Help needed for Creative Play Project

The creative play project is an initiative started by BPPS parents Beverly Witherington and Sabine Simmonds. The idea is to provide a creative play area at the school that all the children can enjoy. There are many educational and social benefits associated to this type of play, Beverly presented some of these at the P&C meeting.

The project has the support of the school and 2 of the BPPS teachers are helping to move this forward. The team need further help  in an advisory role in design, architect, design, carpenter background, to help take this project to the next stage.

If you are interested, would like more information, or know anyone who could help please contact Beverley on her email address beverleywitherington@gmail.com.

Thanks!

Uniform Shop

Uniform Shop Update.

The P&C has been reviewing the way BBPS runs the uniform shop for a number of months after receiving feedback from parents requesting flexibility in the way that parents can purchase uniform items. Last term an online ordering system was launched, in addition to the Friday morning opening of the uniform shop.

I am afraid that due to the lack of parent volunteers, running the uniform shop in this way is no longer an option and at the P&C meeting on 22nd July it was voted that we would look at outsourcing options. 

After careful consideration it was decided that Pickles in Brookvale would manage the BPPS uniform shop from W/C 5th August. This decision was based on pricing of the uniform, quality of uniform items, flexibility to update and review the uniform, convenience for parents and reliable service. 

There are a number of benefits in doing this - 

1. We will no longer be calling on parents to run the uniform shop every week.

2. The Uniform Storeroom will be vacant and handed back to the school as much needed storage space  (Kevin is already measuring up!)

3. The $30,000 value of the uniform stock that the school holds will be paid to the P&C from Pickles and used for educational and support resources for the school.

4. There is an option to order your uniform items online 24 hours a day, these are delivered to your child in their classroom FREE OF CHARGE every week

5. You can visit the Pickles uniform shop in person to try items on and review the uniform options, they also do alterations.

6. The P&C does get a 5% rebate on all purchases from BPPS parents. It will be proposed at the next P&C meeting that these funds could be used towards establishing a hardship fund which could help subsidise any additional uniform costs for low income families at the school.

7. Kevin is working with the children on a review of the uniform, keeping the same colours but looking at different styles and fabrics - we are very excited to see the feedback from this.

We would also like to introduce a 2nd hand uniform shop that would be open at the beginning and end of every term. Parents would be asked to donate outgrown uniform for the sale dates. Again, funds raised from this could be used in the P&C hardship fund. 

Although there will be a small increase in the cost of SOME of the items of the uniform, the costs are still very much in line, and in many cases cheaper, than other public school uniform prices in the area. I have attached the proposed Pickles price list and other public school prices for your perusal.

And finally.....

We have some wonderful parents who have volunteered to open the uniform shop this Friday 2nd August. If you would like to come along and pick up any uniform items before the move to Pickles it will be open from 8.45am.

Regards

Mandy Sigaloff

P&C President

Band - Awards all round!

Concert Band Awarded a Gold
Junior Band awarded a Bronze

What a fantastic effort everybody (including us parents getting the kids to early morning practices)! Your children should be very proud of themselves for being awarded a Gold and Bronze certificate for the Yamaha festival.

To celebrate, we would like to ask you to send your child along with a nut free plate or packet of treats so they can have a little "party" after band practice tomorrow morning.

Thank you for all your support this term and I wish you all a fun and safe holiday break.

Kind regards,

Chrissie

Athletics Carnival

Due to the wet weather the Athletics Carnival will be canceled today

It will be re-scheduled for 26th June.

Many thanks

Mandy

Beauty Point Band at the Yamaha Festival

Well done to students who played at the Yamaha festival this week and a huge thank you to the Band Committee and parents who became taxi's for the day, driving the children safely too and from the event!

David (conductor) said that the Judge was saying how impressed he was with the quality of music coming from a group of such young children just starting out in music! A real testament at how hard everyone has been working  at home, band practice, band camp and every week in rehearsals.

Rosie, the band committee and conductors are planning  some fun stuff for Term3 which will  keep the children enthused and challenged with their music moving forward.

We look forward to hearing the results!

School Uniform Shop

At the last P&C meeting Caroline Smith presented a proposal to outsource school uniforms to Pickles so we could have the connivence of an online uniform shop. Demand for this option is there due to it's connivence for parents and better quality. The average increase in uniform cost if a full range was purchased online was $75.

The current uniform shop arrangement uses up space and volunteer time but it does generate a small profit for the school (circa $4 per annum). An online ordering system where you can download the order form and email it back exists but is not greatly used.

Concerns were expressed at the last P&C meeting regarding the increased costs of the uniform if we were to go the Pickles route, 2nd hand stock and loosing the revenue from the uniform shop.

The issue of uniform shops and stock levels is on the regional P&C agenda so many schools are facing the same issues.

Caroline, Michelle and I will be re-looking at how we can offer parents the connivence of online ordering but without the increased costs or loosing the 2nd hand option and the revenue it generates for the school.

If you have any comments or ideas please let us know by commenting below.

Regards
Mandy

School Grounds and Environment.

At the last P&C meeting 3 items where discussed that involve the school grounds and environment -

1. The exposed area from the removal of the Library Demountable.
2. The water logged Government Road entrance to the school.
3. Working bee.

There is a possibility that the demountable area will be used for an extra classroom in the near future as school enrolments increase, but in the interim we need to make it more accessible to students without it costing a lot of money. Mel Tyas, the P&C's Environment Advisor, presented a plan that involved a grassed area and sleepers for seating that was received well by all attending the P&C.

The Government Road access to the school becomes a soggy bog whenever we get a down pour. This has been discussed on many occasions with solutions presented. These have either reduced the children's play area, or had an impact on the accessibility to the school by cars/lorries/emergency services through this entrance.

Mel presented a mini wetlands solution at the P&C meeting (plan below) that would dry up this area, as well as maximise the play area and entrance. We received an Environment grant in 2012 and a motion was passed that remaining funds from this grant be used to create this mini wetlands.

Mel suggested a working bee afternoon where parents could come and give a hand in creating the new demountable area as well as a good tidy of the gardens and grounds. An email will be going out through class parents and we will post the date on this Blog. This is a great day to bring children of all ages to play and help out and we provide a sausage sizzle so you don't have to do dinner so please come along.

If you have any feedback on anything on this post please use the comments box below.

Many thanks
Mandy