Richmond Primary School Newsletter Wednesday 26th February 2025

Principal's Address

Dear Families,

The Department’s Every school day matters campaign highlights the importance of regular school attendance. Going to school every day gives children every chance to learn and grow, and connect with their mates and teachers. This campaign encourages parents and carers that school is the best place for their children to be, as it will lead to bright futures.

Make sure your child comes to school, every day, because coming to school every day gives your child the best chance to learn and grow and connect with their mates and teachers. It’s where bright futures start and where they’ll benefit the most.

Get them excited for school If you show a positive attitude and excitement towards school, your child will pick up on that. The most common thing we hear from students, of all ages, is that school is where they can:

• spend time with their friends and teachers
• create new and fun experiences
• find their interests and learn new things
• open their options – for whatever future they want (whether that’s their dream job or to travel around the world).

Talk to your child about school, by opening up a conversation with your child about what’s happening at school, it will help you to better support their interests and confidence in learning. If you show an interest in school, they’ll know that getting an education is important and valued.

• Celebrate the milestones big and small! Celebrate milestones such as making it through the first day or week of school. And remember: all milestones look different. If it’s a big achievement for your child, it’s important to recognise it.
• Set up a time to talk to your child’s teacher or principal If you’re struggling to get your child to school, help is available. Please talk to us at school about your situation. We’ll support you, in whatever way we can.
• Know when to seek help There is no weakness in admitting you need help. If your child has completely disengaged with school, and not attending at all, there is support to help you. In the first instance, talk to us at school.
  

Congratulations to our student leaders for 2025   

Our School Captains: Angus Mancey and Emily Watson

Vice School Captains: Oliver McCarthy and Humphrey Nettlefold

Our House Captains are:

Archer – Xav Scott (Captain) Archie Prince and Ollie McCarthy (V.C’s)

Thomson – Lewis McCarthy (Captain) Harry Jones and Jordyn Donovan (V.C’s)

Congratulations to these student leaders, we wish them well for 2025 and look forward to a year of personal growth as they grow into their leadership roles.

We look forward to our House Captains leading their houses at our Primary Athletics carnival on the Richmond Oval Friday February 28^th

We are still in need of some parent volunteers, please contact mark.nichols@decyp.tas.gov.au if you can help out.

School Association Meeting

This evening at 6pm at the Richmond Arms we will be holding the first School Association meeting for 2025. All parents and carers associated with Richmond Primary School are general members of the association and are encouraged to join us for our meetings.

If you are free this evening, then please come along and hear what the association does to support the Richmond Primary School community.

Open Morning Invitation

On Tuesday the 11^th of March we are holding an open morning to welcome our families into classrooms, to enable them to see how their child has settled into their new class, how they are building social connections and to provide an opportunity for the students to share their work. Teachers will share information about the relevant curriculum, the importance of regular attendance and the ways that our school communicates with families through our fortnightly newsletter and class communication through Seesaw.

We hope to see many of you then, so please mark it in your calendar.

Progressive Achievement Tests (PAT)

Over the past two weeks staff have administered the Progressive Achievement Tests (PAT) in our early years’ classes.

PAT assessments are developed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER). PAT focuses on assessing and monitoring student growth over time and is underpinned by an understanding that students of the same age and in the same year of school can be at very different points in their learning and development.

PAT data is used to monitor student growth across the school, targeting areas of needs for individuals and groups of children. Results are provided for teachers to inform their teaching, being sure no student falls behind, the results are tracked each year. The PAT reports are designed for teachers.

There will not be, at this stage a report available to send home to parents. Teachers use the data from the PAT assessment, along with other formative classroom assessments to support conversations with parents about student learning. It is mandated across all DECYP schools that PAT EY is administered twice yearly in Prep and Grade 1. Students in Grade 2 - Grade 6 complete PAT in October.  

Sun Protection at School                                                                   

Thank you to all families who have organised hats to keep our students sun safe.

Students need to wear a clearly named hat this term for playing and learning outside (including before school when the UV rating is 3 or above). Students who do not have a hat will be asked to play in the designated shaded areas. Sun protection needs to be used until the end of April.

Students are encouraged to bring sunscreen to school (please clearly name the container). Sunscreen is available for those who don't have their own in all classrooms. Sunglasses are optional again, please clearly name these. microfibre bucket hats and legionnaires hats are available to purchase from the school office.

Regards, 

Clare McVilly

Principal

Richmond Primary School

5/6A News

Grade 5/6A have had a very settled and productive start to the beginning of the school year. Besides lots of ‘getting to know you’ activities which help to build strong connections within the classroom, children have been writing poetry with the aim of capturing a snapshot of our school during the first few weeks of the year.

