Week 7 and 8 have been busy...

It was my absolute pleasure to welcome Her Excellency, The Honourable Barbara Baker AC, The Governor of Tasmania, Professor Don Chalmers AO, Paula Chapwood flight Lieutenant Ade-e-camp, Mr Robert Young - The Mayor of Glamorgan Spring Bay and Mr Greg Ingham – The General Manager of Glamorgan Spring Bay Council to our tree planting ceremony on Tuesday 14th June.  Her Excellency joined us as part of Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee Tour of Tasmania and planted the first tree in our Nature Play area.   

On the morning of her arrival, I received a very fitting and exciting email of congratulations.  Our School Association were successful in a national program which aims to raise awareness of the Queen’s Jubilee milestone and improve the nation’s environment by increasing tree canopy’s across Australia.  With thanks to our School Association, I am excited to share that we will receive $20,000 towards planting regionally appropriate trees here onsite as part of our new nature playground.  

This week our staff have participated in two vastly different professional learning (PL) opportunities.  On Monday, all staff attended our second Trauma Informed Practice PL and on Tuesday we learnt about a new Speaking and Listening Assessment being rolled out by the Department to screen all students in K-2 for speech and language intervention.  

Thankyou to all that supported our community fundraising 'Bingo & Curry Bonanza'  held on Friday night, the evening was alot of fun and a great success.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank Melissa Quinn and our School Association for organising this event and our local businesses who have supported the raffle and prizes for the evening.

Thank you - 

• Splendid Gin
• Springvale
• Fay Read (The Bingo Master)
• Entice Hair Studio
• The Waterloo Inn
• Alcuin Hacker & Movenpick
• Artifakt
• Tasman Sea Salt
• Mayfield Estate
• Craigie Knowe
• PCYC
• Gala
• Michael Travalia – Creative Services
• Rach’s Hair Studio
• The Barkmill
• The Swansea Pharmacy
• The Federal Group
• Freycinet Tours

An update on face masks

Public Health has advised that from Monday 27 June 2022, face masks are no longer mandatory in schools and Child and Family Learning Centres. This is because of reduced COVID-19 cases in our community.

It’s important to continue to:

• stay at home if unwell, and get tested
• practise COVID-safe behaviours such as frequent handwashing and sanitising
• be up to date with your COVID-19 vaccinations.

Students, staff and visitors are supported to continue to wear face masks if they choose to. Face masks are still available at our school office if you need them.

When face masks are required

If you’re a close contact, you are still required to wear a face mask indoors as per current Public Health advice.

From time-to-time our school might identify activities or situations where masks are required to be worn. We ask for your support when this happens and know that it is in the best interests of our students, staff and our school.

Our staff will continue to wear masks when working closely with students who are vulnerable to COVID-19.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us directly to discuss.

For more information about COVID-19, please visit the Tasmanian Government Coronavirus website or contact the Tasmanian Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738, or Department of Education COVID-19 Support Hotline at COVID19support@education.tas.gov.au or on 1800 816 057.

If you need support translating or interpreting this information, contact the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450.

Tuesday the 14^th of June Swansea Primary School  had the pleasure of welcoming Her Excellency, The Honourable Barbara Baker AC, The Governor of Tasmania, Professor Don Chalmers AO, Paula Chapwood Flight Lieutenant Aide-de-camp, Mr Robert Young - The Mayor of Glamorgan Spring Bay and Mr Greg Ingham – The General Manager of Glamorgan Spring Bay Council to our tree planting ceremony to commemorate The Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II which is being celebrated in the Commonwealth of Nations to mark the 70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II.

