This is an extremely busy time of year, and I would like to start today's newsletter with a thank you to all of our wonderful staff here for their continuous commitment and flexibility during what can be a disruptive ‘silly season’.  Learning programs will continue until the very end of term, with a focus on quality teaching and learning. The end of year reporting process will give parents and families an excellent insight into the exceptional amount of learning opportunities our students have been exposed to this year.

I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Mrs Sophie Sheehan, who successfully won the permanent AST position that was advertised at the end of Term 3. Mrs Sheehan has already made an invaluable contribution to our school as Literacy Coach and Grade 2 teacher, and we are fortunate to be able to rely on her expertise permanently. As a result of this process, Mrs Andrea Curran will also be staying with us in an acting AST position, until at least the end of 2020. This week we also welcomed a new staff member to our Leadership Team, Miss Purdie Hudson. Miss Hudson will be fulfilling our Support Teacher Role, along with some AST organisational responsibilities relating to relief and timetabling. Welcome, Miss Hudson!  At the end of this year we will be farewelling quite a few staff members, and I will do formal goodbyes closer to the end of term.

Planning for next year is well and truly underway, and I am very pleased to let our school community know that class structures, teachers and class lists are now finalised. We have made a big effort to do this early to ensure that we can facilitate successful transitions for those students with high and additional needs, and to provide our new staff with adequate time to meet with our exiting staff for a quality handover.

I am excited to announce that in 2020 we will move to a 16 class model. By doing this will be keeping class sizes at optimal levels and we will be able to remain with the model consisting of two classes of each grade (Kinder-Grade 4) with three Grade 5/6 classes. The additional class will be a composite Prep/1 class. Our current staff room will soon be converted into an inviting new learning space, with access to cooking facilities and as well as a new Smart TV.

It is now my pleasure to introduce our new staff:

Miss Purdie Hudson - AST

Mr Joshua Young - Grade 2

Mrs Kylie Burdon – Grade 1

Mrs Rebecca Kaiser – Prep/1 (0.6)

Mrs Stacy Price – Grade 1 (0.5)

Mrs Katie Hedge – Grade 1 (0.5)

Ms Shannon Hill – Prep

Over the past few weeks we have had many requests from parents around class placement for next year. Many are very reasonable, with specific information that we may not have, e.g. not wanting siblings or cousins together. This helps us greatly as we go about the rather huge task of creating well balanced classes that take in to account each students individual development academically, socially and emotionally. We consult students, parents and staff, and as you can imagine it is a complicated yet well thought out process. The flow on effects of moving one student can be massive, and difficult to achieve while ensuring others are not compromised by the request. Requests for specific teachers are especially problematic, as assigning staff to classes is the final step in the process. Staff may be changing grades, retiring, transferring or changing career pathways, and this information is often confidential at the time I am receiving teacher requests. Of course, we all remember favourite teachers from our own school days. However, in my position as Principal, I realise how detrimental these requests can be to our teaching team. Teachers need to have a deep trust in each other, believing that they can all do a great job with all students. This is facilitated through our Grade Learning Teams, who assume responsibility for all of the students taught by their whole team, and meet regularly to plan, teach and assess together across their classes. They work closely together to share best practice and develop effective interventions for students as needed. As parents we need to trust the teachers too, and consider that a teacher your child hasn’t yet had might just become one of those well remembered favourites!

Kind regards,

Kel Innis

Principal

On November 25^th, 26^th and 27^th our students in prep to grade 2 will be participating in the early childhood Swim Fun program at Clarence Aquatic Centre.

This program is aimed at providing opportunities for children to become more familiar about water safety and feel comfortable in the water.

Classes will have three sessions over three days and will require:

• their bathers
• a towel
• a bag to put wet items into once their session is over

It is recommended that children come to school with their bathers underneath their school uniform as this maximises time spent in the pool. Parents are welcome to come and observe the swim fun and can enter free of charge. If parents are concerned about children’s response or experience with aquatic-based activities or are worried about children independently changing after swimming, please speak with your classroom teacher.

