. The Department is enacting the requirements from the Lifting Literacy Report and over the next two years we will be strengthening and moderating our teaching in this area. There will be some slight changes to home reading in the Early years and a further focus on reading fluency.

Meet the teacher –

Meet the teacher sessions will be held next Wednesday 19^th February. At these sessions the class teachers will share information about the class expectations and routines and be available to answer questions about the general aspects of schooling. There will be outside supervision in the northern yard, of students, so parents can attend.

The times the sessions will run are:

• 3-3:15: Kinder Apples and Pears
• 3:15 – 3:40: Prep– Y2 
• 3:45 – 4:10: 3/4s  
• 4:15 – 4:40: 5/6s 

Teachers will share their curriculum overview at this session.

Some Reminders –

• Sharing of Food – students are to be reminded that due to allergies, parent preferences and hygiene that the sharing of food at school is not to occur. When celebrating a birthday, if you wish to bring something to share, check about food allergies or intolerances with your child’s teacher. Please give any treats you bring for the birthday celebration to the teacher so it can be distributed to the students at a suitable time. (cupcakes are appreciated as there is not cutting of cakes to contend with 😊)
• Lollypops – we would prefer if you did not send your children to school with lollypops as they take a long time to eat and playing games while eating a lollypop is unsafe.
• Chewing Gum – this is another product we would prefer not to be at school as it often ends up on the ground or in children’s hair.
• Trading Cards – is not acceptable at school as it inevitably leads to upset and angry students. pokemon and other such cards can be brought to school to play games and perused, but not traded.

Learning in and around school–

Parent/Teacher Phone conversations:

Class teachers will be making phone contact with families in week 4 (24^th – 28^th February) to have a chat about how your child has settled into school, their aptitude to learning and give you the opportunity to share information about your child, their interests, feelings about school and anything else you feel would be relevant to the teacher to support your child with their learning and wellbeing. If your child has a Learning Plan, they will also discuss the initial goals they have before the updating of these plans nearer to the end of term.

Kinder parents will be invited to have a face-to-face meeting.

Online booking for these conversations open, on Friday.

Parent Tip – letting children work things out for themselves

Jo Waldon
Principal

School Association

School Association info –

We held our first meeting for 2025 yesterday. We have already begun to plan for events and fundraisers as well as supporting the school community with the coffee van in the first week and authorising the purchasing of document cameras for teachers.

The School Association AGM will be held on Wednesday 26^th March at 5:30pm in the school staffroom. It will be followed by a general meeting.

We would like to thank Miriam O’Neill and Sophia Staite for their time on the School Association and their commitment to our school.

Anyone can come to a meeting as every parent is automatically a member of the School Association; you do not need to be a member of the committee. We are keen to add at least two new members to our committee. We have 2 meetings a term and most are online. If you are interested in nominating to be a member of the committee, please fill in the form and return to school.

Upcoming fundraisers –

• Cake Stall on Friday 28^th February after our first assembly of the year. More information will be upcoming. Laura Papiccio 0488 159 396  Tina Banez 0421 012 106 will be co-ordinating contact, if you can help.
• Easter Raffle will be drawn at the final assembly of the term on Friday 11^th Donations call on later in the term.

School Calendar

Nut Allergy – Reminder

We have a number of students in our school who are allergic to nuts and nut products. Exposure to nuts can trigger an allergic reaction and be life-threatening for these students, so please avoid sending nuts or nut based products to school. We aim to keep our school as nut-free as possible to keep our students safe.

Launching into Learning 2025

Lil will start on Wednesday Feb 19^th 1.45 to 2.45.

IMPORTANT

Albuera Street Primary Launching into Learning (LiL) uses email, Schoolzine (the school newsletter) and Facebook to communicate with our families. Families are responsible for ensuring the school has your current email address. Stay up to date with LiL through the school Facebook page and the newsletter. If you have any questions, please email mandy.newton@decyp.tas.gov.au

Uniform Times

This year as we are setting times available for the purchase of uniforms.

