Newsletter Term 2 Week 10
Principal's Pen
Newsletter – Term 2 Week 10 2023 – Principal’s Pen
Farewell to Staff
We are excited but sad to announce that Ms Nicole Heir, our current Head of Inclusion, has been successfully appointed as permanent Head of Special Education at Picnic Creek State School. Nicole will be leaving us at the end of the year. Nicole has been at Bellevue Park for almost 10 years, working across a variety of roles. She will be greatly missed by staff and students alike, and we wish her every success in her new role at her new school.
Ms Paola Montagna, our current Engagement Teacher, will be replacing Nicole as Head of Inclusion for Semester 2. Ms Montagna has a wealth of experience and a strong passion for supporting students, and we look forward to working alongside her in this role.
This term we are also saying farewell to Mrs Carmen McGeary, who is currently teaching 5C. Carmen is following her passion and has secured a permanent teaching role at Arcadia College, teaching high school mathematics. Carmen transferred to Bellevue Park SS in 2017 and has taught a variety of year levels during her time with us. We know Carmen will be incredible in her new role. Mrs Sarah Murphy will be replacing Carmen teaching 5C from the start of next term.
Kiss & Go
We are excited to announce that the road works for our new ‘Kiss & Go’ zone are being conducted by Gold Coast City Council over the holidays. Some of the new signage is already in place (but currently covered). It will take us a short while next term to formalise exactly how the ‘Kiss & Go’ will operate. When we have an effective system in place, we will communicate this structure to all our families. We will have staff on after school supervision of this area from the start of next term.
Some key points:
- This area is a quick, pick up and drop off zone – there will be a 2-minute limit before we ask you to cycle around again
- Do not park in the new ‘Kiss & Go’ loading zones - traffic should be moving through them at all times
- Kiss 'n’ Go Zone is the area where your car can pull up and your child leaves or enters the car on the passenger side only
- Please move your car as far forward as you can in the zone
- Do not leave your car if you stop in these zones – you may drop off or pick up your children, but the driver must remain with the car at all times. If you need to park your car, we ask that you park in the assigned parking bays
- Students will be supervised behind the school fence and will be released when you arrive at the front of the queue
Please watch for more communication about this process early next term.
Changes to Lunch Breaks in Semester Two
In an effort to support student behaviour, we are making a change to the time students eat their lunch. From the start of next term, eating will occur at the END of first break (instead of at the start), with an extra 5 minutes of play time added each day.
Current Lunch Process:
- Students have a fruit break during the morning session (in class)
- Students spend the first 10 minutes of first break eating in supervised areas
- After 10 minutes, students are released to play for the remainder of break time (30 minutes play time)
- This process is repeated for 2nd break (10 minutes eating then 20 minutes play time)
New Process from Semester Two
- Play time will now be first up, with eating time at the END of break
- Eating time at lunch (first break) will be extended to 15 minutes
- There will be a 5-minute warning bell, 10 minutes into eating time, so students know to go to the toilet and get a drink before class time
- We will rename the breaks, Lunch & Afternoon Tea, so that students know to eat at first break
- We will still have supervised areas for students to eat at Afternoon Tea if they wish to have a snack
- First play would be 25 minutes long, 2nd play would be 30 minutes long (5 minutes more per day)
This means our lunch breaks will now look like this:
Lunch | |
10:45am | Bell to signal play time |
11:10am | Bell to signal eating time |
11:25am | Bell to go to class |
Afternoon Tea | |
1:25pm | Bell to signal play time |
1:55pm | Bell to go to class |
Fruit break will not change and will still occur at approximately 9:45am each day in the classroom.
Deputy Principal - Prep to Year 2
Prep 2024 Enrolments
Just a reminder to get your enrolment forms in, if your child was born between: 1 July 2018 – 30 June 2019. Please see information below for our Prep 2024 Information Sessions.
Bellevue Bash
Our plans for the Bellevue Bash are well under way! ‘Fun Passes’ for rides and activities will be available soon. As well as year level stalls, Bellevue’s Got Talent and numerous food options, we will have some larger rides and activities which you can purchase a ‘Fun Pass’ for on QKR for $15 from Monday 19 June.
$15.00 Fun Pass includes unlimited access to:
Shooting Stars:
This interactive basketball inflatable challenges two contestants to be the last player standing. Age range: This inflatable is suitable for children and adults.
First Down:
Contestants face off with each other, as they throw the football across the field to the back wall that holds a line of receivers. Age range: This inflatable is suitable for children and adults.
Teacher Dunk Tank:
The dunk tank is an all-time favourite - dunking your teacher into 1500 litres of water!
9 Hole Mini Golf:
9 individual holes, all which are designed for patrons to move around, causing no disturbance to the ball. Age range: This inflatable is suitable for both children and adults.
Melt Down Rider:
Meltdown is our 8-player action game, which challenges your stamina, agility and reactions. Not one but two spinning boom arms try to knock you off your podium. You have to duck underneath or jump over the foam boom. Riders must be 121cm tall and weight limit no more 100kg per rider.
Soccer Fever:
Soccer Fever delivers just that as 2 competitors duke it out to see who can be the first to kick their soccer balls into the goal. Age range: This inflatable is suitable for children and adults.
Sharing Cultural Stories in Year 2
2A read the indigenous story “Juraki the Saltwater Hero”.
This story is all about a boy who loved growing up in Booningbar. He loved swimming and hunting and gathering food for his tribe. As Juraki grows older and becomes a young man, his role as a hunter changes to something much more. Juraki becomes a hero after rescuing a yidali girl.
