16 February 2023

Newsletter Articles

Dates to Remember

2023

Term Dates for Students – 2023

From the Principal

Welcome back to the 2023 school year!

I am excited to be writing the first of many newsletters as we begin to develop our partnership to support our students learning and development at Hillcrest Primary School. It has been fantastic to see the return of school last week, we have had an extremely calm and settled start to the year. Students are happy and excited to begin their new year of learning and spending time with new and old friends. I am enjoying getting to know all of our Hilly Kids and my goal is to learn every student’s name by halfway through the term – wish me luck!

Our staff have been back at work for some weeks now, preparing our school ready to start the school year. I would like to thank our very dedicated team of staff for their preparation and support of me as I learn all about HPS. Our environment looks fantastic!

I’d like to thank families for making sure students are dressed smartly in full school uniform. Our students look absolutely fantastic!

School uniform is an important part of our school culture and ensures that everyone is part of the ‘team’ at Hillcrest. I greatly value the support from our parents in setting up our students for a positive beginning to the year.

Our School Uniform

We have a number of new faces at Hillcrest this year, as well as familiar ones. A very warm welcome to many new students and their families, we hope you enjoy being part of our wonderful school community.

Our new teaching staff are pictured below:

• Mrs Sarah Wotherspoon – 3-4W teacher
• Mr Sheldon Parker -3-4P teacher
• Mrs Abbie Bonney – P-1 teacher
• Mrs Sarah Brooke – Visual Art teacher
• Mr Adam Lane – AST/Student support teacher

At the start of year, staff work with students to develop expectations for class and school behaviours. These include effort towards learning, outside and indoor behaviours and the way we treat everyone in our school community.

Our school values of Respect, Courage, Growth and Aspiration will continue to support and underpin all of our actions and decisions at Hillcrest Primary School.

Our School Values

Our values link closely to our Hilly Kids and Friendly Kids program, each of these focus areas are shared at a fortnightly whole school meeting. We explicitly teach the language and social skills for each of these focus areas. See further down in the newsletter for our yearly schedule.

Each newsletter this term I will explain the meaning of each value, first up is Respect.

Why Respect?

At school we respect ourselves, others, our past, our future and our environment, and we are kind.

Respect is a foundational value across the whole Department of Education. It provides us with a common understanding and expectation of how we relate, communicate, and treat one another.

By acknowledging that other people have their own opinions and experiences we can accept and celebrate difference. Respecting each other enables us to develop trust and allows us to work together. Respect creates a safe and supportive environment so we can continually grow and develop.

Respect looks like:

• being kind, considerate, and trusting of others
• ignoring distractions, asking questions and actively listening when communicating with others
• being inclusive and understanding difference and diversity
• providing a safe environment where everyone’s mental and physical wellbeing is cared for
• acknowledging hard work and thanking others for their contributions.

Some reminders for families as we begin the year:

• Anaphylaxis (Severe Allergies) – we have a number of students have life threatening allergies. If your child is in a class with a student who has anaphylaxis, please ensure you have read the letter sent home on Monday.
• Newsletters – will be published fortnightly on a Thursday.
  We will regularly update important dates and school events to assist with organisation at home. This newsletter will be emailed to parents to the address provided on validation forms.

• Facebook – please like our school Facebook page ‘Hillcrest Primary School Community’ for regular updates and news from school.

• PE and Library– will occur each Thursday and Friday, please ensure students wear appropriate shoes/clothing for PE and return their library books each week.
• Duty of care – A reminder that our duty of care for students commences at 8:30am each day and concludes at 3:10pm, we thank you for your support to ensure you drop off and collect your children between these times.
  If you require times outside of these times, please contact Devonport Childcare Centre to find out about their before and after school care service.

• Attendance procedures: Families are reminded to notify the school office by 8:50am if your child is going to be away from school that day. Please send an SMS to 0428 937 348 or email hillcrest.primary@decyp.tas.gov.au . If the office have not heard from you by 9.00am you will receive a text message regarding your child’s absence.

Also, please remember that students who arrive at school after 8:55 must get a welcome pass from the office before attending class. Thank you.

