Byron Bay Public School Newsletter TERM 3 | WEEK 9 | 2024

P&C Colour Fun Run!

The P&C Colour Fun Run fundraiser is off to a great start, but we need your help! We still have canteen and fairy floss/snow cone vouchers to give away! Anyone can win, even if they have only raised $1.00, so make sure you have a profile and start fundraising! We also have another opportunity for you to slime a teacher if you are the highest fundraiser for the next week.

At last weeks assembly we slimed Ms Lennon, and this week two teachers were slimed, Mr McIntyre and Mr Asser. Congratulations to Remi from KM who has been the highest fundraiser two weeks running and had the privilege of sliming the teachers. Congratulations also to the highest fundraising classes last week 3P and 4L. At yesterday's assembly the highest fundraising class went to 5I.

Schedules and timing will be available closer to the time, but please keep Friday, 18 October free from 1:00pm to come and watch 'Chase the Cheetah' and BBPS have a fun and exciting afternoon on the back oval. Whether your child wants to walk, run, skip or hop around the course, we are sure they will have a great time!

Kindergarten Feature

Byron Bay Firefighters visit Kindergarten

Last Tuesday, Kindergarten students were engaged in a session with some local firefighters. Firefighters Luke, Matt, Perry and Brad taught us some very important lessons. Kindergarten students now know to 'Get down low and go, go go!' and to 'Stop, drop and roll' if they are ever on fire. Firefighter Brad showed us the many steps involved for firefighters when preparing to enter premises that are on fire. We looked at pictures that show safe and unsafe fires and discussed why they are safe/unsafe.

At the end, Firefighter Matt challenged Mimi and Oli in a 'getting-dressed-in-firefighter-gear' race. Have you checked your smoke alarm at home recently? Our visit from the Byron Bay firefighters is a timely reminder to check yours. Any kindergarten student should be able to explain how to check if yours is working! Thank you so much Firefighters Luke, Matt, Perry and Brad! Kindergarten thoroughly enjoyed your visit and learnt so much.

Kindergarten Cultural Excursion with Delta Kay

What a perfect day for our Kindergarten excursion to Palm Valley to learn about the Arakwal culture! We listened to Aunty Delta share her cultural experiences through stories. We learnt about special places of the Arakwal People, their totems and bush foods.

We picnicked 'on country' and learnt about the significance of the Midden, before meandering through the rainforest examining the native plants. Afterwards, we created shelters using natural materials. On the way back to school, we trekked along the beach, stopping to create some sandcastles and watch the ocean for whales and dolphins.

Thank you to the Kindergarten students for their beautiful behaviour and the respect they demonstrated. Thank you to Miss Turner for orgaising such a wonderful day.

PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

Tournament of the Minds (TOM)

On Sunday, 8 September, 4 teams of 7 students travelled to Terranora-Lindesfarne Grammar school to compete in the Regional Finals for Tournament of Minds. They competed in a long term challenge which they have been working on for 6 weeks and a spontaneous challenge given to them on the day.

All teams were great on the day and showed excellent teamwork and creativity. Congratulations to the Arts and Stem Teams who won an Honours award.

A massive congratulations also to the Language Literature team (Reece, Rosy, Melaleuca, Pia L, Clancy, Nina and Emma), who were awarded first place!!! This team will now participate in the NSW State Finals at the University of NSW in Sydney on Sunday 22 September. We wish them the best of luck.

A BIG thank you to Mrs Whitney for training, organising and supporting the TOM Teams, also to Mrs Hogan, Mrs Dawes and Mrs Kneipp for their involvement on the day of the competition, plus the parents who ensured our young learners were on time and ready for TOM Team business. It was a real team effort.

SRC’s Beanies for Brain Cancer Fundraiser

Thanks to Byron Bay Public School students and the SRC for raising funds to donate to the Mark Hughes Foundation as a result of the Beanies for Brain Cancer Day. The chilly conditions on Friday made the day a success as beanies became a perfect accessory for the cold day. Well done SRC for raising a total of $382.30 for this important cause.

