DECEMBER 19th

ANOTHER GREAT YEAR AT THE BASIN PRIMARY SCHOOL

I would like to commend our wonderful students for another amazing

year full of many highlights. Our amazing Naplan results achieving re-

sults above State and National levels including the Grade 5’s HIGH rela-

tive gain over a two year cycle, more students across the school working

above their expected levels, the amazing results of our Literacy Lab op-

erating across the school this year, our continued sporting success - just

to name a few.

I would sincerely thank our dedicated and hardworking staff for their

professionalism and dedication towards their students in so many areas.

Thank you to our School Councillors who contribute positively to the gov-

ernance of the school and support our drive for continuing high stand-

ards of education. To our amazing PFA who have had another great

fundraising and special events year that finally will see shade sails in-

stalled over our two playgrounds during January.

To all parents who support the staff and students, thank you for your

contributions throughout this year which have “added real value” to our

school. Research shows that children who see parents involved in pro-

grams around the school helping out in some way feel more connected to

their school and perform better in their studies. The traditional African

proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child” has been reflected

throughout the whole year.

We look forward to building on this year’s success in 2015. Highlights to

look forward to in 2015 include the school concert, a major $5.7 million

upgrade to our school buildings and of course our next Country Fair in

October.

FAREWELLS

Sadly we farewell Brooke Harbour who joined our staff this term taking

over Prep W after Emma left to have her baby. We thank Brooke for

her wonderful work with our prep children and wish her well as she com-

mences next year at Eltham PS.

December

19th Final Assembly

12.50pm

TERM DATES FOR 2015

TERM 1

29th Jan—27th March

TERM 2

13th April—26th June

TERM 3

13th July—18th Sept

TERM 4

5th Oct—18th December

PRINCIPAL’S NEWS

YEAR 6 GRADUATION

Last Tuesday’s Year 6 Graduation was an amazing night where the families and friends of our gradu-

ating students shared this milestone. On behalf of our school community I would like to wish our

graduating students the very best next year and into the future. Congratulations to Melissa Richard-

son and Colin Hartley for the many hours of preparation into making this event a memorable one for

this wonderful group of young people. I’d like to also thank the Kilsyth Baptist Church for once again

hosting our Graduation, to Richard Gordon our Chaplain for his liaison work and Melinda MacLauchlan

and her incredible ladies who provided such a delicious supper. Every year we farewell our Grade 6

students and that also means we farewell some families who have had a long connections to TBPS.

Those families are – Klepac, Palmer, Dowler, Forest, Hunkin, Keogh, El-Shabasi, Leishman, Londre-

gan, Macdonald, Mesiano, McRoss, Morris, Fenn-Briggs, Evans, Thompson, Weller, Woolley, Mengel

and Garnham.

HOLIDAY SECURITY

Over the last few years we have seen an increase in the level of after hour’s community use of our

school grounds. In most instances, the members of the community who use our school do so with re-

gard to the values we place on our grounds and facilities. Occasionally this does not happen. If you

are in and around the school over the vacation and see people misusing our grounds or buildings please

call 000 and /or the Department of Emergency Management on 9589 6266.

2015 19 x CLASS STRUTURE & STAFFING

CLASS TEACHER CLASS TEACHER

PREP Kirsty Walsh GRADE 3 Amy Hillier

PREP Sarah Wotton GRADE 3 Jessica Leach

PREP Jill Horton GRADE 3/4 Marie-Claire Poulsen

PREP Elyce Boyd GRADE 4 Rebecca Beed

GRADE 1 Jenny Wieresma GRADE 4 Brittany Davidson

GRADE 1 Kristin MacDonald GRADE 5 Nicky Smith

GRADE 1 Kristen Conrau GRADE 5/6 Andrew Caulfield

GRADE 1/2 Chris Donaldson GRADE 5/6 Melissa Richardson

GRADE 2 Jill Stock GRADE 6 Colin Hartley

GRADE 2 Jacki Whiteside

Lisa MacLean will commence family leave in March

VISUAL ARTS Lauren Wite PE & SPORT Dale Goldsmith

MUSIC & PERFORMING ARTS – Greg Oswald LOTE Cornelia Tyrrell

BUSINESS MANAGER – Sarah Wallace OFFICE ASSISTANT – Cath Hanson

EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT STAFF

Diane Parkinson, Jenny Beale, Kylie Cribb.

