Dear Families

This year will bring many successes and challenges as usual. As we go about our day it is very important that we focus on building and maintaining respectful relationships between all members of the school community. Respecting each other enables us to develop trust and allows us to work collaboratively. 

This term in particular, our students will be focussing on the value of Respect - caring for ourselves, each other, and our environment and on the value Connection - building positive relationships and a sense of belonging.

Positive relationships are essential for learning and every learner must be given opportunities to succeed in an environment that is safe, supportive and inclusive.

Staff have a responsibility to model respectful behaviour, attitudes and communcation as they work with students, each other and families, both in and out of the classroom. Working together to create a culture of respect ensures everyone can be assured of certainty and consistency in our interactions and relationships. 

We continue to welcome family engagement and genuinely consider families as integral members of our school community. Respectful interactions, effective communication and working in partnership, all require ongoing commitment from our families and positively influence learner wellbeing and success. 

Our school community is known to be inclusive, compassionate and respectful. Let's all recommit to these ways of being and celebrate the important role we each play in promoting a safe and supportive environment, one where our students lead bright lives and have positive futures.  

Sharon

The Leadership Team consists of Mrs Sharon Symes (Principal), Mr Steve Smyth (Assistant Principal), Mrs Cindy Wright (Assistant Principal), Mrs Lisa Probert (Advanced Skills Teacher), Miss Jasmine Bird (Advanced Skills Teacher), Mrs Zoe Galloway (Advanced Skills Teacher), Mrs Aimee Pridmore (Quality Teaching Coach) and Mrs Janaha Williams (Safeguarding Lead).

All of these people have a leadership portfolio, with one of their main priorities being to provide support to students and their families. It is most important that families communicate with their child’s class teacher where possible, however there may be times when families need the assistance of a leadership team member. 

Mrs Lisa Probert (lisa.probert@decyp.tas.gov.au) is the leadership team member allocated to supporting students and families in LiL, Kindergarten and Prep.

Miss Jasmine Bird (jasmine.bird@decyp.tas.gov.au) is the leadership team member allocated to supporting students and families in Year 1 and 2.

Mrs Zoe Galloway (zoe.galloway@decyp.tas.gov.au) is the leadership team member allocated to supporting students and families in Year 3 and 4.

Mrs Cindy Wright (cindy.wright@decyp.tas.gov.au) is the leadership team member allocated to supporting students and families in Year 5 and 6.

Families are able to communicate with the relevant leadership team member in person, over the phone (63261892) or by email.

Breakfast Club begins on Monday 19 February. Breakfast Club is open from 8:30 am - 8:50 am every day. There is no cost to students and we are able to provide Weet-bix, toast, and a cup of milk or water. We are extremely appreciative of the Year 12 students from Launceston Church Grammar School who volunteer their time to prepare and serve breakfast to our students. All welcome!

On Thursday 29 February, 5-6 classes will travel to Greens Beach, making stops on the way at Brady’s Lookout and Supply River Mill. 

Students need to wear school uniform on the day, including their sports shoes. Thongs can be taken to wear on the beach.  School hats will be given out before we leave and sunscreen will be applied regularly throughout the day.  If your child is sensitive to the sunscreen provided by the school, please make sure you provide an alternative.

We will not be swimming. However, students will be allowed to paddle and feel the water on their feet.  A small towel and a spare pair of shorts and socks will be helpful. 

Students need to bring food and water for our breaks throughout the day.

Buses will leave promptly at 8:00 am so students need to be at school no later than 7:50 am. We will return before 3:00 pm.

Cindy Wright on behalf of the 5/6 Team

We are looking forward to our Year 3 - Year 6 Athletic Carnival on Wednesday, 6 March. We are excited to welcome parents and family members to the event!

The 5/6 Carnival will start at 9:30 am and finish at 12:00 pm.

The 3/4 Carnival will start at 12:10 pm and finish at 2:45 pm.

A Canteen service isn't available at St Leonards. Students will need to bring along plenty of food and water to last the whole day for sustenance and hydration.

Please ensure that your child has suitable footwear for physical activity. Students are expected to wear their black school shorts and are allowed to wear a tshirt in their school House Colours if they wish. Face paint, hair dye and coloured fingernails are not permitted.

Where: St Leonards Athletic Centre

When: Wednesday, March 6 (March 7 is the Rain Day)

House Colours: Beatty – Blue, Cadorna – White, Jellico – Yellow

We hope you can come along and support this event!

Josh Leighton HPE Teacher

The Newsletter is uploaded to our school app and website every Wednesday. Paper copies will not be printed, as is our usual practice. Please find below instructions on how to download our app.  It is most important that you read the Newsletter each week as this is our main way of communicating with families. 

