It has been fantastic to see our students return to on-site learning over the last two weeks. For some students it was a challenging transition back to school but for most the return has been very smooth.

Students have been re-engaging with their learning, teachers and other students in a very positive manner.

As I walk in and out of classrooms I am seeing evidence of high levels of student engagement. Our staff have been able to continue the use of Canvas in many classroom settings, producing very consistent, high quality learning experiences for our students.

I thank students and parents for making the necessary adjustments to our canteen procedures and pre-ordering food. This has helped streamline the way our canteen is used by both students and staff.

As we head towards the end of a very unusual term I request students ensure they are organised and ready for learning every day. Whilst for some there have been some gaps in learning due to the time away from site, our focus is on attending every day, completing all the learning to the highest possible standard and to continue to monitor the wellbeing of all students during the remainder of this year.

If your son or daughter is struggling with the transition back to full-time school then please make contact with us via their Tutor Group teacher, Grade Leader or Assistant Principal.

Rob Fleming
Principal

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Mid-Year reports will be issued to students on the last day of Term 2 (Friday 3rd July). 

Due to the COVID-19 Learning from Home period, assessments will only be made on student progres against the 5 core learning areas of English, Mahtematics, History, Science and Health and Wellbeing.  There will also be a comment relating to student wellbeing since the return to school. A comprehensive report on all areas will be provided at the end of the year. 

Please feel free to contact your child's teacher for further details about student progress. 
Yours faithfully, 

Rob Fleming
Principal 

Blind Contour Drawing: Portraits

Can you draw a portrait of a person sitting opposite you without looking at your paper?

Grade 8 Art students had a go at this task – some found it challenging, others thought it was just for fun!

What do you think?

The HPE team had a guest on Friday, much to the surprise and delight of the students. Thanks for sharing Mrs Farrell!

The consumption of Energy Drinks before coming to school has been increasingly problematic.

Please talk with your child/teen about this emerging issue and work with them to improve their understanding and knowledge of these products, their impact on health, wellbeing and learning and ways to encourage your child to make better choices.

The major health concern surrounding ‘energy’ drinks is their high caffeine content.

Caffeine is an addictive substance that can affect the heart and nervous system.

While it may temporarily help you overcome symptoms such as tiredness and restore alertness, it can have other negative side effects, especially in children and adolescents.

Negative or adverse effects of caffeine can include:

• Difficulty concentrating
• Difficulty sleeping
• Insomnia
• Nervousness
• Headache
• Rapid heart rate
• Anxiety

Due to their smaller body weight, children are at greater risk than adults of developing these adverse symptoms if they continue to have regular intake of even small amounts of caffeinated drinks.

Energy Drinks have not just high amounts of caffeine but also sugar.

Energy drinks can contain 80-120mg caffeine and up to 15 teaspoons of sugar per can.

Studies have shown that blood becomes stickier after drinking energy drinks and which can block arteries and veins and lead to stroke, heart attacks and death even in children.

The sugar in energy drinks predisposes us to Type 2 diabetes as it leads to insulin spikes and insulin resistance. It is also a major contributor to tooth decay and obesity.

Even sugar free Energy drinks can cause blood sugar levels to rise by 25% and may lead to problems in getting these levels back down to normal.

Energy drinks may also contain other additives, such as B Vitamins, guarana, taurine, ephedrine and ginseng which act as stimulants. While some of these ingredients are naturally occurring, the combination in Energy Drinks and the amounts of these ingredients can enhance the effects of caffeine and they put a greater load on the kidneys abilities to filter effectively.

Energy drinks are low in nutrition value and high in kilojoules, and they may have many harmful effects on children and adolescents including increasing risk of excessive weight gain, increasing heart rate and increasing anxiety.

 Reducing the intake of energy drinks is important for general health and wellbeing.

The best drink to hydrate the body is WATER.

Source: Nutrition Australia and Rethink Sugary Drinks

Peter (Jake) Jacobson

School Health Nurse

There will be two camps for high school students grade 7 to grade 10 happening in the July holidays with very different formats as one will be an online camp and the other a residential camp. That means we can invite kids who cannot wait to get outside again but also those who might be still anxious about Covid or just reluctant to leave home for a few days.

SUPA & Beyond will run from Monday, 6th until Wednesday 8th of July and will be delivered online. That means, "campers" will gather via Zoom for a morning session with games, challenges and part of a movie, go off for the day fully equipped with fun stuff to do before gathering again via Zoom for an evening session. Campers will receive an "action camp pack" which will be delivered to their doorstep and include everything they will need to participate in the camp activities. The theme of this camp is based upon the teenage movie "Overcomer".

Element Camp will run from Friday, 10th to Sunday 12th of July. Unlike previous years, we will run this camp at Carnacoo at Paper Beach because the previous campsite at Liffey is no longer available. The theme of this camp is based upon the documentary "The Dawn Wall" and, thus, we anticipate an action filled camp including rock climbing but also games, craft, and time to just hang out with each other.

The costs per camper for SUPA & Beyond are $10 and Element $110. Stephanie will send flyers for both camps through early next week.

To register a camper for SUPA & Beyond go to TryBooking at  https://www.trybooking.com/BJWFT

Payment can be made via credit card or with these promo codes:

Cash Payment:  SUbeyond20Cash

Direct Deposit Payment: SUbeyond20DD

To register for Element Camp go to TryBooking at  https://www.trybooking.com/BJWIW

Payment can be made via credit card or with these promo codes: 

Cash Payment:  elemeNT20Cash

Direct Deposit Payment:  elemeNT20DD 

We would love to hear stories of how your child’s school or teacher has inspired you during this time of COVID-19. Over the past few months it has become more evident than ever before that schools are the heart of our communities and are greatly valued.

The strong partnerships of parents working with teachers and schools to support our students meant student engagement in learning remained high even though teaching and learning was different in so many ways.

As a Department we are looking to capture these amazing stories of courage and growth and showcase many of these through a Celebration of Collaboration later in the year.

We encourage you to acknowledge your school, Child and Family Centre or local library for going above and beyond.

Please share your story by visiting: www.education.tas.gov.au/our-learnings

Class Times

Who to Contact:

2021 Term Dates

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