2A had fun retelling this story as film strips.
Year 2 Animal Project
This term in English, Year 2 have been learning all about marine animals and how to write information reports. This week in 2B, Ms Collier (student teacher) wrapped up our unit with an exciting project. Students combined what they had learned about information reports and their imagination to create their very own animal. First, they drew and named their animal before describing their appearance, habitat, diet, classification and interesting facts. Next, they designed their habitat and wrote their informative sentences. Finally, and most excitedly, they created their animal using modelling clay. Check out some of 2B’s awesome creations!
Deputy Principal - Year 3-6
NAIDOC Week:
National NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia in the first week of July each year (Sunday to Sunday), to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. As this falls during the mid-year holiday period, we held our Bellevue celebrations in Week 9 (12 – 16 June).
NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth. BPSS embraced our own NAIDOC celebrations spending time in the yarning circle, listening to indigenous stories and connecting with our special guests Uncle Lyndsay and representatives from The SUNS.
A special thanks to:
- Uncle Lyndsay for sharing a special indigenous story and face painting experience.
- The SUNS for an educational and creative session around the design and meaning behind the Gold Coast Suns jersey.
Year 6 Camp
Last week our fabulous Year 6 teachers and support staff accompanied our Year 6 students to Tallebudgera Beach School for a full week of fun and adventure. Students enjoyed the challenges involved whilst outdoors wake riding, rock climbing, bush walking and kayaking, all whilst reflecting on their hero type: Champion, Warrior, Guardian or Mastermind. The students final day saw them reflecting on the different hero types and identifying what hero type shone through for them.
An ENORMOUS thank you to Ms Moriarty, Ms Cannon, Ms G, Mr Gaukroger, Miss Grosskreutz, Mr Berry Walker who spent time away from their families to ensure our students had a memorable experience.
Curriculum News
Finance News
Upcoming Payments Closing:
CLASSROOM STUDENT RESOURCE SCHEME (SRS) | COST | Payment Due |
2023 Student Resource Scheme SRS* | $57.00 | OVERDUE |
CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITY | COST | Payment Due |
Years 4 – 6 Interschool Sport | $25.00 | OVERDUE |
Years P – 2 Braveheart’s Ditto Show Incursion | $11.00 | 19 July 2023 |
On the Horizon:
CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITY | COST | Payment Due |
Select students only Chess Club excursion | $22.00 | 17 July 2023 |
Select students only Years 4 – 6 Volleyball | $43.50 | 17 August 2023 |
Year 1 Bugs Ed Incursion | TBC | TBC |
*2023 Student Resource Scheme
The final payment for the 2023 Student Resource Scheme was due in February.
To avoid delay in the distribution of resources supplied under the 2023 Student Resource Scheme to your child, please ensure the payment has been made. Thank you to all families who have already finalised the payment.
Our preferred method of payment is BPoint. Please click on the BPoint link on the bottom left of the invoice you receive via email and follow the prompts to process a secure card payment. Please see the example below:
To secure your child’s participation in an activity, please ensure that the permission notes are completed and returned to the classroom teacher and payment is received by the due dates.
Statements have been issued this week. If this is invoice is unpaid it will still show on this statement. If your account is showing a negative balance (eg -$40) this is a credit. Please contact 1925_office@eq.edu.au requesting any credits to be allocated to an outstanding invoice as this does not happen automatically without your authorisation.
If you are experiencing any financial difficulties please contact our Business Manager Kim Minter at kmint4@eq.edu.au to discuss payment options.
Chappy Em
Performing Arts News
Sport News
Congratulations to Jacob W who was selected in the Broadwater team for football. Jacob then went to Regional trials and competed against 3 other regions. Well done Jacob!
Senior Sports Day (Yrs 4-6)
will be held on Tuesday 1 August 2023.
Parents/caregivers are reminded that students are to be dressed appropriately as this is a sporting event. (i.e. enclosed footwear, shirts with sleeves, hats, NO jewellery etc.). Students are encouraged to wear their house colours.
ARCHER – red
GUNSYND – green
PHARLAP - yellow
Family and friends are very welcome to come along and join the fun.
Interschool Sports Day Report
On Wednesday 21st June, BPSS held the Interschool Sports Day.
We had 4 schools participate - Bellevue Park State School, Benowa State School, Surfers Paradise State School and Southport State School.
There were over 700 students participating in a variety of track and field activities.
The results were: Benowa State School - First Place, Bellevue Park State School - Second Place, Surfers Paradise - Third Place, Southport State School - Fourth Place.
Everyone had a lot of fun, so well done to everyone involved.
LOTE
Language News
Sensei Team’s first Workshop on Wednesday, 14 June was incredibly successful with 22 parents/carers all engaged in learning how to make sushi rolls for BPSS children’s lunch boxes!
What a great way to bring our school community together. I would like to thank Yoko, Midori San, Maki and Kasumi, the Sensei Team members and Mrs Azzopardi, Miss Triggell and Miss Nicholson for their great help before, during and after the event.
Look forward to seeing you all again at the next workshop!
Sensei Noriko
STAFF FAREWELL
Community News
SPARK THEIR FUTURE
Every young person is unique and success looks different for everyone. By looking at the way we think about school and success, we can help our teens find their own learning pathway through school and beyond. Did you know the human brain doesn’t fully mature until the third decade in life? Hear Dr Nagel explain how being at school helps develop the teenage brain. During these years it’s a critical time for young people to be around other young people. The Spark their Future website has tips and resources to help you support your teen during their learning pathway.