The timetable for the three days is as follows:

1B (Mrs Boddy) Depart school 9:10am, in the pool 9:30-10:00am, return to school 10:30am

1A (Mrs Chan) Depart school 9:45am, in the pool 10:05-10:35am, return to school 11:05am

Prep A (Mrs Donovan) Depart school 10:20am, in the pool 10:40-11:10am, return to school 11:40am

Prep B (Mrs Bell/Mrs Bath) Depart school 10:55am, in the pool 11:15-11:45am, return to school 12:15pm

2A (Mr Denman) Depart school 11:30am, in the pool 11:50-12:20pm, return to school 12:50pm

2B (Mrs Lewinski/Mrs Sheehan) Depart school 12:05pm, in the pool 12:25-12:55pm, return to school 1:25pm

Some points to remember when dropping off or collecting students from school:

• The car park is strictly for school staff only
• Students are not permitted to walk through the driveway at any time. If you are walking your child into school, please model good road safety for students by using the paths provided from the Henley or Loatta gates
• Students are reminded to always use the pathways around the front office, rather than through the office
• Always use the flagged school crossings when crossing Loatta Rd or Henley St 
• Please obey road laws when parking your vehicle, particularly around school crossings or bus stops  

Thank you for supporting us in keeping our students and families safe in and around the school.  

The Champions Swimming Carnival is on next Tuesday 26th November. As in previous years, parents are responsible for transporting participating students to and from the pool, and for supervision during the event. Information packs were sent home last week with additional information about event organisation and carnival procedures. Please read through this carefully, taking particular note of the marshalling procedure and how finals events are announced to competitors/spectators. 

Lastly, if your child will not be attending the Champions Carnival could you please contact the school office prior to the day of the carnival.

Good luck to all LPS students participating in this year's carnival!

Matt Desmarchellier

P.E Teacher

The SRC are now collecting lids from milk, water and soft drink bottles.  This is to support Lids4Kids, a cause that uses lids to make mobility aids for children.  It would be great if you could bring in some lids to help support this amazing cause.  There will be a collection point at the office for you to put your lids in.  To discover if your lid can be collected, aim the lid towards the light and there should be a recycling symbol. Only lids with the numbers 2 & 4 within the symbol can be collected and used.  All lids need to be washed in soapy water and dry before being placed into the collection box here at school.

It only takes 500 lids to make 1 mobility aid for a child in need so please GET COLLECTING!

By Millie Groom & the SRC

Final Rehearsal, Ticket Sales and Performance Arrangements

Our annual concert will be held on Friday 29 November.  The final rehearsal will be at the Derwent Entertainment Centre (DEC) on that day. All participants are required to attend.

TRANSPORT - Students will be transported from their school to the DEC by coach and returned in time for the end of the school day. Students need to be at school by 8.30am in order to catch the bus provided.

LUNCH - Students are required to bring their lunch and drink as there is no shop available.
Please be egg and nut aware.

TECHNOLOGY - Students are encouraged to bring a suitable activity for break times. We strongly discourage students from bringing personal electronic devices.

DRESS - School uniform is required for the day rehearsal and the evening concert.

EVENING CONCERT - Parents are requested to ensure students are at the DEC by 6.30pm as the concert will commence at 7.00pm sharp. Please note, due to copyright and privacy laws recording or photography during the performance is not permitted.

STUDENT PERFORMERS DO NOT REQUIRE A TICKET

The Tasmanian Association of State School Organisations (TASSO) regularly provide feedback to the Minister for Education and the Department of Education. 

A current topic generating a lot of interest is the use of mobile phones and other student owned devices in school. They are asking all parents, students, other family members, school staff and interested members of the public to complete their survey which can be found on the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/mobile_devices_in_schools

• We are well underway with preparations for our 2020 class structures.  If your child will not be attending Lindisfarne Primary in 2020 can you plesae ensure you advise the school of your intentions.  You can do this in person at the school office, through the schoolzine app or via email at lindisfarne.primary@education.tas.gov.au

• If you have a child who is of Kinder age (born in 2015) and have not yet enrolled them with us for 2020, can you please make contact with the school office to get the enrolment process underway.  

• Under the 2016 Education Act, the Department of Education introduced changes to the student enrolment process.  In accordance to these changes and inline with the Enrolment policy, Lindisfarne Primary School will be conducting an audit of all student enrolment details.  This is to ensure our student files are up to date with the required documentation.  Documentation required includes: Student identification, health information (e.g.immunisation records), parent/guardian identification and proof of residential address.  We will be conducting this audit over the next 6 months and if your childs student file does not currently contain any of the above records we will make contact with you to request the supply of these documents.

The Student Assistance Scheme provides assistance to low income families towards the cost of levies.  STAS is provided trhrough school and college resourcing rather than payment direct to families.

2020 STAS forms are now available from the school office or can be downloaded from the Department's website at www.education.tas.gov.au

Families who were approved for STAS 2019 have been sent correspondance regarding STAS 2020 directly from the Department.

Completed application forms can be returned to the Department by post or emailed to stas@education.tas.gov.au  Please ensure forms are signed and dated before submitting.  Postal address is located on the application form.

If you have any queries regarding the your application or eligibility, please contact STAS via email, website or on 1800 827 055.