26 February 2025

Principals Report

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.

Student Sports Leaders

Last week 18 brave and articulate students presented their house captain pitches to the Y3-6 cohort who then voted for their preferred leaders. The students who won the roles will be supporting their House and the teachers in the Athletics Carnival, in March, as well as other carnivals throughout the year. The sports leaders will also plan, co-ordinate and run the Soccer World Cup as well as giving of their lunch times to umpire games for the younger grades and run alternative activities on the courts. Those who did not make it are to be commended  for their willingness to put themselves forward and speak in front of others. Other leadership positions will be finalised in the coming weeks.

Congratulations to our 2025 Sports Leaders:

Gifted Online Learning –

This year we put forward 32 students for a variety of gifted programs and 30 students have been enrolled and will be engaging with their class coordinators and the online teachers on a weekly or fortnightly basis. These programs are offered throughout the state and have limited numbers available. Some students have been waitlisted and may be included later in the year. The programs we are involved in include:

Smart Bots – where students learn and use coding to create digital games.

Mega Maths – for students in years 1-3 – where they look at problem solving using authentic challenges to expand their mathematical understandings.

Ad Astra Senior – for years 4-6, where students research and problem solve across multiple subjects using literacy, mathematical, research, critical thinking skills.

Action Pact – for our 5/6 students, where they work together to solve social issues using critical and creative thinking skills and consider social, emotional and ethical issues.

First session of Smartbots

First session of Ad Astra

Meet the teacher –

Last Wednesday, many parents and carers made time to come to school and meet their child’s teacher/s and hear about class expectations, the curriculum, spend some time in the classroom and ask questions.

This week parents and teachers are engaging in phone conversations to discuss the needs of their children and how they have settled into the 2025 school year.

We want parents and carers to feel welcome to come into our school and to talk to us if you have any questions, concerns and celebrations. If it is something confidential or needing more than a quick chat, please make a time with the teacher so that you can have that conversation.

Staff Learning –

Over the last few weeks we have had staff members attend professional learning on the new P-2/3 phonics and word recognition program recommended by DECYP – UFLI, the new spelling / word recognition for 3-6 students – Word Origins, the structures and evidence behind teaching word recognition as an essential building block of reading and fluency as a part of good reading and comprehension which needs to be explicitly taught and practiced. Staff will be sharing their learning with each other reinforcing that which we are already doing well and begin implementing any tweaks and changes as needed.

We are also undertaking learning on how to administer the screening assessment DIBELS which assesses students’ knowledge of letters, sounds, decoding skills, rate and accuracy of reading and comprehension. While we have always assessed reading and noted these skills in order to inform our teaching and support our overall assessments, it is a state-wide expectation that all schools will assess using this screener from Prep – Y8. This consistency of assessment will support students and teachers if they move schools as well as the transition from Primary to high school.

Fluency is another priority for reading and we have staff attending professional learning throughout the year. This is an area we have not explicitly focussed on before and will involve changes in our teaching and routines.

Volunteers –

Our students and school value the time and effort volunteers give to us in the form of helping on excursions, working with children in class time, sharing skills, information and culture.

Our wonderful canteen can only happen if we have volunteers. We have a few who are regular helpers and some who come in once a term or once a year. Every bit helps us provide the delicious and nutritious food students and staff enjoy each Friday.

Thank you to all who help.

We are looking forward to our first Cake Stall organised by a group of parents on behalf of the School Association, on this Friday 28^th February, after our first assembly of the year.

Learning in and around school –

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Parent Tip – Meaningful ways to show your child you love them:

Jo Waldon
Principal

School Association

Cake Stall

School Photos – 12th March

School Calendar

Student Voice

Kindergarten – Fruit Salad

The Kinder Fruit Salad Team have had a fabulous start to their school life. We have been talking about the ocean and hope you like our giant sea creatures! The Apples and Pears are learning about being Safe, Fair, Respectful Learners…this is what we think it looks like and here are some photos of us learning through play everyday.

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Grade 3/4B

Science

This term our grade 3/4's have been exploring decomposers, producers and consumers in biological science. We are developing a small worm farm in the classroom and are investigating the decomposing process through an investigation on banana peels and how we can observe them decomposing over time with and without soil. We are excited to see the results of this inquiry!

All About Me Sneaker

At the beginning of the school year students created an all about me sneaker that includes their interests, birthdays, favourite subjects and more, as a wonderful way for us to get to know each other!

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Symmetry Portraits

Students have created detailed graphite pencil self-portraits, using half their photograph as a guide to inform their line work, shading and facial features.

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Canteen

28^th February

Recess:     Sweet Special:              Humming Bird Cake
                   Savoury Special:           Nachos
                   Fruit Muffin: Strawberry
Lunch:   Apricot Chicken with rice

  7^th March

Recess:    Sweet Special:                Banana Cake
                 Savoury Special:             Beef Empanadas
                  Fruit Muffin:                 Blueberry
Lunch:      Chicken Pasta Bake

Volunteers Required

The Canteen needs volunteers on the following date
7 March               2 Volunteers required
14 March             2 Volunteers required
21 March             2 Volunteers required
28 March             2 Volunteers required
4 April                   2 Volunteers required
11 April                 2 Volunteers required.

Without parent help the canteen can not operate. Typically, the day is from 9am to 2pm (ish). Shorter time periods can be accommodated. If you can help contact the office or me 0417 559 920.

Caron Summers   Canteen Manager

Canteen Helper

Please remember to choose the correct order date on the Qkr! App.

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

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

GASTROENTERITIS –
If due to norovirus, or the cause is unknown, exclude until there has not been a loose bowel motion or vomiting for at least 48hrs.

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

We are hosting our 4th year of the South East Tasmania Cup in Sorell which is a preseason soccer cup open to primary school teams, clubs or just a group of mates to enter. We had 50 teams last year in U8s to U12s from all over the state and would love to see you guys at the event or at least post in in the newsletter in case parents or kids want to enter a team. Its a fun weekend all at the same venue. We would love your support in posting it or getting it out to your local community.