Book Swap to Raise Money for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation

A big thank you to all who contributed books to our Book Swap for Indigenous Litercy Day. The day was successful also with the school donating $500 towards the Indigenous Litercy Foundation. What a great, generous school population we have.

Thank you to Mrs Finter & Mrs Dawes for organising the Book Swap.

Students participation in 2024 State Dance Festival

Three of our Year 6 students - Anais F, Gigi RB and Alera T represented our school in the Far North Coast Dance Ensemble at the NSW Public School's 2024 State Dance Festival last evening, Tuesday 17 September. The Dance Festival theme this year is 'Perpetual Motion' and was held at the Seymour Centre in Sydney. We are very proud of these talented students and congratulate them on this wonderful achievement, the girls have given up much of their time and thank them for their dedication and commitment. A big thank you must also go to the girls parents for all their support and encouragement.

Australian Citizenship Day

Australian Citizenship Day was introduced in 2001 and is an opportunity for all Australians to celebrate and value Australian citizenship, especially the peaceful, prosperous and inclusive society we share. It provides us with the opportunity to reflect on the role we play in building our nation and shaping our country's future as proud Australian citizens. This year, Citizenship Day was celebrated on Tuesday 17 September.

Play Equipment - Before and After School Use

Please remember that children playing on the fixed equipment after school are to be in direct supervision of their parent or carer. It is important that students who are not picked up from school go directly home or go straight to bus lines. By everyone following these expectations, we are creating a safe environment for our students. Please note that in the morning, the play equipment is out of bounds to all.

Friday 27 September is the last day of Term 3, then we have a two week break. Please note that there is NO School Development Day at the beginning of next term and students return on Monday 14 October.

No P&C Meeting in October

The meeting date for the next P&C Meeting falls during the school holidays. The P&C have decided to have their next meeting on Thursday, 14 November at 6:00pm in the staffroom.

Sport News

Boys Football Team Triumphs in North Coast Final

The Byron Bay Boys' football team has done it again! In an exciting match on Monday, they faced off against Coffs Harbour in the North Coast Final. The game was challenging, but our boys showed true spirit and determination, ultimately clinching a hard-fought victory with a score of 3 - 2.

This impressive win has secured our team a spot in the next round of the NSW PSSA Knockout Competition. They will be heading to Tamworth to compete against Tamworth Public School, the champions of the North West region.

A huge thank you to Ben Ahern, Jay O'Harae, and the Byron Bay Football Club for their assistance and organisation of the game. As our boys prepare for their next big challenge, we wish them the best of luck in Tamworth!

NSW State Athletics Championships

Congratulations to Alera T, Jack R, Charlie I, Nash W, and Harry EG, who have qualified for the NSW PSSA Athletics Championships in Sydney next term. These talented athletes will represent Byron Bay Public School in their respective events.

We are proud of their achievements and wish them the best in the upcoming state-level competition.

NSW PSSA Football Championships

Jeddah R and Cooper K represented Byron Bay Public School at the NSW PSSA State Championships in Tamworth as part of the North Coast PSSA Football Teams. They displayed great pride and determination throughout the competition. It was an excellent experience for both students, showcasing their skills at the state level.

Congratulations to Jeddah and Cooper on their impressive performances!

Garden News

It’s been a while since we’ve reported from the garden. The children have been earning their straight-from-the-garden snacks every Thursday. There have been mountains of mulch being delivered to the garden from some big clean up efforts by our new yard person, Eleanor. With her help we’ve managed to repurpose maybe 50, or more, large green bins of leaves and cuttings which she delivers to the garden and we use to mulch the pathways.

We were recently accepted to receive a grant of $500 from NSW Health which was very welcome, for purchasing some new tools and materials. We’re very thankful for this.

We would also like to give a huge thankyou to the P&C for their continuing support of our garden with the covering of costs for mulch, seeds and other consumables. Last, but not least, a big thank you to all the children who volunteer their time and energy in their own lunch and recess on Thursdays in our school garden. Thanks also to our photographer, Dusty!

Yours in all things green | Deb