 Did you know, the Governor was sworn into Office at Government House on Wednesday 16 June 2021 – so this week, she will celebrate a year as our 29th Governor of Tasmania.  Today is also a special day on Her Excellency’s calendar and makes this occasion even more special because, she was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) which is a very significant honour, on this day, 14 June 2021.  It is the highest award in the Order of Australia which honours Her Excellency’s achievement, merit and service to Australia and the people of Tasmania through leading contributions to the law, to the judiciary and to the administration of justice, particularly in the area of family law, and for her work as a mentor and role model for young women. We had a wonderful day! Government House Tasmania Glamorgan Spring Bay Council Department of Education, Tasmania.

It's on again for 2022!

The East Coast School's are pleased to have the genoristy of the Glamorgan Spring Bay Council for supporting this event with donating $200.00 each to Triabunna, Orford and Swansea Schools to go towards transport costs.

The Pop Up Book Stall at Triabunna also donated an amazing $3450.00 to pay for the BBQ and a portion of the transport for the 3 schools.

All students are reminded to bring warm clothes along with a drink bottle, lunchbox and a plain top underneath uniform for the colour run.

Exploring Words

The Kinders have been busy exploring words, syllables and collaborative skills with Mrs. Wood during their literacy sessions.   

Lincoln:  "When it was a long word we got up and when it was a short word we crouched down like this."  

The Sentence Inquiry 

In a quest to become better writers, our Prep learners have been improving their sentence writing by practising their editing skills.  As collaborators, they have been doing a fantastic job at working together to rebuild sentences and take turns to correct mistakes in Miss Pearce's weekend writing.  

Max:  "We have been fixing up mistakes...we are putting up our hands because we want a turn at reading the words." 

Matilda:  "I was changing the 'o' to a capital."

Noah:  "I'm watching Molly fix your 'i' mistake."

Bella:  "I'm sounding out the words...the birthday word!"

We would love to hear from you!

If you have any sentences we can edit for you, please send your sentences to school. 

Our current writing and editing strengths are:

- including finger spaces between words,

- using capital letters,

- sounding out,

- choosing the right beginning and end sounds in a word,

- full stops,

- rereading to check our sentences make sense. 

Please also send the Early Primary class any interesting words you know and an explanation about why you find your word interesiting.  We would love to hear and learn from you!  

Using Technology in English

Students have been exploring different online platforms for revising and learning English skills. 

Additionaly, students have begun to anaylse the effectiveness of the different online modes of learning.  Using critical thinking skills, they have expresseed opinions based on evidence about their preference for different modes.

Chloe: I enjoy Prodigy English more than Reading Eggspress because I find it more fun but also I am revising Elglish skills at the same time, like understanding sentence types.

Alex: I like using Reading Eggspress beacuse it has lots of different activities and is fun.

Tia: Prodigy English is a fun way to learn English skills.

Josh: I like using Prodigy English because you get to do things that make English fun.

Jorja: Reading Eggs is fun and I am improving by going up levels!

Millie: I haven't tried Prodigy English, but I would chose Reading Eggspress because I can collect eggs while doing the activities.  I wasn't a fan of Scootle.  I didn't like how it was really animated and glitchy.

Clancy: I like using Prodigy English because I don't normally like using English games but this one helps me a lot with learning.  When you lose energy you have to do things like spelling.

Jaxon: Prodigy English is fun when you can trade.

Roland: Reading Eggspress helps me learn grammar.

Ivy: I prefer Prodigy English because you have fun in all the games while you are learning English activities.

Evie: I liked Scootle better because it made me learn more about pets by reading between the lines.

Xavier: I really like Prodigy English because you have to do noun activities for energy and do other English stuff.

Harry: I like Reading Eggs. Everything you learn about has songs!

Sophie: The scootle activity made me learn more about pets and English.

Alice: I prefer Prodigy English because you can earn stuff and go on an adventure while practicing skills.

Get Into It! Healthy Heart, Healthy Mind Project

ALL SESSIONS ARE FREE funded by Healthy Tasmania. VENUE: Swansea Town Hall. All are welcome! There is a capacity of 15 per class. Please arrive 10 mins prior to the class to sign in. Bring a mat, some available; other session equipment provided.

