9 May 2025

Welcome Back to Term 2

Welcome back to Term 2! We hope you and your children have had a relaxing holiday break. If you have changed details such as your address or phone numbers in the holidays, please let the office know so what we can ensure your contact details are up-to-date.

We look forward to another exciting term full of activities and experiences where students can demonstrate that they are safe, respectful, and active learners of Busby West Public School.

PSSA Gala Days – Season 2

This term we will have two rounds of PSSA Gala Days. The first round will take place Friday 23 May and the second round will take place Friday 20 June.

This season students will have the opportunity to try out for the following teams:

• Mixed League Tag – Whitlam Park 3, Busby
• Mixed Newcomeball – Ed Wheeler, Sadlier
• Boys Basketball – TBC
• Girls Softball – Greenway Park, West Hoxton
• Mixed Netball – Woodward Park, Liverpool

Try outs for Gala Day will be held at school on Friday 9 May. Students who are successful in making a team will need to return their permission note and a $10.00 voluntary contribution to school office. Students who are unsuccessful will participate in various sports and activities here at school.

Year 6 Wonder Sandwich Making Excursion

Our Year 6 students have been invited to participate in a rewarding and word breaking initiative. Wonder and Eat Up Australia have teamed up and are calling on school students across Sydney to help break a Guinness World Record for the longest line of sandwiches ever made to feed kids in need.

This record breaking event is an amazing opportunity for students to learn the value of giving back whilst tackling food insecurity in Australia. Guided by trained facilitators, students will learn how to prepare sandwiches that will make a real difference to the lives of thousands of students across Australia.

The excursion and event will take place on Wednesday 14 May, there is no cost to students. Students will be travelling by bus and need to be at school by 8:00am. A light recess and lunch will be provided by Eat Up.

It should be a wonderful opportunity for our students.

Jellybeans Music

This year we have continued to provide expert tuition in music by employing specialist teachers. In term 2, Preschool Group B and Kindergarten will participate in music on Thursdays. The costs for these programs are covered by the school to ensure all students can attend. This year we request families contribute $10 each time your child participates in a program.

School Uniform

It's getting cold

As Autumn starts to settle in we would like to encourage our families to please wear appropriate uniform to suit the weather conditions.

At Busby West Public School, we are very proud of our school uniform. The wearing of school uniform by students helps build self-confidence and a sense of connection with their community. With the cooler months approaching all students are encouraged to bring a school jacket or jumper with their name clearly printed on it.

We love seeing our students in their navy blue jumpers or jackets!

School uniforms can be purchased from our supplier Lupco - https://lupcofashions.com.au/

Alternatively navy jumpers, jackets and tracksuit pants are readily available from Kmart, Big W, Target and Best & Less.

If you need support with sourcing school uniforms for your children, please get in touch with the school office.

Please remember that students should only wear jumpers or jackets that are part of the school uniform. If a student arrives with an outer layer that isn’t uniform-approved, we’re happy to exchange it for one that is.

Please ensure your child's name is written on all clothing.

MobilEyes – Eye-Exams for Children at School

Mobileyes have partnered with us to bring its fully equipped Mobile Optometry Clinic and AHPRA registered optometrists to our school to conduct eye check-ups this week

The comprehensive eye check-up program is bulk billed (no gap) to Medicare. The examination includes:

• Clarity of vision assessment for distance and near
• Internal and external eye health assessment
• Eye co-ordination, binocular vision, depth perception and colour vision assessment
• Testing report sent to parents

Good vision is important for a child’s educational, behavioural, and social development and to help them reach their full learning potential.

It was wonderful to see many of our students receiving the eye examinations over the past week. Parents will receive a comprehensive report detailing the results of the examination.

P&C Meeting

Our next P&C Meeting will be held Monday 26 May at 9:00am in our Multi-Purpose Room (located next to OOSH). All are welcome to attend!

The P&C (Federation of Parents and Citizens Association of New South Wales) has the objectives to:

• promote the interests of the school by bringing parents, citizens, pupils and teaching staff into close co-operation;
• assist in providing equipment required by the school;
• report to the Minister the material requirements of the school;
• assist the teaching staff in establishment of school policy and management in all facets of school activity.