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Term 1 in 3/4B

It has been a great start to the term for 3/4B, filled with getting to know you activities and exciting learning.

We have created our “all about me!” shoes to share some information about who we are and our interests with our peers. The students took care to provide detail in their designs and have done a magnificent job.

We have also spent some time writing about our holiday adventures. To accompany our writing, we drew a portrait with our holiday adventures reflected in our sunglasses.

Finally, we have been focusing on place value within our maths lessons.

The grade 4s have been busily learning about decimals and the grade 3s place value to the tens of thousands and onwards.

The students have been using several materials, including deci-pipes and MAB blocks, to assist with the development of their understanding.

The students have achieved so much in only four weeks! We are looking forward to sharing our next achievements with you soon.

Safeguarding in Schools

This year, Mrs Al Scott is continuing in the role of our school Safeguarding Lead. Safeguarding Leads are appointed in every DECYP school and CFLC in Tasmania to help ensure children and young people are known, safe, well and learning.

As Safeguarding Lead, Al will enhance our efforts in promoting and nurturing a culture of safeguarding at our school. This will enable us to better support the wellbeing of all our students and reinforce the understanding that keeping children and young people safe is everyone's responsibility. By improving our safeguarding culture, we can create a safer and more supportive environment for all.

For further information on Safeguarding in Schools and CFLCs, please visit the DECYP Keeping children safe through safeguarding webpage.

Keeping children safe through safeguarding - Department for Education, Children and Young People

2025 Volunteer Requirements

As we kick off the new school year, we want to remind our school community about the important requirements for volunteering at our school.

To ensure the safety and wellbeing of our students, it is mandatory for all volunteers to have their RWVP (Registration for Working with Vulnerable People) and to have completed the Our Obligations – Safeguarding Training 15-minute video before engaging with children and young people in a volunteer capacity at our school. Certificates for the training video are valid for 12 months from the date of completion. These steps are essential in helping us maintain a safe and supportive environment for our children.

To apply for a Registration for Working with Vulnerable people, please visit:

Apply for registration to work with vulnerable people | Service Tasmania

To complete the Our Obligations – Safeguarding Training 15-minute video please visit:

Compulsory Safeguarding Training for Workers - Department for Education, Children and Young People

Volunteers are a vital part of our school community, and we are excited to collaborate with you in the year ahead.

Assembly Awards

Levies and Student Assistance Scheme

Levies have now been processed, families should be receiving invoices in the mail soon. 

Instalment options are by agreement with Lisa Brooks, our School Business Manager. Please note that we are 
able to offer flexible and negotiated options to assist parents to budget for this cost if the payment schedule 
does not suit your circumstances.
The school accepts payment by cash, eftpos or cheque. Levies can also be paid by Bpay, Centrepay and at Service 
Tasmania.

Student Assistance Scheme STAS

STAS provides assistance to eligible families by waiving levies for students. It applies to students enrolled in a school from kindergarten through to year 12.

STAS is not a direct payment but means you won’t have to pay the levy charge.

Are you eligible for STAS?

If you have a current concession card as listed below, you can apply for dependent students for assistance under the STAS:

• Services Australia – Centrelink Health Care Card
• Services Australia – Centrelink Low Income Health Care Card
• Services Australia – Pensioner Concession Card
• Department of Veteran Affairs – Pensioner Concession Card

Details re Student Assistance Scheme (STAS) and application forms may be found at:

https://www.education.tas.gov.au/parents-carers/parent-fact-sheets/fees-levies/

If you have already been accepted for STAS there is no need to re-apply, please check with the school office if you are unsure on 6260 2191.

Please note: if you hold a current concession card and have not applied before, you must apply, it is not automatically added.

Upcoming Term Dates

Program of Events 1 - 6 Athletics Carnival

Bunnings Sausage Sizzle Fundraiser - Volunteers Needed

We need volunteers to help with our upcoming Bunnings Sausage Sizzle.

Can you help support our school for 2 hours on Monday 10th March??

This upcoming fundraising activity is one of many we hold to raise much needed funds to enhance our student's education and wellbeing including the colour run, breakfast program, lantern walk and school equipment.

To run the sausage sizzle stand, we need volunteers throughout the day from 7.30am to 4.30pm.

Please help us support our amazing school and students. By sharing the volunteering, it enables us to better support our school. If you can help us run our sausage sizzle, please contact richmond.primary@decyp.tas.gov.au

Validation Forms

Just a reminder, the validation forms distributed at the start of term need to be returned to school by Friday, 28th February, please. Many activities and tasks can only be completed once the forms have been returned, such as IT use, excursions, and sporting events, to name a few.