All students to have a parent in attendance for the whole session.

Cheers, Sally & Nicola. 

Swansea Primary School are one of 1054 Primary Schools and Early Learning Centres around Australia who were succesful in their 2022 Woolworths Junior Landcare Grant Application for $1000.00 to go towards our Suistanable Learning Program.

Head lice have been found amongst children in the school. Please check your child’s hair today.

If you do find head lice in your child’s hair, please notify the school to obtain information on the current recommended treatment.

Head lice most often affect children who are in direct contact with one another or who share personal items, such as brushes, hats or scarves. Symptoms include itching, visible lice on the scalp and lice eggs (nits) on the hair shafts. Medicated shampoos may often help, but lice are becoming increasingly resistant. Patiently combing and removing nits, sometimes over several days, is sometimes necessary.

Under Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services policy, your child is required to remain away from school until after the use of a recommended treatment and an attempt to remove all the lice eggs.

It is only necessary to treat if there is evidence of head lice.

Please help to stop the spread of further transmission.

Further information can be obtained from the school office or from the Swansea Pharmacy.

Thankyou to everyone that supported the Red Shield Appeal Fundraiser. Swansea Primary raised over $300.00

The Moana Production Crew are in need of sourcing material for costumes as below:

-Black Fabric

-Green Fabric

-Bright Coloured Fabric

Items For Props and Scenery 

FABRIC - especially upholstery fabric (inc old cushion covers) fleece, woollen items, jersey  - med to large pieces (not scraps) in GREEN & BROWN - preferably in the above-mentioned fabrics. Smaller in pieces in the same fabrics in bright colours would be great also.

FABRIC - cottons - med to large size - in neutral colours - cream, beige, brown

PLASTIC or WOOD JEWELLERY WITH BEADS - preferably lightweight - ANY COLOUR (we will paint it)

BODY GLITTER - preferably in liquid/cream or spray - not powder (note - not actual glitter!)

PAINT - UNDERCOAT (WATER-BASED) - small amounts at the bottom of the tin welcome

PAINT - GOLD & SILVER or other metallic paint - WATER-BASED) - glitter paint would be amazing if anyone has any!

... and we are looking the following miscellaneous items:

- lightweight wooden battens in lengths over 1m & max thickness 1cm/half inch

- old wooden broom handle or doweling over 1m

- burlap or hessian fabric

-Newspapers

All items can be left at the school office.

Thank you for your donations but we do not need anymore boxes.

Planting Tree's for the Queen's Jubilee

The School Association submitted to Brian Mitchell MP Federal Member for Lyons an Expression of Interest for the Planting Trees for the Queen's Jubilee Program.

The expression of interest for the Nature Playground for Rural Families Project was endorsed to move to the next stage of the application process.

A nomination for  $20,000.00 was submitted to the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.

The school association completed the next stage of the application process, on Tuesday the 14th of June the association was notified that the grant application was succesful.

This grant will support the process of our Nature Playground, enabling us to prepare the area, purchase the trees to be planted over 2 metres to abide by the tree planting requirements of the grant.

Families, community members and delegates will also be invited to formal commemoration events as part of the Planting Trees for the Queen's Jubilee.

FRRR Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal Strengthing Rural Communities Program

The school association at the end of 2021 received news that there grant application was successful for the Nature Play for Rural Families Project for the amount of $10,000.00.  The grant money will go towards the BBQ area in our Nature Playground, works will commence in term 2 holidays. Families and community members will be able to enjoy this area as the weather warms up of an evening and on weekends.

FRRR Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal Back to School Program 2022

The association applied for the above grant in early 2022 to support families with back to school costs.  The grant was succesful and the association was granted 12 Target vouchers to the value of $50.00 and 12 Kmart vouchers to the value of $50.00 to assist families with school supplies.  These vouchers will be distributed through our school community.