National Walk Safely to School Day

Busby West Public School will be participating in National Walk Safely to School Day on Friday 16 May 2025. This day is a great opportunity for families to walk to school together and have conversations about being a safe road user.

Here are some tips to help make walking to school a regular part of your routine:

Plan your route: Take some time to plan the safest and most convenient route to walk to school. Consider pedestrian crossings, footpaths, and traffic lights.

Set a schedule: Decide on the days and times you'll walk to school each week. Consistency is key to forming a new habit. Try to stick to your schedule as much as possible.

Safety first:

ALWAYS hold your child’s hand until they are at least 8 years old. Closely supervise them until they are at least 10 years old.

ALWAYS hold your child's hand:

• when on the footpath
• when crossing the road or
• when in a car park

Teach your child about being a safe pedestrian: This includes watching out for driveways, walking facing traffic when there are no footpaths and always Stop, Look, Listen, Think, everytime you cross the road.

Avoid distractions: Set a good example by putting your phone away. Focus on your surroundings. If you need to use your phone, stop in a safe place.

Make it fun: Keep the walks enjoyable by talking about what you see and about your day. This can help make the time go quickly and make walking to school something your child looks forward to.

Join forces: Coordinate with other families in your neighbourhood to walk to school together. Not only does this make it more fun for the kids, but it also provides additional safety in numbers.

Celebrate achievements: Celebrate achievements along the way to keep motivation high. Whether it's reaching a certain number of walks or noticing improvements in fitness, acknowledging progress can help reinforce the habit.

Practise, Practise, Practise: The more supervised pedestrian experiences your child can get the better, so they will be ready to safely travel by themselves when they are older.

Students arriving late

We have noticed an increasing number of students arriving at school after the 9:00 am bell.

As a reminder, our school operates from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, and it is crucial for students to be present at school by 8:55 am to ensure they are settled and ready for the day ahead.

Here are some steps that families can use to ensure they arrive at school before 8:55am;

Students who arrive late are missing out on essential morning routines to set them up for a successful day of learning.

Students who arrive after the 9am school bell will need to be bought to the office by a parent to obtain a late note. This ensures that they have arrived at school safely.

Thank you for supporting us to ensure all students have the opportunity to reach their maximum learning potential and be an attendance HERO.

Animals on the school ground

We understand that many of our families are animal lovers. However, please note that under the Companion Animals Act 1998 (NSW, Section 14), animals are prohibited on school grounds unless the principal grants permission.

We thank you for your understanding with this.

Communicating with you

We need to be able to connect with all families. Please use the Busby West Facebook page or the Sentral Parent Portal to keep up to date with notes, information and provide reasons for your child’s absences. Classes are also using ClassDojo.

Attendance

It is very important for children to develop habits of arriving on time at an early age, beginning from the time they start school. School starts promptly at 9:00am. All students are expected to be at school and in class from 9:00am to 3:00pm each day.

Please remind your child that they must go straight to their designated area when they arrive. Gates open at 8:30am each day. A couple of minutes here and there doesn’t seem like much but every minute counts!

All students are required to provide an explanation for absences on the day they return to school. Alternatively, you can send your child’s teacher a message on Class Dojo, or lodge an absent form via the SENTRAL Parent Portal App. If your child is absent for more than three days, they will require a medical certificate upon their return.

If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s attendance, please contact the office.

Indigenous Shirts - Now Available!

In 2023 we introduced our new Indigenous Shirts which were voted for by our school community. If you would like an additional shirt they are now available to purchase from the front office for $27.00 each. 

School Gates

To ensure the safety of our students and visitors attending the school, we keep our school grounds secure outside of supervised hours and during learning time.

Our school gates open from 8:30am in the morning for students to arrive to school. Our gates open again at 2:45pm for you to collect your child in the afternoon.

Preschool families can collect their children prior to the gates opening in the afternoon, but they will be required to ring the bell at the gate.

If you wish to pick your child up prior to 3:00pm, please speak with the office staff and they will arrange for your child to meet you at the office.

2025 Canteen Menu

This year we welcomed our new canteen providers Fresh 4 Kids. Please click for the new canteen menu for 2025. Orders can be placed at the canteen each morning from 8:30am. Please note that they only accept cash and eftpos payments at the canteen on the day of order. Lunch orders need to be placed by 9:10am.

Dates to keep in mind