Nerissa Turner, Wendy Holland, Karyn Mitchell and

Sarah Smyth

PUPIL PACKS

Pupil Packs are still available for collection from the office until Friday of this week and then from

Wednesday 28th January.

FIRST DAY 2014

Next year the first day for all students is THURSDAY 29th JANUARY at 9:00am. I predict that

there will be parking issues with 70 new Preps starting so your patience is requested. I would also

take this opportunity to remind parents to be extremely careful when entering, departing and even

backing their vehicles both in the school grounds and within the service road on Mountain Highway.

Please note that there will not be an assembly on this day as we prefer to quickly settle the chil-

dren into their classes. Teachers return on Wednesday 28th January for a day of Professional De-

velopment, classroom preparations and several meetings.

FINAL ASSEMBLY FRIDAY 19th DECEMBER

There is one more day of school to go for 2014 – and 7 more sleeps until Santa visits! I hope to see

you at our final assembly where we will congratulate our students on a fine year, present some

awards and farewell our Graduating Year 6 students. Our assembly commences at 12:50pm and will

conclude at 1:30pm. The last day for students is always filled with sadness as our Grade 6’s leave

and commence their secondary education in the New Year. Friday’s assembly will be difficult for

everyone – especially the Prep buddies.

EX-STUDENTS

It’s great to share success stories about ex-students. Sarah Dobson who attend Wantirna High

School won a special annual award for ‘consistent college performance’ in receiving 9 academic awards

this year. Congratulations Sarah.

At the Grade 6 Graduation on Tuesday evening I bumped into Ramee El-Shabasei who is in Year 11

at Billanook College. It was wonderful to hear about his future study plans and to learn that he had

completed 2 x Year 12 VCE subject this year achieving very high results. Congratulations Rami.

FINAL COMMENTS

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year - one filled with happiness and

good health. I’m certainly looking forward to spending time with my family and friends during this

festive and holiday period. The pace of life does not seem to be slowing so these special times with

family and friends are very important. See you in 2015

Graeme Russell

UNIFORM SHOP NEWS

The uniform shop will be open on

Wednesday the 28th of January 2015.

Opening hours 11.00am-1.00pm.

Then again every Monday Morning

8.45am-9.30am

Merry Christmas

Fiona Jackson

SPORTS UNIFORM

We still have many of our school sports

uniform to be returned.

It would be greatly appreciated if parents

could help and have all uniforms back

tomorrow.

December

15th Indi Lee Riley

Cooper Mason

Jade Thompson

Stella Evans

18th Tamika Willoughby

19th Mack Nielsen-Hughes

Huddie Nielsen-Hughes

Erica Clark

20th Taj Shoebridge

21st Asher Hodge

22nd Teannah Ross

23rd Tanish Kaul

24th Chris Visolit

27th Lewis Healey

29th Rex Wright

30th Arwen Wilson

Addison Edwards

31st Ryan Smit

Matt Smit

Gilchrist Brown

We would like to say goodbye to our 2014 Grade Sixes and we wish them well in their future en-

deavours. Good luck at Secondary School.

Gilchrist Brown Joshua Ciccone Jesse Cormack-Brown

Reuben Cox Sian Cribb Dylan Dinter

Todd Dowler Jade Driscoll Deena El-Shabasei

Stella Evans Noah Fenn Briggs Cody Forrest

Zoe Garnham Courtney Hardinge Alyssa Hunkin

Zoe Keltie Lockie Kennedy Grace Keogh

Aiden Klepac Jazmine Lacy James Leishman

Georgia Londregan `Darcy MacDonald Ryan McRoss

Trinity Mengel Hanna Mesiano Charlie Morris

Caitlyn Palmer Hayden Rodda Keeley Ross

Jayden Smit Jesse Thompson Matthew Weller

Jasmine Woolley Ben Zinnow