Upcoming Events

2021 Term Dates

Professional Learning Days & Public Holidays

We are now into the final 3 weeks of the year. Our annual school picnic is this Friday at Splash and all students are invited to attend. The weather forecast for Friday is for a warm cloudy day. We will keep our fingers crossed for a fine day.

Kindergarten students may attend school on Friday and attend the picnic with their class. Mrs Killick will supervise the students.

I have had several parents / students inquire about the wearing of sunscreen on Friday. This is not optional. All students who attend must apply sunscreen at the designated times. Students may choose to bring their own sun screen or use the sunscreen provided by the school. Any students who will not follow this requirement will not be permitted to swim at the picnic.

To assist staff we would appreciate that students have all important belongings named. There is always plenty of lost property after the picnic and items that are named are easily returned to students.

Our Annual End of Year Assembly where we acknowledge our Year 6 Leavers will be held on Wednesday 16th December in our Gymnasium from 11.30am. Due to COVID-19 restrictions that are still in place, this is an invite only event. Parents and grandparents of Year 6 leavers may attend and will be required to complete a mandatory questionnaire, hand sanitise and also maintain physical distancing for the event. An invitation will be sent out to all our Year 6 families this week with relevant information.

Important Dates for End of Year

Friday 4th of December
School Picnic to SPLASH

Friday 11th December
End of year reports are sent home

Friday 11th December
Grade 6 Big Day Out

Wednesday 18th of December
End of Year Assembly and Grade 6 Leavers Recognition

Thursday 19th of December
Last Day of school Year for Students
BBQ Lunch for all students at no cost provided by the Rotary Club

Planning for 2021

Planning for the 2021 school year has begun as we organise our curriculum directions, staffing, specialists and support programs.

To plan effectively, it is important that we know the number of students who will be attending next year. Please inform Mrs Youd or the school office as soon as possible if you know your child will not be attending our school in 2021, and /or you have a child you are yet to enrol in Kinder for next year.

2021 Class Development

The process for developing classes is now well underway and as such the opportunity to make requests has closed. When developing classes for the upcoming year we work hard to ensure that there is an even spread of students across each grade in gender, academic abilities and the additional needs of students. Please be assured that our teachers know your children well and use this knowledge when working out the best possible combination of students for your child to be placed in a class with. All our staff have provided feedback into every class to ensure that historical information is also taken into consideration in the development of the classes. Please note that once this process is completed class placements for 2021 are final.

Student Assistance Scheme Update

The Student Assistance Scheme (otherwise known as STAS) is changing in 2021. 

If you are a current concession card holder (Centrelink Health Care Card, Low Income Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession card, or a Department of Veterans Affairs Pensioner Concession Card) you can apply using this STAS form 

You will receive a letter confirming the outcome of your application approximately 14 days after it is submitted. 

If you need access to a hard copy form, please contact your school, email: stas@education.tas.gov.au or phone 1800 827 055. 

Please note: if you are already receiving assistance, you don’t need to apply again. 

Medication

If your child requires medication while they are at school, you must meet with your child’s teacher and/or principal to ensure that the school staff are clearly advised on how to give your child their medicine.

Medication should only be prescribed during school hours when absolutely necessary.

Self-administration of some medication (eg ventolin, EpiPens and insulin) may be authorised by a parent and/or a doctor. In accordance with the poisons act, students under 13 should not be self-administering medication unless stated in the medical action and management plan.

You must tell the school and provide permission for any non-prescribed (e.g. panadol) or prescribed medication taken by your child at school. The school will ask you to…

• Complete a written request to the school to administer the medication. You can download and print the Authorisation for Administration of Student Medication form.
• Provide signed authorisation from your medical practitioner giving specific instructions for the administration of the medication.
• Transfer the medication safely to the school.
• Provide the medication in the originally prescribed containers only.
• Help prepare a Medical Action Plan and a Medical Management Plan for your child if ongoing medication is required.

Please be aware that the Authorisation for Administration of Student Medication Form for prescription medication must be done each year and must be completed and signed by your medical practitioner before any medication can be administered at school. It is therefore, important to make sure you make the relevant appointments before school resumes if your child requires medication from the first day of school.

