I am delighted to introduce to you this week our newly elected Student Voice Team. Our Student Voice Team Members are (as pictured below): Mia Gilmour (President), Jesse Horton (Vice-President), Emily Midson-Mallinson (Treasurer), Denzel Triffitt (Secretary), Gurleen Grewal, Madeleine Nichols, Aaleahya Webb, and Addison Anderton.

The Student Voice Team actively participates in our school community, contributing to decision making, expressing student views, implementing new ideas and working for solutions to concerns.

Congratulations to everyone who nominated for the team! It takes great courage to put your name forward as part of the selection process.

Recently, RACT ran a series of workshops for our students about road safety. I wanted to take this opportunity to remind community members of key road safety signage around our school. Whilst we know that car parking can sometimes be challenging, it is important that everyone obeys the road signage. This includes not parking in drop off and pick up zones, maximum speeds driving through the grounds, and ensuring you turn left when exiting into Brodie Street. The Council regularly patrols the school entrances and exits and fines can be issued. Student safety is always our number one priority!

It is exciting to see a number of classes head out over the next two weeks on excursions. I am always proud to be associated with Austins Ferry students, wearing their uniform with pride and conducting themselves respectfully out and about in the community. We are a SunSmart school and part of our school uniform in Term 1 and 4 is a bucket hat. If your child is not wearing a hat at break time, please note they will be asked to sit in the courtyard shade area during play time.

I want to thank everyone who came out for our Junior Athletics Carnival last week. It was absolutely wonderful to see so many families and friends join in with the activities. This reminded me of a time before COVID, when we connected regularly for whole school community events! So, let’s see as many people as possible on bikes, scooters and roller-skates as they head to school this Friday for Ride to School Day!

Warm Regards,

Nikki Mann

CAR PARK SPEED LIMITS

Speed limits throughout the school are restricted to 10km. Please note that regardless of what time of day, if the gates are open there is someone here! Everyone's safety is important. A reminder also that the car park is one-way - please enter only from Cammeray Road. 

KISS & DROP

A friendly reminder that the school Kiss & Drop zone is not for car parking - please do not leave your vehicle unattended in this zone.

STUDENT PICK-UP

If you need to collect students throughout the school day for appointments please arrive in time to allow us to locate your child. We do not call to the classroom until you have arrived. This limits interruptions to the class and avoids your child missing out on valuable learning time. Thank you for you co-operation.

The electronic sign in and out system (KIOSK) for students and visitors will continue to operate as it did last year. There are two systems across the school site – one at the main administration office and the other in the Early Learning Centre foyer. To limit the queue time, it would be helpful if parents/carers know the year level and teacher name for their child(ren).  

UPDATING STUDENT DETAILS

It is vital for the school office to have updated details for all students. In the event of a medical issue or emergency event this information is crucial in the care and response that we provide for your child/children. Please ensure to update information with the office staff as required: emergency contact details, phone numbers, address details and any changes to your childs' medical needs eg. asthma, anaphylaxis.

ABSENCES / ATTENDANCE

If your child is absent please notify the school office before 9:30am:

• Leave a message on the answering machine 6275 7272
• Speak to the office staff face to face
• Call the office staff 6275 7222
• Email:  austins.ferry.primary@education.tas.gov.au
• Via the web form:  www.austins.ferry.primary@education.tas.gov.au
• Submit details through the Schoolzine SZapp

We care about your child's safety and will text you if your child is absent unexplained.

BREAKFAST CLUB

Breakfast club is a free program located at kitchen/garden near the ELC. Opening hours are 8:00 to 8:30am. Doors will not open before 8am. 

END OF DAY MESSAGES

Please notify the school office as early as possible and prior to 2:25pm if you need to get a message to your child/ren for the end of the day. Class notice bags are collected at 2:30pm and passing on messages after 2:30pm becomes quite difficult.  We cannot guarantee messages will be received effectively after this time.

CANTEEN & QKR!

Please remember to place your canteen lunch orders through Qkr! prior to the 8:30am deadline.

LOST PROPERTY

Lost property for all non-school uniform and personal belongings are available for collection from the foyer located in the administration building. Please note that we cannot safekeep for extensive periods of time, so it is important that lost property is collected in a timely manner. 

OUTSIDE SCHOOL HOUR CARE & HOLIDAY PROGRAMS

Playtime Sports offer both after school care and school holiday care and operates out of our school gym. After school care is open every week day from 2:45pm to 6:00pm. School holiday programs operating hours are 7:30am to 6:00pm. Please direct all enquiries to Karen Morgan at Playtime Sports on 0407 199 160.

A reminder that Validation forms are to be returned to the school office asap. There are a number of exciting upcoming excursions for which students will need to have returned validations forms with signed minor and major excursion permissions. 

In Kindergarten we have started to look at beginning sounds and practicing letter recognition. We have explored a range of activies through play and art to help with this. Kinder Johnston looked at the letter T, they collaborated to create a procedural text for how to make toast and then had the yummy job of making and eating toast! 

S is for Sunflower is Kinder Spaulding. We had a wonderful time learning about the letter S and the s-s-sound that it makes. We looked at pictures of sunflowers, talked about the colours we could see, the different parts of the flower including the petals and stalk. We then did paintings of sunflowers in pots which we think look superb.

I is for ice!  We have been exploring the letter 'I' in Kinder Clifton and have been brain storming things starting with this letter.  We have participated in exciting play experiences involving insects and ice and have had so much fun!

"On Thursday 16 March we had our athletics afternoon. We did some 3 legged races, a sack race, obstacle course with hurdles, we threw a vortex, and we did running relays. We had so much fun, we felt a little bit nervous but were also excited. Some of our parents and carers came to watch, some even had signs. We can’t wait until next year’s athletics afternoon!"

- Written by 1/2B

In Kuka Pod, our theme for the year is Submerged. We will be looking at various waterways and creatures over the year. In 3/4 Sackley we have been focussing on “The Creek”. We have been investigating the creatures that we find around a creek and the reasons that we think this might be the case. We have talked about how some creatures can be found in both fresh and salt water. We have also investigated and discussed why we think that some creatures can only live near one and not the other.

We found that there are lots of native mammals and birds that need access to our fresh waterways, such as creeks as a source of food and water. We had also found that some creatures need the creeks and waterways to have families, such as frogs. We are going to continue to investigate the creatures that live near each of our unique water sources, such as the ocean and ice and compare their needs and ways to survive.

During Term 1, as part of the HASS curriculum, we have been investigating the roles and responsibilities of the three levels of government: local, state and federal. We looked at the names of each level of government and where they are located and operate.

To demonstrate our learning, we constructed anchor charts and then Triaramas. The Triarama shows each level of government and outlines some of the different services that particular level is responsible for.

Friday 24 March is Ride2School day. Students can ride, scoot, or skate to school. 

The bike track will stay open until 8:50am for students who ride their bike to school, but the netball/basketball court will be closed to allow students that skated or scooted to school to ride around until 8:50am. Students must wear helmets to be allowed on both areas and there will be prizes available to students who participate in the event.