I look forward to a fantastic year, sharing your child’s learning and new experiences. I welcome you to make contact with me at any time, either visiting, phoning (6424 5211) or emailing me hillcrestprimary@decyp.tas.gov.au if you would like to discuss anything related to your child/children. Families and our school, working together helps to create positive and strong outcomes for our students.

In partnership,

Georgia Perry – Principal

Hilly Kids Are Friendly Kids

Focus RESPECT

There are many people around our school, home and community who help us. It may be your teacher, the canteen worker, the bus driver or your next-door neighbour.

These people are there to help you and guide you into the correct way of doing things to follow the rules of society. They are always looking after us, making sure we are safe and happy.

We need to show respect to these adults by:

• using our manners by saying please and thank you,
• following their instructions
• listening when they speak
• giving way
• offering to help

There are opportunities every day to say please and thank you. At home, in the classroom, at the canteen, visiting the office, in the yard, at a friend’s home – there are people who help us and all of them need to be treated courteously. One great way we can do this is by saying please and thank you. You will be surprised how much people value please and thank you. These simple words let people know you do appreciate what they do for you and, also lets them know you are a friendly kid.

Respecting others by using our manners is important. All of us would like to be respected and all children should show respect to all adults, whether they be our parents, grandparents, bus drivers, shop owners or teachers. Respecting adults shows everyone that we are friendly and appreciative children at Hillcrest.

Sun Safe Hat Policy

Please remember that our Sun-Safe Hat Policy is in place during term 1. Students must wear a school bucket hat anytime they are outside during recess and lunch. If they do not have a hat, they will be asked to sit in a designated area out of the sun.

Parent Help, Coaching, etc.

Please remember if you want to help in classes, help with class excursions or be a coach of a sporting team, you will need to have a Registration for Working with Vulnerable People card. Adults who do not have this card will be unable to participate in class help.

You will need to apply online at the link below and then go to Service Tasmania to have your photo taken. If you need help applying for this card, please contact the school.

Student Validation Forms

Thank you to everyone who completed their validation forms on book collection days. These forms are necessary to ensure we have correct, up-to-date information and contact details.

Please remember to notify the school if any of your contacts or your emergency contact details change at any time during the school year. Also, please return any completed medical action plans to the school office as soon as possible.

Launching into Learning

Launching into Learning (LiL) – Stay, Play and Explore starts next week – on Monday 20th February at 9.00am -10.30am in the Kinder Building with Miss Lewis and Mrs Berger.

Children aged 0-5 years are invited to attend with an adult

Breakfast Club

Brekky Club is back again and will be operating every morning from 8:25-8:45am in the GP Hall. There will be toast, fruit and a choice of milk or water to drink. If your child is planning to attend Brekky Club, please remind them to go to the Hall promptly, to allow them to have breakfast and get to class on time.

Lyn Aherne – Breakfast Club Volunteer

Hillcrest Tuckerbox

The Hillcrest Tuckerbox menu has been sent home, along with information on the Qkr! App which is our preferred payment option. The Tuckerbox will operate on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays only. There will be recess and after lunch sales of snack items as well as lunch orders on these days.

We have re-usable lunch order bags to help reduce unwanted paper waste. Lunch orders are delivered in these bags to the classrooms. If you have previously purchased a lunch order bag for your child, please continue to use it by placing it in the lunch order box in the classroom even though you are ordering through the Qkr! App.

Lyn Aherne – Canteen Supervisor

Car Parking

Families are reminded that the Staff Car Park is for Staff Parking ONLY. Please refrain from using the staff car park unless you have a blue disabled parking badge.

Thank you

Mr Davis’ Marathon

 

Congratulations to Mr Forward who completed a marathon on the weekend, running a huge 42.2kilmetres!

Netball Net-Set-Go

The Devon Netball Association Devon Netball will be holding a free NetSetGo Come and Play day on Saturday February 18th at 10am for kids aged 5-10 years, to give Netball a try, get active and have FUN!

Devonport Hockey Club

Website

Devonport Brass Band

Circus

Tennis

Don’t miss the Bus

Saver Plus