2024 End of Year Reports and 2025 Class Information

On Friday 13 December, students from Prep to Grade 6 will be given an envelope to take home containing their 2024 End of Year Report. We ask that all students ensure these envelopes go home unopened.

Importantly, these contain this year’s Summary Statement End of Year Report, 2025 Class Placement information and a new ‘2025 School Terms and Holiday Dates’ fridge magnet.

I have included a letter inside each report envelope to further explain the summary report format and any additional folder contents. If for any reason your child is absent on Friday, then our school practice is to issue this information from their next day at school; or parents/carers are welcome to pick these up at the end of the school day, after 2:45pm on Friday 13 December.

Our Kindergarten students celebrate the end of their first year at Table Cape Primary by inviting families along for a special ‘Celebration of Learning’ afternoon on Wednesday 11 December and information will be provided to families about 2025 class information at this session. Current Kinder students will have a chance to meet their teacher and briefly visit their 2025 classroom during their last week of school.

2025 Class, teacher and levy information is also included in the reporting envelope. Significant additional hours of work have gone into ensuring we have a ‘balance’ of friendships, learning needs and strengths in all classes, particularly when arranging same grade groupings. The support of parents greatly assists us in this class placement process, and I further encourage parents to be really positive with their child/ren as they find out their new class groups for 2025. For many valid reasons, children need the opportunity to broaden their current friendships and further develop their independence and social skills. Please be positive with your child to support our educational decisions.

On Friday 13 December we have planned for students from grades Prep to 5 to briefly visit their new classrooms and meet their 2025 teacher/s. A member of our Leadership Team will meet with class groups if a teacher is not available on the day.

2025 Kinder Orientation

On Friday 13 December we invite all of our incoming 2025 Kinder students and families to attend our final Pre-Kinder Information Session.

This specific Kinder Orientation session commences from 9:00am, with sharing of 2025 Class and teacher information starting at 9:15 – 10:30am.  Please ensure that your child is enrolled in readiness for this day and/or contact the school office if you have any queries or require enrolment assistance.

Staffing Information from 2024 to 2025

Significant for us at the end of the term this year will be:

THANK YOU & FAREWELLS TO STAFF – this year again we have a few staff who will finish working with us and be leaving our school:

1. Through an eligible transfer process this includes:

• Mrs Emma Liefhebber is transferring to Boat Harbour Primary School. Emma has provided students with impactful, positive learning opportunities from grades 3 to 6 over the last 10 years. Her approachable and caring manner, as well as exemplary teaching will be assets to her new school community; and she will be missed as a valued member of our staff.  Emma’s commitment to the wellbeing and learning needs of every child is to be commended. We wish her every success at her new school.

Farewell also to:

• Gary Watts has volunteered for over 20+ years in our forms of Wynyard schools (prior to the amalgamation and formation of Table Cape). He has especially supported our Visual Arts and STEAM teachers and has sadly informed us that it is now time for him to retire. Gary’s significant commitment to our school community is immeasurable and he is a well-known and valued member of our school community. We wish him good health and happiness as he finishes his association with us. Best Wishes Gary!
• Bek Targett has been away from school on extended periods of leave, including maternity and parenting leave. Bek has decided to continue in this important role for her son and has given notice to finish as a Teacher Assistant at our school. We thank Bek for the many years of support not only in her TA role, but also for the fantastic provision of School Book Club for our children and families. Best wishes Bek!

2. Staff completion of Fixed-Term Teacher Contracts include:
   • Miss Jacinta Craighead – has worked for 2 years at our school teaching in Kinder and support literacy roles. Of late, Jacinta has taken on a number of class cover roles across all grades when staffing needs have arisen. Her flexibility and positivity have been appreciated by all staff and no doubt the children have also benefited by her dedicated efforts and approachable manner. Best wishes to Jacinta in her future appointments!
   • Ms Laura Willcox – has worked this year in 6A, teaching on Fridays and has also filled some regular relief roles throughout the year. Thank you Laura, and we do hope you stay connected with us through relief roles next year.

3. NB We also have a number of non-teaching staff (teacher assistant and admin) fixed term contracts ending and I am not yet able to confirm farewells or new/ongoing appointments for 2025. I am hoping to be able to share further information in our last edition of the newsletter for Term 4.

As a staff group, we say each ‘thank you’ and ‘goodbye’ on the last Friday, but also traditionally I like to inform our school community so that families have an opportunity to say a personal goodbye before the end of the term. Also, our Celebration Concert events, on Thursday 1 & Wednesday 18 December, will provide an opportunity for the students to give a small posy or gift as a thank you to departing staff.

Summer Snake Safety in the Bush with Kids

We are so fortunate that our school is located on such a large block close to nature; however, with a beautiful back bush boundary area and a close river, we do have wildlife just nearby to our school grounds. Learning about being safe in the bush can be covered at school but is also a shared responsibility with our families to teach at home.

As identified by many local members of the public using the walking tracks behind our school, some snakes have been seen out early in the summer season. Because of this information, we have restricted our furthest play boundary to be much closer to the school and well away from the bush and back playground equipment. In Term 4 (and for next year’s Term 1), we have implemented this key safety strategy to minimise any playground risk for children.

“Snakes are simply a part of the Australian bush and there seems to be more and more sightings of snakes near creeks and on bike paths where families tread regularly. But as much as we might fear them, snakes aren’t out there waiting to attack us. They are generally doing their own thing (basking in the sun!) and will only strike if they feel threatened. By respecting and understanding snakes a bit better, we can keep our families safe when out in the bush.

As a parent, it’s hard not to freak out when you see a snake so it’s important to be prepared and to also teach your kids some basic safety rules to follow. These are the rules and procedures we follow at bush playgroup to keep snake safe.

We have been fortunate to see these beautiful creatures at our bush playgroups and the kids have practised their snake safety rules really well. We talk a lot about snakes, and we remind them at the beginning of each session our rules. It’s important as a parent that you reinforce that as well.

BUSHWALKING RULES 

1. Always be ALERT when in the bush. Look ahead and where you are stepping.
   2. Stick to wide paths and tracks only.
   3. Do NOT walk through long grass or let your child run ahead.
   4. Check behind logs. Do NOT step over logs; instead, step on them in case there is a snake on the other side.
   5. Snakes can hear vibrations, not sounds so make sure you practice STOMPING, really hard! Make a game of it with the kids.
   6. Wear boots that cover your ankles and long pants.
   7. Be careful of what you pick up or turn over. Snakes can be under rocks and under logs. Turn it outwards, away from you, instead in inwards.

If you do happen to come across a snake on your walk, follow these 3 simple steps.

1. Yell out SNAKE!
2. FREEZE
3. Back away quietly.
4. ALERT others.

Remember that snakes are a protected species, and it is illegal to capture or kill them. Always have a first aid kit with you at all times and make sure you are up to date with your first aid and snake bite treatment.”

Finally today, reminders of some upcoming key school activities and events…

• Celebration Concerts – Thursday 12 Dec (performing classes are K-6 ‘A’ & ‘C’ groups) & Wednesday 18 (performing classes are K-6 ‘B’ – commencing at 1:30pm in our School Gym
• School Association Christmas Raffles – this year we have planned to offer a 2 door raffles for families attending each of our Celebration concerts. Tickets will be on sale to adults at each concert … so please bring along your spare $2 gold coins!