Should you require more information about the Department of Education’s policy on Medication in Schools, please click on the link Medication - The Department of Education Tasmania and/or download the brochure.

Hot weather-sun safety-hydration - hats and water

We have had a warm start to the weather in term 4 and our students have been fantastic this year with almost 100% of them remembering to wear their sun safe wide brimmed hat at school every day.

Children who do not have a hat are only allowed to play in the shade during play times. Students also need to bring a clearly named water bottle. At EDPS we highly recommend that our students should only drink water, as it is the best for our learning brains.

Students are permitted to drink from their water bottles in learning time. Staying appropriately hydrated by drinking water rather than through juice or cordial through the day assists our student’s health and their learning.

Being SunSmart.

As the weather is starting to heat up so just a reminder that the ultraviolet (UV) radiation will be at its highest over the next few months.

UV radiation comes down directly from the sun and can pass through clouds. UV radiation can also be reflected from buildings, concrete, sand, snow and water.

When UV is 3+ we need to:

SLIP on sun protective clothing
SLOP on SPF 30+ sunscreen (or greater)
SLAP on a wide brimmed hat
SEEK shade
SLIDE on sunglasses

Our Kinder Orientation afternoon will be held on Tuesday 15 December 2020 in our kinder room from 1.15-2.45pm.  This is open to all children who are turning 5 in 2021 and are intending to enroll at East Devonport Primary School. You will be asked to sign your child into the kinder room, help settle them in, and then be escorted to our STEAM Room. Our guest speakers include our School Business Manager, Principal, and 2021 Kinder teacher who will speak to you about the day to day running of the school, costs, uniform, and what you can expect in a kinder year. I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity as it is a great way to alleviate any fears, concerns, or ask questions that you or your child may have in starting school. We look forward to supporting you and your child during this exciting time and also in their school journey whilst at East Devonport Primary School.

On Monday 14 December, Kinder and our three Prep-1 classes will enjoy our traditional Christmas Lunch to be held in our GP Hall.  There is no cost for this meal. Unfortunately due to COVID restrictions, we will be unable to have parents volunteer for this event. Further information will be sent to each child closer to the event.

NAIDOC week activities. Students in Kinder making Aboriginal symbols by marking with sticks & students artwork after hearing the story The Echidna and the Shade Tree

Prep-1 Crowther went to Tasmazia and it was an amazing day. The students enjoyed exploring the maze and directing other students to help them find their way to the centre of a maze and back out.

During STEAM, the students have been working in small groups to modify a toy match box car to go faster. The students firstly designed their car with different modifications and labelled this on paper. They then experimented with different materials such as straws, balloons, sticky tape and string. Finally, the students got to test out their modifications. It was lots of excitement. 

Prep-1 Portlock writing about our trip to Hagley

Hi everyone. In 2-3 Howard this term our focus in Science has been Earth and Space. We have been looking at seasonal changes and why this happens and have also worked out why the moon changes shape. We realised it doesn’t just disappear, it is because of the sun that changes our moons shape. We also discovered why the sun rises and sets. To help us remember these things, we all created our own moon and sun information sheet. Here are some examples below.

In 3-4s we have been learning about forces. We have written a paragraph about our learning so far

Chickens

I asked my dad to bring the chicks to my class to share. The class really enjoyed it. They were pure breed, they are Silver Laced Wyandotte. We brought the eggs from a man in Burnie and put them in an incubator where they hatched on the 21st day of incubation. I watched some of them hatch with my family. We have seven of them and we will keep some.

Facts

1. They eat chick starter and drink water
2. When they hatch they don't have feathers, but they have down
3. We keep them in a brooder with a red light, food and water
4. Usually the eggs sit underneath the chickens but this time we put them in an incubator to keep them warn, but when they hatched we put them in the brooder.
5. I sometimes take them in the backyard to let them run around and get some bugs and to have them around the other chickens

by Imogen

Kelp Baskets

As part of NAIDOC activities 4-5 Thow made kelp baskets with wool and felt. Traditionally kelp baskets were used for carrying various things such as water and fruits.