Dear Parents and Caregivers,
Over the last two weeks we have celebrated a variety of achievements in our school community. On the 24th and 25th of November we showcased our excellence programs with the Spirit of Banksia evenings, we recognised student achievement in Year 6 and class awards and celebrated our high expectations for behaviour with our Gold Awards. We also began the student leadership transition during our school captain handover and clap out ceremony. Thank you for your attendance at these events as it demonstrates to our students the value we all hold in these parts of our school. In the coming days we will commemorate our year in each classroom through events on Party Day and formally say goodbye to our Year 6 students at their Graduation Ceremony. All of these events create lasting memories for both yourself and your students.
Facilities Improvements
For those who have attended events in our performing arts hall over the last week it has been wonderful to experience the addition of our new fans. These have been fitted to work with the air-conditioning on the stage to decrease the temperature and promote air flow without interfering with the aesthetics of the stage or sound quality. For anyone who has previously weathered the stifling conditions during events at this time of the year they are a welcome relief! Thank you to our Business Manager Amanda Menzies who has worked on this project throughout 2021 and ensured they were installed for the celebrations at this time of year. Thank you also to our P&C for fund raising to purchase and install the fans.
Moving into 2022 we will see a significant change to the look and layout of our school. During the first semester of the 2022 school year we will see the demolition and replacement of several of our old demountable buildings. As some of these buildings will not fit in the original spaces, some will be relocated within our school grounds. We are working with the builders and designers to minimise any disruption to our school community, however there will be the temporary relocation of students to spare classrooms at times. This work is due for completion by July 2022. Look out for exciting things to come!
COVID19 in 2022
As we open our borders and begin to travel more freely it is important to understand that the spread of COVID19 is an eventuality. The Queensland government has mandated that anyone working on a school site must have their second vaccination shot by January 23, 2022. This includes volunteers. At this point visitors and parents are excluded from this list. For more information please go to the Queensland Health website. It is important to stay informed of any developments over the holidays that may impact upon our school specifically. This can be done by following our Facebook page and checking your email for any news flashes or updates. Contact numbers etc should also be updated at the office.
First Lego League
Last weekend, our senior STEM team competed in the National Championships for First Lego League at Sheldon College. Our team once again did very well, narrowly missing second place in the robotics section of the event. This is despite some hiccups with the new robot and our students have now developed very keen skills when it comes to trouble shooting! Thank you to Mr and Mrs Hobson who devoted much of their own time and an entire weekend to support and mentor our students.
Best Wishes Year 6
I would like to extend my congratulations to our graduating Year 6 students and wish them the very best for the future. They are a sensational group of children and have been truly excellent to work with. During 2021 our school has worked closely with Bribie Island State High School to support the important transition for our Year 6 students into high school in 2022. Several of our graduating class will also attend other high schools and I feel they will all transition smoothly. I am confident they will go on to be exemplary examples of our school values, not only in their secondary school years but throughout their lives.
2022 Provisional Class Placements
As has been the process over the last couple of years, parents will be informed of class placements for 2022 via email that will identify the class teacher and class location. This location may change depending on the building plans at the beginning of 2022. Emails will be sent in the week of 13th December which is the first week of the holidays. Due to privacy requirements, class lists of names will not be provided.
This process will provide students and parents reassurance about where students will be placed for at least the start of the new year. These placements will be determined using the most accurate enrolment data available in the last week of this term.
It is important for parents to understand that careful thought and planning goes into the formation and structure of the classes. It is extremely difficult to alter classes once the emails have been sent out, as change usually necessitate the swap of students. Therefore, changes will only be made for exceptional circumstances and only in the next year once the structure and organisation of classes is finalised after the eighth day.
Please be aware that Education Queensland provides the final staffing to schools based upon the enrolment number on the eighth school day next year. This is why I have deliberately used the term “provisional class placement”. Sometimes the Day 8 enrolment figure necessitates students be moved from their initial provisional placement to a different class, or a different teacher, to achieve the optimum classroom organisation across the school.
Thank You
I would like to take this opportunity acknowledge and thank some of the groups who have contributed significantly to making our school great this year. Thank you to our Banksia Beach State School staff. The staff at Banksia are friendly, approachable and beyond conscientious. They are student centred and often go the extra mile if it means students are provided with opportunities to succeed. They have worked collaboratively and cooperatively to build strong, cohesive teams this year and despite some challenges, have provided our students with engaging, supportive environments in which our students thrive. I wish to thank them for their dedication and their commitment to or students and the school community.
I would also like to acknowledge the conscientious and generous work of our P&C Executive Team, throughout 2021. Their contribution to our school has meant we are now enjoying some significant infrastructure upgrades that will make our student learning more productive and enjoyable. I encourage all members of our community to become involved in the P&C in 2022.
I also appreciate the support of the school community throughout this year. Working within restrictions at times we have maintained our high expectations and provided our students with many opportunities to improve and achieve. This has always been a community effort and I thank you for your flexibility and cooperation. My hope is that in 2022 we will be able to resume fully many of the extra-curricular and excellence program opportunities we have enjoyed in the past.
I wish everyone a very happy Christmas Holiday and a wonderful 2022 and look forward to working with everyone again in the New Year.
Mrs Heidi Haydon
Acting Principal