The school office is open from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm Monday to Friday.

School is open for students and supervision is provided from 8:30 am.

Learning starts at 8:55 am.

Recess is from 10:55 am to 11:25 am (includes eating time).

Lunch is from 12:55 pm  to 1:55 pm (includes eating time).

School finishes at 3:00 pm.

Supervision of students concludes at 3:15 pm.

Library bags will be given out to students during their first library lesson. Books borrowed from the library travel to and from school in this bag. Please keep all library books in this bag when they are not being read. Library bags will be collected at the end of Term 4.

Our Library Technician is Mrs Susan Tolputt and the teacher in the library is Miss Kaz Searle.

The library is open Monday to Thursday from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm and students are welcome to exchange books on these days. They do not have to wait until their allocated class library day.

Kaz Searle

Our School Canteen is managed by Mrs Angela Griffiths. It is open on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for snacks and lunch orders. Lunch orders can be made in the classroom before school or on the Qkr! app, and snacks can be purchased directly from the canteen. If families place an order using the Qkr! app, the order needs to made by 9:00 am. The Canteen Menu is available on our School app. 

The purpose of a school Student Dress Code and Uniform Policy is to promote social equity in terms of clothing, assist staff in easily identifying students and to enhance the sense of pride within a school. Our policy is in accordance with the Secretary’s Instruction No 6 for State School Student Dress Code and was developed in consultation with our School Association. It is a requirement that students wear the uniform our school endorses. 

The MHPS uniform consists of:

• Full length plain black tracksuit pants (no visible logo or markings)
• Plain black shorts (no visible logo or markings, no Skorts, no bike shorts)
• Blue polo or gold polo with school logo
• School dress (Term 1 and Term 4)
• School rugby jumper
• School windcheater
• School hat (bucket or broad brimmed)

Black or royal blue hijabs are available at the Uniform Cupboard.  Black leggings or stockings are able to be worn under the school dress for cultural, religious and medical reasons.

The footwear to accompany the uniform must be enclosed lace up or Velcro shoes, preferably black.

If families require any support with school uniforms please speak to a member of the Leadership Team.

Please Note: Our Uniform Cupboard is open every Monday from 8:30 am - 9:30 am. 

Our Uniform Cupboard is coordinated by Mrs Jenny Broad.  The Cupboard is open every Monday from 8:30 am to 9:30 am. Order forms may be collected from the school office at any time. You can also order items using our Qkr! app. Instructions for downloading and registering for Qkr! are below.

If your child has a medical condition which may require special treatment (for example asthma, allergies) your child will need a Medical Action Plan.

A plan from the Doctor and information from you is required so that we can ensure we have current and correct information. Please make sure your child's class teacher is aware of your child's condition as a priority.

Please contact Steve Smyth (Assistant Principal) on 6326 1892 to formalise the Medical Action Plan.  

If students require any medication whilst at school, we require a signed form from the doctor stating dose and time of medication, plus a signed form from the parent authorising the administration of medicine or tablets. For the administration of panadol and antihistamine, a signed form from the parent authorising the administration of medicine or tablets is required. These forms can be obtained from the school office. Medication must be provided in the original packaging. All medication is to be stored securely in the office.

The carpark off Cadorna Street is designated for Staff. Families are most welcome to drop students off in the turning circle. Students can then safely walk along the Cadorna Street footpath to the school gate. Students are not to walk up the driveway without an adult as this is a very dangerous place for students before and after school due to lots of traffic.

The Dental Carpark is a designated carpark for people using the Dental Service. Our families are unable to park in this carpark to drop off or pick up their children. 

Invoices will be sent home to families who have not been approved for STAS in the next couple of weeks.  This composite levy covers almost everything, including learning materials, resources, equipment, excursions and performances.  It does not cover specialised activities such as the Leavers’ Dinner, cost of school photo or any other optional activity.

Families are able to choose between a single payment of the levy or they may take advantage of a range of payment options. You are most welcome to discuss your needs with Ms Tina Todman our School Business Manager (6326 1892).

The Student Assistance Scheme provides assistance for low income families towards the cost of levies. STAS is provided to the school rather than paid directly to families. STAS 2024 application forms are available for new enrolments, or for families who have not applied for, or been in receipt of STAS in 2023. Please note, being the holder of a Centrelink Health Care Card does not automatically mean that a family will be approved for STAS. Families who were approved and received STAS in 2023 have been sent correspondence regarding STAS 2024 directly from the Department for Education, Children and Young People. STAS application forms can be downloaded from the Department's website at www.decyp.tas.gov.au or collected from our school office.