Tuesdays:  2.30pm to 3.00pm
Thursdays: 8.30 am to 9.15am

Orders can be made and paid for over the phone and be ready to pick up at an arranged time if the above times do not suit you.

LEVIES REMINDER

Thank you to parents who have paid levies and to those who are making regular payments. Levies are now overdue, if you are experiencing difficulties with making payments, please contact Annette and discuss a payment plan.  Payments can be made weekly, fortnightly or monthly.

Payment Options

• BPay, Service Tasmania, Eftpos
• Credit Card over the phone (6223 2268)
• Cheque payable to Albuera Street Primary School
• Levy Instalment Plan (Please contact reggett@decyp.tas.gov.au or 6223 2268)

Student Medications

It is a Department of Education requirement that all medications to be taken by students during the school day are to be passed into the office or teacher in charge of an excursion or camp. The medications require a signed doctor/pharmacist as well as parent permission form (these forms are available in the Forms and Documents panel in the newsletter or at the office). The medication is also to be in the original packaging so that staff know what they are administering. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

Medical Action Plans

Every child at Albuera Street Primary with a medical condition needs to supply an updated medical plan to the school each year, especially those with Anaphylaxis and Asthma. Staff from Albuera have been trained in Anaphylaxis using EpiPens and also in Ventolin administration for Asthma. If you are new to the school and your child has a medical condition please come into the office and collect an appropriate action plan form, or if you just have questions please don’t hesitate to phone the school.

WWVP Card & Mandatory Reporting

The Department requirement is that you must present your RWVP card EVERY time you sign in.

Information for those who need to apply for WWVP card

To volunteer at this school, you will be required to hold a “Registration to Work with Vulnerable People”. It is extremely important that parent helpers and volunteers are registered and Albuera Street Primary School is recorded in your application.

How to apply for a WWVP Card

Complete the online application form. 

Chose Department of Education from the organisation drop-down box and also select Albuera Street Primary School from the location drop-down box. Please remember each time to volunteer at the school you need to bring your card each time.

Mandatory Reporting

Our Department now requires all volunteers to do a short online course (short 13 min video) about Mandatory reporting. This is one of the ways we are working to keep all our students safe. Please use the link below or see the flyer.

Sickness

Parents/carers are reminded to advise the school office if their child is unable to attend school due to illness or any other reason.

• By phone (62232268) leave a message anytime on the answering machine.
• Email street.primary@education.tas.gov.au
• Schoolzine – click on the absentee tab

A medical certificate is required if a child is absent due to illness for 5 days or more

After School Care & Before School Care

ASC & BSC is provided on site by Lady Gowrie Child Care Services (Ph: 6230 6806).
BSC is available from 7 am to 8.30 am.
ASC is available from 3.00 pm to 6.00 pm each school day and 1.00pm – 3.00pm Wednesday for Kinder.

Term Dates for 2025

Student Free days 2025

Community Notices

Variety Tasmania invites you to a Free Outdoor Screening of Disney’s Out of My Mind – A Heartwarming Story of Inclusion.

Based on the bestselling novel by Sharon M. Draper, Out of My Mind is the story of Melody Brooks, a sixth grader with cerebral palsy, who has a quick wit and a sharp mind, but because she is non-verbal and uses a wheelchair, she is not given the same opportunities as her classmates.

When a young educator notices her student’s untapped potential and Melody starts to participate in mainstream education, Melody shows that what she has to say is more important than how she says it.

Details:   Date: Sunday, 16 February
               Time: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
               Location: Parliament Lawns, Hobart
Admission: Free family event

What to Bring:

• A picnic (please note: alcohol is prohibited)
• A rug or low chairs (a limited number of beanbags will be available)

For more details and tickets visit: https://events.humanitix.com/disney-out-of-my-mind-screening